Superfoods are the hottest trend in the healthy eating niche today, but my experience with them started quite unplanned. One Saturday afternoon, I was shopping for Indian groceries in a US supermarket when I faced a dazzling array of colors and nutrition-packed items I had hardly come across. From the juicy greens to the exotic roots, I felt like I was in a secret health treasure trove.

These superfoods are incredibly healthy and easy to find at local Indian grocery stores. Indian grocery delivery services have made it easier to include these nutrient-rich foods in your daily meals. Just think about the possibility of being able to get ancient, traditional superfoods at your fingertips! If you would like to improve your immune system, increase energy levels, or just experiment with your meals, these superfoods are available to you.

So, here are five lesser-known superfoods available at your local Indian grocery store that you can order online right now.

1: Moringa Leaves 

Moringa leaves, also known as the drumstick tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree, offer a wide number of nutrients that are essential to the body.

Moringa leaves are well regarded as the ‘powerhouse’ of nutrients, and these include vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, potassium, and proteins, among others. Due to their rich content of polyphenols, antioxidants, and other nutrients, they have been recommended in traditional medicine for the treatment of malnutrition and the promotion of general well-being.

It all began a few years ago when I came across moringa leaves for the first time at an Indian store. The vivid green color caused my eye to linger on them, and a store owner told me how these leaves are consumed in India, either fresh or cooked. Curiosity then got the better of me, and I thought that I would give them a go.

The leaves of moringa are also commonly incorporated in Indian recipes such as sambhar, a stew made from lentils, and stir-fried with appropriate condiments. They also have a rather bitter taste, which goes well with other foods or spices.

The suggestion for using moringa leaves in one’s diet is as follows: To prepare fresh moringa leaves, you can order through online stores to get fresh or dried Indian groceries. Blend a few new leaves into your morning smoothies, or use dried moringa powder as seasoning for soups or even over salads. They also go well with homemade pesto sauce and enhance your regular pasta dishes in the kitchen.

2: Amaranth 

Amaranth, a gluten-free ancient grain, is rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients like magnesium, iron, and manganese. Its impressive nutritional profile makes it a powerhouse of health benefits, including improved digestion, enhanced bone health, and better cardiovascular function.

Amaranth holds a special place in Indian cuisine and culture. Growing up, I remember my grandmother preparing amaranth porridge, a comforting dish often enjoyed during religious fasting periods. Known as "rajgira" in India, amaranth is used in various traditional recipes, from savory snacks like rajgira chikki (a type of brittle) to delicious, fluffy rotis (flatbreads).

Incorporating amaranth into your modern diet is easy and versatile. For a nutritious breakfast, cook amaranth with milk or water to make a creamy porridge, topping it with fresh fruits, nuts, and a drizzle of honey. You can also use it as a substitute for quinoa in salads or as a base for grain bowls. Its slightly nutty flavor and chewy texture make it a delightful addition to soups and stews, enhancing both taste and nutritional value.

With Indian grocery delivery services, you can easily order amaranth online from your favorite Indian grocery store in the US, making this superfood a convenient and healthy addition to your pantry.

3: Turmeric

Anticipated by its rich, golden color, the spice commonly known as turmeric has generated a lot of interest because of its curative properties, mainly attributed to curcumin. Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound; its benefits include relieving joint pain, enhancing brain function, and reducing the chances of diseases.

Culturally, turmeric is a common spice consumed in Asia and was used in my household both for cooking and medicinal purposes. My mother used to give us turmeric, honey, and warm milk when we were down with a cold or flu. This warm muse, being packed with curcumin, always had a healing effect.

Turmeric is a prominent ingredient in most Indian dishes, and we can hardly imagine cooking without it. This spice is adopted in all dishes, including curries, lentils, and rice soups, as it enhances the color with its natural earth-tone flavor. Aside from its versatility in food preparation, this spice has been employed in medicinal practices for the management of several ailments, including wounds, skin diseases, and stomach disorders.

