#WhatWeEat: Try These Underrated Superfoods for Weight Loss

Want to take your health a notch higher and waist a tad thinner? Then begin eating some of these superfoods.

Want to take your health a notch higher and waist a tad thinner? Then begin eating some of these lesser known foods that are superfoods in hiding.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

Want to take your health a notch higher and waist a tad thinner? Then begin eating some of these lesser known foods that are superfoods in hiding.

Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of some of these indigenous foods.

They are so loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that they can be your answer to thrive in today’s toxic times and help prevent hypertension, diabetes, constipation and unnecessary weight gain.

Jambu (Rose Apple)

Jambu helps in curing stomach problems.(Photo: iStockphoto)

Also called Safed Jamun, this fruit looks like something between a peach and an almost yellow coloured mangosteen and has a flavour that is a very distinct ‘rose'.

It makes for a great snack for diabetics as it works wonders on your pancreas.

Moreover, Jambu juice coupled with rock salt helps in curing indigestion, constipation and diarrhea. You can always improvise and make a fruit sherbet, syrup or squash. So dig in whenever you find them and bid your woes goodbye.

Jambu or the Rose Apple comes in distinct colours and 100 gm of this pretty fruit will give you only 25 calories. Being the powerhouse of vitamin C, this fruit is excellent for boosting your immune system. With a good amount of heart friendly potassium (and nil sodium) this fruit is great for keeping your blood pressure in check.

Raw Bananas (Plantains)

Loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and Potassium, raw bananas are excellent for your heart’s health.(Photo: iStockphoto)

Raw Bananas or Plantains are excellent at improving digestion and keep your stomach healthy and happy.

Loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and potassium, raw bananas are excellent for your heart’s health and naturally enhance your mood.

They also help in strengthening of bones as they contain indigestible (to humans) short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which nourishes the cells lining the walls of the intestines. When these cells are well-nourished and healthy, the body's ability to absorb nutrients like calcium increases exponentially.

Even though these look like big green bananas, you cannot eat them raw like you would a sweet banana. You must cook them before eating them. Don’t fry them, just brush with some oil and bake and relish with spicy tomato sauce.

Jamun (Java Plum)

Jamun helps in lowering blood sugar and keeping your body cool.(Photo: iStockphoto)

Jamun are easily found on roadside stalls as they very commonplace. It is an incredible liver stimulant and actively aids digestion. Jamun keeps your body cool in the summer heat and helps in lowering blood sugar which is extremely useful for diabetics. It makes for a good snack and can also be consumed as a juice or added to salad.

This delicious fruit is packed with nutrients and a cup (130grams) will give you only about 80 calories and 20 mg of calcium and 24 mg of vitamin C.

Yam Beans (Jicama)

Jicama gives you copious amounts of fibre and covers over 40% of your daily vitamin C requirement.(Photo: iStockphoto)

This crisp, easy to eat vegetable gives you copious amounts of fibre and covers over 40% of your daily vitamin C requirement. One cup (130 grams) of Jicama gives you a little over 6 grams of fibre and its complex carbohydrates and fibre, release the energy gradually in the body, slowing the rate at which their sugars are released and absorbed into the bloodstream.

One cup of Jicama will give you only 50 calories and little to no fat. It’s perfect for snacking and can also be put in a salad or can simply be roasted and had with salsa.

In Bengal it is known as Shankhalu and in Bihar as Mishrikand.

(Kavita is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don't Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico) and Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa))