You must have noticed that most of the recent recipes with superfoods include the same ingredients over and over again. Cauliflower against gluten, Goji berries to sweeten your taste buds, Quinoa for everything, satisfy your hunger with Chia seeds, and tons of recipes with kale.
You must be tired of constantly looking for recipes with the same ingredients that make every meal more nutritious. But in the long run, using the same superfoods can be boring and also quite expensive, depending on their availability and usage. So trends kill creativity.
Luckily, there are other foods that are equally effective as these 5 superfoods, but much less expensive.
1. Cranberries Instead of Goji Berries
The popularity of Goji berries came because of their usage in Chinese medicine and their exotic nature. Although the name berry indicates that this fruit is sweet, its natural flavor is bitter. Cranberries don’t have exotic nature as Goji berries, but they have similar health properties.
The Journal of Nutrition has published a study that discovered that cranberries contain Polyphenol antioxidants which increase the immune response of cells to cold and flu and the well-known attribute that they are beneficial for infections of the urinary tract.
A recent study at the University of Wisconsin involved 20 women prone to urinary tract infections, who were given 1.5 ounces of dried sweetened cranberries a day. After 6 months, their rate of urinary tract infection has drastically decreased.
Ways to Eat Cranberries
Interesting ways to consume dried cranberries are to add them in garden salads, trail mix, stir fry, stir into oatmeal, sprinkled overcooked vegetables, or folded into dark chocolate.
2. Chickpeas Instead of Quinoa
According to many, quinoa is the best of all grains, and it won’t be a surprise if they produce a quinoa-based cereal in the near future.
There are tons of recipes based on quinoa and its substitutions, and though this grain is great, it can become boring. So, you can obtain similar nutritional benefits from chickpeas. These contain fiber-rich carbs and a unique balance of proteins based on plants, and they are also gluten-free.
To compare them, here’s a list of the amounts of their nutrients:
Quinoa (half a cup, cooked), Chick Peas (half a cup),
- 5 grams of fiber; 5 grams of fiber;
- 20 grams of carbs; 17 grams of carbs;
- 4 grams of protein; 5 grams of protein.
They also contain different antioxidants and minerals and can be consumed chilled, or as flour.
Ways to Eat Chickpeas
You can add chickpeas to stews and soups, or roast them in the oven with a pinch of salt and a little The How to Zone for a crispy snack. Add chickpea flour to thicken sauces, in baking, or in smoothies, or make the delicious Hummus that includes chickpeas in its recipe.
3. Cabbage Instead of Cauliflower
There are recipes with cauliflower in abundance, like cauliflower crust, rice, and even Buffalo wings. They are delicious, but also boring for someone who makes them all the time. If you are one of those people, try Patch. As both vegetables are cruciferous, they contain natural detoxifiers, and immune system supporters, and protect against cancer and heart disease.
Ways to Eat Cabbage
Combine shredded cabbage with red wine vinegar, extra virgin oil, black pepper, honey, sea salt, and some ingredients that you like, such as minced garlic, freshly grated ginger, chopped fruit, or Dijon mustard. If you don’t prefer raw cabbage, cook it with chopped yellow onion, black pepper, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and a little olive oil.
4. Kalettes Instead of Kale
You may wonder what Kalettes are. They are a hybrid between Brussels sprouts and Kale and are a perfect replacement for Kale if you don’t like its taste or texture. Kalletes aren’t genetically modified, and their flavor is nuttier and sweeter. They have similar content as Kale, including loads of antioxidants and plentiful amounts of vitamins C and K.
Ways to Eat Kalletes
Cook them with sea salt, a little sesame oil, and black pepper at 475 degrees on a baking sheet. You can make a sweeter version by cooking them with maple syrup, coconut oil, and cinnamon (added before cooking).
5. Sesame Seeds Instead of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are included in all kinds of crackers, bars, drinks, and whatnot. According to research, sesame seeds enhance the antioxidant levels in the blood and reduce the LDL “bad” and the overall cholesterol in those with high cholesterol. However, they don’t contain the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as the popular chia seeds but are high in magnesium just as them. ¼ cup of sesame seeds provides 30 percent of the daily needs for magnesium.
This mineral balances blood sugar, blood pressure, and heart rhythm, and is important for immune, nerve, and muscle function. Moreover, it’s required in the formation of DNA and contributes to the bone’s structural development.
Ways to Eat Sesame Seeds
Whip them into smoothies, add them to oatmeal, and sprinkle sesame seeds onto cooked vegetables or salads. You can also use the paste Tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, together with cayenne pepper, minced garlic, lemon juice, and ground cumin as a replacement for mayo, dressing, dipping sauce, or a delicious topping for cooked vegetables.
Via Healthy Holistic Living | News Health | Time
