The newest fad in the dieting circle is the introduction of the superfood. Although some people might consider “superfood” being an over-used term used for a marketing tool, the foods that have already attained this nickname have gotten it for a reason. Superfoods are generally loaded in nutritional value and health promoting attributes.The Oxford English Dictionary defines “superfood” as “a natural food regarded as especially beneficial because of its nutrient profile or its health-protecting qualities.”
For those of you struggling to find weight-loss help, or to improve upon your own personal wellness, adding a variety of superfoods to your diet can be very useful. Superfoods include a lot of nutritional value. They offer the necessary carbs, fats (the good ones), protein, vitamins and minerals which can be vital for keeping health and well being. Moreover, superfoods consist of phytonutrients, antioxidants and also a ton of fiber. Until recently, these other three components weren’t commonly recognized as essential factors to having health and wellness. However, new research indicates that they, too, play an essential factor in keeping the body operating correctly.
To understand what antioxidants do, you must, first, understand what oxidation is. Oxidation is a chemical reaction in our bodies that moves electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. These reactions create free radicals. Free radicals, in turn, can start chain reactions that end up damaging cells. Antioxidants remove free radicals and, thus, prevent cells from being damaged. Oxidation is important to life, but too much can be damaging. Antioxidants can be found in the following foods: Vegetables, Nuts, Grains, Fruits
Oxidative damage may bring about health issues like: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. When you eat foods that happen to be full of antioxidants, you can raise your chances to prevent such conditions from occurring.
One of the big things that a lot of superfoods possess is fiber. Simply put, fiber is a nondigestible carbohydrate which helps you obtain the most out of your diet. When food travels through your intestines, fiber makes it swell up slightly and slows the movement of the food traveling through your intestines. This helps you control your hunger by making you feel full more quickly. Furthermore, fiber helps in the following ways: Helps control diabetes, Helps prevent heart disease, Helps with bowel disorders, Prevents and treats constipation.
It is important that, should you start taking in more fiber, you do so by steadily increasing your intake and consuming a lot of water. Failure to do this could leave you with an upset stomach and worse constipation than before.
Phytonutrients are essentially antioxidants located in the skins of plants and vegetables. They help safeguard the body and fight disease by repairing cells from the release of protective enzymes. Phytochemicals, as they are also known, form the major part of a plants immune system. Their role is to protect plants from disease, injuries, insects, drought, excessive heat and pollutants in the air. It’s no surprise why they are so health beneficial; they were created to fight anything that can cause problems for life.
For a complete list on the top 10 superfoods, follow the link to continue reading.