There are always those foods you walk straight past in the supermarket – the weird, wonky, alien-looking fruit and veg you have no idea what to do with.
But what if you were steering your trolley past the healthiest foods in the whole store? You might be missing out on a whole host of health benefits, not to mention flavours!
1. Watercress.
Are you ignoring the healthiest food in the entire world? Yep, a major study by the U.S. national public health institute found that watercress achieves a perfect nutritional score of 100, ranking first over every other fruit and vegetable.
Not sure what to do with watercress? We love it drizzled in olive oil for an invigorating salad or blended into soup for a potent hit of nutrients.
Watercress, Leek + Coconut Soup
2. Beet greens.
In the same study, beet greens ranked fourth. So, if you’re throwing them away when you cook your beets, you’re seriously missing out on a bunch of essential vitamins and minerals.
Beet greens are very tough, so we recommend steaming or sautéeing them to make the fibres easier on your gut.
3. Jerusalem artichokes.
Jerusalem artichokes are the ugly, knobbly cousin of the kind you put on pizza. We love them for their high levels of inulin, a starchy fibre which feeds the good bacteria in your gut, as well as adding bulk to stools and promoting regularity.
We find that roasting Jerusalem artichokes brings out their nutty flavour best. But be warned – if you have irritable bowel syndrome, FODMAPs intolerance or a sensitive gut, be mindful of this sometimes gassy veg.
Jerusalem Artichoke with Farro and Hazelnut Salad
4. Brazil nuts.
Just two Brazil nuts a day gives you your daily recommended dose of selenium, an important nutrient for promoting thyroid health. Selenium also helps regenerate glutathione, “the most potent antioxidant in the body,” says our food and recipes manager and in-house nutritionist Meg.
Selenium can be toxic if consumed in huge amounts, so we’re not going to use Brazil nuts to make a pie crust. Just a couple of nuts a day is plenty.
5. Micro sprouts.
Perhaps you’ve walked past micro sprouts (or microgreens) in the supermarket and thought, “why would I want a smaller version of my favourite vegetables?”. Sure, they’re kind of hipster, but give them a chance!
The USDA Agricultural Research Service finds that micro sprouts contain about five times more vitamins and carotenoids than their mature counterparts. More bang for your buck!
Micro sprouts are quite potent in flavour, too, so we love to use them like fresh herbs and sprinkle over everything that needs an extra kick.
6. Okra.
With its pentagonal shape, tiny hairs and tendency to turn to slime when cooked, okra is one weird veg. But don’t let that turn you off. Not only is okra high in calcium, it also contains high amounts of mucilage (the goo) which soothes digestive tracts.
To prevent slime city, we like to coat okra in flour or crumbs and shallow fry it until crispy. Yum!
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