Image: Courtesy of Pixabay By Zara Conti July 28, 2020
Originating thousands of years ago in traditional medicine, superfood powders are the easiest way to add in extra nutrients into your diet with minimal effort. Sneak a scoop into pancake batter or sprinkled over your morning porridge oats. Incorporating health into your diet has never been easier with these six superfoods to help you reach your daily RDA vitamin intake.
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Native to Peru, the ‘Peruvian Ginseng’ root is extracted and then ground into a digestible powder more commonly referred to as maca powder. Known for its malty and butterscotch notes, maca powder is often used as a healthy alternative to caramel flavouring. This superfood contains healthy amounts of vitamins C and B, iron, potassium and copper. Benefits of maca powder include hormone balance, energy boost and stress relief. Historically, maca powder was used in traditional medicine to boost sexual libido and fertility. However, this claim is yet to be scientifically supported.Â
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Aside from the occasional curry, most people’s turmeric intake tends to be very minimal on a daily level. In Asian ayurvedic medicine, turmeric was used to treat pain and fatigue as well as skin, digestion and respiratory issues. Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, an ingredient known for its inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. To fully activate the turmeric, add a crack of black pepper to increase its bioavailability.Â
Read more: 3 Reasons To Add Turmeric To Your Diet
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Though originating as seeds, flaxseeds can also be found as oils, powder, tablets and even flour. The superfood is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help with your digestion and bowel movements. It also contains antioxidants, fibre, protein, lignans and polyunsaturated fatty acids to improve blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Simply just sprinkle some flaxseed over your morning cereal and you’re good to go.Â
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If you can withstand the strong grassy flavour, your body will thank you a million times over because spirulina has one of the highest nutritional and therapeutic values per weight, making it a staple favourite amongst lifestyle personalities. The ingredient contains up to 20 per cent of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B2 and B3, copper, protein and iron, as well as many other nutrients in smaller amounts. Health benefits of spirulina include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and lower triglyceride levels. It can reduce blood pressure and the risk of cancer. Spirulina has been used by the Aztecs for hundreds of years, however—fun fact—it recently regained popularity after NASA claimed astronauts could grow spirulina in space.
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With a strong nutritional profile and extensive list of health benefits, hemp seeds are definitely something to be adding to your diet. First of all, they’re an excellent way of increasing your protein intake, providing all nine essential amino acids,and nearly the same amount of protein per gram as soybeans. Hemp seeds also contain significant amounts of fibre, unsaturated fats, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin E. The positive health benefits of hemp seeds include antioxidant properties, reduced inflammation and improved heart health.Â
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An Instagram favourite for sprinkling atop of acai bowls and yoghurt parfaits, the goji berry also has an impressive list of health benefits. Used to help stabilise blood sugar and high blood pressure, goji berries are a good source of antioxidants, vitamin A and C, iron, amino acids and zinc, so get some!
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