The Magnificent the 11 - SuperFoods

Wouldn't you love to access your fridge at home, like a mechanic accesses his toolbox, to heal yourself, as he would 'heal' his car? Sounds impossible right? Well it's not.

Through today's research a lot of the old anecdotes are now confirmed if not exceeded in their validity. We all heard the sayings "Eat your vegetables they will make grow big and strong" or even "It'll put hair on your chest!" (Though that latter one I still have my doubts on).

Through scientific research they have confirmed certain foods are in fact higher pound for pound in their nutritional and phytochemical content, thus making them 'SuperFoods', or foods that give you more bang for your buck.

What are phytochemicals? Phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds that plants produce to protect themselves (against bacteria, viruses and fungi), improve their structure or even act as chemical messengers within the plant. Once eaten by humans however, they (phytochemicals) take on a new role turning into some of the most potent health enhancing substances known to man.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"

(Hippocrates –AKA: 'the father of medicine' 460BC – 370BC)

So where to start and what are the best superfoods?

In the media there seems to be more and more foods being labelled 'SuperFoods' in a bid to cash in on this new catch term, unfortunately this is causing confusion within the public. So I have selected my best of the best, to get you kicked started quickly to optimum wellness. To begin your journey to optimum wellness it only takes one serve a day from the selection of SuperFoods below. Add more if you desire, though rotation is the key.

So here are my magnificent 11:

1. Turmeric: Anti-oxidant, brain health, digestive health, anti-inflammatory, liver tonic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial
   
2. Garlic: Anti-microbial, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, assists weight loss, digestive health, anti-carcinogenic
   
3. Cinnamon: Blood sugar lowering, digestive tonic, anti-microbial
   
4. Blueberries: Anti-oxidant, assists weight loss, anti-carcinogenic, diabetic protective, vision health
   
5. Quinoa: High (complete) protein grain, low allergenic, low GI, high fibre
   
6. Walnuts: healthy heart & brain, high in EFA's
   
7. Flaxseeds: healthy heart, joints & skin, anti-inflammatory, high in Omega 3's
   
8. Red Grapes: Anti-oxidant, antiaging, heart health, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic
   
9. Broccoli: Liver detoxifier, anti-carcinogenic
   
10. Green Tea: are fantastic anti-oxidant, helps weight loss & anti-carcinogenic
    
11. Salmon: Anti-inflammatory, healthy heart, joints & brain, protein rich
    

Other notable mentions include:
Maca (Peruvian vegetable), Noni juice, Pomegranates, Rooibos Tea, Goji Berries, Spirulina, & Avocados.

You won't find vitamin enriched Cereals (or the like) in the SuperFood group, every SuperFood is a 'whole' (unprocessed) food.

Bringing it all together...

No food is 'Super' on its own, so you can't get away with one 'SuperFood' in your diet and all the rest garbage (I know, I am sorry it doesn't work like that), it involves a balanced diet as well.

All the principles of a healthy diet apply. Though by adding these "bad boys" to the mix, unlimited health can be yours.

For Duncan Naturopathy and health runs in his blood, being a second generational Naturopath, Duncan has long known the benefits of living a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Duncan regularly presents to the community on a variety of health topics, and is in the middle of writing his first book on Anti-Aging & Natural Medicine.

Duncan is a scientific naturopath, meaning that diagnostic testing like food sensitivity testing, lactose intolerance, candida, celiac disease and many more tests are performed in his clinic. This ensures the best results for clients and gives a great way for both Duncan and his clients to monitor their progress. Because of this extensive research Duncan has seen firsthand the benefits that a healthy diet and lifestyle have on health and wellbeing.

For more information about Duncan please visit his web site www.sanctuarywellness.com.au

Here’s to our local farmers

Regional or local food production is imperative collaborative efforts to build more self reliant food economies that are sustainable, require little transportation, and provide the freshest produce. They provide a somewhat ideal system of food production and serves as an alternative to the many big corporate companies that provide food to the masses but also serve to separate the consumer from the farmer, resulting in food travelling many miles to reach you!!!

So what is local, everyone has their own definition of what local is, but when we use the term local, we refer to a 100 mile radius, but more than likely less than 50 miles. The basic concept is simple; we predominately support producers/farmers who grow close to us.

So imagine if you could source your produce that was not only local, but sustainable. The majority of our fresh produce is local, at the moment it's around 87%......and all of our produce is sustainable, grown organically… it really doesn't get much better than that, supporting our local farmers and nourishing your body with the freshest organic produce.

