By Teri Gentes
These eight superfoods are easily added to a smoothie and amp up your nutrition. See what they can do for you!
Smoothies—sure, they’re a common breakfast choices for many, yet how do yours rate? Can you make them even better? Blending up super sensational smoothies and infusing every one of them with nutritional power is ever so easy with some key ingredients. Power-up your day with any combo of the items listed below and pay close attention to how you feel within a few days. Superfoods have a way of helping you feel super.
Superfoods – What are They?
Long held hero foods are popularly termed superfoods; however, there is no medical description for them. The Macmillan Dictionary defines it as a food considered very good for your health that may even help some medical conditions. I’ve included below just some of these foods and their benefits. Some are likely more familiar to you than others, and all have impressive resumes of potential health and performance benefits. In addition to foods such as these, keep in mind: eating a wide variety of seasonal, organically grown food—vegetables in particular—prepared well, offers a synergistic plethora of health benefits. Nurture the very best state of health you can. The return on investment is one of your greatest rewards for you are your most valuable commodity.
Here are some of my favorites add-ins, augmenting my health by gracing my smoothie creations.
Maca Root
Maca is a very nutrient-dense superfood and a complete source of amino acids. It also is rich in B-vitamins and vitamins C and E, and is a good source of copper, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Maca benefits include:
- Improves anemia
- Reduces chronic fatigue
- Relieves stress and depression
- Improves libido and fertility
- Improves adrenal function
- Strengthens memory
Goji Berries
A Chinese shrub, goji berries contain 18 amino acids, 21 trace minerals, vitamin A, B-complex, C, and E, and are a superior form of antioxidants.
Goji berry benefits include:
- Significantly improves immune function
- Protects DNA
- Protects the eyes and liver
- Reduces inflammation
- Protects the heart
- Improves mood and libido
Chlorella
Chlorella is a rich source of complete protein, a potent source of chlorophyll, and rich in the entire vitamin complex. It is also an exceptional source of iron and zinc, as well as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.
Chlorella benefits include:
- Helps detoxify bio toxins, xenobiotics, and heavy metals
- Helps kill candida and yeast overgrowth
- Known cancer fighter
- Prevents and improves diabetes and insulin resistance
- Reduces pain associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia
- Helps heal and repair tissue growth
- Reduces and eliminates digestive issues
Hemp
Hemp contains twenty amino acids and is a complete source of plant protein. It is also nature's most abundant source of essential fatty acids and has a perfect three to one ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.
Hemp benefits include:
- Fortifies immune system
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves memory and prevents brain-related diseases
- Clears up skin disorders
- Helps keep digestive tract healthy and clean
- Helps reduce risk of diabetes and prevent cancer
Raw Cacao
Considered the most chemically complex food ever studied and possibly the mostconcentrated source of antioxidants (oxygen radical absorbance capacity of 95,500, high in iron, magnesium, fiber, vit C, manganese, serotonin, and zinc).
Raw cacao benefits include:
- Weight loss and digestion aid, appetite suppressant
- Improves cardiovascular health, reduces blood pressure and risk of stroke
- Anti-depressant, endorphin booster
- Blood sugar balance (chromium), aphrodisiac
- Contains essential vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids
- Aids liver detox
Coconut
Coconut is an excellent source of fatty acids, including lauric and caprylic acid which destroy bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It's also a good source of B-vitamins and a great source of copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.
Coconut benefits include:
- Improves immune system function
- Helps protect against brain-related disorders
- Lowers risk of diabetes
- Reduces joint and muscle inflammation
- Strengthens liver
- Kills bacteria and parasites
- Protects against cancer and other immune-related diseases
- Eases acid reflux and promotes proper digestive function
Turmeric
This remarkable spice is turning out to be one of the most powerful health-giving medicines on the planet. New research is finding that turmeric doesn’t just help fight cancer, enhance your immune system, and protect against heavy metals. Research shows it may also alleviate cognitive disorders and increase DHA levels in the brain—especially for vegetarians and vegans. It’s an excellent source of fatty acids, including lauric and caprylic acid, which destroy bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Turmeric is a good source of B-vitamins and a great source of copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.
Turmeric benefits include:
- Destroying multi-drug resistant cancer
- Destroying cancer stem cells (arguably, the root of all cancer)
- Protecting against radiation damage
- Reducing unhealthy levels of inflammation
- Protecting against heavy metal toxicity
- Preventing and reversing Alzheimer’s disease associated pathologies
Green superfoods
With the highest concentrations of easily digestible nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins, and minerals to protect and heal the body, supergreens contain a wide array of beneficial substances, including proteins, protective phytochemicals, and healthy bacteria. Sunwarrior Supergreens, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, barley grass, blue-green algae, and green leafy veggies are all great supergreens.
Green superfood benefits include:
- Helps build cleaner muscles and tissues
- Aids digestive system and protects against disease and illness
- Extremely rich in chlorophyll
The molecular structure of chlorophyll is very similar to that of human blood and studies show that when this is consumed, the production of hemoglobin in blood is increased. A higher amount of hemoglobin in the bloodstream means more oxygen-rich blood, the first and most important element cells need to thrive.
Some familiar everyday superfoods include:
- Leafy greens, hemp, chia seed, wild mushrooms, garlic, onions, turmeric, coconut, raw honey, raw cacao, berries, nori leaves, kelp, and fermented foods (miso, tempeh, sauerkraut).
For enhanced health and performance, incorporate these familiar superfoods as well as the more exotic one into your everyday menu via juices, smoothies, cereals, salads, vinaigrettes and sauces, marinades, stews, soups, dry seasonings, tea, lattes, power bars, healthy sweets, etc. Consider this a front end investment helping nurture your best health.
Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com / http://www.healingthebody.ca / http://science.naturalnews.com www.foodmatter.tv and www.greenmedinfo.com