New trends happen every day. Sometimes I am what you would call a late adopter of a new trend. Just to be totally honest along those lines, I have not given up what I would call my 'stupid' phone for the techy and trendy smart phones. I have a suspicion that the newer phones might really be smarter than I am.
But back to the by now old trend of super foods. Some of the foods that I thought were just good, happen to be very good for me because they are super in nutrients. Now the other thing to know is that not all of the super foods have been proven to be good for you. It is by virtue of the fact they contain so many nutrients, that they may help to prevent cancer, prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol, and so on.
The first super food, blueberries, just are good by themselves, on your food, or in foods. Berries are full of phytonutrients that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are agents that cause aging and cell damage. Maybe Ponce de Leon should eaten blueberries instead hunting for the fountain of youth.
The antioxidants in blueberries may help to protect against cancer and possibly reduce age related issues such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
I really like ancient grains like quinoa and amaranth. Quinoa was grown by the Inca Indians. It is high in protein and fiber. It contains vitamins B-1, B-2, and B-6. It contains 9 other minerals. A person could substitute quinoa for rice in dishes and have a power packed dish.
Amaranth also is an ancient grain. The Aztec Indians used this in their diets. It has 26 grams of protein for a one cup serving. It contains calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. It is the only grain that contains vitamin C. It may help to lower cholesterol levels because it contains two different types of sterols. It has 13 grams of fiber for one uncooked cup.
Both quinoa and amaranth are gluten free. Both have a nutty taste to them, which I find appealing.
A food that was one that took some convincing for me to even try is kale. Kale falls into the category of being a super food because it contains a phytonutrient that seems to lessen the the occurrence of numerous cancers, including breast and ovarian. Scientists are not sure how this works, but think that the nutrients in kale tell the liver to produce enzymes that stop potentially cancer causing substances.
If you want a recipe that has kale in it that is absolutely delicious, it Portuguese Kale soup. It is so delicious.
I don't know how many super foods have been dubbed with the title, but these are a few that I wanted to share with you.
Add one or two super foods into your diet for better health.
Juanita