Superfoods are nutrient-rich foods that positively affect your health. As they contain minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, they are beneficial as part of healthy weight loss diets.
How can superfoods help with your weight loss journey?
If you are on a strict weight loss diet, you must rely on foods that are low in carbs, refined sugars, salt, and bad fats. Superfoodscan be an ideal choice, because they are in fact low in carbs, refined sugar, salts, bad fats, but are also high in all required nutrients. For example, broccoli, avocado, all types of berries, eggs, lean meat, leafy greens, nuts, whole grains, fish to name a few.
Andean Star is a reputable manufacturer and supplier of organic superfoods from the mountains of Peru. We are an exclusive carrier of organic superfoods supplements, such as Maca Powder, Cacao Powder, Organic Quinoa, Black Chia Seeds, Banana Powder, Brazil Nuts, and more.
All these superfoods offered by us make an ideal choice to be added to your diet, because whether it is quinoa, black chia seeds, or brazil nuts – they contain only healthy properties that will help you live a fit and healthier life.
Maca powder is high in nutritional value. While it has properties to improve mood, it also boosts energy and performance levels for athletes.
Cacao powder is rich in flavonoids, which are kinds of nutrients that help reduce blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity, and have no bad fats to transfer into your body. Just an ounce stirred into your pre-workout shakes in the morning, and you are fit to run the treadmill.
Quinoa is the best gluten-free grain with all nine essential amino acids. It is proven to be the best substitute for rice, especially when you are on a strict weight loss plan.
Brazil nuts can be part of your healthy diet, as they can keep you feel full for longer, you won’t feel false appetite, hence no munching on unhealthy snacks.
Andean Star will deliver your exclusive pack of organic superfoods right to your doorsteps. Place your order today!
All of us have heard of ‘superfoods,’ but only a few of us have tried them. In layman’s terms: Foods with the most nutrients are called superfoods. Regular vegetables and fruits do not have all the nutrients our bodies need in one, which leads us to shop and eat a variety of foods at a time.
When you switch to a superfood-rich diet, you not only improve your diet but can also save on weekly expenses. Most common superfood supplements are rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, which help prevent a line of common diseases, including coronary heart conditions, digestive issues, lower immunity, and inflammation. With regular food we cannot rely on only one or two varieties of foods to get all the nutrients our body needs. With superfood supplements such as Cacao Powder, Black Chia Seeds, Brazil Nuts, Banana Powder, you can finally avoid going to the supermarket every Friday evening on your way home from work and instead enjoy a relaxing weekend just like you wanted.
Note: By recommending superfoods supplements, Andean Star doesn’t suggest eliminating fresh fruits and vegetables from your daily diet. However, superfoods will be a smart addition, though.
Here’s why cacao, chia seeds, Brazil nuts and banana powder can be a smart superfood addition –
Cacao Powder
Andean Star Organic Cacao Powder is rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are shown to help reduce blood pressure, aid in improving blood flow to the brain, and also support blood clot prevention. Flavonoids in Andean Star Organic Cacao Powder also help boost insulin sensitivity, hence lowering the risk of diabetes.
Black Chia Seeds
Black chia seeds have been a common breakfast food item in many parts of the world because of their extensive range of health benefits and weight loss properties. Andean Star Black Chia Seeds provide a hefty amount of nutrients to your body and very few calories. For Black Chia Seeds are high in antioxidants, they help scavenge free radicals and prevent the damage that oxidation causes. Lastly, carbs in black chia seeds are fiber, and these have a high protein content as well. Foods with high protein content always help with weight loss.
Brazil nuts
Andean Star Brazil Nuts are high in nutrients healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Brazil Nuts are popular around the world because they contain a high amount of selenium, which is a kind of mineral with antioxidant properties. Consuming Brazil Nuts can help lower inflammation, improve heart and thyroidal health.
Banana Powder
Andean Star Organic Banana Powder is packed with minerals and vitamins, including vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. Andean Star Organic Banana Powder superfood supplements are also loaded with abundant potassium, which means one ounce contains the nutritional value of a total of seven whole bananas.
So, if you’re looking to stock up superfoods supplements besides your regular fruits and vegetables, you can always buy superfoods from us.
