Indian Superfoods in Daily Diet for Health & Wellness

Indian Superfoods
Top Superfoods variety that should be part of your daily diet should include colorful rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables, quality plant based protein, desi ghee and wholesome grains for Holistic Health and Wellness. Find out about Indian Top Superfoods.

Top Indian Superfoods list includes:

Variety Of Fruits

These sweet, nutritious foods are very easy to incorporate into your diet. High in fiber, are naturally sweet, and their rich colors mean they are high in antioxidants and disease-fighting nutrients. Have one seasonal fruit everyday.

Fruits like berries, apple, mango, orange, grapes, pears, cherries are just amazing, but if there is a first among equals, it’s the banana. Start your day with Banana. The banana is packed with all the nutrients you need for a quick recharge. You should include this as a pre workout snack and post workout small meal. The Therapeutic Banana Is A Sacred Ayurveda Fruit.

How to include them: Add any seasonal fruit to yogurt, cereals, and smoothies, or eat plain for a snack. You can have a mixed fruit bowl as a mid morning snack.

Leafy Green Vegetables

Loads of Indian green leafy veggies are extremely nutritious, cheaply and easily available when in season, and make for a delicious healthy meal. Like all vegetables, greens are rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc. They are rich in antioxidants and can help you cope with many health issues, from weight gain and constipation to cardiovascular diseases.

You should be eating these 10 Indian greens: Spinach – Palak, Mustard – Sarso, Fenugreek – Methi, Chenopodium album – Bathua, Colocasia/Taro – Arbi Leaves, Water spinach – Kalmi, Collard Greens – Haak, Amaranth leaves, Moringa – Sahjan, Turmeric leaves.

How to include them: Make saag, bhuju, stuffed parathas, add to chillas, Sauté them with olive oil, salt and pepper,Add them to soup during the last few minutes of cooking, Blend them into smoothies, Make Pakodas

Unprocessed Honey

A good source of antioxidants. Antibacterial and antifungal properties. Heal wounds. Phytonutrient powerhouse. Help for digestive issues. Soothe a sore throat.

How to include them: Morning Lemon Honey Ginger Water, Try sweetening plain yogurt with a light drizzle of honey and add your own fruit, instead of eating flavored yogurt with too much added sugar, Use it for dressing, Glaze your fruits and nuts, Sweeten your desserts, Add it to your herbal or green tea.

Legumes

Beans and legumes are rich in plant protein, fiber, B-vitamins, iron, folate, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc. Most beans are also low in fat and have gut-friendly fiber. Legumes are similar to meat in nutrients, but with lower iron levels and no saturated fats.

The 9 Healthiest Beans and Legumes You Can Eat are Chickpeas, Lentils, Peas, Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Soybeans, Pinto Beans, Navy Beans, Peanuts.

Indian Superfoods: Whole Grain Plant Based Diet: A Beginner’s Guide

How to include them:  Chickpea salad, lentil sprouts, soups or khichdi, Peas Cutlets or Stuffed Roti, Pea Curry, Beans Soup, Curry, Salad, Roasted Peanuts as snacks or Chutney

Intact Grains

Intact grains are, as the name suggests, left intact; only the indigestible outer hull is removed. Intact grains contain a richer nutritional profile of antioxidants, B vitamins, protein, minerals, fiber, and healthful fats than grains that have been stripped of the bran and germ layers through processing.

Barley, steel-cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, cracked wheat, wheat berries, rye berries, amaranth, sorghum and millet are considered intact grains.

How to include them:  Most intact whole grains like brown rice, barley, bulgur wheat, quinoa and millet are cooked by placing in water, bringing to the boil and simmering until the liquid is absorbed.

Check out  7 Ways To Add New Food Grains In Your Diet

Unrefined Starches

Include unrefined starches like pumpkin, sweet potatoes.

In addition to beta carotene, pumpkins offer vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate — all of which strengthen your immune system. More pumpkin in your diet can help your immune cells work better to ward off germs and speed healing when you get a wound.

Sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense root vegetables that come in a variety of colors. They’re high in fiber and antioxidants, which protect your body from free radical damage and promote a healthy gut and brain.

Sweet potatoes is an excellent healthy dinner option. You may like to checkout Healthy Dinner Options: 5 Quick, Easy, Plant-based Recipes

Local Fish

Fish can be a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease.

How to include it: Buy fresh, frozen, or canned fish. Fish with the highest omega-3 content are salmon, tuna steaks, mackerel, herring, trout, anchovies, and sardines. Grill, Curry, Pakodas

Green Tea

Green tea is packed full of health-promoting compounds. Regularly drinking green tea can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of several diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Drinking three to five cups of green tea per day seems to be optimal to reap the most health benefits.

