Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the choices out there, especially when every grocery aisle promises to unlock the secrets to a healthier meal. But I believe simple options are often the best options.
If you could incorporate just a few important foods into your daily routine, where would you start? Many of us have heard of “Superfoods,” but are they actually “super?”
The answer is a resounding “YES!” Superfoods are generally those foods that deliver large doses of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. There is a lot of research that suggests that superfoods can help fight disease, prolong life, and enable us to stay thinner and healthier. With so many health and nutrition benefits, it’s a good idea to make sure you and your family incorporate these five foods into your daily routine.
Matcha Green Tea
Matcha may be new to some people, but it has actually been around for several thousand years. Matcha is typically used to make tea, but can also be added to your favorite soup, pasta salad, or casserole recipe. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) ratings used by the USDA to rate some nutritional characteristics of foods quickly identify why matcha green tea is so highly prized. Matcha ratings are approximately 15 times higher than its closest competitor. What does that mean for you? With regular consumption, you can expect to enjoy much better overall health, slow down the aging process at the cellular level, and get a boost in fending off health issues like cancer, arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. If you’re looking for a place to buy Matcha, you can use my personal link for a 10% discount on Ujido matcha (Use promo code DRMARIZA), Ujido Matcha contains one of the highest antioxidant counts of brands on the market and is what we use at home every day. Matcha is also the topic of my most recent book, The Matcha Miracle, which contains information about matcha and recipes to incorporate this incredible superfood into your cooking as well. If you buy now, you will receive special gifts including my Top 25 Superfoods Guide, and Matcha Green Smoothie Recipes!
Berries
Berries of all kinds can provide energy and fortify your immune system. Acai berries contain some of the highest antioxidant counts of any foods, but even the berries you’ll find commonly in your grocery stores, like blueberries, are very high in antioxidants, as are strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. One of the major contributors to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease is oxidative stress, which has also been implicated as a cause of premature aging. Though our bodies do have mechanisms to combat free radicals and oxidative stress, these systems can quickly be overwhelmed which occurs when we go for days without eating fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables. Not only are berries are easy to eat, but they’re portable! Take them to work or tuck them in your purse for a snack on your commute. Raspberries are one of my personal favorites for a delicious and portable snack!
Greens:
Spinach, Kale, Chard, Arugula, Mustard and Collard Greens
Most of us recognize the incredible benefits of eating spinach and kale, but did you know that steamed collard greens can lower your cholesterol? This is true of just about all types of greens, but some work more effectively than others. All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, which have powerful cancer-fighting properties, and should be included in your diet at least 2-3 times per week. Incorporating this superfood into your diet is not as hard as it might seem. You can start your day with a green smoothie, add raw arugula to a salad at lunch and add steamed Kale for dinner, getting the minimum intake in just one day. With my daily green smoothies and salads throughout the week, I’m easily at 10-15 servings of greens a week minimum, and the more the better! Once you get these greens incorporated into your diet, your body will begin to crave the vitamins and minerals these foods contain. Most greens are very high in vitamins K, A, C, E, as well as manganese, copper, and calcium. Because one of my favorite ways to incorporate greens into my daily diet is through green smoothies, here is one of my favorite recipes to share with new green smoothie drinkers:
Green Smoothie for Newbies
- Juice of 2 oranges
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3 cups organic spinach, packed
- 1 or 2 organic apples, peeled
- ½ of a fresh or frozen banana
- 8 fresh or frozen organic strawberries
- 1 -2 drops Lemon and Wild Orange essential oil
Raw Nuts
Though both roasted and raw nuts have nutritional value, most doctors recommend the raw varieties because the roasting process usually includes adding oil and sodium. If you have a choice, always go with the raw version. Any time food is cooked or processed, it loses some of its nutritional content. Nuts contain monounsaturated fats that are considered heart-healthy. They have been proven to reduce cholesterol levels. Raw nuts make a simple, yet nutritious snack and are a snap to eat on the run! They’re packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, manganese, copper and biotin and a good source of natural fiber. My personal favorites are almonds and cashews, but pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios all have an incredibly high antioxidant count.
Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil has so many uses and is considered by many to be a superfood. South Pacific Islanders eat coconut and its by-products on a daily basis while the Tokelauans people of the South Pacific are the world’s biggest consumers of coconut oil. Recent studies show these people are in excellent health, with no signs of heart disease. During digestion, coconut oil forms a monoglyceride known as monolaurin that kills pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. In some studies, digested coconut oil killed the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus, which is a very dangerous pathogen. Coconut oil can be eaten raw, used in cooking, added to your favorite recipes, and even used to tame frizzy hair! At our house, we melt down the coconut oil, add a few drops of Frankincense, Lavender and Melaleuca, mix, let it cool, and use it as a moisturizing body lotion. We also add that same mixture to our hair once a month or so, to keep the hair and scalp moisturized. [I also just posted an entire blog about coconut oil here]
Making a few simple changes to your daily diet by incorporating these Superfoods can help you look and feel your best. If you’d like to learn more about healthy and abundant living, schedule a consultation with me so we can create a personalized wellness plan for you!
I can’t wait to help you live your best life ever!
Very interesting info!Perfect just what I was looking for!