Superfoods are nutrient-rich foods that can significantly benefit your overall health. When added to a diet, superfoods like leafy greens, berries, and fatty fish can boost your immune system and lower your risk of certain conditions, including heart disease.
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Leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and arugula, are often described as superfoods because of their anti-inflammatory properties and high concentration of nutrients and antioxidants, including carotenoids.
Carotenoids are natural pigments that give vegetables their color. They protect cells from damage and lower inflammation. Research suggests that consuming a lot of carotenoids may lower the risk of several cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancers.
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Eating more cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, may improve your diet quality and lower your risk of certain conditions, including cancer and heart disease. Cruciferous vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, like folate, magnesium, and vitamins A and C.
They also contain substances called glucosinolates. When you consume glucosinolates, your body turns them into another substance called isothiocyanates, which helps protect your cells from damage and inflammation.
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Berries, like blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries, regularly top superfoods lists, and for good reason. A berry-rich diet may protect against many conditions, including breast and prostate cancers, heart disease, and diabetes.
Berries are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, B vitamins, fiber, and several other nutrients essential to health.
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Fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, trout, and sardines, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and protect cells. Seafood is a main source of omega-3s, and eating more fatty fish, like sardines, could reduce your need for omega-3 supplements.
Fatty fish are also high in nutrients like:
- Protein
- B12
- Vitamin E
- Selenium (a mineral that supports thyroid and immune system health)
- Iron
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D, in particular, plays important roles in immune, brain, and skeletal health, and is only found in a few foods. Fatty fish is one of the best ways to increase your intake. Eating more fatty fish may also lower your risk of heart disease and cancers like colorectal cancer.
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Herbs and spices like parsley, oregano, turmeric, thyme, and ginger are full of natural substances that protect overall health and fight common conditions.
Turmeric, for example, contains a substance called curcumin, which is known to protect against certain cancers and support brain health. Parsley is high in flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), which may help protect against heart disease and cognitive decline (difficulty with memory and focusing).
Other compounds found in herbs and spices, like rosmarinic acid and apigenin, also offer significant health-protective effects.
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Citrus fruits, like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, are common superfoods. They’re some of the best sources of vitamin C, which plays important roles in your immune system and skin health, and is a powerful antioxidant.
Research shows that consuming citrus fruits regularly can lower your risk of heart disease and several cancers, including colorectal cancer.
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Fermented foods, like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, are rich in probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that benefit health when consumed in specific amounts. Eating probiotic-rich foods can improve gut health by helping good bacteria grow in the large intestine, lowering inflammation, and strengthening the lining of your gut.
Fermented foods are also high in nutrients. For example, fermented dairy products, such as kefir and yogurt, are packed with protein, calcium, vitamin A, and selenium.
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Nuts and seeds, like walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds, are among the most nutritious foods you can eat.
Nuts and seeds are packed with fiber, which supports regular and comfortable bowel movements and lowers blood lipid levels (fat levels in your blood). They’re also rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamin E, and magnesium, a mineral that balances your blood pressure and blood sugar and supports a healthy stress response.
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Organ meats aren’t as popular as other protein sources, like steak and chicken, but they pack an impressive amount of nutrients.
Organ meats are one of the best sources of iron. Iron is necessary for a number of important bodily functions, including moving oxygen throughout the body and making energy and hormones.
A 3-ounce serving of chicken liver covers 54% of the Daily Value (DV) for iron, which is over 45% more than what’s found in the same serving of cooked steak.
Organ meats are also high in B vitamins, vitamin A, selenium, and zinc, all of which play important roles in health.
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Cocoa products, like dark chocolate and cacao nibs, are one of the best sources of antioxidants you can eat.
Cocoa products are especially rich in flavonoids and have more flavonoids by weight than any other food. Diets high in this antioxidant have been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions (conditions that affect the nerves).
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Onions and garlic are filled with nutrients that protect your overall health and lower the risk of certain conditions. This is because they’re a good source of vitamin C, which can help protect against certain cancers, such as stomach and breast cancers.
Eating onions and garlic may also protect against heart and kidney disease.
There are many ways you can raise your superfood intake, including:
- Snack on fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
- Add fruit to dishes like oatmeal and yogurt.
- Use vegetables in side dishes and main courses.
- Incorporate fatty fish and organ meats into salads and grain-based dishes to boost the nutritional value and protein content.
- Use spices, herbs, onion, and garlic when preparing meals.
- Eat more fermented foods.
