Incorporating these seven nourishing foods into your daily diet is an excellent way to boost your health and wellbeing. These nutrient-dense foods contain important vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can bolster your immune defences, boost your mood and offer protection from chronic disease.
1. Blueberries
When it comes to antioxidants, purple berries like blueberries are among the richest sources. Their vibrant blue and purple colour signifies the presence of an important group of antioxidants called anthocyanins. A good rule to follow when picking berries is the darker the berry, the more anthocyanins they contain. Anthocyanins are responsible for the many health benefits berries have to offer, including enhancing immune function and reducing premature skin ageing and inflammation. These potent antioxidants help neutralise cell-damaging free radicals and help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases.
Berries are also packed with immune-boosting vitamin C. This important vitamin is one of our most effective immune enhancers. Vitamin C is also vital for healthy wound healing and collagen production to keep your skin toned and youthful looking.
Blueberries are delicious added to porridges, mueslis, chia puddings, smoothies, fruit crumbles, raw desserts, yoghurt and healthy baked goods. Blueberries can also be added to salads and used to make tasty salad dressings and chia jam. Dried blueberries are a great addition to trail mixes or protein balls. Look for organic blueberries if possible as berries have thin skins that can absorb pesticides easily.
2. Green tea
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ARE YOU TO FU enough?
Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion about tofu. Tofu is a very popular plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians, but now this humble bean curd is starting to shine for meat lovers too as an alternative source of protein.
Sweet TRAYBAKES
Whether you want to feed a group of people or make a batch of treats for the week, traybaking is a no-fuss way to cook up something sweet and easy that will please everyone. Your family and friends will love you when you offer them some of our: cinnamon scrolls; fruity chocolate; espresso brownies; lemon & coconut slice; or ginger cake with brown butter frosting.
ROLL UP
When you roll food, whether in Lebanese bread, a thin pancake or whatever you choose, you can create a parcel of nutrition that is perfectly suited to your own tastes and needs. Here are some roll-up recipes that will suit every occasion including: mango, snow pea, & sprout rice paper rolls; oat crepes with coconut yoghurt & mixed berries; or beef meatball & tzatziki flatbreads.
RICE BOWL Lunches
If you are working from home, or even enjoying your weekend, and lunchtime rolls around but you have no plans for lunch, then a rice bowl is an ideal saviour.
PLANT-BASED PIES
Pies are a piece of gastronomic brilliance: a filling with a case and lid you can eat is food genius. The first pies date back to Egyptian times and there is a recipe for chicken pie that was carved into stone more than 4000 years ago. For millennia, however, the pie casing was mostly used to cook the filling, but for around 500 years or more we have been eating the pie crust too.
20 FOOD CRAVING HACKS
Decipher the deeper causes of your cravings and discover tricks to curtail them.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L)
Eggplant is a wonderful option for vegans and vegetarians, extremely nutritious and highly versatile in the kitchen.
5 PANTRY SAVIOURS
Whether you're cooking a simple breakfast or something more exotic, here are five pantry food staples you should have on hand to cook plenty of delicious meals in the comfort of your own home.
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumbers are delicious fresh but they also offer plenty more options in the kitchen.
Our Chefs
Meet the chefs who bring this issue's recipes to you: Lisa Guy, Georgia Harding, Lee Holmes, Sammy Jones, Raquel Neofit, Naomi Sherman and Ames Starr.