Super foods worth adding to your cooking now!
<p>It’s a saying we’ve all heard many times before: you are what you eat! However, it can be tough being a saint all the time when it comes to choosing what to put in your mouth. So, we’ve compiled a list of superfoods to add to your shopping list that will transform the way you look <em>and</em> feel. Plus, you'll feel less guilty for indulging in the occasional treat. We've also included tips on how to use them in your kitchen – we'll have you fighting fit in no time!</p>
<p><strong>CHIA SEEDS</strong><br />They may be a tiny grain, but packed with a whole range of nutrients and high-fibre content, they’re a great source of energy. Complete with proteins (which help keep your energy levels high, while the fibre keeps you fuller for longer, they also contain antioxidants and more brain-boosting and cholesterol-regulating omega-3 than salmon.</p>
<p><strong>How to use them:</strong> The ways are endless. Try roasting cauliflower in a chia seed-infused oil to add a healthy crunch, adding them to a lemon poppy seed muffin recipe, sprinkling them on your salads, porridge or youghurt.</p>
<p><strong>COCONUT FLOUR</strong><br />A natural by-product from making coconut milk, coconut flour is made from the dried coconut meat that’s left over. This newly discovered superfood is so amazing we’re not quite sure why it hasn’t been screamed about from the hilltops. It is sweet in taste but contains no fructose; it’s a great alternative to regular (less healthy) flours when baking; it’s grainless thus containing no sugary starch nor toxins; it’s rich in protein, fibre and good fat, as well as manganese (which curbs cravings and supports the thyroid); and it’s nourishing, especially for autoimmune disease sufferers as it contains lauric acid, a saturated fat that supports the immune system and the thyroid as well.</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> Coconut flour works really well in combination with almond meal when baking as an alternative to normal flour. It can also be used to coat meat or fish. But remember, it does have a “sweet” flavour.</p>
<p><strong>BLACK GARLIC</strong><br />Significantly less smelly than regular garlic, this sweet version boasts twice the antioxidants of the white stuff. Not only does the softer texture have a sweeter taste, it won't leave you with bad breath either as it’s produced by fermenting a standard garlic bulb over several weeks, which makes the sugars and amino acids react to produce the trademark black colour.</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> As an alternative to regular garlic.</p>
<p><strong>ALMOND MILK</strong><br />Slightly beige in colour and with a nutty taste and creamy texture, almond milk is an extract of protein-rich almonds. Almonds are rich in nutrients such as protein, fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus, trytophan and calcium. Almond milk also contains flavonoids, which help to lower levels of "bad" cholesterol and protect the heart. Almond milk has no cholesterol and is often recommended to lower blood-sugar levels and to treat constipation.</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> It’s a great alternative to dairy. You can either drink almond milk straight or add to coffee, tea or hot chocolate. You can also add it to smoothies, non-dairy ice-cream or savoury dishes.</p>
<p><strong>KUKICHA TWIG TEA</strong><br />Smokey in flavour with all the antioxidant goodness of green tea, this refreshing option is made with twigs (rather than leaves) of the camellia plant and has significantly less caffeine than your green tea (and approximately 90% less caffeine than coffee).</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> Drink as you would herbal tea. </p>
<p><strong>BAOBAB</strong><br />With three times as much vitamin C as an orange, twice as much calcium as milk, Baobab is packed with antioxidants and is as tasty as a yummy pear - it makes the praised pomegranate seem like a small fry.</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> It is great in powder form and you can add it to your smoothies, juices, yoghurts, or even into cake and bread mixes.</p>
<p><strong>NATTO</strong><br />Considered a Japanese breakfast staple that is thought to prevent heart disease and strokes, these fermented soya beans are rich in vitamins and an enzyme called nattokinase. High in protein and a great source of tummy-friendly probiotics, natto is full of vitamin K as well as omega-3 fatty acids so could help to protect against bone loss and to boost skin health.</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> With a cheesy flavour and a stringy consistency, natto is often served with soya sauce and mustard, eaten straight or with rice, spaghetti or in omelettes. </p>
<p><strong>MAQUI BERRY</strong><br />Move over acai, there’s a new superfood wonder berry in town. Pronounced “mah-kee”, this berry found in Patagonia has various health benefits. With high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols, maqui is said to fight signs of ageing, aid weight loss and boost your immune system. And they taste sweet to boot!</p>
<p><strong>How to use it:</strong> Commonly available in supplement form as capsules or a powder.</p>
<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>
