Want More Energy? Eat this Raw Superfood Breakfast!

by Rachelle Girardin

Buckwheat has a rich supply of flavonoids, like rutin. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Buckwheat is also high in protein, fibre, gluten-free, alkalizing for the body, and high in calcium.

I’ve been making this recipe for 6 years and it is still one of my favourites because it is so versatile. If you have a dehydrator you can also dehydrate this granola for a crunchy version!

Energize with this Raw Superfood Breakfast Recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Raw Hulled Buckwheat (soaked overnight, strained and rinsed in the morning)
• 1 cup Dried Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)
• 1 cup Seeds/Chopped Nuts: mix any Hemp, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Jungle Peanuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds, Brazil Nuts
•  1/2 cup Dried Fruit (Goji Berries, Currants, Raisins – all unsulphured and without hydrogenated oils)
• 1–2 tbsp Raw Honey or Maple Syrup

Optional:

• 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil (to lower glycemic index and stabilize blood sugars)
• 1 tsp. Spirulina
• 1–2 tbsp. Raw Cacao Powder
• 1–2 scoops Protein Powder
• 1–2 tbsp. Maca Powder
•  Orange or Lemon zest

Directions:
1. Take 1 cup raw buckwheat (also called groats) and rinse under cold water. Place in large glass bowl and cover with 6 cups of water. Leave on counter overnight or for at least 6 hours, to begin the germination process.

2. In the morning, or 6 hours later, strain buckwheat with fine strainer and rinse well.

Note: Buckwheat will appear slightly slimy.

3. Ensure buckwheat is well rinsed and patted dry with paper bowl. Leave in fine strainer or sprouting tray (can be purchased online or in health food stores) with a bowl underneath for 24 hours to sprout or proceed to step 4 immediately.

4. In a large bowl, mix soaked/sprouted buckwheat with 1 cup of coconut flakes, 1 cup of nuts or seeds, 1/2 cup dried fruit, and 1-2 tablespoons sweetener plus any other additional toppings.

5. Enjoy with your favourite homemade dairy-free milks, yogurts or creams and fresh fruit! Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

http://www.youngandraw.com/raw-superfood-breakfast/

Scientists Work Out How To Make Chocolate Healthier And More Flavorful

by Justine Alford

Good news, chocoholics: Scientists have found a way to not only make chocolate more nutritious, but also to enhance its taste. Praise science!

By making a couple of simple adjustments to the earliest processing steps, researchers found that they could boost the content of health-promoting compounds in cocoa beans and also improve the resulting chocolate's flavor, making it sweeter. The work waspresented at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society and published in African Journals Online.

Humans have been gobbling cocoa for thousands of years, but it is only relatively recently that scientists have demonstrated that dark chocolate and cocoa could actually be beneficial to our health due to the fact that they are rich in biologically active compounds known as polyphenols. These chemicals are known to have a variety of desirable properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and their consumption has been linked to various positive health effects, such as a reduction in blood pressure and reduced incidence of stroke and cardiovascular diseases.

Unfortunately, some of the steps required to transform raw cocoa beans into a form that can be used in the production of delicious candy bars are known to alter the content of these compounds. After the pods are cut down from cocoa trees, they are split open and the beans are removed. These are then fermented for several days in banana-lined baskets before being dried in the sun and finally roasted. This roasting stage is critical to the flavor outcome of chocolate, but it also causes the beans to lose some of their polyphenols.

Armed with this knowledge, scientists from the University of Ghana set out to find a way of retaining these important compounds without negatively affecting its taste. They decided to start off by adding in another stage to the process, which involved storing the pods prior to fermentation. After testing out a range of conditions, the researchers found that storing them for 7 days prior to processing as normal resulted in the highest antioxidant content.

