This week we were assigned out second mini assignment, asking us to feature a guest on our blog. So for this post, I have invited some superheroes to join me and discuss our favourite superfoods!
What is a Superfood?
First, lets define what a “superfood” is. This marketing term gets thrown out all the time, but what does it actually mean?
A “Superfood” is not a magical food with special properties or disease curing abilities, but is simply a label used to describe a food that is incredibly nutrient dense. This means that an exceptional amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, can be be found in only a small quantity of the food. Many of our everyday foods, such as types of vegetables, berries, eggs, and yogurt, can be considered “superfoods”.
Now that we’re all on the first page, lets hear from Spiderman!
Thanks for the introduction! I'm Spiderman, and today I'm going to be talking about my favourite superfood, chia seeds. Let me tell you, incorporating these seeds into my morning breakfast really gives me the boost I need to scale all those skyscrapers.
Chia seeds are most well known for their incredible fibre content, with 25g of chia seeds containing a substantial 9g of fibre. This amounts to 30% of the daily recommended amount (which almost nobody meets btw).
Most importantly, consuming enough dietary fibre everyday is critical to healthy functioning of our digestive tracts. However, adequate dietary fibre consumption also helps lower cholesterol, control blood sugar levels, and decreases one's risk of disease and illness.
In addition to fibre, chia seeds also contain a surprising amount of protein, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins. Additionally, this superfood is rich in various antioxidants, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol. What more could you want!?
Oh but wait, there's more! Chia seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Not only are omega-3 fatty acids crucial for healthy brain and heart functioning, but they have also been shown to help cardiovascular health, prevent blood clots, regulate blood pressure, and decrease inflammation to the body. Omega-3 fatty acids are mainly found in animal products, so chia seeds are a perfect option for vegatarians, vegans, or anyone that doesn't get enough!
Finally, there is also evidence to support that chia can minimize the risk of diabetes and hypertension, help maintain satiation levels, and improve both immunity and vision. Sounds like a real SUPER food to me!
Thanks for all of this amazing insight, Spiderman. Next up, we have Ironman!
Hi everyone, I'm Ironman. My favourite superfood that I want to discuss is spinach! Now I know this may seem like the obvious choice for me, as spinach is famously known for being high in Iron, and well... I'm Ironman. However, although only 100g of spinach can provide a great 2.7mg of iron (or 15% of our daily value), there are also many other benefits that this food provides.
Firstly, the process of iron absorption is supported with vitamin C, and guess what else spinach is high in? Vitamin C! Just 100g of spinach provides 28.1mg (or 34% of our daily value) of vitamin C.
Spinach is also rich in a multitude of antioxidants, including carotenoids. Carotenoids can help protect our eyes from disease, decrease inflammation, and even reduce one's risk of cancer.
Additionally, 1 cup of spinach provides 24mg of magnesium! Magnesium is required for many biochemical reactions in our body, but it's also critical for maintaining muscle and nerve function, regular heart rhythm, blood pressure, and an overall healthy immune system.
On top of all that, spinach is also high in vitamin E, vitamin A, folate, and potassium. Now THAT'S super!
Thank you Ironman, and that concludes our superhero takeover! I hope you enjoyed this fun introduction to superfoods 🙂
Below, I have linked some more information regarding the properties and benefits of both chia seeds and spinach, as well as some additional resources regarding superfoods in general! Enjoy!
     Benefits of Chia Seeds
     Benefits of Spinach
     What is a Superfood?Â
     Everyday “Superfoods”
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