Why eat superfoods when you can pop a pill or multivitamin?
Superfoods are a quick and easy way to fuel your body with natural vitamins and minerals, but entering the world of superfoods is often met with skepticism.
Supplements in pills vs. superfoods: which is better?
More than half of the population takes synthetic supplements like multivitamins, which are artificially made and contain isolated nutrients. Research shows that it is unclear how well synthetic nutrients are absorbed by the body, if at all.
Bottom line
When you eat real, naturally grown foods, you are not consuming isolated nutrients. Instead, you are eating a variety of micronutrients that your body can use. It is also better for your health and well-being in the long run.
Antiage
Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/
The Role of Functional Foods in Cutaneous Anti-aging – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4390761/
Diet and Dermatology: The Role of a Whole-food, Plant-based Diet in Preventing and Reversing Skin Aging – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7380694/
Cleanse Your Body of Toxins
Chlorella is known for its powerful ability to detoxify a variety of toxins (including some of the most potent chemicals!) from heavy metals to environmental toxins. A study published in Chemosphere (2005) found that Chlorella increased the excretion of dioxins in the stool by 9-fold! Chlorella has also been shown to remove between 40-90% of BPA, as well as hormone-disrupting activity (Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2005). https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1897/04-259R.1
Stronger Immune System
Help your body deal with the threat of infection! Along with vitamins B6, B12, and iron that are vital for the immune system, Spirulina contains the antioxidant phycocyanobilin (PCB), which has been shown to enhance the body’s response “to RNA viruses including influenza and coronaviruses” (Progress in Cardiovascular Disease, 2020). https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.11801
Catching a cold is a great way to ruin your week, and sometimes it seems like they’re coming one after the other! Cinnamon can help thanks to its extremely high antimicrobial powers.
In the laboratory, cinnamon extracts have been found to successfully kill common viruses (Antiviral Research, 2007), as well as to successfully inhibit antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Letters in Applied Microbiology, 2008). – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3943007/
Turmeric Boosts Immunity: “Spicing up” the Immune System by Curcumin – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17211725/
Safety and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Curcumin: A Component of Tumeric (Curcuma Longa) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12676044/
Bioactive Components in Moringa Oleifera Leaves Protect against Chronic Disease – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29144438/
Recharge Your Energy and Feel Vital
Your body can produce more energy and resist fatigue with Spirulina’s natural iron, B vitamins, and complete proteins.
A 2016 double-blind, placebo-controlled study of men who took 1 teaspoon of Spirulina daily found that it can “increase people’s ability to resist mental and physical fatigue” (International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09637486.2016.1144719
Antioxidants
There are currently more than 400 published studies in numerous scientific journals demonstrating the antioxidant effects of turmeric.
Our bodies need antioxidants to protect our cells from free radical damage. Free radicals or oxidants are found in the environment (pollution, cigarettes, alcohol) and our own immune system produces them when it fights infections.
Since free radicals attack our cells, causing damage and decay, the antioxidants from whole plant foods in our diet clear them out in a flash!
Balanced Blood Sugar
When blood sugar levels rise and fall, often thanks to fast carbs, coffee, or sugary foods, it causes large surges of insulin. This encourages your body to store fat in your belly and throws your hormones out of whack. In a study published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders (2019), participants who took 2 grams of ginger daily had significantly improved insulin sensitivity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6582048/
Ginger has been found to improve insulin sensitivity. This means your body can efficiently use and store energy from food, preventing decline.- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7546607/
Chaga mushroom effect on fatigue: Effect of Inonotus Obliquus Polysaccharides on physical fatigue in mice- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26427119/
Hormonal balance
Irregular or absent periods, acne, problems conceiving, thinning hair, and excess hair loss on the face and body are signs of hormonal imbalance. Cinnamon has the power to rebalance and help you get back to normal https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128131480000335
Stojanovska et al., “Maca reduces Blood Pressure and Depression, in a Pilot Study in Postmenopausal women”, Climacteric 18, 2014 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263131157/
Strengthen your defenses
Ginger has long been used to support the body in the fight against bacterial and viral infections.
Effects of ginger supplementation on markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress:- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.6638
Antiviral activity of curcumin: Antiviral and immunomodulatory activity of curcumin: A case for prophylactic therapy for COVID-19 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33655086/
Antiviral activity of cocoa: Drinking cocoa activates natural immunity and enhances vaccination-induced immune response, providing stronger protection against influenza virus infection and disease onset. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25847473/
“Antiviral Activity of Aqueous Extracts of the Birch Fungus Inonotus Qbliquus on the human Immunodeficiency Virus”, Vopr Virusol 60, no. 2 (2015) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26182655/
“Aqueous extract from a Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (higher Basidiomycetes), prevents herpes simplex virus entry through inhibition of viral-induced membrane fusion”- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23510282/
Rasha Abas, “Antibacerial activity of Moringa Oleifera against pathogenic” International Journal of Current research 2019- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335516212/
Weight loss and easier weight loss
Spirulina is super popular for its health benefits weight loss, while nourishing your body – not depriving it! – A 2016 study of 40 patients taking 2 g of spirulina for 3 months found that spirulina significantly reduced body mass index, blood pressure, and promoted weight loss (European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences). http://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/150-156.pdf
Pea Protein: Glycine Metabolism and Its Alterations in Obesity and Metabolic Diseases – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627940/
There is a lot of evidence that ginger helps with weight loss, especially if you have metabolic problems (waist fat, insulin resistance, high cholesterol).- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6582048/
In a 2017 study, a group of patients took 3 g of cinnamon daily for 16 weeks and showed a significant reduction in waist circumference and BMI compared to a placebo group (Source: Lipids in Health and Disease). https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12944-017-0504-8
Bottom line
When you eat real, naturally grown foods, you are not consuming isolated nutrients. Instead, you are eating a variety of micronutrients that your body can use. It is also better for your health and well-being in the long run.
(Note: Certain groups may require certain supplements for their health. Please consult your doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements.)
