Curious about what superfoods are? Here’s what you need to know about superfoods and how to make your diet SUPER with Nature’s Path #MakeItSuper
If you’ve spent much time reading about nutrition these days, you likely know how confusing diet advice can be sometimes. Research is always evolving and we’re constantly learning new things about the world around us, including our food.
With dietary recommendations changing all the time, it’s important for consumers to stay up to date on basic nutrition science and learn how it affects them and their families.
We’ve all heard about superfoods in recent years, but what does the word superfood mean and how can we incorporate them into our diets? Surprisingly, adding superfoods to your diet is much easier and simpler than you might think (Nature’s Path Superfood Bars are a delicious way to add them in)!
Nature’s Path Superfood bars make great post-race snacks!
What are superfoods?
Simply put, superfoods are foods that have more than one health benefit and are nutrient dense (rich in nutrients compared to the amount of calories they contain). Superfoods basically get an A+ for providing plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, fiber, and healthy fats (depending on what it is).
While the term superfood isn’t used a lot in the scientific community, the word superfood is used to tell consumers that foods have a high nutritional value. Because there is no criteria for what constitutes a superfood, consumers need to make smart choices about which products they buy that are labeled as superfoods.
We might be familiar with exotic superfoods like goji berries and acai, but there are a ton of common nutrient-dense foods right in our own supermarkets. Here are a few common foods and spices that are accessible to most people:
- Cocoa/cacao
- Berries (blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, etc.)
- Chia
- Coconut
- Hemp seeds
- Dark leafy greens (spinach, collards, kale, etc.)
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Bell peppers
- Apples
- Cinnamon
- Eggs
- Plums
- Walnuts and other nuts
- Seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, etc.)
- Oats
- Salmon
- Brown rice
- Lentils and beans
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Tea (green, black, white)
- To name a few!
Adding More Superfoods to Your Diet
If you want to add more superfoods to your diet, it’s fairly simple: focus your diet on nutrient dense and whole foods! If you’re busy and need nutrient dense superfoods that are convenient, look for products that are mostly whole foods and have a lot of nutrients in them compared to the calorie content.
Because there is no set standard or criteria for determining what a superfood is, when products are labeled as superfoods or containing superfoods, consumers should look for products that are lower in sugar, higher in protein and fiber, and contain healthy fats (no trans fats).
Go through the list above and find ways to incorporate more of those whole superfoods into your diet each day!
Nature’s Path Superfood Bars
If you’re looking for a convenient and healthy way to add nutrient dense foods into your busy day, then check out Nature’s Path Superfood Bars (formerly Qi’a Bars). The Nature’s Path Superfood Bars come in 5 different flavors (Dark Chocolate Peanut is my favorite!) with several different kinds of superfoods in each bar.
Every flavor of the Nature’s Path Superfood Bars have a base of superfood ingredients (like chia, coconut, hemp, and nuts), they are all higher in fiber (4-6 grams per bar) and lower in sugar (6-9 grams per bar) than many traditional energy bars. Plus they have natural protein as well without added protein powders (4-7 grams per bar depending on flavor).
Nature’s Path Superfood Bars are…
- USDA Certified Organic
- Non-GMO Project Verified
- Fair Trade
- Gluten free
- Contain no artificial preservatives, additives, or synthetic pesticides
Want to try some Superfood Bars for yourself?Enter to win 5 boxes (1 box of each flavor) of Nature’s Path Superfood Bars below!
Fruit bowl photo by Brenda Godinez on Unsplash
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and healthy living blogger based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist