20 January 2016

Ancient Roots with Modern Benefits – Steenbergs’ Top 10 Superfoods Selection

• baobab,
• bee pollen,
• chia,
• chlorella,
• healthy,
• maca,
• matcha tea,
• moringa,
• spirulina,
• superfoods,
• turmeric,
• white tea

With Gwyneth Paltrow extolling the virtues of Matcha Tea and Victoria Beckham tweeting about the benefits of Bee Pollen, superfoods have never been more on trend.  Now through partnerships with like-minded artisan producers, Steenbergs offers a full complement of powders, seeds and teas to boost the body and get you set for 2016.

Greens Organic Smoothie with Bee Pollen

With the rise in popularity of smoothies and juices as foods on the go, as well as the increase in vegan and special dietary regimes, there is now, more than ever, a need to make sure that our bodies are getting enough of the right minerals, vitamins and proteins. Superfoods, especially in powder or seed form, are a quick and easy way of adding those much-needed nutrients.

Greens Organic owners Morris & Nicky, who have been vegetarian for most of their lives, take superfoods to boost the vitamins and minerals in their diet.  “All the superfoods we stock we take ourselves, so we know each of the products inside out...and our favourite has always been the Spanish organic bee pollen.”

Axel, who set up Steenbergs in 2003 with his wife Sophie, drink a cup of matcha tea to kick start the day and often make a turmeric tea to ward off colds.  Axel also uses maca and baobab to boost his morning smoothies. “The baobab has an unusual tart tropical flavour which is delicious when blended with other fruits.”

Here are Axel’s current Top 10 favourite superfoods:

1. Chlorella - a blue-green algae that has the highest content of chlorophyll of any food on the planet! Chlorella is an easy way to get your 'Super Green' boost each day.

Greens Organic organic Chlorella Powder: £18.99 for 250g

2. Bee Pollen - Greens Organic organic bee pollen comes from the unspoilt mountainous regions of north western Spain, using natural, organic bee-keeping methods to ensure the health of the bees and the purity of their pollen. Organic bee pollen contains high amounts of Vitamin B1, which contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.

Greens Organic Raw Bee Pollen: £13.99 for 250g

3. Spirulina - a blue-green algae that’s over 3 billion years old, and one of the most nutritious superfoods on the planet.

Naturya organic Spirulina Powder: £11.99 for 200g

4. Moringa – made from the naturally dried leaf of the moringa tree (or Miracle Tree), Moringa is a rich source of plant protein and is high in 10 essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus -all of which are great for normal energy release.

Aduna organic Moringa Powder: £7.99 for 100g

5. Chia - Chia seeds are an ancient South American superfood. Their very subtle nutty taste allows you to add them to absolutely anything that you eat or drink - helping to boost your nutritional, antioxidants and Omega 3 intake. Sprinkle Chia seeds on salads, cereals, yogurt, even soup, or add a sprinkling in your baking - great in bread, cakes, cookies and biscuits.

Raw Chia Seeds: £6.99 for 230g

6. Baobab – Organic Baobab fruit pulp and seed powder is harvested from the inside of the coconut-like fruit of the mythical African Baobab tree. This fine powder is full of essential nutrients and packed with vitamins & minerals. It has an exceptionally high level of fibre (45g), and recent research has shown that baobab has a very high antioxidant level. It’s delicious as a flavouring in smoothies, yoghurts, cereals and even jam.

Of The Earth Superfoods Raw Organic Baobab: £9.99 for 150g

7. Maca - is a source of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc and iron which all contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Add to baking for a smooth malty flavour, or smoothies for a tangy taste of Peru. Enjoy as a part of a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.

Naturya Organic Maca Root Powder: £19.99 for 300g

8. Turmeric – Used in Chinese and Indian medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to reduce infection, turmeric is high in anti-oxidants. Grown as an annual, it looks similar to ginger and galangal, with the powdered organic Fairtrade turmeric being a bright yellow with a distinct earthy aroma and a pleasing, sharp, bitter, spicy and lingering depth of flavour. Steenbergs Organic Fairtrade Turmeric comes from an organic and Fairtrade co-operative in the Kandy region of Sri Lanka.

Steenbergs organic Fairtrade Turmeric: £2.60 for 40g; www.steenbergs.co.uk

9. Matcha Tea – Steenbergs Organic Matcha Tea is highly regarded for its health properties due to its relatively high levels of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and nutrients. Grown in the Nishio area of Japan, where Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and the Japanese Imperial Family have drunk it for hundreds of years, the leaves are grown in a way that produces extra amounts of chlorphyll and natural amino acids and are then ground down to a bright green fine powder.

Steenbergs organic Matcha Tea: £16.75 for 30g; www.steenbergs.co.uk

10. Organic White Tea –although harvested from the same plant, white tea has higher anti-oxidant levels and less caffeine than green tea, due to minimal processing, helping to promote overall health and wellbeing. Steenbergs Organic White Tea is an Organic Bai Mu Dan - literally White Peony - an organic white tea from the Fujian Province of China.

Steenbergs organic White Tea: £5.65 for 50g; www.steenbergs.co.uk

All products listed above are available at www.steenbergs.co.uk.  To view the full range of health boosting superfoods available at Steenbergs, please visit: https://steenbergs.co.uk/subcategory/139/smoothie-and-juice-ingredients.

We wish you a healthy and energy-filled 2016!