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Expert Advice Articles Super foods
Super foods
Quinoa for health
An ancient grain now revived. Quinoa is the latest grain to make the transition from alternative health food to trendy supermarket item. It’s an ancient grain from South America and has been a staple food for the Inca civilization for thousands of years. So how good is it really?
Top 100 polyphenols. What are they and why are they important?
There are heaps of websites and food packs out there that try to compare this super food to that one. Depending on which testing method is used, you'll see sites and ads proclaiming that blueberries have more antioxidants than red wine; that goji has more than blueberries; that pomegranate juice has more than tea; and that dark chocolate is up there with all of them.
Catherine Saxelby’s Top 20 super foods
Add these 20 superstars to your daily diet to give your body a recharge and help protect your future health. Identifying nutrient-rich, health-promoting star performers isn't difficult! What’s tough is narrowing it down to only this handful. Read why I’ve selected these and how they can benefit your health and wellbeing without adding weight.
Energise yourself with this easy super food eating plan
It's not hard incorporating my top 20 super foods into your everyday eating. Here's a day's menu I've created to give you an idea of how you can easily work them in from breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, and snacks too!
A carrot a day
I love carrots. I eat one just about every day. They're so versatile. What other vegetable can you eat raw and cooked, savoury and sweet, in salad or as juice as well as in a cake? Got the afternoon munchies? Grab a raw carrot to tide you over. Looking for a pre-dinner nibble? Carrot sticks make a great low-kilojoule/calorie substitute for crackers with a dip.
Super foods - making each mouthful count
Hardly a month goes by without us reading about a new “super food” or “magic ingredient” that can prevent cancer, lower our cholesterol, boost the immune system or keep us looking young.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Spinach
If you're not adding spinach to your meals, you're missing out on one of nature's true super foods. It's a green leafy vegetable that's chock full of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds (phytochemicals). It's one of those vegetables that is always recommended for peak health. The trick is to find ways to incorporate into your cooking.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Chia
When I first read about Chia, I thought "Yeh, sure, sounds way too good to be true." And the claims do sound amazing. Can tiny seeds, smaller even than sesame or flax seeds, really be loaded with so much omega-3, fibre, protein and calcium that they get labelled a super food? In all honesty, I'd never heard of them before and with so many "new" discoveries, the hype around Chia seemed to a bit over the top.
What are antioxidants
Antioxidants are molecules which act as the body's first line of defence against damage from a natural process called oxidation. There's dozens, if not hundreds, of different ones.They destroy substances called free radicals which occur naturally in our body and are also left behind by smog, cigarette smoke and the sun's radiation.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Yoghurt
Yoghurt has been associated with long lifespan ever since the renowned Russian scientist Dr Metchnikoff (1845-1919) claimed it was responsible for the longevity of the Bulgarians in the early 1900s. Metchnikoff believed the ‘friendly' live Lactobacillus bacteria in yoghurt (which today we call probiotics) exerted a key influence on our intestines. Certainly yoghurt's ‘partial pre-digestion' makes it more easily digested and absorbed than milk.
