Super foods 9 - Herbs and Spices

Renee McGregor (Dietitian, Author of ‘Training Food’) - Vibe Fitness nutrition expert

No matter who I am working with, elite, recreational or non-athletes, the key is to help them to tailor their nutritional intake to their training, lifestyle, family commitments and budget. Many of these so-called super foods on the market are costly; you need to eat an awful lot of kale to get the rich nutritional value that is quoted for health benefits. 

In my new book, Training Food” and in my daily practice I have introduced my list of “hero foods” for athletes. The list is by no means exhaustive but in my opinion these particular budget friendly hero foods are my top 10 and are a must on all athletes shopping lists.

Hero Food 9 – HERBS AND SPICES

Herbs and spices are a great way to make even the most basic dish a little more interesting and exciting in flavour; who wouldn’t prefer rosemary infused baked potato wedges over just potato wedges? Or how about the warming properties of ginger when blended with butternut squash for a hearty soup; and you really can’t beat the blend of lime, chilli and coriander to add zest and flavour to a stir-fry. 

However it is not just their ability to perk up meals that makes them so important to our daily diets. They are actually very potent and powerful anti-oxidants and a great way to ensure your immune system gets a boost.