A list of the top 10 superfoods and why adding the best superfoods to your diet can lead to a healthy lifestyle
Superfoods list of the top 10 superfoods
In this article we are going to look at what makes a superfood a superfood (i.e. acai berry, salmon, avocados, wheatgrass etc.) and how its nutritional properties will help us when incorporated into our diet. Some superfood supplements or supplements that contain superfoods have been provided for you in a quick link shop (right). Here are our top 10 superfoods that we are going to explore;
- Acai
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Salmon
- Almonds
- Oats
- Coconuts
- Green Tea
- Avocados
- Wheatgrass
Acai Berry benefits and side effects
Acai Berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) has been around for quite a while but has only just become mainstream. It gained recognition on Oprah Winfrey's show when she included it on her list of top 10 superfoods and has since been linked to everyone from surfing icon Kelly Slater to Brad Pitt who apparently used it to reduce body fat percentage to 5% for a recent film role. So the Acai Berry Diet is something to consider if you want to lose weight.
It is very hard to find Acai Berry in berry form, most people will be used to seeing it in capsule form, as a juice drink, and even as powder. But why do we consider Acai Berry as a superfood and how does it benefit our body?
Acai is classed as one of the best antioxidants on the market today but you hear this term being used a lot. So what does it mean? When oxygenation occurs (this is where oxygen molecules enter the body's tissue) it can create free radicals. These start a chain reaction within the cell and can damage or kill the cell. They can even go as far as to damage DNA which is the building blocks of all tissue. Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation within the cells.
So, by taking an antioxidant, it is helping to keep your body's cells working to their full potential and keeping them from being damaged, it is great for your immune system. Acai is rich in vitamins and minerals like selenium, vitamin A alongside antioxidants and anthocyanins which all work together to help disease and remove harmful toxins. High levels of vitamin A and selenium increase white blood cells in the body, responsible for attacking foreign invaders.
Acai has been sold over the last few years as a weight loss supplement and this is valid, it can be used in this way with it being classed as a fruit but still low in sugar. This is because it is full of EFAs (essential fatty acids) omega-3-6-9 and when you combine these EFAs with a balanced diet, Acai Berry can help with weight and fat loss. The omega properties have been shown in research to up-regulate mitochondrial activity. Think of the mitochondria as the engine of the cells. By ensuring they are running efficiently you ensure your body can burn fat efficiently.
Acai berries are also a key source of nutrients amongst Hollywood's elite because of its skin enhancing properties. High levels of zinc help the way the enzymes function to repair skin wounds and reduce acne, reduce stretch marks, improve dandruff and even eradicate white spots which you can get on your fingernails. The vitamin A content meanwhile helps skin to retain natural moisture, producing glowing skin without getting dry patches, psoriasis and wrinkles.1
Many supplement retailers sell Acai Berry (see Bodybuilding Warehouse Acai Berry in the shop in the top right). We would also recommend Evolution Slimming who have a specialist Acai Berry supplement store and Pure Acai Berry Max which is unlike any other Acai Berry product on the market, offering 1500mg of high grade Acai Berry per serving, making it the highest yield Acai Berry product on the market today and comes with a 6 month guarantee.
Blueberries health benefits and side effects
Blueberries have the same effect as Acai Berry with its antioxidant properties. But where they stand out on their own is how they effectively breakdown bad cholesterol while at the same time boosting your good cholesterol. Thanks to polyphenols, anthocyanins and collagen, blueberries are great for the summer because they help protect the body against UV light and protect the skin against the free radicals that attack your skin cells. They have also been said to help trigger hormone changes that help you burn body fat.
We have an amazing recipe for 'Blueberry Oat Pancakes', perfect for pre workouts and post workouts, that you can find at the end of the article.
Broccoli health benefits and broccoli nutrition
Broccoli has been one of the mainstays of most peoples diet for years but have you ever actually looked at broccoli as being a superfood? You will often hear from bodybuilders that they like nothing more than eating broccoli alongside chicken as a way to maintain a healthy diet and gain lean muscle but why is this?
Broccoli has many different properties that make it such a good superfood. Firstly broccoli, the same as cabbage and cauliflower, can help repair cells and may stop them becoming cancerous. If you steam your broccoli it has been found to help reduce the risk of heart attacks with its ability to fight cell damage. Broccoli also has a very high level of vitamins and minerals; for example broccoli contains more vitamin C than an orange (gram for gram in weight).
What you might not know is that Broccoli (gram for gram) has as much calcium as a glass of milk and calcium is great, not only to help keep your bones healthy, but also to promote a peaceful nights sleep.
Many people use broccoli especially when dieting. It is perfect for those of you trying to keep to a low carb diet and looking to drop body fat as, per 100g of broccoli, there is only 1.1g of carbs.
Salmon health benefits and salmon deals online
Wild Salmon is one of the best foods I believe you can eat. Not only is the taste amazing but you can cook it in so many ways.
Salmon is full of EFAs (essential fatty acids) such as omega 3 which has many different properties. Not only does it help with maintaining healthy joints, it also helps with lowering high blood pressure. Omega 3 has also been shown to help with weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and training program. This is my choice of protein when I'm on a cutting diet. If you're looking to lose body fat, try to incorporate fish into at least one of your meals a day and you will both see and feel the results. Donald Russell salmon is highly recommended by At The Hollows; Donald Russell sell plenty of delicious salmon fillets, salmon steaks, salmon en croute and whole salmon.
You can read more about the health benefits of omega 3 in another article on our website.
