It is official. Gwyneth Paltrow is not on a diet! According to her lifestyle website, Goop.com, she says she can’t face it this January. Instead she has come up with a list of nine superfoods which she will try to incorporate into everyday life.
Avocado
Avocados are packed full of nutrients - oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, they are a meal in themselves. Here’s a great avocado recipe, that only takes 10 minutes to make. Tian of crab with avocado and red onion salsa.
Beans
Beans are a meat free, high protein, high fibre power food, packed with B vitamins, calcium, potassium and folate. They keep you feeling fuller for longer, and help you maintain a healthy brain. The fibre content will keep you regular and can guard against cancers of the digestive system. Dee's Bean Chilli
Blueberries
Blueberries are a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They can be eaten raw, cooked or dried and maintain their health benefits. Blueberries are also high in antioxidants, which help protect against aging of the tissues and many degenerative illnesses such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease. All that and guilt-free snacking! Blueberry Pancakes.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, bok choy - loaded with vitamins, fibre and disease-fighting phytochemicals, cruciferous veg helps protect you from heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These vegetables are particularly beneficial to women as they are a great source of iron which is important to us girls at each life stage. Potato,savoy cabbage soup with bacon
Spinach
Spinach is a nutritional mega-star. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre, spinach is an excellent source of disease-fighting antioxidants. Serve it raw to get all the benefits that are lost during cooking. When cooked spinach reduces tremendously in volume so you tend to serve yourself more, which gives you an even bigger concentration of minerals and fibre. Creamed spinach
Walnuts
Walnuts are a fantastic source of good fats, particularly omega-3. They make a wonderfully filling snack, but keep an eye on portion size – they are very calorie dense. They are so easily added to meal, scattered over your breakfast cereal, salads and work beautifully in desserts. Healthy banana bread
Salmon
Salmon is a wonderful source of omega-3 fats improve heart, joint and bone health and can protect against arthritis. As women, we try to avoid fatty foods but not all fats are equal. Studies show that Omega 3 has a positive impact on mode and cognitive function. While it in not always easy or practical to buy wild salmon, it tends to be lower in contaminants than the farmed variety, so splash out once in a while. Salmon with soy, ginger & honey
Chocolate
Chocolate is a definitely a super food, it makes you feel better when you are stressed, has beneficial effects on your heart and vascular system, it cures a broken heart (at least it seems to), is packed full of minerals, antioxidants and can help lower cholesterol. The only problem is that the cocoa bean is very bitter, so we add milk and sugar, which can out-weight the benefits. They way around this is to eat chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. Also, you can increasingly find dairy-free chocolate in the supermarket. Flourless, butterless chocolate cookies
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds offer several health benefits to both children and adults. Chia seeds contain the highest known plant based source of omega-3, they are also high in fibre, protein, & antioxidants. The seeds can reduce blood pressure, improve concentration levels and help with weight loss. Simply add these tiny, tasteless chia seeds to whatever foods you already enjoy, in yogurt, breakfast cereals, baking, etc.
