When you are thinking about superfoods that will sustain and nourish your family, you may find that you are a little bewildered about broccoli. For so many years, many of us have thought of broccoli as one of those foods that you have to eat, not one that you would want to eat. However, new research is coming out that tells us that there are plenty of reasons to eat this dark green veggie. Learn a little bit more about broccoli and why it belongs in your refrigerator.
What Is Broccoli?
The first records of people cultivating broccoli as a food crop date back about 600 BC in the Mediterranean region. The vegetable that was being grown at the time was more leafy, and looked more like the cabbage-type plants that broccoli is descended from, rather than the broccoli that we are used to today. Broccoli features heavily in Mediterranean cuisine, and it only came into wide usage in the United States during the 1920s. This vegetable is a member of the brassica family, and the part that is commonly eaten is the flowering part of the plant, which consists of fairly tender stalks and tiny flowering heads. Today, it is grown primarily in China and India, as the crop requires a consistent cool temperature.
Superfood!
Perhaps you remember being told to eat your broccoli, but you may never have received a good explanation for why you should do so. First, it is fairly high in vitamin C and potassium, both of which people often have a hard time getting enough of as they go through their day. On top of that, it is also a fantastic source of vitamin A, a fantastic source of dietary fiber, and some reports indicate that a high level of broccoli consumption can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Health Benefits?
Broccoli has many health benefits which are not immediately apparent. In the first place, it has a high dosage of sulfur compounds, which can create a pungent odor when it is being cooked. However, those same sulfur compounds have the effect of reducing the risks of colon cancer, ovarian cancer and bladder cancer. On top of that, it also has a fantastically high level of anti-oxidants, which also work to prevent cancer in the body. Eating it regularly helps you boost your immune system while also supporting your cardiovascular health. It is very nutritionally dense; as a matter of fact, it might be one of the most nutritionally dense foods around. It is an excellent choice for pregnant women, as it has been shown to reduce birth defects, and it can also reduce the possibility of cataracts. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that you might be interested in adding this powerful brassica to your daily diet!
How Do I Eat Broccoli?
When you are thinking about getting more broccoli into your diet, you’ll find that all you need for a daily serving is about ½ cup of cooked broccoli. However, if you prepare it right, you’ll find that you’ll definitely be interested in eating more! To prepare a very tasty side dish for dinner, start by cutting up about four or five cups of broccoli or by thawing frozen florets and turning your oven up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss your broccoli florets in a mixture that includes 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Then place it into a roasting pan and roast it in the oven for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. This allows you to keep the fresh green taste of the broccoli without risking the sulfur smells of cooking it. To spice up this recipe a bit, add some crushed garlic or some lemon juice to the mix.
The Camu Camu berry, also known as myrciaria dubia, is the fruit of an Amazonian riverside tree commonly found in countries like Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru. The tree is partially submerged in water for close to six months and produces small white flowers with waxy petals. It takes approximately six to eight years for the tree to initially bear fruit. The small deep red and purple colored berries resemble cherries and are significantly high in Vitamin C content. The berries are typically harvested during high flood by boat or canoe and distributed for use all over the globe.
History
When historically used by Natives of the Amazon region, the Camu Camu berry provided a rich source of nutrition and phytochemicals needed to sustain proper health in ancient times. Traditional uses of the berry included alleviating pain, treating infection and inflammation, and healing wounds. People living within the Amazon region today still use these berries for other than nutritional purposes. In some cases, berries have been applied to unhealthy hair in an effort to treat brittle, split ends and to restore texture, strength, and shine.
Why Is It a Superfood?
The Camu Camu’s high concentration of vitamins and minerals has made the berries a highly aspired superfood worldwide. The berries likely have a higher concentration of whole food Vitamin C than most other fresh foods. In fact, one serving of theses berries may have up to 250 times more Vitamin C content than an orange. The berries are also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium, providing natural boosts of energy. Amino acids present in them include serine, leucine, and valine. Their increased levels of the antioxidants ellagic acid and quercetin make them optimal for promoting immune function and cardiovascular health. Antioxidant function also extends to help prevent untimely oxidative cell damage that will advance the aging progress.
The popularity of the Camu Camu has increased incrementally after some of its health benefits were discovered. Aside from its significant vitamin and antioxidant content, this superfood also helps protect the nervous system from degenerative diseases, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. In the absence of certain nutrients in a diet, the nervous system may be exposed to damaging toxins from unhealthy food choices, making it more susceptible to certain mental disorders or impairments, such as depression. It is also a great protective source for the eyes and greatly reduces the risks of macular degeneration and development of cataracts. Preventative effects extend further to protect against certain types of cancer as well as liver disease.
