Healthy eating: Top 20 superfoods

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High in nutrients, rich in antioxidants and boasting medicinal properties, superfoods will help you feel good and look great.

If you choose a wide variety of the freshest, most vibrant organic fruits and vegetables, ensure dry goods (such as nuts, grains and pulses) aren’t stale, and buy the best quality fish and meats, you can rest assured that you’re getting just what the doctor ordered.

In 40 years I’ll still be able to touch my toes with ease. I’ll walk five kilometres without assistance and, should I have any, I’ll romp about with my grandchildren. Well that’s my plan. It’s a great idea, but in a world of increasing disease and ill health how am I to achieve these outcomes? I know I can positively affect my health and longevity by sleeping at least eight hours a night, exercising daily and eating a well-balanced diet. Getting to bed early and moving my body are one thing, but when it comes to eating, how do I determine whose version of ‘well-balanced’ I should adhere to? The possibilities are endless: there are the high protein, low fat, no salt, fruitarian, vegaquarian, and caveman diets. Then there are all the diets endorsed by doctors, celebrities and others. How are we supposed to choose and, once we’ve committed, feel confident in the decision we’ve made?

I recommend the ‘no diet’ diet! Instead, choose a wide range of natural ingredients that provide high concentrations of vital nutrients, such as enzymes, vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and antioxidants. These ‘superfoods’ help our bodies neutralise the potentially harmful effects of free radicals, and provide the power we need to function efficiently and effectively, while enjoying the ride. In the same way a car requires fuel to operate, our bodies require food. The higher the octane level of the fuel, the better the car’s performance – the same goes for our bodies and superfoods.

Embracing antioxidants
Antioxidants are one or more substances contained in a food that slow down cell damage caused by oxidation. Perhaps the best-known antioxidant is vitamin C – others include vitamins A and E, and the minerals selenium, manganese, zinc and coenzyme Q10. Antioxidants help protect our bodies from the harmful effects of free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules containing oxygen. A by-product of normal chemical reactions, free radicals take electrons from undamaged cells to neutralise their own charge, causing cell damage in the process. We are constantly exposed to free radicals via pollution, stress and cigarette smoke, which is a particularly concentrated source.

Eating well
In order to obtain the maximum amount of nutrition from every meal we eat, our diet should include a wide variety of fresh (preferably organic), cooked, raw or cultured meat (including offal); fish and shellfish; eggs and dairy products; fats and cold-pressed oils; whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds; plenty of vegetables (including those from the sea) and fruits. Eating regularly while sitting down and chewing really well gives our bodies the best chance of accessing and utilising the nutrients contained in what we are eating.

Sadly, it’s more likely we’re cooking and eating in a hurry, and are consuming far more processed, packaged and fast foods than is good for us. These foods include refined sugars and grains, often with the addition of synthetic colours, flavours and preservatives. Then there are the highly detrimental hydrogenated fats, and pseudo vitamins and nutrients increasingly included in these foods.

All this makes cooking from scratch, as frequently as possible, a desirable option. This need not be difficult. We can do our body and our finances a huge favour by eating everyday ingredients we know provide good amounts of particularly beneficial nutrients. Another advantage of this approach is that many of these superfoods can be bought just about anywhere – you won’t have to go out of your way to find them.

Top 20 superfoods

1. Sourdough bread
Naturally fermented sourdough starters produce a tremendous amount of enzymatic activity, breaking down starch and gluten in the flour. Because of this, sourdough bread is much easier to digest. Look for loaves that contain no additives and, if possible, buy from an artisan bakery.

2. Organic free-range eggs
With the white just cooked and the yolk as soft as possible, eggs are a great source of high-quality protein. They also contain easy-to-absorb carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, are low in carbohydrates and sodium, and, among other things, support the health of our eyes.

3. Live yoghurt, crème fraîche, sour cream and buttermilk
These dairy products contain friendly bacteria that aid digestion. To obtain the mineral-rich whey contained in live natural cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk yoghurt, strain it through muslin, catching the clear liquid – this is the whey. Drink or use for soaking grains and beans. Add fresh herbs and crushed garlic to the thickened yoghurt for a fabulous soft cheese.

4. Cultured butter
Moderate amounts of butterfat won’t make you fat and the lactose that so many people have concerns with almost disappears when the butter is cultured. Butter contains vitamins A and D, both needed for optimum brain function, making it a better option – especially for children.

5. Raw unfiltered honey
Honey is a monosaccharide (simple) sugar and is less taxing on the adrenal glands than refined sucrose, which depletes the body’s stores of minerals. It’s important the honey is raw – in this state it contains a range of nutrients that refined sucrose, as found in white sugar, lacks. Raw honey is an ancient healing food with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

6. Extra virgin olive oil
A delicious mono-unsaturated oil, extra virgin olive oil is best consumed raw. Containing compounds called phenolics, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties, olive oil has been linked to long life expectancy, and low rates of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. Opt for unfiltered oils with a cloudy appearance.

7. Apple cider vinegar
Naturally fermented apple cider vinegar is great in dressings and savoury dishes. Many people swear by it as a daily tonic and, well diluted, it can be used to clean wounds or control yeast infections. It helps regulate metabolism and blood pressure, aids in reducing harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and improves concentration and memory. Apple cider vinegar contains potassium, magnesium, and vitamins C, E, A, B1, B2 and B6.

