7 Superfoods Dietitians Want You to Eat More Of

How often do you hear “eat your kale” or “stock up on salmon”? We know, we know! These foods are nutrition superstars, but what other gems await in the supermarket? So many! We’ve gathered six of these nutritious and delicious foods—with ideas for how to add them to your culinary repertoire.

Mushrooms

At just 15 calories per cup, you might be surprised by how much nutrition is packed into mushrooms. They’re rich in B vitamins, potassium, and vitamin D. They can still be a bit dirty when you buy them in the grocery store, so cleaning mushrooms properly is key as well as storing them the right way so they stay fresh and ready to eat.

• Replace one-fourth of the ground meat in chili, tacos, or Bolognese with finely chopped white button or cremini mushrooms. 
• Sauté sliced mushrooms in a hot skillet with olive oil until tender. Pile onto toast smeared with soft goat cheese. 
  

Fresh Herbs

Herbs are leafy greens, too, and have many of the same nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties. Soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, dill, and cilantro, can easily be added to any number of dishes. You can even grow your own; many herbs are easy to grow inside.

• Create a mint chocolate chip smoothie by adding a few sprigs of fresh mint to a chocolate protein smoothie.
• Chop a generous amount of fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, or dill to toss into a grain salad like tabbouleh.

Onions and Garlic

The plant family that includes onions, shallots, chives, leeks, scallions and garlic (which you can grow inside, too!) is called alliums, and they're a source of prebiotic fiber (which feeds the good gut bacteria).

• Slowly sauté several sliced onions and garlic cloves in a glug of olive oil until very tender
  to toss with pasta, add to sandwiches, or make crostini.
• Sauté thinly sliced leeks or shallots and add spinach and beaten eggs for a savory scramble.
  

Pomegranate

This fruit is an antioxidant powerhouse with so many benefits and now's the perfect time to add them to your daily rotation since they're in season from October to January. Pomegranates are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and anthocyanins, a compound that can help protect against inflammation. Don't be intimidated by the thought of cutting them and making a mess; it's fairly easy and the little arils inside (which are actually juice-filled sacs that contain seeds) add a sweet deliciousness to dishes.

• Make a salad of arugula, farro, pomegranate arils, walnuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette.
  
• Top a yogurt bowl with pomegranate arils and a sectioned mandarin orange. 
  

Fermented Vegetables

Fermenting not only extends the shelf life of vegetables, the process also produces gut-healthy bacteria, making fermented veggies a good source of probiotics. Regularly eating fermented foods can help combat inflammation. Look for “fermented,” “live cultures,” or “probiotic” on labels.

• Add fermented cabbage to sandwiches, tacos, or wraps.
  
• Brighten cheese platters with fermented green beans, carrots, or cauliflower.
  

Seeds

Chia, sunflower, sesame, flax, and pumpkin seeds are all good sources of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Chia seeds, for example, pack 9 grams of fiber in just 2½ Tbsp. Pumpkin seeds have more protein than any nut, and they're easy to roast.

• Make a trail mix of roasted sunflower seeds and shelled pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries,
  and mini dark chocolate chips. 
  
• Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of any seeds to your smoothie. The protein, healthy fats, and fiber will make it more satiating.
  

Sardines and Anchovies

Tinned fish are having a moment, and the claim to fame for these little fish is a high level of omega-3 fatty acids. Their portability makes them super-convenient for picnics (you can picnic in chilly weather too) and snacks. 

• Top avocado toast with sardines or anchovies, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice.
  
• Swap your cheese board for a tinned fish board with cans of sardines, anchovy-topped crostini, pickled veggies, and crackers.