HEALTH + WELLNESS
ALL Hail THE SUPERFOOD
COCONUT OIL AND QUINOA? PAH; THEY’ RE SO 2016. FROM THE MOMENT BLACK PUDDING WAS HAILED AS A NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE LAST YEAR, ALL MANNER OF UNEXPECTED SUPERFOODS HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT FROM THE BACK OF OUR KITCHEN CUPBOARDS AND ENCOURAGED TO BASK IN ALL OF THEIR HEALTH-GIVING GLORY. ONCE A BUZZWORD RESERVED FOR ONLY THE GREENEST OF GREENS( PREFERABLY JUICED), THE‘ SUPERFOOD’ IS NOW A TERM THAT, ALONG WITH A LOAD OF RELIABLE REGULARS, ENCOMPASSES SOME VERY UNUSUAL SUSPECTS. WE’ VE ROUNDED UP A LIST OF FOODS STILL MAKING THEIR MARK ON THE HEALTH RADAR, SOME OF WHICH MAY SURPRISE YOU. by Polly Humphris
Black pudding
Even the most adventurous of eaters can be put off by black pudding’ s other name:‘ blood sausage’, and then put off further still when they realise that, barring a handful of oats, it really is made from little else other than pig’ s blood. If you can get past that though, you’ ll find this low-carb friend of the fry up is an excellent source of protein as well as being rich in iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc.
Pork scratchings
Regarded widely as the ultimate companion to a cold pint of beer, pork scratchings are not the first thing that spring to mind when considering your health. Fatty they may be, but two-thirds of that fat is actually a combination of mono- and polyunsaturated fat, which is great for keeping hearts healthy. What’ s more, a scratching is effectively a curl of concentrated collagen from skin, so it’ s high in protein with added muscle and bone-health benefits too.
Popcorn
Not cinema popcorn smothered in butter, salt and sugar, of course, but popcorn- as a snack in its natural form- is actually really good for you. Studies in the U. S. have concluded that a single serving of plain popcorn contains almost double the number of antioxidants found in the equivalent portion of fruit and veg thanks to its surprisingly high levels of polyphenol, a group of micronutrients that make( metaphorical) mincemeat of pesky free radicals.
Beef liver
Beef liver is a veritable powerhouse of lifegiving goodness: a single 100g portion packs in seven times the recommended daily allowance of copper, twice the amount of riboflavin we need daily, and a whopping 12 times the recommended daily allowance of B12. As if that wasn’ t enough, it’ s also bursting with calcium, potassium and phosphorous and, overall, contains more vitamins and minerals than almost any fruit or vegetable imaginable.
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