Next, the team decided to examine whether they could optimize the roasting process so that more polyphenols could be retained without sacrificing flavor. Traditionally, beans are roasted for between 10-20 minutes at 120-130oC, but they found that roasting at a lower temperature for 45 minutes improved the antioxidant activity of the beans. Furthermore, when this roasting technique was combined with the storage step, the beans had both increased antioxidant activity and a higher polyphenol content. Not only that, but the chocolate produced using this method was also sweeter.

The researchers believe that these positive effects are due to the fact that the storage stage allowed the beans to have more contact with the sweet surrounding pulp, which can alter the biochemical and physical properties of the beans. “This aided the fermentation process and enhanced antioxidant capacity of the beans, as well as the flavor,” notes lead researcher Emmanuel Afoakwa, adding that this technique could be particularly useful in countries where cocoa beans have a less intense flavor and lower antioxidant activity, such as in Latin America. Afoawka now plans to continue this work by further scrutinizing different storage and roasting techniques in order to optimize the process.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-work-out-how-make-chocolate-healthier-and-more-flavorful

WALNUT BROWNIE BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE (RECIPE)

AMY CRAWFORD (THE HOLISTIC INGREDIENT )
This is a seriously yummy breakfast smoothie that is both sustaining and seriously good for you. It feels decadent but know it is doing you so much good!

INGREDIENTS
Approx. 1.5 cups almond milk (or milk of choice), add more if you prefer a runnier smoothie
1/3 cup of walnuts, or about 20g
1/4 of an avocado
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon raw cacao (or to taste, I like my chocolate intense, I added an extra half tablespoon)
2 heaped teaspoons maple or rice malt syrup, or sweetener of choice, to taste
1 heaped teaspoon maca powder (optional)
1 heaped teaspoon raw cacao nibs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of vanilla powder (or essence)
Pinch salt

METHOD
Leave half the walnuts and cacao nibs aside. Throw the rest of your ingredients into the blender and blend until really smooth.
Top with the cacao nibs and remaining walnuts.
 I would recommend making this the night before or at least half an hour before you eat it to allow the chia seeds to soften.

http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/walnut-brownie-breakfast-smoothie-recipe

Chocolate could PREVENT obesity: Scientists say antioxidant in cocoa stops weight gain and lowers blood sugar

Scientists say antioxidant in cocoa stops weight gain and lowers blood sugar

Flavanols in dark chocolate fight weight gain and lower the risk of diabetes

Dark chocolate is also thought to improve concentration, decrease appetite, lower blood pressure and boost heart health

By Emma Innes
It has long been maligned as a source of weight gain.
But chocolate could help prevent obesity and Type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.
Scientists found that an antioxidant in cocoa can prevent weight gain and help lower blood sugar levels.
The researchers say there is also evidence to suggest eating dark chocolate can improve thinking, decrease appetite and lower blood pressure.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, revealed that an antioxidant in cocoa can prevent mice from gaining weight and that it also lowered their blood sugar levels.
Dr Andrew Neilson and his colleagues explained this is because cocoa, the basic ingredient of chocolate, is one of the most flavanol-rich foods available.
This is good because antioxidants – of which flavanols are one type - have been shown to help fight weight gain and Type 2 diabetes.
However, not all flavanols are equally beneficial and cocoa contains many different ones.
So, the research team decided to try and establish the individual health benefits of the different flavanols.
The scientists fed groups of mice different diets, including high-fat and low-fat diets, and high-fat diets supplemented with different kinds of flavanols.

They found that adding one particular set of these compounds, known as oligomeric procyanidins (PCs), to the food made the biggest difference in keeping the mice's weight down if they were on high-fat diets.

They also improved glucose tolerance, which could potentially help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
‘Oligomeric PCs appear to possess the greatest anti-obesity and anti-diabetic bioactivities of the flavanols in cocoa, particularly at the low doses employed for the present study,’ the researchers say.
The news comes just after scientists at Louisiana State University released finding which show dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.

