Why not begin by trying out our thrifty alternate options for among the pricier however standard ‘superfoods’?
1. Swap wheatgrass for spring greens
What’s wheatgrass?
Wheatgrass is a well-liked well being meals and usually consumed recent as a juice or bought as a powder and added to smoothies, sauces or dressings. The recent younger leaves of the Triticum Aestivum grass, as wheatgrass is formally identified, are loaded with chlorophyll, nutritional vitamins A, C, E and Okay, minerals and plant compounds, comparable to flavonoids. The grass additionally accommodates amino acids, the constructing blocks of protein, which we’d like for progress and restore.
Swap for: spring greens
This various younger, leafy inexperienced guarantees to not break the financial institution but is equally wealthy in chlorophyll, supplies minerals like iron in addition to nutritional vitamins A, C, E and Okay. Like wheatgrass, spring greens include beta-carotenes, together with lutein and zeaxanthin that are famed for selling pores and skin and eye well being.
An additional bonus is that these younger leaves additionally include the pure plant compounds sulforaphane and indoles. A rising physique of proof suggests these compounds have a big anti-cancer motion, are anti-inflammatory and should assist defend in opposition to coronary heart illness and stroke.
Store sensible:
Purchase spring greens as a complete head fairly than the pricier, prepared ready model. Add them to a smoothie or attempt them in our spring greens with lemon dressing and our Indian spiced greens.
2. Swap maca root for broccoli
What’s maca root?
Maca is a cruciferous vegetable and native to the Andean area of Peru; in its complete type it appears a bit of like a pale-coloured radish. Used as a complement, maca root is often accessible in powder, liquid or capsule type. It’s wealthy in fibre, contributes a variety of amino acids, plus vitamin C and the minerals copper, iron and calcium. Though proof is scant, maca is usually taken for its perceived enhancements to reproductive well being and its energising properties.
Swap for: broccoli
Broccoli comes from the identical cruciferous household of greens as maca (as do cauliflower and cabbage). In addition to vitamin C, calcium, iron and copper, broccoli can also be a helpful supply of folate. Like lots of its cruciferous family, it’s wealthy in anti-cancer compounds and when included commonly within the weight loss plan could assist steadiness hormones, most notably oestrogen. Like maca, broccoli could assist your power ranges via its motion on the helpful micro organism that reside within the intestine.
Learn extra about broccoli’s well being advantages.
Store sensible:
Broccoli purchased free tends to be cheaper than the cellophane-wrapped various. For a barely pricier various – however nonetheless less expensive than maca – select purple sprouting broccoli. Research recommend it accommodates larger ranges of anti-cancer compounds, protecting flavonoids and vitamin C.
Attempt our herby broccoli or make it one of many hero components of a predominant meal with our barley & broccoli risotto with lemon and basil.
3. Swap pomegranate for beetroot
What’s pomegranate?
A spherical fruit with a tough, shiny pink pores and skin, hidden inside is a mass of jewel-like seeds, often called arils. These seeds are both eaten uncooked or juiced – as a juice it supplies higher antioxidant safety than both pink wine or inexperienced tea.
These well being accolades are all the way down to highly effective plant compounds which embrace anthocyanins; it’s these which are accountable for pomegranate’s protecting and anti inflammatory properties together with its heart-friendly results on blood stress and levels of cholesterol.
Learn extra about pomegranate’s well being advantages.
Swap for: beetroot
This acquainted root vegetable can also be wealthy in plant compounds together with a household of pigments known as betalains, in addition to nitrates. It’s these that make beetroot so useful, defending us from the damaging results of day-to-day stressors and serving to to control blood stress and circulation. Like pomegranate, beetroot is a supply of fibre and vitamin C however it supplies extra heart-friendly potassium and folate. The leaves could be added to a salad and make a helpful contribution of vitamin Okay.
Learn extra about beetroot’s well being advantages.
Store sensible:
Purchase free, with the leaves intact if potential. Attempt our recipe for these vivid pink beetroot falafels and replenish on heart-friendly folate and nitrates.
4. Swap goji berries for dried cranberries
What are goji berries?
Often known as wolfberries, these tiny pink berries are native to Asia and have an uncommon sweet-sour style and chewy texture. They’re most frequently bought in dried or powdered type and are famed for his or her protecting properties, that are stated to sluggish the indicators of ageing, assist eye well being and strengthen immunity.
Offering a helpful supply of fibre, goji berries contribute iron, potassium in addition to nutritional vitamins A and C. Unusually for a berry, they’re a full supply of protein which implies they provide all 9 of the important amino acids we’d like for progress and restore.