Brazil nuts are native to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. Their buttery, smooth texture and nutty flavor have always been enjoyed whether blanched or raw. These nuts are rich in nutrients and energy. They are also a concentrated dietary source of mineral selenium, which basically supports our cognitive system, thyroid and immunity. Eating Brazil nuts will benefit your health in numerous ways, including reducing inflammation, regulating thyroid glands, and supporting heart health.
The following are 5 proven nutrition and health benefits of Brazil nuts :
They are packed with nutrients
Brazil nuts are nutrient and energy dense. One ounce serving, everyday, will ensure that selenium, fiber, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and zinc enter your body. That’s why they are also called a superfood. These nuts are also a great source of healthy fats. About 36% of the fats in Brazil nuts are polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is a kind of fat that has proven to benefit our heart health.
The effects of antioxidants
The selenium in Brazil nuts boosts our bodies’ antioxidant system while preventing oxidative stress. The regular consumption of these nuts can also increase the activity of your antioxidant enzyme, known as GPx3, and also lower the levels of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), usually referred to as ‘bad cholesterol.’
Anti-inflammatory effects
The antioxidant properties in Brazil nuts help reduce inflammation in your body, which is often associated with numerous chronic health conditions. If you consume one Brazil nut a day, it will help reduce inflammation as well as signs of oxidative stress in your body.
Supportive to thyroid function
Your thyroid is a little gland, shaped like a butterfly. It lies in the throat and secretes different hormones that are vital for your body’s growth, temperature regulation and metabolism. Your thyroid tissues have the highest concentration of selenium, which is required for the production of proteins that protect your thyroid from wear and tear, as well as the T3 thyroid hormone.
When your body doesn’t receive as much selenium as required, it leads to cellular damage, decreased thyroid function, and autoimmune conditions, such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s disease. Simply put, your body needs an adequate selenium intake. One Brazil nut a day should provide enough selenium to ensure proper thyroid activity.
Good for cognitive health
Apart from selenium, Brazil nuts also have ellagic acid, which benefits your brain function. Ellagic acid is a kind of polyphenol, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and protective effects on your brain.
Additionally, the selenium in Brazil nuts helps improve your mood.
How to eat Brazil nuts
You can eat them whole as snacks or add them to your daily foods. They are perfect to eat roasted or raw. If you want to eat them cooked –
- Add a layer of Brazil nuts to a skillet and let roast over medium heat
- Keep stirring every minute to avoid charring them.
- Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or less until the nuts become flavorful and aromatic.
This National Nutrition Month, the Andean Star and team recommends you take good care of your health. A small change in your diet can be a major benefit for your health and improve your lifestyle.
Andean Star Brazil Nuts are grown organically. Try them today !
Did you know controlling inflammation effectively leads to improved muscle gain as well as enhanced fat loss? When you are done working out at the gym, you typically experience tenderness in your muscles. This tenderness usually lasts for hours or a couple of days, tops. This is your body is telling you to relax, so it can mend itself for getting stronger and better. Part of this recovery process is inflammation, which occurs throughout your body as the body heals itself. This inflamation, and the impact it has on your body, should not be ignored.
Inflammation is the protective mechanism of your immune system that works against foreign substances, infection, and injury. This inflammation process is crucial to heal your muscles, so you could get back to your recovered self again. However, if you are experiencing too much inflammation, it could prove devastating to the body and in fact breakdown your tissues, eventually weakening the gains. Therefore, instead of extending the rest, you should try to keep the inflammation at bay. Did you know that certain superfoods can treat inflammation? If you are into building muscles, and want to improve your body’s inflammatory response, take a quick look below:
Cacao Powder – Just an ounce stirred into your morning smoothie
Cacao powder contains flavonoids which help decrease inflammation throughout the body. It also has a large quantity of potassium, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by diminishing lower body stress and inflammation of cells.
Salmon
Dense with joint-nurturing healthy fats and bulk-developing protein, salmon happens to be one of the most effective anti-inflammatory foods. Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that are shown to lessen inflammation in your body.
Quinoa – fights off bloating and inflammation
Food can cause inflammation in your body, which is better treated sooner than later. Alcohol and sugary treats act as slow-killers, hence you need a balance of complex carbs, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins in your foods. Quinoa is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory superfoods which is packed full of everything needed to prevent or reduce inflammation in your body. Besides, quinoa can be made into a variety of delicious recipes.
