Foodie Findss 

What is a super food?

• It contains a large amount of nutrients which are linked with a reduced risk for disease.

• Super foods are rich in:

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Phytochemicals(a plant’s chemical defence mechanisms)

• Super foods stand taller than other foods because they provide a nutrition-packed

  punch that may boost your health with every serving

• Compared to ordinary food, super foods contain a relatively high nutrient or phytochemical density for the amount of calories they contain. Some foods are marketed as “super foods” that are fortified to be “nutritious.” Super foods contain these same nutrients naturally and are often lower in fat, sugars, and sodium. These nutrients are linked with a reduced risk for certain diseases. 

Super Foods

• DarkGreenVegetables

• Berries

• Legumes

• Orange Fruits and Vegetables

• WholeGrains

• Cold Water Fish

• Tomatoes

• Cultured Dairy Products 

Wheat Grass

• Green Juices: concentrated sources of enzymes & chlorophyll

• Wheat grass is a nutrient-dense “living food”.

• It contains:

–  90 minerals, including excellent levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus & zinc.

–  8 essential amino acids – dehydrated wheat grass is said to have a protein content of 47.4%

–  High enzyme content–atleast 80 different enzymes

–  Super oxide dismutase (SOD) – a potent antioxidant

–  Abscisic aid – plant hormone believed to regulate growth. Shown to inhibit cancer cells.

–  One ounce of Wheat Grass is equivalent to over 2 lbs of fresh fruits and vegetables; it acts as a natural appetite suppressant

–  Wheat Grass juice contains up to 70% chlorophyll, an important blood builder.

Benefits of wheat grass • Are numerous:

– Antibacterial, antiviral, alkalising, detoxifying

– Helps eliminate excess mucus from intestines

– Nourishes brain & nervous system
– Helps prevent tooth decay

– Improves the body's ability to heal wounds

– Alleviates nutritional deficiencies
– Increases circulation and metabolic rate
– Enhances digestive powers

– Creates an unfavourable environment for unfriendly bacteria growth – Enhances removal of drug deposits and heavy metals from the body

– Neutralizes toxins and assists liver function by waste removal
– Can assist in neutralizing carcinogens in the body

– Improves blood sugar disorders
– May assist in preventing hair from greying

– Assists in decreasing high blood pressure 

Seaweed/Algae e.g. wakame, kombu, kelp, arame, dulse, nori

• Nutrient content of seaweed/algae:

  – Rich in trace minerals and protein, algae such as Spirulina also contain high amounts of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids

  – Contain more minerals than any other food source
  – Have a remarkable ability to combine with other vegetables, grains & legumes and help maximise absorption of nutrients

• General Properties:

  –  As seaweeds and algae are particularly good sources of iodine & selenium they can be very supportive of thyroid function. Iodine loss can occur through high intake of cruciferous vegetables as these block absorption of iodine. Seaweeds help rebalance this effect.

  –  Seaweeds inhibit phospholipase A2 which gives them anti-inflammatory properties. (Phospholipase A2 can dramatically increase pain & inflammation)

Algae

• Algae were possibly the very first form of life on earth. They provide virtually every essential nutrient, vitamin, mineral, essential fat and protein.

• The nutritional content of algae has been long recognised. The Aztecs of Mexico ate algae as staple foods spread on tortillas. The Africans of the Sahara used dried Spirulina with grains.

• Rich in:

–  Chlorophyll – highest content of any foods

–  RNA & DNA – beneficial for cellular renewal - but caution as too much nucleic acid can increase uric acid levels

(gout, kidney stones)

- Foods primarily either build the body up or cleanse it. Algae are exceptional in that they are building foods because of high protein content but also cleansers & purifiers due to chlorophyll content.

• Cleansing Properties of Algae: Useful in cases of yeast overgrowth. Yeasts attract heavy metals but these toxins are more strongly drawn towards algae. Algae can therefore be utilised first to draw toxins out of the body before killing yeast. 

Spirulina (spirulina platensis)

• A cultivated or farmed micro-algae - named for its spiral shape. This is the easiest algae to digest.

• Rich in:

• –  Protein – 60-70%. Much of its protein in the form of biliprotein, pre-digested by the algae, therefore highly bio-available

• –  Carbohydrate - largely as rhamnose with a small proportion as glycogen, thus providing enduring energy

• –  Rich in GLA

• –  High in B12, phenylalanine & tyrosine

• –  Chlorophyll

• Spirulina is known to be supportive of:

• –  Kidneys – protective against the negative effects of long-term medication

• –  Liver - helpful in cases of severe liver damage resulting from malnutrition, alcoholism, etc

• –  Weight loss – contains phenylalanine which is an amino acid useful in suppression of appetite & enhancement of satiety

• –  Thyroid – contains good levels of tyrosine, the raw material for thyroxin

• –  Blood sugar support

• In summary, the conditions it is most likely to benefit are:

  – Obesity, diabetes & blood sugar balance, anaemia, hepatitis & liver disease, chronic skin outbreaks, hypothyroidism etc.