With so much going on in the press about being healthy, it’s forgivable to think the only way to stay healthy is if we spend a lot of money on ‘health’ products. But staying healthy should not be unachievable and expensive. It should be within everyone’s grasp. Here are four superfoods that you already have in your kitchen that won’t break the bank!
Ginger
Being Malaysians, ginger (and garlic) is pretty much in most of our dishes, so I’m pretty sure we are already ingesting this superfood almost daily. Ginger sits on the superfood throne because of its many qualities. It can increase HDL and lower LDL, it’s effective against nausea, especially morning sickness and chemotherapy related, it can reduce osteoarthritis-related pain and much more! Just a teaspoon of raw, grated ginger added into your smoothie, soup, or tea is good. In fact, heap in a few teaspoons full.
Black Pepper
This spice is so popular that we often absentmindedly add it to all our food. It also goes with almost all cuisines. So you’re almost always going to have it in your kitchen - and a good thing too. Because of a compound in black better known as piperine that enhances the bioavailability of certain plant compounds, Black pepper is the spice that makes other spices play better. On its own it can increase antioxidant capacity. So go ahead and grind a bunch of black pepper in your food!
Onions
Ah the simple onion! My grandmother used to pin an onion on our lapel whenever we had the flu to help cure it. I have no idea if it worked or not, but I know that we could not keep our eyes open because of the onion sting! No Asian household is complete without a bag of onions in the kitchen! Onions are a great source of flavonoids which increases antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits. The best way to eat them is to cut them and let them sit for five to ten minutes before cooking.
Bananas
If anything, we’ll never be short of bananas! While you might want to stay away from too many bananas if you’re trying to lose weight, bananas have a lot going for them health-wise. They’re rich in potassium which is an important mineral for cardiovascular health, they’re a source of antioxidants, and green bananas are great for providing all the resistant starch that you need. For maximum antioxidants, make sure you eat the fully-ripened ones!
Basically, make sure you have enough of these ingredients in your diet and you’re going to reap the same benefits as other more exotic and expensive superfoods out in the market at the fraction of the price. Enjoy!
