If you’re a little bored of relying on quinoa, kale and blueberries to keep your body healthy and full of nutrients, there is a brand-new crop of superfoods making their way to supermarkets and health stores, about to expand your palette and make planning your meals fun again.
So what’s the superfood vegetable of the year for 2019? May we have the envelope, please….
It’s a TIE! Between the mighty Mushroom and Seaweed. Read on….
Mushrooms, specifically Chaga Mushrooms have grown increasingly popular, particularly blended into coffee, like in Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee Mix ($12), teas, and other beverage mixes. Nutrition experts say these fiber rich mushrooms are a great source of B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants like selenium, and have anti-inflammatory effects, too. They have also been linked with lowering cholesterol, boosting heart health, improving brain function and even managing chronic illnesses. Superfood, indeed!
Seaweed is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, and zinc, and it’s also high in iodine, which you need for healthy thyroid function and regulates energy levels, mood and weight. More than 100 varieties of the slimy superfood are found on our shores and are encroaching on to the food scene, with kelp noodles, tempura nori and karengo butter on the menu. Try ordering seaweed salad at Japanese restaurants or adding dried seaweed to popcorn, trail mix, soup, roasted veggies, and grain bowls. Whole Foods has picked seaweed as a top food trend, so expect more dried sea snack products in health and speciality food stores. Can we interest anyone in some delicious Kelp Jerky? Yummy?
—
Photo Credit: Auhustsinovich / Shutterstock.com