Common Super Foods To Have In Your Kitchen Pantry At All Times

THE 5 MOST COMMON SUPER FOODS TO HAVE IN YOUR PANTRY FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

I came to know about the health benefits of various types of superfoods in a study carried out on superfoods. That is common knowledge. The human mind, however, operates under the assumption that we are ignorant of what we actually know.

Our ancestors have been using them in kitchens for thousands of years. We have all grown up eating all those foods and know about them, yet we do not know about them. Funny, isn’t it?

These categories of superfoods have been around for centuries since the time that mankind came into existence. Before the discovery of fire, man used to eat these foods in their raw forms.

Berries:

We have been using berries in our kitchens for ages, yet have not bothered about their health benefits till the time they were hyped as "superfoods". We just used to enjoy their taste whenever we had hunger pangs. These berries are naturally high in anti-oxidants that fight the “free radicals”. Free radicals are unstable molecules in the human body.

If not processed properly, they are likely to cause oxidative stress, one of the risk factors linked to diseases like cancer, heart disease, arthritis and other conditions related to the body.

Different types of berries belong to different geographical reasons such as Indian gooseberries (Amla), Blueberries, Strawberries, Grapes, Goji Berries, and Acai Berries.

Recent research has established the role of antioxidants plays in the prevention of certain types of cancers in the body. According to the research published in the Journal of Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, not only do the properties of Amla anti-oxidative properties slow down the growth of cancer cells, but the tannins and flavonoids in the berries also help to destroy the cancer cells.

Berries are also beneficial for Type 2 Diabetes and lower the risk of developing the disease. A recent report by the Harvard School of Public Health that looked at the data of medical professionals showed that the regular consumption of foods rich in Anthocyanins, compounds that give unique colours to the foods, significantly brought down the chances of Type 2 Diabetes.

The same study also found that drinking fruit juice extracted from berries, however, increased the risk of increasing Type 2 Diabetes. This is simple chemistry at play here. Have you ever wondered why apples get black if they are cut and kept outside for some time?

The natural antioxidants present in fruits and berries tend to lose their functionality when they come into contact with the oxygen in the atmosphere. Therefore it is always better to consume them fresh.

Berries that are rich in Anthocyanins include Red and Black Grapes, Blackcurrants, and Strawberries. Those suffering from long-term conditions such as Arthritis, Sinusitis, and asthma also experience chronic inflammation as their immunity is always fighting the disease.

Chronic inflammation in the long term leads to organ damage such as the heart in the case of cardiovascular disease, or the brain in the case of Alzheimer’s.

The Flavonoids, Anthocyanins, and other Polyphenol compounds in the berries especially Amla, have potent anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce the risk of organ damage.

Also read: How This Meal Plan Helped Me Drop A Dress Size In A Week.

Yogurt:

Yogurt contains bacteria Lactobacillus & Bifidobacteria, also known as Probiotics. Emerging research in the area of mental health points towards the positive effects of these bacteria on brain health.

For e.g: A study published in Psychiatry Research found that probiotics helped reduce social anxiety in young people who were genetically predisposed to neuroticism – a psychological trait that makes people prone to anxiety, depression, etc.

Yogurt also reduces inflammation by improving the integrity of the intestinal lining. In ancient Ayurveda, curds or yogurt have been a great cure for those suffering from heartburn and acidity. Managing gut health is an important aspect of overall health.

As s part of a healthy meal, consuming low-fat yogurt before a meal improves post-meal metabolism and digestion and therefore reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the long term. Diabetics also tend to greatly benefit from consuming yogurt.

Garlic:

Garlic is classified as a superfood due to its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial properties. Raw garlic contains a chemical compound called alliin, which when crushed transforms into allicin, an amino acid that has been shown to reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body.

However, being unstable in nature, allicin loses its properties and tends to degrade in the cooked form. Therefore it is more beneficial when consumed in the raw form.

Research shows that consuming raw garlic also leads to a lower risk of developing lung cancer. Surprisingly, Garlic even seemed to reduce the risk of lung cancer even in the case of smokers. Allicin functions most effectively after it comes in touch with oxygen. That is the reason that before using Garlic is usually crushed or chopped.

Garlic has been proven to be a natural blood thinner, while its effects on reducing the levels of cholesterol have shown mixed results in research. Blood clotting is a natural process that the human body follows in order to heal external injuries in the body.

However, in the case of those who are obese, suffer from diabetes, or are chain smokers for a long period of time, blood clotting can be dangerous if they develop clots in their heart, brain, lungs, or their arteries.

Also read: How This Meal Plan Helped Me Drop A Dress Size In A Week.

Beans:

All kids have grown up reading the fairytale of Jack and the Beanstalk. Also known as legumes and pulses the family of beans provides a perfect balance of fibre, protein, and complex carbohydrates. A research paper published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that dietary fibre such as that present in beans lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

As beans are a very good source of protein, they act as an alternative to reduce the consumption of meat in the diet charts. Consumption of processed meats increases the risk of certain cancers like Colorectal, which is the third most common cancer in the world.

Beans release energy slowly, which is good for reducing the levels of blood sugar and also controlling the appetite. Therefore, they are highly recommended for weight management programs.

Nuts:

Nuts are nutrition powerhouses that are a basic staple of the Mediterranean Diet. Nuts have been shown to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Research shows that consuming 28g of nuts a day cuts the risk of Coronary Heart Disease by almost 30%.

Before consuming nuts as a snacking option, one needs to be aware that they also contain a certain amount of sugar, which can add up to the calories in the long term.

Though they are healthy options, they need to be consumed in moderation after taking into account the nutritional requirements of one's body type. Each body is structured differently and has different requirements. What may be a good option for one may not necessarily be good for the other.

Nuts are an excellent source of unsaturated fats that help in the process of lowering the level of blood cholesterol. While choosing nut butter, choose those with no added sodium or sugar, as they may end up doing more harm to diets than good.

The term "superfood" has been coined because these foods contain a variety of nutrients that are required for the body. However, in order to balance the nutritional structure in the body for a healthy lifestyle, they need to be combined with other food groups rather than having them alone and in large quantities.

Moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle and anything in excess, no matter how healthy it is, causes more harm than good. Therefore it is necessary to create a balanced structure in the body, whether it is diet, exercise, or even sex for that matter.

Also read: How This Meal Plan Helped Me Drop A Dress Size In A Week.