When it comes to health food, everything old is new again—and experts say that can be a good thing. Find out five age-old staples that have recently become new culinary trends and how these popular superfoods can benefit your body, from lowering your risk of disease to improving your digestive health to keeping you slim.

Kombucha

Some scholars say the fermented tea was born around 220 B.C. in China, where it was sipped for detoxification and dubbed the “tea of immortality.” Kombucha is bursting with good-for-you probiotics, since the bacteria thrive during fermentation. Just be careful which kind you choose. Some kombucha drinks may contain more sugar than you bargained for, so look for brands that have 5 grams or fewer per serving, says Elizabeth Boham, MD, medical director of the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Mass.

Kimchi

The fermented cabbage dish is popping up on menus nationwide; one analysis estimates that it’s offered on 1 in 50 menus at U.S. restaurants. Kimchi is made from a fiber-packed veggie, loaded with antioxidant-rich spices and, most importantly, teems with gut-friendly probiotics. “Research has shown how the balance of microbes in your system can impact immunity, so eating probiotics is an important part of digestive health,” says Janet Helm, RD, a Chicago-based nutritionist and author of the blog Nutrition Unplugged. Studies have found that eating kimchi can help ward off constipation and even strengthen the immune system.

Chia Seeds

Aztec warriors are said to have scarfed down spoonfuls of the energy-boosting seeds before heading into battle. Today, you can find them in everything from Greek yogurt to tea to fruit-infused squeeze packs. Chia seeds are rich in a form of omega-3 fatty acids that may help improve cholesterol and high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. They also have 11 grams of fiber per ounce, so eating them can help curb your appetite and keep extra pounds away.

Ancient Grains

Our ancestors began carbo-loading about 75,000 years ago. We call the grains they ate (such as quinoa, Kamut, and freekeh) “ancient” because they’ve remained largely unchanged over the last several hundred years, unlike modern types of wheat, which have been crossbred. Most ancient grains are nutritional powerhouses, boasting calcium (teff has the most of any grain), fiber (barley is full of it), and an amino acid called lysine, which helps your body burn fat (amaranth is a top source). While “ancient grains” is a marketing term, not a scientific one, it does denote healthy whole, unrefined grains.

Seaweed

Seaweed has been a staple of Asian diets for thousands of years. “One of the biggest benefits is its iodine content; you need sufficient iodine for your thyroid and healthy breast tissue,” says Dr. Boham. Seaweed can also provide other key minerals, such as calcium and iron.

在健康食品方面，刮起了一股新的“复古风”——专家表示，这是好的趋势。了解一下五种由来已久的原材料，最近如何成为新的烹饪趋势，以及这些流行的超级食物如何降低疾病风险，改善肠胃道健康，保持纤细身材。

康普茶

有学者认为，这种发酵茶起源于公元前220年左右的中国，古代人饮用这种茶用来解毒，它也被冠以“长生不老药”的称号。康普茶富含对身体有益的益生菌，因为这种细菌会在发酵过程中大量生长。但在选择品种时一定要慎重。马萨诸塞州伦诺克斯终极健康中心（UltraWellness Center ）的医学主任、医学博士伊丽莎白•宝汉姆表示，有些康普茶饮品的含糖量可能超过了预期，所以要选择每一份含糖量不超过5克的品牌。

韩国泡菜

这种经过发酵的圆白菜突然出现在全美各地的菜单上； 有一项分析估计，美国餐厅每50份菜单中，便会有1份提供韩国泡菜。韩国泡菜的原材料是高纤维的蔬菜，并添加了富含抗氧化剂的调味料，最重要的是，其中含有对肠胃有益的益生菌。博客Nutrition Unplugged的作者、芝加哥的营养学家、注册营养师珍妮特•赫尔姆表示：“研究已经证明，人体的微生物平衡会影响免疫力，因此摄入益生菌是肠胃健康的一个重要部分。”研究发现，食用韩国泡菜可以帮助避免便秘，甚至能够增强免疫系统。

奇亚籽

据说阿兹特克勇士在出征之前，会吞下几勺可以提供能量的种子。今天，你可以在各种食物中发现这种种子，从希腊酸奶到茶，以及水果风味水挤压包等。奇亚籽富含一种欧米伽-3脂肪酸，可帮助改善胆固醇和高血压，降低心脏病风险。此外，每盎司奇亚籽有11克纤维，所以，食用奇亚籽可帮助控制胃口和减肥。

传统谷物

我们的祖先早在约75,000年前便开始补充碳水化合物。我们之所以说他们食用的谷物（如 奎奴亚藜、卡姆小麦和青麦等）是“传统谷物”，是因为在过去几百年间，它们一直没有发生过太大变化，这与经过杂交的现代小麦截然不同。多数古代谷物均营养丰富，可以补钙（埃塞俄比亚画眉草在所有谷物中的含钙量最高）、纤维（大麦富含纤维）和一种可帮助身体燃烧脂肪的氨基酸——赖氨酸（苋菜是主要来源）。虽然“传统谷物”是一个营销术语，而不是科学术语，但它代表了健康的、未精致的全谷物。

海藻

海藻从数千年前开始便是亚洲饮食的一种原材料。宝汉姆博士表示：“海藻最大的好处在于其含碘量；人体甲状腺和健康的乳腺组织，需要摄入充足的碘。”海藻还可以提供其他重要的矿物质，如钙和铁等。 （财富中文网）

译者：刘进龙/汪皓