Swap for: dried cranberries
Like their superfood various, these vivid pink berries are wealthy in protecting antioxidants, together with anthocyanins, that are good for the center and have anti-ageing properties. Cranberries include carotenoids, together with beta-carotene, which the physique converts to vitamin A for wholesome pores and skin, eyes and a robust immune system. Additionally they present lycopene, which can assist defend the pores and skin from UV injury and are a helpful supply of iron, potassium and vitamin C.
Store sensible:
Search for unsweetened, dried cranberries to snack on, or attempt our Persian-inspired cranberry, sprout & pecan pilaf.
5. Swap coconut oil for butter or ghee
What’s coconut oil?
Though coconut oil is standard as a ‘well being’ meals, among the claims related to it are controversial. Extracted from the kernel of mature coconuts, there are two predominant varieties of coconut oil – refined and virgin coconut oil. Each have comparable fatty acid profiles, nonetheless the virgin oil accommodates larger quantities of vitamins comparable to vitamin E in addition to plant compounds, together with polyphenols.
A lot of the publicity round coconut oil centres on its fats composition and, specifically, the first fatty acid discovered on this oil: lauric acid. Lauric acid is classed as a medium-chain fatty acid (MCT), a sort that’s simply transformed to power, making it much less prone to be saved within the physique as fats. That stated, more moderen research recommend lauric acid behaves as each a medium- and long-chain fatty acid, that means the proof regarding the advantages of MCTs of their pure type will not be as relevant to coconut oil as we as soon as thought.
Learn extra about coconut oil and the most effective fat to cook dinner with.
Swap for: butter or ghee
Though butter has lengthy been thought-about an unhealthy choice due to its saturated fats content material, more moderen proof suggests dairy meals could not be as dangerous as we have now been led to imagine.
The truth is, with 63% saturated fats in comparison with coconut oil’s 92%, butter contributes much less saturates. It additionally provides among the helpful MCT fat that coconut oil is famed for, though at decrease ranges. It has one other distinct benefit: butter accommodates butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid which will have the facility to enhance intestine well being, forestall illness and regulate the immune system. Butter additionally supplies a wider vary of nutritional vitamins: in addition to vitamin E it’s a good supply of nutritional vitamins A and D.
Having had the milk solids eliminated, ghee is a extra concentrated fats supply than butter. Its low stage of moisture mixed with the upper saturated fats content material (roughly 66%) provides ghee its excessive smoke level and lengthy shelf life. Like coconut oil, ghee is freed from lactose and the milk protein casein, making it an acceptable choice for these with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy.
Don’t overlook that, like all fat, these ought to nonetheless be consumed moderately.
Store sensible:
Be sure you purchase ghee produced from butter not vegetable oils, the latter could also be significantly cheaper however gained’t supply you a similar advantages. Attempt our buttered sweetcorn & squash recipe for a scrumptious aspect.
6. Swap chia for flaxseeds
What are chia seeds?
These are the edible seeds of a flowering plant and a member of the mint household. Regardless of their tiny measurement, they’re loaded with fibre, protein and are a helpful plant supply of omega-3 fatty acids. The truth is, the fibre content material of chia outweighs many different wholesome meals together with beans, figs and plums. Chia seeds additionally include a variety of minerals together with zinc, iron and calcium, nutritional vitamins together with the B group and so they supply protecting, anti-inflammatory and probably anti-cancer properties.
Learn extra concerning the well being advantages of chia seeds.
Swap for: flaxseeds
Often known as linseeds, these are the golden seeds of the flax plant. Though they don’t fairly match the fibre contribution of chia seeds, they’re nonetheless a superb supply in comparison with many different meals. Like chia they’re a useful plant supply of omega-3 fatty acids in addition to minerals together with zinc, iron and calcium. They’re a richer supply of folate and potassium and contribute barely extra protein than chia seeds.
One other bonus is that flaxseeds are one of many richest sources of phyto-oestrogens within the type of lignans; these compounds have been studied for his or her most cancers protecting properties in addition to their worth for girls transitioning via menopause.
Store sensible:
Purchase complete flaxseeds as a result of they are going to retailer for longer. Begin the day nicely with our apple & linseed porridge.
7. Swap quinoa for millet
What’s quinoa?
Though really the seeds of the amaranth plant, quinoa is often used as a grain. It’s gluten free and a helpful supply of fibre, B nutritional vitamins and minerals together with the bone-strengthening ones like phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. Additionally it is a whole plant supply of protein, that means it provides all 9 important amino acids.
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Learn extra concerning the well being advantages of quinoa.
Swap for: millet
These are the seeds of a cereal grass. Like quinoa, millet is gluten free and a great supply of the B group of nutritional vitamins. It’s particularly wealthy in vitamin B3, which is necessary for power manufacturing and blood sugar management. These little seeds present extra fibre and are a richer supply of phosphorus than quinoa. Nonetheless, they aren’t a whole supply of protein so mix with lentils or beans to compensate for this.
