Superfoods are nutritional powerhouses, full of things your body loves and needs: vitamins, antioxidants, trace minerals, healthy fats, and fiber. If you’re already familiar with the magic of blueberries, salmon, and kale, here are 10 more superfoods to add to your shopping cart.
Kimchi
The more we learn about the importance of the gut microbiome to overall health, the more important probiotics and fermented foods become. There’s nothing quite like the power of kimchi, the superfood of Korea. It’s full of good bacteria, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and K, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Kefir
Kimchi isn’t the only way to get more good gut bacteria into your diet. Increasingly, various brands of kefir — a type of yogurt drink — are popping up in the dairy section. This drinkable yogurt has more probiotics than regular yogurt and is a great source of calcium, protein, and B vitamins. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to make at home.
Golden berries
If you’ve tired of blueberries, try golden berries. This cousin of raisins and dried cranberries comes from Peru and boast vitamins A and C, as well as fiber.
Amaranth
Known as the Aztec superfood, amaranth has not only been hailed by the Mexican government for its health benefits, it’s also been embraced by health enthusiasts around the globe. The protein-rich grain is gluten-free, and has more calcium, iron, fiber, magnesium, and amino acids than wheat, rye, or oats.
Beets
It’s hard to overstate the health benefits of the humble beet: They’re full of calcium, iron, magnesium, fiber, and folate, as well as key vitamins like A and C. Plus, if you ferment them, they’re probiotic powerhouses.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms really are magic. They’re full of protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, fiber, and powerful micronutrients, such as selenium, glutathione, and ergothioneine. Health fanatics can even add antioxidant-rich mushroom powder to their daily cup.
Matcha
Matcha — a type of traditional Japanese green tea — is chock full of antioxidants called polyphenols, and it’s linked to everything from weight loss to increased concentration, all without making you feel jittery. (That’s because it has less caffeine than coffee.)
Turmeric
If you are already a fan of golden milk lattes, you know about the antioxidant power of turmeric. The yellow spice is an anti-inflammatory wonder, especially when paired with black pepper.
Sardines
Salmon isn’t the only fish in the sea that qualifies as a superfood. Omega-3-rich tinned fish — sardines, in particular — are making a comeback. The edible bones make sardines rich in calcium, they’re low in mercury, and they’re sustainable. Win, win, win.
Nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast contains all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein — one that vegans and vegetarians can both embrace. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and is a great source of B vitamins.
