Superfoods You Won't Stop Hearing About In 2017

Are we really telling you that chocolate is a superfood? You bet. To be specific, we're talking about raw cacao nibs, which are essentially pieces of raw chocolate without anything extra added to it.

What's so super about them? The little nibs are packed with flavonoids, antioxidants and magnesium.

What do they taste like? They're crunchy, with a deep chocolate flavor that's a little bitter (since there's no sugar added) and nutty.

Get them into my life: Susan Jane White, a food writer and blogger in Dublin whose new book is entitledThe Virtuous Tart, makes something called Hippie Dust (a combo of cacao nibs, coconut sugar, chia seeds, sesame or hemp seeds and cinnamon) and sprinkles it over oatmeal or yogurt. She even keeps a jar in her desk drawer "for Code Red situations"; the magnesium, in particular, may help boost immunity and serve as a mood booster. You can also mix them into these energy balls, which taste wonderfully like raw cookie dough.

If someone mentions a naturally gluten-free ingredient that health nuts and chefs love, there's a good chance it's buckwheat. Despite the name, it actually doesn't contain wheat, but in its flour form, you can use it anyplace you'd use whole wheat or white flour.

What's so super about it? It offers a good amount of dietary fiber and is a great vegetarian protein source.

What does it taste like? Buckwheat has a more intense flavor (which is why chefs like it), similar to darkly toasted bread, that terrifically complements sweet fruits and spices.

Get it into my life: You can use buckwheat flour to make pancakes or cookies; while groats (which are the hulled seeds) can be steamed and added to salads, or eaten as an alternative to oatmeal (try them with maple syrup, toasted pumpkin seeds and sea salt). Buckwheat's also the main ingredient in soba noodles, which Amanda Haas, author of The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook, combines with asparagus and mushrooms for a delicious salad.

While you'll find cacao nibs and buckwheat noodles in most big supermarkets stores, moringa is more of an up-and-comer, so you may need to go to a health food store (or Amazon) to find it. It's a tropical leaf that's ground into a powder, and you've probably come across it in one of those gorgeous smoothie bowls that are ubiquitous on Instagram.

What's so super about it? Moringa powder is high in iron, which can help combat fatigue and foggy thinking), as well as protein and calcium.

What does it taste like? It's nut-like, with a kick similar to that of radish or watercress.

Get it into my life:Jolene Hart, a health coach and author of Eat Pretty Every Day, buys the ground version and adds it to smoothies. You'll also see it as an ingredient in teas, either on its own or combined with herbs such as mint.