The REAL Superfoods

Think you know what a superfood is and isn't? Think again.

While foods like Goji berries and kale, which are traditionally punted as superfoods do have some nutritional value, they also have their cons. Goji berries would be classified as a dried fruit and have a high sugar content, while kale when eaten raw on a daily basis (along with other cruciferous veg) may cause thyroid problems. Chia seeds, another "superfood" high in protein and omega-3s and a favourite of smoothie fans, are very close in nature to the humble linseed (flaxseed).

The thing is if something is exotic (eaten by the Incas), imported (from the Amazon or Andes) and expensive (ever appealing to the wealthy and healthy), we the consumer will probably attach value to it. But if you stop and think about it for a second, doesn't it seems a bit ridiculous that the supposed key to all humanities good health has to come from these obscure sources.

Or does it? We've narrowed down a selection of The Real Superfoods, foods that are nutritious, delicious and which don't have to be flown in at great expense on the wings of a condor. You can get them all locally. Read on and lick your lips for a selection of really delicious Real Superfoods.

Butter

Packed with Vitamin K2, the stuff responsible for putting your calcium in your bones and not your arteries, butter is an essential food for anyone concerned about their heart, bones, hormones and brain (essentially anyone who wants to live, stand, have sex and think in no particular order of importance) – those who want to do something proactive to avoid cancer. For too long society has been fooled into believing margarine was superior to butter, when in fact there was no K2 present at all. This means if you are not getting grass-fed butter, you are missing out on one of nature's most powerful health-protective foods, containing vital fat-soluble vitamins like K2, A and E. Butter is also a healthy saturated fat which will raise your HDL cholesterol fraction, while also being highly protective.

The fatty acid butyrate is created by special colonic bacteria in our digestive systems which have the ability to help prevent weight gain, and an added bonus is the ability to lower triglycerides and insulin. In addition, butyrate is anti-inflammatory with powerful protective effects on the entire digestive system. A study showed high fat dairy consumption reduced heart disease risk by an enormous 69% due to the presence of K2. It's rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which helps weight loss and research has found that butter even helps to prevent obesity. Butter offers us all we are looking for on a low carbohydrate diet, and it's delicious too.

Liver

Another forgotten superfood, liver will provide you with key nutrients like Vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, as well as the minerals copper and iron. These special nutrients all rid the body of ingested toxins. Animals raised on pasture without antibiotics and hormones will be far higher in nutrients than feedlot animals. Liver contains all the B Vitamins, great for stress, and is the best bio-available source for Vitamin A. It's also a fabulous way to combat fatigue. In fact liver is probably our most nutrient-dense superfood. As the richest source of B12, it's a brain food extraordinaire. Liver is even a source of the valued Co-Enzyme Q10 – so important for heart and brain health.

Coconut oil

This saturated fat is very different from other saturated fats from animals (which are wonderfully nutrient dense, so please eat them), but the same nutrients are missing from coconut oil. It's a rather distinct oil in that it is a very rich source of lauric acid, capric and caprylic acid – and together these work together to offer us not only antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, but anti-fungal, and antibacterial properties too. It is known to regulate metabolism and assist with weight loss, boosts immunity, aids stress relief, enhances skin, improves cholesterol levels, boosts digestion, betters dental quality and increases bone strength. Coconut oil has also been touted as a relief for high blood pressure, diabetes and some amazing studies into Alzheimer's. It truly is a superfood we can all benefit from.

Salmon, trout and other oily fish

The health benefits of oily fish revolve around the very powerful and protective omega-3 fatty acids – eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) – which being very powerful anti-inflammatory agents contribute to healthy brain function, heart protection, and general well-being. These essential fats occur naturally in fatty fish, with the highest being found in salmon. The human body is unable to produce these vital essential fats, so they need to be eaten, and cannot be converted from other forms of omega-3 found in the plant kingdom. Not only oily fish an excellent source of high-quality protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, it is also packed with very important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, selenium and vitamin B12. These are known as protection for high blood pressure, the heart, cancer and brain protection. In the 1970s it was noted that Eskimos in Greenland ate huge amounts of fish and blubber, yet had virtually no heart disease and scientists now propose that these essential fats are protective against a variety of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, asthma, depression, diabetes, hypertension, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. We would also encourage that everyone ensure they source sustainably fished seafood.

Eggs

Pasture raised eggs have 19 times higher essential fatty acid levels than ordinary supermarket eggs. This is such an important point if you really want to get the most nutrition out of your eggs. When it comes to eggs, they are known as one of the most nutritious foods on the planet with a complement of Vitamin A, folate, B vitamins, phosphorous, D3, E, K, calcium, zinc and selenium. You'd be hard pressed to find another food so full of goodness. Apart from almost every other nutrient in trace amounts, eggs are rich in choline which builds cell membranes and plays a role in producing signalling molecules in the brain. Most people are way too short on choline, and with eggs being the richest source there is, it makes sense to eat eggs daily.

Source: The Real Meal Revolution

Big Breakfast vs Big Dinner

Cooking breakfast is a mission – but then so is cooking dinner. What's the deal? Do I have to do both or is one more important?

To start the day and give you the energy to function properly, you need around 20g of good quality protein – something 2-3 eggs will provide. A small breakfast simply won't cut it here – you'll be less than energised, and be hungry by 10am, setting yourself up to fail for the rest of the day. Morning 'fuel' is required to get the engine running. It makes sense to get used to eating a big breakfast. And the building block of a fantastic, nutritious big breakfast is the humble egg.

The magic of eggs

One egg provides 7g of protein, to say nothing of the satiating fat and nutrients in the yolk. Eggs contain every vitamin except vitamin C and are particularly high in vitamins A, D and B12 plus a huge complement of all the minerals too.

Source: http://www.paleocastle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/3-Eggs.jpg

This is why we consider eggs a real superfood.

They also contain choline - a brain food/builder, brain-loving DHA and the all-important B12 – not present in any plant food. Yes, they contain a miniscule 0.21g of cholesterol, but pffft! We know this is not a problem and eggs (plural) are good to eat every single day! None of that "one egg a week" nonsense! We tried that for 40 years without results. This is banting remember, we dance to a different tune. A tune that gets results and works for us.

The egg is seen as the 'gold standard' in high-quality protein, and one of the most versatile foods available, with almost all the goodness coming from the yolk (don't ever eat just that bland white again!) 

Add to this bacon, sausage or whatever else tastes delicious, and you probably won't give food a thought for another 5-6 hours, due to the amazing blood sugar balancing action eggs have. Blood sugar control is the real secret behind not being hungry. A big breakfast with a high protein and fat component keeps you full, so you won't want to eat again – maybe till dinner!

Cooking a big breakfast IS a slight mission – but aren't you worth it? Aren't your kids and significant other worth that extra half hour? Once you get used to it, it becomes easy as your routine becomes slicker. If necessary, get up earlier or plan ahead – it's like health insurance, and you'll have boundless energy all day. By the time dinner comes around, after a hard day, you won't need to sweat away over the stove for hours either. If you are doing the 'big breakfast small dinner' thing you'll be surprised how at night you won't want a big dinner.

On the flip side, skipping breakfast or having too small a breakfast will result in destabilised sugar levels and tiredness, snacking and lack of energy the rest of the day. The inevitable large meal in the evening you then feel you need to have, after a day of hunger, won't do anything to help with weight loss, good health or a good night's sleep. 

There are times you'll want to swop the two around – but for the most part the big breakfast will get your blood sugar and insulin doing all the right things for the rest of the day. Save big dinners for special occasions or celebrations.

Bottom line - a smaller dinner is a better idea than a big one – you don't need energy at night when your digestive system needs to rest and allow all the body's energy to be focused on repair

So a light supper or at least a smaller one – would be preferable to a large one. It's been shown too that eating a large breakfast and smaller supper results in greater weight loss over the long term.

Source: The Real Meal Revolution 

Artificial Sweeteners - Are we going Cold Turkey?

Sugars have slowly and steadily found their way into every corner of Western nutrition. They're crammed into everything from cereals to sauces, yoghurts to fruit juices; they line our supermarket aisles disguised as biscuits or breads; they've even forced themselves into the so-called 'health foods'.

An ever-increasing demand for food has intensified a battle between corporate food manufacturers as they clamber for your loyalty. Sugar is one of a variety of weapons that they have in their arsenal. However, as consumers have grown more alert to the detrimental effects of sugar, food manufacturers have had to adapt their processes to maintain sales. Enter artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners have been punted as being 'all the sugar, without the sugar'. That is to say, they've got the sweetness without the calories. We'll explore the validity of this and its impact a little later. Suffice to say that things remain a little dubious.

Many of us will identify with the Spur, whose biggest market offer is being family-friendly. One of their most popular dishes are their ribs – wonderfully, delicious, succulent and saucy ribs. They even have 'All you can eat' specials, promoting their ribs once a week.

So here are a few simple questions, hugely pertinent to our topic: How how many ribs would people want to eat, if the ribs weren't covered in marinade? And what makes the idea of 'All you can eat' so appealing? The answers, we believe, lie in the sweetness of the marinade.

The Bliss Point

We are biologically wired with the capacity to enjoy a multitude of tastes. For each of these there is an optimal point of enjoyment.

This is our 'Bliss Point'– the exact amount of sugar, fat or salt needed in a food to trigger an 'I want more of that' response.

