Honey
helps to lower inflammation and keep your brain healthy. "Even though honey is sweet like sugar, it's also packed with beneficial compounds like quercetin and kaempferol that can help reduce inflammation—an important job, since some depression can actually stem from this process."
I use honey if I need to add a little sugar. I don't use real sugar for anything. It's not necessary. I also use unsweetened applesauce if needed. http://www.rodale.com/brain-food?page=8
Asparagus
"This vegetable is one of the top plant-based sources of tryptophan, which serves as a basis for the creation of serotonin, one of the brain's primary mood-regulating neurotransmitters. High levels of folate also add to asparagus's happiness-promoting profile; research has shown that up to 50 percent of people with depression suffer from low folate levels." http://www.rodale.com/brain-food?page=7
Eggs
They're loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, B vitamins, and they'll keep you full and energized. I add extra eggs in anything that calls for eggs. My pancakes are more egg than pancake batter! When my son was 3 and we were reading "Green Eggs and Ham" for the first time, I convinced him to try them. He was hooked and loves them since. It's a special treat to eat eggs on the weekend. And we have eatten eggs many colors! For his entire year of being 3 I think he thought eggs were always green!
Cinnamon
Increases alertness. It also helps to kill many disease-causing fungi and viruses along with tooth decay. It also reduces blood sugar and cholesterol. I sprinkle it on a lot of foods. Usually breakfast foods.
Spicy red pepper flakes
I add this to most of my dishes. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Spicy food helps your metabolism. So if you can stand the heat.....why not boost your metabolism up a little!!! A few years ago everything hotter than mild salsa was to spicy for me.... but I built it up!
Dark Chocolate
Oh yum! I love my dark Dove chocolate and my special dark cocoa powder. It lowers blood pressure and the flavonols in dark chocolate are potent antioxidants that improve cardiovascular health. It's packed with natural antioxidants. Dark chocolate and cocoa sit in the same good-for-you category as green tea and blueberries. I eat special dark chocolate cocoa powder in my oatmeal every morning and I don't mind a small piece of dark chocolate every once and a while! http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-you-should-eat-and-drink-high-cacao-dark-chocolate/#axzz1n3vM6fUr
Green tea Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to increase metabolism
Avocado: lowers LDL cholesterol levels and helps with weight loss. It has the good fat.
Red Wine Antioxidents
Blueberries: Antioxidents
Walnuts: Good fat and the best nut for you
Salmon and Tuna: a great source of Omega and so much protien for a small amount of calories.
Quinoa and Farro: Contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats. They are better for you than rice and pasta. Great for breakfast lunch and dinner. I have a lot of recipes on this blog that use one or the other.
Ways to boost metabolism: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/boost-metabolism?page=0
8 more superfoods I'm looking into: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/the-best-ingredients?cm_mmc=Newsletter-_-834392-_-03062012-_-ReadMore&smartcode=NLS834392
This page is dedicated to Brittany...a few days ago she texted and said
"I need help with healthy recipies" well I gave her many more ideas than just recipes!
"I need help with healthy recipies" well I gave her many more ideas than just recipes!
ah! Love this! Thank you!!
ReplyDelete-Brittany