Superfoods aren’t anything new. In fact, they’ve been around for quite a while. However, the term “superfood” isn’t a recognised food category; many registered dietitians use it to describe foods that offer various natural benefits. Additionally, recent research has shown that consumers are leaning towards gut-friendly foods, plant-based eating, and cost-conscious food choices this year.
Superfoods aren’t only popular items in grocery hauls, nutrition circles and on wellness TikTok – most of them really do pack a nutritional punch that can elevate your already balanced diet. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your immune system or pack more antioxidants into your diet, these 10 powerhouse foods deserve a spot on your plate. Here’s what makes them so super, and how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.
What are ‘Superfoods’?
‘Superfood’ is a term that many nutritionists and registered dietitians use to describe natural, nutrient-rich foods. They commonly offer many nutritional benefits, stemming from certain vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. Superfoods are typically linked with improving gut health, boosting the immune system, supporting a healthy heart, reducing inflammation, preventing disease and lowering cholesterol.
Acai berries, avocados, and blueberries are great examples of foods with superfood status. It is important to note that while superfoods contain nutrients that other foods might not have, the healthiest diets are diverse, balanced and not solely based on the amount of superfoods you eat. Before making significant changes to your diet or incorporating new ingredients into your daily routine, it is essential to consult with your GP or a dietitian first.
10 Superfoods you should be eating right now
1. Berries
Blueberries are almost always found on a superfoods list, but with good reason. And it’s also not just blueberries; almost every edible berry is worthy of superfood status. Berries are low-calorie, high-fibre, and high in antioxidant foods. Blueberries, in particular, have a high number of anthocyanin pigments that act as powerful antioxidants, which may lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Incorporate these berries into your daily diet for a boost by adding them to oats, smoothies, or yoghurt bowls.
2. Fatty fish
Fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, are full of protein and rich in healthy fats. In particular, Omega-3 fatty acids. These play a huge role in your development as an infant, as well as reducing your risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. It is recommended that we eat fatty fish, like salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and sardines, at least twice a week to fully benefit from their nutrients.
Whether you like it fresh or canned, grill, bake or add these fatty fish to salads.
3. Dark leafy greens
Kale, spinach, rocket, lettuce, Swiss Chard, mustard, and morogo get their vibrant greens from chlorophyll – a pigment in plants that keeps them healthy, which in turn becomes a super source of fibre for us. Fibre is such an important nutrient to have in the diet. It helps us with our gut health, bowel movements, the high vitamin content boosts our immune systems, and decreases the risk of colorectal cancer.
Consider adding them to salads, soups, stews, fry up as sides, and add them to smoothies.
4. Ancient Grains
Another buzzword used in the world of food, these too are considered superfoods as they are more nutritious than modern crops. Defined as a grain “that has largely unchanged over the last several hundred years”, ancient grains – like millet, sorghum, teff, quinoa, buckwheat, farro and bulgar wheat – are jam-packed with fibre, protein, vitamins and antioxidants. They help to prevent conditions like type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
Choose whole ancient grains to make your sides, and use them in salads, soups and stews to boost the meal’s nutritional quality.
5. Avocado
We’ve all heard of healthy fats, and avocados make the top of that list. Not only do they contain healthy fats, they’re also rich in magnesium, a nutrient that plays a major role in regulating blood pressure and blood sugar, not to mention reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Eating avocados regularly will also help you feel fuller for longer (thanks to the high fibre, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat content), and keep your skin glowing from the inside out.
Add avos to your morning toast, salads, make dips, add as toppings for tacos or baked jacket potatoes, add to your smoothies and even to some desserts.
6. Sweet potatoes
One of the O.G. superfoods, sweet potatoes and other root veggies (like carrots, beets, parsnips, potatoes, amadumbe, and cassava) have helped sustain humans for hundreds of years, especially through harsh winters. The reason they’re so good at this is because of their nutrition – they’re packed with vitamins, healthy carbohydrates and starches that provide energy and boost the immune system.
Many root veggies, like sweet potatoes, carrots and beets, are high in vitamin C and iron, helping to keep your energy levels up and your immune system strong. Additionally, many root veggies, in particular sweet potatoes, are gluten-free, making them the perfect gluten alternative, especially for those struggling with celiac disease.
Bake ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew, whatever you choose, there’s no wrong way to cook sweet potatoes.
7. Chia seeds
These seeds are highly nutritious, offering a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based protein and fibre. What makes them most impressive is their ability to absorb moisture. These tiny seeds can soak up to 10 times their weight in liquid! When prepared correctly, adding chia seeds to your diet can help reduce the risk of disease, with their high fibre and antioxidant content protecting cells from free radicals or other damage.
Soak these seeds in water, milk, coconut milk, or juice and drink as is, or add to smoothies, soups, and puddings.
8. Fermented or probiotic-rich foods
Fermented foods are naturally rich in probiotics or “healthy” bacteria. Our body actually produces these naturally, and helps to make up our microbiome. These probiotics help contribute to a healthy gut microbiome and play a role in disease prevention. Many people who struggle with chronic inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis may have fewer strains of “healthy” bacteria.
Fermented foods, like yoghurt, kimchi, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and amasi, are foods that are rich in probiotics. Consuming these may improve your microbiota diversity and give your body an overall boost.
Add them to smoothies, eat as sides, pop into stews, soups, salad dressings, marinades, and even some desserts.
9. Nuts
All nuts are a great source of fat, fibre, and protein, with walnuts, almonds and cashew nuts being popular choices. They also keep you feeling full for longer, with recent research linking nuts to a lowered risk of weight gain and obesity. At the top of the ‘superfoods’ list are walnuts, believed to prevent diseases like certain types of cancer.
Eat nuts as snacks in between meals, use them to make granola, pesto, dips, or add to salads and desserts.
10. Broccoli
Cruciferous veggies, especially broccoli, are superfoods hailed for their ability to lower the risk of cancer, heart attacks and stroke. Broccoli is packed with fibre, vitamins and compounds called indole glucosinolates, which help to maintain a healthy gut biome, reducing digestive conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Add to smoothies, eat as a tasty side, add to salads, stews, and soups.
Superfoods aren’t exclusive or even that expensive. They’re everyday ingredients that offer impressive health perks in simple, delicious ways. By incorporating even a few of these into your weekly meals, you can fuel your body with more goodness, more flavour, and more long-term benefits. Healthy eating starts with small, intentional choices – and these ten are a great place to start.
