Photo Source: Rawfoodworld

Instead of grabbing a coffee for a boost of energy before your workout, you should be grabbing raw cacao. Raw Cacao is the unprocessed form of chocolate. It might sound a bit funny, but its health benefits are serious business – serious business that you should get in on. It’s a stimulant, but unlike coffee, it will not cause inflammation or a caffeine crash.  It is the greatest source of magnesium you can obtain from a whole food, and also contains the highest amount of antioxidants. Raw cacao triumphs over processed cacao because the latter form has lost most of its nutrient benefits. It can be bought in powder or whole nib form. Instead of buying a cup of coffee everyday, you can just nibble on these or put them in your smoothies. Save time, save money, and save your health!

Raw Cacao has been shown to…

• Lower blood pressure
• Improve circulation
• Promote cardiovascular function and health
• Improve digestion
• Neutralize free radicals
• Enhance physical and mental well-being

Cacao is a source of:

• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Zinc
• Iron
• Copper
• Potassium
• Sulfer
• Manganese
• Flavonoids
• Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, and E
• Oleic Acid
• Protein
• Fiber

The post Raw Cacao: The Energy-Boosting Superfood appeared first on OctaSlider.

Photo Source: Chocolatefudgecafe

Raw Cacao is one of the more underrated superfoods that shouldn’t go ignored. In its raw form, raw cacao has the following health benefits: it lowers blood pressure, improves blood circulation, improves cardiovascular health, neutralizes free radicals, and improves digestion. It contains a multitude of essential vitamins and minerals, and is a delicious addition to smoothies, and in the recipe to follow! It’s a heart-core snack!

Cacao Walnut Fudge:

• 1 cup almond butter
• ½ cup cacao powder (raw)
• ¼ cup agave
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped.

Mix together almond butter, cacao powder and agave. It is easiest to to this with your hand. Once it is well combined, mix in the walnuts. You can put this in an 8 x 8 pan or use a mold.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Recipe source: www.laurafortefitness.com

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Photo Source: Sleepwarrior

You’ve heard about all the health benefits of normal green tea. Matcha green tea is like green tea on steroids. People may say to take everything in moderation, but that doesn’t really apply to matcha. In fact, drink as much of it as you can.

History:

While normal green tea is made by steeping the leaves in hot water, matcha green tea is a powder. It sits in the shade t in the months prior to harvesting the leaves and is then steamed, dried, sorted, de-stemmed, and lastly, finely ground. So instead of drinking the water resulting from steeped leaves, matcha green tea drinkers ingest entire leaves. Don’t worry, it tastes delicious, though maybe not at first…it’s an acquired taste.

Health Benefits:

Not only does matcha green tea taste great, but the health benefits are phenomenal in power and numbers. Compared to conventional green tea, matcha has 137 times the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is an antioxidant that kills off free radicals: molecules that wreak havoc on your cells and cause age-related diseases, heart attack, stroke, and cancer. Matcha helps combat inflammation, oxidation and aging, lowers cholesterol, and detoxifies the body. Studies show that drinking matcha green tea increases the body’s fat-burning rate by 27-33%, and that exercising immediately after matcha consumption results in burning 25% more fat. That’s right; it’s perfect for athletes. Moreover, matcha is known for its stress-relieving and relaxation-promoting properties. This is because it contains a high level of L-theanine, an amino acid which induces alpha-wave activity in the brain. This is ideal for learning and helps matcha drinkers attain sustained mental clarity while counterbalancing nervous jitters that would come from coffee. Last but not least, matcha green tea is packed with a large amount of fiber, which helps digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels. So whether you just need a morning pick-me-up, want to maximize your workout, lose weight, or just drink healthily, matcha green tea is your best friend.

You can order some online, or find it in most tea stores such as David’s Tea, Teavana, Tealish, The Tea Emporium, and others depending on your area of residence.

Pro Tip: Matcha green tea goes great in smoothies!

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Photo Source: Insightfoods

I say greek yogurt, you say protein! If you’re not living under a rock, you know that greek yogurt has been invading the yogurt section at the grocery store for the last few years. And for good reason. A quick google search yields results singing praises about this superfood. Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than conventional yogurt. It’s the perfect post-workout snack for athletes and weightlifters because it contains 2-3 times more protein than normal yogurt. A serving contains, on average, 17 grams of protein. It also contains much less sugar. While normal yogurt can weigh in at upwards of 10 grams of sugar (crazy, right?), greek yogurt revolves around 6 grams. With so many brands putting out greek yogurt, each one claiming its the best, be sure to check the label on yours.

Other great things about greek yogurt if you aren’t already hooked:

• It’s lower in lactose!
• Contains more probiotic cultures, which helps reset your digestive tract
• Keeps you full for longer (great for weight-loss!)
• Less fat and cholesterol
• Higher calcium content than normal yogurt
• Also contains potassium, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12

Pro tips:

1. Swap out normal yogurt for greek yogurt in smoothies!
2. Mix in granola, fruits, peanut butter, or whatever you’d like in plain greek yogurt.
3. Put it in pasta sauce and add a meat of your choice! Get creative.