The Camu Camu berry’s health benefits may also impact exposure to seasonal illnesses. The risk of acquiring the common cold or the flu after exposure to respiratory viruses may be severely reduced if this superfood is a regular part of a person’s diet. Its antiviral components also help fend off numerous other viruses. The berries may also protect against certain bacterial infections and inflammations in the body. It has been found to stave off gingivitis and gum disease in some patients.
How to eat it?
It can be consumed in a variety of ways. Since its taste is essentially rather sour, the berry is typically not consumed in its raw form. One of the most popular ways the berry is distributed is in the form of powder or capsules. After the berries are dried and fashioned into a dark red powder, they are ready to be used as a natural supplement. Camu Camu berry powder may be added to certain types of foods or drinks, such as shakes, smoothies, juices, or simply a glass of fresh water. In its supplement form it should be added very sparsely. Since it takes approximately fifteen pounds of raw berries to produce merely one pound of powder, the supplement’s vitamin C content is still rather high in very small quantities.
There’s a myth about celery that claims that the mere act of eating it causes you to lose weight. That is, you burn more calories chewing and digesting the stuff than it has. Well, maybe not, but for centuries celery has been known as a superfood, rich in vitamins and minerals and low, if not quite that low, in calories.
Some Facts
Celery is a member of the umbelliferae family, and so is related to dill, parsley, carrots and fennel. It comes in bunches of stalks with a common base and leafy tops. Be mindful not to throw out the leafs because they’re also good. It’s in season during the summer and can be grown in a backyard garden. Celery is a biennial, which means that its life cycle lasts for two years.
The domesticated celery we eat is descended from the wild celery, which is believed to have originated in southern Europe and northern Africa. Wild celery is a little different from domesticated celery in that it was leafier.
The popular celery sticks.
Why It’s a Superfood
Celery is a superfood because it’s absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals. A cup of celery provides 36.9 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin K, a vitamin necessary for blood clotting. It gives 9 percent of the B vitamin folate, 9 percent of Vitamin A, 7.5 percent of potassium, 6.7 percent of molybdenum, 5.6 percent of fiber and 5.2 percent of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and is an antioxidant, which helps prevent the cells of the body being damaged by free radicals. It also cuts down on the body’s inflammatory response, which can worsen conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Celery is also rich in phthalides, substances which help lower cholesterol and coumarins, which might have anticarcinogenic properties.
Health Benefits
Celery was used as a medicine before it was used as a food. Though it’s been used since the time of Homer, it wasn’t really valued as a food in Europe till around the 18th century, and didn’t show up in the United States till the early 1800s.
The phthalides found in celery have been shown to help arteries to dilate, which can lead to decreased blood pressure. Celery is also high in potassium, calcium and magnesium, which are also minerals known to lower blood pressure.
Celery seeds can be used as a diuretic, which means they help you to get rid of excess fluid, mostly by increased urination. The coumarins found in celery not only appear to fight cancer, but they support the production of white blood cells that fight pathogens.
Celery
Best Way to Eat Celery and a Recipe
Celery should be bought when it’s crisp and the head is tight. There should be no brown or yellow spots on the stalks and the leaves should be bright, light green and also free of spots or wilted patches. To store it, put it in a plastic bag or wrap a damp cloth around it and put it in the fridge. It’s best not to wash it until you’re going to eat it. Don’t put celery in the freezer, as it doesn’t freeze well. Celery can be chopped and added to salads, or can be eaten dipped in peanut butter or ricotta cheese. The leaves can be used in salads. Here’s a recipe.
Celery and Scallion Casserole
3/4 cup scallions
1 cup chopped celery
2 tbs. sweet butter
2 cups raw rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. sage
Dash of black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook the scallions and celery in the butter until they’re tender. Place them in a baking dish. Cook the rice in the chicken broth until its half done, then pour over the celery and scallions. Add the sage and pepper and bake for 40 minutes or until the rice is done.
The history of the chili pepper goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence of homegrown chili peppers from over 6000 years ago. They were first cultivated in Central and South America but Christopher Columbus discovered them and introduced them to Europe. He called them peppers because they had a spicy, hot taste just like the black and white pepper that was a the time known in Europe. The chili pepper later spread throughout Asia where it became very popular as a spice for their ethnic cuisine. Chili peppers quickly became popular because they were thought to have the same pungency as black peppercorns which were expensive.