Note* Andean Star is one of the largest and tried-and-true superfoods suppliers in the United States. We are committed to providing our customers with not only anti-inflammatory superfoods, but also publish varieties of easy-to-make superfoods recipes to help you live a healthier life. You can subscribe to our newsletters to be notified about our next recipe, articles in our blog, and more.
Most of us experience sugar cravings; nutritionists believe that it is one of the main reasons people can’t stick to a healthy diet. Cravings are basically driven by our brain’s want for ‘rewards,’ not exactly your body’s requirement for food. If you could have just a single bite and stop yourself there, a little indulgence when the craving hits you hard is absolutely fine. If you, however, tend to overeat or binge as soon as you taste sugary foods, giving in to those cravings is the most harmful thing you do to yourself. The following are 3 simple steps you can use to stop midnight sugar cravings –
If you feel hungry, try to find a healthy and filling meal in your refrigerator:
But, for this, your refrigerator must be stocke with healthy and filling foods in the first place. The smartest way you can avoid eating sugary foods is by having healthy and nutritional foods at hand. When you get a craving, the feeling is hard to resist; in fact, a sugary craving combined with appetite is a dominant drive that most people have a difficult time getting over. If you are getting cravings , one of the smartest ways to deal with it in a healthier way is to eat berries or nuts.
You can choose Andean Star Organic Dried Goldenberries and Andean Star Brazil Nuts all year. Berries and nuts are considered the best choices to munch on whenever you crave sugars. Protein-rich foods are good for curbing cravings as well as hunger.
Andean Star Cacao Powder
Cacao powder is the purest and unprocessed form of chocolate with all the nutrients. It has been shown to kill sugar cravings in adults, especially women. If you, however, find yourself craving something ‘sweet,’ you can choose cacao powder. Cacao powder contains fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, a few natural compounds that help lower anxiety and improve moods, and antioxidants to support younger and radiant-looking skin.
Andean Star Black Chia Seeds
Andean Star Black Chia Seeds are organic and shipped all across the United States. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, healthy plant compounds, and soluble dietary fiber. Soluble fiber accounts for about 40% of chia seeds. This fiber absorbs water and distends to develop a jelly-like substance in the gut, which keeps you feeling satiated longer and also helps you refrain from sugar cravings.
You can subscribe to the Andean Star Newsletter to stay updated on healthy recipes, as well as many educational blogs on how to improve your lifestyle and eat healthy.
The nutrition of chocolate and cacao are different as these are processed differently. The processing of chocolate makes it less healthy with lower quantity of nutrient. Cacao, on the other hand, is wholesome and the purest form of chocolate. It is rich in fiber, protein, iron and magnesium. Chocolate comes with added sugar, which makes it detrimental to your health. While even ¼ ounce of cacao can do wonders for your body, chocolate does the complete opposite and contributes to weight gain.
Here’s why you must gradually cut off chocolate from your diet
High calories: Chocolates are full of calories. A one and a half ounce bar puts 235 calories into your body right away. This is high when compared to other snacks. Eating high-calorie foods often leads to obesity. Exercising and burning calories consumed through chocolates is harder. It takes more than an hour of high intensity workout sessions combined with cardio just to burn 150-170 calories, which is not even close to 235 calories from the chocolate bar.
Sugar dense: The flavor that you love in chocolate is attained not only through chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, lecithin, vanilla, but also through sugar. A regular serving of chocolate contains one ounce of sugar.
Decays teeth faster: Eating chocolate can accelerate tooth decay. Cavities in children are mainly because of the consumption of chocolate and other sweets.
Lack of vitamins and minerals: Chocolates are not a significant source of vitamins and minerals. They only provide less than 8% of daily recommend intake of calcium and 2% of your daily iron intake; whereas cacao powder can do wonders for your health.
Why switch to cacao powder?
Lowers blood pressure: Cacao powder is rich in ‘flavonoids,’ which help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the heart and brain.
Reduces the risk of diabetes: Flavonoids nutrients help increase insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of diabetes.
Reduces inflammation: Flavonoids in cacao powder keep tabs on inflammation throughout your body, and could eventually lessen the risk of arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and depression, which is very common today.
