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Healthy Super Foods Backed By Science

By on September 2, 2015

Welcome Vida Juicers to another episode of Wellness Wednesday.  I’m Doreen Correia and I will be talking about Super Foods.

We constantly hear about Super Foods and I have spoken about the Best Super Foods for Weight Loss, but today I have taken it a step further and found six general, healthy Super Foods that science backs up as well worth the time and money to eat.  The super foods I include in this list are all ones that are relatively inexpensive, making them easier to consume regularly (at least three times per week). You should eat these as part of a balanced whole food, plant-based diet. They are easy to sprinkle on greens, add to juices, smoothies or take in supplement form.

 

  1. Turmeric/Curcumin – Yes, you’ve heard it before that this has been researched as an anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and promising for Alzheimer’s. It has been used for 4,000 years to treat a variety of conditions, and offers a powerful antioxidant too. Additionally, a study showed a significant (about 40%) increase (about 40 in circulating nitric oxide for healthy persons who supplemented with 80mg of curcumin daily for four weeks. Nitric oxide expands the blood vessels, increasing blood flow and decreasing plaque growth.  As we know, a huge portion of the immune system lies in the gut. Using curry powder or raw turmeric can boost it.  Adrian Gombart, an associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the Linus Pauling Institute, explained:

“Curcumin, as part of turmeric, is generally consumed in the diet at fairly low levels.  However, it’s possible that sustained consumption over time may be healthy and protect against infection, especially in the stomach and intestinal tract.”

How To Eat: Add a 1/2 spoonful in hot water as a tea with honey or added to your green juice.

  1. Garlic – Garlic can lower blood pressureand treat colds. It can also reduce the risk of various cancers. According to the National Library of Medicine, part of the NIH (National Institutes of Health), USA, garlic is widely used for several conditions linked to the blood system and heart.

How To Eat: Raw is best, or in your green juice, but if you can’t fathom eating it raw, extracts are available.

  1. Ground flax seeds – Flaxseeds can help with blood sugar controland potentially inhibit certain cancers, such as prostateand breast.  Additionally, they offer a good dose of soluble fiber.

How To Eat: Add 2 tablespoons to your daily smoothie or over a salad.

  1. Chia seeds – One tablespoon of chia offers morecalciumthan a glass of milk. It’s also full of antioxidants!  Rich in fiber, they are also great for weight loss.  They have a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids (about 2.1 grams of ALA per tablespoon), which makes it a strong option for those who don’t eat fish, as well as offering fiber, pro­tein, cal­cium, phos­pho­rus, mag­ne­sium, and antioxidants.

How To Eat: My favorite way to eat them is soak them so they get a gel, pudding like consistency add your favorite fruit and refrigerate. Add two tablespoons soaked for 15 minutes to juice, smoothies or you can drink it with water and lemon.

  1. Spirulina

Spirulina is a great for immune support, protein, and as source of vegan omega-3s. The taste is a bit strong for lots of people, but the benefits, especially for plant-based eaters, are well worth it.

How to Eat:  Sprinkle a teaspoon in a juice, smoothie, or salad.

  1. Raw Cacao Powder – Ahh, another reason to love chocolate! Cocoa contains more antioxidants than most foods, including high levels of flavonols, such as catechins. Flavonols are antioxidants that are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea, wine, and coffee. Dark chocolate offers a significantly higher concentration of catechins. Cocoa flavanols are known to improve blood flow by relaxing blood vessels, and may also reduce blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol, which is helpful for decreasing heart disease and improving recovery post-exercise.

 How to Eat:  In smoothies or blended with almond milk.

 

Green Chocolate Smoothie

Here’s a quick and easy green “chocolate” smoothie that incorporates both chia and flax seeds with raw cacao powder.

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cold almond milk
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 kale leaf, medium
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen berries
  • 1 tablespoons chia seeds (may be pre soaked)
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  • 1 tablespoon raw cocoa powder

Preparation

Blend all ingredients in a high power blender until smooth.

Thank you for joining me today and if this helped you please give it a thumb up and share it.  Until next time come “Juice With Us.”

Credits:

Mind Body Green

Medical News Today

Tribesports

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About Lionel Correia

Lionel is a fitness enthusiast, juicing advocate, and serial entrepreneur. He loves real estate, but is even more passionate about health, wellness and a positive mindset. He’s a graduate of the University of Arizona and prides himself on establishing great habits because great habits lead to great results. His favorite workouts include, yoga, spin class, sprints on the track and resistance training. He believes that if you desire a strong healthy body, you must first build mental toughness because a healthy body requires a disciplined mind and great habits.

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