My Top 5 Superfoods! | Dr. Pat Nardini, Naturopathic Doctor

We all know that your diet is one of the most important determinants of your health.

The challenge comes with creating a diet plan for yourself and sticking to it. Sometimes this requires avoiding certain foods that may trigger food sensitivities or food allergies or are generally unhealthy.

This is not to say that you need to be perfect all the time – holidays, birthday celebrations, and even “cheat days” can be an occasional part of a generally healthy diet.

One of the best ways to make your diet as healthy as possible is by incorporating nutrient dense foods into it as much as possible.

Nutrient dense foods are ones that pack a lot of nutrition without a tonne of calories. These are what we sometimes call “superfoods”.

Let’s look at some of my favourite superfoods. But, first, what exactly makes something a superfood?

What Makes A “Superfood”?

The term “superfood” sounds a bit more like a marketing scheme than a scientific description. There is certainly some subjectivity in deciding what we would classify as a superfood.

However, there are a few characteristics that a food should possess if we are to call it a superfood.

The first is that it should be nutrient dense. So, per unit mass, that food needs to have a large amount and wide variety of macro- and micronutrients, especially the latter.

A superfood will have a healthy balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrates as well as many and varied vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

This is the opposite of an “empty calorie” food, like a donut, which is simply a mass of sugar and carbohydrates. Modern western diets are full of these, and you will not find a superfood among them.

Superfoods also have additional health benefits. They may help balance blood sugar, improve blood flow, promote detoxification, or be chock full of antioxidants, for example. Many superfoods have more than one of these going for it.

With these criteria in mind, let’s look at some of my personal favourite superfoods.

Five of My Favourite Superfoods

1. Cruciferous Vegetables (I know, this is more than one food)

The cruciferous vegetables, sometimes referred to as the cabbage family, is a group with some very impressive nutritional qualities.

Cruciferous vegetables include:

Arugula
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (of course)
Cauliflower
Collard greens
Horseradish
Kale
Maca
Mustard
Radish
Rutabaga
Turnip
Watercress

The number and variety of nutrients that these vegetables contain is quite impressive. They include carotenoids (like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, folic acid, minerals, and fibre¹.

But what’s even more impressive is their content of sulphur-containing compounds called glucosinolates². After we eat them, these chemicals get broken down into many other beneficial ones – indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates³.

The most-studied compounds include indole-3-carbonol (an indole) and sulforaphane (an isothiocyanate). You may not have heard of these before, but they provide some huge benefits, like cancer prevention, cardiovascular support, and hormone balancing⁴!

Consuming cruciferous vegetables raw or steamed appears to best perverse the nutrients for maximum benefit.

Those with digestive problems may need to avoid the raw variety as they can sometimes be tricky to digest, leading to gas and bloating.

2. Sardines

An ocean fish found all over the world, sardines are a rich and abundant source of nutrients. Compared to other popular fish, like tuna and salmon, sardines are relatively low in toxins, like mercury. They’re small, short-lived fish that are low on the food chain, meaning that they don’t have the time or space to accumulate environmental poisons.

Sardines are an excellent source of macronutrients, like protein and fat, with little or no carbohydrate. The fat includes high levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows have benefits to the heart, brain, skin, and eyes and help to regulate inflammation⁵.

The micronutrient profile of sardines is also quite impressive and includes calcium, selenium, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D.

Mainly because of their fat content, sardines tend to spoil quickly. If you can get a hold of fresh ones that is ideal. Otherwise, sardines canned in water or olive oil work well.

Sardines do contain relatively high levels of purines which are compounds of some concern for those with a history of gout. If that applies to you, be cautious with your sardine consumption.

3. Liver

For many of us, liver is not exactly the most appealing of foods. It can bring back not-so-fond childhood memories of dinnertime.

However, if we’re talking about nutrient-packed, it’s hard to top liver.

This organ meat is loaded with high quality protein that contains all the essential amino acids needed for the body to build its own protein⁶. It also contains small amounts of fat and carbohydrate.

Yet it’s in its micronutrients that liver really shines.

Some of the highlights include Vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), B9 (folate), B12, and D and the minerals selenium, zinc, copper, and iron. It also contains choline, which is an important nutrient for cell membrane structure, nerve transmission, and liver function⁷.

Liver can be pan-fried with onions or cooked with pasta. Pre-soaking the liver in lemon juice before cooking can mellow out its strong flavour.

There is some concern over potential toxins contained in liver. As the liver is a major organ of detoxification, residues may be present of whatever toxins the animal it came from had to contend with.

Getting liver that is organic is extremely important if you want to minimize exposure to toxins. Organic grass-fed beef liver and organic chicken liver are available in many natural grocery stores.

Over-consuming liver (eating every day) might overload you with Vitamin A and iron, which is not good for your own liver. For most people, consuming liver once/week is unlikely to overdo it.

Like sardines, liver is high in purines, so be cautious if you have a history of gout.

4. Seaweed (also more than one)

The term “seaweed” encompasses many different types of aquatic plants known as algae. Some grow in fresh water and others in the actual sea.

The most common varieties of seaweed are red, green, and brown algae. Some commonly found examples include:

Arame
Bladderwrack
Chlorella
Dulse
Hijiki
Kelp
Kombu
Nori
Sea moss
Spirulina
Wakame

Seaweed is an excellent source of nutrients like Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), copper, and many other vitamins and minerals. It’s also very low in calories⁸.

The nutritional profile will vary from one type of seaweed to another. For instance, kelp (a brown algae) is particularly high in iodine, while spirulina (a blue-green algae) is an excellent source of protein⁹.

Algae contains antioxidants and fibre that provide benefits to blood sugar balance, cardiovascular health, and weight loss.

Many seaweeds, like chlorella, spirulina, and kelp come in powder form that can be taken with water or added to a smoothie. Others, like arame and wakame, come whole and dried and need to be rehydrated before consuming in soups or salads.

I should give a word of caution with seaweed regarding potential contamination with heavy metals and other environmental toxins present in rivers and oceans. Obtain organic algae whenever possible to minimize exposure.

Although high iodine seaweeds, like kelp, kombu, and dulse, may be beneficial to the thyroid, you should be cautious. If you have a history of overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an autoimmune thyroid condition, consult first with a qualified health practitioner before adding these seaweeds to your diet.

5. Raspberry

Raspberry is a fruit harvested from the Rubus genus of plants in the rose family. The red raspberry is most commonly available, but black and purple varieties are also found.

Whatever colour, this small fruit is very impressive when we look at its nutrient content. A one cup serving of raspberries is loaded with fibre and contains more than half the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. Raspberry also contains a fair amount of manganese and smaller amounts of many other vitamins and minerals.

Raspberries contain a substantial number of antioxidants in addition to their Vitamin C, like quercetin, ellagic acid, and other polyphenols. These compounds reduce the damage to cells caused by oxidative stress, a process promoted by various toxins and even psychological stress.

In fact, A 2016 review of the research suggests that red raspberry consumption may protect against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and dementia, likely due to the reduction of oxidative stress¹⁰.

One of the best things about raspberries is their relatively low sugar content – a cup contains only 6.7 grams of “net carbs” (the total carbohydrate minus the fibre). This makes them particularly good for those struggling with blood sugar management issues, including diabetes and obesity.

Raspberries are easy to find at grocery stores and are a snap to prepare. Just open the package and pop them in your mouth! Alternatively, you can add them to yogurt or blend them into a smoothie.

What To Consider With Superfoods?

Keep in mind that there are many others that would be considered superfoods that didn’t quite make the list. These include anchovies, avocado, beets, bone broth, cacao, eggs, garlic, grass-fed beef, and lentils. So, don’t be shy to try different ones.

Although superfoods are an efficient way to get your nutrients, not every one of them will be for everyone.

If you have digestive problems with potential food allergies or sensitivities, be certain to check that you can tolerate the food before mowing it down. Even the most nutritious food is no good if you can’t digest it.

Some superfoods contain very high amounts of certain nutrients, like iodine in kelp and Vitamin A in liver. Overdoing it can sometimes cause more harm than good.

In concordance with common sense, consult with your qualified health practitioner if you are managing any health issues or taking medication and you’re considering significant changes to your diet.

Of course, eat the superfoods that you enjoy the most. If you can’t stand liver, try sardines. If you hate kale, cauliflower may work for you. Whatever you choose, get as much variety as you can.

By adding more superfoods into your routine, before you know it, you’ll have a super-diet!

Book An Appointment With Nardini Naturopathic

Are you interested in finding out which superfoods are best for you?

Or perhaps you’d like a review of your overall diet to see where you could be doing better.

Maybe you have food allergies or intolerances and worry you aren’t getting enough nutrients because of your restricted diet.

I’m Dr. Pat Nardini, a naturopathic doctor who offers nutritional counseling services to help ensure all of those gaps in your diet are filled, and that you’re getting enough of all the important nutrients which your body needs to function at its best.

Contact me today for more information, or book a free 15-minute consultation where I will help you understand how naturopathic medicine can help you.

If you have questions about naturopathic medicine, or you’d like to take your first step into the world of naturopathy, contact us at Nardini Naturopathic, and let’s book an appointment.

Yours in health,

Dr. Pat Nardini, Naturopathic Doctor

320 Danforth Ave suite 206,
Toronto, ON, M4K 1N8
-https://g.page/NardiniNaturopathicDanforth

Dr. Pat Nardini, ND is a licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine in Toronto, Ontario. He offers science based natural health solutions with a special focus on thyroid conditions.