Tag: Cocoa - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Without a doubt, supplements are needed in today’s society. We’re on the go. It’s difficult to get everything our bodies require in a day. Sometimes, no matter how hard we work at it, we’re still deficient in something, and not all of us can afford a personal trainer. Supplements can help provide total wellness though getting these essential nutrients from the food we’re already eating is usually best. Here’s a look at five awesome organics that are loaded with what your body craves, so you can receive the benefits as nature intended.

Kale

Along with spinach, kale often tops the list of healthy greens, though kale is lower in oxalates, so nutrients are absorbed better. For each 100-gram/ 50-calorie portion of kale consumed, you’ll receive:

Vitamin C (200% of the RDA)
Vitamin A (300% of the RDA)
Vitamin K1 (1000% of the RDA)
Calcium
Copper
Magnesium
Manganese
Potassium
Vitamin B6
Fiber (2 grams)
Protein (3 grams)

Try Kale: People often have an easier time incorporating kale into their diet when it’s in a smoothie. Try mixing it up in a blender with juice and berries.

Garlic

There are more than 200 varieties of garlic, and the cloves are known for containing allicin. Interestingly, it seems to work like a natural defense system for the plant, fighting off fungi. Allicin is a favorite among those who seek natural cures because it’s believed to have antimicrobial and antibiotic properties. It’s been touted as a cure for infections, an aid for acne, and some studies have suggested that it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. On top of this, garlic contains:

Calcium
Copper
Manganese
Potassium
Selenium
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C

Try Garlic: While garlic comes in nearly everything these days, it’s almost always cooked. Freshly chopped garlic can be added to cool pasta or spread on bread with butter, but it tends to flow better when added to fresh-made salsa or guacamole.

Blueberries

Antioxidants are high on the list as to what makes blueberries an awesome organic food. They’ve been linked to everything from cancer prevention to memory enhancement, and they’re 100% tasty. On top of this, blueberries contain all sorts of other things that lead to a healthier body, including:

Calcium
Folate
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorous
Potassium
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Vitamin K1
Zinc
Fiber (3.6 grams per cup)

Try Blueberries: A recipe isn’t needed for blueberries because they’re fantastic on their own. However, they can also be tossed on top of cereal or mixed into a smoothie.

Eggs

A single egg can contain more than five grams of protein, making it a staple on tables around the world. Though it was once believed that the cholesterol found in eggs led to high cholesterol in the blood, experts now say that trans fats and saturated fats, which are commonly consumed with eggs, pose a far bigger risk. Considering the whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are found in eggs, they’re worth including in ones’ diet.

Biotin
Calcium
Cephalin
Folate
Iodine
Iron
Lecithin
Phosphorous
Selenium
Thiamine
Vitamin A
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B5
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Zinc

Chocolate

Cocoa and dark chocolate rank high on the list of antioxidant-rich foods. One of the problems is that it’s often diluted and loaded with sugar. Milk chocolate, which is commonly consumed, isn’t as healthful as dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa content. In addition to the antioxidants, cocoa has:

Copper
Fiber
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese

Try Cocoa: Organic cocoa powder can be added to a smoothie to make it feel even more like a dessert. Dark chocolate squares can be eaten as-is, or melted over blueberries for a truly decadent treat.

Conclusion

Each of the foods listed here can be incorporated into a diet with ease, as there are versatile and organic varieties found in most modern markets. While their non-organic cousins contain the same nutrients, organic options don’t contain the pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones that a person doesn’t need. Moreover, several of the items detailed here landed on the Environmental Working Group’s list of foods that contain high amounts of pesticides when grown conventionally.

If you don’t have easy access to organic produce, you might consider purchasing yours online through a delivery services such as Organics Live. If they don’t deliver in your area, chances are, someone else does.

Our featured image comes from this Beet Pickled Eggs + Kale Salad recipe.

Sources:

Are Chicken Eggs Good or Bad for My Cholesterol? – Mayo Clinic

Five Awesome Organic Foods that Pack More Punch than Supplements