Top Superfoods for Looking Good, Feeling Great, and Losing Weight

 

More Energy with Superfoods

Superfoods are some of the most nutritional foods to include in a healthy diet. Not only do they make you feel healthier, many also slow the aging process and even help you lose weight.

Living a healthy and active lifestyle requires a lot of focus on diet and nutrition. Although superfoods can’t provide you with everything you need, they really can significantly improve your health and fitness goals. They also tend to pack a powerful punch of energy, and who doesn’t need more of that?

Let’s take a look at the top 5 superfoods for looking good, feeling great, and losing weight…

5 of the Best Superfoods for a Healthier You

Blueberries
Although they’ve carried their superfood label for years now, they remain one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Packed with healthy disease-fighting phytonutrients and antioxidants, blueberries are great for snacking or blended into a smoothie. I like to keep the frozen ones on hand for easy access, but the fresh ones are great for a healthy snacking option.

Parsley
Parsley is one of the most nutritional plant foods you can eat. It’s high in energy boosting vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and iron, as well as antioxidants like vitamin C that help prevent aging. It you want to get healthier skin and boost metabolism at the same time, include parsley somewhere in your diet. It blends well into a smoothie, or you can toss it into a salad or turn it into a pesto sauce.

Avocadoes
I’ve named the avocado as a favorite superfood before, but there’s an important reason that this one keeps topping my list. Not only is it packed with healthy, fat-burning fats, it’s also really high in protein. Each avocado packs anywhere from 5 to 7 grams of protein! Include them in a salad or use them as a sandwich topping.

Macadamia Nuts
It may not be your go-to superfood, but it should be. Macadamia nuts are some of the most nutritional nuts you can eat. They’re packed full of vitamin B1, magnesium, and manganese, to name just a few. Plus they’re a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats, to keep you looking brighter, feeling younger, and burning some extra calories!

Spinach
All leafy greens top my superfood list, but spinach is one I go back to time and again. This simple leafy green is super versatile, tasting great in salads or a morning smoothie. In addition to being a good source of vitamins and antioxidants to prevent aging and boost energy, spinach is also high in calcium, which can be especially helpful to those wanting to cut down on dairy products.

Looking for a superfood quick-fix?
While all of these foods are excellent options on any healthy diet, it’s always nice to have something quick and convenient on hand. For a quick dose of phytonutrients and antioxidants, try Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder. For those looking for a little more of a morning pick-me-up, you can also add Matcha Green Tea to your diet.

Source:  Weight Loss And Training

Four foods that truly deserve the title of 'superfood'

Let's face it: The word superfood has become overused. This title, which was originally intended for foods whose nutritional value considerably exceeded that of the average fruit or vegetable, seems to be attached to almost any natural food these days. Mainstream health magazines are particularly guilty of this abuse, often preferring to use superfood as a marketing term rather than an objective declaration of nutritiousness.

That said, there are a small number of foods that truly deserve to be called superfoods. These tend to be exotic foods that are seldom found in the average Westerner's home, but which are packed with so many naturally occurring, bioavailable nutrients that they put most multivitamin supplements to shame. This article lists four of the best of them.

Moringa oleifera

Arguably the king of superfoods is Moringa oleifera, a fast-growing Himalayan tree whose leaves are bursting with so much goodness that researchers have nicknamed it "The Miracle Tree" and "The Tree of Immortality." Moringa leaves contain over 90 different types of nutrients in high quantities, including seven times the vitamin C of oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of milk and three times the potassium of bananas. The leaves are also a complete protein source, since they contain all eight essential amino acids. (1) Given this nutritiousness, it's unsurprising that studies have linked Moringa consumption to the treatment of diabetes, anti-inflammatory diseases, cancer and much more.

Moringa powder is easy to purchase online, and makes an excellent natural vitamin and mineral supplement. You might also like to try Ben oil, a sweet-tasting oil made from the tree's pods that is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is a gluten-free food prepared from the young shoots of the wheat plant. It was popularized in the 1930s by the American chemist Charles L. Schnabel, who claimed that 15 pounds of wheatgrass is equal in nutritional value to 350 pounds of regular garden vegetables! (2) While this claim is now considered to be exaggerated, it is true that wheatgrass is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known to science.

According to spectral analysis, a mere 4 grams of wheatgrass powder supplies us with 1,600 percent of our recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E, 7,000 percent of our RDA of manganese, 15,293 percent of our RDA of riboflavin, 413 percent of our RDA of zinc and similarly astounding concentrations of other essential nutrients. (3) It is also one of the world's finest sources of chlorophyll, a powerful blood builder and cleaner. This makes wheatgrass a potent detox food as well as a superb nutrient supplement.

Chlorella and spirulina

Chlorella and spirulina are two single-celled algae that thrive in the sunniest parts of freshwater bodies. Though both of them probably qualify as superfoods individually, they become something truly special when consumed together. This is because chlorella and spirulina possess complementary rather than identical nutrient profiles. For example, chlorella tends to contain more chlorophyll and iron than spirulina. Chlorella is also better at chelating heavy metals from the body than spirulina and at repairing cell damage due to its unique growth factor. Spirulina, on the other hand, contains more protein, gamma-linoleic acid (a beneficial fat that is essential for brain function) and cancer-fighting phycocyanin than chlorella. (4) Consequently, consuming these two foods together supplies our bodies with an extremely well-rounded infusion of nutrients -- far more than the average fruit or vegetable could possibly provide!

Sources for this article include:

(1) http://www.villagevolunteers.org

(2) http://www.wheatgrasscan.com

(3) http://nutritiondata.self.com

(4) http://www.detoxyourworld.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Michael Ravensthorpe is an independent writer whose research interests include nutrition, alternative medicine, and bushcraft. He is the creator of the website, Spiritfoods, through which he promotes the world's healthiest foods.
Source: Natural News

How To Follow The Mediterranean Diet

Adopting a Mediterranean diet can be easy and cheap. This blog is about the types and amounts of ingredients to eat in order to get maximum health benefit from the diet.

The health benefits

The typical Western diet is high in animal fats and preservatives, but low in fruit and vegetables. Scientific research has shown that this food combination is partially responsible for triggering many chronic diseases and cancers.

Research has also shown that following a Mediterranean diet can reduce the chance of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and even Alzheimer's disease. 

Switching from a Western to a Mediterranean diet represents a healthy lifestyle choice. It can reduce the risk of a premature death and increase the chance of a healthy retirement, free from long-term medication. 

The Mediterranean Diet

The term 'Mediterranean Diet' describes a specific mix of dietary food ingredients, shown, to promote health and long life in people from many countries, including the UK and USA. The word 'Mediterranean' refers to the origins of the diet, rather than needing to eat Greek or Italian foods (see Note 2) - although, experimenting can be enjoyable and rewarding. 

When planning ingredients for Mediterranean-style meals, it is good to include lots of variety. For example, using a range of fruit and vegetables gives the body maximum access to sources of vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients. This is quite logical, because it's only recently that supermarkets have been able to make foods available throughout the year. This counteracts natural seasonal variety in the human diet.

The overuse of salt in flavouring Western-style meals and fast foods has been linked with increased blood pressure. The healthy alternative is to replace the excess salt with herbs, as Mediterranean folk have done for many years. This can also add new flavours to quite simple pasta, rice dishes and stews.

General principles

The Mediterranean Diet is not about quick fix 'superfoods'. Nor is it a strict list of what you should not eat. Rather, the Mediterranean Diet is a formula for healthy day-to-day eating over the long term. Here's a quick guide for those who would like to try it:

• Maximise your intake of vegetables, peas and beans (legumes), fruits and wholegrain cereals.
• Limit your red meat intake - fish and poultry are healthy substitutes.
• Where possible, use mono-unsaturated olive oil or rapeseed oil in place of animal fat such as butter or lard.
• Limit your intake of highly processed 'fast foods' and 'ready meals', where you cannot tell saturated fat and salt intake.
• Eat no more than moderate amounts of dairy products, and preferably low-fat ones.
• Do not add salt to your food at the table - there is already plenty there.
• Snack on fruit, dried fruit and unsalted nuts rather than cakes, crisps and biscuits.
• Drink (red) wine during meals, but no more than three small glasses per day if you are a man and no more than two small glasses per day if you are a woman.
• Water is the best 'non-alcoholic beverage' (as opposed to sugary drinks), although health benefits have also been claimed for various teas and coffee (see Note 3).

