Six surprising superfoods

Healthy eating can come from the strangest of sources.

Sure, we all know if you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and cut down on sugary snacks you are on the right track.

But there are foods we just don’t associate with healthy eating. Or, at least, we just didn’t even think about them in the first place.

Well, that’s a shame because they can offer a vast array of surprising health benefits. And, always one to champion the underdogs, DietPixie wants to bring them to your attention.

1. Tinned tomatoes
Sure, the incredible benefits of tomatoes have been well-documented, particularly on this website. But eating tinned tomatoes has its own particular benefits.

How? Well, the heat used in the canning process increases the antioxidant level by five times. That means it can help prevent the build up of free radicals in your system.

It’s also packed full of the nutrient lycopene, which helps fight various types of cancer.

2. Nettles
Did you know there is Be Nice to Nettles Week? It’s in May.

You may wonder why you should be nice to a plant that was real pain (literally) when you were a child. I mean, what have nettles ever done for us?

Well, rather than think what it has done to you; think what it can do for you. Not that we are saying go down to the bottom of your garden and shove a handful of nettles in your mouth. That would very stupid.

But boiled in a soup or tea, nettles can actually be extremely good for you. It’s full of iron, calcium, vitamins A, C and E. It’s also thought to help ease the suffering of people with gout, eczema and arthritis.

3. Ale
OK, so it’s not a food, but, hey, drinking ale is good for you. I’ll drink to that!

But don’t go stupid and get wasted every night in the belief you are actually doing yourself some good. All that will do is destroy your liver.

All we are saying is that a moderate amount of ale can be good for you. In fact, so good, it can help reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and mental illness.

Why? Well, it’s a rich source of nutrients thanks to the yeast used in the beer-making process. It’s also thought to include high levels of magnesium, selenium, potassium and vitamin B.

4. Honey
Honey is quite simply amazing. Only now are scientists realising just how much it can do for you.

Not only can it settle stomachs, ease sore throats and help you lose weight, it’s also been linked with boosting sperm count and even reducing hair loss. Get it in your supermarket trolley today.

For a full article about the benefits of honey, please read this.

5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is often overlooked as a superfood.

But just half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. It can also help ease stomach upsets, back pain and colds.

6. Wasabi
Some of you may be aware that Wasabi - a kind of Japanese horseradish usually served with sushi – is very useful when clearing a blocked nose.

But Wasabi’s healthy benefits go much further. In fact, its medicinal properties were first documented in a 10th-century Japanese medical encyclopedia, which believed it could be used as an antidote for food poisoning. Obviously priceless if raw fish is on the menu.

However, recent Japanese research states that it can also inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, prevent platelets from forming blood clots, and may even fight asthma or tooth decay.

Not bad at all!

Source: MSN.com