7 Powerhouse Superfoods you should try

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Superfoods, we've all heard this phrase used from time to time but what does it entail? A superfood is a food source typically containing a rather large abundance of beneficial nutrients. How these nutrients may benefit you will simply depend on the food source although it is safe to say you can expect to experience numerous benefits from the consistent consumption of any given superfood.

Superfoods are receiving much more attention these days so much so that numerous forms of the best superfoods are often presented through various diet drinks, diet detox supplements, fat burning foods, superfood smoothie and much more. This assortment of foods earned their label "superfoods" from their supply of nutrients that they deliver through consumption. This large abundance of nutrients is typically not found to such a degree in any other food sources making them much more nutritionally dense.

Superfoods are typically organic food sources that are grown from the earth. However, they do not have to be organic and completely natural to be deemed a superfood as the term is simply a reference to their nutritionally rich profile and not the area of which they come from.

All in all, superfoods are considered extremely healthy food sources that can greatly benefit those who opt to implement them in their daily lives. With that being said, this article will be comprised of 7 different superfoods.

These superfoods, as you will find out are all nutritionally dense food sources that each deliver their own set of benefits. I will go over each superfood in great detail to further help you understand why they are superfoods and when they might come in handy.

Gingers uses and benefits -

Commonly associated with Asian cooking, ginger - (Zingiber Officinale) is a spice often added to meals, foods and even drinks alone for added flavour. This root is used all around the world with the simple intention for tastier food, however, there are much more benefits that accompany this delicious root. Ginger is not only the tip of the iceberg for some foods and meals out there, but it's also one of the healthiest spices on the planet. Consumption of this superfood can greatly benefit your life in several ways and it even contains antiarthritic, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties perhaps making this the medicine you've always desired. Keep reading to find out just how ginger might benefit you!

1. Ginger can treat nausea and morning sickness. For many people across the globe, nausea and morning sickness are a common occurrence. For whatever reason this is, it can be quite a nuisance, on the plus side, ginger can help. Ginger is so effective for reducing and or potentially eliminating feelings of sickness so much so that prescribing this as medication has often come up in science.

2. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties. For those who suffer or are suffering from inflammation, ginger might just be your answer. For this to be truly effective, ginger must be taken on a regular occurrence. According to numerous studies done on this matter, consistent consumption of ginger possesses the potential to effectively reduce and or eliminate any symptoms of inflammation.

3. Ginger may lower blood sugar. This benefit is especially good for those worried or even threatened by the reality of diabetes. Specifically, type 2, diabetes is a health condition that arises when the body either becomes resistant or fails to produce enough insulin. This will typically occur when blood sugar levels remain elevated for long periods. Consistent consumption of this superfood will help to ensure that blood sugar levels remain low, furthermore reducing your overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Coconuts uses and benefits -

The fruit of the coconut palm, coconut is a widely used fruit/nut/seed all over the world. Specifically, coconut is primarily used for its water, oil, milk and of course its copra - (white meat). Now, those who are aware of the benefits of the coconut may prioritise this food source for those reasons. However, the coconut is commonly used for several different foods and beverages alongside numerous household products such as air fresheners, shower gels, and shampoos. Regardless of its uses, let's get into the main benefits of this superfood.

1. Beneficial for the heart. There are many foods beneficial towards the heart and the coconut is certainly one of them. This is mainly due to the level of good fat found in this superfood. Also known as HDL, this good type of cholesterol helps reduce and eliminate the build-up of the bad source of cholesterol LDL.

2. It can help detoxify the body. Antioxidants are commonly found in raw, organic food sources. They are well known for cancer prevention, detoxifying the body, slowing down the aging process and a wide array of other health benefits. It just so happens that coconuts are chock full of them. More specifically, gallic acid, caffeic acid, salicylic acid, and p-coumaric acid. These are the primary antioxidants found in coconuts that will deliver all the benefits mentioned earlier.