Store sensible:
Make your millet last more by storing in an hermetic container, in a cool, darkish retailer cabinet or pantry. And luxuriate in our scrumptious millet porridge each morning.
8. Swap açaí for blackberries
What are açaí berries?
These small dark-coloured berries develop within the Amazon rain forests. They’re wealthy in protecting plant compounds together with resveratrol and anthocyanins, each of that are anti-inflammatory and should defend in opposition to age-related situations like coronary heart illness and diabetes.
Loaded with fibre, vitamin A and manganese, açaí berries are additionally a helpful supply of iron and calcium. The ripe berries are usually pulped and freeze dried and accessible as both a purée or powder.
Swap for: blackberries
Like açaí, they’re a wealthy supply of protecting plant compounds together with anthocyanins (that are accountable for their deep purple color in addition to lots of their well being advantages). Filled with nutritional vitamins A, C and Okay, in addition to manganese – a mineral that we’d like for robust bones and a wholesome immune system – blackberries are additionally a useful supply of fibre, like açaí.
Learn extra concerning the well being advantages of blackberries.
Store sensible:
In season blackberries could be foraged without cost from the hedgerows; purchase frozen at different instances of yr. Whether or not it’s your first meal of the day or the final, we’ve obtained you lined – take a look at our pear, nut & blackberry bircher and our pan-fried venison & blackberry sauce.
9. Swap baobab for dried mango
What’s baobab?
Referred to as the ‘tree of life’ in its native Africa, baobab fruit are discovered inside laborious pods that cling upside-down from the tree. The pulp of the fruit is very wealthy in nutritional vitamins, together with nutritional vitamins C and the B group, in addition to the minerals iron, zinc, potassium and calcium.
Baobab has a bitter style so tends to be blended with different components to create a tangy flavour. It’s usually in the stores as a supplementary powder and is usually added to yogurt, breakfast cereals, juices, smoothies and natural tea. The powder might also be added to baked items.
Learn extra concerning the well being advantages of baobab.
Swap for: dried mango
Mango is a helpful supply of protecting antioxidants together with plant compounds known as polyphenols, in addition to carotenoids. Dried mango is a supply of vitamin C and folate and makes a useful contribution to your fibre consumption. Mango can also be accessible as a floor powder known as amchur or amchoor, a well-liked addition to Indian cooking. An added bonus to utilizing the dried mango powder is that, when eaten with grains, it seems to enhance our uptake of minerals, together with iron and zinc.
Learn extra concerning the well being advantages of mango.
Store sensible:
Search for unsweetened, dried mango. ‘Chunks’ of dried mango are sometimes cheaper than the bigger slices or strips. Or you possibly can attempt dried mango powder (amchoor) in our tasty curry.
10. Swap spirulina for spinach
What’s spirulina?
An algae grown naturally in mineral-rich waters, spirulina is bought as a dark-green, supplementary powder. It’s stated to be nature’s richest and most full supply of vitamin, making it laborious to substitute. Nutritionally, it’s wealthy in minerals, most notably potassium, which helps promote coronary heart well being and fluid steadiness. It additionally supplies nutritional vitamins together with the B group, nutritional vitamins C and E and plenty of as-yet-unexplored plant compounds.
Learn extra about spirulina and its well being advantages.
Swap for: spinach
Accessible in its recent, frozen or dried type, this inexperienced leaf is from the identical household as quinoa. Wealthy in chlorophyll, leafy greens like spinach are recognised as having substantial health-promoting properties. It has a various dietary profile which incorporates nutritional vitamins like A, C, E and Okay, and minerals together with potassium and calcium. Past its fundamental vitamin, spinach is wealthy in plant compounds that promote power manufacturing and coronary heart well being.
Store sensible:
Frozen, chopped spinach is often the most affordable manner to purchase these greens. When shopping for recent, search for vivid greens leaves with no yellow or wilting leaves. Give them a go in our scrumptious soup or smoothie.
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Kerry Torrens is a certified Nutritionist (MBANT) with a post-graduate diploma in personalised vitamin & dietary remedy. She is a member of the British Affiliation for Diet and Way of life Drugs (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Meals Writers. Over the past 15 years she has been a contributing writer to a variety of dietary and cookery publications together with BBC Good Meals.
All well being content material on bbcgoodfood.com is offered for normal data solely, and shouldn’t be handled as an alternative choice to the medical recommendation of your individual physician or some other healthcare skilled. If in case you have any considerations about your normal well being, you need to contact your native healthcare supplier. See our web site phrases and situations for extra data.
