You might be aware of some of the top superfood powders at the moment, but do you fully understand their benefits and how to get the most out of them?
Acai
Freeze-dried acai berry powder is a popular nutritional supplement for people looking to boost their energy levels and lose weight as part of a balanced and active lifestyle.
With a calorie-controlled diet the powder can provide a tasty addition, especially to teas and smoothies.
It contains high levels of antioxidants, as well as vitamin C and E.
Known for its slightly bitter taste, you can add it to porridge or yoghurt, with a little natural honey to sweeten it.
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is often mixed into fruit or vegetable juices in its fresh form, however, it can be easier to store it as a powder and add it to a variety of foods.
It contains amino acids, enzymes, minerals and vitamins, including protein, beta-carotene, vitamin E, C and B12, as well as phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium.
Wheatgrass is also claimed to help boost the immune system, largely because of its density of vitamins and minerals.
The easiest way to consume more wheatgrass is to make a wheatgrass juice in a blender with a little water.
You can create a vegetable blend using carrots, tomatoes, broccoli and celery, or why not use oranges and apples to make a fruity, vitamin C packed drink?
Goji
Goji or wolfberry is a fruit native to south-eastern Europe and Asia.
They contain 18 amino acids, essential fatty acids, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium, riboflavin and high levels of vitamin C.
With so many different vitamins and nutrients, it is no wonder they have earned the status of superfood, and eating only a few spoonfuls of the powder daily should give you some of these benefits.
Why not sprinkle some on top of your breakfast cereal? Or you could even stir some into a fruit salad for a tasty mid-afternoon treat.
Maca
Lepidium meyenii, known more commonly as maca, is a plant grown in the high Andes of Peru.
It is largely grown for its fleshy roots, which are used as a root vegetable and medicinal herb.
Different shades of maca have slightly sweeter tastes, with the black variety considered to boast the strongest energy and stamina-promoting properties.
Dried maca root has a nutritional value similar to cereal grains, containing protein, dietary fibre, calcium, potassium and traces of iron, iodine, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium and fatty acids.
It is thought that it can help boost energy and has a reputation for being an aphrodisiac.
You can stir maca powder easily into a soup, curry or pasta, using its nutty flavour to help complement almost any savoury dish.
Spirulina
Spirulina is used as a dietary supplement as well as a whole food and was a food source for the Aztecs and Mesoamericans until the 16th century.
It is a cyanobacterium and cultivated worldwide for its impressive nutrient and vitamin content.
Dried spirulina contains around 60 per cent protein, and is a good source of vitamin B12, E, A, C, D, folic acid and thiamine.
You could stir it into some green vegetables or use it as part of a stew.
Alternatively, why not sprinkle some into mashed cabbage and potato for a hearty side dish.