3. It can help you reach your nutrition goals. Coconuts are incredibly nutritious, so nutritious in fact that 100 grams of coconut meat alone will deliver you a massive nutritional edge when striving to achieve a well-rounded balanced diet. There are simply not many food sources out there that will alone deliver this high quantity of nutrients without any fallbacks making coconut an incredible superfood indeed.

Cacao uses and benefits -

Cacao or cocoa in its raw and unprocessed form delivers a surprising amount of nutrients. However, based on their current usages in today's world, it's easy to think about why they might not be good for us. Cacao is commonly used and is the primary driver for the manufacture of chocolate. No cacao = no chocolate. Cacao is also used for various other forms of snacks and food but they all align to similar food sources. Let's take a close look at cacao and some of its benefits to further understand what it's all about.

1. Beneficial to the heart and brain. Cacao can be greatly beneficial towards the brain, this can be chalked down to the levels of magnesium cacao contains. To understand why this occurs, you must understand that magnesium whilst required in extremely small dosages is essential for a mindboggling amount of tasks around the body. Some of these tasks carried out by the heart and brain benefit from this increased magnesium intake.

2. Good for building up strong bones. Cacao is incredibly high in calcium, this mineral when magnified with vitamin D allows for the building up and or the strengthening of bones. Not only does cacao deliver a good source of calcium, but it also delivers more calcium than dairy products making for an incredibly good calcium source.

3. Can lower levels of depression. Cacao contains a dosage of tryptophan. This chemical is required by the body to create chemicals in the brain known as serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is responsible for feelings of peace, happiness, and joy that we tend to feel daily. Melatonin is a chemical needed to help regulate a healthy sleep routine. All in all, lowering of these chemicals can lead to issues in the body, specifically mood-wise, cacao can help.

Cinnamons uses and benefits -

Often being described as smelling like Christmas, cinnamon is a spice commonly added to a wide array of different meals for an increase in flavor. This spice is derived from the bark of trees and has been around for a very long time. Cinnamon was considered to be extremely beneficial for humans for as long as it's been around until recent years of studies and tests revealed this to be true. Let's take a closer look at cinnamon and its benefits on humans.

1. Cinnamon may prevent cancer. Cinnamon is extremely high in antioxidants. As previously stated, antioxidants are extremely useful to the body in a variety of ways. The antioxidants present in cinnamon help prevent cancer by ensuring optimised and healthy cell swap and repair in humans. This is just one-way antioxidants assist the body with optimised function.

2. Cinnamon may reduce the chances of developing heart disease. The studies that were done to try and grasp the exact reasoning for this remain inconclusive, however, the studies state that just 1 gram of cinnamon per day is enough to massively reduce any risk of developing this disease. This is due to the effect of the cinnamon on LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.

3. May improve insulin sensitivity. If the body is sensitive to insulin, this means the pancreas will not have to overwork when trying to deliver nutrients to the cells and when trying to lower blood sugar levels after a meal. This combination of beneficial effects means an overall decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Almonds uses and benefits -

One of the healthiest, if not the healthiest nut on the planet. This superfood commonly consumed for a healthy snack is perhaps one of the healthiest foods on the planet. This food source goes excellent with salads and other healthy snacks alike and is even consumable on its own. Perhaps one of the most impressive qualities surrounding this form of nut is its deliverance of both macro and micronutrients. Often a nutritious food source will deliver large amounts of one side of the spectrum, almonds deliver plenty on both. Let's get into the benefits of this superfood.

1. May help prevent Alzheimer's disease. This irreversible condition typically occurs much later in life as the brain ages. While there are numerous factors at play when deciding what precisely may cause this condition to arise, studies have concluded that a healthy diet can decrease your risk of developing this condition. In conclusion, vitamin E found in almonds has been proven to help protect the brain from developing this condition later in life.

