Hemp Hearts
What is it? After you shell and de-hull the hemp seed, you are left with the center of the seed, called the heart. It contains 10g of protein and 10g of omegas per serving! If you are worried, hemp hearts will not cause a psychoactive effect not a false positive on a drug test. They are also widely available at your local health food store, or even Costco.
How to use it: Hemp hearts have a slightly nutty but not overpowering flavor, which makes them very versatile. Try them on their own or sprinkle on a salad for a tasty protein boost.
Sorghum
What is it? Sorghum is a non-gmo, gluten free grain popular throughout Africa. It has an edible hull so it’s typically eaten with all of its layers, making it more nutrient dense than other processed grains. The wax surrounding the grain contains policosanols. Policosanols have been liked to cardio health and some studies even shown it to have cholesterol lowering capability similar to statins!
How to use it: Sorghum can be used as a side dish, similar to pilaf or risotto. You can find it ground into flower as a gluten-free wheat alternative. Or KIND Bar has recently added a popped sorghum to its new healthy grains line to give it a popped corn taste.
Acerola Cherry
What is it? The Acerola Cherry is a fruit that is native to the West Indies. It contains the second highest amount of vitamin C of all fruits and one cherry can contain up to 65x the amount of vitamin C as one orange! Due to its high anti-oxidant content it is a powerful immune booster and used by many athletes to decrease recovery time.
How to use it: The Acerola Cherry deteriorates very quickly once harvested so they are most commonly available in the US in powdered form, which can be added to water or smoothies. You will also find them on the ingredient list of your favorite Vitamin C packed drinks.
Fermented Foods
What is it? Fermentation is a process where the carbohydrates and sugars of certain foods are broken down to into simpler substances. This method helps preserve the food as well as makes many of the minerals more easily absorbed by the body. It also produces powerful pro-biotics, which are critical for good digestive health.
How to use it: Although rarely a main dish, fermented foods are a popular side and garnish in most cultures. This is no do doubt because it helps you digest and can protect your digestive system. Some of the tastiest and most popular fermented foods are yogurt, kefir, pickles, sauerkraut and miso.
Maqui Berries
What is it? Maqui Berries are found in the Patagonia region of Chile. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and has been used to reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis pain. More recently it has been shown to reduce the inflammation that leads to insulin resistance and ultimately obesity.
How to use it: As with the other fruits, maqui berry is widely available in powder form. It has a bright purple color and a sweet and tart flavor similar to blackberries. Try mixing it into your Greek yogurt for an extra anti-oxidant punch.
Matcha
What is it? Matcha is a stone ground tea from green tea leaves. When you drink tea, the tea leaves are infused into hot water and then discarded. With matcha tea, you are actually drinking the ground leaves resulting in the many health benefits of tea in a more concentrated dose. These ground leaves also contain l-Theanine, which is an amino acid that helps boost your mood and decrease stress.
How to use it: The most common way to prepare matcha is in a tea form. Add 1 tsp. or matcha powder to 8 oz. of boiling water and enjoy!
Article first appeared on totalgymdirect.com