 

 

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Chocolate contains flavanols - a type of antioxidant - that help to lower blood sugar levels. They also help fight weight gain. Previous studies have shown dark chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve heart health

The researchers say dark chocolate is beneficial because of the way our guts ferment the fibre in cocoa beans.
Researcher Maria Moore said: 'We found that there are two kinds of microbes in the gut: the “good” ones and the “bad” ones.
'The good microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, feast on chocolate.
'When you eat dark chocolate, they grow and ferment it, producing compounds that are anti-inflammatory.'
This naturally forming anti-inflammatory enters the bloodstream and helps protest the heart and arteries from damage.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2595990/Chocolate-PREVENT-obesity-Scientists-say-antioxidant-cocoa-stops-weight-gain-lowers-blood-sugar.html

Raw Peppermint Patties

By Heather Braaten

Made from whole food ingredients, including nutrient rich raw cacao and healthy fats from coconut and cashew, these treats will not only satisfy your sweet tooth, they'll also nourish you.
Raw Peppermint Patties


Makes about 18 patties
For the filling

• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons raw coconut butter
• 2 tablespoons raw cashew butter
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• ½ teaspoon peppermint oil
• pinch of salt

For the coating

• 3 full tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 ½ teaspoon raw honey
• ½ cup raw cacao powder
• pinch of salt

Preparation
1. Combine all filling ingredients into a bowl and mash together with a fork, carefully smoothing out lumps of coconut butter and cashew butter, until all ingredients are well combined & dough-like.
2. Roll into a long, skinny log approximately 1" diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes, or until very cold & solid.
3. In a double broiler, or over very low heat, melt coconut oil & honey together, add cocao & salt, and stir until smooth & completely combined. Let cool slightly.
4. Remove filling from the freezer. Slice the log into thin disks. Work in batches, keeping most of the disks frozen, while you coat a few at a time.
5. Dip each pattie in the chocolate sauce. Work quickly, so the disks stay cold. Put coated patties back in the freezer and coat your next batch. Serve frozen.
Photo courtesy of the author
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17322/raw-peppermint-patties.html

5 Foods To Boost Your Mood

 By Cat Elliott
 

 

 I struggled with depression for a large majority of my life. In the past I used food as a means of coping with my feelings — and when I say "food" I mean processed sugary comfort type food.

During my emotional binges I felt good (while armed with deep fried chicken in one hand and a burger in the other) but immediately after I felt sicker, sadder, more miserable and in need of my next hit. So I continued to eat poorly and abuse my body for a few years in the hopes to feel better. After inevitably gaining over 100 pounds, I realized I had to cut the crap.
I made changes to my diet and began to notice that certain foods improved my mental clarity, boosted my mood, gave me more energy and removed my junk food cravings. Eventually these simple changes in what I ate allowed me to sort out both my physical and mental blockages. The top five foods I found, and what research has also shown, to be effective are outlined below.

1. Cacao
There's good reason why we often turn to chocolate when we are feeling down. But next time you find yourself in this state, reach for real chocolate in its natural state without the nasty hormone disruptive additives and chemicals: cacao.
Cacao is one of the highest food sources of antioxidants and magnesium, and it also contains iron, fiber, chromium and manganese. It has been shown to help with cardiovascular health, boost energy levels, promote longevity, increase libido and improve your mood. Add cacao powder or nibs to smoothies, baking, or keep some raw chocolate bars ready to go!

2. Healthy Fats
In particular those foods loaded with omega-3s, such as wild salmon, sardines and walnuts have been proven effective to help improve depressive symptoms. Omega-3 content helps maintain healthy chemical levels in the brain. You could even look to incorporate wild fish oil as part of your daily diet.

3. Chili
Chili is not just a tasty addition to a dish, it's actually been shown to increase the release of endorphins in the brain which boost symptoms of pleasure.

4. B Vitamins
By increasing the amount of B vitamins in your diet, you may begin to notice positive changes in your mood. Some excellent food sources that are rich in B vitamins are nutritional yeast, darky leafy greens, seafood, bananas, chicken, eggs, almonds, and avocados.