Peppers are broken down into three groupings, the bell peppers, hot peppers, and sweet peppers. Chili peppers fall under hot peppers and some of their more popular varieties are:
Habanaro – small yellow or red pepper that has a high heat rating
Jalapeno – very popular when it comes to Mexican food, has various heat levels
Thai Pepper – small red peppers that are quite spicy
Serrano – smaller green ones with medium heat
and many many more…
Jalapeno peppers
Chili Peppers = Super Food?
You usually think hot, spicy, Mexican,etc when talking about chili but super food? What makes chili peppers a super food? Well, mostly capsaicin. The intensity of the chili pepper is controlled by natural chemicals called capsaicinoids and they are responsible for the heat and burn of the peppers. Apart from the burning capsaicin peppers also include other nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene and other potent antioxidants and they low in fat, calories, and in cholesterol.
So what are the benefits of eating hot chili peppers?
Health Benefits
Enjoying Chili Peppers
Peppers are an important part of many ethnic cuisines either fresh from picking or dried to preserve them for longer periods of time. They can be used whole, sliced, diced, sautéed, or fried and even ground into a paste. The chili pepper is also a favorite ingredient in curry dishes, chipotle is made from the jalapeno pepper…They are also often used to make hot sauce which is then added to many different dishes including chili soup, pizza and many other dishes that taste better with more spice. So getting enough chilies is not a problem. What about the benefits?
Health Benefits of Chili Peppers
We have blamed capsaicin for the hotness of the peppers but there are other effects that this substance can give us apart from burned mouth. Capsaicin is an effective ingredient in the management of pain. It disables the part of the nervous system that allows us to feel pain. Obviously not all pains but capsaicin containing cream it can help with pain from:
arthritis (joint and muscle pains),
neuropathy (damage to nerves),
headaches,
pain from a mastectomy (breast removal) and amputations,
pain resulting from shingles (painful skin rash),
etc..
But the benefits don’t stop here. Capsaicin is also a natural anti-inflammatory and helps improve circulation. They are investigating if it can stop a heart attack and be used instead of Novocain for dental work.
Chili peppers can also clean and purify your blood and get rid of mucus and toxins. This way your blood can transport more oxygen.
Being hot and all you would think that spicy chili peppers are bad for your stomach. But quite the contrary is true – they can help fight off ulcers!
Then there is cancer – capsaicin destroys mitochondria in cancer cells and causes cell death but as said only in cancer cells, healthy cells are unharmed. Spicy foods kills cancer cells! A Nottingham University study confirmed that.
Capsaicin also reduces high blood pressure and improves your your metabolism.
And finally – it can also serve as an alternative to Botox.
Dried chili peppers
A Simple Recipe Using Chili Peppers
There are loads of hot recipes out there, even whole cuisines are considered spicy. Here is a simple holiday recipe for a tasty, spicy appetizer.
Spicy Version
Split hot peppers in half. Stuff with mixture of tuna, cream cheese and spices to taste.
Mild Version
Section whole green peppers and use the same stuffing you use with hot peppers.
Chlorella is a type of single-celled algae that contains the largest amount of chlorophyll of any plant on Earth. It grows in fresh water and is capable of quickly multiplying itself using a process that requires only sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and minerals. Scientists believe that Chlorella has been around for over 2 billion years, thanks to its simple and easy to sustain life pattern. The name “chlorella” is derived from the Greek words “ella” and “chloros,” which together mean “small green.”
Why is Chlorella Considered a Superfood?
Chlorella contains all of the amino acids required by the body, as well as a good amount of essential fatty acids and other nutrients. The vitamins and minerals that can be found in chlorella are folic acid, calcium, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, phosphorous, and many more. On top of all this, chlorella also contains a special phytonutrient called Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF). CGF is what allows chlorella to reproduce itself at such a rapid rate, and it is also demonstrating the potential to revitalize cells within the human body. Researchers are discovering that CGF may be able to help the body remove impurities and enhance the strength of the cells.
What Else Can Chlorella Do For The Human Body?
Aside from the obvious good things that come from ingesting any nutrient-dense food, Chlorella can help the body in a number of other ways. In Asian countries, Chlorella has been used as an energy-booster for many centuries, but it is only now being discovered that it can help to lower cholesterol. In a Japanese study, 16 high-cholesterol patients were given 20 chlorella tablets a day for twelve weeks. At the end of the study, all of the patients experienced a drop in their cholesterol levels. Chlorella may also be capable of promoting healthy blood pressure and more relaxed arteries.
Another way that chlorella can help the human body is by encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria within the digestive system. Unhealthy gut flora can contribute to a number of diseases, including ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, food sensitivities, depression and a poor immune system. Chlorella can help by stimulating the growth of lacto-bacilli, a type of bacteria necessary for properly functioning intestines.
Perhaps most importantly, chlorella has the potential to help cancer patients, especially those who are undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. The nutrients in chlorella can possibly protect white blood cells from chemotherapy-induced problems and sooth the lining of the stomach, which can sometimes become damaged during cancer treatment. It can also aid digestion, guard against DNA damage due to radiation treatment, reduce the unpleasant side-effects of chemotherapy and even help the tissues in the body to repair faster, something that cancer patients desperately need.
What is The Best Way to Take Chlorella Daily?
There are a number of exciting and fun ways that you can introduce chlorella into your diet. The common form of chlorella is powder. You can try adding this powder to salad dressings, sprinkling it on top of a freshly cooked stir fry, mixing it into mashed potatoes or scrambling it with your morning eggs. For an even simpler approach, consider starting your day with a green chlorella smoothie. A banana, a few slices of pineapple, a handful of your favorite berries and a heaping spoonful of chlorella powder will blend into a delicious and nutritious dark green health shake that will be sure to give you energy throughout your work day.
Chlorella powder on a spoon
Even though you use the powder in small amounts it can give a bit of taste to the foods so if you don’t like that consider taking chlorella in tablet form. 2-4 tablets a day in a morning with some water and you are ready to go..no taste, no fuss.
I think most of us have heard that garlic is good for you. And that it keeps the vampires away. How it does that, why is it healthy and why vampires hate it? Read on and you’ll find out.
First a few things about the plant itself. Garlic is botanically called allium sativum and is a type of bulb, that is a part of the onion genus. It is closely related to rakkyo, chive, onion and shallot. Most sources suggest that people have been using garlic for over 7,000 years! It originally came from Central Asia but today, it is available in all parts of the world and used for a wide range of purposes.
Why Is Garlic Considered a Superfood?
Why vampires don’t like garlic? The rational explanation is that this belief evolved from the fact that garlic was an ancient method of fending off many different evil spirits and vampires were considered to be one of these evils. A more detailed and vampire connected explanation says that since garlic is a natural antibiotic it kills bacteria which includes a certain type of bacteria that vampires have in their blood and can not live without. And this is why they need to stay away from it. Then again “newly” popular vampires from Twilight say that they don’t mind garlic at all. Anyway – next time you are attacked by a vampire try garlic and let us know.
Super foods are not by a set of rules defined number of foods. They are simply foods that are very rich with nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants and are able to help you fight diseases, lose weight, slow down the aging process, and more. They have properties that other “normal” foods don’t have. Garlic is considered a superfood because it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and is also packed with antioxidants.
Used By Egyptians And Ancient Greeks
In the past, the Egyptians would eat garlic before they built the pyramids. The ancient Egyptians believed that the garlic gave them strength. They also believed that garlic could help prevent bladder infections. The ancient Greeks would eat garlic before they went into battle. Additionally, during the Middle Ages, people would eat garlic because they thought that it would help combat the plague.
What Are Some of the Health Benefits of Garlic?
Garlic has been shown to have a protective effect against heart disease. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are two of the major risk factors that can make a person more susceptible to developing heart disease. Garlic helps lower low density lipoprotein, or LDL. LDL is also known as the bad cholesterol because it is the type that accumulates in the arteries.
While garlic is lowering bad cholesterol, it is simultaneously raising HDL, or the good cholesterol. HDL helps remove plaque from the arteries. Garlic can also help lower blood pressure and protects our blood cells and blood vessels against inflammation. It also contains a long list of sulfur compounds (allicin, allyl polysulfides, diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulfude and many more) that help protect us from oxidative stress (what is oxidative stress?).
There was a study done on pre-hypertensive patients. They were divided into two groups. One group was given a garlic clove every day while the other half was given a placebo. The results of the study showed that the subjects who were given the garlic clove had lower blood pressures than the subjects who were in the control group.
You might smell later, but it’s healthy.
There has also been evidence to suggest that garlic can potentially help prevent cancer. Garlic helps reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are compounds that can encourage the growth of cancerous cells. Studies show that high consumption of garlic helps prevent nearly all types of cancer except prostate cancer and breast cancer. The anti cancer benefits of garlic may be again attributed to its allyl sulfide compounds, which are found to activate Nrf2 molecule. This specific molecule modifies certain cell responses, helps cells prepare for a strong survival response, and inhibits the formation of potentially cancerous cells.
One of the studies that showed that garlic can have a protective effect against cancer was performed in China. The study compared two counties, Gangshan and Quixia. The residents in Gangshan County ate about 20 grams of garlic per day. This county had a gastric cancer death rate of about 3.45 per 1,000 residents. The residents in Quixia County very rarely ate garlic. This county had a gastric cancer death rate of 40 per 1,000 residents. This is of course a very simplified explanation of the study.
Additionally, garlic can help boost the immune system. Garlic contains aliin, which gets converted into allicin when the garlic is crushed. Allicin is a natural antibiotic. It can help fight bacterial infections, such as streptococcus, which is what causes strep throat. Furthermore, garlic has been shown to help fight colds and influenza. In fact garlic’s ability to fight against infectious agents is probably its most renowned feature. Several studies have been conducted to investigate and validate garlic’s antibacterial and antiviral properties. Interestingly, recent studies showed that garlic also helps in the treatment of chronic infections involving bacteria which have developed resistance to prescription antibiotics. Certain compounds in garlic were also found to be effective in preventing infections caused by the fungus, Candida albicans as well as the bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Other benefits of garlic include lowering our levels of homocysteine with the help of its high amounts of B complex vitamins. This is another key factor that helps prevent cardiovascular problems. Garlic may also enhance our immune system function with its high vitamin C content.
Do you know it can be turned into a tea? Read on to find out how.
A Few Suggestions For Eating It
Even though garlic can be consumed in its raw form, it is very acidic, and it can cause nausea. It also makes your breath smell…well…not the most pleasantly. That is you may want to consider cooking garlic before you consume it. There are many ways to use it in your everyday cooking.
Garlic can be:
added to bread,
mashed potatoes,
pasta salad or regular salad,
to almost any meal with vegetables,
etc…
You should try to eat between two and five grams of garlic per day. If you do not like the taste of garlic, then you can get it in a form of a supplement.
Garlic Tea
To finish this garlic article – here is an unpleasant recipe for garlic tea :). It tastes quite horrible. But it’s really good if you have a cold, feel sick etc… You will need:
a piece of ginger root,
5 or 6 garlic cloves,
2 lemons
at least 1/4 gallon (1 liter) boiling hot water.
This is how to prepare ginger garlic tea:
Boil the water.
Peel the ginger and cut it into pieces.
Peel the garlic cloves and crush them, its best to use garlic press.
Pour boiling hot water on ginger and garlic and let the “tea” rest. You should wait at least an hour or two but its best to prepare it in the evening and leave it overnight.
When its ready you can reheat it if you want (it might be a bit easier to drink hot than cold), squeeze the lemons, and add lemon juice to the tea. It says two lemons but the more lemons you add, the less garlicky the taste will be.
Drink it cup by cup throughout the day. I won’t type enjoy here :)
Two More Garlic Recipes
I’ve dug out two cool recipes that include garlic. One is for garlic pasta and the second one is for roasted garlic. Roasted garlic becomes very soft and sweet. A nice addition to a whole range of meals.
If you follow the latest health and nutrition news, you’ve no doubt heard of the many nutrient-rich superfoods and their benefits. A starchy Peruvian tuber, maca commonly ranks near the top of most superfood lists. Read on to learn more about this amazing supplement.
The hardy maca plant (Lepidium meyenii) thrives high in the Peruvian Andes Mountains in poor soil and extreme weather. The Incas domesticated maca approximately 2,000 years ago and began cultivating this plant for its many nutritional and medicinal benefits. A root vegetable like the potato, maca resembles a turnip or beet root. Ancient mountain dwellers commonly ate boiled maca to maintain overall health, and Inca warriors ingested it to boost their energy for sports and battle. In addition, due to its fertility-enhancing properties, ancient shamans employed maca in fertility ceremonies. Spanish settlers in Peru first documented the Incas’ use of maca in the 16th century. In recent decades, cultivation of this superfood in Peru has greatly increased to meet a growing demand worldwide. Nowadays, you can buy maca in most health-food stores.
Due to its fertility-enhancing properties, ancient shamans employed maca in fertility ceremonies.
What Makes Maca a Superfood?
Maca abounds with antioxidants, minerals, B-vitamins, amino acids, beneficial fats, fiber and enzymes and boasts 60 micronutrients. In addition, maca is an adaptogen, a substance that works best when taken regularly in small amounts over time as a tonic; an adaptogen balances, supports and enhances the functioning of multiple body systems, treating all systems that need balancing. Maca especially benefits the endocrine system, including the pituitary and adrenal glands and the hypothalamus. Balancing these primary endocrine glands in turn balances the testes, ovaries and pancreas. Maca also supports the immune, circulatory, digestive and nervous systems. A multivitamin in itself, maca has earned a reputation as a superfood.
9 Health Benefits
Not surprisingly, maca offers numerous health benefits:
For athletes, maca boosts stamina, endurance and energy.
In addition, maca’s natural plant sterols increase muscle strength and mass; bodybuilders can employ this superfood in place of anabolic steroids.
Furthermore, maca improves fertility and sexual functioning and increases libido, earning this superfood the nickname “Peruvian ginseng.”
Since it balances male and female sex hormones, maca also treats PMS and menopause symptoms as well as erectile dysfunction.
This superfood also counteracts fatigue and stress,
enhances memory,
and boosts mental and emotional health.
Finally, maca relieves stiff joints in arthritis sufferers and
Today, the most common way to use maca is by using maca powder.
Traditionally, Peruvians eat boiled maca as a food, but, in many parts of the world, you can only find maca in powdered, extract, or pill form. Some maca powders contain added spices for additional flavor. Some health-food stores also carry teas, nut butters and other products containing maca. You can incorporate maca into your diet by adding it to shakes, juices, smoothies or recipes for raw cookies, ice creams and other desserts.
For standardized maca extract, the commonly recommended dosage is 300 mg three times daily. Since maca pills, extracts and powders are far more concentrated than the boiled roots, many nutritionists recommend using them sparingly. One teaspoon per day of maca powder taken regularly over time provides an excellent tonic for the body’s systems without the risk of overconsuming this powerful supplement. Oh – and when using maca you will notice a difference in the smell of your pee. It’s normal.
Maca Smoothie Recipe
The following smoothie recipe incorporates maca root and makes a healthy, energy-boosting snack. To prepare this drink, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend them together for one minute or longer, depending on your blender’s power. Serve this delicious smoothie in a tall glass.
Energizing Chocolate Smoothie
1 cup hazelnut or almond milk
¼ cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons chopped dinosaur kale
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
2 teaspoons raw cacao nibs
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
½ teaspoon bee pollen
½ teaspoon powered maca root
4 ice cubes
And another one, this time as usual with video instructions. For this one you will need:
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp maca powder
1 banana
1 cup dates
Hemp milk to taste
Apart from maca this smoothie has load of other “good for you” ingredients. Enjoy!
Oats are an often overlooked food, frequently considered bland, uninteresting or even lacking nutrition. However, this could not be further from the truth: Oats are a powerful, nutrient-rich food that should be eaten every day.
What are Oats?
Historically, oats were not as widely used as wheat or barley. The oldest known location of oats being regularly used was in the Switzerland during the Bronze Age. Oats first came to North America in 1602 and are believed to have originated in Asia Minor. After being planted around the coast of Massachusetts upon arrival, oats slowly were spread across North America. By the 1870s, oats were prevalent in the middle and upper Mississippi valley, where they are primarily produced in America today. Russia, Finland, Poland, and Canada, in addition to the United States, are the leading producers of oats today.
Russia, Finland, Poland, and Canada, are in addition to the United States the leading producers of oats today.
Historical Uses
Oats have traditionally been used as food or pasture grounds for livestock since they were first cultivated. Oats have also been a food source for humans, particularly in Scotland. Oats have also been used as a treatment for diabetes before insulin was developed. Today, many cereals and bread products are made using oat flour or other oat products. Even dairy products, like ice cream, often contain a type of oat product used as a stabilizer.
Why is it a Superfood?
Oats are considered a superfood because they are high in a number of nutrients and minerals, while being low in calories. Oats are rich in zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, Vitamin C and B vitamins. In addition to nourishing skin, nails and hair, oats also deliver nutrients to the nervous system and provide energy. Oats are also a good source of fiber. Because they have a low glycaemic index, oats are slowly digested, which can improve both mood and concentration, and even help prevent or manage diabetes. Oats are an ideal food for dieters, as their slow digestion keeps you feeling full and satisfied for longer. They are also a good source of protein, containing amounts comparable to meat and milk.
