Health

August 19, 2013

6 ‘superfoods’ you may not be eating

6 ‘superfoods’ you may not be eating

Grapes

Often times it’s not that healthful eating isn’t tasty, but rather it’s the lack of variety. Adding variety of super nutrient dense foods to diet ensures  the body gets the whole list of vitamins and minerals to thrive.

You know fruits and vegetables are healthy,processed foods are not. You are aware too much meat and fried foods are also not healthy. There are, however, those foods you should be eating but for one reason or another you tend to overlook. Here are  superfoods that you haven’t yet added to your diet.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue green algae that’s a wonderful food especially for those that avoid meat products. Though this is certainly true of everyone, a deficiency in B12 is more common in vegans and some vegetarians because B12 is found in animal products.  There is no whole food source of B12 for vegans, except for spirulina. What’s more, spirulina has iron. Add spirulina to shakes and smoothies by the spoonful.

Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is made up of three acids EPA, DHA, and ALA. ALA can be found in hemp seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Hemp seeds also have more protein than milk or eggs and they’re easier to digest than both of them.

Adzuki Beans

They’re smaller than black beans and reddish brown in color but loaded with nutrients and contain some of the highest levels of protein and lowest levels of fat of any variety of beans. They also contain high levels of potassium, fibre, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and manganese. Adzuki beans promote regular bowel movements, are a good source of energy, and help lower cholesterol. Try them out

Twig tea

It’s called twig tea and it’s been around for centuries. It’s made with the stems, stalks, and twigs of the tea plant. Initially, farmers sipped on the tea because it was what was leftover from the harvesting of the more expensive leaves. It’s known as a peasant’s drink in Japan but in the West we’ve started to praise the health benefits of the tea for its ability to promote longevity. It’s especially known for its ability to balance acidity in the body, which can lead to disease and ill health down the line.

Ghee

This is clarified butter often used in Indian cooking. Ghee is made by simmering unsalted butter in a pot until all water has boiled off, the milk solids have settled to the bottom. Traditionally, ghee has been used to promote memory, intelligence, digestion and bolsters the immune system as well.

Grapefruits

Ok, you may still be eating these, but probably not enough. Grapefruits contain monoterpenes which sweep the body of carcinogens.They also contain vitamin C and folic acid. Try mixed citrus salad.