Speedy Weight Loss by adding Green Tea and Ginger

Seeds

Seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients and have a myriad list of health benefits to offer. They contain healthy monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Include this healthful Indian Seeds in your Diet

• Neem Seeds protect you from many diseases especially lifestyle ones like diabetes, high blood pressure, constipation, heart diseases, stroke, high cholesterol, obesity and even cancer.
• Watermelon Seeds- If you are struggling with your weight
• Papaya Seeds- good for digestion, kills worms in your intestines, removes toxins from your liver, keeps your kidneys in good health
• Sunflower Seeds– They are a rich source of easily digestible and assimilable protein which is essential for the repair of tissues, nerves, and cells. Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin D, B-complex, Vitamin K, and Vitamin E. Also high in selenium, magnesium, zinc, and iron which helps to strengthen the blood and immune system. 
• Pumpkin Seeds- a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. These seeds reduce the risk of cancer, especially prostate cancer in males.
• Cumin Seeds (zeera)- treat constipation, aid in digestion, maintain normal blood pressure
• Fenugreek Seeds-Strong Aromatic and Slightly Bitter Fenugreek Seeds/ Methi Dana is beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels, boosting testosterone and increasing milk production in breastfeeding mothers.
• Sesame Seeds- contain calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, fibre etc. They are good for the heart, bones and can also increase your blood count.
• Feenel Seeds- Fennel Seeds, also known as saunf is a good digestive aid, boosts metabolism and aids in weight loss and edema.
• Chia Seeds- rich source of proteins especially for vegetarians. They also contain calcium and antioxidants.
• Hemp Seeds- the most nutritious seeds ever as they contain more protein than meat and eggs. Hemp seeds also contain vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals. They aid in weight loss, reduce bad cholesterol, boosts the immune system and makes you energetic too.
• Flaxseed- rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B1 and important minerals such as zinc, magnesium and copper. It prevents heart diseases, lowers cholesterol levels. Flaxseeds Fire Up Metabolism Burn Body Fat and relieves menstrual pain.
• Basil Seeds: Sabja Basil Seeds are highly nutritious, very low in calories making them the Asian super food. They have a history of use in Ayurvedic & Chinese medicine.

Nuts

Raw Nuts are Super Healthy, Plant Proteins, Boost HDL
Nuts have been shown to promote weight loss and boosting levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

Nuts are a great way to give your diet a healthy crunch. Right from adding pine nuts to salads to adding cashews to the delicious curries for that rich flavour and creamy texture, nuts are a must have in your meal plan.Nuts are a storehouse of energy, protein, essential vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. The magic behind reaping the benefits of nuts is to have them in moderation and munch your way to a healthier life.

• Cashew nuts– Booster for your Brain & Aids Weight Loss. Loaded with good heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.The goodness of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc in cashew nuts prevents anemia boosts immunity and is good for vision. Magnesium in cashew nuts is beneficial in improving memory and protects against age-related memory loss. You can include about 4-5 cashew nuts in your daily diet. Toss them in your salads or have them as a healthy midday snack.
• Pistachio has a good amount of essential amino acids. L arginine in pistachio protects the arteries by lowering the blood clots and lowers risk of heart disease. It is also heaped with essential vitamins E, B6, B1 and minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium that boosts immunity, promotes skin health and fertility. Pistachio can be eaten as a snack or tossed in salads, adds taste to your baked foods or as a crunchy coating for fish.
• Almonds are one of the most valued nuts for its dense nutrient profile. It is rich in monounsaturated fats that lower risk of heart disease. Rich in fibre, vitamin E, a potent antioxidant is one of healthiest nuts for all weight watchers. It is also heaped with good amounts of DHA that boosts memory, is good for diabetics, gut healthy and promotes overall health. Add about 8- 10 almonds in your diet as a healthy snack or chopped into your bowl of cereals or yogurt.
• Walnuts are the storehouse of antioxidants that protect your body from cellular damage, heart disease, cancer and premature ageing. It is filled with omega 3 fatty acids which boosts memory. Have about 1 to 2 walnuts per day into your cereal or make your own walnut butter.

Desi Ghee, The Indian Superfood

Ghee is a rich source of vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats. While fat should be consumed in moderation, studies show that eating fatty foods such as ghee can help the body absorb some essential vitamins and minerals. Cooking healthy foods and vegetables with ghee may help you absorb more nutrients.
Learn about the Advantages Of Consuming Desi Cow Ghee

Curd

Eating curd everyday will help in reducing cholesterol levels, thus lowers the risk of high blood pressure and hypertension. Curd has good bacteria which keeps your stomach healthy. Having curd in the morning is beneficial for our intestine. It lets good bacteria grow inside our body which further boosts our immunity. This good bacteria also protects you from common stomach problems and even serious issues like intestinal cancer.

Recipe: Benefits of Curd Rice in Summers | Curd Rice Recipe

Coconut

Coconuts are especially high in manganese, which is essential for bone health and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and cholesterol. They’re also rich in copper and iron, which help form red blood cells, as well as selenium, an important antioxidant that protects your cells. Drinking coconut water daily is generally considered safe to consume and provides a delicious source of natural electrolytes. Consuming 2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil per day is sufficient to achieve health benefits.

Sprouts

Sprouts are very nutritious. Raw sprouts like alfalfa, clover, radish, onion and mung bean add color, texture and flavor to dishes. They can be enjoyed cold in sandwiches and salads or warm in stir-fries. Sprouts are also a nutrient-dense food.
These fibrous food items aid in smooth digestion and also help reduce cholesterol levels if eaten at night. Worst time to eat them is in the mornings. Avoid eating sprouts, etc. for breakfast, since it might increase your appetite and cause you to eat more throughout the course of the day. You can eat sprouts everyday. They are also extremely low in calories. 

Indian Superfoods- Sprouts Salad for Effective Weight Loss Goals

Cruciferous vegetables

These include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips. They are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals.

How to include them: Steam or stir-fry, adding healthy oils and herbs and seasonings for flavor. Try adding a frozen cruciferous vegetable medley to soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes.