Wellness toppings

Why healthy people keep adding one more thing

For me, it started with seeds.

I’d read about how pumpkin seeds will support my immunity, chia seeds will maintain my heart health, sunflower seeds will reduce inflammation and sesame seeds will keep my bones strong. Also: they’re delicious. My seed jar was born, and now everything from porridge and muesli to desserts and salads comes with a sprinkle of seeds.

People have been adding “wellness toppings” to their meals since forever. Usually for flavour let’s face it, with nutrition as nothing but a happy side effect. Think a squeeze of lemon (vitamin C), a sprinkle of parmesan (protein and B12), or a drizzle of olive oil (all those heart-healthy polyphenols).

But with the wellness boom and rise of super-supplements, there are now more options than ever of things to add to your lunch or stir into your coffee. I recently interviewed dietitian Josie Porter for Vogue. Her new book, How Not to Take Supplements, is all about thriving on real food so, when I asked her about powders like collagen and creatine, I expected her to be sceptical, if not outright dismissive.

To my surprise, she said these products can have a place, particularly for older adults and those doing a lot of strength training. “These aren’t about fixing a deficiency,” she explained, “but building benefits on top of a good foundation.”

Dr David Cox is a neuroscientist and author of The Age Code, a new book about how the food we eat can either slow down or accelerate our biological age. He says that toppings can be a great way to boost the nutrient value of our meals.

B vitamins, for example, are particularly important as we get older because they play a vital role in keeping our genes functioning properly, helping to protect against problems linked to ageing such as cancer, fatty liver disease and declining gut health. And I’m delighted when he says my good old seed jar is doing its best work here.

“Sunflower seeds are one of the best plant sources of B vitamins, with robust amounts of B3, B5, B6 and B9,” he says, “while sesame seeds also contain B1, B2 and B3.”

From herbs and kimchi to creatine and collagen, here are some more wellness toppings to boost your meals…

For beauty

Ah the collagen controversy. Some studies show improved skin hydration and elasticity, while others argue that, if your joints or connective tissue need it more than your face, you may not see any benefits.
I spoke to a range of experts to write a deep dive into collagen and, having heard all the evidence on both sides, I still take it. The fact remains that we produce less of it as we age and, as someone who went through early menopause, I can see the difference in my skin and nails when I take it consistently.
I sprinkle Bare Biology over my yoghurt and berries in the morning. Of course, collagen isn’t the only route. Protein-rich foods such as eggs, fish and dairy provide many of the amino acids your body needs to make its own collagen. So adding a dollop of Greek yoghurt to your muesli or as a garnish on your soup is great, too.

For healthy ageing

My homemade seed mix remains my MVP for B vitamins, but I must give a shoutout to every vegan’s favourite: nutritional yeast. It might look like fish food, but it adds a deliciously cheesy savoury flavour, and is packed with goodness. “It can be used to flavour pasta, rice or salads,” says David Cox. “Yeasts naturally produce modest amounts of B vitamins, and then products like Engevita are fortified with extra.”

For strength

Once associated exclusively with bodybuilders, creatine is increasingly recommended for women, older adults and anyone interested in healthy ageing. Because we naturally lose muscle mass as we get older, maintaining strength becomes one of the most important investments we can make in our future health.
I stir Ancient + Brave True Creatine+ into my coffee, which also contains taurine, vitamin D, magnesium, and comes in a lovely glass jar rather than one of those gym bro-style big plastic tubs.

For gut health

These days we all know that fermented foods and fibre diversity are key for a happy gut, which supports everything from immunity to mood and metabolism. I’ve always got kimchi or sauerkraut in the fridge and add it to sandwiches, salads and my scrambled eggs at the weekend.
For plant diversity, I still love Zoe’s Daily30+, which is an extremely convenient (if not the cheapest) shortcut to getting a range of everything from mushroom extracts to quinoa flakes combined with a deliciously crunchy mix of nuts and seeds. It’s basically the ultimate wellness topping because it works on almost every meal.

For blood sugar balance

To be clear, I’m not interested in eliminating every blood sugar spike. But I am a fan of ways to avoid that mid-afternoon slump - especially now I’m back in an office job where there’s always one of those mega tubs of mini millionaire’s shortbread out on the desk. A handful of nuts, a spoonful of seeds or a scoop of Artah Essential Fibre+ can increase fibre content of any meal, helping to slow digestion and keep energy levels steadier.

For strong bones

Not all wellness toppings come in expensive tubs. Dr Cox points out that many modern diets are surprisingly acid-forming, thanks to protein, salt and ultra-processed foods. As our kidneys age, minerals such as potassium and calcium become increasingly important because they help neutralise these acids. If we’re not getting enough from our diets, the body may draw on minerals stored in bone.
His favourite way to counteract this? Dried parsley. “Parsley is packed with iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium,” he says. “Interestingly, it’s actually best to use dried rather than fresh parsley, as the drying process concentrates the mineral content.”

So dig out that dusty jar at the back of your spice cupboard - it’s basically a superfood.

Josie Porter’s idea of “building benefits on top of a good foundation” is what this is all about. I love good health being about adding things in, rather than taking things away. It can be about flavour and variety, rather than restriction or deprivation.

My seed jar may have some fancy new friends on the kitchen shelf, but it’s still the star of the show. So if anyone needs me, I’ll be over here sprinkling things on other things.

How Not to Take Supplements: A Dietitian’s Guide to Thriving on Real Food by Josie Porter, and The Age Code: The New Science of Food and How it Can Save Us by Dr David Cox are both out now

This week I’m…

Learning a bit of self-compassion with Sarah Ann Macklin’s Healthy Shouldn’t Be This Hard

Amping up my skincare routine with Lancôme’s Absolue Longevity MD, which cleverly supports the mitochondrial health of the skin cells

Struggling to do enough exercise now that I’ve got a day job. When I was freelance, I could easily swan off to a Pilates class a few times a week. Please send tips for incorporating fitness around a 9-5 desk job!

In case you missed it…

The anti-cortisol interiors guide

Do you need an early night or an iron supplement?

10 small ways to feel better this week