4 Ancient Superfoods and their Timeless Benefits

Though the term “super food” has only been in circulation in recent years, the idea of super-nutritious and life giving foods have been around since the beginning of time. As a matter of fact, it’s likely that ancient man had a far better idea of what true superfoods are than what we gather as we wade through aisles of cans and boxes, seeking out those things that are in their most natural forms. Still, today anyone can compile a hefty superfoods list for the next shopping day.

Ancient Superfoods for Your Superfoods List

There are foods that have been around for centuries, even millennia. And many of these foods are just as good now as they were then. So which foods should be on your superfoods list? Here are some timeless superfoods that you should include in your diet today:

• Quinoa – You’ve likely heard of it because it’s experienced a growing resurgence in the past few years. But, quinoa has been around for ages. The Incas of South America refer to this food as chisaya mama, or the mother of all grains. It’s high in protein, calcium, and iron, and is very versatile. Cook with herbs and diced veggies or form with legumes and seasonings into veggie patties. Due to it’s high protein content, it is great to help makeup a high protein vegetarian diet, and can be used with natural remedies for hair loss and hair thinning.
• Spirulina – Spirulina is an algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is said to be one of the oldest life forms on earth and has been eaten as long ago as the 9^th century in the Kanem Empire of Chad. It’s good for your eyes, your skin, allergies, and stabilizing blood sugar.
• Sacha Inchi – This food is a little more obscure, but has been consumed in the Amazon jungle for ages. It’s considered a superfood of the ancient Incas and is reported to contain concentrated Omega-3 fats. It’s also rich in iodine, and vitamins A and E.
• Maca – Another ancient Incan superfood, Maca can be found in the mountains of Peru. It’s said to be an excellent all-natural energy source and also contains numerous plant sterols, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iodine.

And let’s not forget other amazing superfoods like turmeric, ginger, honey, garlic and much more. These are foods that fight cancer and protect you against countless diseases.

How can you prepare these foods? While quinoa is easy to find and super easy to cook, the others may be more of a challenge. Both spirulina and maca supplements can be found at most health food stores. Sacha Inchi can be found in an oil form and can be used as you would use olive oil on salads.

The ancients knew a thing or two about natural living, and their foods were the original superfoods you should add to your modern superfoods list.

Additional Sources:

Spirulina-Benefits-Health

The Huffington Post