Posts

Antioxidants & The Paleo Diet-min

Antioxidants & The Paleo Diet

Antioxidants are essential substances in the body, as they are known to protect cells from damage caused by chemicals, pollution and radiation. Some of the known antioxidants are Vitamin A, C and D as well as lycopene and selenium. It is important to have a diet which is rich in these antioxidants as it can really improve our health as well as our appearance. The kinds of foods which are high in antioxidants include vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts. These contain different types of antioxidants and offer many other benefits to the body.

As the Paleo diet contains foods which are highly rich in antioxidants, it is a good diet to follow in order to feel and look at our healthiest. We are eating as much as four times less of the amount of antioxidants our ancestors consumed, which is why our nation is becoming increasingly unhealthy and overweight. There are many people who eat other foods such as cereals, instead of fruits and vegetables and although they may be low in fat, they do not contain the amount of antioxidants we require to maintain a healthy diet.

There are a number of benefits to eating a diet which is full of antioxidants, including giving us a clearer complexion, helping us to maintain a healthy weight and reducing our likelihood of suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. It is therefore hugely important to analyse our diets to ensure we are eating all of the right foods.

The key is not only to eat a diet which is rich in antioxidants but also to ensure there is the right balance of antioxidants and that you are consuming a wide range of these so you are enjoying the full health benefits they can offer. There are a large number of antioxidants to be found in fruit and vegetables, whereas fish and meat have less but are still packed with other kinds of goodness. It is vitally important when following the Paleo diet to get the mix right so you are consuming as many different antioxidants as possible, as they all have different health benefits. The wider the range of antioxidants, the stronger the barrier is to any nasty pollution to our bodies, which can be hugely detrimental.

Antioxidants & The Paleo Diet-min

The great thing about foods which are rich in antioxidants is that they are also beneficial in other ways and are very low in fat so you can lose lots of weight while becoming as healthy as possible. A good way of ensuring you consume a high amount of vegetables and fruit is to use a juicer to mix them up as this will help you get the variety and is a much easier way to digest them. It means you are getting the whole goodness of the fruits and vegetables as you are eating every part of them, rather than discarding of parts of them.

If you like to enjoy the odd snack, nuts and seeds are a good way to ensure you are eating a lot of antioxidants, rather than eating sugary snacks and crisps, which have the opposite effect. In addition to consuming foods which are rich in antioxidants, there are also supplements which can be taken to boost the amount of these being digested in the body. It is more important to get the antioxidants from our foods, but there may be days when this isn't possible, so supplements are a good alternative at these times.

There are foods which may claim to contain antioxidants but the best way to ensure you are getting it right is to follow the Paleo diet, as these foods have been well researched to show their health benefits. If you follow a plan such as eggs for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, salmon and vegetables for dinner and nuts or seeds for your snacks, you will soon notice a difference in your appearance, how you feel and the amount of weight you lose.

Where do you get most of your antioxidants from?

Recipe Coconut milk berries icy poles popsicles ice lollies lolly Paleo Network-min

Refreshing Coconut Icy Poles: Easy Paleo Dessert

are you eating contaminated fruit paleo network

Are you eating contaminated fruit?

I've bought frozen fruit quite a few times recently. It’s often far cheaper than the fresh equivalent, and it’s far less wasteful, since I don’t eat a lot of fruit. In the summer it’s great for a quick frozen dessert too.

Contaminated Frozen Fruit Hepatitis A Australia Mixed Berry Paleo Network

So I’ve been horrified to read about the recent contamination recall on frozen mixed berries. Apparently certain packs have been recalled due to a potential Hepatitis A contamination. It hasn't been long since the horse meat scandal, but this seems so much worse, since the only ingredient in these packs is the fruit. With the hose meat contamination, it seemed to be mainly in heavily processed foods.

With illness starting up to 28 days after exposure to the Hepatitis virus, it may not even be clear yet how widespread the issue is. The official advice is now to boil berries before eating – but really, who does this?

The other shocker with this latest recall, is that the fruit in question is from China and Chile. I meticulously check where any fish and seafood I buy comes from, but had naively assumed the fruit would be domestic.

It really begs the question how can the contaminate have got into the product in the first place? Contamination often seems to occur through transfer of fecal matter from an infected person. Unbelievable that in this day and age of health and safety standards that could happen.

After hearing about this latest scare, I'm going to freeze my own fruit from now on. It’s going to be local fruit, washed and organic. It seems to be the only way to ensure you actually know what you’re eating.

I wonder what the next food scare will be?

 

Energy Boasting Smoothie berries paleo primal juice juicing diet recipe-min

How to Make My Energy Boasting Smoothie

Top ten paleo diet foods list-min

The Top Ten Paleo Diet Foods

What do you think are the top ten Paleo foods, and why? Here is my list…

Paleo-Diet-Recipe-Primal-The-Top-Ten-Foods-10-min

1. Grass fed beef

Good quality grass-fed beef is a great source of protein, omega 3 and many other nutrients. It’s also extremely versatile; grill it, barbeque it, make it into jerky or grind it into mince beef to use in lots of different meals –using the leftover bones to make a nourishing bone broth.

2. Pastured Chicken

Pastured chicken is delicious as the centre of a roast dinner – and the leftovers make beautiful chicken stock. A great protein source, left over chicken is great to snack on, or turn into curries and soup.

3. Bacon

What list of Paleo foods is complete without bacon? You can even use the remaining fat to cook with.

4. Coconut Oil

As well as being a great oil to cook pretty much anything in, this saturated fat is great on it’s own by the spoonful! Coconut oil is also believed to be a great help with dementia and can even be used on your skin.

