You may have read or heard about numerous diet tips, ideas, suggestions in seminars and health magazines related to SUPERFOODS?

What are these super foods? Is it same as any functional food? If yes, why are these words synonymous? Are they identical meanings of two differently spelled words? Answer to all these are a big YES. Why is there a need to have the adjuncts of super foods in our diet and how do these help us is the topic of the day to brief the crowd who has gathered online in this era to know the fads of nutrition.

Garlic, polyphenols in berries, egg, green tea, and pomegranate seeds, jamun, curcumin in turmeric. Why these seven food items are chosen? Because they do have something in common.

Listed below in detail are the superfoods and their super qualities that will help you lead a healthy life.

1. Garlic

The ‘smelly’ white medicine. Yes, it has a distinct smell, but let’s changes our perspective towards it; the smell is the identity of its components and the smell of healing.

Garlic is a SULFUR containing condiment. Sulphur is an element not so easily available in nature, helps combat the deficiency of B12 and Pernicious anemia, since many a times the cause of anemia or depression is a sulphur insufficiency and garlic is the knight in shining armour then.

It’s a super food also because it contains ALLICIN, again a sulphur containing compound which helps sustain gut microbe, where studies now prove that most diseases, disorders can be prevented with a good gut microbiome.

Another super property in garlic is immunity factor, it helps in the stimulation of anti-oxidant cycles in the body, and having the richness of several compounds it stimulates enzymatic activities to enhance immunity. In historic times garlic was used for treating fevers, leprosies, infections, for skin diseases and recently garlic extracts are used for treatment of cancer and as a preventive as anti-cancerous compound.

Its enzymes and compounds 33 in number are beneficial in improving digestion, absorption and retention of important micro nutrients which otherwise are lost during insufficiency of micro nutrients.

How to use Garlic in your diet?

• Can be added to food while cooking
• Can be added to dressing with olive oil (tastes amazing)
• Can be roasted and eaten with meals as a side salad
• Can be eaten raw (dried ones)
• Most of the popular garlic dishes are the ‘Chana-Garlic roasted’ salads – supreme combination of anti-oxidants, enzymes, protein and fibre
• Garlic is also added in most Italian delicacies in the preparation of sauces, breads, pastas and meat marinates.

2. Egg

Egg is the ultimate super food, versatile to cook with, a plethora of multi vitamins and minerals, a powerhouse of essential nutrients and a very comforting and affordable food gem.

• It contains sulphur, nitrogen, carbon and oxygen for starters, which make up the basics of energy in our body.
• It contains Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin A, Iron, B12 and Folate as a short view of its micro nutrient profile- vitamins and minerals.
• It is a superb combination of fats, lipids, protein. It has egg albumin- fastest absorbing protein. Cholesterol and phospholipids the structural component of every cell.

Egg variants are found in the world, form the largest ostrich egg to the tiniest chicken egg contains the elite nutrient profile.

It has the best quality nutrients therapeutic for a patient, beneficial to an athlete and healthy for a common man. A super food is something which fits in any and every situation.

Egg thus tops the list because it’s a ‘giving’ food item, providing benefits to all who consume it daily.

We Indians are not new to hearing the common phrase of ‘Sunday ho ya Monday- Roz khaao Ande’

Like mentioned above egg is a versatile food product used for various purposes. Example – Boiled eggs for breakfast, Egg mayonnaise salad for lunch and shallow fried chicken pattice coated with egg for dinner. Egg is used by itself for breakfast, as an emulsifier (mixing agent) for lunch and a coating agent for dinner.

Egg can be used in most dishes like –

• As a food item by itself – Egg nog, poached eggs, Vietnamese coffee, scrambled eggs and egg wraps.
• As a leavening agents- raising agent in cakes, breads and sweet dishes
• As an emulsifier for mayonnaise and sauces
• As a coating and binding agent

3. Curd

Curd is another common food item, which is a savior in disguise.  It boosts immunity, improves gut health, a rich source of pre and pro bacteria which restores the gut health, thus avoiding common ailments.

A topical application of curd is often seen for getting rid of dandruff, tanned skin, sensitive skin or just to get a bridal glow!

It is a lactose free dairy product thus safe from causing allergic reactions. It is a smooth textured food item thus can be used for therapeutic use as well.

It contains a great deal of Calcium, Vitamin-A, good bacteria, sodium, potassium and lactic acid for survival of the bacteria.

