Simply super

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Posted at 12:02PM, 19 April 2011 by Kieron Allen - Food writer

From Atkins to alcohol free, it seems that every day brings with it yet another fad diet or detox program. With each one promising even greater results than its predecessor, the business of healthy living is highly competitive.

One eureka moment that has endured the test of time and united the opinions of nutritionists across the board: the discovery of super foods.

There is however one eureka moment that has endured the test of time and united the opinions of nutritionists across the board: the discovery of super foods . These little gems are nutritionally dense, containing very high levels of vitamins and minerals, some of which our bodies crave, but can't produce independently.

Unfortunately, these miracle foods often come with enormous price tags and can be very impractical when it comes to cooking (you try incorporating an umeboshi plum or daikon radish into breakfast). Well, once again science has done all the hard work for us and revealed that many ordinary ingredients have the same anti-oxidant power as their rather more exotic cousins, making it easy to include nutritionally rich super foods into every meal you eat.

Start the day with fruit and cereal. Eating more apples is one of the easiest ways to incorporate super foods into your diet. Packed with anti-oxidants and cholesterol beating pectin, one apple can provide a quarter of your daily requirement of vitamin C.

Swap your cornflakes for whole grain cereals like muesli. Whole grains are a fantastic source of fibre, proven to lower cholesterol and protect against colon cancer. Whole grains like bulghar wheat and brown rice are also easily incorporated into lunch or dinner.

Beans on toast. Don't write off this simple lunch too quickly. This classic British staple, is in fact considered a super food. Baked beans are full of protein, fibre and iron, protecting against heart disease and prostate cancer. Of course many other pulses fall into this category too and can be easily added into your diet.

Supper is the best time to go wild with the super foods. Salmon is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids and promotes a healthy heart. Salmon is also a versatile ingredient and goes well with other super foods like chilli - a great anti oxidant, or broccoli - a wonderful source of vitamins A, C and K.

Even dessert can be an opportunity to partake in a spot of super eating. Blueberries are a brilliant way to end your meal. High in vitamin C and considered by many to be the ultimate super food, they also go very well with ice cream.

Which other super foods do you swear by?

Comments

Holly

19 April 2011, 3:00PM
Holly

I've eaten all of the foods mentioned for a few years now and rarely catch colds or bugs and have fought off low moods. I also notice that when I eat avocados and Brazil nuts my skin improves. So for me there is definitely something in it. The best part is I actually love all of these foods so it isn't exactly hard!

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arc

19 April 2011, 3:35PM
arc

test

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Jersey Cotillard

21 April 2011, 2:44PM
Jersey Cotillard

I try and incorporate as many super foods as I can. When I am being really good I generally feel much better, my skin improves, I don't catch colds and most importantly for me I don't get cravings for sweet things ie chocolate and carbs. ie bread and crisps. It is difficult sometimes though, especially when cooking for the family and with the high costs for food here in Jersey. We do try and grow as much as we can now that we have a garden for the first time in over 20 years.

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Gisela

21 April 2011, 4:39PM
Gisela

am both fixated on and frustrated by the superfood obsession (i say whilst sipping on a green tea and nibbling blueberries). new detox blog has a good charity, banterous spin on the whole thing though: www.detoxdinners.com

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VikCakeStar

24 April 2011, 3:28PM
VikCakeStar

There is scientifically no such thing as a detox... that is what your liver is for. All foods have certain chemicals in them that your body has to excrete, even "healthy" foods like veg. A bit of everything is the only way to be both happy and healthy, of course eating as little processed food as poss...

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vegetarian recipes

5 May 2011, 10:56AM
vegetarian recipes

slimming world have been advocating the benifits of super foods for years. it certainly is a brilliantly healthy way of life

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miniminx

6 May 2011, 1:29PM
miniminx

salmon chilli?!

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Deb's

8 June 2011, 9:50PM
Deb's

cooking with coconut oil and eating fresh coconut is also a great super food to give you 'good fats', especially before a workout. organic pro biotic natural yogurt with mixed nuts and seeds is also a grat snack to have in the afternoon to stop those cravings for crisps or chocolate. Don't eat cashews, pistachios or peanuts though!

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Rachel.a

9 June 2011, 1:04PM
Rachel.a

Balance is the key. The more of the superfoods you eat the more tastier they become and the more high fat/sugar based processed stuff becomes tastless. I have gone under a radical diet change, it takes time to feel the effects but my eyes now feel brighter, i am more alert, my skin is glowing and my hair is thicker, fuller and even shinier. My top recommendations( ia m aveggie) are salmon lots of seeds-flaxseeds in particular-on everthing brazil nuts=brain power walnuts and almonds. Chopped up in yoghurts, porrdige, salads and stirfrys Olive oil, walnut oil. yum yum yum

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jadejen

23 February 2012, 3:01PM
jadejen

Please take two seconds to complete this quick survey on superfoods, which will contribute to my dissertation, thank you: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QX2GJ9R

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amla powder

14 January, 5:40AM
amla powder

Great, I like this article very much because I am a fitness lover person & like to fit & healthy, your article having lots of benefit of super-food.

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