The famous term ‘Superfood’ is used to describe food items that have a plethora of health benefits and versatility in usage. Food becomes super when it comes to the ability to suit almost all body types. When we talk about superfoods, our thoughts directly go to some rare, exotic foods like kiwi, avocados, and berries which are costly and not easily accessible to all.
But, wait, what if you get to know that superfoods are lying right in your home or nearby local markets. Yes, you heard it right. There are plenty of superfoods produced In India only. Including these simply in your diet can help in achieving fitness goals. They can produce miraculous effects on overall health.
Besides weight loss, superfoods help in skin cleansing, robust digestion, and improving strength. So, let’s have a look at how and when should these be consumed so that one can derive maximum benefits from them.
1. Black Chana
It powerhouse of nutrients as it is rich in protein, iron, folate, calcium, phosphorous, and fibre. This superfood is friendly to diabetics and can give you the highest amount of strength. Chewing 10 water-soaked black chanas can act as an excellent pre-workout.
Sprouted black chanas are one of the most sought-after concentrated and high pranic food. They can easily replace the multivitamin pills people depend on these days. Changes can be consumed in roasted form as well. Roasted chanas are highly nutritious, filling, and tasty snacks.
When Chanas are grounded to form a powder, they are called Sattu. Sattu is nature’s own protein powder which can be converted into a sweet as well as savoury dink. This summer drink cools and rejuvenates the body. Sattu readily absorbs in the body and can be used as a protein supplement by fitness enthusiasts.
Besan or Gram flour is among the healthiest flour available in the market. It is used in making, cheelas, pakodas, halwa, etc. As a skin remedy, besan is well known for its tan removal and skin brightening properties.
2. Cashew
This nut holds a bad reputation among its contemporaries like walnuts and almonds. It is often misunderstood for building up bad cholesterol in the body. But studies suggest something else. Cashews are rich in phytosterols and stanols which are known to decrease bad cholesterol in the body. They are loaded with nutrients like Vitamin B6, folate, iron (three times more than spinach), etc. The presence of tryptophan makes cashews a great alternative for antidepressants. If one is facing insomnia, anxiousness, and PMS issues, then he must not miss out on cracking this nut. When consumed unroasted and unsalted or with honey, cashews can aid in weight loss. On the other hand, if consumed with milk or ghee, they can aid in weight gain.
3. Pomegranate
This tree, and not just the fruit is a warehouse of nutrients. Its leaves are helpful in treating ulcers and hair problems, flowers are beneficial to the skin, seeds are good for the brain. Pomegranate is a great tonic to treat weakness due to fever, overwork, sunstroke, periods, etc. It has a soothing on the body and is an amazing healer for low blood circulation, heat in the liver, over sweating, rashes on the body, pigmentation, etc. It is also known for cleaning the digestive tract and intestinal worms.
4. Bottle gourd
This quintessential summer vegetable is light on the stomach and high in nutrients like riboflavin, thiamine, manganese, and iron. One can easily ditch cucumber raita(yoghurt) for bottle gourd raita in summers. It is a natural diuretic and hence, should be consumed by people suffering from stones. It helps in treating low hemoglobin levels too. Bottle gourd juice is a tonic for the heart. It also releases excess heat from the body which might cause acidity, gastritis, etc. Its root is used to treat prostate problems.
5. Sugarcane
India is blessed to produce this superfood in the highest capacity when compared to the entire world. Sugarcane juice is an excellent remedy for jaundice and for gaining healthy muscle mass. It is a great replacement for sugary soft drinks present in the market because it contains natural sugar which gets easily absorbed by the body. The natural form of sugarcane is good for teeth and gums.
So, to give pharma companies and fitness supplement brands a run for their money and our farmers, their dues for hard work, one must include these superfoods in their diets.