8. Lentils, chickpeas and beans
When eaten with whole grains, such as brown rice and couscous, lentils and chickpeas are a rich source of protein. Be sure to soak them in acidulated water before cooking, but if you don’t have time, opt for the tinned organic beans available in supermarkets. Beans supply B vitamins, folic acid, iron, potassium, selenium and magnesium. The insoluble fibre they contain aids digestive health and relieves constipation, while their soluble fibre helps reduce fat levels in the blood.

9. Oats
Whole or rolled, oats are rich in soluble fibre. When eaten as porridge for breakfast, they provide a slow release of energy throughout the morning. Choose organic rolled oats rather than the quick-cooking type, and add a small knob of butter and some cultured dairy for a delicious and nutritious breakfast. A complex carbohydrate, oats are high in lysine, rich in vitamin E and have a great balance of amino acids.

10. Blueberries
These berries contain a wealth of antioxidants and phytochemicals known to protect against heart disease, urinary tract infections and prostate cancer. Buy them fresh in season, or frozen.

11. Walnuts and almonds
Studies have shown that you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 15 to 50 per cent by eating a small handful of these nuts each day. The omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals in walnuts and almonds provide these health benefits.

12. Sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds
These seeds are the best source of lignans and phytoestrogens, antioxidants that can have a balancing effect on hormones. Packed with protein, iron, phosphorus and vitamin E, they taste great in grain and salad dishes, and make a good snack.

13. Rocket and tatsoi
These salad greens contain folate, and vitamins A, B6 and C. They’re a good source of potassium and phytonutrients, which promote a healthy heart.

14. Endive and chicory
Used in salads and soups, endive and chicory are a source of important phytochemicals that help prevent age-related blindness caused by macular degeneration. They also contain vitamins A and C, fibre, folate and magnesium.

15. Tomatoes
The red colour of tomatoes comes from lycopene, which promotes a strong immune system and helps maintain good prostate health. Lycopene is easier to absorb when tomatoes are cooked.

16. Sea vegetables
These are an economic source of minerals. Nori, purchased in paper-like sheets, is a seaweed product used to wrap sushi and is great for making rice and vegetable or fish parcels. Wakame, a type of dried or salted seaweed, is delicious in soups and salads. Kombu, a dark-green kelp is sold dried, shredded or pickled. When added to a pot of cooking grains or beans, it will provide flavour and a wealth of minerals. These sea vegetables all contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and iodine. They promote healthy, shiny hair and clear skin.

17. Salmon, sardines and tuna
These fish are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Treat them gently and never overcook or they’ll be tough and dry. Ask the fishmonger for wild rather than farmed fish.

18. Turkey
High in protein and packed with zinc and folic acid, turkey is particularly beneficial if you’re pregnant.

19. Celtic sea salt
Found in the health-food section of some supermarkets, and in good delis and health-food shops, this grey salt is different from common table salt, which consists mostly of sodium chloride and is responsible for the association of salt with heart problems. Taken regularly in small amounts, Celtic sea salt provides a balance of minerals and trace elements (vital for optimum biological function and cellular maintenance) in the same proportions contained in our blood. It also helps maintain a healthy balance of electrolytes, provides us with energy, strengthens our immune system and aids digestion.

20. Chocolate
Products containing 75 to 85 per cent cocoa solids are rich in antioxidants and a range of micronutrients that help lower blood pressure. Yes, really!  

Super soak
The proper preparation of grains, beans and nuts is vital if we are to get the most value out of eating them, as these food groups all contain antinutrients potentially harmful to our health. Antinutrients are antioxidants that bind to minerals, making them unabsorbable. Large amounts of poorly prepared whole grains, beans and nuts may result in serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss.

Phytic acid, found in the outer hulls of seeds and the bran in whole grains, can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. Whole grains contain other antinutrients: tannins that irritate the gut, complex sugars which we can’t break down, and some contain gluten and other proteins that are difficult to digest, which can lead to allergies, a range of digestive disorders and possibly even mental illness.

Most of the antinutrients these foods contain are there to preserve the seed until conditions allow them to sprout. We can emulate these conditions and neutralise the antinutrient effect in grains and beans by soaking them at least overnight in acidulated water (tepid water combined with whey, naturally fermented vinegar or lemon juice) in the way rolled oats have traditionally been prepared for porridge. Another method is to carry out a period of slow fermentation; in the way ground grain has been made into naturally leavened sourdough breads. By employing the beneficial ‘friendly’ bacteria (lactobacilli) created in these processes, those substances hard for us to digest begin to break down, making them easier to absorb. These processes can also enhance the vitamin content, particularly of B vitamins.

The antinutrients in nuts and seeds are neutralised by soaking overnight in water to which a little sea salt has been added. Drain and completely dry the nuts or seeds at below 50˚C, to ensure their enzyme content is not destroyed (a pilot light in the oven is ideal for this). The end result is very crispy nuts or seeds.

Words: Holly Davis. Photography: Sam McAdam.