Words : Jason Whittenberg

The healthiest diet is one of balance, containing a colorful assortment of fruits, veggies, nuts, grains and herbs that comprise all colors under the rainbow. That’s right: our natural food selection has been color coded for us, folks. It’s that easy. Generally, foods of the same color pack the same assortment of nutritional goodness and beneficial pigments called phytochemicals. So diversify your colors for optimum balance.

Within this already vast genre of healthy foods there are some that stand above the rest as extraordinary sources of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, detoxifiers, phytochemicals, easily digestible proteins and organic fatty acids. These are the components of food that can help provide great health and often are associated with boosting immune system function, boosting blood levels, combating and destroying cancer-causing free radicals, preventing and combating degenerative diseases, promoting healthy digestion and detoxifying the body while boosting energy levels. These foods are justifiably named “superfoods.”

For seven years I have been on a path of incorporating a diverse selection of superfoods into my daily dietary arsenal towards preventative health care, along with getting ample sleep and regular activities (skateboarding and yoga). Previous to starting this journey I paid little attention to what I put in my body and would subsequently feel the effects of eating poorly and became accustomed to getting sick in those seasons we automatically associate with expected illness. Should this be the norm? Only if you choose it to be. You can prevent a great many health ailments just by what you choose to consume day to day. I have been living a healthy vibrant life, free of any sickness whatsoever for the last seven years while on this path. While some may say it’s a coincidence, I feel fully confident that it is due to the progressive way of eating that I made a part of my life. After all: you are what you eat.

There are many superfoods people consume every day, such as bananas, blueberries, and tomatoes. Then there are those extravagant tropical superfoods like papaya, pineapple and acai berries. Finally, you have the less talked about or known superfoods that almost seem like they’re part of a hidden society of ultra superness, such as goji berries, kombucha, noni and mangostein. Each one of these superfoods has one or more amazing qualities that make them worthy of the title “superfood.” Here are a few of my favorites:

Goji Berry

These berries are often called the most nutrient-dense food on earth. The semi-sweet berries are great in nutritional shakes, by themselves, in salads, or in a trail mix. This small berry rates the highest of all known berries on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale, with up to 25,000 ORAC units; this measures the antioxidant’s ability to absorb free radicals. Next in line would be prunes at a significantly lesser 5,700 ORAC units. The goji berry’s antioxidants measure in the 17,000 range, next to blueberries at 6,220. The goji also has one of the highest energy ratings ever recorded at 355,000 Bovis (the measure of natural energy found within plants, animals, humans and organic matter). Humans measure in at 6,500 Bovis. These high energy levels may explain goji’s anti-aging effects. Goji berries are also jam-packed with 18 amino acids, which include all essential components of complete protein: more so than wheat. A great source of 21 trace minerals (including calcium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium and germanium), this berry is a prized food source for cancer prevention. The iron content is 20 times that of grapes or spinach. Powerful cartenoids like beta carotene and zeaxanthin also play a significant role in the health attributes of this berry in protecting our eyes — more so than carrots. While gojis contain high levels of B1, B2 and B6, they also contain more vitamin C by weight than oranges. Goji berries contain an exceptional portion of essential fatty acids, benefiting hormonal balance as well as nerve and brain function. Many people that are anemic or undergoing chemotherapy benefit from goji berries’ ability to double white blood cell count and triple T cell count due to their polysaccharide content.

In short: goji berries are clinically proven to replenish vitality, protect liver function, enhance visual acuity, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, burn fat, strengthen bones and muscles, supply the heart with energy, and aid in the treatment of diabetes and impotence. About 30 berries (roughly a handful) consumed each day can help achieve these health benefits.

Mangoes

Mangoes are an excellent source of phytochemicals like flavanoids and carotenes that are plant-based pigments and anti-carcinogenic. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, E and B6 (thiamine and riboflavin) as well as copper, niacin, and folic acid. The juicy fibrous fruit is an excellent source of potassium and magnesium, which benefits people with acidosis, cramps and stress. Mangoes pack a hefty dose of soluble and insoluble fiber: over half the percentage of fiber in mangoes is soluble, which binds with cholesterol and prevents cardiovascular disease. With beneficial proteolytic enzymes like magneferin, katechol oxidase and lactase (similar to papain in papayas), this fragrant fruit promotes healthy digestion and breaks down proteins. It guards against cancer, infectious disease, intestinal disease (eliminates giardia) and has even been proven to destroy viruses in clinical test tube experiments. Mangoes are used to build blood for the treatment of anemia in India due to their high iron content. Beyond all of the mango’s amazing benefits, this tropical fruit tastes and smells wonderful.

