Health

From Marmite to potato wedges – nine surprising and tasty superfoods to add to your cupboard


WHILE your favourite meal may be super satisfying, it doesn’t make it a superfood.

Yesterday we revealed how a recent survey found wishful-thinking Brits believed pizzas, fizzy drinks and curries to be highly nutritious.

 Research found some Brits thought fizzy drinks and pizzas were considered a superfood

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Research found some Brits thought fizzy drinks and pizzas were considered a superfoodCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The good news is it is not just the likes of kale and quinoa that pack a punch when it comes to healthy grub.

Nutritionist Amanda Ursell says: “There are foods that have great nutrient credentials that are often overlooked.”

Here, she reveals the surprising – and tasty – superfoods to add to your cupboards.

Marmite

 Marmite is packed with vitamin B12 which is essential for healthy nerves and blood cells

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Marmite is packed with vitamin B12 which is essential for healthy nerves and blood cellsCredit: Alamy

Love it or hate it, if you are following a vegan diet, Marmite is a must in your shopping trolley as it is fortified with vitamin B12.

While plant-based diets are full of other vitamins and minerals, they are generally lacking in B12, which is essential for healthy nerves and blood cells.

A teaspoon of Marmite gives you 0.4g of salt but there is now a reduced salt version.

Fruit jelly

 Fruity jelly an also help to lower bad cholesterol while boosting good cholesterol

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Fruity jelly an also help to lower bad cholesterol while boosting good cholesterolCredit: Alamy

It’s not just for kids. Make it with orange juice and a 150g serving of fruit jelly sees you tick off 75 per cent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

It is also a rich source of folate, which you need for healthy nerves.

Not only that, oranges and orange juice give us the super-nutrient hesperitin, which can help with your bone health and immune system.

Scientists in Italy say it can also help to lower bad cholesterol, while boosting good cholesterol, reduce inflammation and bring down blood pressure.

Potato wedges

These provide a sixth of your daily recommended fibre and more than a quarter of your vitamin C, which is vital for immunity and good skin.

A 150g serving has 283 calories, less than a portion of fries.

Rice pudding

A store cupboard staple, rice pudding is a rich source of copper and iodine, for healthy skin and metabolism, and bone-building calcium.

A 150g portion has 5g of protein, 2g of fat and just 128 calories.

Stilton

 The blue veins in Stilton help produce metabolites that boost your health

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The blue veins in Stilton help produce metabolites that boost your healthCredit: Alamy

You don’t need it to be Christmas for an excuse to get out the cheeseboard. And there’s even more reason to now that stilton is a superfood.

The bacteria Penicillium roqueforti, which creates the blue veins and characteristic flavour, produces metabolites that boost your health, according to scientists.

Lab tests revealed the compound andrastin produces anti-tumor molecules and mycophenolic acid, which is an anti-fungal super-nutrient.

But watch your serving size as it is high in fat and calories.

Stick with a sensible 30g wedge and you will have just 123 calories and 10.5g fat.

Baked beans

 Baked beans are high in fibre and packed with iron

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Baked beans are high in fibre and packed with ironCredit: Alamy

Beanz meanz . . . high in protein. A 200g serving – half a shop-bought can – has around 12g, about the same as you would find in an egg.

And just three heaped tablespoons of beans makes up one of your five-a-day.

They are also high in fibre, giving you a third of your 30g recommended daily intake, much of which is soluble, meaning it attracts water and makes you feel fuller for longer. So less temptation to snack between meals.

Baked beans are packed with iron, with 200g giving you more than a 4oz grilled steak.

Another benefit is they are super cheap.

Pickled eggs

 The white of a pickled egg contains 4g of protein and are rich in vitamin D

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The white of a pickled egg contains 4g of protein and are rich in vitamin DCredit: Alamy

These are simply hard-boiled eggs that have been preserved in distilled vinegar once cooled.

The white of each pickled egg contains 4g of protein, just half of what a 250ml serving of milk contains.
The vinegar they are pickled in helps to slow down digestion of the meal you have them with.

Not only are they filling, the eggs are rich in vitamin D, needed to absorb calcium for strong bones, B12 for healthy nerves, iodine for a good metabolism and selenium for immunity.

All this goodness is packed into less than 80 calories per egg.

Coleslaw

Chop up a bunch of cabbage, onion and carrot and combine with low-fat mayonnaise for a coleslaw full of antioxidant ­carotenes and sulphur-based super nutrients.

Eat 80g for one of your five-a-day.

Ravioli

Filling ravioli in a tomato sauce is rich in antioxidant lycopene, linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

It boasts iron and has just 160 calories in a 200g serving, with 3g fat and 5g protein.

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