Super Foods, the ultimate health food – Wheatgerm
If you feel tired and run down, wheatgerm is the natural way to top up your diet and give yourself a boost of almost all the B vitamins, plus some vitamin E, a healthy dose of antioxidants and many minerals - all in one. In fact, of all grain foods, it's the easiest to add a ‘tonic' to your diet - it's like taking a multi-B vitamin supplement but it's natural and got more nutrients.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Tomatoes
Cherry, egg, vine-ripened, ox-heart or teardrop; raw, grilled, oven-roasted or sun-dried; canned, bottled or in paste form - whichever way you eat them, tomatoes are a versatile ingredient of any healthy diet and a top super food.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Tea
Black or white, strong or weak, with or without sugar, tea is the world's favourite hot drink. And it's a great pick-me-up when your energy and concentration is flagging. It has been drunk in ancient China for thousands of years. It spread to Japan around 805 AD and to other parts of the Orient, but did not reach Europe until 1610, when the Dutch East India Company imported samples to Holland.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Salmon
Low in saturated fat, rich in zinc, high in protein and a great source of omega-3s, there are plenty of good reasons to eat salmon and other oily fish.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Grapefruits (and other citrus)
Grapefruits get the thumbs up from every nutritionist, myself included. I love to kick off my day with a pink grapefruit that I peel thickly, cut into segments and add a thin sprinkle of brown sugar. Nothing nicer before my muesli! Like other citrus, grapefruits are packed full of vitamin C, providing an entire day's needs in just half an grapefruit. This vitamin can enhance iron absorption, speed up wound healing and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Super foods, the ultimate health food - Oats
If you want to live to 100 and be in good shape, start eating more oats. It's the grain with everything - it's high in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that will keep your cholesterol down, it's got a low GI of 42 so will help you keep diabetes at bay, it's a good alternative if you can't eat wheat.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Ginger
Whether you consume it fresh, dried, crystalline or as a tea, ginger adds a wonderful fragrance and pungency to your cooking. And it has medicinal value too.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Garlic
Long hailed as ‘nature's penicillin', garlic was used as a medicinal by the ancient Egyptians, Vikings and Chinese. The slaves who toiled to build the Great Pyramid kept their strength up with a ration of garlic and onion each day.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Flax seeds
Small shiny dark-brown seeds about the size of sesame seeds, flax seeds (also called linseeds) are a storehouse of omega-3s. They're the richest plant source of one fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a building block of the omega-3 oils found in fish.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Eggs
Busy people know eggs are one of nature's great convenience foods. A dozen eggs, stored in the refrigerator, is the most handy of protein foods, always on hand to create a quick omelette, frittata or simply served scrambled on toast when there's nothing else in the fridge.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Cinnamon
If you have room for only one spice in your kitchen, cinnamon is it! I love it for its aroma and flavour, but now research has revealed that small amounts of cinnamon taken each day can lower blood sugar levels for those with diabetes. It adds flavour to food without having to use extra sugar or fat.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of Chillies
Chillies pack a mighty punch in nutrition terms. They have a strong concentration of vitamin C, around two to three times greater than citrus fruit, and are high in fibre, minerals like potassium and some of the B vitamins. But as the quantities of chilli consumed are fairly small, their overall contribution ends up being minor (although for chilli afficionados, it may be significant).
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of Broccoli
Kids might wrinkle their noses at it, but broccoli is one of the must-eat powerhouse vegetables. If you're busy and want dinner in a hurry, pick broccoli as your green veg. It's breeze to steam or cook without any water in the microwave. It's related to cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, all vegetables with a solid reputation in nutrition circles.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of Bok choy and other Asian greens
Asian leafy greens such as bok choy, choy sum, or choy and gai lum are tops for nutrition, being rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, fibre and many B vitamins. Surprisingly they can contribute a lot of calcium and iron too. Because of their lower levels of oxalic acid (a compound that interferes with mineral absorption), the iron and calcium in Asian greens is more readily absorbed than traditional leafy greens such as spinach and silver beet. Best of all, they are light and low in kilojoules with almost no fat. All good reasons to tuck into them!
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries are the nutrition powerhouses of the fruit world. They are not only low in kilojoules but also happen to taste sweet and divine. They make the healthiest snack straight from the container and let you whip up quick desserts with yoghurt or ice-cream.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – the benefits of basil, rosemary, oregano and other green herbs
While the market for herbal remedies such as echinacea, gingko and herbal teas is growing exponentially, let's not forget that the culinary herbs that grace our meals can make a sizeable contribution to our nutrition intake - if we eat enough of them. Think of fresh herbs as green leafy vegetables and you'll soon realise that they are in the same class as spinach and Asian greens.
Super foods, the ultimate health foods – Almonds
All nuts are packed with nutrition, but almonds stand out as a super nut! Eat a handful regularly and you’ll make a good investment in your heart’s health. Plus there's lots more to talk about with almonds from fibre to vitamins for good health.
Goji - not so super
Currently, there have been no human clinical trials performed on Goji berries and no scientific evidence published under peer review. Many distributors are not compliant with regulatory guidelines for marketing natural food products and have inadequate or incorrect labelling on products. Here are the popular claims made on goji packs and what we say in reply ...
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