13 Superfoods Your Survival Stash is Missing

I don’t care how experienced you are, you’re not perfect. I guess that’s the sum total of the wisdom I’ve managed to gather in over 50 years of life. No matter how much I learn and no matter how many experiences I have, there’s always something I overlook and there’s always something new to learn.

I just recently went through my survival food with that in mind. I last did it about a year ago, so I figured it was time to take another look at it. Even with as long as I’ve been learning and writing about survival (over 25 years), I find that my understanding and my ideas keep evolving.

One of the things I’m always looking for is things I might have forgotten. And as I get older I realize that there are things that my body needs that I don’t get from regular food, let alone freeze-dried survival food.

So many people think that switching from their regular diet to survival food will be easy or without consequences.  But it’s critical we get the vital nutrients we need, ESPECIALLY in a survival scenario when good health and dealing with stress and physical discomfort will be the norm.

Plus while it’s easy to stockpile food and supplements, it’s hard to know WHICH food and supplements you’re really going to need.

Here’s a list of often-forgotten things you should have in some form in your survival food and supplement stash.

1. Healthy Protein

Protein is essential for brain function, maintaining muscle mass, and bolstering the metabolism.  But you knew that.  What’s difficult is finding protein with a long shelf-life that isn’t packed with deadly preservatives.

That’s why I prefer vegetable proteins, which last longer and are less prone to have added chemicals.  Peas, legumes, and even brown rice protein are incredibly healthy and easy to store.  I’ve even found a powder mixture with these proteins that is tasty and easy to use.

2. Probiotics

I recently discovered the benefits of probiotics and have added them to my diet.  Much of our western diet actually destroys the natural probiotics found in our digestive system.

Adding ‘good bacteria’ to your diet has a ton of health benefits, including improved digestion, improved nutrient absorption, treating diarrhea, and supporting your immune system.  Those are all things that will be vitally important in a survival scenario.

 

3. Fruits

I can’t tell you how many people I talk to just order a big bucket of survival food, and ‘check the box’ thinking this part of their preparation is done.  Very few people actually think about what is in those big buckets, other than what it tastes like.

What you won’t find is much fruit, and therefore you’re missing a huge amount of nutrients your body needs.  So it is critical that your stash includes a generous amount of canned and dried fruit – even if you have to refresh the supply occasionally since they might last as long as some survival food.

 

4. Vegetables

I don’t need to tell you the importance of vegetables when it comes to your health.  That is common sense.

But most people just hope that their ‘rice medley’ or ‘vegetable casserole’ packaged food will have enough.  The answer almost always is: they don’t.  So stock up – and check out this ‘shake mix’ I’ve found that has whole day’s worth of veggies in every glass (and somehow it tastes good too).

 

5. Sea Vegetables

 

This is something that 99% of survivalists probably never think of.  But sea vegetables (mostly consisting of seaweeds) are incredibly beneficial to your health.

Chlorella and spirulina are great antioxidants, detoxifiers, and immune boosters.  Plus the iodine content can protect from radiation and heavy metal poisoning.  Luckily this weird little recipe I found contains these critical sea vegetables too.

6. Cinnamon

Like survival gear it helps to have tools that can do more than one thing.  Cinnamon fits into that category as it is not only delicious, but it has a whole host of health benefits.

Cinnamon is great for heart health, maintaining blood sugar levels, and is a tremendous anti-inflammatory.  This one is easy, just put a few extra jars in your stash, or use this.

 

7. Turmeric

I feel like turmeric came out of nowhere, as I had never heard of it five years ago.  Now it’s everywhere, and with good reason.

Turmeric is not only a great spice,  but reduces painful and deadly inflammation, improves mental clarity, and improves circulation.  Study after study shows that turmeric is more effective than traditional meds, so make a place in your stash for this miracle root.

 

8. Flax Seeds

Flax seeds have tremendous benefits in addition to providing a tasty kick to your meals.

Flax seeds control inflammation, help digestion, and can control cholesterol.  Plus they had a healthy dose of calories to your diet, which is vital in a crisis.

 

 

9. Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes are essential for me.  I have a few digestive issues and it’s hard to know if what I’m eating will give me a negative reaction.

So a daily dose of digestive enzymes allay my fears about eating strange or processed food. Eating survival food could wreck your digestive system and healthy digestion will be a key to survival.  For a healthy dose of digestive enzymes in way that’s easy to take, try this.

 

10. Ginseng

Your energy level during a crisis might be the most critical aspect of your survival.  It’s vital that you provide energy without consuming too much sugar, which can wreak havoc on your body.

Ginseng can provide energy to your body without the crashes of carbs and sugars. Plus it can actually lower blood sugar levels and fortify your immune system.

 

11. Detoxifiers

Your survival food is probably packed with toxins, it’s just a sad fact.  Preservatives, chemicals, and sometimes even heavy metals can be found in our food.  Plus it’s likely in a true meltdown that our atmosphere and water will be tainted.

So taking some simple detoxifiers like milk thistle and dandelion root can kick your liver and digestive system into overdrive to process and remove toxins from our bodies.  This is particularly easy way to take these supplements.

 

12. CoQ10

CoQ10 has become an essential supplement for every day life, and I keep extra in my stash.  This ‘vitamin’ is so powerful is t is credited with slowing the aging process by strengthening cells, making them break down slower, and building them back up faster.

Keep one that is combined with a multi-vitamin in your stash for maximum benefit.

 

13.  Fast, Easy Nutrition on the Go

Most survivalists have MRE’s or survival food for an emergency.  But ask them what the nutritional content of this food and you’ll get blank stares.

That’s why it’s critical to have fast, easy, NUTRITIONAL food that will keep your body fit and your mind sharp.

And if you’re looking for something that contains all of the nutrients, detoxifiers, proteins, ant-inflammatories, and minerals mentioned above, this is the perfect addition to your stash.

 

Dr. Rich Murphy,

Self Reliance Association