6 Common Superfoods in Your Pantry

Exotic superfoods like chia seeds or acai berry are having a moment right now but here’s a shocker, you don’t need to drive to your local health food store to score awesome superfoods. In fact, there are kitchen staples that are packed with the same kind of vitamins and minerals as these “exotic” health foods and most of these superfoods are probably in your pantry! These superfoods are:

1. Eggs

Ah yes, the humble eggs. You see eggs in most people’s kitchen that it’s hard to imagine it’s actually healthier than quinoa because it has fewer calories. In fact, a cup of quinoa has around 8 grams of protein and 223 calories. On the other hand, one egg yields around 6 grams of protein and only 78 calories. Eggs are also high in vitamin A, B, D and K and it’s known to lower the risk of heart diseases.

2. Sweet Red Bell Peppers

Aside from being a favorite pizza topping, sweet red bell peppers packs twice the amount of vitamin C as an orange (about 142 milligrams of vitamin C in a half a cup!). Red bell peppers are also a great source of beta-carotene and lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that’s known to lower the risk of developing certain cancers. Even better, red bell peppers are super low in calories, making it a healthy and heart-friendly snack!

3. Blueberries

If you love spiking your morning cereals with these blue blobs of tart deliciousness, then you’re actually adding more fiber to your diet. A single cup serving of blueberries are actually more nutritious than the currently hot superfood, kale. And just like kale, blueberries offers disease and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Clinical research shows that eating at least blueberries 3 times a week actually dramatically cuts your chances of suffering a heart attack.

4. Olive Oil

Okay, knowing that olive oil is great for you health is probably old news but did you know, it’s just as nutritious as say, coconut oil, which is having a moment right now? That’s right, just like coconut oil, olive oil is full of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids! It also offers anti-inflammatory properties that cut your risk of developing heart diseases, lowers cholesterol level in the body and stabilizes sugar levels in the blood.

5. Sweet Potato

Beets are getting all the attention lately but we say, the humble sweet taters are just as nutritious and even better tasting! Sweet potatoes is a richer source of skin-boosting beta-carotene and vitamin A that promotes better vision and cuts down your risk of developing heart diseases. Sweet potatoes are also known to improve the immune system because it packs a lot of vitamin C! Best of all, it’s a pretty healthy snack food too, a single sweet potato contains only103 calories.

6. Wild Salmon

Sure, the much lauded chia seeds can make you feel fuller longer because it contain high amounts of fiber but wild salmon can do that too while offering added essential minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and calcium! Omega-3 fatty acids contain heart-friendly properties, boost the immune system, and promote better brain, skin and heart function!