16 Superfoods You Should Know About- Part 2

16 Superfoods You Should Know About- Part 2

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In the first part of this series, we discovered what superfoods are and how they could make a change to our lives. We discovered that superfoods do not possess just a single nutrient, but numerous. They offer us numerous benefits at the same time so effectively you get more nutrition with lesser amount of food that you eat.

Part 1 also discussed why we should eat superfoods. They're full of nutrients and work wonders in keeping your mind and body healthy. They help you flush out toxins more frequently and leave you with a healthy glow. They aid in maintaining your weight and you can continue to stay healthy without having to take annoying minerals and vitamins tablets.

In this part of our series, we will learn about 6 superfoods that can make a remarkable change in your life.

5. Spirulina - Spirulina is a certain type of blue green algae that happens to be around from a long time. This astounding superfood is full of proteins, and it is becoming quite popular as a nutrition supplement. Spirulina is classified amongst algae but to be truthful, it lies between the plant and animal kingdom because of its metabolic functions and cell structure that make it a step above typical plants but not quite in the animal kingdom yet.

Thus, what are the health benefits of this astounding superfood and how can it help you? Let's take a look...

Spirulina -

* Contains plenty of vitamin A, E, B complex and C.
* Is a rich source of minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron.
* Has a lot of antioxidants that help in removing free radicals to keep you young and healthy; these antioxidants are also known to help in fighting cancer
* Has a unique blue green color that is essentially one of the reasons why this superfood is a cancer fighter.
* Helps in constructing protein, which is even better than soy.
* Is rich in GLA or Gamma Linolenic Acid. GLA is an important fatty acid that helps in keeping the heart healthy; people have also found it to be beneficial in controlling weight and PMS problems.
* Helps food digestion and it also diffuses the appetite so that you do not feel that hungry.
* Consists of beta carotene in a form that is even more powerful than what is found in carrots.
* Consists of lutein, which is really important for the eyes.
* Consists of phytonutrients such as sulfolipids, polysaccharides and calcium spirulan which are rather unusual but offer lots of health benefits.
* Helps in making people feel energetic because it balances the immune system and helps your body absorb necessary nutrients and heal.
* Helps in cleansing our bodies, especially where heavy metals like mercury and dioxin are in excess.

Analysis is still on to figure out the long-term benefits of Spirulina. Spirulina is easy to get although you must be careful to buy pure forms, because impure types are easier to get but just as harmful.

Spirulina is available in tablets or powder form, and the last mentioned could well be added to your milkshakes and smoothies to make them more healthy.

6. Blue green algae - Algae are among the oldest forms of life on earth and blue green algae are certainly one of the oldest. These simple plants have a negative reputation because they are often responsible for water blooms that clog lakes and cause harm to marine life. However, blue green algae have their uses as well and even have a lot of benefits. In fact, recent researches have concluded that blue green algae like Spirulina are actually a powerful superfood with chockfull of nutrients and goodness.

Blue green algae -

* Are full of antioxidants that are important to fight free radicals that cause disease and ageing.
* Are known to relax blood vessels and reduce the lipid content of blood.
* Help people who want to reduce their weight or lose weight faster. It's worth noting that blue greens have a lot of nutrients but very little calories, which make it such a perfect superfood.
* Help in reducing the blood pressure.
* Contain a high amount of protein and aid in keeping blood sugar levels in control. Also helpful in cleaning the body so people who are fasting can take it with out any qualms.
* Help the growth of intestinal bacteria, which is great for digestion.
* Reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.
* Help in neutralizing bad breath

Blue green algae also have a few side effects so care should be taken when consuming them because sometimes it can cause sweating, headaches and flushing. Another essential thing to note is that blue green algae that are harvested from the wild can be extremely toxic and cause problems such as liver damage, vomiting and diarrhea.

A good idea would be to just purchase organic blue green algae and make them a regular part of your diet. Blue green algae are available in the form of powder, capsules, flakes and tablets. Ensure you take only the recommended amount of dosage so that you derive the health benefits without the side effects.

7. Marine Phytoplankton -The marine phytoplankton happens to be the blue whale's food for as long as it has been around. Do we really need another testimonial to the phytoplankton's astounding ability to make the blue whale so strong and healthy? Not necessarily, but we'll look at it anyway because the marine phytoplankton is now being regarded one of the top most superfoods that are there on earth.

The marine phytoplankton has been on the earth for billions of years and was a key component in getting human life started on the planet because of its capacity to give out oxygen.

We already understand how well blue green algae and Spirulina work for us, but close on their ranks is this astounding superfood, which is distinguished from the others because it's full of live nutrients.

So, how can the marine phytoplankton help us?