This 'Bliss Point' is regulated in the appestat. Located in the hypothalamus, the appestat is the part of the brain that moderates and controls our appetite. With proper-eating habits, the appestat tells us when we've had enough to eat. It prevents us from over-eating, which in turn regulates digestion and hormone-secretion.

Sugars and most artificial sweeteners send distorted messages to our appestat, triggering our 'Bliss Point', which in turn confuses our body into thinking that we need more of what we've just eaten, even when we don't.

Effectively, sugars deceive us into over-eating. This subconscious desire for more, once we've had our 'Bliss Point' tickled by something sweet, is what we call the sticky rib theory.A lot of foods are thus manufactured with the idea to maximise their addictive potential, bringing consumers back to buy more – Spur ribs anyone?

The obvious response to this then is to cut sugars out of one's diet, but anyone who's a regular consumer of sugar will know that this has its challenges.

Sugar cravings and withdrawal are a significant part of the addiction process. Much like the dummy provides a baby with comfort and it cries without it, so our bodies react if we remove the sugar from our diets. If the sugar we consume is constantly massaging our 'Bliss Point', then we're bound to get a little uncomfortable when this stops. Headaches, fatigue, moodiness, dizziness and thirst are all a part of going 'sugar sober'.

Are artificial sweeteners beneficial?

The question then becomes: Are artificial sweeteners beneficial in the fight against sugars? The short answer is: It depends on which sweeteners. We've categorised the OK, the bad and the ugly ones in our food lists, but before we delve into this, it's worth clarifying a few terms that are often associated with the negative effects of sugar.

As far as blood sugar is concerned, we need to be aware of how quickly a food raises our blood sugar levels (glycemic index). The glycemic load of a particular food refers to the level of carbohydrate found in that food. The biological makeup of sugars means that they will spike our blood sugar levels and have a high glycemic load. These are terms that you should consider when deciding whether or not an artificial sweetener is a yay or nay.

With this in mind, we come back to our food lists and our classification of artificial sweeteners. We've categorised 3 different lists according to colour. Green means go for it, orange demands caution and anything in the red list should be avoided altogether.

Our green list sweeteners offer a way for 'sugar addicts' to wean themselves off of sugar. They massage the brain's 'Bliss Point' without overloading the body with carbohydrates.

It's important to understand that the sweeteners in this category should only be an interim solution. The full exclusion of sweeteners and sugars from your diet should remain the ultimate goal.

Erythritol and Xylitol are both sugar alcohols. That is, they're alcohols derived from sugar and devoid of ethanol (the stuff that makes you drunk). Sugar alcohols occur naturally and the structure of their molecules means that they stimulate our 'sweet' receptors without overloading us with calories. Erythritol, for example, has only 6% of the calories of table sugar, but still has 70% of the sweetness! What's more, these sugar alcohols won't spike your blood sugar or insulin levels. The other sugar substitute in our green list is Stevia. This natural herb is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and has absolutely no calories.

The artificial sweetener family does have a few problem children. Aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, sucralose, splenda, malt – these are all sweeteners that are highly toxic. The manner in which they're manufactured (often produced chemically) means that their inclusion in our diets interferes with our natural body processes.

When artificial sweeteners stimulate our 'sweet' receptors in the oesophagus and stomach, our pancreas anticipates a flood of 'energy' and releases insulin. As any good Banter knows, insulin is an important hormone for accumulating body fat and, without any actual sugar to regulate, the released insulin is stored. The result? You may be left feeling even hungrier, which can lead to weight gain.

Other problems arising from excessive artificial sweetener consumption include liver problems and insulin resistance, which is a major factor behind Type 2 Diabetes.

We're not for a moment suggesting that you go cold turkey from sugar, but you need to start somewhere.

Our green list sweeteners are a great alternative to copious amounts of sugar. We'll reiterate here that it's a starting point – a means to an ends. Reliance on artificial sweeteners for your daily 'sweet' fix should fit into the schedule, provided you're working towards removing the fix altogether.

If you're on the journey towards living a sugar free life, may these three simple sentences be your strength:

I can. I will. End of story.

Source: The Real Meal Revolution  

5 Most Common Low-Carb Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

A few months ago, I read a book called The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living.The authors are two of the world’s leading researchers on low-carb diets.Dr. Jeff S. Volek is a Registered Dietitian and Dr. Stephen D. Phinney is a medical doctor.These guys have performed many studies and have treated thousands of patients with a low-carb diet.

According to them, there are many stumbling blocks that people tend to run into, which can lead to adverse effects and suboptimal results.To get into full-blown ketosis and reap all the metabolic benefits of low-carb, merely cutting back on the carbs isn’t enough.

If you haven’t gotten the results you expected on a low-carb diet, then perhaps you were doing one of these 5 common mistakes.

