Superfoods: Nutritional Over-achievers’ Hall of Fame If you are what you eat, why not eat super? This list represents the best-of-the-best foods – the quality superfoods that deliver nutritional value far above what you’d get from average foods to keep you healthy and strong. You’ve learned that fiber-rich carbohydrates (vegetables!) are the true staples of Thrive. Among (and in addition to) this foundation are the nutritional over-achievers I make a point to include wherever possible – these superfoods are the dietary equivalents of the world’s top high-performance athletes. If your objective is optimum health, you’ll want to make these foods a regular part of your diet, too – their super powers might just rub off! 1 Maca Also called Peruvian Ginseng, maca is a turnip-like root vegetable native to the Andean mountains in Peru. Grown at altitudes of 14,000 feet where no other crops can survive, maca is a hardy, resilient plant that’s incredibly rich in amino acids, phytonutrients, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Maca earns its superfood status not only from its considerable nutritient density, but from its adaptogenic properties; maca has an uncanny ability to help combat stress, reducing the impact of cortisol. Maca’s energizing effects feel like a mild stimulant for some users, but unlike conventional stimulants (e.g., caffeine), maca energizes because its adaptogenic properties help normalize and equalize your body’s multiple systems, increasing your ability to adapt to environmental factors, so you’ve got more energy to spare. 2 Chlorella Containing more chlorophyll – the alkaline-promoting powerhouse – than any other known plant, chlorella is a freshwater green algae with an amazing growth rate that makes it the fastest growing plant on earth! It is microscopic in size, but don’t underestimate its super powers: chlorella packs an impressive punch. Chlorella is an alkaline-forming, complete food that shines as a vitamin and mineral supplement. (continued on the next page...)2 thriveforward Well-loved for its cleansing and detoxifying abilities, if you choose to take a chlorella supplement, look for one with cracked cell walls so your body can easily digest its goodness. 3 Hemp A high-protein powerhouse, hemp has the most well-balanced amino acid profile of any plant-based protein. Hemp is not only packed with over 20 amino acids, including the 10 essential amino acids your body must acquire through diet – it has plenty of other super powers, too: High in alkaline-forming chlorophyll Rich in omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids Chock-full of fiber, vitamins and minerals Easily digestible and nutrient-rich in its natural state Doesn’t require any processing, so its enzymes remain intact and can contribute to your body’s digestion A highly sustainable crop that hasn’t seen genetic modifications Fast-growing and oxygen-producing Requires little to no chemical intervention in farming (making it an eco-friendly wonder-crop) 4 Flax Celebrated for its high omega-3 content, flax is a vital addition to a plant-based diet – especially if you’re quite active. Flax also has anti-inflammatory effects. If you’re an athlete, the omega-3 in flax helps your body burn fat as fuel. Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber – as little as one ounce of flaxseed provides 32 per cent of the USDA’s recommended daily fiber requirements. To get the most out of flax – in terms of its bounty of omega-3s, fiber and other nutrients – grind the seeds before you eat them to break through their tough outer shell (otherwise the only benefit you’ll enjoy is their crunch!). 5 White Chia Packed with trace minerals, vitamins and essential fats, white chia is an ancient South American plant belonging to the mint family. The seeds are small and round (similar to poppy seeds) and make a sound addition to any diet. Because of its omega profile, white chia seeds are most often compared with flaxseed. Both are rich in omega-3 – but white chia can be eaten whole and doesn’t (continued on the next page...) 3 thriveforward need to be ground like flax in order to make it digestible. White chia tops the charts when it comes to fiber – it boasts more beneficial soluble and insoluble fiber than any other natural source. In fact, for every 12g (2 flat tablespoons) serving, top brands of white chia provide more than 5,000mg of fiber. 6 Dark Leafy Greens Counted as a Thrive Forward staple food, dark leafy greens are stellar examples of fiber-rich carbohydrates. Why count them as superfoods, too? Nutritionally, they are an excellent source of calcium and are vitamin and mineral-rich. They’re also alkaline-forming and full of active enzymes. Another reason dark leafy greens rate as a superfood is the variety of them available... with so many readily available sources, you’re bound to discover a few favorites – and can easily include them on your menus. 7 Psuedograins Pseudograins are not grains in the classic sense – they are seeds, but often substitute in place of common grains. Unlike the common grains in the standard North American diet (wheat, rye and oats) pseudograins don’t contain gluten. This lack of gluten makes them easily digestible and suitable for celiacs, who are gluten-intolerant, or those just sensitive to gluten. While many pseudograins can stand on their own as superfoods in their own right, as a group, the nutritional value of pseudograins stands head and shoulders above most other foods. All alkaline-forming, here are the best examples – along with some of their individual superfood qualities: BUCKWHEAT Rich in essential amino acid tryptophan – the critical component in serotonin production – buckwheat is an excellent choice for enhancing mood and mental clarity. High in protein, buckwheat is also a rich source of manganese and vitamins B and E. Buckwheat contains compounds that are being studied for the treatment of type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol AMARANTH This calcium-rich powerhouse has two times the amount of calcium as milk, three times the fiber and five times the iron in wheat flour. Amaranth is also quite high in potassium, phosphorous and vitamins A, E and C, and particularly rich in lysine – an essential amino acid very difficult to find (continued on the next page...) in plant-based sources. Lysine helps your body absorb calcium in the digestive 4 thriveforward tract. Amaranth is also 90 per cent digestible, giving it star-status as a high net-gain food. QUINOA Packed with B-vitamins and 20 per cent protein – the highest of any pseudograin – quinoa is another top source of iron and potassium. Nutritionally similar to amaranth, quinoa is also quite high in lysine. WILD RICE Another source of lysine and high in B-vitamins, this original North American aquatic grass thrives in the wild (native to the northern regions of Canadian Prairie provinces), so it’s rarely treated with pesticides. 8 Sprouts Sprouts deliver high net-gain nutrition with little cost to your energy bank through their pre-digested proteins and bio-available amino acids. Better still, you can grow them easily at home. 9 Whole Coconut Not just for macaroons, coconut is like getting two distinct superfoods in one: virgin coconut oil and coconut water. COCONUT OIL Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a unique form of saturated fat that comes with several health benefits. Unlike other fats, your body digests medium-chain triglycerides nearly effortlessly. Saturated fats that do not contain MCTs simply become stored in your cells. MCTs, however, are utilized deftly by your liver. Within moments of being consumed, they are converted by your liver into energy! Solid at room temperature, coconut oil is the only fat you’ll want to use for frying – that’s because it’s one of the only oils that can be heated to high temperatures without being converted into trans fats. And always be sure to choose virgin coconut oil instead of refined versions which may be partly or fully hydrogenated, thereby negating any positive health effects. COCONUT WATER Packed with electrolytes, coconut water is ideal for keeping your body naturally hydrated. While many athletes turn to sport drinks that are full of processed sugars, artificial flavors and additives, coconut water is a natural alternative to keep you hydrated.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 02:33:10 +0000
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