5 cool healthy foods you’ve never heard of
Even if you think your nutrition game is on fleek, there are only so many blogs you can read in a day. Some stuff is probably falling through the cracks, especially since there seems to be a new roster of superfoods circulating around Facebook practically every day. Instead of scouring Instagram for food pics posted by your healthiest friends, check out our list of five uber-healthy foods that you probably haven’t heard of yet:
- If you’re a fan of Indian food, then chances are you’ve already eaten turmeric. It shows up in a lot of the dishes, and it has for thousands of years. But only recently have health experts discovered that turmeric can actually fight inflammation—and, by extension, a slew of diseases that are linked to inflammation (think arthritis and cancer). You can buy turmeric root as a spice and add a dash of it to your favorite dishes, start drinking a turmeric-based tea in lieu of your morning coffee, or sneak some into your favorite salad dressing at lunch.
- Ancient grains are having a major moment right now, largely because they’re whole grains (which means they have more fiber) and because they help combat brown-rice boredom. Teff is one of the ancient grains that’s recently been resurrected by health food aisles. It’s gluten-free, which makes it a good option for anyone with Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, and it’s also packed full of calcium. That’s not to mention the B vitamins, iron, omega-3s, and, of course, fiber.
- Pu-erh Tea. You probably already know that tea is chock full of healthy antioxidants, but you just haven’t found one that can compare to your daily cup of joe from your favorite local coffee house. Enter Pu-erh tea, a brew that closely mimics coffee with its richness and depth, plus mocha-reminiscent flavors. Add a splash of almond milk for that creamy coffee texture, and you might be able to trick your taste buds into loving this fermented (read: digestion helper), antioxidant-rich tea.
- Nori or wakame. If you like sushi, then you already like nori. Or wakame. Or whatever type of seaweed your chosen sushi joint uses to wrap its rolls and fill its miso soup. Regardless of the type, you can always count on an influx of antioxidants without too many calories when you snack on seaweed. Nori also contains tons of fiber and protein.
- Nutritional yeast. If you have a vegan member in your squad, you may have heard him or her talking about nutritional yeast. It’s basically vegans’ answer to grated cheese. Its distinctly cheesy flavor comes with a bit of salt, despite the fact that nutritional yeast is low in sodium, so it’s a great addition to cheesy chowders, popcorn, or anything else that could use a little flavor boost without excessive calories or sodium. It also contains protein, fiber, and B vitamins. Basically, nutritional yeast should replace parmesan cheese in your fridge because you can load it onto your salad or snack without the guilt. You’re welcome.
19 Super Healthy Foods You Never Knew Existed [Bembu]
10 Super Healthy Foods You’ve Never Heard Of [Time]
The 12 Healthiest Foods You’ve Never Heard Of [Yahoo! Health]