• What is a superfood?
• Garlic
• Beetroot
• Brussels sprouts
• Italian nuts
• millet groats

The trend for healthy lifestyles, superfoods, and organic products is evolving rapidly these days. It's sometimes hard to keep up with it. If you think you're missing out by not eating oatmeal with chia seeds and hemp milk for breakfast, you're sorely mistaken! Take a look in your kitchen and you'll find Polish superfoods there.

What is a superfood?

Superfoods are natural products rich in vitamins and minerals. They are characterized by, among other things, exceptionally positive health properties. These are usually exotic, strange-sounding products like goji berries, acai, or wakame algae. There's no denying their excellent health benefits. And if you're up for it, try them out and experiment.

But if you're hesitant, start with our Polish superfood. It's more than likely that at least some of the products on the following list are in your kitchen. Or are there from time to time. Cheers!

Garlic

What would modern cuisine be without garlic ? Added in small amounts, it adds a unique flavor to dishes. We also love it in the main role, for example, in garlic sauce. However, it's not the flavor that puts it at the top of Polish superfoods.

Garlic's ability to boost immunity is widely known. And that's just the beginning of its healing properties. It also has a positive effect on the heart and nervous system, reduces the risk of high blood pressure, and improves circulation. It has antioxidant properties (fights free radicals that contribute to many diseases) and lowers levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. Garlic can also have a positive effect on the appearance of our skin and speed up metabolism.

Beetroot

One of the most commonly served beetroot dishes in Poland is the traditional beetroot with wood chips. While such a combination may be delicious, it's difficult to classify them as superfoods. First, the ground beetroot is often bathed in fat, and second, the beets were most likely boiled first.

Remember to take advantage of all the benefits of beetroot , bake it in the oven, in its skin. Otherwise, you'll lose all the micro- and macronutrients along with the water.

And what wonderful properties do beets have? They deacidify the body and have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system. Due to their anthocyanin content, they protect against some types of cancer and lower blood pressure and "bad" cholesterol. They are especially recommended for women going through menopause, as well as for pregnant women and those suffering from anemia.

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts don't evoke positive associations for many people. However, it's worth demystifying them, just like the recently fashionable spinach. Both are very different from the vegetables we remember from kindergarten. When prepared correctly, they can be very delicious.

Brussels sprouts, a vitamin and mineral mine, are a vegetable for eternal youth. Thanks to their antioxidant and B vitamin content, they have a wonderful effect on skin, hair, and nails. They contain twice as much vitamin C as lemon, thus perfectly boosting immunity. Vitamin A, which is abundant in Brussels sprouts, has a positive effect on eyesight. Also worth mentioning is vitamin K, which improves blood clotting and strengthens bones. The macronutrients contained in these little green heads also regulate blood pressure and promote peristalsis.

Italian nuts

Nuts are healthy – we all know that. Walnuts are among the healthiest. This is due to the balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids they contain . We need both, but most of the foods we eat contain the overwhelming benefit of omega-6. This makes superfoods, in which omega-3 naturally predominates, all the more valuable.

Why is it so important? Because the right proportion of fatty acids lowers "bad" cholesterol and increases "good" cholesterol, thus preventing arteriosclerosis.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also important in cancer prevention, keep our nervous system in check and support learning processes.

millet groats

Not quinoa, bulgur, or other exotic super-groats. Among Polish superfoods is traditional millet , which has been eaten for generations. Delicious and recently, trendy, too. And that's a good thing, because thanks to it, we can find tons of recipes online featuring millet. Salty and sweet, to suit your tastes and needs.

Its most important properties are its immune-boosting properties and its ability to warm the body. It contains rare silicon, which has beneficial effects on our bones and joints. It's also easily digestible, gluten-free, and deacidifies the body. Other benefits include B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants. What more could you want?