Nutritional value in cacao powder: cacao provides more nutrition than chocolate. It is a healthier substitute in a variety of recipes. Cacao is a brilliant source of Protein, Iron, Potassium, Fiber and Magnesium – which is why it is also called ‘a superfood.’
Nutrients per serving:
1-ounce of cacao powder contains:
- 24-ounce of Protein
- 21-ounce of Fat
- 45-ounce of Carbs
- 28-ounce of Fiber
- 0-ounce Sugar
How to eat cacao powder
Many vegan recipes can be prepared with cacao powder because of its nutrition-density and non-tampered processing. Making a switch should be easy because, apart from the nutty flavor, there’s not much difference in taste that would make you think you are not eating chocolate.
Cacao is best complemented with morning smoothies or evening shakes. However, you will need to increase the quantity of milk or water since cacao absorbs more liquid than cocoa powder.
Andean Star is committed to offering the best quality and organically grown superfoods across the United States. Of our bestselling products, which include quinoa, yacon syrup, maca powder, brazil nuts and a few more, cacao powder tops the list, because it’s raw, organic and available at a great price.
Recently I was given the task of cooking quinoa, but not just cooking it, perfecting it. Now personally I would consider myself an expert at cooking rice. The art of rice cooking is something I’ve spent endless days and nights mastering, so with quinoa being well known as a rice substitute, I felt like I had a slight advantage over the average quinoa chef. But even with the rice cooking experience that I’ve gathered throughout the years, there were still so many unanswered questions. How much water do I need to add? How can I tell if the quinoa is fully cooked? Does the quinoa need to be washed? What goes well with quinoa? If you were like me, a quinoa cooking beginner looking to create the perfect quinoa, then I now have the answer to those questions, and I’m more than happy to share my experience with you!
Things To Keep In Mind
So, let’s get to the basics or the questions that probably should be answered before we get started. Let’s answer the questions that you rice cookers may have that came up from your experience with cooking rice.
Do I need to wash the quinoa?
From what I’ve learned, there isn’t a mandatory rule that says you MUST wash quinoa every time you cook it, however, I definitely like to wash mine just to be safe. There is actually a bitter coat on the outside of each tiny quinoa seed, so for the best flavor, I’d suggest rising well! For this, you can just use a mesh strainer to rinse your quinoa for around 15-20 seconds, and then drain it out completely. Simple! Make sure you keep the strainer nearby, you might end up needing it again later down the line after you’re done cooking the quinoa.
How much water do I need to add?
I’ve heard of many methods to getting the water to quinoa ratios just right from the finger method to even starting extremely low and just adding in as you go. To me, these methods aren’t really consistent, but I’ve actually found the perfect amount that will always set you in the right direction. My general rule of thumb for making the perfect quinoa is just about the same as the ratio for rice, for every cup of quinoa add about 1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups of water. Obviously, if more needs to be added in later down the line feel free to throw in more, but from my experience, this usually works and won’t leave you with a mushy, gummy product. For me, two cups of water, and one cup of quinoa is a little too much.
Additional tip: Try using your favorite broth instead of water to add flavor!
How do I know when the quinoa is finished cooking?
So your quinoa has been cooking for a good amount of time, but you have an issue… You don’t know what cooked quinoa is supposed to look like! One great way to tell if the quinoa is done is if the quinoa looks like it has popped open, and you see what is called the “germ” separating from the seed, and kind of curling around it, then your quinoa is just about done!
Can I cook the quinoa in a rice cooker?
Of course, you can always use a rice cooker or an instant pot, but where would the fun in that be? For me it always just feels a lot more rewarding when I cook flawless quinoa in a pot.
Where can I find a good bag of quinoa?
I’m glad you asked! Head over to the Andean Star shop for the highest quality quinoa on the market!
Cooking The Quinoa
Now that you’ve gotten the basics out of the way and you have a general idea of what you’re supposed to be doing, it’s time to start cooking!
First, start off by boiling your water in a pot. Note: It isn’t necessary to boil the water before you put in the quinoa. You can actually put them both in at the same time, but I personally like to have everything hot and ready to go beforehand. That way the cooking time should stay consistent, and if you added in two cups of water, which might be a bit too much, this may help even out the water levels a bit and give you a better texture.