5. Avocado

Avocado is a perfect fat source and goes with almost anything. You can even cook it, or use it to make a dessert!

6. Eggs

Not only are eggs a great protein source, they are great for making paleo egg fried rice, filling for breakfast – and easy to hardboil in advance to keep peeled in the fridge as a ready snack.

7. Berries

Berries are relatively low in fructose and a great source of antioxidants.

8. Kale

Kale is a true superfood, as it is packed with magnesium, calcium, vitamins A, C and K, lutein, iron and antioxidants. You can even turn it into kale chips!

9. Onions

Onions are a sulphur rich vegetable (which Dr. Terry Walhs considers important enough to eat three cupful’s worth a day) – and just so incredibly versatile. Whether you’re making a stew – or even an omelette, onions will be a great addition.

10. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great base for lots of meals – such as beanless chilli – as they lend themselves so readily to sauce.

Do you agree with my list? What would be on your top ten list of Paleo foods?

The Paleo Diet Phytonutrients Anthocyanins Catechins-min

Phytonutrients & The Paleo Diet

Phytonutrients are compounds which are found in natural plant based foods and these are known to offer a range of health benefits to the human body. The bright colours which are found in a range of fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, pepper and squash are thought to be the cause of phytonutrients.

There are a range of phytonutrients found in our foods and these all offer different benefits to our health. Anthocyanins for instance, are thought to help us burn fat more easily and these are found in foods such as blackberries and blueberries. Another member of the phytonutrients family is carotenoids which may help to reduce our risk of cancer and can also help to slow down the ageing process. These are found in carrots, tomatoes and lettuce. Catechins are those phytonutrients which act as a great accelerator for weight loss and these are mainly found in green tea. Flavonoids are abundant in cherries, grapes and berries and these also help to reduce the risk of cancer. It is, therefore, a good idea to have a mix of these foods so you are consuming a variety of types of phytonutrients which will offer a range of health benefits.

The benefits of phytonutrients are wide ranging and are of upmost important as they include a reduction in the chances of suffering from life threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. It is also thought that phytonutrients can help reduce our chances of suffering from mental health illnesses, including Alzheimer’s. The reason for this is that foods which are rich in phytonutrients also act as antioxidants, which can do wonders in improving our immune system and the function of our hormones. They are important nutrients for helping our bodies to heal more effectively and are a good way to promote the healthy functioning of our main organs.

The Paleo Diet Phytonutrients Anthocyanins Catechins-min

It is important to consume a good mixture of phytonutrients, which is why the Paleo diet is the most successful in ensuring our bodies remain healthy for as long as possible. As we follow the diet, we are consuming lots of different fruits and vegetables, which provide us with a range of phytonutrients for a healthier lifestyle. Nuts and seeds also contain phytonutrients which makes them a great choice for a snack on the Paleo diet. They are also present in herbal teas, which is a good enough reason to switch from coffee to this healthier drink choice.

These food groups are not only important for a high intake of phytonutrients, they also provide the body with a range of other nutrients, which all work together to maximise the health benefits. The Paleo diet is a great way to ensure we are consuming the right mix of a variety of healthy foods to get the best possible benefits from them. There are many diets which don’t even consider the benefits of phytonutrients and other plant based nutrients and this is the reason the Paleo diet is one of the most successful and important around.

A healthy meal on the Paleo diet will usually consist of a good portion of meat or fish, together with a serving of fresh fruit and if you stick to eating this every day, you will be promoting your intake of phytonutrients, as well as all of the other health benefits these offer. A snack of nuts and seeds or fruit will offer additional health benefits and will help you to look and feel as good as you possibly can.

Phytonutrients can also be found in supplements but it is much more effective to consume the right foods and take good care of our diet, as this can offer other health benefits and is a much better way of managing our intake of these nutrients. It is just about having good awareness when following the Paleo diet and ensuring we consume a good mix of different foods, rather than sticking to the same all the time.

The addition of these phytonutrients will not only reduce the risk of suffering from serious illnesses, but it can also help to reverse the illness, which is why it is vitally important to start and stick to the Paleo diet at any time in our lives. The sooner we start to realise the health benefits of the Paleo diet, the more we can look forward to a long and healthy life.

primal smoothies paleo diet recipe juice juicing-min

Primal Smoothies

I've started to have smoothies some mornings when I'm in a particular rush, since they are so quick to make and can be packed with nutritionally dense Paleo foods.  I'm also going to start making up a smoothie to take to the gym with me – that way I'll be able to have something in the post work-out window – I often miss this valuable time, in my return from the gym.

Smoothie-Ingredients-primal-min

Today I tried a smoothie from Primal Toad's Toadally Primal Smoothies ebook, the “Clumsy Popeye”. I thought this one would be a good choice after an early morning gym session, as it is packed with antioxidants – and protein in the form of protein powder.

clumsy-popeye-primal_smoothie-min

I put water, frozen blueberries, cashew butter, Chocolate Primal Fuel, spinach coconut milk & ice in my blender for a few minutes – and then served, with some shredded coconut on top.  It doesn't get much easier than that!  I thought the spinach taste might not be to my liking, but the main tastes were the chocolate, coconut and cashews – I really enjoyed it and will definitely be making this one again.  There's a whole section on green smoothies, which I'm keen to try – it seems like a good way to get in lots of good nutrients.

Do you often have smoothies?  Are they something you have as a meal, or as a post workout recovery drink?

primal smoothies paleo diet recipe juice juicing-min

The-Easiest-Strawberry-Coconut-Ice-Cream-Ever-recipe-paleo-dairy-free-min

Enjoy the Best Dairy-Free Strawberry & Coconut Ice Cream Today!