Walk through any health food store and you’ll find shelves lined with expensive powders, supplements and exotic ingredients promising everything from better brain health to a longer life.
But before you drop $40 on another energy-boosting, gut health or super immunity supplement, you may want to walk the aisles at one of our bountiful local farmers’ markets.
We live in a grower’s paradise, rich with the foods researchers consistently associate with longevity, lower inflammation, heart health and a thriving microbiome growing right here in Santa Cruz County. Better yet, they’re often fresher, tastier and less expensive than their trendy counterparts.
Admittedly, the term “superfood” may be more marketing than science, but some foods truly do pack an impressive nutritional punch. Here are a few local standouts worth adding to your shopping list.
Berries: tiny nutritional powerhouses
If there were a superfood hall of fame, berries would make the cut.
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are rich in anthocyanins, the compounds responsible for their vibrant colors. Research suggests these antioxidants may help reduce inflammation, support heart health and protect cognitive function as we age.
These days Santa Cruz County is berry central. Right now, during peak season, farmers’ markets overflow with locally grown berries harvested at the height of ripeness, a far cry from the hard, flavorless berries often shipped long distances to grocery stores.
P.S., if you haven’t tried the P&K Farms strawberries at the Aptos Market, they’re worth the wait!
Mushrooms: brain food from the forest
Mushrooms have become wellness celebrities in recent years, and unlike many nutrition trends, this one has science behind it.
Varieties such as lion’s mane, shiitake and oyster mushrooms contain compounds linked to immune health, cognitive function and healthy aging. Researchers are particularly interested in ergothioneine, a potent antioxidant found in mushrooms that may help protect the brain from age-related decline.
Visit New Natives at any of the Santa Cruz markets for an impressive assortment of fresh fungi, making it easy to expand your culinary horizons.
Extra virgin olive oil: liquid gold
No list of superfoods would be complete without extra virgin olive oil.
A cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, plant compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Study after study has linked regular olive oil consumption to lower rates of cardiovascular disease, improved brain health and increased longevity.
Unlike highly refined oils, true extra virgin olive oil is minimally processed, preserving many of its beneficial compounds.
Santa Cruz County is fortunate to have exceptional local producers. Aptos-based Bella Farms and Pleasant Valley Olive Oil both produce award-winning extra virgin olive oils that rival some of the finest oils from Italy and Spain.
Drizzle it over vegetables, beans, salads or soups, and you’ll not only improve flavor—you’ll increase your body’s ability to absorb many of the nutrients found in those foods.
Microgreens: small but mighty
Microgreens may be tiny, but they’re nutritional heavyweights.
Harvested shortly after germination, these young greens often contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than their mature counterparts. Think of them as vegetables in their most concentrated form.
Local producer New Natives has long been a farmers’ market favorite, offering a colorful assortment of sprouts and microgreens that can instantly elevate sandwiches, salads, grain bowls and avocado toast.
Sea vegetables: the ocean’s superfood
While kale gets most of the attention, sea vegetables may be one of California’s most overlooked nutritional treasures.
Seaweeds are naturally rich in minerals such as iodine, magnesium and potassium, along with unique plant compounds that researchers are beginning to explore for their potential health benefits.
Local producer Hakouya specializes in sea vegetable products inspired by Japanese culinary traditions. A sprinkle of seaweed flakes can add both nutrition and umami flavor to soups, salads and grain dishes.
Fermented foods: feeding the microbiome
If you’ve been paying attention to nutrition research lately, you’ve likely heard about the importance of gut health.
Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut and cultured vegetables contain beneficial microbes that may help support a healthy digestive system and a more diverse microbiome.
The science is still evolving, but researchers continue to uncover connections between gut health, immune function, metabolism and even mental well-being.
Several local vendors, including award-winning Wise Goat and La Vie, offer a creative and delicious variety of fermented foods at Santa Cruz farmers’ markets, making it easy to experiment with adding more probiotic-rich foods to your diet. And if you haven’t tried Wise Goat’s fermented salsa, you’re in for a treat!
Beans: the longevity all-stars
If I could recommend just one superfood, it would be beans.
Beans and lentils consistently show up in studies of the world’s longest-lived populations. They’re rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, while remaining one of the most affordable foods available.
Better yet, new studies show that eating legumes and soy products daily was linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure.
Beans are also one of the rare foods that simultaneously nourish us and the trillions of microbes living in our gut.
At the West Side market, visit Blue Heron, while at the Downtown and Live Oak markets, Dirty Girl Produce offers an exceptional selection of dried heirloom beans.
At the Aptos market, visit Spade & Plow forlocally grown dried beans.
Chocolate: nature’s brain food
No list would be complete without a dose of dark chocolate. A new Columbia University study found that a daily serving of 70+% dark chocolate is supports cocoa flavanols, naturally occurring bioactives found in cocoa, which reversed age-related memory decline in healthy older adults.
To score rich, high-quality dark chocolate, visit Ashby Confections every other Saturday (be sure to check their website) toggling between Aptos and the West Side Farmers’ Markets.
The real superpower: variety
The truth is that no single food creates health.
What makes farmers’ markets so valuable isn’t any one berry, mushroom or bean. It’s the incredible diversity. Research increasingly suggests that eating a wide variety of plant foods supports a healthier microbiome and may contribute to many of the benefits associated with traditional Mediterranean diets. So, the next time you’re looking for a nutritional upgrade, skip the latest miracle juice and head to the farmers’ market instead.
READ NEXT: Food doesn’t just nourish the body—it may also shape mood, energy and emotional well-being. Learn how UCSC professor Andrea Cook explains the emerging field of nutritional psychology, then dig into the debate over whether America’s protein craze has gone too far in Protein Obsession: How Much Is Too Much?