* Marine phytoplankton has a huge whopping amount of amino acids, carotenoids and minerals. Some of these fight ageing and others help in fighting disease causing free radicals.
* Trace minerals found in marine phytoplankton like zinc, selenium, magnesium, strontium, chromium and iodine are helpful in numerous ways right from controlling thyroid function to fighting cancer and reversing neurological disorders.
* Marine phytoplankton contains phytochemicals which are great for removing toxins from your body, helping in circulation and preventing abnormal cell division that usually leads to cancer.
* Helps preventing conditions that cause degeneration of the body and mind

Marine phytoplankton has so many nutrients that it's hard to classify them all here. Suffice it to say that it contains all the goodness necessary to cure conditions and disorders such as eczema, atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, asthma, osteoporosis and numerous other diseases.

Raw marine phytoplankton is really potent and there are many products which offer it to you in liquid form. Of course, it is also available as powder or tablet but many health aware people feel that it loses its powers and potency if it's processed in any form.

8. Aloe - Aloe is well known today for many reasons, be it for providing soft and supple skin or to help assuage mild burns or probably even help in diaper rash. However, did you know that aloe vera is also a superfood and can be ingested because it provides many really astounding health benefits?

Aloe vera has long been recognized for its superficial effects on our body but now scientists are realizing that this plant is quite a potent superfood also. Here are many of the benefits it provides:

* Helps maintain the balance of good bacteria in the intestinal tract so that digestion is good
* Helps people suffering from allergies and helps in keeping blood sugar normal.
* Contains trace minerals such as calcium, selenium, zinc, chromium and magnesium, which are really good for health.
* Polysaccharides help in keeping the immune system healthy.
* Detoxifies the body and even eliminates harmful bacteria from the body.
* Consists of sterils, which greatly lower the risk of atherosclerosis.
* Helps in healing and preventing fungus infections.

Aloe can be taken in the form of juice, smoothies, soups, dips or even salad dressing and it will provide all the much needed nutrients with out a hitch.

9. Hemp seed - Hemp as we know is an very versatile product of nature and right from ropes to paper, hemp has been a key component in making our lives easier. However, in recent times, hemp seed has slowly gained recognition as a superfood because of its astounding powers in keeping us healthy.

Steady research is being conducted on this aspect but we do know that hemp seed assists us in the following ways:

* Hemp seeds are rich in important amino acids and fatty acids that are necessary for a healthy life; in fact, hemp seeds are better than meat, eggs and soy, traditional sources of protein because of its amazing amino acid profile.
* It has calcium, iron also as other minerals such as magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese.
* Hemp seeds are known to relieve the symptoms of those suffering from eczema.
* Hemp seeds are richer in omega-3 than walnuts.
* Hemp seeds are ideal for vegans who do not eat meat at all as it meets all their protein requirements.
* Hemp seeds make your immune system stronger and helps you fight conditions better.
* Hemp oil derived from hemp seeds is the best possible EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) supplement there's.

Hemp seeds could be consumed in its raw form; they can be made into tea, or made into hemp milk like soy milk. Hemp leaves can also be added to salads while there is hemp tofu and hemp butter as well. There are plenty of recipes that can liven up your meal with the goodness of hemp.

10. Coconut - Tropical countries where coconuts abound often take them for granted. On the other hand, since they also consume enough coconut water always, it's one of the reason for their great health. Coconut water found inside the shell is pure because of the many filters it has had to pass through till it reached the center.

Are you aware that tender coconut water is very identical to the plasma in human blood? So, when you drink tender coconut water mixed with many other fresh juice, preferably a green leaf one like wheat grass, you are giving your body an amazing boost of power and energy.

Soft coconut meat has its own uses also but here's a look at what coconut water can do for you:

* Those struggling with cholera can find great relief in tender coconut water because of its albumin and sodium content.
* For those with kidney stones, drinking coconut water helps in tackling the pain, while protecting the kidneys from bad calcium sources.
* Coconut water, at times, is used as an alternative for blood plasma because of its purity.
* Coconut cream and coconut oil have Medium Chain Fatty Acids, which are instrumental in making the immune system stronger.
* Coconut oil contains antioxidants such as pregnenolone that are highly useful for the body.
* Coconut cream and coconut oil help in balancing the blood sugar level and enable you to with out food with out feeling the onset of hypoglycemia.
* In young coconuts, the meat inside is soft and is excellent for creating breast milk.

Coconuts are indeed a superfood that have been ignored largely because of misleading reports of cholesterol raise on coconut consumption. There is no end to the different uses that can be created with the humble coconut, right from oil to cream or just its water.

About the Author:
For more information on Superfoods, please visit our health related website bewellbuzz.com



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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