1. Eating Too Many Carbs
There is no clear definition of exactly what constitutes a “low carb diet.”Some would call anything under 100-150 grams per day low-carb, which is definitely a lot less than the standard Western diet.A lot of people could get awesome results within this carbohydrate range, as long as they ate real, unprocessed foods.

But if you want to get into ketosis, with plenty of ketoness flooding your bloodstream to supply your brain with an efficient source of energy, then this level of intake may be excessive.It could take some self experimentation to figure out your optimal range as this depends on a lot of things, but most people will need to go under 50 grams per day to get into full-blown ketosis.

This doesn’t leave you with many carb options except vegetables and small amounts of berries.

Bottom Line: If you want to get into ketosis and reap the full metabolic benefits of low-carb, going under 50 grams of carbs per day may be required.

2. Eating Too Much Protein

Protein is a very important macronutrient, which most people aren’t getting enough of.It can improve satiety and increase fat burning compared to other macronutrients 

Generally speaking, more protein should lead to weight loss and improved body composition. However, low-carb dieters who eat a lot of lean animal foods can end up eating too much of it.When you eat more protein than your body needs, some of the amino acids in the protein will be turned into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis.

This can become a problem on very low-carb, ketogenic diets and prevent your body from going into full-blown ketosis.According to Volek and Phinney, a “well-formulated” low-carb diet should be low-carb, high-fat and moderate protein.

A good range to aim for is 1.5 – 2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, or 0.7 – 0.9 grams per pound.

Bottom Line: Protein can be turned into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis and excessive protein consumption can prevent you from getting into ketosis.

3. Being Afraid of Eating Fat


Most people get the majority of their calories from dietary carbohydrates, especially sugars and grains.When you remove this energy source from the diet, you must replace it with something or you will starve.Unfortunately, some people believe that because low-carb is a good idea, then low-fat AND low-carb will be even better. This is a big mistake.You need to get energy from somewhere and if you don’t eat carbs, then you MUST add in fat to compensate. If you don’t, you will get hungry, feel like crap and eventually give up on the plan.

There’s no scientific reason to fear fat, as long as you choose healthy fats likesaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3s while keeping the vegetable oils to a minimum and eliminating trans fats.

Personally, my fat intake hovers comfortably around 50-60% of total calories when I strictly stick to a low-carb plan. According to Volek and Phinney, fat around 70% of total calories may be even better.

To get fat into this range, you must choose fatty cuts of meat and liberally add healthy fats like butter, lard, coconut and olive oil to your meals.

Bottom Line: A very low-carb diet must be high in fat, otherwise you won’t be getting enough energy to sustain yourself.

4. Not Replenishing Sodium

One of the main mechanisms behind low-carb diets is a reduction in insulin levels.Insulin has many functions in the body, such as telling fat cells to store fat.But another thing that insulin does is to tell the kidneys to hold on to sodium.On a low-carb diet, your insulin levels go down and your body starts shedding excess sodium and water along with it. This is why people often get rid of excess bloat within a few days of low-carb eating.

However, sodium is a crucial electrolyte in the body and this can become problematic when the kidneys dump too much of it.This is one of the main reasons people get side effects on low-carb diets… such as lightheadedness, fatigue, headaches and even constipation.

The best way to circumvent this issue is to add more sodium to your diet. You can do this by adding more salt to your foods, but if that doesn’t suffice then you can drink a cup of broth every day.

I personally like adding a bouillon cube into a cup of hot water, then drinking it like a soup in a cup. It actually tastes really good and supplies 2 grams of sodium.


Bottom Line: Low-carb diets lower insulin levels, which makes the kidneys excrete excess sodium from the body. This can lead to a mild sodium deficiency.

5. Not Being Patient

Your body is designed to preferentially burn carbs, if they are available. So if they’re always available, that’s what your body chooses to use for energy.If you drastically cut back on carbohydrates, the body needs to shift to the other energy source… 

fat, which either comes from your diet or your body fat stores.It can take a few days for the body to adapt to burning primarily fat instead of carbs, during which you will probably feel a little under the weather.This is called the “low carb flu” and happens to most people.

In my experience, this can take about 3-4 days, but full adaptation can take several weeks.
So it’s important to be patient and be strict on your diet in the beginning so that this metabolic adaptation can take place.

Bottom Line: It can take a few days to get past the “low-carb flu” stage and several weeks for full adaptation to a low-carb diet. It is important to be patient.

Take Home Message

I personally believe low-carb diets to be a potential cure for some of the world’s biggest health problems, including obesity and type II diabetes. This is well supported by science (6, 7, 8).

However, just cutting back on carbs isn’t enough to get optimal results.

Source: Kris Gunnars @ authoritynutrition.com

Is the Tim Noakes Diet Safe?

In this video, Tim Noakes talked about how we could benefit from the LOW CARB HIGH FAT or Banting Diet.





Source: Hello Doctor SA