14 Immune-Booster Superfoods to Add in Your Diet

Superfoods are a must in your diet. Find why here. In this modern world, we often ignore our diet until something major happens to us. In practicality, being fit would be when a person is active, happy, sleeping well, energetic, and calm.

Our poor health habits make it seem like these are a luxury when they are supposed to be basic. A healthy body and mind are undoubtedly the most valuable assets a person could have. What good will anything else -be it wealth or career – if you are not healthy to enjoy them.

Here are the 14 Superfoods and Their Benefits

Making a healthy diet plan having Superfoods is very beneficial for your overall health. Superfoods are the ones that strengthen your immune system, promote good health and your overall well-being. Most of these foods also have a body-healing capacity. These are some of the superfoods that could greatly help in keeping up your physical and mental health.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a vegetable seed high in protein, fiber and contains nine essential amino acids required for the body. It is naturally gluten-free and fat-free, making it a perfect substitute for regular grains when you plan to shift towards a healthier way of eating. 

Quinoa is often termed as a ‘superfood’ or a ‘supergrain’ because it not only consists of vitamins and minerals but also has plant antioxidants called flavonoids which render several health benefits. Quercetin and kaempferol are flavonoids with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-depressant properties, making quinoa a superfood.  

It is very easy to incorporate quinoa into your diet -especially on your weight loss journey -as it has a neutral taste and goes well with almost everything.

Yogurt

Often, most of the body’s illnesses start from the gut. Hence taking good care of our gut health is prime for a disease-free lifestyle. Yogurt is loaded with good bacteria, which is greatly necessary for a healthy gut.

It is not only probiotic but also has detoxifying properties, which clean up toxins from our body. In addition, it is also high in calcium, which helps maintain good bone and teeth health. It also consists of vitamin B, prosperous, magnesium, potassium, and several other nutrients required for a healthy body.

Therefore, consuming yogurt regularly has great benefits on our body like a stronger immune system, great digestion, healthy heart, and prevention of osteoporosis. Yogurt is thereby considered a superfood that has to be incorporated for a healthy lifestyle.

Nuts

“Your Health is an investment, not an expense.”

Some foods like nuts might seem to be expensive for regular consumption. However, you are investing for a good purpose, and you will be thankful for the returns, i.e., a healthy future. 

Nuts are considered superfoods as their nutritional value is very high though they look tiny. They are packed with dietary fiber and protein. A handful of nuts every day not only keeps you away from many ailments but also adds a lot of value to your health. For instance, walnuts contain high omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce bad cholesterol, improves heart health, and promote brain health. 

Almonds are another great example of nuts. They are rich in healthy fats, high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Eating six to7 soaked almonds a day helps control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol levels, and reduces hungry working great for weight loss. Similarly, each nut has its health benefits to provide, and so they are considered superfoods.

Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, Argula, bok choy, and mustard greens are an excellent source of nutrients, including zinc, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, and fiber. 

Dark leafy vegetables are considered superfoods or ‘powerhouse vegetables’ because they can reduce major chronic ailments like heart disease and diabetes. They have the least calories, and they add the most value to your diet. 

They are a perfect balance of fiber and protein, a micronutrient balance that provides satiety (fullness and satisfaction) for a longer duration than the other vegetables. These leafy greens can be easily accommodated into your diet by adding them to your smoothies, curries, pasta, and salads to achieve their benefits. 

Berries

No matter which berries you choose, be it strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, raspberries, or cranberries, they are all packed full of nutrients and antioxidants like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol. Each berry provides some health benefits when consumed regularly. 

The antioxidants in the berries reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals in our bodies, damaging cells in the body. Additionally, these plant compounds also reduce the risk of various diseases. Berries are also an extremely good source of soluble fiber, which makes you feel full and satisfied.

Consumption of berries regularly reduces inflammation in the body, helps lower cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar levels, and works amazingly well for your skin. 

Apart from the health benefits, they are also delicious and can consume in different forms adding them to other recipes and could be incorporated into any kind of diet plan. 

Legumes

Legumes consist of plants that produce pods with seeds inside them, which include lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts. As legumes are a staple in our country, their nutritional value is often underestimated. Legumes have an impressive nutritional profile which makes them eligible to be called a superfood.

Each different kind of legume caters to various health benefits, and similarly, each of them has a different look, cooking process, and taste. 

Almost all of them are rich in healthy fibers and protein and high iron, potassium, and magnesium content. The high protein content in legumes makes it a great replacement for meat and dairy for vegetarians.