Essentially, local sustainable farming benefits the local community in so many ways,

• Supporting the environment that we live in, thus ensuring that we have a clean healthy environment for our children and ourselves.
  
• Enriching the soil and protecting water and air quality
  
  
• Massive reduction in fossil fuel use, through transportation and also conventional farming uses as much as 40% of the fossil fuels used in food production. Another reason to go organic.
  
• Massive difference in taste, local food is harvested when it's ripe. So this means that the flavours have developed naturally
  
• Increased health and nutrition
  
• Reduction in food miles
  

WE are not all fortunate enough to live amongst farming districts, hence the development of the Organic Empire, serving you with local organic fare from farm gate to your door, it really doesn't get much better or fresher than that…. Check out the price list, and look for the logo below next to the item to see if it's coming locally.

Get healthier, get more sustainable, get local and GO ORGANIC EMPIRE.

tastesbetter@organicempire.com.au

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Whats in Season

Berries beans corn

Figs capsicums tomatoes

Table grapes celery zucchini

Melons cucumber zucchini flowers

Passion fruit lettuce herbs

Stone fruits onions

Pears peas

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Green Bean Salad

500g fresh organic green beans, trimmed
1/2 organic chopped red onion
2 tablespoons organic chopped garlic
4 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar
2 to 4 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil

Steam beans for 5 mins, place on a plate, add the onion, vinegar, oil , sprinkle with salt and serve.

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods

Oils aint oils

The oil tree originated in the Mediterranean countries, but is widely cultivated all over the world now. The tree yields fragrant white flowers and an oblong nearly round fruit called a drupe that becomes shiny black when ripe. When call this drupe an 'olive'.

Olives have been pressed for thousands of years to produce the oil we know as olive oil. The health benefits of olive oil have been documented for hundreds of years, and this golden oil to reputed to be one of the secrets of a long healthy life. It's been found that people who consume extra virgin olive oil regularly have much lower rates of heart disease, heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and asthma. Studies have shown that diabetics who consume healthy meals that contained some olive oil had better effects on blood sugar even than healthy meals that were low in fat. And if that isn't enough, it helps reduce blood pressure, combats disease, provides the body with essential fats and is a contributing factor to overall health and wellness. Science daily just published a report just recently on Extra Virgin Olive oil and its ability to combat breast cancer, go here to read it.

This all said, not all oils are created equally. There are basically four different grading's of olive oils:

'Light' Olive oil: is filtered and refined olive oil, often bleached and the term 'light' refers to the colouring, not the content. The considerable processing that it goes through means that it only retains very little of the olive flavour. Very little if any nutritional properties.

Pure Olive oil: Undergoes processing such as filtering and refining, and then a small amount of the virgin olive oil is added to give it colour, otherwise it would be very light in colour. Again not much nutritional value.

Virgin Olive oil: Comes from the second pressing, so a majority of the vitamins and minerals, the goodness is taken out in the first pressing and this is the product that remains.

The big daddy of Olive oils is the Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive oil, this is pure gold, cold pressed to retain the integrity of the oil. This is made without the use of chemicals, no refining no bleaching. Just pure olive oil. This is in its most natural state, housed in dark bottles to protect the oil from light.

WE have just started stocking a Victorian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, made in Laharum, which is in the Grampians in Victoria. Toscana is the brand and these guys make an incredible olive oil, don't just take my word for it though, they were awarded the champions trophy at the 2008 Royal Melbourne Show for the 2008 harvest of their Grampians Olive Estate Australia. They only do the first cold pressing they don't do a second pressing. The flavour is sensational. Contact us to get some. They grow and press all their own olives, so the integrity of the product is assured.

This olive grove has been around since 1943, making it one of the oldest in Australia. They have around 27 different varieties, of some which are heirloom varieties. The farm is watered only with natural rainfall, so these guys are not only making great olive oil but looking after our environment at the same time. This combination makes the olives and the oil the best.

Why go organic?

Well need we discuss, but apart the pesticide residues, artificial fertilisers and chemicals used, but did you know that toxins accumulate and are stored in fat….always enjoy your oils organically.

Storage: Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.

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Wholemeal Organic Coconut Damper

1 cup of Organic wholemeal/Spelt flour

pinch salt

3/4 cup of organic milk

1 cup of organic dessicated coconut

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and Mix .Pour into a greased or baking paper lined tin. Bake at 150c for an hour then 170-180c for 20-30mins slice and eat warm with butter or cool and slice and use like toast for breakfast...with lots of butter

ORGANIC EMPIRE, organic home delivery melbourne, local organic foods