Once the water has come to a boil, add your cup of rinsed quinoa and reduce the heat to low. It’s extremely important to let the quinoa steam, so put a lid over your pot and let it sit for 15 minutes. A huge difference between quinoa and rice is you can’t necessarily check it while it’s cooking due to how small it is, and if you keep coming back and checking on it then that’s going to let a lot of the steam out and slow down the process, so just set your timer and relax.
If you’ve followed along perfectly so far there shouldn’t be any water left, and you should see the quinoa sprouting just like how I mentioned earlier. Since quinoa does tend to absorb a good amount of water, I’d suggest transferring it over to the mesh strainer again just to be safe.
After you’re done draining whatever water that may be left over, transfer your quinoa back to the pot. This is another important part that gets left out a lot. Make sure you fluff the quinoa and let it rest in the heated pot for around 5-15 minutes. This is just another measure that will help you stay away from wet quinoa and maintain the perfect texture.
And that’s it, you’re done! Now you have delicious quinoa with endless possibilities! Again, I would definitely suggest adjusting the recipe to your preference and doing what you personally prefer to cook the best quinoa for your tastebuds. If you’d like to know where to go from here, or what other recipes you can make with your cooked quinoa we have you covered! Check out the rest of the recipes on our site, and you may find something you love.
Here are a few links including our quinoa bowl, and quinoa salad to get you started.
How’s the Christmas preparation going?
- Tree – Check!
- Glimmer Lighting – Check!
- Christmas Curtain Lights – Check!
- Green Wreath – Check!
- Deer Night Lights – Check!
You buy every item and gift considerately, because you want everything to be perfect and everybody to be happy. However, what about the holiday feast? How are you planning to host a healthy Christmas feast for your friends and families, besides the decoration and other celebrations?
Please do not tell us – you are planning on repeating last year’s calorie-catastrophe recipes.
Foods, rich in calories, undoubtedly taste better than those aren’t; nevertheless, you will not want to present a jar of cheese straws or a glass of eggnog before your loved ones. These might taste good, but provide our bodies only calories.
Here are three holiday special recipes, we have rounded up for you to include in your feast menu.
Holiday Quinoa and Cranberry Salad
Fill your Christmas feasting table with this healthy quinoa salad studded with crunchy almonds and fresh cranberries.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 oz. unsalted butter
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 75 oz. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Step 1
Mix the quinoa, salt and water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, and once it does, simmer down the heat and cover the pan.
- Step 2
Let it gently simmer with the cover on for 15 minutes. Let the water be absorbed completely.
- Step 3
Remove the lid and start fluffing the quinoa gently. Set aside to cool.
- Step 5
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in some orange juice, cinnamon, dried cranberries and brown sugar. Following this, bring the liquids to simmer and then simmer for another 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
- Step 6
Toss them all together and serve!
Vegan & Caffeine-Free Maca Latte
Swap the coffee with this healthy and delicious Maca Latte! It needs only 5 ingredients, is rich in superfood Maca and is naturally energizing without the very caffeine.
Ingredients
- 5 Oz. of gelatinized maca powder
- 5 oz chaga mushroom powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Sprinkle a little bit of monk fruit extract
- 5 oz. of MCT oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 20 oz. hot water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and put into a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Distribute evenly. Drop a dollop of foam onto each latte and garnish with a sprinkle of maca.
Goldenberry Yogurt with Camu Camu
This delicious recipe is healthy and can be served during your holiday family dinner. It is fulfilling and party-worthy dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of Dried Goldenberries
- 2 cups of Yogurt (Greek)
- 5 oz. of Yacon Syrup (to taste)
- 5 oz. of Camu Camu Powder
Directions
- Mix dried goldenberries in a blender, add the camu camu powder, Yacon Syrup, 2 oz. of yogurt, and mix until smooth.
- Add the mixture to the remaining yogurt and combine for at least a minute.
- Transfer to jars and enjoy right away!
If you are planning on hosting the Christmas meal at your place, know that it can be stressful and overwhelming. You surely want your foods to taste the best, however, you would also feel guilty if your guests end up loading up unhealthy sugars and fats. On the other side, there is no fun in declaring your foods gluten-free, sugar-free, and fat-free too. This Christmas, present your holiday meal in a way that will encourage health for everybody while maintaining that seasonal, indulgent flavor. Your will guests will find the meal delicious, but it will also be your secret that it’s healthy at the same time.
