What are superfoods?
Most foods have things in them that are good for your body, but some fruit and vegetables have extra nutritional powers, which is why we call them 'superfoods'. These nutritional powers may be extra vitamins, or properties that can help prevent and fight illness.
Why do I need superfoods?
All superfoods are good for your health, so they're really worth adding to your meals as part of a balanced diet. They can help give your skin a healthy glow, detoxify the liver (great if you've overdone it over the weekend), increase your brain power, reduce aggression, lift your mood, boost your libido and immunity to illness as well as reducing the risk of heart disease and some cancers. The even better news is that all the superfood fruit and vegetables here can be found in your local supermarket. We've put together lots of quick and easy recipes so you can add them to your diet easily.
Here's our top 10 of the best superfoods, what they could do for you and a selection of recipes for each type
Berries
Shiitake mushrooms
Watercress
Pomegranates
Manuka honey
Salmon
Walnuts
Natural yogurt
Broccoli
Dark chocolate
The recipe pictured above is Broccoli with a coriander and cinnamon couscous.
Berries are rich in Vitamin A, which helps the body fight infection and keeps skin healthy and Vitamin C, which protects cells, helps to slow down the ageing process and protects the body from heart disease. They're also low in sugar, so they help to stabilise blood sugars and stop you from snacking.
Try these delicious berry recipes:
Detox cocktail with superfruits
Berry ripple
Blueberries
Blueberry bakewell tart
Blueberry pancakes
Blueberry and kiwi smoothie
More blueberry recipes
Cranberries
Cranberry and almond cheesecake
Brie and cranberry torte
Lemon and cranberry cube cakes
More cranberry recipes
Strawberries
Strawberry and mascarpone cream sponge
Strawberry flan
More strawberry recipes
Blackberries
One crust apple and blackberry pie
More blackberry recipes
Raspberries
Raspberry muffins
Raspberry ripple cheesecake
More raspberry recipes
Shiitake mushrooms help to fight viruses and fungal infections, as well as lowering cholesterol, which can cause heart disease.
Cook with Shiitake mushrooms:
Hoisin chicken with mushrooms and peppers
Oriental garlic mushroom risotto
Sticky spiced mushroom skewers
More mushroom recipes
Watercress contains high levels of iron, helping to prevent anaemia, which causes tiredness and lethargy, particularly in pregnant women.
Make meals with watercress:
Roast beef and watercress wraps
Smoked cod, watercress and egg pie
Turkey, red pepper and watercress sandwiches
Spiced squash and watercress soup
More watercress recipes
With higher levels of antioxidant than any other fruit, red wine or green tea, pomegranates can help prevent heart disease. They're rich in vitamin E which could help slow down the progression of Alzheimer's, and Vitamin C, which keeps skin, teeth and bones healthy. Pomegranates can also help protect against cancer, boost the immune system, protect blood vessels and they're rich in iron, so good for pregnant women.
Make meals with pomegranates:
Beetroot and pomegranate soup
Dragon's blood pomegranate punch
Peppered feta and pomegranate salad
More pomegranate recipes
Natural health experts love Manuka honey for its special health properties. It comes from New Zealand and has been found to have some special powers that normal honey doesn't have. It has antibacterial properties, helps treat fungal skin infections, gastric ulcers and skin sores, like leg ulcers and pressure sores, when it's put straight on to the skin. It's also a good anti-inflammatory. Researchers are also finding it effective in fighting the bacteria that causes MRSA. Normal honey is also very good for you and is a natural way of boosting your energy levels.
Make meals with honey:
Roasted vegetables with honey and feta cheese
Mango and honey pancakes
Banana and strawberry honey crisp
Read our feature on boosting your energy levels and staying healthy with honey
Find more honey recipes
Salmon, like most oily fish, is high in Omega-3 fat, which helps to lower the risk of heart disease, help arthritis and may help with memory loss and Alzheimer's. Other fish rich in Omega-3 are herring, sardines and mackerel. They are also high in monounsaturated fats, which can help lower cholesterol.
Cook with salmon:
Superfood salmon stir-fry
Spicy salmon steaks
Lesley Waters' broccoli and salmon parcels
Salmon on lemon and herb risotto
More salmon recipes
Walnuts are packed with calcium and can balance blood sugar levels. They contain a plant-based form of Omega-3 (see Salmon) so they're great if you don't like fish. Health researchers also believe that eating eight walnuts a day can also help reduce hardening of the arteries.
Make meals with walnuts:
Banana and walnut cake
Asparagus, ham and walnut wraps
Walnut butterfly buns
Nut roast
More nuts and seeds - main dishes
More nuts and seeds - desserts
Natural yogurt is high in calcium and full of friendly bacteria to keep your digestive system working properly. It's also good for boosting the immune system and warding off colds. Eating yogurt regularly can help prevent urinary tract infections such as cystitis and it even helps boost your metabolism which could help with weight loss.
Try some yogurt recipes:
Mango yogurt curry
Creamy spiced lamb with almonds and nutty rice
Honey and ginger frozen yogurt
Blueberry and kiwi smoothie
Raspberry and oatmeal sundaes
Like many dark green vegetables, broccoli has nearly every vitamin and mineral in it and it also contains a chemical that reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Make meals with broccoli
Warm broccoli and chicken salad
Broccoli and chilli beef stir-fry
Lemon turkey meatballs with broccoli
Broccoli and tuna pasta bake
As long as it has a cocoa content of 60% or more, dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. The darker it is, the lower in fat and sugar it is too, so it's even good if you're watching your weight!
Cook with chocolate:
Dark chocolate roulade
Chocolate mousse
Chocolate brownies
More chocolate recipes
If you're pregnant, find out about pregnancy superfoods and the superfood pregnancy diet