2. Almonds can improve brain function. The often-overlooked - vitamin E is responsible for this benefit. This massively under-consumed vitamin has become much more prioritised in recent years, this can be attributed to its effects on the brain. Vitamin E plays a huge role in protecting the membranes for oxidation. Recent studies have concluded that cognitive ability and vitamin E levels in the body can be directly correlated and lower levels of this vitamin might be responsible for a decline in cognitive ability.

3. This superfood can lower feelings of hunger. At this point, you might be saying, eat any food and you're bound to stop feeling hungry and of course, that is true. However, simply snacking on almonds can reduce and keep hunger at bay for much longer than many other snacks out there, this is due to the high fiber and protein levels found in almonds.

Green tea matcha uses and benefits -

Designed to drink, the benefits that accompany drinking a cup of green tea matcha, far outweigh those that accompany drinking a standard cup of green tea. This can be chalked down to the form at which they're both presented in. A standard green tea accompanies boiling water mixed in with the tea leaf. This process only extracts a small number of nutrients from the leaf meaning you simply aren't reaping all the benefits. A cup of green tea matcha, however, consists of the green tea leaf which is entirely ground up and consumed when mixed in with the water. Let's take a look at how these two forms differ.

1. Green tea matcha protects the liver. Studies that were done on rather large groups of people with liver damage portrayed to us that green tea matcha can not only speed up the recovery for liver damage but it can protect any further damage from occurring. The chemicals that cause this beneficial effect to occur are inconclusive although the results state green tea can speed up the healing process in those with liver damage.

2. This astonishing superfood may improve brain function. Researchers who studied the effects on green tea matcha on the brain concluded that reaction time and alertness were seen to be at higher rates after consumption. This is primarily due to the small level of caffeine present although L-theanine is another partial contributor to this benefit.

3. It can assist with weight loss. An especially great benefit for those of you looking to lose weight. Green tea matcha has been shown to boost the metabolic rate. For those of you who don't know, the metabolic rate is a measurement used to determine the body's caloric utilisation. A faster metabolic rate means for faster caloric deficit which can in turn speed up weight loss.

Black tea matcha uses and benefits -

Black matcha and green matcha are both formulated and consumed in the same way. The difference between the two lies in the fermentation process that takes place before the tea itself is formulated. This process is what determines the difference in color and also, in fact, leads to altered caffeine content. Black tea matcha takes the lead in this area and its caffeine content can be compared to that of a cup of coffee making it a reliable alternative. Like the green tea matcha alternative above, black tea matcha will also deliver far more nutrients and caffeine content than the standard version making this the far more superior option. Black tea matcha is perfect for those normally a fan of black tea and making the switch from the original might just accompany more benefits, as you will soon find out. Let's dive into the top three benefits associated with black tea matcha.

1. Black matcha supports cell formulation and structure. Like all the superfoods on this list, black tea matcha delivers a huge amount of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in black matcha assist the body with cell production, formulation, and structure which in turn helps to ensure no issues will arise later in life.

2. Black matcha contains more caffeine than green matcha! This increase in caffeine content can be chalked down to the fermentation process that causes the blackened effect to occur. Regardless, black matcha will deliver you a much higher caffeine content than green matcha will making it a better option for improving alertness and decreasing fatigue.

3. Can control weight gain. Caffeine has been found to have very beneficial effects on weight gain, this can be attributed to its effect on metabolism and its stimulatory effects on the body. This combination encourages faster weight loss through an increased rate of caloric expenditure. In conclusion, if you're looking to lose weight, black tea matcha will most certainly be your friend.

The bottom line -

There are numerous foods and beverages out there considered to be superfoods. Some of them are and some of them aren't. Regardless, this article is comprised of the very best. The superfoods listed in this article are by far some of the most nutritionally dense food sources on the planet. For the most part, they are all raw and organic ingredients derived from the earth which is further proof of their purity. If you feel inspired to change your life after reading this by investing in some of these superfoods, you should keep in mind that moderation is key and too much of a good thing can become a bad thing when referring to your body's health.