The word “superfood” carries a certain hype, but some foods rightly earn that status. Food is definitely medicine and some foods are more powerful than others. To create optimal health, food is can be the most powerful tool. Food is the first and most powerful drug in my arsenal to treat patients.
Here are three superfoods that are a must to incorporate into your eating plan:
1. Seeds
Seeds are very nutritious. Examples of seeds that can be easily added to your smoothies, puddings or on top of your favourite yoghurt are chia, hemp and flaxseeds. Some of their benefits include:
- Chia seeds are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, protein and fibre. Just one ounce of chia seeds contains 10 grams of fibre. Its insoluble fibre acts as a prebiotic that feeds friendly gut bacteria and ferments into short-chain fatty acids to support gut health. Chia seeds also contain more protein than most plant foods.
- Hemp seeds provide healthy omega-3 fats, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
- Flaxseeds are also a great source of omega-3 fats, dietary fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals. Flaxseeds contain phytonutrients called lignans. To ease constipation, try ground flaxseed sprinkled into a smoothie.
2. Plant Foods
The vast and colourful array of vegetables contain an abundance of beneficial chemicals. Research shows that these phytochemicals play an important role in providing numerous health benefits. It is important to eat a diverse diet with numerous colourful whole foods. Eat from the rainbow: Every fruit and vegetable colour represents a different family of healing compounds. Red foods such as tomatoes contain the carotenoid lycopene, which helps eliminate free radicals that can damage your cells. Green foods such as broccoli contain the chemicals sulforaphane and isocyanate, as well as indoles that can inhibit carcinogens to protect against cancer.
Originally published on Oct 16, 2017
