10 Surprising Superfoods You’re Not Eating (But Should Be)
You know that feeling when you’re halfway through a meal and suddenly wonder, “Is this even doing anything for me?” We’ve all been there. Our plate’s full, but somehow… something’s missing. The real nourishment. The balance. The kind of food that sits quietly in your system and does the heavy lifting without fanfare. Turns out, many of those foods aren’t new. They’re just… forgotten. Or hiding in plain sight. Let’s bring them back.
1. Moringa (Drumstick Leaves)
There’s something meditative about rinsing moringa leaves—the kind of task that slows you down without asking. The smell is sharp and earthy, like green tea leaves rubbed between your palms.
The first time I tossed some into masoor dal, I didn’t expect much. But something shifted. The broth thickened. The air changed. It didn’t taste “healthy.” It tasted whole.
That’s what iron-rich moringa does. It grounds you. Balances you. Like sitting cross-legged on cool stone floors after a long day. No noise, just quiet power.
2. Amaranth (Rajgira)
You know how some ingredients just feel older than time? Rajgira is one of them. Its flavour is mild, but its presence lingers—like the hum of a tanpura between songs.
Mix its flour into rotis and notice how the dough smells. Slightly nutty. Slightly wild. And when they puff, they carry that sweet warmth—like the way a house smells after the rain has come and gone.
It doesn’t just offer magnesium and protein. It gives you a soft steadiness. The kind you don’t realise you needed until the meal ends and you’re not hungry anymore—but also not tired.
3. Pumpkin Seeds
Some foods make noise. Pumpkin seeds? They pop with intention. Roast them, and they’ll crackle like it’s Bhai Dooj and you’re sitting on the floor next to your cousin, sorting mithai and secrets.
They’re rich in zinc and magnesium, sure. But also in bite. In attitude. Keep a jar of roasted ones near your window sill. When the 4 PM slump hits, skip the biscuit. Grab a fistful. Let them remind you what crunch really means.
4. Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla isn’t for the faint of tongue. It’s that cousin who tells you the truth whether you’re ready or not. Sour? Oh yes. But also crisp, clean, electric.
That first gulp of amla juice? Like being dunked in a cold spring. I still remember the sharp jolt, the immediate clarity. It’s a fruit that wakes you up and slaps your digestion into gear.
But here’s the magic: after a few days, you start looking forward to that shock. Because Vitamin C, yes. But also because it makes your body feel alert. Tidy. Like a room just swept.
5. Seaweed (Dry Powder or Flakes)
Let’s get this out of the way: seaweed doesn’t belong to any one cuisine. We’ve been cooking with ocean things forever—kokum, sea salt, mineral-rich rock salt.
So when you add a pinch of powdered seaweed to hot sambhar or even idli batter, it blends. Quietly. But what it brings—iodine, iron, trace minerals—is loud in the best way.
It’s like wearing copper jewelry. You don’t see it working, but you feel its weight. You feel better.
6. Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds aren’t crunchy or dramatic. They melt. That’s their charm. You spoon some into curd, and it’s like your food just exhaled.
Their soft nuttiness doesn’t interrupt—it adds. And the protein and omega-3s they carry? You barely notice. Until later. When you realise your energy didn’t crash post-lunch. That your skin has stopped acting up.
It’s a food that shows up for you—without needing attention.
7. Sprouted Mung Beans
We. Love. These.
There’s something deeply satisfying about soaking mung beans overnight and seeing them burst with life by morning. It’s like watching your breakfast grow.
And that bite—clean, juicy, fresh. A bowl with lemon and kala namak, eaten straight from a steel katori, is as healing as it gets. Plant-based protein, enzyme-rich, easy on the belly. It’s the digestive peace treaty your stomach deserves.
8. Fresh Turmeric Root
Haldi root feels ancient. Sacred, almost. You pick it up and your fingers turn golden before you do anything with it. It smells bitter and warm at the same time.
Grate it into your chai or warm water, and suddenly, your house smells like monsoon and incense had a quiet conversation.
This isn’t about anti-inflammation. It’s about memory. About healing. It’s about your system letting go of things it didn’t even know it was holding.
9. Bael Fruit (Wood Apple)
Break open a bael, and you meet this thick, fragrant pulp that clings like tradition. It’s cooling. Slow. Like sitting under neem trees at 3 PM in May.
Bael juice doesn’t shout. But it steadies. It clears your gut, cools your temper, and makes you feel like you’ve just walked out of a long afternoon nap—with the fan spinning above and nothing urgent on your mind.
10. Chia Seeds
Last but far from least—chia. Little specks that bloom into jelly pearls overnight.
You spoon them into lemon water and suddenly your glass looks like it’s dressed up. Their fibre and calcium go quietly to work, keeping you full, but also hydrated in this magical way that most foods just can’t.
Chew them slowly. They bounce back. Like resilience in edible form.
🌾 Final Bite
We grew up around these foods. Some of them were background characters. Others were seasonal guests. And somewhere along the way, we got distracted by shiny packaging and global trends.
But this is our food. It knows us. It’s seen our summers and our stomach upsets and our quiet celebrations.
Bring one of them back. Just one. Tomorrow, maybe.
And see how it feels to eat something that isn’t just nutritious—
But also familiar, forgiving, and quietly powerful.
Because in the end, the best superfoods aren’t found in stores.
They’re found in stories.
And they’ve been on our plates all along.