Superfoods

What are superfoods?

If we can watch superhero stories in the cinema, we can gain superpowers at the table. The possibility of gaining these same superpowers depends on the ingestion of certain foods that we can call superfoods.

But what are these superfoods, then?

We are talking about foods that contain precious nutritional properties, with different superpowers, such as protection, anti-inflammation, strengthening, purification or recovery.

This concept, superfoods, aims to encompass all foods that have a high nutritional density, with various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, antioxidants and/or phytonutrients, that is, nutrients of plant origin. These nutrients are beneficial for, for example, hair growth, skin regeneration, reduction of glucose, stress, fatigue, protection of brain health, regulation of the hormonal system or even reduction of “bad” cholesterol. In other words, introducing these superfoods into our daily diet can improve our well-being in general.

At Equal Food, we want to offer our customers the best possible food. We defend the importance of a balanced diet for our health. At the same time, we reiterate our values ​​associated with sustainability, the fight against food waste, and regional products. We want to offer you a healthy diet through regional and seasonal products grown by our farmers. There are several superfoods that you can find in our baskets, such as avocados, blueberries, spinach, almonds and sweet potatoes! All of our superfoods are included during their season, in order to respect the seasonality of the food. For example, avocados are part of our baskets when they are in season from December to April.

We therefore offer you a healthy, sustainable and convenient solution.

But let's now look in more detail at each of the three main properties and the different types of foods associated with each.

1. The antioxidant power

Our body is under constant stress in a fight against free radicals. These free radicals are compounds that can cause damage if they reach very high levels in our body. They are linked to various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems and cancer.

Our body is made up of antioxidant defenses whose function is to maintain our chemical composition, in relation to free radicals, in a balanced state.

A balanced state is important, as these free radicals are also important for health as long as they do not exceed the antioxidants. There are several factors that can promote the excessive formation of free radicals, such as air pollution, cigarette smoking, alcohol or toxin intake, among others. Antioxidants neutralize excess free radicals.

Although we have this natural defense, it is possible to find the power of antioxidants in various foods, such as fruits, vegetables and other foods of plant origin. Several vitamins such as vitamins E and C are part of a list of antioxidants that are important for maintaining a healthy body.

Some examples of fruits in our baskets with these properties are raspberries, blueberries, oranges, clementines and strawberries. If you want to read more about our blueberries, you can do so here . Among our vegetables, you can also find antioxidant powers in spinach, lemons, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. Our almonds are also rich in antioxidants.

2. The magic of unsaturated fats

Fats serve different purposes, but for now, let's focus on unsaturated fats and how they differ from saturated fats.

Saturated fats are the fats we know best. They store energy in our bodies, help keep us warm, and provide insulation and protection for our organs. However, too much of this fat can cause excess weight and eventually obesity. Too much saturated fat in our belly can also lead to a higher risk of heart disease or diabetes.

This is why unsaturated fats are important. This type of fat increases the level of lipoproteins in the blood, the so-called “good cholesterol” or HDL. These substances reduce the chances of fat accumulating and clogging blood vessels. Unsaturated fats are also associated with reducing the levels of triglycerides and “bad cholesterol” (or LDL) in the blood. Therefore, the consumption of unsaturated fats helps prevent problems such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

Unsaturated fats can be beneficial to health and can be found mainly in foods of plant origin such as olive oil, soybean or sunflower oil, chestnuts, walnuts, flaxseed and chia. This type of fat is also present in foods of animal origin, mainly in fish, mainly those from cold water such as salmon, tuna or trout. Some examples of products in our baskets that are very rich in unsaturated fats are almonds and avocados.

3. The talent of fibers

Fiber is one of the most important substances ingested with superfoods. It is a non-digestible carbohydrate that can benefit our digestion and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. These benefits are provided by a very important intermediary: the millions of bacteria that live in our intestines and are part of our digestive system.

There are several types of dietary fiber, but we can distinguish two different categories, depending on the amount of water present in them. Soluble fibers, which are found mainly in fruits, legumes, oats and rye. These fibers dissolve in water and are metabolized by the good bacteria in our intestines. Insoluble fibers are found mainly in vegetables, whole grains and derivatives. They have a more pronounced effect on the large intestine.

The effects of fiber vary depending on the type of fiber we are talking about. However, it is always advisable to drink a lot of water when eating foods with fiber. We highlight the different effects that fiber can have on our body: increased satiety, reduced cholesterol levels in our bloodstream, regulation of intestinal transit and reinforcement of the protective bacterial activity in our intestinal flora.

It is recommended to consume between 25g and 30g of fiber per day, which can be found in a variety of foods such as oats, chia seeds and wheat bran. In addition to these, there are several fiber-rich superfoods in our baskets: avocados, watercress, apples, lettuce and cabbage.

Now that you know more about superfoods and their properties, you also need to bear in mind that these foods cannot combat the culprits of fatigue or illness on their own. You need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, including regular water intake and a healthy diet, combined with physical exercise.

You can find recipes on our page that can give you ideas on how to use the food from our Equal Food baskets in a healthy way. We have savory recipes likeVegetable Skewers or sweet ones like Vegan Pumpkin Cookies .

Our baskets contain a variety of superfoods that you can always purchase, depending on the basket that suits you best, as you can find here . The foods in the baskets are seasonal, and depending on the season, you can find different products. For example, you can find raspberries and avocados in the Standard Fruit and Vegetable Basket or just avocados in the Basic Fruit and Vegetable Basket .

It is also true that superfoods can often be expensive, however, at Equal Food we work with quality products that would otherwise be wasted. This way we maintain quality at a low price, and help you maintain a healthy and affordable diet.

Don't hold back from eating well and healthily. Give in to the superpowers of food with Equal Food. Become a superhero at the table.