Greek yogurt is so versatile, tasty, and the perfect option for everyone (but especially athletes)!

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Photo Source: Sifascorner

The superfood cinnamon is one of the oldest spices. Although some studies remain inconclusive regarding cinnamon’s health benefits and side effects, cinnamon is flavorful and can curb your daily sugar intake. It’s also delicious and easy to use!

Some studies have shown that cinnamon can…

• Lower cholesterol
• Regulate blood sugar
• Help yeast infections
• Prevent cancer by reducing the amount of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells
• Prevent blood clots
• Provide arthritis relief
• Boost cognitive function and memory
• fight E. Coli

It is also a great source of:

• Fiber
• Iron
• Calcium

Try adding cinnamon to your coffee beverages, sliced apples or toast. Or, if you’re bored of drinking water, make this at night!

Naturally Flavored Apple Cinnamon Water

You’ll need:

• 1 Apple of your choice
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 1 Pitcher

Slice up your apple, put them and your cinnamon sticks to a pitcher. Fill with water and let it steep overnight. You will be surprised with how much flavour soaks into the water!

The water can be refilled about four times before you’ll need new ingredients.

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Photo Source: Themedifastplan

Yerba mate tea is native to Northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Traditionally, it is drunk out of a hollow gourd with a filtered metal straw. Surprisingly, it is more of a communal activity in its native lands. It is the equivalent of North Americans meeting at coffee shops. And this is tea we’re talking about (crazy, right?).  It’s a powerfully healthy drink.

Coffee may be the go-to choice to combat morning sleepiness, but it’s not half as great as yerba mate tea. Coffee has an inflammatory effect, results in delayed sleepiness (aka caffeine-crash), and with high intake, causes that jittery feeling. Besides that, what is often heard from coffee drinkers is that their body is awake, but their mind isn’t. The solution? Yerba Mate. Your body might be tired, but your mind will be wired. With health benefits to boot, what’s not to love?

Nutritional benefits include:

• 24 vitamins and minerals, and 15 amino acids that include Vitamin B, C, manganese, potassium, and zinc

• Anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and hypotensive effects

• Prevents artery-clogging

• Helpful for asthma

• A cup of yerba mate has about twice the amount of caffeine as black tea, but less than half that of coffee.

You can order yerba mate tea online or find it in stores such as David’s Tea, Teavana, Tealish, The Tea Emporium, or your local health food store.

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Photo Source: Healingisessential

When I suggest to someone almonds as a snack, they respond, “almonds have too much fat”. But there’s a reason why almonds are dubbed a superfood. Despite the common belief that almonds are too high in fat, most of the calories are actually from UNsaturated fat. The number of almonds that’s optimal for nutrient absorption is exactly 23 almonds, in which there are 160 calories.

Here’s a laundry list of all the things almonds are good for:

• Almonds lower the risk of heart attack. According to the Loma Linda School of Public Health, those who consume nuts 5 times a week lower their risk of heart attack by about 50%!
• Phosphorous in almonds help build strong bones and teeth (if you don’t like milk, have some almonds!)
• Potassium in almonds regulate blood pressure
• Fiber in almonds keep you full for longer – ideal for weight loss!
• Lowering bad cholesterol
• Boosting brain function and activity
• Lowering blood sugar levels and increasing insulin response after meals. This protects against diabetes.
• Improving immune system, fight free radicals and cancer (especially colon cancer, as almonds help clean out the bowels)
• Good source of Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and protein

Ditch the snack you’re holding and grab a handful of almonds. They’ll get the job done faster and better.

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Photo Source: endurancefilms.com

You might have heard of the tiny yet all-powerful Chia Seed. Chia seeds are awesome additions to any smoothie, oatmeal, or snack. Although chia seeds might not pack a whole lot of flavor – they bring almost everything else to the table. Here are a few things that chia seeds are known for:

- Chia seeds have 20% protein

- It is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids

- Gluten free

- Chia seeds have 3 times more iron than spinach

- Chia seeds have twice the potassium of a banana

- Balances blood / glucose levels

Here is one of our favorite oatmeal recipes, with a helping scoop of chia seeds:

Chia Seed Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats

4 cups water

1 tablespoon chia seeds

Half a banana, mashed

1 tablespoon natural, organic peanut butter (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil, add steel cut oats

2. Reduce heat and simmer until steel cut oats absorb the water for 15 minutes

3.  Add banana, peanut butter, and chia seeds and stir until well mixed

All you need is a teaspoon or smaller tablespoon to sprinkle into your snacks! Have you ever added this superfood into your meals? Let us know!

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