Superfoods describe foods and beverages that are packed with essential nutrients and functional health benefits.
While you might have heard that fermented foods, blueberries or green tea belong to this category, three new candidates have made the cut this year.
Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian talked to 564 registered dietitians for its annual “What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey and revealed the list of the top 10 most nutrient-dense foods:
- Fermented Foods
- Blueberries
- Seeds
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Green Tea
- Pulses
- Mushrooms
- Ancient Grains
- Salmon
Surprisingly, three new health foods for 2024 are classics like pulses, mushrooms, and salmon.
1. Pulses
From chickpeas to beans and lentils to dry peas, pulses refer to the edible seeds from inside a legume plant. The complex carbohydrates are rich in gut-healthy fibre, protein, iron, magnesium, folate, and potassium.
Tracy Gensler, registered dietitian, told Real Simple that pulses are particularly good sources of soluble fibre, which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Gensler said: “Soluble fibre is fermented by bacteria in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory and health protective effects.”
2. Mushrooms
The survey has put mushrooms in the top ranks, placing edible fungi in the eighth place.
While they might not be very colourful on the inside, their insides hide powerful micronutrients and plant compounds, including vitamin A, several B vitamins, vitamin D, and more.
The beige foods are also packed with fibre, selenium, potassium, and copper. Gensler said: “[These] antioxidant compounds help the body battle oxidative stress linked to tissue damage, chronic diseases and ageing.”
3. Salmon
Extremely popular and brimming with healthy fats, salmon is a source of lean protein. The fish also contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids which can benefit neurological health, cell membranes and lower blood triglyceride levels, according to Gensler.
The nutritionist said: “High triglyceride levels, along with high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), is linked to accumulation of fatty buildup within artery walls, which can increase the risk for a heart attack or stroke.”
