What are Superfoods and Why Should I Care About Them?

By Dr. Kevin Curran of EthnoHerbalist

Superfoods are nutrient-rich foods that deliver multiple benefits to our health and well-being.
Each superfood is different, but in general, these foods contain some combination of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other beneficial phytonutrients.

At the EthnoHerbalist, we are interested in the cultural history and biology of effective medicinal plants. So, as you move through my list, you will also learn a bit about the cultural history of each superfood.

Below is an excerpt of my alphabetical list of superfoods, click here for the full list.

Açai

Açai is a small purple berry from the rainforests of South America.
Indigenous tribes living in the Amazon basin have eaten these berries for
thousands of years. The Shuar tribe, a group native to Ecuador and Peru,
used the açai berry for medicinal purposes (immune strength, vitality). We
now know that these bright colored fruits contain lots of powerful
antioxidant pigment molecules called anthocyanins. Antioxidants have
been researched in regards to fighting certain cancers, reducing
cholesterol and heart diseases. Açai also contains oleic acid, the same
healthy fat that’s found in olive oil. Try buying unsweetened açai and
working the material into a fruit smoothie.

Almonds

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Almonds have always been highly regarded by humans. In ancient Egypt,
almonds were a prized ingredient in breads served to the Pharaohs.
Explorers transported this nut along theSilk Road, from Asia into the
Europe. Soon, almonds were flourishing amidst the Mediterranean
climates of Spain and Italy. In the 1700s, Spanish missionaries
introduced almonds into California. Today, almonds are a multi-billion
dollar business in California.
In the nut world, almonds are about as superfood as it gets. They offer
generous amounts of nutrient per serving. Almonds are especially high in
protein, fiber, B vitamins, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin E, calcium, iron,
magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamine, choline, and potassium. They’re
also enriched with dietary fiber and various polyunsaturated fats that
may help lower LDL cholesterol. Try switching from peanut butter to
almond butter. It’s only a few bucks more per jar and you’re getting a
much more nutritious nut.

Amaranth

Amaranth has been used as a food source for about 8,000 years. The
Aztec people of ancient Mexico ate this plant often and even incorporated
amaranth into their religious ceremonies. It’s now regarded as a
superfood grain. Amaranth is high in protein and delivers a lot of energy
per serving. More importantly for people with gluten intolerance,
amaranth is one of the gluten-free grains.
Amaranth is also high in lysine, which is an amino acid often missing from
other popular grains.

Avocado

Avocados are the gift that keep on giving. You can eat them right out of
their skin or blend them into guacamole. The superfood is native to

central Mexico and have been enjoyed in this region for the past 10,000
years. The word avocado originates from the Aztec word for
testicle, ahuacatl. Clearly, these ancient Mexicans were referencing the
oblong, pear-shape of the fruit. A cup of avocado supplies you with high
amounts of fiber, protein, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and
potassium. A clinical study found that eating avocados can improve the
lipid profile of both healthy people and people with high cholesterol levels.

Beets

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Beets are the large root from the beet plant, Beta vulgaris. The original
beet, called wild seabeet, grew natively along the Indian coastline. Upon
discovering its thick edible roots, many cultures began domesticating the
beet throughout the Middle East. This purple superfood vegetable is
packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help strengthen our
body. In addition, preliminary research indicates that beetroot juice can
lower blood pressure in hypertensive animals. This opens the possibility
that beets can help people battle cardiovascular diseases.

Click here to see my entire alphabetical list of superfoods.

Question:
What is so special about garlic and broccoli and colorful fruits and veggies?
Answer:
Phytochemicals

To put it simply, phytochemicals are chemicals that are naturally
produced in plants. The prefix "phyto" means plant.
Phytochemicals are a collection of different chemical compounds that
can deliver all sorts of health benefits to the humans that eat
these plants.

You may have heard of some of these chemical groups:
 carotenoids
 flavonoids
 phytosterols
 fiber

Photo by Heather Seymour on Unsplash

Garlic is packed with allicin.
Broccoli and the other cruciferous veggies are enriched with glucosinolates.
Carotenoids and flavonoids are present in many of the colorful fruits and
veggies - including carrots, grapes, and blueberries.

Photo by Gabriel Gurrola on Unsplash

These phytochemicals are not as well known as the vitamins and minerals
that are also found in plants. We are just starting to figure out the
various ways phytochemicals interact with our body. Recent studies
demonstrate that phytochemicals offer multiple health benefits to our
body:

 antioxidant activity
 anti-inflammatory
 anti-diabetic
 lower LDL cholesterol

I think this is an exciting time in nutrition science. We are starting to
sort out all the ways phytochemicals interact with our own cell biology and physiology.
To learn more, read this article I just wrote. I summarize the actions of the main phytochemical groups.

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Delicious featured image photo by Maja Petric on Unsplash

by Emma