Three Must-Have Superfoods

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 by: Matt Monarch
Tags: superfoods, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Much research has been done lately on superfoods. There is a lot of buzz about certain foods, and the truth is that it's very hard to decipher the truth behind the buzz; what foods are actually super? Well, the fact is that there are certain foods out there which have very powerful qualities. Some of them are things which you can find in just about any kitchen, like garlic and lemon. Others are things you'd have to order on the internet from a reputable source. The thing that each individual needs to do is to decide whether your body needs a particular superfood. Obviously different foods have different qualities. Here are three superfoods which may really deserve the title.

Chia seeds definitely seem to be what you'd have to deem a 'superfood'. They were once a staple of the Aztecs and were known, and are known, for their ability to increase endurance. For those that exercise a lot, chia is something worth trying out in the future. They have all the essential amino acids (protein), except for taurine, and are also a great source of omega-3 oils, which is not found in so many foods. It's important to get a good balance of omega-3 to omega-6 oils in your diet, and adding these seeds to salads and smoothies is a good way to provide that balance. They also have more antioxidants than blueberries!

Pure, raw chocolate is something which most people are content to read about. We've all heard before that dark chocolate had high levels of antioxidants, which it does. But this is due to the high quantity of pure cacao in it. Cacao beans, when eaten raw, are extra good for the body. It is said that cacao, like chia seeds, has higher levels of antioxidants than blueberries. It also has lots of minerals, like zinc, chromium and magnesium, and plenty of vitamins and beta-carotene too. It also has quite a kick and wakes you up in the same way tea does, but gives a steadier stream of energy. Plus, you can buy it raw in many different forms, like cacao nibs, cacao butter, cacao paste and in powder form, so you can make all kinds of raw deserts.

The last thing on today's list is...Goji berries. As we all know, berries in general are super good for our health, and are very easily added to a smoothie to make it extra healthy. Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are extra good though; they have 18 kinds of amino acids (the building blocks of protein); a high quantity of calcium, selenium, zinc, vitamin B2 and C, beta-carotene and potassium; and they are also thought to boost your immune system and help you lose weight. So, they seem to do just about everything.

Including all of the above foods in your diet may go a long way to increase your health and stamina, but make sure to try each individually first, so you can figure out which food is giving you the benefits.

Sources:

http://www.therawfoodworld.com/product_info....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/mar/30/f...

About the author

Matt Monarch has been on a 100% Raw Vegan Diet since 1999; he eats only raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and seaweeds. He is currently the owner of three different health-promoting websites.
In partnership with Raw Food Pioneer and Nutritionist Dr. Fred Bisci, Matt has co-created www.TheRawFoodWorld.com, which sells support tools to help people live free of degenerative disease. Matt’s other websites are www.RawSpirit.org and www.LivingNutritionals.com.
After eight years eating a 100% Raw Food Diet, Matt has written two books on the subject – Raw Spirit, and Raw Success. In recent years he has spent much of his time touring the United States, presenting well over 200 Raw Food Lectures. He is widely sought out as a speaker and gives talks worldwide on how to live a healthier lifestyle.
Matt has appeared as a key speaker at events including The Raw Spirit Festival and many other festivals and expos. He was featured in a Raw Food TV Spot that aired over 15 times on Al Gore’s TV Network, Current TV. This TV spot can be viewed at www.RawSpirit.org. As 6-year owner of The Raw Food World and Living Nutritionals, he is well versed in people's needs and concerns about health.