Foods You Should be Eating - Dark Chocolate

Good Morning!!  I hope you have had a wonderful start to your day!  :)  Most everyone I know (but not all) LOVE chocolate.  It is a girl's best friend after a breakup (endorphins producing byproduct in chocolate is a mental stimulant), and her worst enemy if she has acne.  What other things should one know about dark chocolate?

What is the difference between bitter / dark / milk chocolate / white chocolate?  The darker the chocolate the more antioxidants (boost heart health, cellular health, skin health, and immune system health) and the less sugar / milk.  Milk Chocolate is what most Americans are accustomed to, but in Asia and Europe darker chocolate is the standard.  As I have moved towards a more vegetarian / less processed diet, I find that what I thought was bitter (dark chocolate) is quite sweet to me now.  White chocolate while made from cocoa butter does not contain the darker colored solids that house all the antioxidants - so don't think that you are getting all the benefits of "chocolate" if you are eating WHITE chocolate.  On the flip side - white chocolate has only trace amounts of caffeine. 

We talk a lot about eating lots of foods with Antioxidants without really digging into the WHY of it... so just to ensure we are all on the same page... Antioxidants destroy free radicals, purge our body of toxins, and boost cellular health and overall immune health.  So, in the simplest of terms, eating foods high in Antioxidants reduces your chances for getting cancer, heart disease, and any other potentially deadly disease.  Dark fruits and dark green vegetables are the best sources for Antioxidants.  There are a wide range of different Antioxidants in foods and so getting a good mix of colors is vital.

Dark chocolate has a high amount of the Antioxidant substances called Polyphenols which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.  It is rich in minerals - copper and magnesium.  With two types of flavonoids, dark chocolate is an immune booster.  A strong immune system means that your body will naturally fight illness.  Dark chocolate also helps lower cholesterol levels.  It also has lots of seratonin which will also fight depression.  And finally, dark chocolate helps fight diabetes. 

So, I am here to tell you that eating DARK chocolate is VERY good for your health!! 

Recommended Reading: http://www.allchocolate.com/health/basics/
More recommended reading: http://www.dark-chocolate-antioxidant.com/

There are some wonderful new (at least to me) chocoates out there that are organic and in many different flavors... one of my favorite is with cayenne and cinnamon.... mmm... you get heat and spice together.  Check out these great bars...

Green & Black's organic chocolate: http://www.greenandblacks.com/
Dagoba organic chocolate: http://www.dagobachocolate.com/products.asp
Vivani organic chocolate: http://www.vivani.de/P_Product_range_USA.html
Endangered Species organic chocolate: http://chocolatebar.com/categories.php?category=Chocolate-Bars-%26-Treats/3oz.-All%252dNatural-Bars
Chuao chocolate: http://store.nexternal.com/chuao/chocolate-bars-c5.aspx

Enjoy!!  Blessings... E

Foods You Should be Eating - Adzuki Beans

Adzuki beans are higher in protein and lower in fat than most any other variety of bean.  They also are high in manganese, iron, potassium, copper, zinc and B complex.  Adzuki beans are native to Asia and used in both savory and sweet dishes.  They are a small redish bean with a somewhat sweet taste.  In Japan I remember them making ice cream from the Adzuki bean... it was primarily used as a dessert.

Beans are good for you for many reasons - you get much of your roughage from beans, seeds, grains, and the lettuce / cabbage families.  Beans are a good source of protein for those of you that want to reduce the meat in your diet.  Beans help manage cholesterol levels, support good bladder / kidney function, help maintain proper weight, and fights cancer.

Many people eat beans from a can - this causes many problems - heavy metal poisoning (Aluminum should never be ingested) and high salt content are the most common.  Always try to get dried beans.  They take a bit of time to prepare, but are definitely worth it. 


Recommended Reading: http://www.adzuki.com/
Recipes for Adzuki Beans: http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/simple-seasoned-aduki-beans.html
More Recipes: http://www.food.com/recipe-finder/all?inclingre=7978

Blessings... E

Foods You Should be Eating - Quinoa

There are many foods out there that you may not be familiar with that are very good for you.  Since they are lesser known foods - there is less chance of chemically altered seeds and high pesticide / herbicide usage...

If you've been hearing more about quinoa lately, it's not a surprise. Considered a "super food," quinoa, ("keen-wah") is a relative of beets, spinach and Swiss chard, but its seeds resemble a whole grain and are prepared and eaten in much the same way. Available in light brown, red and even black varieties, quinoa is light yet filling and has a mellow flavor. So what makes quinoa so nutritious? It:

1. Is high in magnesium - magnesium helps relax blood vessels, which may result in fewer headaches for migraine sufferers and decreased risk of hypertension and stroke.
2. Is a good source of manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous, vitamin B2 and other essential minerals.
3. Has the highest protein content of any grain (it is especially high in lysine, an amino acid that is typically low in other grains). Quinoa's protein is complete, containing all nine essential amino acids - a rarity in the plant kingdom.
4. Is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Additional benefits - it is believed to be beneficial in preventing atherosclerosis, breast cancer, and diabetes.

Once available only in health food stores, quinoa is becoming more mainstream by the day and is easily found in major grocery stores as well.

I cook quinoa similar to rice - 1.5 water to 1 quinoa.  But I add garlic, onion, cayenne, pepper, and some chicken stock to the water when cooking it.... I like mine a little harder than most people and so I don't let it sit as long as you may want to.. you also may want to add a little more water.  It has a mild slightly nutty flavor. 

Recommended Reading: http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php

Recommended Reading: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice

Recipes for cooking with Quinoa: http://www.cookingquinoa.net/quinoa-recipes/

More Recipes: http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/basic-quinoa.php