Here are the 28 superfoods and their benefits:
1. Apples: can be eaten raw or drank as juice.
– Benefits: rich in essential antioxidants,
flavanoids, and dietary fiber. They may help reduce
your risk for cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and
heart disease.
2. Asparagus: can be eaten raw or cooked.
– Benefits: a good source of fiber, folic acid,
potassium, vitamins (A, C, E, and K), and chromium,
which helps insulin move glucose from the bloodstream
into cells. It may reduce your risk for diabetes, heart
disease, and obesity.
3. Avocados: a common ingredient in salads and wraps.
They are also used to make guacamole and other dips.
– Potential benefits: a good source of B vitamins,
Vitamin C, potassium, folate, and lutein. They may
reduce your heart disease, osteoporosis, depression,
and cancer risk.
4. Bananas: commonly eaten whole but can be added to
cereals or smoothies.
– Potential benefits: a good source of potassium, Vitamin
C, dietary fiber, and magnesium. They may reduce your
heart disease, digestive problems, and diabetes risk.
5. Barley: a cereal grain often found in soups and salads,
but can be cooked and eaten on its own.
– Potential benefits: a good source of dietary fiber, potassium,
folate, and vitamin B6. It may reduce your risk
6. Blackberries: can be eaten alone or added to yogurt,
smoothies, fruit salads, or desserts.
– Potential benefits: high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. They may reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer.
7. Blueberries: can be eaten alone or added to yogurt,
smoothies, fruit salads, or desserts.
– Potential benefits: rich in Vitamin C, dietary fiber,
and manganese. They may reduce your heart
disease, cancer, diabetes, and bone loss risk.
8. Broccoli: can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be added to
salads, stir-fries, or casseroles.
– Potential benefits: high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, and
Vitamin K. It may reduce your risk for cancer, heart
disease, digestive problems, and osteoarthritis.
9. Cauliflower: can be eaten alone or added to soups, salads,
main dishes, or appetizers.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K,
folate, dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, and Vitamin B6.
It may reduce your risk for cancer, digestive problems,
and osteoporosis.
10. Chia seeds: can be made into chia pudding or added to
salads, yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies.
– Potential benefits: rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber,
and omega-3 fatty acids. They may reduce your risk for
cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
11. Cocoa: can be found in dark chocolate or added to desserts
or milk.
– Potential benefits: rich in polyphenolic flavonoids. It
may reduce your high cholesterol, high blood
pressure, heart disease, and diabetes risk.
12. Collard greens: can be eaten alone (raw or cooked) or as
part of a mixed green salad.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C,
dietary fiber, and calcium. They may reduce your risk
for cancer, bone loss, digestive problems, and diabetes.
13. Garlic: used as a seasoning in many types of dishes.
– Potential benefits: has been used as a medicine to
prevent or treat a wide range of diseases and conditions.
It may reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer,
enlarged prostate, diabetes, osteoarthritis, hay fever,
cold, and flu.
14. Grapes: can be eaten raw; dried (as raisins); or made into
jam, jelly, juice, or wine.
– Potential benefits: high in resveratrol. They may
reduce your risk for heart disease.
15. Hemp seeds: can be eaten raw or cooked, or added to
smoothies, salads, baked goods, cereal, or yogurt.
– Potential benefits: high in protein and omega-3
and omega-6 fatty acids. They may reduce your risk
for heart disease and relieve symptoms of PMS or
menopause.
16. Kale: often added to salads, soups, pasta, or smoothies.
It can also be baked, sautéed, or steamed.
– Potential benefits: high in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins
(A, C, and K), folate, alpha-linolenic acid, and
lutein. It may reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes,
cancer, and digestive problems.
17. Kiwifruit: can be eaten raw or drank as juice.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K,
potassium, copper, and dietary fiber. It may reduce your
risk for cancer, high blood pressure, macular degeneration,
and digestive problems.
18. Lentils: a type of bean. They can be boiled or added to
soups or salads.
– Potential benefits: high dietary fiber, folate, protein,
and iron. They may reduce your digestive
problems, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes risk.
19. Mushrooms: can be sautéed and eaten alone or added to
salads, soups, main dishes, or appetizers.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin D, selenium, potassium,
and riboflavin. They may reduce your risk for
cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
They may also improve your immune system.
20. Mustard greens: can be sautéed and eaten alone or
added to salads, pasta, or side dishes.
– Potential benefits: high in antioxidants, vitamins (K,
A, and C), and folate. They may reduce your risk for
cancer, inflammation, and heart disease.
21. Oranges: can be eaten raw, drank as a juice, or added to
desserts or smoothies.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin C. They may
reduce your risk for cancer, high blood pressure, and
inflammation.
22. Pomegranates: can be eaten raw, drank as a juice, or added
to smoothies or alcoholic beverages, or used in cooking
or baking.
– Potential benefits: high in antioxidants, Vitamin C,
and potassium. They may reduce your risk for cancer,
Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure, dialysis-related
infections, and gum disease.
23. Pumpkin: can be boiled, steamed, roasted, or mashed. It
is added to soups, spreads, and baked goods.
– Potential benefits: high in lutein, alpha-carotene, and
beta-carotene. It may reduce your risk for cancer, high
blood pressure, macular degeneration, and infertility,
and improve immune system function.
24. Prunes: can be eaten raw or drank as juice.
– Potential benefits: high in dietary fiber, sorbitol, potassium,
iron, and boron. They may reduce your risk for
digestive problems, atherosclerosis, overactive bladder,
and anemia.
25. Raspberries: can be eaten alone or added to yogurt,
smoothies, fruit salads, or desserts.
– Potential benefits: high in flavonoids, antioxidants,
dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium,
B vitamins, and Vitamin K. They may reduce
your risk for cancer, inflammation, diabetes, high blood
pressure, and atherosclerosis.
26. Spinach: can be eaten raw as part of a salad, cooked as a
side dish, or added to main dishes or dips.
– Potential benefits: high in antioxidants, flavonoids,
carotenoids, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin K, manganese, folate, copper, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6,
Vitamin E, calcium, and Vitamin C. It may reduce
your risk for bone loss, iron-deficiency anemia, cancer,
asthma, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, congenital disabilities, and
macular degeneration.
27. Strawberries: can be eaten alone or added to yogurt,
smoothies, fruit salads, or desserts.
– Potential benefits: high in Vitamin C, fiber, manganese,
and potassium. They may reduce your risk
for heart disease and cancer.
28. Sunflower seeds: can be eaten by themselves as a
snack or added to yogurt, cereal, granola, or salads.
– Potential benefits: high in phytosterols, Vitamin E,
magnesium, and selenium. They may decrease your risk
for cancer, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart
disease, migraine headaches, and stroke.
Good information