Hello Sweet One!
It’s Throwback Thursday!
People often ask me what foods are in my fridge and pantry, so, today I wanted to share with you the 5 items I use daily that sweeten my day and fuel my body! Here it is again.
1. Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
This is a delicious and natural sugar I love recommending to my clients. Organic Coconut Palm Sugar (also called Organic Coconut Sugar) is low glycemic which means it doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much as white sugar. This means no tiring sugar crashes and energy dips! Moreover, coconut palm sugar has a high mineral content and is a great source of Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Sodium which are good for your health. Magnesium and sodium are necessary for proper nerve function, and zinc increases brain function. Iron is necessary for blood health and a strong immune system. The phosphorus in coconut palm sugar helps kidneys function and promotes cell health. In addition, it also contains Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B6 (super sweet!).
Coconut Palm Sugar can be used as a 1:1 sugar substitute for coffee, tea, baking, and cooking. Plus, it tastes really good and has no after taste.
Coconut Palm sugar is a sugar produced from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm. Coconut sugar has been used as a traditional sweetener for thousands of years in the South and South-East Asian regions where the coconut palm is bountiful. Philippines and Indonesia are the main producers of the product.
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2. Dark leafy greens
Dark leafy green vegetables are incredibly nutrient rich. Additionally, they are super cleansing, detoxify the blood, increase cell production, ease inflammation, are antioxidant-rich, and contain powerful phytonutrients and oxygen which means there’s more energy going to your cells which means more energy for you. Spinach, kale, arugula, collard greens are great starters.
So why are greens such amazing foods? They are:
- Alkalizing (keep the body in balance, detoxify and help prevent chronic diseases)
- Vitamin and mineral rich
- Easy to eat raw in salads and in smoothies
- Steam lightly and add one of the sauces
Here’s my kale chips recipe to get you going. I also love to sautée my collard greens and kale in coconut oil, garlic and chopped onions. YUM!
3. Organic Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has become my newest food best friend. It’s SO good for your health and is an awesome beauty treatment as well.
Coconut oil is the most healing oil you can consume, and very healthy for cooking too. It is rich in lauric acid, which is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiparasitical, and antiviral.
Here are the many ways that this healthy fat is good for you including achieving your weight loss goals:
- Protects against heart disease by increasing good cholesterol and lowering the ratio of bad and good cholesterol.
- Helps treat malnutrition because it is easy to digest and absorb.
- Kills disease-causing bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses because of the antimicrobial effects of its fatty acids.
- Helps diabetics by slowing sugar release into the bloodstream.
- Prevents strokes and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
- Boosts metabolism and increases energy because it is more likely to be burned as fuel than stored as body fat.
- You want to purchase coconut oil that’s organic and cold pressed so it’s minimally processed.
- Coconut oil is sensitive to room temperature. Above about 70F it liquifies and in the cold months it solidifies. Add a tablespoon to your stirfries before it was stirfries, smoothies and so much more!
There are so many Beauty benefits of Coconut including: curbing appetite, a face scrub, moisturizer, cleanser, Athlete’s foot, massage oil, dandruff, face scrub, warts and moles, stretch marks, acne, wrinkles, lip balm, diaper rash, wrinkle cream, stys and pink eye, reduction of age spots and sore throat.
4. Dark Chocolate
We all deserve an ounce or two of sweetness a day. Dark chocolate not only tastes delicious but it also contains healthy benefits. Dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure, improves cognitive function by increasing blood flow to the brain and can improve your mood via several chemical compounds particularly phenylethylamin (PEA) which encourages the body to release happy mood endorphins . Additionally, the flavonoids in dark chocolate help to reduce insulin resistance and don’t spike your blood sugar levels. Dark chocolate also has vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper and potassium and contains antioxidants which can help slow the signs of aging. Plus dark chocolate has a mild amount of caffeine which can be a nice mid-afternoon pick me up without a sugar crash afterwards. The key is to choose chocolate with 70% or more cacao content and to stick to 1-2 ounces (2 medium size squares) a day. You can also add a tablespoon of raw cacao t o your smoothies! Yum! Then enjoy guilt free!
5. Chia Seeds
A native food of South America, chia seeds are an incredibly nutrient rich food with fantastic health benefits. They are rich in polyunsaturated fats especially omega-3 fatty acids which can help to reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol.
They are also very rich in fiber which can help to regulate bowel function. They contain up to 10 grams of fiber in 2 tablespoons which is one third of the daily recommended fiber intake.
They are also very rich in antioxidants which protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer.
Chia seeds are also gluten free and can help us feel full longer thanks to their combination of protein, fiber.
Last but not least chia seeds are incredibly mineral rich containing such nutrients as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese which help to prevent hypertension and a healthy weight.
Chia seeds can also play an important role in regulating insulin levels. They can also reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.
To your sweet success,
