The first 5 of 10 NEW superfoods for 2012 & FREE $10 coupon to buy them with! (the first half)!

I have now updated this list to include all 10 at my more recent post HERE 


Now that January is well underway and everyone is talking and resolving to get healthier you have probably heard of a zillion diets by now.  Lets take a break from that and quit talking about what we shouldn't eat and talk about what we should eat!  Who wants to sit around hungry trying to be more healthy?  I do not! Let's talk superfoods!  No not supersize foods from your favorite fast food joint we are talking superfoods.  "Superfoods" is just a term used to describe SUPER nutritious whole foods (unprocessed) foods that have multiple health benefits and go above and beyond other foods in their medicinal and nutritional value.

 Last years superfoods list included such healthy favorites as

• Broccoli, 
• garlic, 
• spinach, 
• green tea, 
• beans, 
• walnuts, 
• blueberries, 
• soy, 
• oats
• tomatoes 

These foods have incredible healing powers on the body and are responsible for helping to prevent and in some cases reverse the signs of aging and related illness, as well as proving to be potent immune boosters.  They contain extremely high amounts of antioxidants that prevent free radicals from damaging the body leading to signs of aging and illness.  One of my favorite things about superfoods is that for those looking to loose weight they offer a solution as to what to eat as opposed to just what not to eat and are very effective in helping to maintain a healthy weight!

Now that you are getting the hang of adding those foods into your diet on a regular basis let me introduce
10 new superfoods to you that you may not be as familiar with. Ok only 5 today as you will get the other 5 in the next half next week.

• Broccoli Sprouts - We already knew that broccoli was a potent nutritional powerhouse but now we find out we can get the nutritional benefit of 3 Lbs. of broccoli in only one ounce of broccoli sprouts! These are great on salads, in sandwiches and wraps and anywhere else you add greens.   



Photo from nutridesk.com          

• Quinoa - pronounced Keen-wa.  This grain is quickly gaining popularity as it is easy to use and cooks up quickly.  You would use it like you would rice, and it tastes deliciously nutty.  This grain packs 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in just one cup.  Not to mention all the vitamins and minerals it contains.  Not many other grains can make that claim.  This is an easy nutritious addition to your health conscious pantry.

Photo from rv goddess

• Nutritional Yeast - (aka Brewers Yeast)- is a tasty supplement that is loaded with protein, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber.  It is the one of the only reliable vegan food sources of  Vitamin B-12 ( a feel good vitamin essential to your body). It is so full of  B Vitamins in fact just one Tablespoon a day gives you 100% of your recommended daily allowance and a whopping 9 grams of protein! It is also a great flavor enhancer for foods with it's nutty cheesy flavor.  It is great on popcorn, in stir fries and pasta dishes in a way that aged cheese would be.

Photo from bend bulletin

• Kefir - is a sour yogurt like drink that is a healthy concoction of  beneficial bacteria and yeasts in protein, lipids and sugars that is made from fermenting kefir grains in milk.  It work to improve your immune system in a number of ways.  It is FULL of probiotics, antioxidants and is 5 times healthier than regular yogurt because of the incredibly large number (some are in the billions!!) of friendly bacteria as opposed to plain yogurt.  It is credited with a huge boost in digestive health and immunity. I will have to do a longer post on this as it is so fascinating.  In the meantime if you are not fully convinced you should do some research online to see how adding this to your diet can profoundly affect your health.

• Chia Seeds - Yes I am talking about the very same seeds used in the old school Chia pets!  I have a much better use for them though, as these are my new favorite super food.  They are known as the running food a very high energy endurance food, because the soluble fiber creates a gel that  slows the conversion of carbs into sugars giving you increased endurance and helping diabetics. They are growing in popularity, especially with endurance athletes, because of their well documented use by the Aztec warriors and the Indians of the Southwest and Mexico that are well known for their amazing running ability.  These Indians would take only a spoonful to fuel their 24 hour runs!  It is also great for endurance athletes because of it's ability to absorb up to 12 times it's weight in water to prolong hydration in an unheard of way and balance electrolytes!  I could write a huge post on this but I will try to limit it for now.  This food is not only for athletes as these seeds are chock full of omega 3's, calcium, protein and fiber.  In fact one tablespoon of the seeds eaten has all the fiber of one cup of oatmeal, more antioxidants than blueberries, more omega 3's than salmon, more fiber than bran flakes, more calcium than 2% milk, and more protein fiber and calcium than flax seed! You can add them to smoothies, oatmeal, cookies, any in anything else you would add nuts or seeds to.  You can also just eat them raw for a quick pick me up or to help satisfy you and avoid cravings.  I LOVE THEM!!!! I will stop myself now as I could go on forever about these.

Photo from nuts.com

Hope that was enough to get you started on adding some new superfoods to your diet.  The next 5 will come next week.  

In the meantime start shopping on vitacost to pick up some of these!  I buy on vitacost just because I can find what I need (hard to do in my small town) and because it is such a good deal and I get free shipping after $49! Here is a link to get you started with a FREE $10 coupon at Vitacost! That will pay for you chia seeds and more!