What are Superfoods?

What are superfoods and do you really need them?

 

With so many trends and differing opinions about superfoods and healthy dietary choices, it’s difficult to hone in on the truth about superfoods. Are they a trend? Do they help us in the long run? Are they a necessary component of a diet? Can you take a supplement instead? 

What We Mean by Superfood

What do we mean when we say superfoods? We’re talking about nutritionally dense foods. Organic. Raised right. Free of junk. 

Superfoods are commonly low in calories, but rich in large amounts of nutrients. This makes superfoods a great option for anyone trying to ensure they eat enough of the right stuff while maintaining or losing weight. Antioxidants are essential elements of superfoods that help to fight free radicals in our bodies, which can lead to severe health issues and disease.

Examples of a Few Superfoods We Love: 

• Bitter Melon - Bitter melon contains vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, potassium, phytochemicals. It has been used to treat kidney health, stomach and intestinal issues, and GI distress. It also supports the body's energy processes and lowers blood sugar levels. Both the fruit and the seed are medicinal and have been used for centuries. 

• Raw Cacao - Raw cacao features high levels of flavonoids, making it an excellent source of antioxidants. It’s dense with antioxidants and its tryptophan helps raise serotonin levels (enhancing your mood). 

• Milk Thistle - Silymarins are the dominant component of milk thistle seeds. These compounds have anti-inflammatory effects as well as protective properties. Read our blog on Milk Thistle.

 

• Dandelion Leaf - An excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, dandelion leaf also contains vitamin E, folate, and small amounts of other B vitamins. It includes the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. These components can help protect you against cellular damage and oxidative stress. 

• Algae - One of the most chlorophyll-rich foods, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) offers a rich source of antioxidants, beta carotene, lycopene, lutein, and omega 3s. This algae could be classified as an uber-superfood.

Whole Foods

Eating a variety of whole foods rich in vitamins and minerals can also make you a “Super-You.”  The following whole foods and our supplements together? Mwah! A match made in heaven. 

Try adding these to your current diet:

• Dark, leafy greens - Greens are high in many vitamins like calcium, magnesium, and iron.
• Berries - Berries are linked to lower heart attack risk and contain many antioxidants.
• Soy - Soy may help to prevent bone density loss and age-related memory loss.
• Salmon - Try switching this out in place of red meat or poultry at times. 
• Tea - White and green varieties of tea are anti-inflammatory.

Experiment with a range of whole and unprocessed foods. Look for: 

• Colorful foods that make you feel vibrant!
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Healthy fats like olive oil and avocado
• Pasture-raised eggs
• Free-range poultry
• Wild-caught seafood
• Tofu and tempeh
• Whole grains, and more.

Reduce:

• Any heavily processed or fast foods 
• Added sugars
• Artificial sweeteners
• Refined grains like white bread and pasta. 

Whole foods celebrate the longevity of healthy habit making and a lasting lifestyle shift. Work on slowly incorporating any dietary changes -- it’s much better to make one lasting healthy habit than to fail at making five healthy habits all at once!

New superfoods are constantly trending, but whole foods will always be there for us, too. You need a variety. Many fruits and vegetables provide similar benefits, packaged in different ways. We’re only beginning to learn how absorption might be affected by nutrigenetics. 

Superfoods are incredible for your health but don’t discredit the simple and basic options around you that could be just as amazing for your health. Enjoy them all!  

Superfoods are an amazing addition to a healthy diet, and they can help gradually improve the overall quality of nutrient-poor diets. Take one step at a time, starting wherever you are. 

Putting the “Super” in Superfood

Almeda's products are built to last. They’re formulated correctly by the world’s top scientists to make a difference. The Almeda lifestyle is designed to replenish your cells and nourish your mind, body, and spirit. 

We don’t believe in a one-fix-to-cure-all mindset, but a long term healthy lifestyle to heal and nourish ourselves. Our products are made of only high-quality ingredients and we aim to make you feel great inside and out.

So, let’s get real. Let’s get this right. Superfoods are BOTH a marketing term AND a real thing. We define Superfoods as real, organic foods that are rich in nutrients. We use concentrates and powders of only truly superfoods in all of our products.

We highlight “superfoods and adaptogens” right on the front of our labels because we believe in the power of food.  We know the difference in eating the right foods, as nature intended them. We encourage you to eat a whole foods diet.  AND we also love our superfoods. 

The Role of Supplements

Almeda’s products matter in part because of our modern way of farming and eating. Everything from soil depletion to our food-saturated environments, to our hectic lives, bars us from eating the way we want to properly nourish ourselves. Almeda’s supplements can help pick up this slack, whether you’ve been struggling to eat all the nutritionally dense foods on your radar or are concerned about the effect our environment has on your health. 

Our Kasvi product is easy to add to your routine. Add a scoop of Kasvi to coffee for a yummy latte or smoothie in the morning that helps support your organs, clear your skin, and lower inflammation in the body. Kasvi is filled with superfoods and adaptogens and makes it convenient to consume many superfoods at once for your busy, on the go mornings!

Likewise, Encarna is our “liquid gold” product that replaces your daily vitamins with it’s 310 ingredients! It’s wonderful to improve mental and cellular health while providing you with daily doses of all the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids your body craves!

Give yourself a break this year by taking a breather and supplementing your diet to ensure you’re hitting every important food group, while our products do the rest.

We’d love to hear from you.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy whole foods, superfoods, and supplements? What kinds of recipes would you like from us?