So many new foods to try—so little time. The next time you’re at your local grocer or organic foods market, sample some unknown bounty. Get adventurous with a few of the new and exotic super foods now available to North America. In fact, many of these foods have been used for their rich nutrients and health benefits for centuries!
It’s time to try these five new and exotic super foods…
1. Holy Basil
Holy basil, or tulsi, is an herb that’s long enjoyed popularity in India and Asia, but one that’s only now gaining ground in North America—particularly in certain brands of store-bought tea. Tulsi is also used in Indian and Asian spicy soups and a stir-fried dish for its fresh, earthy flavor, as well as for it’s numerous medicinal benefits.
In Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil is considered an “adaptogenic” compound that decreases cellular stress. Studies from the University of Michigan Health System have found that tulsi stems and leaves contain a various tannins, saponins, flavonoids, and triterpenoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits associated with lowering blood sugar, reducing pain and stomach ailments, decreasing the physical stress response, and also with protecting the heart.
