By: Marina Biljak |
5 ideal spring superfoods on your plate |
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After a dormant winter, spring has brought a great variety of fruits and vegetables which we have dubbed superfoods for a reason.
Seasonal foods full of vitamins and minerals will help you get more energy, be healthier and feel better in your own body.
Which spring foods bring the best health benefits?
1. Spinach
This leafy vegetable is an excellent source of folic acid, vitamins A, B6, C and E, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium.
It is also rich in iron, which is especially recommended for vegetarians.
To preserve all of these ingredients, it is best to prepare it steamed and to cook it as short as possible.
You can use spinach to make green soft juice in combination with other leafy vegetables and fruits, so that spinach will not lose its valuable ingredients.
Vitamin C strengthens the immune system, potassium facilitates the work of the kidneys and heart, calcium helps the healthy growth of bones and teeth, while magnesium strengthens your muscles.
You can get all these benefits from just a couple of spinach leaves.
Dietary fibers found in spinach will help with constipation and excretion of toxins from the body.
2. Green onions
This spring plant is very nourishing and provides many nutrients for your body.
Do not be put off by an intense smell of green onions, because its benefits are numerous.
Specifically, they help regulate blood sugar levels, cholesterol level and blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer, and reduce chronic inflammation in the body.
If you wish to lose a couple of pounds before summer, you should consume more green onions.
Gren onions contain a chemical compound called allicin (which also causes characteristic smell and flavor), and allicin that stimulates satiety.
Allicin is good for lowering high blood pressure while boosting immunity.
3. Asparagus
This low calorie vegetable is a great addition to your menu.
Asparagus is rich in minerals, fiber and vitamins.
It is an excellent source of folic acid, which is very important for pregnant women and women planning pregnancy.
In addition to folic acid, there are vitamins A, K, B, C and E, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, choline, zinc, magnesium and selenium. As you can see, asparagus is a real superfood.
Since ancient times, asparagus was given numerous medical properties, and today it is mostly used as help for painful urination and in cleansing programs.
Furthermore, frequent consumption of asparagus is recommended to anemic people and people who are recovering from surgery.
Due to the large amounts of inulin, asparagus may help with constipation and other digestive problems.
Inulin is a probiotic, i.e. good bacteria that is used as food.
Many experts believe that asparagus is one of the best vegetables, so exploit any opportunity you have to include it into your menu.
4. Artichokes
Artichokes are highly valued for their medical properties.
Since ancient times, they have been used for stimulating appetite, treating poor digestion, protecting the liver and kidneys of inflammation and toxins and for treating gallbladder and diabetes.
Artichokes contain a large amount of dietary fibers that help the functions of the colon, and lutein, which acts as an antioxidant and protects from aging and of cancer.
Numerous studies have confirmed that artichokes naturally lower elevated blood cholesterol.
Specifically, artichokes raise "good" HDL cholesterol and lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, and therefore represent a great help for those who are struggling with these modern illnesses.
The artichokes are very popular with people who are struggling with overweight - because they contain a lot of fibers and are low in calories!
5. Strawberries
Strawberries definitely deserve to be icing on the cake of this list!
Many people claim that they’re their favorite fruit.
Therefore, many people are looking forward for the moment when the genuine homegrown strawberries would replace Spanish and Italian strawberries from the shelves of shopping malls!
Strawberries are an excellent source of folates and vitamin C, and contain plant phenols that reduce the risk of cancer and heart diseases.
Folates are essential for your body, because their deficiency may be a cause for anemia and increased risk of colon cancer.
Strawberries also contain ellagic acid, which prevents the spread of cancer cells, and is considered as one of the best foods for heart health.
If you have that few extra pounds, strawberries are an excellent choice for you.
They contain only few calories while they speed up the metabolism and reduce appetite.
Could you ever wish for more?
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