The superfoods for "supermen"

You’d be surprised to discover many of the foods already in your diet are considered super.

A food is deemed “super” when it is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids or other beneficial substances.

Superfoods can help protect against cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, protect the organs from toxins and improve digestive health. Some nutritionists even say superfoods can help you live longer.

So next time you head to the supermarket and your partner reaches for the goji berries, ensure you tick some of the following off the list too...

1.    Oats

That’s right – your morning muesli or porridge is a superfood before you add berries or coconut to it.

When grains contain high amounts of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, we call them supergrains. Supergrains also include quinoa and chia.

Oats are high in fibre and can help lower cholesterol. They’re also packed with protein and therefore a natural energy booster. Kick-start your day with a bowl of oats and milk or soy milk, and add some more superfoods for twice the power!

2.    Almonds

In their raw state, almonds contain almost entirely 'good' fats or monosaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Almonds are packed full of minerals including magnesium, potassium and calcium, as well as vitamin B6.

3.    Eggs

Eggs are the super hero of superfoods, with the highest nutritional quality protein of all food sources. Eggs also contain 11 different vitamins and minerals including vitamin A and folate.

They are an exceptional source of vitamin B12, vital for healthy red blood cells. Just one serve of eggs provides almost half the recommended dietary intake for vitamin B12.

4.    Coconut

The coconut, in its many shapes and forms (oil, flesh and water) has many superpowers.

When eaten raw, it is high in fibre and acts like a probiotic, feeding  the good bacteria in the intestines and keeping you regular.

Fresh coconut water is rich in electrolytes, aiding in hydration, providing minerals essential for bodily functions such as movement and brain function.

5.    Avocado

Avocadoes are packed with healthy fats and nutrients including oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and glutathione.

Eating avocadoes will help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases.

6.    Wild salmon

Wild salmon is packed with Omega-3 (healthy fats which help lower cholesterol and risk of developing heart disease). Salmon has also been touted as having slimming superpowers.

Always go for wild salmon over farmed local salmon – it’s higher in Omega-3 and free of unwanted toxins and contamination. That includes Scandinavian, Scottish or Canadian salmon.

7.    Dark chocolate

UK researchers have recently found dark chocolate and natural cocoa powder contain more flavenols and polyphenols than the juices of such superfoods as blueberries, cranberries and acai berries.

The antioxidants of dark chocolate help reduce heart disease and fight ageing.