Over recent years, many of us have become familiar with the term ‘superfoods’. These are foods that essentially are packed with vitamins and other nutrients, which means that they are great for our overall health and wellbeing. From improved skin and hair condition to higher energy levels, better eyesight and an enhanced immune system, these are foods that are able to boost our health in many ways. In addition, when you incorporate more whole-foods into your diet you may be able to lose weight more easily and keep it off!
There isn’t a legal definition for the term ‘superfoods’, but here are my personal top 10… including how to easily incorporate them into your diet!!
My Top 10 ‘Superfoods’ are:
- Oats: Having just half a cup (40g) of oats as your breakfast cereal will provide you with plenty of energy as well as fibre to keep you feeling full. Oats are packed with soluble fibre which is great for your heart health and doesn’t cause bloating! Check out my overnight oats recipe for breakfast inspiration.
- Avocados: The Oleic Acid (healthy fats) in avocados can help to combat hunger pangs and are great for your heart health. They can also help to add both a creamy texture and delicious taste to a salad or smoothie. Check out my avocado & coriander superfoods salad recipe for inspiration.
- Salmon: When you eat salmon you can benefit from a healthy source of protein, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. This fish is also packed with healthy fats (omega 3 fatty acids) which is great for your circulation. My favourite way to enjoy salmon is baked with Greek yoghurt & Ryvita!
- Blueberries: Blueberries are very low in calories, packed with fibre and provide you with a great snacking option. They are bursting with antioxidants to keep us healthy and I personally love them in pancakes or in a smoothie!
- Raspberries: Like blueberries, raspberries are relatively low in both calories and carbohydrate and make an ideal breakfast topper, snack option or dessert option with yoghurt (I love mine sprinkled with cacao nibs and drizzled with honey or in an Eton Mess!)
- Broccoli: When you eat broccoli, whether cooked or raw, you can enjoy a very low fat food that has plenty of fibre to keep you feeling full. It is also packed with vitamins and goes great in a superfoods salad – just remember to save the stalks for it too!
- Pears: You can enjoy getting fifteen percent of your recommended daily intake of fibre from eating just one pear a day. Eating this fruit will help to keep you feeling fuller without having to consume too many calories. I love the crunchy pears as a snack chopped up or in a smoothie!
- Kidney beans: These beans are packed with protein and fibre and can also be easily incorporated into meals and recipes – I love them in salads or a meat-free mince dish!
- Almonds: This is another food that is often associated with being fattening but actually contains the good fat that can help you to slim down (research shows that munching on almonds can help you to eat fewer calories later on in the day) as well as providing other benefits. You can snack on them raw or add them to meals – either way, you can enjoy the slimming and overall health benefits of these nuts. Check out my almond cookies for how to use these amazing nuts in baking too!
- Lentils: When you add lentils to your diet, you will enjoy a food that is rich in fibre and protein, enabling you to keep hunger pangs at bay and feel full without having to resort to larger portions. Lentils taste amazing when added to soups!
What are your ‘Superfoods’?!
These are just some of my personal favourite superfoods that can help you to boost your health. And with discount vouchers from websites such as VouchaCodes, you can get some great deals; making it more affordable to enjoy a healthier diet!
*This blog post was written in collaboration with VouchaCodes – a website that I personally use to get money off my shopping!
