Tag Archive for: nutrition

10 High-Fat Foods That Are Actually Super Healthy

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Healthy High-fat Foods

Healthy high-fat foods do exist. High fat foods have been given a bad name but not all foods with a high fat content are bad for you. As I’m sure you know there are good fats and bad fats. Kris Gunners wrote a great article on this topic. Kris lists 10 high-fat foods that are super healthy and explains why.

Ever since fat was demonized, people started eating more sugar, refined carbs and processed foods instead. As a result, the entire world has become fatter and sicker.

Bottom Line: Avocados are a fruit, with fat at 77% of calories. They are an excellent source of potassium and fiber, and have been shown to have major benefits for cardiovascular health.

Cheese, like other high-fat dairy products, also contains powerful fatty acids that have been linked to all sorts of benefits, including reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Bottom Line: Cheese is incredibly nutritious, and a single slice contains a similar amount of nutrients as a glass of milk. It is a great source of vitamins, minerals, quality proteins and healthy fats.

Many healthy and nutritious foods were unfairly demonized for being high in fat. Here are 10 high-fat foods that are actually incredibly healthy.

This article discusses the following 10 high-fat foods:

Each of these foods have some great health benefits. The animal products such as butter, cheese and fish should be taken in moderation.

Avocados have a fat content of 77% but they are great for your heart and cardiovascular system.

Cheese is a great source of calcium and protein and I have to admit I love my cheese. I could not be totally vegan because of the cheese. That said there are some people that have adverse reactions to the casein protein that is found in milk products like cheese. If you are interested in a great study regarding casein you should read The China Study.

Dark Chocolate has some great antioxidant properties and contains iron, magnesium, copper and manganese.

Whole eggs used to be considered bad for you because of the high fat and cholesterol in them but recently there are studies that show that the cholesterol doesn’t affect blood cholesterol. Eggs are high in protein. I like to get local farm fresh eggs just so I know how the chickens are treated.

Fatty fish like salmon have omega-3 fatty acids and are great for lowering your risk of heart disease.

Nuts are healthy high-fat foods which have healthy fats, fiber, vitamin E and magnesium and are great for snacking and adding to meals.

Organic butter from grass-fed cows is almost pure fat. The key to healthy butter is that you make sure you buy butter from grass-fed animals and don’t overdo it.

Extra virgin olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet which has been found to help reduce risk for heart disease, depression, and dementia.

Coconut products are amazing for your health. We use coconut oil to cook with and as an ingredient in lots of our food. I use it for my teeth, just swish it around for a few minutes and it does wonders for your teeth and mouth.

There you have it. Fatty foods that you can eat and feel good about.

Healthy Natural Sugar Substitutes

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What Are Good Healthy Sugar Substitutes?

Sugar that is added to your diet has the potential to cause some pretty bad health problems. Some of these problems include: Tooth decay, liver problems, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cancer, weight gain and heart disease.

Don’t despair because there are several natural healthy sugar substitutes available. Real sugar is not bad taken in moderation but the more often you can use alternatives the better your health can be.

According to Dawn Combs, a certified herbalist and author. There are some great healthy sugar substitutes to add to your diet and some not so great.

Agave nectar has a low glycemic index and therefore is believed to help keep blood sugar levels in check and thusly prevent fluctuations in hormones. Worrying solely about the glycemic index of a food is not a good indicator of health. Unfortunately, agave syrup contains the highest fructose amount of any commercial sweetener, even worse than high fructose corn syrup. High levels of fructose create insulin resistance, an even bigger problem than a temporary spike due to sugar intake. Further, agave nectar is mostly produced from Agave americana.

Found at Natural Sugar Substitutes: Which are Really Healthy?

Main Sugar Alternatives

  • Maple syrup – Great for baking and we like to use it in our oatmeal as well as the lower gluten einkorn pancakes that we love to have for breakfast.
  • Honey – Find local raw honey for an excellent sugar substitute. We use it in our tea and it is great to bake with. Honey baked ham, honey dips and honey in bread is wonderful. I personally like honey for its extra antibacterial benefits.
  • Agave – This is a popular sugar substitute but not always the best choice for healthy eating as it contains the highest amount of fructose that any of the other alternatives. Not my favorite flavor.
  • Coconut sugar – You are probably aware of the benefits of coconut oils and coconut sugar is no exception because of the low fructose content. Make sure you get pure coconut sugar if you choose this alternative .
  • Brown rice syrup – Good if it is organic. This sugar substitute is mostly used in baking or cooking.