Eating one bowl of oats a day has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 20%.
Health Benefits
Eating one bowl of oats a day has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 20%. Additionally, oats can help prevent heart disease, reduce blood pressure, keep blood sugar levels maintained and boost the immune system.
Oats that are less processed, like whole oat groats or steel-cut oats, take the longest amount of time for the body to break down, which helps to keep the blood sugar regulated. Oats can also help prevent heart disease, due to an antioxidant that can only be found in oats called avenanthramides. Oats can also lower your risk for certain cancers, like colorectal cancer, due to the large amounts of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants found in them. Oats also contain phytoestrogen, which can decrease the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.
How to Eat Oats
One of the great things about oats is that they are versatile. Oats can easily be eaten alone as granola, porridge or muesli. Perhaps the easiest way to get the recommended daily amount of oats, one cooked cup, is to have a bowl of oatmeal with fruit and cinnamon for breakfast. For a change of pace from the traditional bowl of oatmeal, oat flour can be used in place of traditional flour in many recipes, like cookies, cakes, bread and even pancakes.
Another easy way to get oats into your diet is smoothies. This banana oat smoothie, from Martha Stewart’s website, is a great way to get oats into your diet. This easy smoothie recipe combines oats, yogurt, banana, milk, honey, and cinnamon for a healthy, nutrient-packed meal or snack. Another cool smoothie recipe is in this video. You will need 1/4 cup oats, 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed, 1 cup almond milk, 2 frozen bananas, 1 tbsp. maple syrup, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1 handful pre-soaked almonds. Here is how to do it:
However you eat them, oats are packed with important nutrients and are low in calories. They provide a number of health benefits, making them an ideal food for every day.
You’re probably most familiar with parsley as that swig of green on top of your favorite casserole. If you’re only using parsley as a garnish, though, you’re selling this versatile herb short. Parsley can be used as an herb, a spice, a vegetable and a medicinal plant.
Parsley belongs to the family Apiaceae, and is related to such other culinary herbs as dill, fennel, cumin, caraway and anise. There are three varieties of parsley:
• Curly parsley, sometimes called French parsley, which has a slightly bitter taste, and is mostly grown as an ornamental.
• Flat leaf parsley, or Italian parsley, which is the herb most often used in cooking.
• Hamburg parsley, which is grown for its root and is a common ingredient in Eastern European cuisines.
Parsley is chock full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin K, several B vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and iodine. Parsley has more vitamin C per gram than most citrus fruits, with 166mg per 100g (4oz), which is three times as much as an orange. Parsley also contains more beta-carotene than a large carrot.
Parsley has been used to help relieve menstrual cramps as far back as the Middle Ages.
Why Is It a Superfood?
Parsley has been elevated to the pantheon of superfoods because it’s packed with nutrients that team up in synergistic ways. Parsley’s B vitamins work together to revitalize your nervous system functions, which makes the herb a great stress reducer. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, essential to over 300 bodily functions.
Since the times of the ancient Greeks, parsley has been used as a digestive aid.
Parsley, the Stress Reducer and Other Health Benefits
Parsley can be used to maintain health and to combat specific illnesses.
Parsley is one of the best breath fresheners around, instantly ridding your mouth of unwelcome memories of that garlic pizza you had for lunch.
The Vitamin C in parsley boosts your immune system, safeguarding against colds and other types of infection.
Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, which means parsley can reduce the pain and joint stiffness associated with arthritis.
Vitamin C also assists with calcium absorption, which means parsley promotes bone and tooth health.
Parsley is a natural diuretic that can help prevent water retention and bloating. It flushes out the kidneys by stimulating urination. It can also help heal bladder and urinary tract infections.
Parsley has been used to help relieve menstrual cramps as far back as the Middle Ages. The secret ingredient? An essential oil called apiol that is still a widely used folk medicine to treat amenorrea. In fact, pregnant women should not eat parsley because it can induce miscarriage.
Since the times of the ancient Greeks, parsley has been used as a digestive aid. Though no scientific evidence has yet confirmed these results, parsley has been used for centuries to eliminate excess gas and stimulate bowel movements.
Parsley contains flavonoids, and flavonoids have anticarcinogenic properties.
Parsley also contains an essential oil called myristicin, which has been found to inhibit tumor growth in animal studies.
