HEALTH FOOD TRENDS - GOOD TO KNOW?

There are many health trends. How to find the right ones for you? How to make sure it´s the real thing you´re buying instead of fake ones? I have listed few things you may not always think before you consider buying.

1. Superfood vs. candy
2. Surprises behind the price tag
3. Benefits of the product
4. Real or fake
5. Pimp your food
6. Light products vs real products

7. Superfood - what the name stands for?

SUPERFOOD OR TRADITIONAL CANDY

First of all, why choose superfood? Is it any better than standard snack? It is better! far more than normal sugary sweets. All superfoods (like Chia seeds, Maca, Lucuma, Spirulina, Cacao, Goji berries etc.) are high in nutrients and have an ability to be a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, amino acids. That´s where the name superfood comes from. It´s 100% pure fuel for your health.

Traditional candy mainly contains fast carbohydrates, like sugars and artificial sweeteners. White, refined table sugar has only one purpose. To make the product sweeter and to hook your taste, I admit it used to get me too. 2010 Princeton study proved high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener in many products, causes obesity and increases abdominal fat. It can lead to a growing risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes. So, the ingredients in candies hardly ever are good for your health, especially in the long term. After I went on using raw-cakes and sweets, I fell in love with pure and healthy dessert choices.

goji-berries - miheco - flickr.com

If you compare a lollipop to a handful of gojiberries, which one will give your body better energy and nutrients? Goji-berries of course. Did you know? Goji´s ORAC-value (Antioxidant value = ”health value”) is 3,290. (orange has 2,100)

WHAT´S BEHIND THE PRICE TAG

Are all superfoods good for you? Not necessarily. When you buy superfood, be extra careful with chinese superfoods. Out of China´s soil 1/5 is contaminated. Drinking water is not very clean any more. For instance, rice protein imported from China has lead, cadmium and tungsten - industrial heavy metals. The main thing I´m worried about chinese food is the purity of the land. Buy your products from certified organic seller who has a good reputation.

PRICE FROM FARMER TO THE SHOPS
How does the price chart work? Coconut farmers, who are many times very poor people in countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Indonesia don´t get enough for decent living. Farmers sell the coconuts to middlemen, who often resell them to processing factories for 50 percent or more. Fair Trade USA says farmers receive about $0.12 - $0.25 per nut. A farmer’s annual income ranges from only $72 to $7,000.

Christian Senger, Coconut man, flickr.com

So when you drink your refreshing and nourishing coconut water, it´s good to pay some respect to the farmers who made it possible for you to have your refreshing and healthy drink :)

BENEFITS
I have chosen coconut for an example. Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth”. It is no doubt a great product for your overall health.

BENEFITS OF THE COCONUT

1. Coconut oil kills microbes, viruses, bacteria etc. (amoeba or giardia lamblia).
2. Helps in weight loss
3. A good energy boost without insulin peak
4. Improves digestion and bowel function
5. Promotes healthy heart and brain.
The list is almost endless, so please look for more health benefits from internet.

Coconut - Hafiz Issadeen - flickr.com

REAL VS FAKE - COCONUT OIL 
No matter what you choose, make sure your superfood is of good quality!
1. Choose Virgin coconut oil over non-virgin.
2. Taste and aroma, you can taste bad quality.
3. Appearance.
4. Price. The cheapest is hardly ever the best.
5. Fair trade for farmers. No words needed.

PIMP YOUR FOOD – How?

When you want to spice up your food to better, literally, take a closer look at spices. Spices contain the highest antioxidant-values (ORAC-values). I like to call the ORAC-numbers as health numbers. Note that it doesn´t make your processed food automaticly healthier. The ingredient needs to be good quality too.

ORAC-VALUES in some spices

Paprika: 22,000
Black pepper: 34,000
Curry: 48,000
Cinnamon: 131,000

Rosemary: 165,000

Oregano: 175,000
Cloves: 290,000

Compare those ORAC-numbers to these healthy foods:
Lime 82
Cucumber 232
eggplant, boiled 245
Banana 260
Pineapple 385
Pineapple

LIGHT-PRODUCTS vs NORMAL PRODUCTS

This is very simple. Light products have been proven to be a bad choice for you, finally. Known and respected scientist, Danish Arne Astrup admits he has been wrong for 30 years promoting light-products. The result is this: Genuine fat isn´t bad after all, it is actually good for you. A new research, Diogenes proves that diet with more protein, less carbohydrates ja lower GI is better for loosing weight. Now it´s time to eat less carbohydrates like sugar and white flour and avoid trans-fats, used in deep fried products. Choose natural, healthy food that is real, such as butter and vegetables.

SUPERFOOD - WHAT THE NAME STANDS FOR?

Are these exotic foods supergood for your health or is it all hype? I think "superfood" is a great name for natural, healthy, vitamin rich food that promotes your health. The name has also added the information about healthy way of living. Shortly said; real superfoods do not contain additives, they are the real thing of nature.

Have a healthy day :)

Yours,
Tommi Sundqvist

sources:
princeton.edu
mercola.com
treehugger.com
coconutresearchcenter.org,
superfoodly.com/orac-values
princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/index.xml?section=topstories