Using turmeric in meals is a simple task, and here are different ways you can do it. Use a teaspoon to make your morning smoothie, mix it with olive oil to dress roasted vegetables, or add it to soups and stews where it gives warmth and an earthy flavor. One can purchase it online or from a nearby Indian store in the US, such as Bombay Spice, New India Bazar, or Apna Bazar, which is readily available today, making it very convenient to incorporate this into one’s kitchen storage.

Thus, since there are many online stores to order groceries from, it is very simple to take high-quality turmeric conveniently.

4: Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a plant that has been employed in the Ayurvedic system of medicine, mainly for its adaptation to stress. This strong root can boost physical energy, sharpen focus, and maintain the body’s proper functioning through hormone management.

Sometime back, when I was working on a particularly demanding project at my job, a friend suggested I take Ashwagandha. Integrating this method into my schedule made a significant impact—I felt that I was more at ease and less vulnerable. It became something I used to address stress and get a boost of energy.

Ashwagandha in Ayurveda is employed as Rasayana to enhance the quality of life and increase the lifespan. People can either swallow it as a pill or dissolve it in their beverages. That bitter, slightly earthy undertone blends well with other flavors in smoothies or teas.

To include ashwagandha in your lifestyle, sprinkle half a teaspoon of ashwagandha powder in your morning smoothie or mix ashwagandha powder with warm milk and cinnamon powder and consume before bedtime. It is available as a tablet, which can be handy for those who wish to take it daily.

It is very easy to include Ashwagandha in your dietary plan for getting healthy and fit. You can consider adding one tablespoon of ashwagandha powder to your regular smoothies, having it in warm milk, or incorporating it into your herbal tea. Ashwagandha is easily available in local Indian stores in the United States like Bombay Spice and New India Bazar, Konark Grocers, etc., but online, one can order it either through Quicklly, Walmart, or Amazon for home delivery.

5: Jackfruit

Jackfruit is a large fruit that has been described as “vegetarian meat” and is steadily rising in popularity among those who abstain from meat consumption. When young and unripe, it has more of the consistency of pulled pork or shredded chicken and can successfully replace meat in any dish.

The nutritional value of jackfruit shows that it is a low-calorie food and contains fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants that are responsible for digestion and an improved immune system.

I had only eaten jackfruit once when my friend prepared jackfruit tacos, and I was convinced it could replace meat. This one was something I instantly fell in love with when I started cooking for Meatless Mondays and became a copyright in my kitchen.

The Preparation and use of jackfruit is used in many Indian recipes. Kathal ki sabzi, or jackfruit curry, is a delicious preparation of the fruit that is prepared with spices and is usually accompanied by rice or bread. Jackfruit can also be used as a filling for tacos or sandwiches to give them a contemporary look. Kiss it with onions, garlic, and spices of your choice, and pull the meat apart like that of pork.

You will also notice fresh and canned Jackfruit within this list; this makes it possible to integrate this superfood into your diet. Mayuri and Patel Brothers are popular Indian grocery stores that have Jackfruits, and the options are available on Quicklly and Instacart for online orders. It also means that Indians can easily order their groceries online and have fresh or even canned jackfruit delivered to them.

Conclusion 

In this journey through your local Indian grocery store, we've discovered five unexpected superfoods: The vegetables recommended for the present study are moringa leaves, amaranth, curcumin/turmeric, ashwagandha, and jackfruit. Every one of these ingredients has its own benefits for our health, such as strengthening the immune system, reducing stress levels, and, last but not least, being a source of nourishment.

Fortunately, searching for these superfoods is not as much of a problem now as it was before, given the availability of Indian grocery stores for delivery. You can check out these foods online right from the comfort of your home by placing an order with any Indian grocery store in the US that you prefer most.

For myself, it has positively influenced my health and palate to include these superfoods in my diet. Sometimes it is the warm drink like golden milk, and at other times, it might be more of the yummy food like the jackfruit taco; all are part of my everyday diet.