These 10 nutrient-rich foods will help give you more energy, glowing skin, boost brain power, a stronger immunity, faster metabolism, enhance your mood…..in short, including these powerhouse foods in your diet will help change your life for the better! It’s easy to sneak them into your diet, so that the whole family will benefit. Recipes and home-made herbal remedies and cosmetic preparations using these Powerhouse Foods are available in betweenclosefriends.com categories)
1. Beets
High in the B-Vitamin, folic acid, these colorful root vegetables also contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against birth defects and heart disease. The betaine in beets helps reduce inflammation, with the antioxidant pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color-betacyanin– is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent; especially colon cancer. Sneak it in: Add pickled beet sticks as a garnish to your salads, or serve borscht (recipe in betweenclosefriends.com) as your soup dish at lunch with a sour cream garnish.
2. Cherries
Loaded with vitamins A and C, fiber and antioxidants (including sleep-promoting melatonin), high in phytochemicals (plant chemicals that have disease preventative properties), cherries also contain anthocyanins (flavonoid pigments), that can have a significant impact on relieving muscle and joint soreness by reducing inflammation. Sneak it in: Delicious as snacks, in desserts, added to your breakfast oatmeal, or chopped for a colourful garnish over salads.
3. Cranberry
Compared to 20 other fruits, cranberries had the highest level of both free and total polyphenol antioxidants (phenols), with red grapes at a distant second place. Phenols are an oxidant that decrease the risk of heart disease, stoke and cancers, and also support the immune system. Sneak it in: Serve cranberry jam on toast (recipe in betweenclosefriends.com); use in soups, stews and baking; or sprinkle dried cranberries over salads and in your morning cereals
4. Eggs
Eggs are nutrient dense, contain high quality protein, while providing many vitamins and minerals, and only 70 calories per egg. The yolks are loaded with choline, which is proven to help combat breast cancer. Sneak it in: Crumble a hard-boiled egg over your favourite salad, stir a lightly beaten egg into clear soups for added interest.
5. Kale
This nutrient rich, low calorie leafy green is rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. The sulphur-containing phytonutrients also contained in Kale are believed to lower the risk of arthritis and cancers such as ovarian and breast. Sneak it in: Delicious used in soups, pasta dishes, and combined with chickpeas and potatoes.
6. Kefir
This ancient cultured milk product delivers antibiotic properties, protein, minerals and vitamin B, and is an ideal substitute if you are lactose intolerant. Kefir can also be made ‘dairy free’. Sneak it in: Use in place of yogurt with granola and berries or in traditional Lassis (recipes in betweenclosefriends.com); add to your favourite smoothies; mix with fruit juices.}
7. Mushrooms
These tasty treats are loaded with antioxidants, riboflavin, selenium and other nutrients that keep our immune system healthy and help prevent cancer. Sneak it in: Combine with onions, garlic and thyme to make stock for risotto; obvious toppings for pizzas and salads; delicious stuffed as dinner appetizers!
8. Pistachios
Pistachios are the lowest-calorie, highest-fiber nut containing antioxidants, heart-healthy fats/protein, while offering more than 30 different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They are the only nut to contain significant amounts of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Pistachios are also an excellent source of vitamin B6, containing as much as beef liver! Sneak it in: Use them in pestos instead of pine nuts, toppings to your salads, and chopped over rice dishes.
9. Ground Salba
This ancient grain contains essential minerals, and vital age–fighting antioxidants while providing 8x more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, 25% more dietary fiber than flaxseed, 30% more antioxidants than blueberries, and 7x more vitamin C than an orange! Sneak it in: Sprinkle over breakfast cereals; in smoothies; in pasta dishes and salads; or bake/cook with it in breads, cookies, muffins, burgers, gravies, etc.
10. Spirulina
With more iron than beef and more protein than soy, high in essential fatty acids, Vitamins B, C, D, and minerals; this algae is the only plant source of vitamin B12. Sneak it in: Add spirulina powder to breakfast smoothies, dips, and use to make tasty broths for homemade soups. (recipes in betweenclosefriends.com)
NOTES:
6. Kefir was discovered by ancient Egyptians who found that the fresh cow, goat, or sheep milk they carried in their leather pouches while traveling through the dessert, would ferment into a tasty effervescent thirst-quenching beverage. Today, dairy-free alternatives are also available using coconut milk, rice milk and soya milk. (recipe to make your own soyamilk, and kefir available in betweenclosefriends.com) It is also tasty used in fruit juices, coconut water, and in ginger beer. Kefir can be purchased ready made in most Health Food Stores, Fitness Centers and some specialty grocery stores. Starter kits to make your own Kefir can be also purchased here, and online.
9. A 100% natural whole food, Salba is gluten free and can be eaten whole or ground. When used in powder form, it is an excellent substitute for flour or eggs in recipes. (1/4 c cold water mixed with 1 T Salba powder is equal to 1 egg). Clinical studies indicate this ancient nutritional powerhouse grain helps to: boost energy levels, reduce blood pressure, promote balanced blood sugar levels, reduce weight, aid in digestion, and is heart- healthy. Ground Salba can be purchased in most Health Food Stores, Fitness Centers and online.
10. Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green alga cultivated and harvested from small lakes and ponds around the world, and is now commonly used as a dietary supplement as well as a whole food whose use dates back to the Aztecs in the 9th Century. It is available in tablet, flake and powder form in most health food stores and drugstores. (Jameson commonly carries Spirulina in tablet form, which you can crush and use as a powder).