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In this blog are a few amazing unstoppable super foods, whether you are vegan or just trying to get better health, you will find some great foods to add to your diet that will super charge your health. Always consult a medical professional when changing your diet or beginning exercise.
And at the end we peak into my secret diet and I show you one of my lunches and what a
un-fckd meal looks like. Grab a fork and your grub hub app, cause you're gonna get hungry. Yay!
Let's dive into a feast for foods.
If you're not used to eating vegan you will have cravings for protein and you will sometimes not feel as full. The salad at the end is a great place to build your own super powered meal.
Food tip-What?!
Vegan and vegetarians don't just eat vegetables.
In order to have a good diet you need to know what foods are good and un-fckd and you should keep enjoying and which ones are highly-Fcked and you need to place in your trash.
So let's start with some super foods anyone could eat, even carnivores. One of my upcoming blogs will talk about Fcked foods. Today we bite on the positive.
Super foods:
They don't wear capes and masks. These super heroes of the Planet are in plain sight.
These super foods are considered good for longevity, and mental clarity while saving society, while they fight off memory loss and disease.
Berries: Let's start with the hero that seems to top every list and that's berries! Those lush colors of reds, purples, blues, and even black and yellows.
Berries
Mulberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries
Red berries. Goji berries, Salmon berries, Huckle berries, Goose berries.
They are High in potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fiber, and prebiotics.
Super hero powers
low in calories - extremely nutritious
Fight the evil inflammation
Fights the C word
Berries can blend in with all types of foods, breakfasts, lunch and dinner entrees.
Grapes are berries
The bright rich colors of the red grapes, the concord grapes, the black grapes, These colors tell you these are great antioxidant heroes as well. They have a ton of natural sugars, are a great snack if your jonesing for something sweet and did we say full of antioxidants? Let's say it a few more times. The skin of the grapes also has wild ingredients that may help keep the collagen in your skin tight as you age. Resveratrol!
Pomegranate
Nutrient boost Pomegranate contains many nutrients and is a good source of:
Polyphenols, They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As a source of polyphenols, pomegranate could be suitable for treating various inflammatory disease.
Cancer prevention
The NIH, lists pomegranate as one of the natural remedies that may help treat or prevent prostate cancer. Polyphenols in pomegranate may aid in preventing the growth of cancer cells. Pomegranate may also help prevent breast, lung, and skin cancer.
Ingredients in pomegranate juice may help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques in the hippocampus. So, consider snacking on pomegranate or adding it's juice in a smoothie.
This may fight off memory lose do to age related illness.
Drinking pomegranate juice daily may help lower systolic blood pressure. Significant drops in blood pressure were seen in studies after consuming pomegranate juice.
Antimicrobial activity People have used pomegranate for centuries for its antimicrobial properties. Pomegranate has antibacterial and antiviral effects, probably due to the ellagic acid and certain tannins it contains.
Hero power 1: Drinking pomegranate juice every day may improve learning and memory,
Hero Power 2: The antioxidants in pomegranate mean it may help protect fertility.
Pomegranate can improve exercise performance and help with post-exercise recovery. One average pomegranate contains around 39g, of sugar.
Super hero Spinach and dark greens: like kale, okra.
The dark greens supply a huge amount of the B vitamin folate that promotes cardio health and helps prevent certain birth defects. Folate is also necessary for DNA duplication and repair which protects against the development of the c word.
Dark green leafy vegetables tend to be higher in protein and micro nutrients and provide potassium and calcium that can strengthen bones and lower blood pressure.
Kale has Vitamin K, carotenoids and manganese.
Water: Often overlooked, one of the greatest elements on this planet is a very healthy drink. It could help cool you Cool off, help you warm up, it could help cleanse you. Drink a lot of it.
Helps energize muscles.
When muscles are not getting the fluids needed they don't work as well. Serious!
Powers include:
Water helps sharpen the brain
Keeps your skin tighter and smoother.
Helps your kidneys and proper bowel movements.
Cold water is like caffeine, it stimulates your metabolism unlike coffee which stimulates and dehydrates you.
Keep a bottle in your vehicle and your gym or go bag and at your office desk. Remember to drink some every 20 minutes or so. After a meal wait a little bit before indulging in a huge amount of water. Let your food process.
Nuts
We're not quoting the world war II captain, surrounded by the enemy, who chose the word Nuts in response to the German leader who asking for their surrender. We're talking about the food nuts!
Don't ruin them by eating sugar candy coated nuts.
Powers include:
Lower blood sugar levels.
Reduced blood pressure.
Lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
High in protein.
Mushrooms not the Magic ones the other magic ones
Nutrients in mushrooms include:
Selenium: Helps your body make antioxidants to prevent cell damage.
Vitamin B6: Supports your nervous system and helps form red blood cells.
Riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid: Help carry out several metabolic reactions and are involved in the production of energy.
Potassium: Identified in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as an under consumed nutrient. It helps muscles contract, assists with fluid balance and maintains normal blood pressure.
Zinc: Supports your immune system and healthy growth in babies.
