Dietary fads come and go. But it is really encouraging to see a general shift in consciousness to healthier, fresher options. More and more people are questioning the ingredients in the meals that they prepare, and moving away from overly processed, overly tampered with ingredients.
The latest buzzword to be bandied about is the term “super food”. The term covers mostly plant-based items that contain a high nutritional content, and thus are considered to have plenty of health benefits.
There’s simply no denying that these foods pack a nutritional punch that no one should be going without! So here’s our list of 10 super-healthy-foods you can grow yourself!
1. Broccoli
Your mother was right – broccoli IS good for you. Many a well-meaning parent has tried desperately to get their noses-upturned-in-disgust kiddies to eat these.
Packing more vitamin C than an orange, and as much calcium as a glass of milk, broccoli is also drawing attention for it’s cancer-fighting properties too.
2. Carrots
Again, mom was on to something here. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which contributes to healthy eyesight.
Raw carrots are also packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium, as well as being high in soluble fiber which can actually help to lower cholesterol. Can’t argue with that!
3. Garlic
Dare we say it again – mom triumphs once more! My mom always told me if I ate garlic, I’d never get sick – I believed that was because no one would willingly get close enough to me to pass on any germs.
However, garlic is a natural anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. In addition it contains over 100 nutrients used to combat a range of ailments including arthritis, immune disorders, cataracts, cancer, strokes, and aging.
4. Spinach
Spinach is one heck of a disease fighter!! It’s high in flavonoids and antioxidants – and is fantastic for keeping hair and skin healthy.
It’s also high in potassium and low in sodium, making it a great defense against hypertension, not to mention that it’s also super high in fiber
5. Tomatoes
Low in calories, sodium and cholesterol, tomatoes are bursting with (some surprising) beneficial nutrients and vitamins.Tomatoes are high in Vitamin K and calcium, so are great for bones.
It’s great to know that the high Vitamin A and C content is good at combating free radicals that can cause cell damage. Also, the high content of lycopene and beta-carotene are great at protecting the skin – hellooo anti-aging! Lycopene is also known to be beneficial in fighting certain types of cancer.
We found it hard to squeeze all 10 into one blog post, so the next 5 on the list will be up soon!
