Superfoods for the Modern Superwoman

Our modern life seems to be getting crazier with every passing year. It feels like we need super human powers just to make it through a busy week. More gadgets, distractions, more deadlines, and projects, more things to attend, phone calls to make, emails awaiting. We bargain with life for some quality down time, if we’re smart about our health, we try to replenish our minds, spirits, and bodies regularly, but still, we are often left with an overwhelming feeling that we are barely keeping our busy heads above the water.

Fat calendars blinding with fluoro post-it notes make daily demands on our energy, clarity of mind, and focus. Energy? It’s tricky to produce by sheer willpower. As our lives get busier, food faster, our state of health declines, waistlines expand, and energy plummets. Although we live longer, we get sick earlier. Overweight, but undernourished. Fatigue and lethargy are the order of business, just get through to the next coffee break and a muffin! Certainly not the recipe for long lasting health and vitality.

If that’s you I’m talking about, (on a Tuesday!) best grab yourself that coffee sister, because I need your attention to read on.

We demand more of our physical bodies and brilliant brains today than the generations before us as our lives are ever expanding, but we ought to remember not to drive ourselves to the ground. Dietary prevention is better than medical intervention, when you leave it too late!

Luckily, there is a bright new day in the world of nutrition. On the upside of all the modern craziness is the fact that we are truly on the leading edge of discovering our nutrition potential. We have the knowledge, technology, and instant access to the most incredible quality foods from around the globe, previously impossible. More and more people are opening up to the idea of natural health, organic produce and food as our preventative medicine.

Superfoods is the new sexy word flooding the market, but is there really something in it or is it just clever marketing?

What’s the hype about?

Scientists are making ongoing discoveries about the vast benefits of consuming these, so-called super foods. Turns out Mother Nature has a pharmacy. Superfoods. I like to call them my “foods with benefits.” They are in fact, extremely nutrient dense and super nourishing for our brain, hormones, immune system, bones, muscles, skin, hair, nails, lungs and liver (and everything in between).

The regular consumption of these foods will help correct common nutrient deficiencies. They promote weight loss and help ease you into a better, more natural diet, while detoxifying your body. No willpower necessary.

Whether you strive for an increased performance at work, sport, studies, bedroom, or are an exhausted parent like myself, superfoods are your super fuel.

These superfoods are among the most potent, nutrient-dense substances, acting both as a food and a medicine. They are a nutritional booster, source of protein, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, coenzymes, beneficial fats, glyconutrients and polysaccharides. They improve serotonin production, alkalize cellular environment, reduce inflammation, help energy production and enhance sexual function. Introducing these foods into your diet may just transform your exhausted little self into one happy, healthy, sexy, energy bunny! Do try this at home.

My top 3 favourite superfoods?

• Cacao
• Coconut
• Maca

Cacao

The original raw chocolate. Despite the bad rep of processed chocolate, which really has nothing to do with the real thing, raw cacao has plenty of good. When I discovered there was a totally guilt free way to enjoy chocolate? Best news ever! And not just that! The cacao bean is the Nature’s number one weight-loss and energy food! No it’s not a typo. But do remember, we are talking raw cacao here, minus the processing, sugar, dairy, and additives of commercial chocolate, its man-made, junk offspring, in which most of cacao’s special properties have been lost in processing.

Raw cacao is one of the best natural food sources of antioxidants and magnesium. It is also a great source of iron, chromiuim, zinc, and manganese. Raw cacao contains significant quantities of tryptophan, essential amino acid crucial for the production of serotonin, the primary neurotransmitter in the human body, responsible for our stress response and mood regulation. Simply put, seratonin keeps our stress-head meltdowns at minimum. So you stay adorable, of course. Raw Cacao brings hope for all chocoholics out there. You can now switch your cravings for processed chocolate into a super nutritional boost that raw chocolate offers.

Coconut

Coconut oil and butter have been used as food and medicine since the dawn of civilization. Its abundance of health benefits and delicious flavor make them a great addition to our modern diet.

Coconuts are star immune boosters, containing antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial fatty acids, helping to fight off viruses, bacteria and fungal overgrowths (thrush be gone).

The medium chain fatty acids they contain support the function of the thyroid gland and inject your skin with glow from within. Coconuts are the ultimate beautifying food and are great for our hormones. They are a nutritional precursor to pregnenolone, an anti-aging compound. Because they enhance the thyroid function, they help the body drop excess fat and accumulated toxins. They increase metabolic function and help weight loss (oh joy!).

Fresh coconut water is great for hydration (Mother Nature’s sports drink) and a nutritional tonic for all age groups, including infants and the elderly. It contains organic compounds with growth promoting properties, is excellent for increasing muscle size, and promotes general physical growth in children.

Topical application of coconut oil helps soothe skin irritations and infections. It can also be applied to gums and teeth to kill off germs and promote healthy mouth and normalize oral pH. Super useful!

Maca

Maca is a powerful superfood. Special powers: strength, stamina and libido. It acts as an adaptogen, which means it helps our bodies “adapt” to stress of physical, biological, or chemical nature. Maca is a crucial addition to our modern living survival kit, balancing body’s hormones and neurotransmitter production, improving one’s mood.

Fit Chic Fact – Research shows that maca increases energy, endurance, and physical resistance! It also increases oxygen in the blood. This is important because – where blood and oxygen go, nutrients go, healthy tissue results, and glow remains. Not bad for one little Peruvian root. Add to that mega nutritional value and traces of 31 different minerals.

Maca is known to improve conditions such as chronic fatigue, malnutrition, infertility, lack of libido, menstrual and menopausal symptoms, poor memory, and tension due to stress.

You can use maca powder in smoothies, nut milks, teas, coffee, or any other beverage. You may also add it to soups, broths, salad dressings, and desserts. Maca is wonderful when combined with our other friend with benefits, cacao. Mix maca into all your raw chocolate treats to make one potent Superwoman food.

Recipe – Superfood Superwoman Raw Chocolate Ganache

This decadent ganache is very versatile. It will work as a chocolate sauce, frosting, or a dip for fruit and other treats. It is made with nourishing superfoods – raw cacao, coconut and maca, and uses coconut syrup as a sweetener. A guilt-free, dairy-free, raw, and nutrient dense treat for the whole family to enjoy!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Coconut syrup
• ½ cup Cacao Powder
• ¼ cup Coconut Butter (softened)
• 1 tablespoon Maca powder

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small pot, over minimum heat, enough to only warm the ingredients and help them bind. It will thicken as it cools.