Super Foods
There
is a lot of excitement these days about what has been termed as super foods.
What are these so called super foods?
Foods which are defined as super foods are those that have very low levels of calories and are extremely rich in nutrients. They are an excellent source of anti-oxidants and essential balanced nutrients that our body needs and can use immediately without it having to process them into more absorb-able forms.One of the common facts that many types of green superfoods share is the fact that they are rarely used as every day foods in most Western cultures, sea weed is rarely served outside of ethnic cultures such as Japanese, Korean or Thai cuisine. Because of its extra high nutritional and nutrient value , seaweed has been developed into of a large range of green - superfood products. The consumer can choose from a variety of dried seaweed that can be consumed as a tasty snack. It can also be prepared and used as an ingredient many main meals or is sometimes used as a side dish. Sea weed products can also be purchased as supplements blended with other green super foods. Green Super Foods
Even when we choose to add more green salads and other fruit and vegetables to our diet we may still not be getting all the nutrients and essential minerals we need as some soils in which commercial vegetables are grown can be lacking in some of these trace elements. Normal green leafy vegetables are good for us but Green super foods contain larger balanced amounts of naturally occurring fat reducing compounds and a higher amount of nutrients, minerals and vitamins which can help to repair and protect our bodies. They also contain a multitude of other necessary compounds which are a mixture of proteins, healthy bacteria and protective photo-chemicals that can assist in building healthier stronger muscles and tissues. They also aid your digestive system to work more efficiently and help to protect you from ill health and some diseases.
Green Super
Foods contain large quantities of the substance
known as chlorophyll which is a pigment that makes
most plants look green. Chlorophyll has a molecular structure that is very
close to that of human blood. It has been observed during studies that the
regular consumption of Chlorophyll helps to increase the levels of hemoglobin
in the human bloodstream which immediately increases the oxygen carrying
capacity of the blood that supplies oxygen to our brain, muscles and other
vital organs.
It has become much more popular these days to use high powered blenders to make smoothies out of superfoods and people often blend a mixture of fruits green vegetables berries and nuts into great tasting shakes which are easily digested due to the blending action which pulverizes the food so it is easily absorbed into the body. |
Types of green super foods
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Wheat-Grass |
When wheat is sprouted it is called wheat grass, once the seed starts to grow into a plant it loses its gluten content and other allergens. Wheat grass is excellent for promoting healthy blood as it is super alkaline. It has also been shown to help the thyroid gland and stimulate metabolism assisting with digestion and aiding in weight loss due to the high enzyme content which has a cleansing effect.
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Barley grass. |
This sprouted grass is very high in calcium and can contain up to 11 times more of this mineral than regular cows milk. It is also a good source of vitamin C and has seven times more of this vitamin that orange juice. The absorb-able content of iron in barley grass is five times that of spinach. It also contains large amounts of Vitamin B 12 which is especially important if you are a vegetarian. Barley grass juice can have an anti viral effect and may help in removing heavy metals from the blood stream. |
Wild blue-green algae |
One of the first forms of life on earth was considered to be Algae and its power of growth is immense. Blue green algae that is grown wildly is classed as a phytoplankton and this type of algae contains just about every essential nutrient for life to exist. It has a high content of protein up to 60 percent .It also contains an amino acid profile that is more complete than soy or beef and it is one of the best foods for obtaining beta carotene. It has a high content of the vitamin b group and high levels of chlorophyll. It is reputed to help with improved brain functions and stimulate and fortify the body’s immune system to help control cold and flu and other viruses. |
Spirulina
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Spirulina is one of the highest known protein sources on Earth. It is a cultivated micro-algae and has been part of the diets of indigenous tribes in Mexico and also in Africa for thousands of years. It has up to 70percent complete proteins compared to steak which is about 25 percent protein after cooking. It has been shown in studies that spirulina can help to control blood sugar levels and help in weight loss. It is also reputed to reduce food cravings and is a natural nutrient supplement which can be used to help with weight loss.
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Chlorella. |
This algae grows in fresh water and it also has a complete protein profile. It contains vitamin C and the entire vitamin B group, It also contains vitamin E and many trace minerals that are needed for a healthy body. It has also been show to boost the immune system and helps in reducing cholesterol and hardening of arteries which in turn will lessen the chances of strokes and heart attacks.
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Green leafy Vegetables
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A lot of people underestimate the goodness of green vegetables, they are usually easily available or easy to grow although not enough people eat them regularly. Many studies have been done that prove that countries where leafy vegetables are consumed on a daily basis run a much lower risk of weight gain, cancer or heart attacks. High doses of chlorophyll are found in raw green leafy vegetables along with easily digestible enzymes, proteins, and a large amount of essential vitamins and minerals.
The vegetables listed below are some of the more well known green leafy vegetables that are good for you. · Spinach · Rocket · dandelion greens · kale, · watercress, · parsley · lettuce · endive · chicory · broccoli sprouts · mustard sprouts These raw vegetables are also good for the blood and act as a health tonic for our brains ,they can also help to flush our kidneys of toxins. |
Nuts and berries as super-foods |
Super foods from derived from fruit, berries and nuts have a high content of anti-oxidants. These anti-oxidants help our bodies to remove free radicals which slowly attack our cells causing damage. Free radicals are an oxidizing agent that attacks our bodies cells causing harm to our immune system. Free radicals are a natural occurrence in our bodies but when we have too many of these they can cause havoc to our immune system. The anti-oxidants in some super foods help us to keep the free radical numbers down to safe limits with in our cells. We absorb these free radicals from pollution, smoking, burnt foods, fatty foods and cooked foods. These free radicals usually attack our immune systems leaving us open to disease and other illnesses. When we consume fruit and nut super foods the anti-oxidants in them help us by building up our immune system and keeping it stable. Listed below are some of the fruit, nut and berry super foods that we can eat to help our immune systems. |
Goji Berries |
These special berries are grown in Mongolia and Tibet in protected valleys .This berry has a very distinct taste and bright red when ripe. They are extremely rich in vitamin C and contain up to 500 time more of this vitamin than an equally weighed amount of oranges . They also have large quantities of vitamins-A, B1, B2, B6 and E and store a fully balanced protein made up of eighteen amino acids and twenty one different trace elements. They are also very high in anti-oxidants making them an excellent natural whole food which can be used to help us from aging and fight off disease.
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Raw Cacoa Nuts
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This nut has been traditionally roasted and ground to make cocoa powder for chocolate and other commercial foods using the “Dutch method” which involves roasting the beans or nuts at high temperatures as well as adding solvents in the processing which destroys most of the vital nutrients and anti-oxidants.
When buying any product containing cocoa nuts in any form make sure to ask for certified organic raw products that have not been exposed to temperatures higher than 40 degrees Celsius. This will ensure that the product you are buying still contains all of its heat sensitive vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Raw cocoa has been widely reputed to have the highest concentrations of anti-oxidants found in any food source.. For those people who are worried about not getting enough iron it is good to know that every recommended size serving of raw cacao beans you consume will give you up to 21% of the recommended daily allowance of iron. It has also been proven to contain extremely high amounts of magnesium which is a mineral that has been found to be deficient in most diets but is an important mineral for good health.. And to top it off raw cacao beans have an antioxidant (ORAC) score of 95,500,which is 14 times more flavonoids (antioxidants) than red wine and 21 times more than green tea. |