10 Superfoods to help boost your health during the pandemic

Staying inside our homes may help us shield from the dangers of the pandemic, but many of us have overloaded our guts with toxins in recent months, swapping the superfoods for Super Noodles, the blueberries for the biscuits and the chia seeds for the Cheetos.

Our food choices affect our immune systems, and nutritionists have seen many of us shift our eating habits as a result of working from home. Small habit changes could be having a harmful effect on our mood and health.

“One of the things we need to focus on is not skipping meals, this is easy to do without structured breaks at home,” says London-based nutritionist Lily Soutter.

These don’t have to be faddy. We can do without powdered milkshakes and health food subscriptions, and these disease-fighting food wonders sit on the shelves of every good supermarket in Britain.

Read on for the 10 best superfoods to add to your shopping basket and boost your immune system, energy levels and mood this season…

1. Don’t skip carbs

It’s becoming more and more popular to ditch this whole food group, but don’t. “The idea that 'carbs are bad’ has left many people confused about carbohydrates and their importance for our health,” states the NHS, “it's the type, quality and quantity of carbohydrate in our diet that's important.” 

Very low carb diets could affect mood. Whole grains are the answer. Foods such as brown bread, brown pasta, brown rice, and quinoa are full of rich slow-release carbohydrates. “First of all they’re a source of energy, but all carbohydrates break down into sugar,” says nutritionist Soutter, “our body’s primary food source is sugar, and our brains run on sugar to function.” 

The brain uses as much as 20 per cent of all energy required by the body, so we need to drip-feed sugar to fuel the brain. “This can help with concentration,” says Soutter. People starting the day with a bowl of oats in the morning will see a steady energy release to the brain, which is good for cognition. “Those carbohydrates can also have an effect on mood,” says Soutter, “they play a role with serotonin production.”

2. Get a little bit fishy

To get a rich intake of omega-3 fats, government guidelines state that we should be consuming “at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish”.  Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies and sardines are great sources omega-3 and easy to find in the shop. But don’t fry them, says the NHS: “Fish that is steamed, baked or grilled is a healthier choice than fried fish.”

Soutter explains that 60 per cent of the brain is fat and we need to nourish the brain with these omega-3 fats, “omega-3 lines every single cell membrane, they have many different functions in the body – from mood and concentration. They also have anti-inflammatory effects.” 

3. Adopt a bit of veganism

Chia, flax and walnuts are all plant-based sources of omega-3 and are important substitutes for those on plant-based diets. “Our ability to convert omega-3 from seeds and nuts into the active form you find in oily fish isn’t very efficient,” says Soutter, “so vegetarians or vegans should consume them on a daily basis.” Whether you’re vegan or not, chia or flaxseed oils can be used as tasty and beneficial salad dressings.

4. Be berry good to yourself

Frozen or fresh berries are both good and super-rich in flavonoids – the plant chemicals that give the vibrant colour to berries. “It’s thought that flavonoids offer benefits to the brain and cognition and mood,” says Soutter, “there’s really promising research around this. It’s always a plus point having them in your diet.” 

They are also very rich in vitamin C, which, of course, supports immunity, and is needed for fighting off winter germs. Grab a big handful as a measure of a portion size, for example “9 to 10 blackberries” says the NHS.

5. Follow your gut

Fermented foods like natural yoghurt or kefir are filled with live bacteria, which can support health. “Around 70 per cent of our immune system lies within the gut,” explains Soutter. “It’s not to say that having yoghurt is suddenly going to support immune function, but there’s interesting research coming out about our gut microbiota. It looks at the fact gut bacteria can communicate with immune cells.” 

Sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha are also sources of fermented foods, and perform similar functions, but yoghurt has a high concentration of bacteria, plus calcium and protein, and it’s cheap and easily accessible.

6. You must be yolking

Egg yolks are a great source of vitamin D, so no matter the latest egg-white omelette fad, we want to make sure we don’t throw the yolk away. The yolk is super rich in fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D and anti oxidants. 

“With vitamin D we have to supplement because it’s impossible to get enough vitamin D from diet alone,” says Soutter, “but eggs are a rich source of it. Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system and is very important for muscle-skeletal health.” 

It’s also a superb protein source, which is good for toning up. “Egg does have cholesterol but it doesn’t correlate with increased blood cholesterol,” says Soutter. It's also best to “cook them without adding salt or fat,” says the NHS. Around two eggs a day is absolutely fine for a healthy balanced diet, advises Soutter.

7. Chase the rainbow

For every meal try and get as many natural colours in it as you can. Think mixed fruit and vegetables or “rainbow veg”.

“The reason for this is that every colour in a plant has different chemicals, and those plant chemicals have different functions in the body, particularly in the gut bacteria,” says Soutter. “The more diversity in terms of fruits and vegetables on our plate the more diverse our gut microbiota.” And, as mentioned above, the more robust and a healthier our gut microbiota, the better our immune function.

8. Get oiled up

Drizzle olive oil, rapeseed oil and coconut oil on salads and foods you’ve cooked for a hit of monounsaturated fat, which is good for heart health. These oils are a source of vitamin E, which is good for heart health and supports skin health. 

Harvard Medical School states that “olive oil, regardless of type, is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, containing about 75 per cent by volume. When substituted for saturated fat, monounsaturated fats help lower your 'bad’ LDL cholesterol. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil add benefits beyond cholesterol lowering.”

Don’t use extra virgin olive oil when cooking though, advises Soutter, use avocado oil, instead. “The latter has a very very high smoke point, the temperature at which an oil will burn when you cook with it. If oil burns it becomes rancid and unhealthier.” Avocado oil is also full of monounsaturated fats – and good for heart health.

9. Do the can-can

A byproduct of the pandemic, it seems, a lot of people have got canned tomatoes in the house at the moment. There’s a fear or snobbery around canned goods, but actually, canned toms are very rich in lycopene, which provides the colour of the fruit, and has antioxidant properties in abundance. 

“Lycopene has potential benefits on things like cardiovascular health,” says Soutter. There’s usually more lycopene in can of tomatoes than a pack of fresh tomatoes.

10. Eat your liquid

According to the NHS, we should “drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 to 8 glasses a day)”. But working from home has changed our habits, many of us have fewer obvious cues for breaks throughout our day, and no colleagues to ask if you want a cup of tea. 

“I find that a lot of my clients forget to drink water throughout the day,” says Soutter. “It’s something that we don’t often put emphasis on, if we are working from home and are dehydrated it can impact our mood and our memories.” 

When you eat, focus on picking rehydrating fruit and vegetables, like cucumbers and watermelon, which will add H2O without you even noticing.