Wheat Grass

The juiced extract of the wheat berry sprout is said to be the most similar liquid in composition to human blood: it only differs by a few molecular structures. I try to drink wheat grass shots multiple times a week as a regular part of detoxifi cation of environmental impurities and toxins. Wheat grass juice and a tea called kombucha are known for their extraordinary ability to detoxify and drastically reduce the parts per million of pollutants that have made their way into our bodies, such as pesticides, preservatives, heavy metals, and crystallized acids. Wheat grass is rich in chlorophyll, which increases the function of the heart, vascular system, intestines, uterus and lungs by building and cleaning our blood. It is even known to dissolve tumors and scars found in the lungs. Reducing high blood pressure, repairing ulcers and overcoming the detrimental physiological effects of over-exposure to TV and computer radiation are all benefits that are associated with regular wheat grass ingestion. Only 1 oz of wheat grass juice is enough to provide you with the same vitamins and mineral content found in 2lbs of organic greens. As a whole food, it contains all essential nutrients that are required for human existence. That’s right: all essential amino acids to form complete protein, vitamins A,B,C, and E, and 90 minerals that promote a healthy metabolism are just some highlights. Another major constituent of wheat grass juice is its chlorophyll content: a powerful phytochemical that prevents and combats degenerative diseases like cancer while building healthy, clean blood. Wheat grass juice is the product of wheat berries that can be found in your bulk food aisle, sprouted and pressed. Look for organic wheat berries and grow them in a light, rich soil using high minerals, with sea kelp as food. This will ensure you receive a multitude of minerals in your homegrown wheat grass. T-5 lighting works well for fast, vigorous growth when sunlight is unavailable. (Check out Urban Garden Magazine’s wheat grass blog!)

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Everest adds some other supermarket favorites:

Apples

Yes, an apple a day does help keep the doctor away. They are one of the most common, best sources of malic acid, along with raspberries. Quercetin, an antioxidant fl avanoid, is another likely candidate for health promotion found in apples.

Asparagus

Asparagus stems are rich in less common amino acids, including arginine. Arginine is necessary for the body to produce nitric oxide. Arginine supplementation should be tried by those suffering from erectile dysfunction before Viagra (which affects the same systems in the penis). Quite different from other antioxidant foods, asparagus contains various sulphur compounds you will not fi nd elsewhere that are used by the body to produce our own antioxidants. It is also rich in folic acid and vitamin C.

Blood Oranges

The pigments found in blood oranges are like those in blueberries and other dark-colored fruit. A comparison of bloodorange juice, vitamin- C-fortifi ed water, and sugar found that the blood orange juice was best at increasing antioxidants in human blood. Testers took blood samples from their subjects 3 hours and 24 hours after drinking, a test seldom done on foods. A marvellous side-product of growing oranges (or any of the other citrus fruit) is the fabulous fragrance of the fl owers, which are used in aromatherapy as a sedative and euphoric.

Blueberries

The chemicals blueberries are famous for are also found in cranberries and purple grapes. Blackberries may be more anti-cancer and cherries are antiinfl ammatory. Strawberries contain tannins like green tea, fl avanoids like those in apple, xylitol (a sugar that re-mineralises the teeth), and the darker ones contain signifi cant amounts of the anthocyanin pigments found in blueberries. One particular variety of strawberry, called Nohime, prevents blood clots.

Chocolate

Here’s one superfood you shouldn’t have any trouble getting the kids to try! A true superfood whose only disadvantage is the addictive caffeine content that is equal to coffee beans in some varieties. If anyone has managed to grow a cocoa tree at home (rumors suggest they grow in the Palm House at Kew Gardens in London), please let us know.

Herbs

Most culinary herbs are used for their medicinal actions as well as their lovely tastes. Rosemary, basil, sage, mint, thyme, oregano and savory all contain rosmarinic acid and related antioxidants. They all help digestion and are antibiotics. Sage appears to reduce infections by flu and colds. Basil and oregano are sedative and aphrodisiac.

Walnuts

Walnuts are the most common source of alphalinolenic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that should be taken by everyone. Many studies have shown that walnuts reduce bad cholesterol in the blood, keep arteries fl exible and improve heart health. If you use olive oil for the sake of your health you might like to replace some of it with walnut oil, which has many more benefi ts. They also contain arginine, like asparagus. As oats help many of the same problems, a walnut fl apjack a day would be a good idea for most of us.

Watercress

Watercress contains anticancer chemicals like those found in broccoli, huge amounts of vitamins C, E, K and some Bs, carotenoids (pro-vitamin A), and any minerals you care to give it when growing, especially high levels of calcium, manganese and iron.

Other recommended superfoods include: hummus, red peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, live soya yogurt, tomatoes, brown rice, almonds, ginger, pomegranates, turmeric and avocados.

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Although these and other superfoods have the capacity of being great health enhancers, always research your sources and eat organic, local food whenever possible.

Do you have any other superfoods to recommend? Post your comments below!