5. Real Food
The most dramatic change you can make to help ease your depressive symptoms and to lead a healthier life is by switching over to a diet of real food. By doing this you are removing processed junk, artificial flavours, colours and sweeteners from your diet.
It may seem dramatic to say, but changing what I ate changed my life and quite possibly saved it.
 No bull.
By making simple changes in my diet, I was able and willing to make bigger changes in my life, and in return, regain control of my life. I was able to admit my need for help, to nourish rather than to sicken myself, to get energy and motivation to exercise and get outdoors and become healthier and happier than I ever imagined. Just by starting with a few simple changes.
Photo Credit: Stocksy
 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17429/5-foods-to-boost-your-mood.html

The Need for Magnesium — with Supplemental Food List

16 Signs That Say You May Be Magnesium Deficient & What To Do About It

by Mark DeNicola

Yesterday marked the third time in the last month that I had overheard someone being diagnosed with a magnesium deficiency. The interesting thing is that in all three scenarios (my own included) the symptoms that each individual was exhibiting to prove the deficiency were completely different from one another. Needless to say, this made me curious and led me down a bit of a rabbit hole in further understanding what exactly magnesium is and how it plays a role in our overall health.

What Is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to the body for maintaining normal muscle and nerve function. It is involved in over 300 metabolic processes in your body and plays a key role in keeping a healthy immune system, maintaining heart rhythm and building strong bones.(2) Naturally magnesium can be found in a number of seeds (i.e., pumpkin and sunflower), nuts (i.e., almonds and cashews), and even in spinach which packs an average of 79 mg of magnesium per 100 gram serving.

The daily recommended intake of magnesium ranges from 400 to 420 mg in men, 310 to 360 mg in women and 80 to 240 mg in children all depending on age. It is also suggested that when pregnant, women increase their magnesium intake to between 350 and 400 mg depending on the age at which they are pregnant.(1)

Signs That You May Be Deficient

In my case, a magnesium deficiency was identified through the panic and anxiety that I was working through earlier this year. The most prominent time that I would find myself struggling with panic and/or anxiety was at night, the magnesium helped my body to regulate and distribute melatonin more effectively allowing me to get a better night’s sleep. (You can read about some of the other things that have helped me overcome this by clicking HERE)

Here are 16 magnesium deficiency symptoms that Natural Society comprised in an article released in April of last year:

• Calcium deficiency
• Poor heart health
• Weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Tremors
• Nausea
• Anxiety
• High blood pressure
• Type II diabetes
• Respiratory illness
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Potassium deficiency
• Difficulty swallowing
• Poor memory
• Confusion

Sources Of Magnesium

In addition to the seeds, nuts and spinach that I mentioned above, magnesium can also be found in potatoes, tempeh, quinoa and most beans -including black, lima and navy.(4) Like all essential vitamins and minerals, getting an adequate amount of magnesium daily may sound tedious or difficult to incorporate, but it is only as difficult as we choose to make it. The more we hold on to a particular lifestyle or way of eating the more we limit ourselves to habits that feel comfortable on the surface but may be taking a toll on our body. Look out for any of the symptoms listed above and even explore the world of supplements if that is easier for you to incorporate. Based on a recommendation, I incorporated magnesium into my life by taking Ankh Rah's high quality moringa leaf powder.

SOURCES:
(1) http://naturalsociety.com/16-magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-signs-low-levels/
(2) http://www.collective-evolution.com/2012/10/30/11-ways-magnesium-helps-your-mind-body/(3) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-magnesium(4) http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Minerals/Food-Sources-of-Magnesium.aspx 

The news has been abuzz with magnesium lately, and for good reason. According to recent research, magnesium is an essential mineral which plays several key roles in our bodies.

