You only have to switch on the television or pick up a newspaper and it won’t be long before you hear people telling you about super foods. From the exotic sounding Goji and Acai berries through to more well known foods such as spinach and coconut, they all have one thing in common; they’re all supposed to be super good for you.
So what’s the difference between something that’s healthy and a so called super food?
A healthy food often has a nutrient rich and complex composition which when eaten within the confines of a balanced diet, gives the body the correct nutrients that it needs in order to promote well being. A super food on the other hand is often naturally rich in Phytochemicals. These are chemicals that are proven to have disease fighting properties. In other words eating super foods in conjunction with a healthy diet is said to better protect you against disease and illness.
The danger often comes when people falsely believe that they can simply reverse bad food habits by taking so called super foods. Let’s face it if you’re tucking into a mountain of fried foods without a green vegetable in sight, then it’s doubtful that a handful of Goji berries is going to prevent weight gain and even heart disease. However, that said, when used in conjunction with a healthy diet, they can be extremely beneficial.
Greens
Green super foods are said to have one of the highest concentrations of fat burning compounds and easily digestible nutrients. They contain a wide variety of proteins and healthy bacteria to stimulate tissue growth and aid the digestive system. In addition they’re also rich in Chlorophyll. This is said to promote more oxygen-rich blood. Foods like spinach, sprouting broccoli and kale are classed as super foods because of their nutrition rich and calorie sparse properties. Other lesser known foods such as wheat grass, barley grass, Spirulina and wild blue-green-algae are also types of super foods.
Nut and Fruit Super Foods
The coconut (particularly the water) contains high sources of electrolyte and is extremely good for the blood stream. Acai and Goji berries contain high quantities of natural antioxidants which is said to help anything from anti aging to disease protection. Other nut and fruit super foods include Maca which comes from the Maca root and Noni. Grown in Peru, Maca has been cultivated for thousands of years and is said to increase energy levels. Noni is a fruit found in Polynesia and is said to have anti-bacterial properties. It is also believed to generate cell repair and help to strengthen the immune system
Bee Bi-products
Royal jelly is the milk-like secretion that the thousands of worker bees produce. It’s packed full of nutrients including pantothenic acid (Vit B5). Known to help combat fatigue, stress and even insomnia, it is also a vital nutrient for great looking skin and hair. Pollen is packed full of protein and is said to contain seven times more protein than beef. Finally bees coat their hives with a generated substance known as Propolis. This is known to strengthen the immune system and can even ward off cold like symptoms.
Herbs
Although used in medicine for years, many herbs are also said to have excellent well-being properties. Plants such as Ginseng, Echinacea, Nettles and Aloe-Vera all have varying health properties ranging from stress relief through to aiding the digestive system and even helping with constipation.
It seems that although these various natural products have been known about for centuries, it’s only now that they are becoming more widely available. As a result more and more people are making them part of their daily diet in order to promote health and well-being. You can find a superb range of super foods online at Indigo Herbs.
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