10 Desi Superfoods!

A guava may not be as photogenic as a Granny Smith and bhindi may not have the glamour of broccoli but these humbler foods deliver important nutrients too. After all, healthy diets are like healthy investment portfolios — diversified. Here’s a list of superfoods — cheap, best and found in your backyard.

1. Cococunut : Coconut was long vilified for its high saturated fat content, but experts say it has many benefits. Every part and product of the coconut, be it the water, the white flesh or oil, is loaded with nutrients. Coconut oil, in particular, is considered heart-healthy and good for weight loss because it speeds up metabolism. It was included in the diet of the England rugby squad in 2007. A year later, Jennifer Aniston was spotted with a shopping trolley full of coconut oil bottles and the fruit soon became the darling of the superfood set. Coconut increases body temperature and therefore increases metabolism. It actually aids weight loss rather than impedes it as is popularly believed. 

2. Guava : The guava has emerged as the king of fruits, elbowing apples and grapes off the ideal diet chart. A recent study reported in TOI found that guavas have the highest concentration of anti-oxidants among Indian fruits. A 100-gram portion of guava contained around 500 milligrams of anti-oxidants while apples were found to have only a quarter of the anti-oxidants that guavas have. 

3. Amla :  If you need a booster dose of Vitamin C, look no further than this green berry-like fruit. Amla contains 445 mg/100 g vitamin C, 20 times more than in orange. Its free radical absorbing capacity is believed to be higher than that of the reigning superfruits — blueberries and strawberries. Tannins — chemical compounds that exhibit anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antiparasitic properties— are present in amla in significant amounts. Ayurveda recommends it for its rejuvenation powers and says it inhibits the ageing process. It’s excellent for hair health and good eyesight. 

4. Pumpkin :  Kaddu ki sabji, just like lauki, usually makes people cringe and reach for the dependable aloo gobhi dish. In the West, too, it is used more to carve jacko-lanterns every Thanksgiving rather than in the kitchen. But had there been a test for superfoods, the plump pumpkin would surely emerge tops. Pumpkin’s bland-with-a-hintofsweet flesh contains one of the richest supplies of carotenoids (anticancer agents) known to man. It has beta carotene which reduces one’s risk for cancers of the colon, bladder and oesophagus as well as betacryptoxanthin which decreased the risk of lung cancer in smokers. In the landmark Nurses’ Health Study conducted in the US, it was found that women with the highest concentrations of carotenes in their diets had the lowest risk of breast cancer. Pumpkins are also the only vegetarian source of vitamin B12. 

5. Custard Apple :  There is another kind of apple that can keep the doctor away. The custard apple has anti-oxidant levels of 202 mg, almost twice the amount that apple (123 mg) has, according to a NIN study. It also has vitamins B and C, potassium, iron, calcium and manganese. Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant that mops up free radicals. The tropical fruit also contains vitamin A, which is good for the health of hair, eyes and skin. It serves as an expectorant, amps up immunity, acts as a coolant and boosts haemoglobin.