Here are some of the trickiest tips for making your Christmas feast a healthy as well as delicious one–
Tip #1: Cut Back On Your Dishes
We always consider the amount of food we are offered is the right amount to eat, but it’s not. During the holidays, we all live on Cloud 9, hardly caring for what we are putting inside our body. All we want is to have fun by gobbling down as much as fatty foods as possible and downing alcoholic drinks. When you are to host the Christmas meal this year, you can make it sophisticated, healthy, and delicious, all at the same time. Portion each food item for everyone already, so that no one can load up more than what’s required. There’s no shame in thinking for your guests’ wellbeing and they, too, will never misjudge you.
Tip #2: Did You Know How Color Makes Difference At The Dining Table?
An ideal reason to choose the brightest, holiday plates prior to the big day: Latest studies show that color contrast between foods and plates might have been proven to influence how much an individual eats. Colored plates and foods, similarly, might lead your guests to eat more. A variety of colors at the food table affects people’s perception of food portions – beige foods would always look smaller on a beige plate. On the other hand, you can place them on a red plate and your guests are likely to eat 10% less.
Tip #3: You Can Always Outwit The Hidden Salt
To keep our health working, we require around 0.8 cups of sodium salt a day – which is much lesser than the average 4,000 many of us ingest. Loading up on salt makes our body clutch to water (which further induces bloating), overdriving the heart and blood vessels. You can help your loved ones avoid such unhealthful effects. Besides storing the salt away from the table, you can also limit processed ingredients. Look at the labels on cured meats, canned vegetables, and dressings – they are often loaded with sodium.
Tip #4: Serve Smart Drinks
The holiday season has only one motto – eat up, drink up, and merry. But, consuming 2,000 calories just by downing a couple of beers is never going to make any merry for anybody. There are many holiday drinks that are complete mood-busters, disguised in holiday names. Offer your guests the choices of beverages that are naturally lower in calories. Serve Maca drinks instead of alcoholic ones. Healthy drinks will leave your guests feeling less of a snowball and more bubbly and comfortable.
Tip #5: Make Some Smart Ingredient Swaps—Swap rice with quinoa
This Christmas classic is overflowing with ingredients that are dubious at best. The traditional chicken rotisserie with canned cream of mushroom soup loads with unhealthy salts, unexplainable ingredients, and fats. Begin by swapping the canned with fresh green beans and rice with quinoa; you can also try smearing them in hummus or olive oil. If you have no intention to give up the soup, you can always look for organic versions. The organic versions have dramatically less sodium and are prepared with organic ingredients, like garlic and mushrooms.
Tip #6: Pack in the Veggies and Protein
Festive meals always lack healthy nutrients in them and surprisingly this is the only reason why people love it. Do not assist your gusts to load up mindlessly and then suffer from guilt. Being the host of this year’s Christmas meal, you can always help them leave feeling fantastic by offering them ample lean protein and vegetable choices. Beans, hummus, chicken, and quinoa are rich in protein. Besides, the basic seasonal vegetables (such as – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower) and chopped-vegetable appetizer can be charred and topped with a little Parmesan cheese, olive oil, or nuts. Protein always plays a major role in regulating the appetite, and veggies are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Hence, plan your Christmas meal with the utmost smartness and love, of course. Your guest must not leave feeling guilty over their feast.
It is not very difficult to be swept up in a whirlwind of decadent foods during holiday season. This blending of national celebrations and religions has always proven to be a great opportunity to savor as many delicious foods and treats as we desire. However, the parties and feasts that actually mark the celebration could burden your arteries and strain your waistline. By consuming just about 200 extra calories a day – a tumbler of eggnog and a piece of pecan pie here and some butter cookies and a couple of lattes there – you will end up putting on three pounds over a 5 to 6 week period. This might not sound like much, but for the few who are determined to shed those extra pounds, we have some useful information.
No one is suggesting you deprive yourself from what your heart desires, eat only tedious foods, or feel guilty about eating a treat. Rather, you can practice a little defensive cooking and eating. You can surely get through the holiday season without starving yourself.
