7 Superfoods You've Never Heard Of
Spinach, blueberries, kale, garlic, turmeric, green tea. As their popularity rockets, superfoods like these are commonplace in many kitchens. But here's seven more you might not have heard of
Superfoods are more popular than ever in sports performance. Considered to be particularly dense in nutrients and beneficial to health and wellbeing, every forward-thinking coach ensures their athletes eat them whenever possible.
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They're natural rocket fuel and at 33 we love that the message is getting through to athletes that nutrient density matters for optimal sports performance.
It simply makes total sense that to get the best from your body, you need high-quality fuel going in.
Even so, there’s a world of difference between understanding the value superfoods deliver and actually incorporating them into your diet. If you try any of the below, use them in their raw, unprocessed form whenever you can because cooking and/or processing destroys many of their beneficial properties.
Hungry? Then let’s tuck in.
Spirulina - the most nutritious food source going
Spirulina: green and mighty, like The Hulk. Grrr
First harvested by the Aztecs, spirulina contains three times more protein than steak and 15 times more vitamin A than carrots.
Add high levels of vitamins B12 and E, calcium and Omega 3 and it’s easy to see why it’s a strong contender for the most nutritious food on the planet.
Spirulina is a powerful antioxidant: it inhibits oxidation which prevents damage to cells by free radicals. For athletes, this means an improved immune system, better energy levels and fewer injuries, all of which add up to high quality, consistent training and racing performance.
Goji berries - a natural stimulant to bomb-proof your body
High in anthocyanidins, polysaccharides, carotenoids, vitamin C and A, goji berries are another powerful antioxidant helping protect the body from infection and disease, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological diseases.
One study found:
“Anticancer activity and lack of toxicity against normal cells indicate a chemo-preventive potential of Goji berries in breast cancer treatment”.
Goji berries - add to muesli, cereal, porridge and smoothies for an antioxidant boost
Another that:
“Daily consumption of goji berry juice significantly increased several immunological responses and subjective feelings of general well-being without any adverse reactions”.
They’re also a great source of zeaxanthin, a carotenoid concentrated in the eyes crucial for optimal visual health.
Maca - performance benefits on the field and in the bedroom
Maca improves our ability to transport oxygen around the body and hsas been shown to improve aerobic endurance thanks to its positive impact on aerobic capacity, energy levels and mental clarity.
Maca's also a great source of calcium and amino acids and has been shown to work wonders for sexual health in both men and women.
Chlorella - the ultimate detox
Like spirulina, chlorella is an algae with a stellar athletic nutrient profile. High in protein, antioxidants, Omega-3, fibre and much more, chlorella will:
- Enhance your immune system
- Detoxify the body
- Lower cholesterol
- Keep blood pressure and sugar levels in check
- Enhance aerobic endurance
Cacao - kick inflammation into touch
Cacao - good for the body, great for the tastebuds
The raw form of dark chocolate has an incredibly high flavanol content which improves circulation, reduces risk of blood clots and delivers an anti-inflammatory punch.
Flavanols also protects your cells from damage caused by free radicals which accelerate the aging process.
On top of all that, it tastes great.
Note: whenever you read in the papers that 'chocolate is good for you' they're always referring to raw cacao which is indeed a total health and performance demon. The more diluted the raw cacao the fewer the benefits though, and by the time you get to all mainstream chocolate bars there's zero goodness left - any lone cacao trace remaining will have long since been rendered useless by a ton of other cr*p.
Watch the spelling too, some less than scrupulous marketeers are now trumpeting the very ordinary 'cocoa' in their chocolate products, hoping to piggyback on raw cacao's good name. Get yours as the raw product, or make sure the chocolate you're consuming contains plenty of it.
Voted 'Best health product of the year' by Runner's World, our Ultimate Daily Greens are the perfect superfood supplement to add to your daily ritual
Raw coconut - boost fat burning
Packed with medium-chain triglycerides, coconut boosts the body’s ability to utilise fat stores as fuel. Coconut has been shown to stabilise blood sugar levels, reduce stress and boost the immune system – particularly helpful when immunity is compromised by heavy training load.
These mighty seeds are the perfect endurance fuel packed with carbs, protein, Omega-3 and antioxidants. Unprocessed seeds are a must – processing destroys chia’s natural oils which contain the best nutrients.
Athletic superfoods - conclusion
Superfood research grows daily and it’s clear they’re key for athletic performance. To get the best from your body, you need the best fuel. After all, you wouldn’t put low-grade petrol in a Ferrari and expect it reach its highest speeds.
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