Superfoods

There is a group of foods known to raw foodists as "superfoods." Many of the people that I consider to be the stars of the raw food universe (David Wolfe, Kevin Gianni, Matt Monarch, Angela Stokes to name a few) use these foods to boost energy and power up their immune systems. I have tried several of these foods off and on, and know that they do work. So the real question is: why don't I use them more often? Because they can be very expensive to use on a daily basis.

However I do like to keep some of these wonder foods on the shelf and pull them out once in a while to give my body some rocket fuel. Yesterday was one of those days. I had put off some household chores too long and knew that I was going to need some serious energy to get the jobs done. What I didn't bargain for was how these foods effected me since I have dropped some weight! Cleaning the laundry room turned into way more...there were rugs to be cleaned, a big kitchen floor, a bathroom, some laundry, and the garage. I even pulled a few weeds from a flower bed too!

Now for some of you reading this, your response might be "Yeah? So what?" But if you don't know my story, I will refer you back to my original post, Swamp Fever. Suffice it to say that I spent a year in a blue recliner with no energy and no inclination to even live. So having the energy to do so much in one day is a significant event for me.

So what are these superfoods? Here is a short list of the ones I have tried. There are others, but many are very expensive and/or have to be shipped with special care. These listed are not only affordable, but are easily obtained at Whole Foods, online, or at your local health food store.

Chia seeds - Available from the Raw Reform Store
Maca powder - Available from Raw Reform Store and Whole Foods.
Raw Cacao (Chocolate) - Sunfood.com
Goji Berries - Raw Reform Store or Whole Foods
Hemp seeds/oil - Raw Reform Store
Spirulina - Whole Foods
Wheatgrass powder - Available directly from Whole Foods

Please be advised that there is a raging controversy over raw cacao/chocolate. David Wolfe can go on for hours about the benefits, but you might want to see what others are saying about it here. I personally use it very sparingly. A half teaspoon is enough to get me going and will keep me energized for long periods of time.

Today's energetic meals consisted of :
Breakfast: Green smoothie with mango, banana, orange, chia seeds, raw cacao, wheat grass powder, goji berries, and ginger root.
Lunch: Lettuce wraps with romaine, avocado, tomato, green onion, lemon juice, sea salt, cucumber and mung bean sprouts.
Supper: Spinach salad with celery, tomatoes, red bell pepper, and a dressing of lemon juice, agave nectar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil.

Photo: From top, left to right: wheatgrass powder, goji berries, raw cacao, chia seeds, a packet of hemp seeds.