Usage of Curd in regular diet –

• Can be used as a salad item, raita or plain yogurt
• A mid-morning/evening short snack meal with berries for anti-oxidants or banana for energy.
• Used for smoothies, curries as a smooth base for the dish.
• Used as a dip or a drink for various occasion- chaas, lassi, yogurt dips or curd salad.
• Used as an adjunct to complete meals as it adds the dairy component- also a great combination of fats, proteins and carbohydrate.
• A quick meal for kids, adults, elderly and athletes.

1 spoon superfoods

Spirulina – Isabgol – Wheatgrass – Turmeric- Ginger – Lemon

Most of us have taken either of them in our diets, as a magic portion in our daily routine.

• 1 spoon of wheatgrass powder or spirulina in the morning.
• 1 spoon of ginger juice with 1 spoon lemon juice and turmeric at night

3. Spirulina  

Spirulina is a fresh water plant, which is nutrient dense and now available in powered or tablet form. It is rich in Vitamin-B6, magnesium, zinc and other trace minerals and vitamins, which are not so easily available through other foods. Spirulina becomes like a compact package for nutrients, which help in health and weight management because most times in the start of a health journey one may be nutrient deficient and this one spoon provides the head start.

• It is ideally taken in mixed in a glass of water, or if available in a tablet form then as tablet In the course of day, usually after meals.
• It can also be mixed with any bars or smoothies one prepares.

It is researched to have anti-bacterial properties to fight infections, cancer to some extend and detox the body of any toxins to provide a healthy start.

Wheat grass – it is the powdered form of baby wheat plants, which have a better nutrient profile than the whole grown wheat stalk. Packed with B-Vitamins and Minerals like – biotin, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Copper etc. it provides the kick-start with a heavy packaging of such micro-nutrients which are essential but very scarcely available in food and most times lost while cooking.

They help to detox our bodies and systems with the gush of nutrients and thus one magical spoonful does wonders for you.

• It can be ideally taken in a glass of warm water
• It can be added to any other preparations, like an energy bar or a nuts laddoo for adequate consumption.

4. Isabgol

It is the seed of a plant, which is ideally grown in India and Pakistan. Also known as, psyllium husk. The seeds are bore by the plant’s flower. It helps relieve constipation, by adding bulk to the stool, also accelerates fat loss journey by healing the gut.

Curbs acidity and also help in resolving piles and anal fissures.

The seeds soak in water and inflate thus when ingested they form like a gel-like substance which aids in satiety and also indirectly helps in controlling food intake.

Isabgol is most commonly seen using for constipation, for obese patients and now for fat loss too.

• Ideally soak one spoon of isabgol in a glass of water and slowly consume it before meals.
• Can also be added to; laddoo or energy bar.

5. Ginger – Lemon- Turmeric Tonic

Lemon is no newbie to the clan of super foods, loaded with the famous Vitamin-C, anti-oxidant properties, fibre, the lemon zest for flavour and its acidic nature are all top rated. Its ability to form arginine an essential amino acids for carrying out various functions is another hidden property that now is being explored for the yellow friend- lemon.

• Best taken as a juice- in salad dressing, just a shot with ginger juice.
• Made into achaar form or a sweet murabba (pickle)
• Also added for garnish and used as am appetite enhancer

6. Ginger

Ginger is a well studied and researched for its anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti – inflammatory properties. Gingerol is the active compound which has provided the beneficial effects from ginger, apart from which paradol and shoagol are other compounds being researched for better use.

• It aids in digestion, immunity and gut health. Used in cooking, in salads, ginger juice by itself and ginger dried as powder for condiment purposes.
• Also the extracts are available in capsule and tablet form. But best form is the fresh grated form of ginger with its pungent smell filling the entire home.

7. Turmeric

Turmeric is widely known now for its curcumin component, entitling turmeric as a super food.

Again a versatile food item, can be used for/as

• Topical application for medicinal purposes
• Colouring agent for increasing desirability of food
• Anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory, medicinal and soothing to the gut. The components help increase immunity and also a family descendant of the ginger roots. Thus used in 1 spoon juice shots.
• For enhancing flavour and as an appetizer to most foods.
• Known for its Ayurveda properties used for cleaning face pores, acne and teeth like earlier time

*Disclaimer- these one spoon superfoods, are named 1 spoon for the specific reason that they are required in smaller quantities and are effective when taken in smaller but concentrated quantum’s for the particular period of time.

They are short nutrient dense bullets which are to be shot accurately for optimal use. Consult your nutritionist for the desired effect and its usage.

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