Health and its importance has been a cause of concern like never before since the past many months now for all of us and we all have realised that the prime importance of what we eat is what directly affects our mind and body as well. I have come across people with queries on immunity boosting recipes and tips like never before in so many years and the interest of people in taking their diets and components of their foods so seriously is a really good revolution in the well-being of the world trying to prevent rather than end up with cure.
The essence of nutrition and healthy eating has been around us since ages now and be it consulting an expert, following prescribed lifestyle patterns, having to stick to a fitness regime etc, they have all been somewhere overtaken by how the overall system can be stable in order to follow other suggestions and add to the experience.
“Superfoods” is one term we have been hearing since the last few years and this new term has kind of generated interest in many of us to explore and try and imbibe their qualities into our daily intakes as well. This term simply refers to the foods which have been found to be full of high content of nutrition density and composition like vitamins, minerals, fiber, Omega 3 fatty acids and not to forget the anti-oxidants which are so very important for our body.
The concept of “superfoods” is also so titled to gain attention and quick response from those who wish to live a super lifestyle and always believe in elevating the journey to the next level. There are some very simple and daily ingredients too from our kitchen which have been shelved on that showcase of being “superfoods” and I’m sure we know most of them already.
This article is focused on giving us an overview of which of these “superfoods” should be on our shopping list and be a part of our recipes in daily cooking as well.
TOP 12 SUPERFOODS
1. Avocado: also called as alligator pair, it is a fruit which is full of goodness and positivity to add into dips, salads, shakes, health shots, dressings and also salsa.
2. Broccoli: has been known to us much before cauliflower and its power packed fiber content helps us to stay fit, use it in soups, stir fries, salads, baked dishes and also a broccoli basil pesto is a good substitute.
3. Berries: while some of us stick to the colour of the berries, to me overall they all fall in a great must have category. Be they be being black, blue, strawberries, cranberries etc, all of them come handy in our fruit salads; have them just like that, add them in between meal munchies and to breakfast bowls!
4. Eggs: while some of us are for the egg whites, few of us consume it on the whole; the difference is just an option, but overall, eggs are full of essential nutrients with quality proteins and unique anti-oxidants. From boiled, scrambled, poached, sunny side up, double fried to curried forms, it works well.
5. Turmeric: from the fresh one being the best, to the dry and to the powdered form in our masala box, all forms have been found beneficial in many ways in our diets, from having turmeric water, detox versions, adding to curries, subzis, marination, pulao’s and other preparations. Of late, we have heard of turmeric latte!
6. Olive oil: people still have a few doubts on how to adapt to olive oil, especially when it comes to Indian cooking and recipes. I believe it’s an easy to adapt commodity, start with a light olive oil, mix it in a ratio of 60% percent regular oil with 40 % percent in cooking dishes to slowly accommodate its taste into our system and gradually modify it to your tastes.
7. Nuts: the crunch factor in our meals has always been welcome in various ways, from a health bar to having them slivered or sliced into our muesli or cornflakes/porridge, to being used in vegan cooking etc to start the day, some of us also soak nuts overnight and have it in the morning with breakfast for best benefits. Walnuts, almonds, raisins, apricots, peanuts, pine nuts, cashewnuts and the like must be included in our diets.
8. Seeds: the beneficial uses of variety of seeds available to us from chia, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds etc have a great role to play nutritionally from sprinkling it into our health shakes, smoothies, raitas, breakfast choice of cereals and our choice of freshly tossed salads too.
9. Salmon: one of the best rated “superfood” when it comes to seafood for its omega 3 fatty acids and being dense on its high quality nutrition, salmon fish is easy to use, simple to handle and tasty in varied preparations like simply marinate and grill, a nice crusty outing and bake, an interesting citric flavoured sauce to a poached version and to be converted to salmon cakes with dill cream dip.
10. Legumes: these are a part of our home kitchen shelf contents and we must ensure noting it in our reminder list during our month start grocery shopping. Involve them simply cooked with mild spices, add them to lunch menus, brunch menus, salads, soups, fillings for parathas, side dishes. Variate them to suit your taste; do not over spice or over cook them.
11. Ginger: is one of those root wonders we have in our kitchens which must be a part of our day and routines. From adding it to chai, a fresh squeeze of it to a detox water or a kadha as we make for cold coughs, I prefer adding them grated into my subzis, curries, rice, paratha stuffing, ginger has loads of medicinal properties and can help us self-cure ourselves and boost our immunity as well.
12. Green Tea: to some people, the concept somehow still isn’t too clear on how to consume, how much to consume, when to consume and what to add into green tea? Firstly, we need to understand on making a good cuppa of green tea, no sugar, no spices, no acids, no milk as such to add into it, avoid honey, jaggery as well. Have it first thing in the morning after a glass of simple lukewarm water. Have a cup a little after meals during and at the end of the day.
While there are many more ingredients like sweet potatoes, oat meal, yogurt etc which have also been included in the list of “superfoods” the idea is to be a bit aware, conscious and wise in our eating styles and work on making it better each day and stay safe and stay fit!
Chef Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based author, writer, academician, and food, health and lifestyle consultant. He has worked with some esteemed brands like the Taj group of Hotels, and Kuwait Airways as a sky chef, to name a few.