Time For A Change: 6 Superfoods You Should Try This Year

We've come a long way on the clean-eating bandwagon. We've taught ourselves (with some difficulty) how to pronounce and cook quinoa, we learned the difference between kelp and hemp, and we snacked on everything from chia seeds to sprouts. Now it's time to take a look and see what superfoods you could add to your basket to give your health a kickstart. Feast your eyes on these six healthy options, and wave goodbye to eating the same food, on repeat... Black rice This does exactly what is says on the tin. Black rice is full of protein and a great source of iron. It's also high in antioxidants that have been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer, and improvements in memory. According to Chinese legend, black rice was so rare, nutritious and delicious back in the day that only the emperors were allowed to enjoy it. That doesn't sound too shabby to us. Matcha powder We're starting to see more and more people sipping on Matcha-laden drinks and now we know why. What is Matcha? It's a fine powder made up of 100 per cent natural green tea leaves. It also has 137 times the anti oxidants of green tea and is widely regarded as the perfect drink to energise the body while at the same time calming and focusing the mind. This magic powder might just be set to transform our morning dose of caffeine. Make ours a Matcha lattee... Bee pollen Said to contain nearly all of the nutrients required to function by humans, Victoria Beckham is a big fan of this stuff. Known as 'one of nature's most complete foods,' bee pollen is a highly absorbable protein packed full of anti oxidants, amino acids and fatty acids. It's great for improving focus, alertness, stamina and strength, and if it's good enough for Mrs Beckham, we're not going to turn our noses up at it... Oat milk This vegan alternative to dairy milk actually sounds pretty good. Made with presoaked oat groats (hulled grains broken into fragements), oat milk has a mild, slightly sweet taste and is a good substitute for that low-fat milk we're always reaching for. It's rich in complex carbohydrates and also a great source of soluble fibre. Dandelion greens The name probably conjures up some childhood memories of blowing off the tops of these in the garden, but it looks like we're going to be munching on dandelions in 2015. Like our friend kale, dandelion greens are a great source of vitamins A, C and K, as well as iron, fiber and calcium. Best served with garlic and olive oil along with a nice lean protein. Watch this space... Broccoli sprouts People tend to either love or hate broccoli, so if you fall into the latter category, maybe you should give these a try (they don't taste like broccoli). Young broccoli sprouts are powerful antioxidants containing high levels of nutrients and enzymes which can strengthen our immune systems and provide the body with the energy to detox. Detox, you say? We might be trying these out first...