You wouldn't put the wrong kind of fuel into your car but we're often guilty of depriving our bodies of the fuel they need to run efficiently. If your eyelids need propping open with matchsticks and you're questioning how you're going to last the day, it's easy to reach out for an energy drink or go crazy on coffee. This can lead to a vicious cycle of energy peaks and troughs.
A superfood is a type of food that's thought to be particularly high in nutrients and health benefits. Try a few of these superfoods for a natural, low fat kick to your day - and feel the difference!
Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, goji berries... take your pick! Nature's delicious summer fruits are some of the healthiest foods on the planet, according to the Natural Health & Organic Living website. Packed with antioxidants, they're also incredibly tasty and readily available. Try them on your breakfast cereal, in a fruit salad or smoothie - or just on their own. Delicious and nutritious!
Spinach
Popeye was definitely onto something when he first encouraged comic lovers to eat spinach in the late 1920s! While spinach may not give you superhuman powers or help you defeat the enemy, it does contain a high amount of vitamins and minerals and is very low in calories. Best of all, it's readily available to buy, either fresh or frozen, and easy to grow yourself. You can steam it or cook it, add it to a scrambled egg or a curry (palak paneer is absolutely delicious) or eat baby spinach leaves raw in a salad. You can also add it to a fruit smoothie - the fruit will hide the taste but you'll still reap the benefits.
Wheatgrass
Found in health food stores and online, wheatgrass helps remove toxins from your body. Although it can't be digested raw, wheatgrass can be added to a smoothie as a juice or powder to boost its nutritional value. If you've got a juicer you can process your own juice from fresh wheatgrass.
Spirulina
Spirulina is a type of algae packed full of protein, antioxidents and vitamins. In Australia and New Zealand, fruit juices containing spirulina are incredibly popular and can be bought in most supermarkets and cafes. In other parts of the world, you may have to make your own spirulina drink by buying it in powder form from your local health store and adding it to your favorite smoothie. Don't be alarmed by its vivid green color - it's all good (quite literally)!
Pomegranate
Enjoyed in Ancient Egyptian times, pomegranates grow in warm climates, bearing highly nutritious fruit that can either be enjoyed raw or as a juice. Pomegranates are high in vitamins B and C, as well as fiber. More impressive still, Israeli scientists have found that drinking pomegranate juice daily can reduce the risk of heart disease!
Eating the fruit can be a tricky process as you have to separate the red, seed-like fruits from the skin - while avoiding the sour white membrane. But it's well worth the effort! Enjoy it in a curry, a salad, your breakfast cereal or just on its own.
Water
Although not considered a superfood in the conventional sense, water is such an important part of human survival that to leave it out of any article promoting a healthier diet would be wrong! If you're constantly feeling tired and suffering from headaches, you could well be dehydrated.
National Health Service (NHS) guidelines recommend drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day - or more if you're exercising or working in a hot climate, as you lose water through sweating. Drinking water can help prevent headaches, improve your skin, assist with digestion and weight loss and flushes out wastes from your body. Severe dehydration can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as kidney failure.
Tali Iserles - Tali's an award-winning reporter with a background in print and broadcast journalism, both in the UK and in New Zealand. She's worked ...