7 Fat Loss Superfoods That Live Up to Their Hype

I honestly can't remember what food it was, but this woman was waxing poetic about its numerous benefits. I was at a dinner party having a conversation with another nutritionist, trying to tune her out, but this woman became so impassioned about this "miracle food" she was practically shouting.

Seems that ever since she began eating copious quantities of this food, everything in her life became better. She lost weight, her libido went "through the roof," she slept better than ever, and her husband told her she looked 10 years younger. All because of this so-called "superfood" she had read about in her favorite women's monthly magazine.

Needless to say, I had my doubts. I got home that night and did a quick PubMed search. Not one single study to substantiate her claims.

"Superfood" might be the most overused word in a health expert's vocabulary. Doesn't it feel like every week you open a magazine or watch some food show that touts how this food or that spice will help burn fat, boost your sex life, and otherwise miraculously improve your health?
I get tired of the hyperbole too.

But let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater: Some time-tested, research-proven foods do earn their permanent stay at the table. Besides being nutrient-rich, they can help curb appetite, reduce cravings, and help you get into those skinny jeans. They aren't miracles, but as part of a healthy diet and combined with burst training and weight resistance, they can yield impressive gains (or losses, if you will):

1. Grass-fed beef. Cows fed their natural diet yield higher-quality beef. Logically this makes sense, and a study at Clemson University substantiates it. Researchers here found grass-fed beef higher in nutrients and antioxidants. Besides hunger-curbing high-quality protein, grass-fed beef also contains double the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that helps burn fat and build lean muscle, than grain-fed beef. Over 30 published clinical studies have looked at CLA's role on weight management, and most of them have concluded positively. A meta-analysis in The Clinical Journal of Nutrition found CLA "produces a modest loss in body fat in humans."

2. Wild-caught salmon. Besides providing high-quality protein as well as antioxidants like selenium and astaxanthin, wild-caught fish comes loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids get credit for reducing your risk for numerous diseases, but studies show they can also help you stay lean. That makes sense since inflammation is a huge component for weight loss resistance. Skip the nasty farm-raised stuff: Wild-caught fish are higher in omega-3s.

3. Coconut milk & oil. The healthy saturated fat (not an oxymoron) in coconut comes from medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a fatty acid your body prefers to burn for energy rather than store. One study found compared to olive oil, MCT oil used as part of a weight loss plan improves fat loss. Besides being satiating, coconut provides a delicate flavor to foods and shakes. I use coconut oil for high-heat cooking, while unsweetened coconut milk provides healthy fat for my protein shakes.

4. Raspberries. Blueberries hog the spotlight, but raspberries are actually higher in fiber: One cup provides a whopping 8 grams. One study found you probably get about half the fiber you should, and on a lower-carb diet even less. Fiber's benefits include balanced glucose (blood sugar) levels and satiation to reduce hunger and cravings. Raspberries are a nutrient-dense, low-fructose fruit that make a healthy dessert and give a pleasant zing to protein shakes.

5. Green tea. This popular beverage's thermogenic (fat-burning) benefits are well known: One study found they become even more impressive combined with exercise. Green tea also provides the calming amino acid theanine to reduce stress. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, a hormone that can store fat. Green tea isn't a fat-burning free pass to eat whatever you want, but combined with a healthy diet and exercise, it can nudge that needle a little bit in your favor.

6. Raw walnuts. Almonds get all the credit, but walnuts are a smart nut alternative to curb hunger and cravings. Besides protein, fiber, minerals and other nutrients, walnuts have a high amount of omega-3s compared with other nuts. While they make a great blood sugar-stabilizing snack, caloric-dense nuts aren't an unlimited snack for fat loss, so portion them out. Buy walnuts shelled or make sure they're fresh. Keeping them in the fridge or freezer will preserve their delicate omega-3s, which otherwise can become rancid quickly.

7. Avocado. I'm thrilled this fabulous fruit, high in healthy monounsaturated fat and fiber, finally gets the recognition it deserves. One recent study concluded that avocado "improved overall diet quality, nutrient intake, and reduced risk of metabolic syndrome." Nice. One cup contains a whopping 10 grams of appetite-curbing fiber, which makes it the perfect food to top salads and grass-fed burgers or eat straight up as a snack or mini-meal.

I can think of several other superfoods that live up to their hype but didn't make this list. I'll let you determine which ones I should have included. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Huffington Post