Superfoods

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With brief outline of why they are super.

Eat these foods for a highly nutritious diet which helps us to feel full up and satisfied as well as giving us plenty of energy and optimal health too.

VEGETABLES

  • Broccoli, Spinach, Carrots, green veg, Beetroot (grated raw, cooked, juice, powder) Cabbage, Watercress – all contain anti oxidants, Beta carotene, nutrients, detoxification support and much more
  • Peas, beans, seeds – the above and high in protein
  • Sprouted seeds – alfalfa, broccoli, mung bean etc – full of enzymes and B12
  • Fruit – Chemical lean- Apples, pears, blackcurrant berries, bilberries/ blue berries, raspberries, rhubarb, goji berries, papaya, lemons, grapefruit, oranges (not too much citrus) – all anti oxidant, cleansing, nutrients
  • bilberries / blueberries – Helps keep blood capillaries and veins elastic and toned particularly encouraging circulation to the eyes to use with macular degeneration.

MUSHROOMS

  • Shitaake mushrooms

Immune support. Useful to take a long side radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other immune treatments. Helps reduce side effects. (Japanese studies). For immune support eat 8 – 15 shitaake mushrooms a day.

  • Enoki mushrooms – enhances immunity
  • Nameko mushrooms – 33.5g/100g protein
  • all edible mushrooms – enhance immunity
  • Oyster mushrooms – slows cancer cell division

HONEY Soothes digestion, sore throats, heals wounds, anti infection. Micro nutrients.

POLLEN collected by honey bees Eat for vitamins, minerals, immune regulating, antioxidant, anti inflammatory. May speed wound healing, help with menopause, lower cholesterol, help protect from heart disease, boost liver health.

SEAWEEDS

  • Dulse – High in absorbable potassium and calcium and lots of minerals.
  • Other seaweeds – high in minerals BLUE GREEN ALGAE
  • Spirulina and chlorella powder – Energy, nutrients especially iron, used as part of a weight management or energy building programme

OMEGA 3 OILS

  • Flax seeds Omega 3, heart support, cholesterol balancing, anti inflammatory oil
  • coconut oil – omega 3

HEMP SEED OIL( keep refrigerated, can use hemp seed kernals as more stable, keeps longer before going rancid) Omega 3+6 in perfect balance for humans, protein, (veggie cod liver oil ). However due to our huge increase in poly unsaturated oils which are high in Omega 6, we need to use olive oil or coconut oil (omega 3) to cook with and also redress the predominance of Omega 6.

OMEGA 6 OILS, good quality ones

Evening Primrose oil , Star flower oil, Sea buckthorn oil, Rosehip oil

For hormonal balance . These all contain high amounts of omega 6. If you reduce your omega 6 by not eating sunflower, vegetable, corn, soya or any other oils except linseed(raw only), coconut, fish liver oils, (omega 3 oils) or Olive oil then it is good to have the above Omega 6 oils. They do all (Except Evening Primrose oil) contain Omega 3s too.

NB contraindicated when taking blood and platelet thinners as can over thin blood.

YEAST (FOOD GRADE)

Nutritional yeast flakes are deactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae so it is suitable for most people on an anti candida diet. It is like Brewers yeast but feed on organic beetroot with added nutrients. It is particularly high in B vitamins and contains B12 so important for vegans. STRESS Also people under stress burn extra nutrients, especially ones used by the nervous system like calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin Bs

FERMENTED FOOD to help maintain healthy gut flora which then improves nutrient absorption(digestion), immunity, mood.

  • Miso
  • Yogart
  • Kombucha
  • Kimchi, sauerkraut
  • Tempeh
  • Kefir
  • Most cheeses
  • Sour dough bread
  • Apple cider vinegar

HERBS

Elderberry juice For use during colds to support the sinuses. Can reduce symptoms when used as prevention, taken prophylactically. Has been used as part of weight management programme.

  • Psyllium husks – Insoluble fibre helps absorb toxins from large intestine, intestinal soother
  • Aloe Vera juice – Lines digestive channel, detox

These are some of the better known european superfoods. There will be many more from other parts of the world. And others omitted. There is so much good food to prepare easily and simply to maximise the absorbsion of it’s nutritional benefits while tasting deliceous.