By: Tamara Jacobi

Looking to increase your energy levels? Check out these 5 superfoods that your kitchen can’t live without!  But first, here’s a quick intro to the wonderful world of superfoods. Labeling a food as a “superfood” is essentially a way of giving it a gold star for it’s nutritional qualities. Superfoods are “multitasking” foods, which means that they give your body a broad spectrum of essential nutrients that benefit your health in a variety of ways.   Superfoods often contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, probiotics and more! It’s also important to note that superfoods are foods in their natural state, which means that the food is unprocessed and has only one ingredient. These are truly the healthiest foods you can find! 

Here are my top 5 superfoods that I highly recommend including in your diet on a regular basis:

1. Kale is said to be one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. This complex carbohydrate will send your energy soaring! Kale’s powerful antioxidants will help you fight infection as well as support your liver with detoxification. You might be surprised to hear that kale is also high in iron, vitamin K, C and even calcium!  Kale can also be extremely tasty, toss it in your salad, or try my kale chips recipe here!

2. Eggs are one of favorite superfoods because they are nutritious, versatile, economical, and a great way to fill up on quality protein and healthy fats (be sure to look for natural, omega 3 eggs!).  This will keep your energy up and your tummy satisfied for many many hours. Eggs also contain over a dozen vitamins and minerals. You can enjoy eggs at any meal or you can even hard-boil them as a portable snack.

3. Sweet potatoes. For those of you with a sweet tooth, sweet potatoes should definitely be on your shopping list. These are a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth as well as give your energy a boost. Many Olympic athletes include sweet potatoes as part of their diet on a regular basis. It’s generally a good idea to substitute a baked sweet potato for a baked white potato.  Sweet potato is much higher in nutrition than a white potato: higher in vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

4. Berries pack an incredible amount of nutritional goodness into a small package.  Berries offer a quick, tasty and healthy source of energy. They’re also loaded with antioxidants, low in calories, and high in water and fiber, which will help you control blood sugar and keep you full longer.  Blueberries lead the pack because they are among the best source of antioxidants and are widely available.  Berries are very diverse, you  can add them to salads, cereals, baked good, yogurt and more!

5. Cinnamon. Yum! This healthy spice is from the brown bark of the cinnamon tree. A daily dose of cinnamon has been found to stabilize blood sugar levels, which will help you keep your energy high, as well as control cravings and keep your hunger at bay.  It’s easy to add cinnamon to smoothies, yoghurt, fruit, cereal, etc.

Adding more superfoods into your diet is a great way to begin nourishing your body completely! Ready to get your health back on track? Check out my free guide to start listening to your unique body.

Tamara Jacobi, Certified Health Coach

Tamara Jacobi is a certified health and nutrition coach who received her training at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is the founder of Jungle Girl Health, www.junglegirlhealth.com, offering health coaching over the phone to individuals who are ready to feel and look their best. By using whole foods for healing and lifestyle balancing techniques, Tamara helps people understand how to heal and nourish their bodies completely.

Tamara leads an adventurous and active lifestyle, dividing her time between the Colorado Rocky Mountains and the Mexican Pacific coastline.  In Mexico, she is the owner and manager of the Tailwind jungle lodge, a certified sustainable jungle lodge and adventure tour company just north of Puerto Vallarta, www.tailwindjunglelodge.com. Tamara also guides adventure tours for the Tailwind jungle lodge including sea kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and hiking. In her free time she spends as much time as possible playing outside. She is a passionate skier, road biker, trail runner and stand up paddle boarder.