Benefits of almonds and almonds nutrition
Many people have been led to believe that nuts are a type of food that you should stay away from because they are full of fats. This is true, they are full of fats, but very good fats that your body needs to function properly. If you cut out too much fat then you will start to see your skin, hair and nails looking dull and dry and the damage will not only be visual but also internal as good fats are used to insulate our nerve endings. They are also packed with vitamin E which has been known to help fight cancer.
Almonds are great as part of a snack because a handful of almonds has around 10g of EFAs (essential fatty acids) which, if incorporated into a structured diet, can help to strip away body fat. Almonds also provide a relatively high amount of protein per serving.
If you are looking to up your good fat intake for the day then have a handful of almonds with a protein shake between meals and post workout.
You can read more about the health benefits of almonds in our Myprotein Almond Butter review.
Porridge oats health benefits and why bodybuilders eat porridge
I'm sure everybody at some point will have had porridge oats for their breakfast and this is a great time to eat oats as they slowly release energy into the body. But they also have other abilities; most bodybuilders have used oats for years as part of a pre workout meal, or post workout meal to replenish glycogen stores.
We would classify oats as a superfood because they are a great source of fibre and are essential for keeping a healthy digestive system. Oats are also packed full of vitamins and minerals such as zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron. We recently published a detailed article about the health benefits of porridge oats explaining why porridge oats are good for you so if you would like to learn more as well as see a recipe using oats then that is a good starting point. We highly recommend buying Myprotein oats.
Buy coconut water, coconut oil and coconut milk to experience the health benefits of coconuts
Some people are surprised when you tell them that coconuts are classed as a superfood. However coconuts contain some of the best health benefits from any food and this is a little known fact and one I believe should be more well known. I used the word coconut but I'm going to look at coconut milk and coconut oil.
How do you fry food? With olive oil? In most homes this is the case, people use olive oil to fry their food and upping the amount of saturated fat in your meal whereas swapping this for coconut oil release MCTs which studies have shown help with excess calorie burning and help promote weight loss. They have also been shown to promote fat oxidation and help to reduce food cravings. Myprotein Coconpure is a popular coconut oil product in the marketplace and one we recommend.
Don't worry about cooking in coconut oil, you might think there will be a strong coconut taste but this is not the case, in fact you only get a very slight coconut sensation from it.
The health benefits from coconuts can be contributed to the lauric acid contained within coconut. The human body converts this into monolaurin which is said to help in fighting viruses, harmful bacteria and even HIV.
The benefits of green tea are fantastic for a balanced healthy diet and help lose weight
Green tea has been around for centuries and is slowly becoming more popular to drink instead of tea or coffee.
Green tea has a far more refreshing taste to it than coffee and has a lot more health benefits. Like we were talking about at the beginning of this article, it is a very powerful antioxidant which helps to breakdown free radicals in the body. It has a high amount of what is called 'EGCG' and one of the main benefits of EGCG is its ability in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
Green tea also has the ability to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue and has a thermogentic property which is mainly attributed to its caffeine content. This is why a lot of supplement companies have started to manufacture green tea extract as a stand alone product such as Myprotein Mega Green Tea Extract and, in most fat burners on the market today, you will see on the list of ingredients that green tea will feature alongside other well known fat burning ingredients such as cayenne pepper and l-carnitine.
You can read more about the health benefits of green tea in one of the first articles published on At The Hollows.
Avocado benefits and avocado nutrition explained
Avocados, in my eye, have had a bad reputation in the past few years, but these are an amazing addition to anyone's diet. It is often said that avocados are high in fat and this is true but it is mainly monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and these are the fats that your body needs to function (see superfood almonds).
Avocados also have many other benefits that are little know. One of these that I am new to finding out is that recent research has shown that certain compounds in avocados are able to seek out pre cancerous cells and destroy them without harming healthy tissue. Avocados, like olive oil, are high in oleic acid which has been shown to prevent breast cancer as well.
The benefits of wheatgrass are numerous and can be obtained via Wheatgrass Powder
You may have seen wheatgrass in a juice bar but have you ever wondered why people buy it in shot form?
Wheatgrass has been used for body cleansing for years but has recently become more of a trendy juice drink with most juice bars growing their own wheatgrass and blending it to serve. But what is so special about this green superfood?
Wheatgrass increases red blood cell count and can lower blood pressure as well as cleanse the blood and organs. One of the most important properties of wheatgrass is its ability to stimulate the thyroid gland which helps to control obesity. Another great health benefit of wheatgrass is its ability to cleanse the liver; there have been some studies that say having a high protein diet can possibly harm your liver whereas if you take a shot of wheatgrass in the morning, it will help cleanse the liver and kick start liver replenishment.
Some supplement companies have even turned wheatgrass into Wheatgrass powder so it can be added into you protein shakes if you wish to do so (best to take with a fruit based flavour).
Next time you are at a juice bar and you see this on the menu, give it a try. Your body will thank you!
Blueberry oatmeal pancake recipe
Add these to a blender:
- 200g oats
- 1.5tsp cinnamon
- 2 packets splenda (or artificial sweetener)
- 1.5tsp baking powder
- 4 egg whites
- 200ml water
Once the mix has fully liquified, add the mix to a heated pan making small pancake shaped circles (should make between 4-6 pancakes). While in the pan, start to add blueberry, depending on taste, add as many as you like. For an extra protein hit, add a spoon of natural peanut better once they have cooked.
A great way to start any morning.
Hopefully after reading this article you have a little more understanding about how some superfoods can benefit you.
If you would like more information, or any dietary help, you can find us on:
Twitter: @icenutrition
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Website: www.ice-nutrition.com (coming soon!)
Please note all supplement recommendations in this article have been made by At The Hollows and not Ice Nutrition.
1Hollywood's Latest Craze - The Acai Berry by MyVitamins.com