All about: Superfoods
Super foods and super food powders are something that many of you want to introduce into your routine, if you haven’t already, but don’t necessarily know where to start. Either that or in a confused state of reading a plethora of biased articles can easily end up adding 10+ of them into a morning smoothie which means over supplementing and being pretty expensive. Just like any other supplement its important to know why you are using these powders and to add discerningly and mindfully into your diet. And used in the appropriate way they can certainly be a valid and important way to up your vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient intake since they are very bioavailable aka easily absorbed by the body. Given our typical modern lifestyles this can be a super convenient addition to a healthy diet.
CACAO - basically the pure form of chocolate! But unlike its more modern manufactured sickly sweet version this is actually very bitter. Ranking at one of the highest antioxidants you can consume which means helping to mop up free radicals cacao is also an excellent source of magnesium and iron. Use it make healthier sweet treats, or blend with avocado and dates for an awesome chocolate mousse. Try this one from Organic Traditions
MORINGA - one of the newer superfoodies moringa comes from the dried leaf of the moringa tree and has all the goodness that one would expect from other power packed greens as well as containing essential amino acids that form the building blocks of protein. Since its a concentrated powder form it means a bigger hit of these nutrients including vitamins A, K and as a good source of calcium and iron. Add it to salad dressings or dips, its earthy mellow taste makes for a delicious and nutritious kick! I really like Aduna’s Moringa
SPIRULINA - I’m a massive fan of the algaes for so many reasons! They provide an excellent vegan source of Omega 3, the most anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids and also have very powerful antioxidant and chelating abilities that mean they bind to toxins and help to transport out of the body. Moreover spirulina is an incredible plant based protein that is almost three times as absorbable as its meat counterparts and since it contains vitamin B12 its a good way to supplement this nutrient that is vitally missing if you are following an exclusively plant based diet. With all algaes though it is super imperative that you make sure they are from a clean source, since they are grown in water that very same environment needs to be free from toxins so make sure they are harvested and sourced appropriately. Add this to your morning green juice or in my Spirulina cacao bliss balls recipe. I love Naturya’s version https://www.planetorganic.com/naturya-spirulina-powder-200g-200g/11826/
MACA - is one of the most versatile superfood powders and was used religiously by the Inca’s to give them stamina in battle. This golden mellow powder still has that energy promoting benefits but can also be supportive for hormone balancing and moderating stress responses. Sourced from a root that is part of the radish family, maca is delicious blended into nut creams or simply sprinkled over coconut yogurt with a handful of crushed almonds. One of my faves is the Organic Maca Powder from Organic Burst
BAOBAB - hails from the African tree of life which immediately makes it pretty special! It is an excellent source of vitamin C, that many of us tend to be depleted during stressful periods and also after high intensity exercise. Alongside this vitamin C plays a crucial role in collagen formation, repair and defence so keeps your skin healthy and radiant. Add this to your morning smoothie to get the baobab glow or post workout to help with recovery after that gym session. I love Aduna’s baobab powder that also comes in handy sachets too
MATCHA - is basically supercharged green tea with almost 100 times the antioxidant potential of the regular stuff. The almost psychedelic green comes from its potent source of chlorophyll that has a very similar chemical composition to haemoglobin which helps transport oxygen around the body and therefore more sustained energy. Blend with almond milk for a delicious Matcha Latte. The perfect green pick me up! Try Clearspring’s version https://www.planetorganic.com/clearspring-matcha-gr-tea-pow-30g-30g/17078/
follow this link to discover my spirulina cacoa bliss balls recipe.
CACAO - basically the pure form of chocolate! But unlike its more modern manufactured sickly sweet version this is actually very bitter. Ranking at one of the highest antioxidants you can consume which means helping to mop up free radicals cacao is also an excellent source of magnesium and iron. Use it make healthier sweet treats, or blend with avocado and dates for an awesome chocolate mousse. Try this one from Organic Traditions
MORINGA - one of the newer superfoodies moringa comes from the dried leaf of the moringa tree and has all the goodness that one would expect from other power packed greens as well as containing essential amino acids that form the building blocks of protein. Since its a concentrated powder form it means a bigger hit of these nutrients including vitamins A, K and as a good source of calcium and iron. Add it to salad dressings or dips, its earthy mellow taste makes for a delicious and nutritious kick! I really like Aduna’s Moringa
SPIRULINA - I’m a massive fan of the algaes for so many reasons! They provide an excellent vegan source of Omega 3, the most anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids and also have very powerful antioxidant and chelating abilities that mean they bind to toxins and help to transport out of the body. Moreover spirulina is an incredible plant based protein that is almost three times as absorbable as its meat counterparts and since it contains vitamin B12 its a good way to supplement this nutrient that is vitally missing if you are following an exclusively plant based diet. With all algaes though it is super imperative that you make sure they are from a clean source, since they are grown in water that very same environment needs to be free from toxins so make sure they are harvested and sourced appropriately. Add this to your morning green juice or in my Spirulina cacao bliss balls recipe. I love Naturya’s version https://www.planetorganic.com/naturya-spirulina-powder-200g-200g/11826/
MACA - is one of the most versatile superfood powders and was used religiously by the Inca’s to give them stamina in battle. This golden mellow powder still has that energy promoting benefits but can also be supportive for hormone balancing and moderating stress responses. Sourced from a root that is part of the radish family, maca is delicious blended into nut creams or simply sprinkled over coconut yogurt with a handful of crushed almonds. One of my faves is the Organic Maca Powder from Organic Burst
BAOBAB - hails from the African tree of life which immediately makes it pretty special! It is an excellent source of vitamin C, that many of us tend to be depleted during stressful periods and also after high intensity exercise. Alongside this vitamin C plays a crucial role in collagen formation, repair and defence so keeps your skin healthy and radiant. Add this to your morning smoothie to get the baobab glow or post workout to help with recovery after that gym session. I love Aduna’s baobab powder that also comes in handy sachets too
MATCHA - is basically supercharged green tea with almost 100 times the antioxidant potential of the regular stuff. The almost psychedelic green comes from its potent source of chlorophyll that has a very similar chemical composition to haemoglobin which helps transport oxygen around the body and therefore more sustained energy. Blend with almond milk for a delicious Matcha Latte. The perfect green pick me up! Try Clearspring’s version https://www.planetorganic.com/clearspring-matcha-gr-tea-pow-30g-30g/17078/
follow this link to discover my spirulina cacoa bliss balls recipe.
