BodySpirtitual | Top 20 Superfoods for Mind and Body

17. Moringa

Moringa is fairly new to the superfood market, but my is it packed full of absolute goodness! Moringa originated from India, where it has been used not only as a nutritional booster, but also as a medicinal plant. Moringa is now increasingly popular in many tropical and subtropical countries, and on five different continents.

It’s commonly referred to as The Miracle Tree, due to the many health benefits associated with moringa. For example, it contains 25x the amount of iron you’d get from spinach, or 7 times the amount of vitamin C from eating oranges, more vitamin A than carrots, more B vitamins than peanuts, more calcium than milk, and more potassium than you’d get from bananas. With moringa also having a source of protein, its the perfect supplement for those following a vegetarian or a vegan diet.

Aside from these surprising nutritional facts, the list of medicinal qualities is just as impressive. Moringa can help with all sorts of things, from skin ailments, to headaches, tumors, diabetes to even helping with malaria. These properties aren’t just assumptions, but have been proven and expanded by much scientific research. This miracle tree is packed full of goodness: 46 different antioxidants, 36 anti-inflammatories, and 90 nutrients, to be exact.

If you’re not fortunate to be living in an environment where morigina grows, the most readily available way to consume moringa is in its powdered form. The powder is made from dried moringa leaves, and you can get it into your diet easily by adding the power into your green juices and smoothies, giving them a taste similar to that of spinach.

The leaf of moringa is packed full of health properties. (Photo source: moringanewzealand.com)

18. Nutritional Yeast

If you’re vegan yet crave the taste of cheese, then nutritional yeast should be your new best friend– despite being a great substitute for dairy when wanting a cheesy taste, it’s also incredibly good for us.

But what is it? Nutritional yeast is an inactive form of yeast that has been cultured, and when grown, it’s then killed with heat, processed and then dried, and the final result produces an inactive, nutrient rich yeast. The reason we’re considering nutritional yeast a superfood here is because of the mass of B vitamins, protein and fiber that it gives us from consuming such a small amount. It contains a high volume of B12, which most vegetarians and vegans are deficient in.

With a taste that many have compared to being like rich cheddar, it’s the perfect substitute for those omitting dairy from their diets. Sprinkle it over pasta for some extra added flavour, or over salads. Our favourite way to eat nutritional yeast is sprinkled over popcorn, for a quick and healthy snack that tastes sooooo great!

Some brands that supply Nutritional Yeast are Bob’s Red Mill, Marigold Engevita, and Braggs, which comes in a convenient shaker.

19. Spirulina

Spirulina powder is a natural ‘algae’ that you’ll find is incredibly high in protein, as well as being a great source of antioxidants, B-vitamins, and various other nutrients. When spirulina is harvested correctly from non-contaminated ponds, it is said to be one of the most potent nutrient sources available. Spirulina is made up from protein and essential amino acids, and because of its high iron content, is recommend for vegetarians. Due to its high calcium levels, with over 26 times the amount in milk, spirulina is a perfect superfood for not only children and women going through pregnancy, but the elder generation, too.

Spirulina is a great aid for weight loss, helping to increase fat burning when exercising, so getting it into your daily shakes is a great boost for the body. But its also been linked to helping with a lot of health issues, such as the symptoms of hayfever and diabetes, and is a great superfood to put into the body to eliminate stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and PMS.

We know what you’re thinking. If the blue-green algae in spirulina comes from pond scum, it can’t taste great, right? Well . . . you’re right, but we have some good news. Whilst spirulina isn’t the most delightful thing to eat, there are ways of sneaking it into your daily diet without having to even taste it.

Brands like Organic Burst and Rainforest Foods have made it their mission to bring to us ways of getting superfoods like spirulina into our daily diets easily, and with a variety of ways to do just that. Our favourite way has to be with easy to swallow spirulina tablets. Take four a day with a glass of water and reap the rewards, like a healthier immune system, brain and better cognitive functioning (which means brilliant brain power). But if you’re not a fan of taking tablets, you can always go back to basics and add a teaspoon of spirulina powder into your juices and smoothies.