Parsley contains large quantities of the B vitamin folic acid, an essential nutrient that slows the arterial wall thickening characteristic of atherosclerosis. Folate also reduces levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that increases the risk of heart attacks, blood clots and strokes.
As most herb, fruit and vegetables, parsley is best used fresh.
How To Take Parsley
When used for medicinal purposes, parsley is most often juiced. Alternative health care practitioners recommend drinking no more than two ounces of parsley juice every day.
Parsley tea can also be brewed from either the fresh or dried herb. The recommended serving is six ounces a day.
Parsley is also available in supplement capsule form. The safest supplements are those made from dried parsley. Refer to the label for dosing information.
The ingestion of parsley oil is controversial. While some sources say it promotes optimal health, other sources point out that the active ingredients in parsley oil, myristicin and apiol, can be toxic to the liver and are a known abortifacient. Individuals taking diuretics, blood thinning medications and lithium are cautioned to avoid taking parsley in large amounts as a health supplement, though small amounts in food carry no risks.
Here is a cool recipe for making parsley juice. Since parsley has a very strong taste it is usually added to other juices. This one teaches you how to make carrot, apple and parsley juice (don’t mind the scary music :) ).
It seems like quinoa popped up out of nowhere as the world’s newest superfood. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, this grain has been used for thousands of years. Archaeologists have traced quinoa back to the Incans who regarded it as sacred. They even restricted its growth so that the commoners couldn’t abuse its benefits. Even in America, it predated the corn craze because of its ability to grow in cooler climates.
Quinoa was one of the most popular grains in the Inca empire.
While it is used as a grain in today’s recipes, it is actually part of another family similar to beets and spinach. This quinoa bandwagon has people asking many questions regarding its health benefits and ease of use. For example…
Why is Quinoa a Superfood?
Today, quinoa is not necessarily regarded as sacred, but it is appreciated for its extremely high nutritional value. First, it has a high protein content. It is actually 14% protein by mass. While this is not as high as many beans and legumes, it is a great alternative that can be incorporated into nearly every meal.
In addition to protein, it contains many other nutrients. It is a great source of dietary fiber. This helps to keep the digestive system working well and encourages weight loss. Quinoa also contains phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Surprisingly, it is also full of calcium making it great for vegans that are lactose intolerant.
Quinoa started to become noticed when gluten allergies become more common. Quinoa is a naturally gluten free food making it easy to digest.
Red and white quinoa grain, low in cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates.
What Are The Health Benefits of this Vegetarian Meat Alternative?
The fact that quinoa is so high in protein makes it extremely healthy. It is perfect for those who are working out and want to incorporate more protein into their diet without consuming the fat in most meats. It is also an alternative to meats for vegetarians. They get most of the same health benefits of meat without having to turn to unnatural substances.
Quinoa is a dream food for most dieters. It is low in cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates. This means that it keeps you fuller for longer and provides nutritional value while doing so. Other diet foods are packed full of sugars or simple carbohydrates that send you on a dieting roller coaster. Also, because quinoa is low in calories, you can nearly as much as you want without feeling guilty.
The fiber and other nutrients in quinoa make it an extremely effective detoxing food. It cleans out the digestive system while cleansing the liver and kidneys. If you suffer from any sort of digestive disorder or slow metabolism, quinoa may be the answer.
Quinoa is beneficial to so many other parts of the body. It helps promote bone strength. It aids in focus and concentration. It also provides the body with energy it needs to make other healthy decisions.
How to Prepare it & Eat it?
To get the full health benefits of quinoa, try having one or two servings per day. Because it is such a versatile food, you can have quinoa with any meal. This ensures that you get all the health benefits possible. If you are vegan or replacing all your grains with quinoa, you may need more than one or two servings. Here is a simple recipe to get you started.
Simple Quinoa Recipe
For one cup of quinoa, you will use two cups of water. This will result in three cups of quinoa and three servings.
Begin by rinsing the quinoa so the water runs clear. Heat the seeds in a pan with olive oil for about one minute until all the water has evaporated. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down low and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the burner and allow it to sit covered for about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.
From here, you can experiment so it accompanies your meal:
add brown sugar or maple syrup for breakfast,
use chicken broth instead of water as a side dish,
serve it cold and add vegetables for a summer salad,
etc…
To get you started, here is a cool quinoa salad recipe video:
Quinoa certainly deserves its reputation as a superfood. Try it out for yourself and experience all the benefits.
