What are “powerfoods”?
In all probability you have quite a selection of powerfoods in your kitchen. You are just not aware of their potential. Powerfoods are, very much, everyday foods; real foods – from the earth to the table – to use one of my favourite expressions! Powerfoods are made up fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains and beans as well as some exotic stuff, such as green tea, honey and turmeric.
Why are these foods classified as powerfoods?
Powerfoods energise and balance the body. They make you feel good and healthy. Powerfoods are almost always whole, but not necessarily raw or gluten-free. Their chemical influence on the body includes:
- Alkaline-forming vs. acid-forming
- Organic vs. chemical-infused
- Raw vs. cooked
- Gluten-free vs. gluten-containing foods
- Complex carbohydrates (smart carbs) vs. simple sugars (dumb carbs)
- Whole vs. processed.
Here is a list of powerfoods (thanks to RealFoodforLife.com) with their nutritional benefits:
Fruits:
Apples: Powerfood Pomme
Bananas: Healthy, Silly and Sexy
Lemons: the Alkaline Powerfood
Mangos: 10 Health Benefits
Pumpkins: the biggest powerfood…ever!
Saskatoons: Our favorite berry.
Raspberries: Summer Red Powerfood.
Watermelon: It’s alkaline and tastes soo good.
Vegetables:
Asparagus: The Balanced Powerfood
Cabbage: The big Powerfood for glowing skin and hair – some say it collects “moon power”
Carrots: This crunchy powerfoods have health benefits that go beyond your eyes!
Celery for Weight Loss and Calm
Cranberries: The little powerfood with a big punch!
Green Peas: Much MORE than a poor man’s meat!
Onions: The World Health Organization says “Eat them for Better health”
Spinach: The First Green Powerfood
Squash: Powerfood for all seasons
Zucchini Love: Why Diana Had to live on this nutritious powerfood
Nuts and seeds:
Almonds: King of nuts
Walnuts: The crinkly powerfood with the highest antioxidant activity of any nut
Pumpkin Seeds: The alkalizing seed
Grains and beans:
Brown Rice: Why it is better then white rice
Lentils: This high protein, low cost bean is a stable of healthy diets
Millet: The alkalizing grain
Quinoa Powerfood: This nutty flavored powerfood is pronounced Keen – Wa
Oatmeal: 10 smart reasons to enjoy oatmeal.
Exotic:
Green Tea: the Powerfood that Rules the World
Honey: 10 Health Benefits
Miso: Powerfood from the East
Seaweed: Ancient Powerfood
Stevia: Learn its sweet benefits
Tumeric: The REAL Spice of Life.
I bet there’s hardly one item on the above list you are not familiar with. Too right! Powerfoods are real foods. Good natural food … try to go for organic when you can and if not, wash your fruit and veg well.
Out with food supplements and in with powerfoods.
For further reading go to http://realfoodforlife.com/
Colette's Food Blog 