The carbohydrates in legumes are used slowly by the body, providing steady energy levels for the body, brain, and nervous system. Regular consumption of legumes could regulate blood sugar and blood pressure levels and reduce diabetes and heart disease risk.

Eggs 

Although eggs have been a controversial topic in the nutrition industry, they remain one of the healthiest foods due to their high cholesterol levels. Whole eggs are loaded with high-quality protein along with vitamin B, A, iron, phosphorous, choline, and selenium.

Research shows that consumption of eggs could increase good cholesterol (HDL), which may, in turn, reduce the risk of heart disease. The high-quality protein that contains all the nine essential amino acids makes eggs a superfood to the body for the growth, maintenance, and strengthening of muscles and tissues.

Eggs also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are useful for the body in several ways like reducing inflammation, optimizing brain health, etc. For people who want to lose weight but build upon muscle mass, eggs are the best option. 

Dark chocolate

Yes, dark chocolate has made it to the list of superfoods, but don’t jump into eating any chocolate you get. Choosing high-quality dark chocolate without artificial flavors, trans fat, emulsifiers, and excess sugar would be a smart choice to prevail its benefits. 

Dark chocolate consists of phytonutrients called flavonoids that act as antioxidants to provide numerous health benefits like heart health, cancer prevention, weight loss, and prevent oxidative stress. Cocoa is said to contain more antioxidants than green tea too.

Dark chocolate also helps in boosting your mood and also benefits your brain activity. It also acts as a prebiotic (good bacteria) to improve your gut health and digestion. And, of course, it is delicious and a great option to satisfy those sweet cravings. 

Black rice

Rice is a staple for almost all of us in this country. However, there is a lot of ambiguity around it if eating rice every day is healthy or not. That’s when these superfoods, black rice, and red rice, come in as life saviors.

Both black rice and red rice are extremely nutritious and are a smart substitution for white rice. Let’s see some of the benefits of black rice and red rice. 

Black rice belongs to the Oryza sativa L. species and is a great source of several nutrients like protein, fiber, and iron.

Black rice works as a natural detoxifier in cleansing the body, helps fight obesity, reduces inflammation, improves heart health, and is naturally gluten-free. Though black rice price is a bit on the higher side, it is worth it. 

Herbal Teas

Having a cup of tea can instantly soothe our mind and body, even on a stressful day. Nevertheless, the traditional Indian chai is now being avoided by many health-conscious people to keep away from dairy and sugar.

The good news is you can still enjoy your tea time along with additional health benefits by opting for herbal teas like Green Tea, Ashwagandha tea, White Tea, and many other Flower teas. This is how tea has made it to the list of superfoods.

Green tea is one of the most popular drinks amongst health nuts because of the amazing value it provides to our bodies. Green tea is made out of un-oxidized leaves that contain high amounts of antioxidants and polyphenols, which are known to offer various disease-curing benefits to the body.

Moringa Powder

Although most of these herbal powders had been in use by ayurvedic medicines for many years, some of their benefits have come into the limelight in recent times. Moringa powder is one of the beneficial powders amongst them. 

The moringa leaves are very nutritious and provide many health benefits. It consists of vitamin E, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, vitamin A, folate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. You can find buying moringa powder online and give it a try to cherish its benefits. 

Seeds

Seeds like chia and flax are a great source of fiber. Additionally, they contain healthy monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and many other vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Go ahead and include some of these seeds into your diet to take advantage of their benefits.

Some of the major benefits of Chia seeds are lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease, reducing inflammation, improving bone health, and helps in weight loss. You can easily find chia seeds online.

Flax seeds are equally beneficial for the body when consumed regularly. Some of the important benefits of Flax seeds are that they aid in smooth digestion, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce cancer risk, lower blood pressure, and work great on the skin. You can order flax seeds online on our website to give them a try.

Garlic

Garlic not only adds a great flavor to many recipes but also has several health benefits. It consists of vitamins B and C, manganese, iron, copper, potassium, and selenium.

It provides several health benefits like promoting heart health, combating the common cold, reducing blood pressure, and regulating cholesterol levels. This small vegetable is considered a miracle food and is said to have the power of helping you live longer.

Oily fish

Oily fish are considered a superfood because they are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which works wonders on our body. Most oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, and mackerel contain high protein, zinc, selenium, vitamins A, B, and D. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. It also helps in lowering the risk of Rheumatoid arthritis and Dementia. 

Each of the above superfoods works in its unique way in solving several health problems we face today. Accommodating at least a few of them into our daily diet could be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle.