Go goji. The little berry with big bursts of vitamins, protein and antioxidants is one of the new culinary buzz words. Why? It's good for you. Actually, according to research giant Euromonitor International and the health trend-spotter Natural Marketing Institute, it's great for you. Easy-eating, too. Pop goji berries into your mouth for a mid-afternoon snack or add them to smoothies or salads. Work flaxseeds into your diet, along with acai, mangosteen, amino acids, black rice and black sesame, and you'll be pumping up the volume of antioxidants, cancer-fighters and cholesterol-reducers fortifying your body, according to Specialty Food magazine. We found the following items at Whole Foods, Route 35, Middletown; a walk through many local natural-foods markets or better-stocked supermarkets will yield you myriad incarnations of the new superfoods.
1) ACAI. Pronounced uh-SAH-ee. It's a little berry from South America with a very high concentration of antioxidants, fiber and amino acids. Its juice is reddish-purple, with a mild berry flavor. Mix with other juices, balance out with tea, stir into smoothies, shakes and yogurt. This quart bottle of Lakewood Organic Acai Amazon Berry retails for about $3.99.
2) MANGOSTEEN. From Southeast Asia, notably Thailand. Find this tropical fruit in juices, fresh, pureed, as an extract. It's high in antioxidants and is said to contain antitumor, antifungal and antibacterial properties. It's a bit citrusy, mild and sweet in a very subtle way. It's pricey: A quart of Lakewood Mangosteen costs about $15.99.
3) SUPER FRUIT SPREAD. Here's another way to catch some acai, in this organic spread from Crofter's. Search supermarkets and health-food stores and you'll find the new superfoods, empowering ordinary foods such as jams and jellies, sorbets and yogurts, even sodas. Crofter's 10-ounce jar of spread sells for about $3.19.
4) BLACK RICE. Those on gluten-free diets flock to the "black foods" of Asia. Black rice, slightly sticky and extremely aromatic, is packed with iron and holds true to its whole-grain status in the nutrition department. Use in pilafs and stir-fries or chill and use in salads with veggies and dried fruits. Lotus Foods' Forbidden Black Rice retails for about $4.39 a 15-ounce bag.
5) AMINO ACIDS. Eating foods rich in amino acids helps to form protein that builds muscles and bones and aids in organ functions. While you can find amino acids in specific foods, Bragg Liquid Aminos is an all-purpose seasoning with 16 essential amino acids that can be added to salad dressings, to stir-fries, to all manner of casseroles ? and even sprayed on popcorn. A 6-ounce jar is $2.99.
6) BLACK SESAME. With cholesterol-lowering properties, this wheat-free protein from Asia, Central and South America, and Mexico also is a taste treat. Black sesame seeds are naturally smoky and add spirit to simple rice crackers, such as these from San J. A 3.7-ounce package costs $3.39.
7) GOJI BERRIES. Way high in Vitamin C, with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this berry hails from the Himalayas. It contains the trace mineral germanium, which is a big anti-cancer mineral and tough to find in foods. Dried gojis are popular snacks; they're mildly tangy, a tad tart. Flavor Tree's 8-ounce bag retails for $7.99.
8) FLAXSEED. Rich in plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids, this seed has cholesterol-lowering properties and is a popular player in the heart-health arena. Fiber? Yup. Use flaxseeds in hot and cold cereals, bake into muffins and breads, sprinkle in pancake batter. Buy them in bulk form for about $1.79 a pound.
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donderdag 29 november 2007
woensdag 28 november 2007
Wolfberries are getting more and more popular
Huge rise' in superfood sales 9 juni 2007
Spinach sales have risen by 31% since 2005, research shows There has been a dramatic rise in sales of nutrient-rich "superfoods" as more people learn of their health benefits, new research suggests.
The products which have soared in popularity include spinach, salmon and soy according to data collected by market analyst AC Nielsen.
Blueberries enjoyed the biggest surge in popularity, the figures showed - up 132% in the last two years.
Better marketing by retailers was thought to have caused the upturn.
The research showed that Britons spent £95m on blueberries - renowned for their anti-aging properties - in the past two years.
'Value for money'
Nielsen business insight director Jonathan Banks said major retailers were spending more on marketing such foods, resulting in greater awareness of their health benefits.
"Blueberries contain antioxidants which help with circulation, keeping the heart healthy and maintaining youthful-looking skin.
"These are all important to today's health and youth-conscious consumer," he said.
He added that many shoppers saw superfoods as value for money.
SUPERFOODS
Blueberries: Sales up 132% in the past two years
Spinach: Sales up 31% since 2005 to a total of £42m in the past year
Salmon: Sales up 31% in two years to a £450m spend in the past year
Green tea: Sales up 45% with more than £16m spent in the past two years
Soy: Up 50% since 2005 to a spend of £70m in the past year
"What's going on at the moment for shoppers is that food and drink has never really been better value for money than it is now," he said.
"So if you are faced with the choice of spending £1.30 on something instead of £1, that extra 30p for that extra quality, that extra freshness, those extra benefits, might be something you could quite easily do."
Spinach sales rose to £42m in the past year - up from £32m in the year from May 2005.
Over the same period salmon sales increased 31% to reach £450m.
Other superfoods which have seen sales rise include shelled walnuts - up 30% in the last two years - and fresh beans, which rose 13% over the same period.
Sex drive
Green tea sales rose by 45% to more than £16m in the past two years.
Soy also performed well, with annual sales of non-dairy soy drinks rising 50% since May 2005 to more than £70m.
So-called "superfoods" are those which have a high nutritional value. There is no definitive list but the most commonly cited such foods are blueberries, broccoli, spinach and green tea.
It is claimed that superfoods can maintain young-looking skin and protect against cancer and heart disease.
Other superfoods include watercress, mangoes, oats, oranges, pumpkin, turkey and yoghurt.
Another food to emerge is the Tibetan goji berry - said to boost energy levels and even enhance sex drive - which Tesco started selling last September.
Nielsen's sales data is taken from its Scantrack service, which monitors checkout scanners at supermarkets and convenience stores in more than 74,000 outlets nationwide
http://www.gojibes.nl
Spinach sales have risen by 31% since 2005, research shows There has been a dramatic rise in sales of nutrient-rich "superfoods" as more people learn of their health benefits, new research suggests.
The products which have soared in popularity include spinach, salmon and soy according to data collected by market analyst AC Nielsen.
Blueberries enjoyed the biggest surge in popularity, the figures showed - up 132% in the last two years.
Better marketing by retailers was thought to have caused the upturn.
The research showed that Britons spent £95m on blueberries - renowned for their anti-aging properties - in the past two years.
'Value for money'
Nielsen business insight director Jonathan Banks said major retailers were spending more on marketing such foods, resulting in greater awareness of their health benefits.
"Blueberries contain antioxidants which help with circulation, keeping the heart healthy and maintaining youthful-looking skin.
"These are all important to today's health and youth-conscious consumer," he said.
He added that many shoppers saw superfoods as value for money.
SUPERFOODS
Blueberries: Sales up 132% in the past two years
Spinach: Sales up 31% since 2005 to a total of £42m in the past year
Salmon: Sales up 31% in two years to a £450m spend in the past year
Green tea: Sales up 45% with more than £16m spent in the past two years
Soy: Up 50% since 2005 to a spend of £70m in the past year
"What's going on at the moment for shoppers is that food and drink has never really been better value for money than it is now," he said.
"So if you are faced with the choice of spending £1.30 on something instead of £1, that extra 30p for that extra quality, that extra freshness, those extra benefits, might be something you could quite easily do."
Spinach sales rose to £42m in the past year - up from £32m in the year from May 2005.
Over the same period salmon sales increased 31% to reach £450m.
Other superfoods which have seen sales rise include shelled walnuts - up 30% in the last two years - and fresh beans, which rose 13% over the same period.
Sex drive
Green tea sales rose by 45% to more than £16m in the past two years.
Soy also performed well, with annual sales of non-dairy soy drinks rising 50% since May 2005 to more than £70m.
So-called "superfoods" are those which have a high nutritional value. There is no definitive list but the most commonly cited such foods are blueberries, broccoli, spinach and green tea.
It is claimed that superfoods can maintain young-looking skin and protect against cancer and heart disease.
Other superfoods include watercress, mangoes, oats, oranges, pumpkin, turkey and yoghurt.
Another food to emerge is the Tibetan goji berry - said to boost energy levels and even enhance sex drive - which Tesco started selling last September.
Nielsen's sales data is taken from its Scantrack service, which monitors checkout scanners at supermarkets and convenience stores in more than 74,000 outlets nationwide
http://www.gojibes.nl
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