Many of us may have heard the term “superfood”, but what does it actually mean? Well, the term does not have a set definition scientifically, but it usually refers to any food that has additional health properties that can potentially expand life span, boost brain health, or even possibly reduce risk of certain diseases for example.
The most common superfoods are foods like cacao, blueberries, nuts and seeds, green tea, goji berries, pomegranate and spirulina, but you could arguably say that all plant foods are indeed ‘superfoods’ in their own way.
There are many different ways that you can enjoy superfoods, but one of the best ways to incorporate them into your diet and build up consistent habits is by starting your day with them. I recommend adding things like goji berries, chia seeds and spirulina into your smoothies or porridge in the morning, or else baking with superfoods like cacao or even maca, all of which you can find on the Naturya website.
Starting your day off with these incredible superfoods can benefit your health in so many ways, such as:
- Boosting the nutrient content of your morning meal and preventing nutritional deficiencies.
Starting off your morning with a nutrient-dense meal like a green smoothie packed with different superfoods can help you towards meeting your daily Nutrient reference values. This can help reduce your risk of nutritional deficiencies, supporting your health and helping you feel better for the rest of the day. Just two and a half tablespoons of goji berries for example will give you 125% of your vitamin A required, supporting good vision as well as the immune system. Chlorella is another superfood which can be added to morning smoothies or enjoyed mixed with water. Just 3 grams of this can deliver 100mg of omega 3s, which are crucial for brain function and preventing cognitive decline.
- Boosting energy and helping you feel alert.
Adding superfoods to your morning can not only help your breakfast taste better, but it also can support energy levels and alertness. A breakfast low in nutrients can lead us feeling sluggish and tired, but switching this out to something like an acai smoothie bowl not only helps us with our energy and productivity, but can provide our brain with critical nutrients to help with focus. Superfoods like cacao contain copper which can support sustained energy levels in the body, and maca which contains vitamin b2 and iron to help reduce fatigue.
- Can boost fibre intake and help support detox pathways
Many superfoods are a good source of fibre, which is a crucial nutrient when it comes to supporting detoxing in the body. Adding these into your diet first thing in the morning can help with preventing constipation and moving waste through the gut and out of our system, starting your day off on the right foot. Some of the highest fibre superfoods are foods like chia seeds, goji berries, oats, raspberries, kiwis and flaxseeds. These can all be added into protein oats in the morning, sprinkled on top of or added into smoothie bowls, or even some enjoyed on their own as a snack.
- Can help support blood sugar balance
Some superfoods may play a role in helping support blood sugar balance in comparison to more processed food options. Simple additions to your meals like a scoop of chia seeds on top of your breakfast cereal or in a smoothie can help reduce blood sugar spikes due to its fibre and healthy fats content, or even superfoods like goji berries or flaxseeds too. Keeping your blood sugar relatively stable, especially in the morning can help you with sustained energy and focus.
Find your superfood powders and ingredients here on the Naturya website.