• Several of our organs, especially our heart, muscles, and kidneys, require magnesium to function.
• Magnesium regulates muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, blood pressure, and calcium levels.
• It decreases the risk of developing diabetes, the symptoms of PMS, and the symptoms of migraines.
• Magnesium helps with depression and anxiety, muscle cramps, constipation, kidney stones, osteoporosis, insomnia, fibromyalgia, and asthma.
• It is also vitally important for energy production, nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, normal heart rhythm, the makeup of teeth and bones, enzyme systems and functions, and the utilization of fats and carbohydrates

In the words of Dr. Norman Shealy,

“Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency… magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell in the body. A magnesium deficiency may be responsible for more diseases than any other nutrient.”

Study after study after study shows that your health relies significantly on the presence of magnesium in your body. Magnesium aids in the prevention of the development of type 2 diabetes, the rapid recovery from depression, the risk of cardiovascular diseases… the list goes on.

Magnesium Deficiency

Every system and function in our body depends on magnesium, but many things can deplete our magnesium levels — from something as simple as vomiting or diarrhea to more serious medical conditions like diabetes, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease.

Even beverages such as too much coffee, soda, or alcohol can trigger the downward spiral. If you lose too many bodily fluids during a heavy menstrual period or through excessive sweating, your magnesium levels are a bit lower than preferable.

Stress is another big way to deplete your magnesium stores. According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of The Magnesium Miracle:

The scenario that I like to talk about is very basic. You’re under massive stress. Massive stress means you’re losing magnesium. You’re burning magnesium out of your body, because it helps support your adrenal glands. It helps keep you away from anxiety and depression. It helps relax your muscles.

If you’re all tight and stressed, your magnesium is being lost, [which makes] the muscles of your blood vessels tighten. That tightness is going to cause increased blood pressure…

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

We haven’t gotten to the big question yet, though — how do you know you suffer from a magnesium deficiency? All of the symptoms below can be attributed to low stores of magnesium in your body:

• muscle twitches, muscle spasm and weakness, restless leg syndrome (RLS)
• tension in upper back, neck pain
• headaches, tension headaches, blurred vision
• sleep disorders, insomnia
• agitation, anxiety, irritability, depression
• jitteriness, hyperactivity, panic attacks, hyperventilation
• sensitivity to noise
• loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting
• abnormal heart rhythms, heart palpitations, feeling that you can’t take a deep breath, coronary spasms, low blood pressure
• craving for salt, carbohydrates, chocolate
• drinking a lot of water but still feeling thirsty
• confusion, disorientation,
• poor nail growth
• numbness, tingling, seizures
• constipation, urinary spasms, menstrual cramps

So how can you restore your magnesium levels? Start by healing any possible gut issues (your gut health affects the absorption of minerals, including magnesium). You can also eat magnesium-rich supplemental foods that boost other health benefits related to magnesium deficiency. Let me introduce you to…

• Maca is rich in magnesium and incredibly essential for your hormonal balance.
• Cacao is the highest source of magnesium found in any food. Booyah! 
• Schisandra is a great source of magnesium, in addition to boosting mental clarity.
• Chia contains 15% more magnesium than broccoli and regulates insulin levels.
• Acerola cherry has twice as much magnesium than oranges, enhances memory, and regulates blood sugar.
• Goji berry is loaded with magnesium. It also normalizes blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
• Barley grass contains four times more magnesium than spinach, and caused significant improvements in those suffering from ulcerative colitis.
• Moringa is great for low energy and contains large amounts of magnesium.
• Spirulina is another food rich in magnesium and also reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Tulsi (also known as holy basil) is abundant in magnesium and especially effective in supporting the heart.

These supplemental foods are some of the highest sources of magnesium. You can take them separately, or buy them already combined in one of my favorite nutritional drinks. But any way you do it, increasing your magnesium is essential for your health.

Also, magnesium can be absorbed through the skin — here’s a recipe for homemade magnesium lotion.

Are you magnesium deficient? What are your favorite food sources of magnesium?

http://gnowfglins.com/2014/05/20/the-need-for-magnesium/