5 Best Superfoods You’ve Never Heard Of

© Eat This, Not That!

It’s time to rethink how you feel about your weekly grocery shop—starting with the shop itself.   
Your local market may feel like a sterile, fluorescent migraine of marketing come-ons and disillusioned checkout teens—or, if you’re shopping at Whole Foods, an overwhelming bounty of overpriced organics. But imagine it instead as a vast frontier of hidden treasures and untold adventures, a place packed with new sights, flavors, and textures.
See, most big supermarkets are loaded with cool foods that you have never tried—exotic fruits from the Amazon, heirloom vegetables nurtured by family farmers, spices and herbs from Asia, ancient grains loved by civilizations long forgotten. Of course, there are plenty of Frankenfoods concocted by food marketers, but there are even more stalks and roots and vines that have been grown for centuries that deserve more attention.
The great thing about these 20 superfoods below is that they’re phenomenally nutrient-dense and nutrient-diverse, meaning they bring potent quantities of the vitamins and minerals we need every day. The next time you head to the store, find them and discover new flavors, unique sensations—and a healthier, happier you.

#1 Jicama

© Getty Images

Jicama (HE-kuh-muh) is a Central American root vegetable that looks like a potato or turnip but is juicy and slightly sweet.

Why it’s healthy: One cup contains just 49 calories and is loaded with 6 grams of fiber. It also packs a hefty dose of vitamin C. Find it in the produce sections of high-end supermarkets, like Whole Foods and Fresh Market.

How to eat it: You can slice it and eat it raw or boil it like a potato until soft.

#2 Kamut

© Provided by Eat This Not That

This cousin of durum wheat was once considered the food of pharaohs. It’s now embraced by mere mortals as an alternative to brown rice.

Why it’s healthy: Kamut has higher levels of vitamin E and heart-healthy fatty acids than most grains. It also has up to 40 percent more protein than wheat. Pick up kamut products at bobsredmill.com.

How to eat it: Boil it in water for up to an hour, until the grains are tender. Drain and toss with sautéed vegetables, a dash of soy sauce, and a squeeze of lemon.

#3 Pu-erh Tea

© Provided by Eat This Not That

A fermented Chinese tea with an earthy flavor, Pu-erh can literally shrink the size of your fat cells

Why it’s healthy: To discover the brew’s fat-crusading powers, Chinese researchers divided rats into five groups and fed them varying diets over a two month period. In addition to a control group, there was a group given a high-fat diet with no tea supplementation and three additional groups that were fed a high-fat diet with varying doses of pu-erh tea extract. The researchers found that the tea significantly lowered triglyceride concentrations (potentially dangerous fat found in the blood) and belly fat in the high-fat diet groups. It’s a natural fat-blaster, along with barberry, rooibos and white tea.

How to drink it: We love Pu-erh so much, we made it part of our brand new weight-loss plan, The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Diet and Cleanse! 

#4 Amaranth

Provided by Eat This Not That

Like quinoa, this nutrient packed seed is native to the Americas and was a staple of the Incan diet. The grain-like seeds have a mild, nutty taste.

Why it’s healthy: Gram for gram, few grains can compete with amaranth’s nutritional portfolio. It’s higher in fiber and protein than wheat and brown rice, it’s loaded with vitamins, and it’s been shown in studies to help lower blood pressure and harmful LDL cholesterol.

How to eat it: Amaranth cooks up just like rice, but it’s even more versatile. Toss it with grilled vegetables as a bed for chicken or steak, or with apples, almonds, and goat cheese for a serious salad.

#5 Sunflower Greens

© Provided by Eat This Not That

These crunchy, nutty-tasting sprouts arise when sunflower seeds are grown in soil for about a week.

Why they’re healthy: They contain much of the heart-healthy fat, fiber, and plant protein found in sunflower seeds, but with fewer calories. Locate the greens in your local farmers’ market or in the produce section of some higher-end grocery stores.

How to eat them: Wash the greens thoroughly, then drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt on them for a simple and crunchy side dish, salad, or bed for grilled chicken. They’re also great on sandwiches.

Source:msn.com