Tomatoes are a known superfood
There isn’t really a clear description or legal definition of the term superfood, but generally speaking it’s any food that appears to offer additional health benefits beyond simple nutrition.
Here are a few that you should consider eating more of.
Goji Berries:
A Himalayan berry, goji berries have been shown to help treat diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and various other ailments. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more vitamin C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots.
Pumpkin seeds:
Used by the American aboriginal people for years due to its dietary and medicinal properties, this food is now being heralded as a superfood due to its content of phytosterols (a naturally occurring compound with an established reputation for cholesterol-lowering properties.) Phytosterols are also being studied for their potential role in prostate health and each 1/4 cup (50 millilitre) serving of the seeds provide a healthy dose of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and is a good source of minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron, making it one of the most nutritious and flavourful seeds around.
Quinoa
Known as a supergrain seed, quinoa contains more protein than most cereal grains (22 grams per one cup/250 millilitres uncooked quinoa) and is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight of the essential amino acids we need for tissue development. It’s also higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc, and lower in sodium compared with wheat, barley and corn. Lastly it’s also extremely good for those who suffer from food allergies since it’s gluten-free.
Milk Thistle (90 caps of Milk Thistle is £5.59 from Myprotein.com)
Best known as a liver tonic, the power ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin, which may have protective effects on the liver, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Tomatoes
Exotic fruits and vegetables aside, tomatoes contain beta-carotene, vital for your immune system, healthy skin and tissue lining, and a single medium-sized tomato gives you 50% of you RDA of vitamin C. Plus one molecule of lycopene, the antioxidant tomatoes are famed for, can neutralise 13 free radicals, guarding your cells from the damage that leads to cancer
Coconut Oil
Scientists have found regular consumption of coconut oil (approximately 1 tablespoon per day) resulted in a rise in metabolism, a higher rate of calorie-burning, and a reduced body fat mass and overall bodyweight. You can thank the medium-chain triglycerides (as opposed to the long-chain kind found in butter), absorbed directly by the liver and used more like carbohydrate than fat. This makes coconut oil an excellent source of energy for endurance exercise and because it’s low in cholesterol it won’t make a mess of your heart either.
Tagged in Wheat Free Nutrition Diet Healthy eating Super Food Skin Diet tips