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Over the last few years, there has been a lot of talk in the news about foods that can help you live a longer, healthier life. These foods have come to be known as “superfoods,” and include a variety of different eats. The list usually includes blueberries, deep green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, Omega-3 rich fish such as salmon, tomatoes, nuts (especially walnuts), tea, dark chocolate, and protein packed beans and soy. These foods have been said to help in reducing the incidence of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. But what is it about these foods that make them super?
Generally, each of these foods has a multitude of beneficial properties; they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Antioxidants are important in helping control inflammation, which is a key factor in many chronic diseases. And we are all aware of the importance of getting the proper nutrients in our diet so that our body can function at its peak effectiveness. Plus these are foods that will actually make you feel good.
The idea is that no one food is a magic cure-all, but eating a variety of these foods will set you on the right track towards a healthier lifestyle. Often times, the more colorful foods offer the most nutritional benefits, so it is no wonder that superfoods come in hues such as deep pink, red, green and dark blue. This new way of thinking about getting more of the most beneficial foods into our diet really boils down to eating a healthy and varied diet of mostly unprocessed foods.
One of the ways you can use the crockpot to start adding more of these healthful foods into your diet is by slow cooking some dried beans. The recipe below is adapted from one I clipped from an article about spa food for an Adzuki Bean Soup that claims that it will reduce under eye circles. After trying out this soup during a particularly sleep deprived time, the dark circles around my eyes did seem to diminish a bit, but the more noticeable benefit of eating this soup was that it offered a nice little energy boost. It’s a simple combination of dried adzuki beans, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, and spice. If you can’t find this special Japanese bean (available in specialty grocery or health food stores) you can substitute another dried bean such as the kidney or navy bean.
Another superfood that is often used in the slow cooker is the tomato. In fact, cooked tomatoes are said to offer an increased levels of beneficial lycopene (an antioxidant that eliminates free radicals in the body) than raw ones. You can even add an extra can of plum tomatoes to your favorite slow cooker recipe, such as a slow cooked stew, just to increase the nutritional content.
A diet incorporating these superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. So it seems that the superfood concept is really an updated and extended version of that old phrase, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” For a healthier tomorrow, try incorporating some of these fountain of youth foods into your slow cooking today!
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/881-superfoods/
Superfoods in the Slow Cooker
Over the last few years, there has been a lot of talk in the news about foods that can help you live a longer, healthier life. These foods have come to be known as “superfoods,” and include a variety of different eats. The list usually includes blueberries, deep green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, Omega-3 rich fish such as salmon, tomatoes, nuts (especially walnuts), tea, dark chocolate, and protein packed beans and soy. These foods have been said to help in reducing the incidence of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. But what is it about these foods that make them super?
Generally, each of these foods has a multitude of beneficial properties; they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Antioxidants are important in helping control inflammation, which is a key factor in many chronic diseases. And we are all aware of the importance of getting the proper nutrients in our diet so that our body can function at its peak effectiveness. Plus these are foods that will actually make you feel good.
The idea is that no one food is a magic cure-all, but eating a variety of these foods will set you on the right track towards a healthier lifestyle. Often times, the more colorful foods offer the most nutritional benefits, so it is no wonder that superfoods come in hues such as deep pink, red, green and dark blue. This new way of thinking about getting more of the most beneficial foods into our diet really boils down to eating a healthy and varied diet of mostly unprocessed foods.
One of the ways you can use the crockpot to start adding more of these healthful foods into your diet is by slow cooking some dried beans. The recipe below is adapted from one I clipped from an article about spa food for an Adzuki Bean Soup that claims that it will reduce under eye circles. After trying out this soup during a particularly sleep deprived time, the dark circles around my eyes did seem to diminish a bit, but the more noticeable benefit of eating this soup was that it offered a nice little energy boost. It’s a simple combination of dried adzuki beans, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, and spice. If you can’t find this special Japanese bean (available in specialty grocery or health food stores) you can substitute another dried bean such as the kidney or navy bean.
Another superfood that is often used in the slow cooker is the tomato. In fact, cooked tomatoes are said to offer an increased levels of beneficial lycopene (an antioxidant that eliminates free radicals in the body) than raw ones. You can even add an extra can of plum tomatoes to your favorite slow cooker recipe, such as a slow cooked stew, just to increase the nutritional content.
A diet incorporating these superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. So it seems that the superfood concept is really an updated and extended version of that old phrase, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” For a healthier tomorrow, try incorporating some of these fountain of youth foods into your slow cooking today!
Slow Cooker Adzuki Bean Soup
Made with lime, water, cumin, dried adzuki beans, cold water, olive oil, carrots, fresh ginger root, garlic, onion
Made with lime, water, cumin, dried adzuki beans, cold water, olive oil, carrots, fresh ginger root, garlic, onion
Serves/Makes: 4
- 3 cups dried adzuki beans
- cold water, for soaking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 quarts water
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Soak beans in cold water overnight.
Drain beans and add to crockpot with olive oil, carrots, ginger, garlic, onion and cumin and cover with water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until beans are tender.
If desired, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lime juice and cilantro just before serving.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/881-superfoods/