Mushrooms contain antioxidants that help reduce cell damage, protect our brains from mild cognitive impairment and a number of mushrooms are said to fight the C word. Shitake, Maitake and others.
Mushrooms have a long history of use in oriental medicine to prevent and fight numerous disease.
In ancient days, Greeks believed mushrooms provided strength for warriors in battle. Romans perceived mushrooms as the “Food of the Gods.”
I see them as delicious and filling.
Not just legend - The NIH credits, 100 medicinal functions, are produced by mushrooms and fungi and the key medicinal uses are antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiallergic, immunomodulating, cardiovascular protector, anticholesterolemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, detoxification, and hepatoprotective. WOW!
I recommend reading more on mushrooms at the NIH site.
National institute of health
Quinoa pronounced keen waa
Very healthy for you. Often found chillen in the grain isle, some companies are also selling it pre-cooked in the delis in your supermarkets, mixed with other vegetables, stuffed in the Greek delicacy called dolmus and sometimes in the canned food aisle.
1 cup of cooked power provides :
222 calories.
8.14 g of protein.
5.18 g of fiber.
3.55 g of fat, of which 0.42 g is saturated.
39.4 g of carbohydrate
Olives and olive oil
Vitamins and antioxidants in olives are rich in vitamin E, which can improve skin health and help your immune system.
Caveat-jarred olives can be salty so give a little rinse in fresh water to clean them up.
Super heroes need to be cleaned.
In addition, olives may provide health benefits like:
Cardio health
Numerous studies have shown that consuming olive oil, especially the extra-virgin variety, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Cancer risk reduction
Olives contain the compound, easy to pronounce, lol, oleocanthal, which researchers have shown can kill cancer cells in petri dish experiments. Other studies in humans have shown a link between consuming olive oil and reducing the risk of cancers.
Lower risk and treatment of cognitive diseases and other brain-related diseases. This compound also increases the activity of the drug donepezil, which is used to treat dementia.
Consuming olive oil helps the body regulate glucose (sugar).
Reduce chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation plays a key role in many diseases. Olives are packed with antioxidants, which have been shown to help with chronic inflammation.
Two kinds of antioxidants found in olives, hydroxytyrosol and oleanolic acid, have been effective in reducing inflammation in animals.
Avocado and its oil
This is another one that tops the list of superfoods in a way of great oils, great cholesterol and delicious. Normally cholesterol has a rap of evil but what you get from the avocado is super and this is a go-to, for if you want to feel satiated. Put it on sandwiches and burritos and pastas or just eat the slices as a snack. When watching your salt just mash Avocado and dip your low sodium chips or veggies into that.
Garlic
So this is a powerful item that fights infections, high blood pressure, fights the C word, boosts the immune system and one of the most economical items in the produce department, has a unique flavor too.
Your body will love it, Garlic is very healthy, great in the winter for cold and flu season, could help fight those nasty infections that can get into your sinuses.
Garlic powder is great in salads and it tops off breads.
How to eat superfoods
You want to have a feeling of fullness after eating, not one that weighs you down but a feeling that you've eaten. So if you make a sandwich or a salad go with variety, a mix of textures and flavors that work together, elements of protein, fiber and ones that are rich in different vitamins. With a salad, I personally like to have well over 10 ingredients. In a pinch you could have less than that but a salad can be your meal when you fix one with nutrition in mind.
This is my list of My basic salad. Even if you're not a vegan and you're just going with a salad for dinner, this is a great starting point, after which you can add things like pastas to it, cheese, Vegan meats, Vegan cheese or if you're still making a switch or just cutting back go ahead and put your your regular cheeses and deli meats into your salad.
Starters list
A slice of garlic bread.
Greens
Crunchy lettuce
Romaine or Green leaf or mixed greens
Cabbage, Red
More Veggies
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Peppers-A mix of red, yellow
Red Onion slices
Heavy veggie (and fruit)
Artichoke
Olives
Sundried tomato (watch the sulfites)
Corn
Fruit
Tomato
Berries
Avocado
Add-ons
Hemp Seed
Nutritional yeast
Beans
Quinoa
Dried cranberries (or dried cherries, raisins)
Sliced Toasted Almonds or unsalted Pecans
Toppings
Any Spice mix
Himalayan pink
Umami mix
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Finish
Virgin Olive Oil
Apple cider vinegar or
A light balsamic
A basic salad would have the above, giving me a wide mix of textures, flavors and nutrients and micronutrients and there's elements in a salad like this that give you that feeling of weight or substance and protein. The avocado, the hemp seed, the nutritional yeast and the beans.
There are days I can and do still want more. So I may go with an apple with nut butter or just a apple or other fresh fruit to follow up with, if still hungry.
I hope you enjoyed
Eat well
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About the Author.
Andy is a NW Resident and an outdoor enthusiast, Hiker, Independent Musician, Vegan, Photographer and
Tree Hugger with lots of new original music and lyrics on the way. Be sure to follow him on Social Media or Subscribe to his You Tube channel. Music Tip: If you want to help an independent musician, pre-save their music before its release. It helps Independent Artists compete with the big labels
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