Chart out your budget wisely. You don’t need to eat everything at parties and events. Be a little choosy and invest calories with caution on your favorite foods.
Think before you gobble down. It takes only a couple of minutes for your tummy’s “I am full” signal to reach your brain. We recommend you pause after your first helping. Chatter around! Drink some water and then check your appetite again before try to stuff down a small portion of your favorite food.
Avoid the lures. It is difficult to avoid looking at the servings on the dining table, but maintaining a decent distance from the feasting area helps avoid binging. Keep yourself busy with chatters and taking pictures. But, do not get yourself involved in mindless drinking in the process of avoiding foods. This will lead all your efforts to go in vain.
Do not attend parties with an empty stomach. This is perhaps the wisest idea to avoid filling up on calories at parties. When you go out with an empty stomach, you feel like eating all those wonderfully smelling and tasty food. Your brain will likely not recognize good and healthy food from bad food and you will likely binge.
Drink to your well being. If you have an eye on that glass of eggnog, mind that it will set you back 500 calories, and more if you accompany it with wine, beer, or other cocktails. If you drink alcohol, remember to drink a juice-flavored seltzer or a simple glass of water in between drinks.
Do not drink alcohol with an empty stomach. Alcohol gives your appetite a boost and suppresses your ability to control what you eat.
Wear your dancing shoes. If you are supposed to attend a family gathering or a work colleagues’ party, go for a long walk before you bathe, dress up and leave for it. It will start up your metabolism and you should also take a walk between dinner and dessert.
Make room for vegetables. At parties and feasts, do not ignore vegetables or fruits. They can make a healthy and delicious meal if prepared and garnished well. A plate of spicy goldenberry and tomato salad ensures health and taste both even for a food connoisseur like you.
Be buffet savvy. At buffets, walk around the food table a little before deciding on what you want to put on your plate. Once you are done checking out all the options, you might find yourself less inclined to stack different foods on your plate.
Never shop hungry. Holiday shopping adds on to your calories. When you go shopping for Christmas, you have a tendency to keep munching on something and that ‘something’ could be anything from a Subway wrap to Starbucks Lattes. So, fill up your tummy at home before you go shopping.
Cook from the heart. To show friends and family how much you care about them, be healthy and creative with your recipes. You don’t need to present something buttery or cheesy all the time to make your guests happy. You can take your time and think of something that will neither ruin their taste buds or their health. For example – chicken rotisserie with quinoa instead of rice or potatoes.
Pay attention to what really matters. Although it is difficult to spend time with friends and family without a table full of delicious foods and drinks, we suggest you have everyone’s health in mind while enjoying the holidays and spend more time listening to each other’s stories than binging on food.
A holiday can be both fun and healthy, if you try!
Like a million other Americans, you have stuffed your face on Thanksgiving and now the guilt is killing you from inside. You are bloated and feeling like not doing anything. But, before you throw yourself into the leftover stuffing, give this blog a quick read. It might change your mind.
In order to get you back on track, we have come up with a two-day meal plan for you. Take a quick look!
How strict your next two-day diet has to be depends upon how much you ate at Thanksgiving. You should get back to eating healthy again. Check out our two-day post-thanksgiving meal plan that will suit almost everybody’ dietary needs.
DAY 1:
MORNING BEVERAGE: Drink 10-12 ounces of lemon water
Water cleans out our system and transports key nutrients throughout our blood for greater energy, while lemon happens to add vitamin C into our system, which further helps the liver to detoxify the body.
BREAKFAST: Incorporate nut oatmeal and fruit
- Make 1/2 cup steel cut oats with water
- Combine 1 cup of dried organic goldenberries and 1 oz. of ground flax seeds.
- Top it with 1 oz. of nicely chopped walnuts and 0.5 oz. of Yacon Syrup (a natural sweetener).
AFTERNOON BEVERAGE: Prepare a glass of fresh green Juice
- Put in a cup beets, fresh spinach, a cup of kale, 0.5 oz. of shaved ginger, ½ apple, parsley, and freshly squeezed lemon juice into a heavy duty blender and blend until smooth.
When you blend this water–and-fiber-rich veggies, you get a nutrition-packed smoothie which will push the toxins through the body, easing bloating.
