The complete list of the TOP 10 NEW SUPERFOODS for 2012!!

As you noticed the "top 10 superfoods" post last week only made it to 5 since I couldn't get it all done in time and wanted to give you a few to get started on anyway.  So here is the completed illustrious list!


MAKE SURE TO READ TO THE BOTTOM TO GET YOUR FREE $10 coupon at vitacost.com!!

• Jicima - Also called Mexican Potato is a great food to add into your diet for several reasons.  It is loaded with Vitamin C, minerals, fiber, calcium, iron and potassium.  It is excellent for helping to maintain lower cholesterol levels and actually decreasing the bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol.  It has virtually no fat, and is so low in calories it is perfect for filling you up with essential nutrients while helping you loose weight.  You should choose smaller ones as they are sweeter and look for those that have have smooth skin. Peel and slice then top with lime juice and a dusting of chili pepper or add to salads or stir fry as a substitute for water chestnuts.  Fun veggie to play with as they are slightly sweet but very very mild in flavor and will take on the flavor of whatever you add to it.

• Bee Pollen - Is an amazing supplement that I like to add to smoothies or take encapsulated. It is well know for it's energy producing effect and full range of nutrients.  It is one of only a few foods that you could survive on with out any other foods.  It has the perfect balance of fat, protein and carbs, as well as vitamins and minerals.  It is self digesting and helps digestion in general enabling you to lose weight as you are able to better digest fast quickly.  It also helps diabetic symptoms and tests have shown less sugar in the urine after sustained use.  It offers a whole host of other immune boosting properties as well.  Great stuff and pretty inexpensive too!

Photo courtesy of Leons beauty tips and secrets

• Black Garlic - This is just garlic that has been fermented at high temperatures.  It has a sweet caramelized taste very mellow and no overwhelming garlic smell.  The best part?  It is supposed to be DELICIOUS and is all the rage for foodies right now and has double the antioxidants of regular garlic and we all know how healthy garlic is. The bummer is that it is pricey but you can make it yourself.  You need a food dehydrator or rice cooker set to warm that you can leave set up for 40 days.  Yes I said 40 days!!!! Not sure how your electric bill would take this, but here are the instructions in case you just have to try it.  Get a glass jar and pack it full of as many raw garlic cloves as you would like and seal it up.  Then wrap it tightly in foil so nothing leaks out.  Now place in the rice cooker or something that keeps a constant temperature of 130-150 Fahrenheit and wait the oh so long 40 days.  You can eat it after 10 but it won't be the same.  It is said to be like roasted garlic but odorless, and even more mellow.  Let me know how it goes if you try this.  I do not want to give up any of my appliances for 40 days, or pay the electric bill.

photo from blackgarlic.com

• Barley- An under-appreciated grain Barley is a nutty flavored grain that has a chewy pasta like consistency. It is great in soup and as a breakfast porridge.  You can also get barley flour.  I used in my latest mix of whole grain pancake mix I just made up.  The pancakes were delicious.  I will have to post that recipe later! It is a very good source of fiber, niacin and selenium, as well as being a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese. When it comes to heart disease and type 2 diabetes this is an important addition to your diet.  Studies showed that it reduces your risk of diabetes and for those with type 2 diabetes it reduced both insulin and glucose response because of the barley's soluble fiber.  It was far more effective than oats.  It is also a great help with regularity, lowering cholesterol, and intestinal protection.  Google it as there is so much interesting information on why it is so beneficial to your health.  

• Sea vegetables-  As in nori, kelp, dulse,  algae, chlorella and spirulina just to name a few.  These are something to consider adding to your diet due to their large mineral and amino acid content, ability to absorb toxins better than any other natural food, aid weight loss, cellulite control, detoxification, beautiful hair and skin, and more. They can be added as a seasoning to foods, dried and eaten like a crisp, or made into a salad.  If you google sea vegetable recipes tons of recipes show up.  So be a little adventurous and try a few different types till you find one you like.

Photo from health food fanatic

• Broccoli Sprouts - We already kew 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.  For a  breakfast food mix it (once cooked) with an equal portion of  oatmeal for a yummy protein rich breakfast porridge.  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. In fact I just ate it for the last two dinners in quinoa chili, and as a side dish with corn and onion tonight.  YUMMY!

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

This is by no means an exhaustive list and is just meant to give you an overview of a few great superfoods to add to your diet.  

After searching ALL over on line for the best prices I just bought more bee pollen, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, barley flour, and a host of other healthy foods at Vitacost.  If you use this link you get $10 FREE (totally free online code for $10 free!!) at Vitacost.  That covers a lb of chia seeds and most of the barley flour! If you order $49 worth (who doesn't spend that at the health food store) you get free shipping!  I got coconut milk, protein powder that included hemp and chia seeds, sunflower seeds, millet, coconut, and a bunch of other good stuff so check it out!  

Hope you found a few new things to add to your healthy pantry today.