A famous saying states, "You are what you eat!" A healthy diet defines the right food choices. Hence, we have that very important month in a year to remind us of the importance of nutrition in the body - The National Nutrition Month, which started from 1st of September, highlights the fact that people should emphasise on the right nutrition for a better health. The world is moving onto a healthier track where people are thinking about what they eat and their overall well-being, especially considering the lifestyle that each of us led.
At a grocery shop, you reach for your favourite brand of food product when you suddenly notice a new term or word in bold, adorned with an eye catching colour - 'Now with superfood nutrition!' or 'With the best superfoods in it!', you may get swayed. However, nowadays, people are a little skeptical as they check the ingredients that sound different and wonder if it is worth it.
For those seeking to elevate to a healthy regimen, the very notion of a superfood can be a tempting aspect as we imagine these powerful foods to have special superfood-like qualities for weight management and healing abilities. Moving beyond just a marketing buzzword to a deeper understanding, its very inclusion in the Oxford Dictionary denotes "a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being". Superfoods are, therefore, foods with a very high nutritional density that provide a substantial amount of nutrients, high volumes of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.
For those looking for natural ways to get fit, a healthy diet that is free of unhealthy ingredients like refined food products is commonly the prerequisite of the hectic life we lead. However, for those wanting to upgrade their nutritional intake, help is at hand and these superfoods can surely give you your returns on the health investment. It is important to add superfoods to bring about goodness to your food, helping you stay fit, strong and balance those multiple roles you embrace.
Here Are Some Of The Popular And Easy Choices Of Superfoods To Consider:
Moringa: It's also known as drumstick tree, recognised because of the myriad health benefits it has to offer. The dried powder from the leaves has the most nutritional benefits to offer. If you are looking for a food that helps support immunity, reduces inflammation and provides antimicrobial effects, then your search ends at moringa. The easiest way to get all these health benefits from moringa is to add it to a soup, vegetable or just sip on a cup of moringa tea, which is now easily available in supermarkets and online stores.
Also Read: Moringa Tea: Fat Loss, BP Control And More Health Benefits Of This So-Called 'Miracle Tea'
National Nutrition Month: Moringa Tea is now easily available in supermarkets and online stores.
Quinoa: Believed to be 'the mother of all grains', this superfood is gluten-free and a complete protein. Quinoa contains twice as much fibre as other grains and helps cut down the risk of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. It is rich in copper, iron, magnesium and phosphorus and is a good source of manganese, which helps manage pre-menstrual syndrome. It is a very versatile grain, which can be substituted for rice. Include quinoa as part of your salads or meals - poha, upma or even porridge as part of your power breakfast or main meals!
Also Read: 8 Ways to Include Quinoa in Your Daily Diet
National Nutrition Month: Quinoa is a very versatile grain, which can be substituted for rice.
Green Coffee: Green coffee beans are the unroasted beans, which preserve Chlorogenic acid (CGA), lost to a great extent during the roasting of coffee beans. Chlorogenic acid aids in weight management and helps regulate metabolism by modifying obesity-related hormones and upregulating fatty acid breakdown in the liver as well as decreasing fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. It also reduces the absorption of carbohydrates; thus helps regulate blood sugar - glucose levels and insulin spikes - lowering the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Also Read: Here's How to Make Green Coffee At Home
National Nutrition Month: Green coffee beans are the unroasted beans which help in lowering the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Millet: Millets are gluten free and particularly high in fibre and minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium, all of which are essential for good health, especially heart. They are considered to be the least allergenic and most easily digestible grains available. Millet can be consumed whole in soups or as accompaniments to meals such as a roti. An increasing trend is incorporating this superfood as part of your super breakfast as a porridge or even a poha, upma, dosas or even add it to your one pot meal.
Also Read: 7 Best Millet Recipes
National Nutrition Month: Millet can be consumed whole in soups or as accompaniments to meals such as a roti.
Coconut: It is a unique combination of fatty acids, which lead to visceral fat loss and helps support cognitive function. It is predominantly made up of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are absorbed more easily and with less digestive effort than other sources. They also boost your energy and aid in digestion and metabolism, making them ideal for people watching their weight. You can get your daily dose of coconut in the form of coconut water or may even use coconut oil in cooking. Many individuals are moving to different formats of including coconut in their diet such as coconut sugar (as it has a lower glycaemic index) instead of refined sugar in their teas and deserts. However, moderation is key and it is recommended that you consult a qualified dietician to know the right quantity for consumption for you.
Also Read: Here Are 11 Best Coconut Recipes That You Must Try
National Nutrition Month: Get your daily dose of coconut in the form of coconut water or may even use coconut oil in cooking.
About Author: Sheryl Salis is a Nutritionist, Naturopath, Certified Diabetes Educator, Wellness Coach, and Insulin Pump Specialist.
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