Other Natural Sugar Alternatives

Some other natural sugar alternatives are products made from stevia which is an herb commonly found in Central and South America and is sweeter than sugar without the blood sugar spike. There is however a bitter aftertaste that is a bit like licorice but there are some good products out there like Sweetleaf and Truvia that are good sugar alternatives.

Another healthy sugar substitute is Xylitol. This is not one that I think of as a great alternative because of the way that it is processed. Xylitol is basically processed birch sap. Anything that is processed and hydrogenated I try to stay away from. Also the name makes it sound like a cough medicine.

I like to stick with honey, maple syrup and raw sugar for my sweet tooth because I know where they come from and that the process from nature to the store is very simple.

The Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

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Remember the Chia Pet?

chia petRecently I have been learning more about Chia seeds and what great health benefits that they offer. The Chia seeds come from a plant called Salvia Hispanica and is originally found in South America. The Cha Cha Cha Chia Pet was made with the chia seeds because the seeds sprout so quickly and look great!

 

 

 

Some of the nutrients that you can find in chia seeds are:

  • Vitamins A, C, and E – These vitamins help with skin health, eye health, general immune system function and the absorption of iron.
  • Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc – Your body needs these minerals to function properly. Minerals are important for things like building strong bones and healthy teeth, keeping blood healthy, clear skin, healthy hair, proper nerve function, strong muscle and for turning the food we eat into energy.
  • Chlorophyll, Amino Acids – Amino acids are building blocks for our bodies and are a big part of what makes up proteins.
  • Antioxidants – Antioxidants make our cells healthier by eliminating free radicals.
  • Protein: 20-25% – Proteins are what a large part of your body is made of.

 What to do With Them

Juices: I put chia seeds in juices and they expand and have a strange texture like fish eggs. This is because they are mucilaginous. Mucilaginous means moist and sticky basically. When the seed gets wet it absorbs water and forms a little gel-sack around itself so it can be independent of surrounding conditions because it has all the moisture in needs to sprout. Pretty cool!

Baking: Chia flour that is made from the seeds is great to bake with. It can take the place of the gluten that is found in wheat or eggs as it is a great binding element. The whole seeds are excellent for baked goods that need some texture such as muffins, cookies and nutty breads.

Topping: I like to add them to my morning bowl of oatmeal or yogurt and granola. It gives it a nice texture and is a great start to a healthy day.

Smoothies: I use them in smoothies in the same way as I put them in juices but I don’t notice the fish eyeball texture as much because you have the fibrous parts of the smoothie ingredients.

 Sprouting Chia Seeds

Microgreens are incredibly good for you and chia is a very easy to grow and sprout. You can learn how to sprout chia seeds at The Happy Raw Kitchen blog. Microgreens are a great addition to salads, as a topping for your veggie burger or to add potent nutrients to a juice or smoothie.

I enjoy sprouting because the time it takes to see results is very short so you can use the sprouts right away. Some of the other microgreens that are great for sprouting are:

  • arugula
  • broccoli
  • buckwheat lettuce
  • flax
  • garlic chives
  • kale
  • mustard greens
  • sunflowers
  • turnips

Chia for Athletes

The secret ingredient for athletes, especially runners, was revealed in the book Born to Run. According to the book, chia seeds were a dietary staple of the Tarahumara Indians and gave them what appeared to be almost supernatural endurance.

Chia seeds can help with sustaining energy, reducing dehydration, inflammation reduction, joint pain, weight loss and exercise recovery acceleration. These are all important to both the professional and amateur athlete.

Conclusion:

Adding chia seeds to your diet can help keep you healthy and give you energy and many of the nutrients that you need to have optimum health. We would love to know what you think about chia seeds and how you use them in your diet. Please leave your comments below.