While you may know the health benefits of eating your greens, eating black-coloured foods can also prove beneficial to strengthen your immune system and fight off disease.
Moreover, many people like the aesthetics of black food on their plates, and consuming them is healthy. So, it is very essential for you.
Many people do not consider black food items nutritious, but on the contrary, such food items are loaded with essential nutrients such as anthocyanins, somewhat effective in lowering the risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases, which have already been proven.
Here is a list of black foods that you must eat and incorporate into your diet.
Black Garlic
The regular garlic that you might find in your kitchen now has ample health benefits as it is a rich oxidant. But, black garlic has nearly twice the amount of antioxidants.
This garlic is made by putting regular garlic in the humidity-controlled environment for more than a month, and then it is put in a clean room for about 45 days to oxidize.
The process renders this garlic soft, chewy, and black. Black garlic has five times more calcium than regular garlic, more than thrice amount of protein.
Moreover, you can use black garlic as you would use white garlic.
Black Olives
Olives are a rich source of fat and high monounsaturated fat that lowers the risk of any cardiovascular disease. If you increase the intake of such acids, you might notice a drop in your cholesterol levels which may improve your LDL HDL ratio.
So, including black olives in your diet will lower your blood pressure owing to the presence of oleic acid.
Black Beans
Even the normal beans you might find in your kitchen are full of nutrients since they are a great source of copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and phosphorus. These nutrients promote growth and support bone strength and structure.
In addition to all the benefits of normal beans, black beans are also low in sodium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
They also have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities since they contain quercetin and saponins. Moreover, they can help in digestion because they have high fiber content.
You can use these beans in burritos, salads, Mexican foods, and soups.
Black Seed Oil
It is oil that is derived from Asia, and these seeds smell very pungent and have a taste like oregano, black pepper, and onions.
The oil derived from such seeds can help fight superbugs-bacteria and some of the viruses that may have built a resistance towards antibiotics.
Black Figs
While the figs look black, they are a very dark purple shade that encases a creamy white pulp. Black figs have proven helpful in lowering blood pressure which means they can aid digestion and may even help with weight loss.
Black Licorice
You may be able to get candy in any of the stores in the United States, but they are not real licorice-flavored products but rather made with anise.
Consumption of excessive licorice can be harmful, but it can provide great health benefits if taken in small amounts. It is harmful because real licorice has high amounts of glycyrrhiza, which increases your blood pressure levels. On the other hand, it can also be beneficial since it has flavonoids, coumarins, and stilbenoids.
Limited amounts of the substance can help you deal with gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, reflux, ulcers, and heartburn.
But, you should stay away from consuming real licorice if you have any kind of heart problems.
Nori
Commonly, it is a type of seaweed that is red in colour, but it turns black when it is dried. Like different types of seaweed, Nori contains fibers, Vitamin A, B6, and C; and these seaweeds are very low in calories.
Moreover, dried sheets of Nori are often used to make vegetable roll-ups.
Blackberries
Blackberries are proven effective in regulating menstruation, clearing the skin, and boosting the immune system. Eating blackberries is so beneficial because it is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods that you can consume.
You can enjoy blackberries with other fruit, make luscious smoothies or use them topping your cereals and pancakes.
Forest Mushrooms
Black forest mushrooms like the trumpet, shiitake, and wild morels are worth adding to your shopping list because these mushrooms include powerful oxidants and can support the functioning of the immune system.
These mushrooms contain many vitamins such as B2, B3, B5, and B6. Forest mushrooms are dried, but once you rehydrate them, you can use them to make soups, entrees, and vegetables.
So, keep this list of black foods handy for your next trip to the supermarket. You must explore these ingredients and try out different recipes with them.
Featured Image Credits: Unsplash
About the Author
Shristi Patni
Content Writer
Shristi is a content writer and owner of F and B Recipes and Snazzy Women. When not writing, she can be found reading or trying new recipes.
