The List of Our Top 10 Superfoods for 2021 and How to Use Them

Here’s a list of 10 of our favourite superfoods for 2021.  (We could have easily added more.) Superfoods are nutritionally dense foods that are quite literally packed with good stuff, and they can help set you on the right path if you aim to have a healthy re-boot this summer. The nourishment and vitamins included in superfoods will help ramp up your energy, get your skin glowing, improve your immunity levels and support growth. We’re also sharing some of our Plenish products and recipes that include these superfoods to help you add them to your diet with ease. 

Berries

Berries are a tasty, sweet and healthy snack. What’s more, they are full of fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants, which help to promote healthy cell function and protect against inflammation. There are many reasons to enjoy nature’s candy as part of your diet. The blueberry is one of the most well-known superfoods, but we think all berries should make it on the superfoods list, including strawberries and raspberries.

Ideas for including more berries in your diet

• Pack up small pots of berries and nuts to graze on as a healthy snack throughout your day.
• Cooldown this summer with this delicious Berry Frappe recipe made with frozen mixed berries.
• Pop a shot of ‘Plenish Berry Gut Health’ to aid digestion and support your microbiome with healthy bacteria.

Leafy Greens

Greens like spinach, kale and chard are a treasure trove of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. What are phytochemicals, you say? They are compounds that occur naturally in plants, they are not a vitamin or mineral, but some studies show they have very positive effects on the body and could help protect from cancer.

Ideas for including more leafy greens in your diet

• Serve them for breakfast as part of a healthy vegan fry-up or added to an omelette.
• Create your own leafy green pesto and use it in a healthy pasta salad.
• Create a green juice or green smoothie recipe or try one of Plenish’s cold-pressed green juices like Lift: Sweet Green Juice. 

Beetroot

Beetroot is jammed with A-C vitamins and is also a fantastic source of folate, potassium and magnesium. Beets are also rich in natural chemicals called nitrates  which may help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. All of this can help keep your skin, hair, nails, and heart healthy.  

Ideas for including more beetroot in your diet

• Add sliced beetroot to a salad or get more inventive and use them as a topping. These Beetroot Blinis are an elegant way to serve beetroot. 
• Try drinking beetroot juice – the Plenish Pump: Cherry Beets Juice is simply divine.

Nuts

Nutritionists go nuts for nuts, and when you break down the health benefits, it’s easy to see why. All nuts are packed with protein, fibre, essential fats and vitamins, so they make a vitality-boosting snack. For example, almonds are a natural source of calcium and have lots of vitamin E.

Ideas for including more nuts in your diet

• Pack them in small pots to snack on throughout the day.
• Switch to Plenish Almond or Cashew Milk. 
• Add more nuts to your baking; try this scrumptious Almond and Apricot Frangipane with Almond Custard. 

Turmeric

Turmeric has many benefits – it contains curcumin which has a reputation for being anti-inflammatory. Some scientists believe that chronic low-level inflammation can play a role in some health conditions and diseases, and anything that can help fight inflammation can play an important role. A medical study also suggested that curcumin may have anti-ageing benefits. 

Ideas for including more turmeric in your diet

• Try an immunity-boosting turmeric smoothie. 
• Get your turmeric fix in a healthy and warming turmeric soup.
• Get a daily turmeric defence shot.

Ginger

Ginger also has several benefits and it improves digestion and nausea, which is why it has long been recommended for those suffering morning sickness in pregnancy or for those who suffer from travel sickness. 

Ideas for including more ginger in your diet

• Grate some ginger into a stir fry. Try these spicy peanut and lime mushroom noodles.
• Have a daily Plenish Ginger Immunity Shot or find it in Shield: Sweet Immunity Juice.

Avocado

Avocados have been a favourite superfood of many for a long time, and they aren’t going away, and that’s for a good reason. Avocados are a good source of fibre, vitamins B6, C and E and much more. They are also a good source of minerals and monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can help to lower levels of bad cholesterol. The ever-popular ‘Avo on toast’ is not the only way to include avocado in your diet.

Ideas for including more avocado in your diet

• Use them in a salad, of course – try this Black Rice, Creamy Avocado and Basil Salad.
• Avocados are a great ingredient if you want to make a Vegan Creamy Avocado Sauce.
• Fancy a chocolate avocado pudding? Yep, it’s a thing. Try this beautiful Chocolate and Avocado Mousse.

Cacao

We all know how powerful the pull of chocolate can be – using raw cacao can help you get all of the goodness of the original plant, and it’s the main ingredient in chocolate. Natural cacao is a source of antioxidants and minerals, including magnesium, iron and zinc. It is also rich in serotonin, which explains the happy feeling you get from chocolate, and it’s packed with nutrients such as flavanols which are known for their powers to fight free radicals.

Ideas for including more cacao in your diet

• Revisit your childhood and get some chocolate milk – not any chocolate milk, though. The Plenish Savour Cacao Milk is dairy-free and made with raw cacao.
• Treat yourself to some chocolate ice cream. This Chocolate Almond Milk Nice Cream is made with cacao, and it’s one of our favourite summer recipes.

Broccoli

Jo Wicks once famously named these little trees, and these spears of goodness contain vitamins and minerals essential to cell regeneration and repair. Research also suggests that cruciferous veggies can inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells. 

• Broccoli is the perfect side dish and can be served with almost anything or added to curries and soups. Try this Thai Green Aubergine and Broccoli Curry.
• If you can’t wait until dinner, have some broccoli for breakfast. Plenish: Lift Sweet Green Juice contains plenty of broccoli. 

Seeds

• Seeds are nutritional powerhouses. For example, just one tablespoon of chia seeds provides 75mg of calcium – equivalent to 7.5% of your recommended daily allowance. Seeds contain amino acids, essential fatty acids, plus vitamins A, B, C and E. As they are so nutrient-dense, you don’t need to eat many of them to get daily benefits. 
• Sprinkle seeds on your breakfast or try these breakfast recipes. Chocolate hazelnut chia pudding is rich, chocolate and the perfect excuse to have dessert for breakfast. This chia porridge bowl is super simple to make and helps you get the day off to a good start.

Which superfoods will you be stocking up on this summer? Do you have any favourite superfoods that you think should be on our list? Share your ideas with us on Instagram using #Plenish.