7 Super Foods To Try This Spring

These super foods are not only in season right now, they’re also delicious and packed full of nutrients. Try them out as part of your spring diet now and we guarantee everyone will be asking what your secret is before the month is out!

1. Kelp – This sea vegetable has been consumed by the Japanese for years and contains over 46 minerals and 11 different vitamins. Kelp is also an alkaline food that can help maintain a healthy pH balance in the body and aid weight loss. Serve it up in a soup, nab a wakame salad or whip it into a stir-fry for an all round body boost!
2. Plums – As well as being packed full of liberal amounts of potassium, Vitamin A and iron, plums are also a great source of fibre which aids digestion. Plums are great snacks before a work out – they contain citric acid that can prevent tiredness and muscle cramps.
3. Aloe – Not only useful in soothing sunburns and cuts, aloe also contains 75 healing compounds including Vitamins A, C, E, selenium, enzymes, sterols and lignins. Try out an aloe smoothie (you can buy it powdered or bottled) for a seriously effective vitamin boost.
4. Sea Buckthorn – Although this orange berry may look tiny, sea buckthorn contains as much Vitamin C in one berry as eight oranges. It also contains the Omega 3, 6, 7 and 9 fatty acids that play a crucial role in brain function, promote clear skin and can boost your metabolism. Sea Buckthorn is widely available; it’s in jams, jellies, muffins and juices (to name but a few), so you have no excuse not to test it out!
5. Arugula (aka Rocket) – This peppery, leafy green contains compounds called glucosinolates that may help protect the body from cancer. Arugula contains very high levels of iron and is a good vegetarian iron source. If you’re using arugula to boost iron consumption, pair it with some orange juice to help your body absorb the plant-based iron.
6. Rhubarb – Even though the leaves are poisonous in big quantities, the stalks of the rhubarb plant are a great source of calcium and very high fiber (they’re also a purgative). It’s also packed full of vitamins C & D. ?Due to their tart taste, rhubarb is typically used in desserts and jams with sugar to counterbalance the sourness. Cut down on the sugar and eat it in a yogurt for a breakfast twist!
7. Kombucha – A probiotic tea that is naturally rich in friendly probiotics, antioxidants and nutrients. Kombucha is an alternative to fizzy drinks/coffees – it aids digestion and boosts the immune system. The most popular benefit of kombucha is that it helps the liver detoxify by breaking down stagnation and toxins in the body. Swap your coffee for kombucha and see the difference!

If you have cleansing food and nutritious diets on the brain then be sure to visit Frank Armstrong’s Spring Clean Food Workshop. For more information and bookings click here.?

And if you want to catch some of that local, Stonybatter-produced kombucha see here?Dublin Kombucha?or find it in selected shops and restaurants across Dublin.

Megan Daly?@__MissMeg__