LIST: What makes superfoods super?

MANILA, Philippines — Achieving good health starts by eating healthy, and this means putting on your plate only items that do your body good. These can include fish, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and organically grown crops.

All these provide the body with important nutrients and give it more energy and other health benefits. But then, there are what you call superfoods that you can also rely on to power-charge the body and strengthen immunity. More and more people are turning to them and making them their companions in their health journey.

Beets help increase energy and cope with stress.

But what, exactly, are superfoods? What are the benefits of taking them regularly?

Superfoods are often described as “power food,” or food that has exceptional nutritional density, which means that it is packed with nutrients, even in small serving volumes, yet is low in calorie content. Mostly plant-based, superfoods provide substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, and offer multiple health benefits.

Quinoa is rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and dietary minerals.

Health experts say that the benefits of eating superfood include improving nutrition, promoting good heart health, stabilizing blood sugars and preventing some types of cancer.

These are some of the "superfoods":

• Dark, leafy greens such as kale. To illustrate their health benefits, a single cup of kale has more vitamin C than an orange and contains seven times the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin K. It’s also a good source of minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium that many people are deficient in.
• Root crops like beets. Beets are some of the best sources of nitrates, or compounds that convert to nitric acid in the body. Nitric acid plays an important role in improving blood flow, which may improve athletic performance and also lower blood pressure.
• Whole grains such as quinoa. Quinoa, meanwhile, is considered as a super crop by the United Nations for its high protein content. This superfood is also a complete protein, as it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own.

A member of the grass family, barley helps keep the digestive system healthy.

The Harvard School of Public Health advised that regular consumption of superfoods still needs to be complimented with healthy living.

Despite their popularity, superfoods should not be mistaken as cure-alls or miracles for any existing ailments. They should be incorporated into a proper diet and active lifestyle. While there is science that backs their health benefits, variety and moderation in your diet are required to enjoy optimum results.

Plant-based Filipino brand Sekaya offers the dietary goodness of superfoods through its Sekaya Raw Actives line. This line features superfood powders made with the highest quality USDA-certified organic wholefood ingredients. They come in ready-to-mix powder formats, so they are easy to stir in water or other beverages, and even mixed in with food.

Root crops such as maca root helps regular stress hormones.

The variants are Barley Green to keep the digestive system healthy, Daily Greens to boost daily intake of essential nutrients, Maca Factor to help regulate stress hormones, Pea Protein to speed up muscle recovery, Powerbeet to increase energy during workouts, and Vegan Protein to sustain a plant-based lifestyle.

Peas are naturally rich in protein and help speed up muscle recovery.

Sekaya is a Filipino plant-based brand that provides natural, science-backed products. It is under Synnovate Pharma Corporation, the natural products company of Unilab.

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