LUNCH: Crunchy Chicken and spinach salad
- Mix 1-2 cups of raw spinach, beets, artichokes, ¼ tomato, chickpeas (½ cup), ½ an avocado and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl.
- Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic and top with grilled chicken
A bowl of salad that’s rich in fiber, antioxidants and full of water-filled veggies is an ideal way to clear out the sodium and toxins from your body while boosting concentration and energy levels.
SNACK: Chips and Dip
Veggie sticks, whole-grain pita chips, 1/3 cup of hummus, guacamole or black bean dip; eat with dandelion tea.
DINNER: Veggies and ginger-seasoned seafood
- Season shrimp or 6 ounces of grilled salmon with ginger;
- Eat with grilled asparagus smeared with 1 cup of brown rice and 0.5 oz. of olive oil;
- And, water with squeezed lemon
DAY 2
BREAKFAST: Mexican-Style Veggie Omelet
- Scramble 2 eggs (enriched with 2 Omega-3)along with 1 cup of cooked mixed vegetables (specifically, mushroom, tomatoes, onions, and peppers);
- Top it with ½ small avocado sliced and ½ cup kidney beans
- Eat with side of grapefruit slices.
LUNCH: Sushi
- Top ½ cup fresh fruit salad with 6 ounces non-fat Greek Yogurt
- 1 oz. of chopped walnuts;
- And, 0.5 oz. Yacon Syrup (or any natural sugar substitute)
This snack platter packs high-fiber, water, and antioxidants
You can order in 2 brown rice sushi rolls with tuna or salmon
And, fresh ginger/ avocado
Eat with small miso soup, 3 ounces of seaweed salad and of course a cup of green tea.
SNACK: Have a Greek Yogurt Parfait
.
DINNER: Make a Buffalo Burger
- Take 6 ounces bison burger and top it with 1 oz. avocado and grilled onions.
- Prepare it on 100% whole-wheat bun with a side of baked sweet potatoes and roasted artichokes.
This will help wean you off fat-rich holiday foods and will add loads of energizing nutrients like vitamin B and fiber.
Let’s balance our health and the holidays.
Thanksgiving meals are always a calorie catastrophe. This year, you can try to enjoy the holiday without tripping into a food coma and then waking up with food guilt. On average, Americans consume about 4,500 calories and 0.507 lbs of fat into their bodies just on Thanksgiving day. The same amount of fat that you will find in three entire butter sticks. While Thanksgiving aims at feasting on high-calorie fare, you can still make some healthy dishes and beverages for you and your family to avoid the food guilt next morning.
To speak the truth, it is, indeed, difficult to stay away from all those dishes – Roast Turkey, green bean casserole, candied yams, mashed potatoes, dry-brined turkey, cranberry juice, followed by inescapable desserts. And, then the post feast nap, followed by a few hours of watching football with beer in hand – certainly adds to the memory but also adds to your gut.
But, what about those 10 months of strenuous workout at the gym and following a superfood-rich dietary plan? Are you ready to let go in one shot? No, you are not. In many American households, Thanksgiving means feasting on calories, calories, calories, sitting still and downing bottles of beer.
Well, you can eat and drink healthy on Thanksgiving Day and yet enjoy the holiday with your friends and family.
Plan a healthy Thanksgiving menu
Eating healthy is psychological. When you host the holiday menu, chances for you to fall in the trap of calorie-rich foods is little to none. Your Thanksgiving dining table does not have to present only unhealthy dishes. You can always add some fruits, roasted vegetables, low-fat dairy items and whole grains to balance it out.
If you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year, you can totally make it a healthy feast by cutting off butter, sugar, cheese, carb-rich foods and high-fat dairy foods, and –
- Swap fried turkey for grilled turkey
- Swap mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower
- Swap rice for quinoa
- Swap cocoa for maca
We have prepared a healthy Thanksgiving pudding recipe for you, though.
Chocolate Maca Chia Pudding
RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 5 oz. of Maca powder
- 1/3 cup of chia seeds
- 5 oz. of pure cocoa powder
- 1 oz. of pure maple syrup
- 5 oz. of pure vanilla
Directions:
- Combine everything in a large container and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Next morning, top the mix with raw cocoa nibs, fresh fruits and coconut flakes.
Your pudding is ready to enjoy!