It seems like every day there’s a new food claiming the mantle of ‘super’. Packed with vitamins and minerals, these foods offer more bang for your buck when it comes to enhancing your diet. Here are the top four that will never go out of style
1. Broccoli
The much-abhorred cruciferous vegetable from childhood is back, but with good reason.
Broccoli is loaded with vitamins A and C as well as folic acid and vitamin K. Half a cup of broccoli per day is said to help enhance immune system function, repair reproductive health and prevent a number of cancers including those of the lung, colon, rectum and stomach. Not bad for your childhood nemesis.
2. Berries
Whether you go with the exotic varieties such as açai and goji or stick with the tried-and-true blueberries, there’s no question that including berries in your diet will do you good.
Containing antioxidants and a good dose of fibre, berries are particularly adept at promoting overall health. In particular, açai contains high levels of amino acids and essential fatty acids, and goji berries will give you more vitamin C than oranges as well as 15 amino acids. Blueberries boast ellagic acid, which has been shown in laboratory studies to slow the growth of some cancerous tumours.
3. Yoghurt
Besides tasting great, yoghurt contains the same essential nutrients as milk but in a concentrated form. For instance, one cup of yoghurt contains around 448mg of calcium, compared to 300mg for the same amount of skim milk. Not to mention the health-boosting friendly bacteria that’s present in every spoonful. The probiotics in yoghurt also help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive unpleasantness.
Every Activia yoghurt contains the probiotic Bifidus ActiRegularis™ which has been scientifically proven for its ability to survive in the digestive system and help improve digestive comfort. Similar to bacteria that grows naturally in the human gastrointestinal tract, Bifidus ActiRegularis™ helps improve digestive comfort.
4. Fatty fish
Fat is back in fashion, as long as it’s the good kind of fat.
Fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids to help combat heart disease, stroke, hypertension, joint pain and inflammation. Wild salmon, in particular, also contains vitamin D and selenium for vibrant hair, skin and nails. Combined with the calcium in yoghurt, you end up with a powerful booster of bone health as well.
(via Body and Soul)
