Although food might not have that immediate effect we see in fiction like spinach on Popeye, Gillyweed in the Harry Potter series or the “eat me” cakes in Alice in Wonderland. Nonetheless, there are real nutritious foods that can enhance our health. We can call these: superfoods. Thinking outside of the marketing campaigns and going back to the basics, here is a list of real gems to a healthy diet.
Spinach
This is a food item that you can buy all over the world in different forms and shapes but its good qualities are often forgotten. Some nutritional facts; a serving of 100 g will provide only 18 calories but you will get all the more nutrients. To list some spinach contains; 97% out of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of folate, 57,5% of Vitamin C, 34,4% of Vitamin A and 14,3% of iron*. Spinach also has high levels of Vitamin E and potassium. This leafy plant is often known for its high iron levels but something that is worth mentioning on the subject is that spinach also contains substances called oxalate. These will lock on to the iron and therefore inhibit some of the absorption. One way to prevent this is by consuming high levels of Vitamin C. This vitamin will help our bodies with iron absorption. Another thing about spinach is that you can eat and cook it in so many different ways. You can eat it raw in a salad with a citrus dressing, you can sauté it with some garlic, salt and pepper, you can use it in lasagna with salmon and feta cheese or make a delicious spinach soup with some boiled eggs and garlic bread on the side. The possibilities are endless. Let your creativity flow!
Eggs
Eggs have a well varied fat compound and are rich in protein. Some nutrients that stand out are the high levels of Vitamin B12 (58,8% of RDA), Vitamin E (46,7%) and selenium (41,3%). Besides from the common fried, boiled, poached and scrambled there is almost no end as to what you can do with them. They are perfect as binding agents in homemade hamburgers, perfect for baking, making pasta, as a base in a sauce like béarnaise and even for eating the egg yolk raw on a steak tartar.
Tuna
This is a very lean fish, only 4,9 g fat per 100 g, and it also has a well varied compound of fat. This fish is very nutrient rich as well. Take the extraordinarily high levels of Vitamin B12 for example, 377,2% out of RDA. Tuna also contains large amounts of Vitamin D (90%) and Vitamin A (81,9%). This fish is also high in protein, 23,3 g out of 100 g, which is why it’s very popular around the fitness scene. There’s a lot of ways you can eat your tuna, some favorites are as sushi or as carpaccio with lots of lime and chili. It’s also very nice to roll a piece of tuna in sesame seeds and then quickly fry it so that the middle of the tuna still is raw. Tuna is good on the BBQ as well served with a spicy mango salsa or in a salad. You can also buy tuna in a can which is not to bad, just make sure to buy the once with water surrounding the fish if you want to make a healthier choice.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil has a lower smoke point compared to other oils, this makes it an ideal option for low and medium-heat cooking. Also, many studies have linked it to better heart health. Extra virgin olive oil also contains vitamin E, vitamin K and is loaded with antioxidants. These qualities help fight inflammation and help protect your blood cholesterol from oxidation, both benefits that lower the risk of heart disease. Many clinical studies suggest that olive oil, combined with a Mediterranean diet, can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. All these reasons are good enough to include this superfood to your diet!
Bananas
When it comes to nutrition, bananas are high in Vitamin B6 (41,4% of RDA) and potassium (19,8%). But the main reason why bananas are a superfood is that they are a great source of fast energy. This makes it an ideal food for after a workout or when you feel that your blood sugar is low. Plus there are many different ways to use bananas in your cooking; they are great as a base in any smoothie, they are perfect in desserts like banana cake, banana pancakes or baking.
Greek Yogurt
The Greek yogurt contains double the amount of protein that a regular yogurt and with that argument alone it makes the Greek yogurt a better choice than the regular kind. Why? Because when you exercise your body will start an increased protein degradation which means that you will need to eat more protein in order to compensate that loss. And in order to gain muscles, you need to not only compensate for the degradation, but you will also have to eat a bigger protein amount so that your body has a plus of proteins. Otherwise your workout will not lead to muscle growth. With that being said eating Greek yogurt after a workout will help you regenerate muscle tissue until your next meal and therefore prevent the acute muscle degradation. Another good thing about Greek yogurt is that it’s packed with probiotics which are live bacteria that naturally occur in certain foods. These bacteria are said to promote the natural intestinal bacterial flora and therefore give you a happier stomach and immune system.
Almonds
Almonds are very energy-rich! 100 grams will give you 595 calories packed proteins, monounsaturated fatty acids and lots of nutrients such as vitamin E (240% out of RDA) and magnesium (93 % out of RDA). Almonds contain 20% protein so they are also a great snack after a workout or when you just feel that you need that extra amount of energy on a stressful day. Since almonds have a high compound of monounsaturated fatty acids they help lower your body’s LDL-cholesterol and in that way also reduces the risk of heart disease. Studies show that eating almonds with the skin still on is the healthiest choice. The flavonoids found in the skin and the vitamin E found in the meat teams up and create double the number of antioxidants compared to eating them separately. In short, almonds are good for your brain and for mental energy.
Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, good fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. The salmon is most known for its high amounts of Omega 3, but why is that good? I’ll tell you. Omega 3 is what we call essential fatty acids which means that our bodies can’t synthesize them and we, therefore, need to obtain theses fats from the food that we eat. Omega 3 has two vital parts to play in our bodies; they are one of the building blocks of our cell membranes and especially much is used to build the cells in our brain and together with the Omega 6 fats they also control/affect the level of inflammation in our bodies. Salmon contains the most beneficial of the Omega 3 fats called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which makes this fish a perfect source. Studies show that Omega 3 fats could prevent cardiovascular diseases like atrial fibrillation and heart failure and also inflammatorily diseases like asthma, eczema, inflammatory bowel diseases, and rheumatism. Salmon also contains an antioxidant called astaxanthin which gives the fish its orange color. This antioxidant is a phytochemical that is known to help lower the LDL-cholesterol, it has anti-inflammatory properties and helps detoxifying toxins and heavy metals in our bodies, they are also bactericidal and protect against parasites. The salmon also contains extraordinary amounts of the important vitamin B12 (900% out of RDA). Vitamin B12 is required for the production of red blood cells, essential to the nervous system, our hair, cell metabolism, cell division, the formation of proteins and the manufacture of DNA. The vitamin is also involved in the production of various neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. So, with all that being said salmon is a great choice for that extra boost of energy after or before a workout because of the high-quality protein and the great amount of Omega 3 and vitamin B12 it contains.
There is, of course, many other food items that deserve a spot on a list like this, but the important thing to have in mind when choosing your food products is that they are pure and as unprocessed as possible. And don’t get fooled by the price, just because something is more expensive does not mean it’s better for you. I’d choose any of the above-mentioned food items over any superfood every day of the week.
*all RDA numbers are calculated from 100 g
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