10 Vegan Superfoods That You Must Have

Monday, December 10, 2012, 18:33 [IST]

Foods that give you all-round nutrition are referred to as superfoods. Every food belongs to certain food group. For example, green leafy vegetables give you iron and vitamin K. Carrots give you carotein. But some foods give you much more than one nutrient. Such foods are included in the superfoods category. These foods have more 5 to 10 nutrient groups in them and are advantageous to the health in countless ways.

If you are on a vegetarian diet or you are vegetarian by birth, then there is some good news for you. Most of these superfoods are actually vegan foods. So, you can enjoy these superfoods without tampering with your vegetarian diet.

Most people have this misconception that vegan foods cannot give you strength. You need meat to get proteins and build up your muscles. But the vegan foods mentioned here are not only rich in vitamins and minerals but also contain protein in abundant amounts.

For example, Goji berries are a kind of berries that have 18 types of amino acids. No meat in the world has such a variety of amino acids. Flax seeds are the only vegan foods that contain omega-3-fatty acids. These special fatty acids are found only in fish oil. If a food is rich in antioxidants then it definitely finds its way into the list of superfoods. That is why broccoli is a food that is very popular among health freaks these days.

Here is a list of the vegan superfoods that you must start eating from today.

Goji Berries

These red coloured berries contain 18 types of amino acids and are thus rich in proteins. It also has double the amount of vitamin C when compared to oranges.

Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in antioxidants that cleanse the body. They give you loads of roughage too.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are considered as one of the healthiest seeds on the planet. As they contain both essential fatty acids and proteins, they are a complete meal for vegans.

Kiwi

You can get 94 per cent of your daily requirement of Vitamin C from just one kiwi. This citrus fruit is full of nti oxidants that cleanse your body of free radicals.

Quinoa

This is one of the healthiest whole grains to have in your diet. It has very little starch and contains lot of fibrous carbohydrates that are good for weight loss.

Pomegranate

This superfood is essential for women. Women have a tendency to become anemic due to menstruation and pregnancy. Pomegranate helps the body produce more blood.

Flax Seeds

This is the only known vegan source of essential omega-3-fatty acids. The good cholesterol found in flax seeds is extremely healthy for the heart.

Mushrooms

These wild vegetables were feared as poisonous for many centuries. But now we know that these fungi are actually the best vegan sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that helps prevent breast cancer.