IuliaFit

superfoods

Food of the week – Walnuts

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Walnuts are among my favorite treats because I like simple foods, which, in most cases are richest in nutrients.  🙂

If we take a look at calories, yes, walnuts pack more calories than many other foods. But the calories they have are among the good calories category. Why so, you ask?! Because the calories come from mono-saturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid and Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Knowing these facts about walnuts, we know that consuming them with moderation, won’t get us fat. 🙂

The nutritional properties increase the benefits of walnuts if we eat them raw. Through baking, frying or any sort of heat cooking, they lose a high amount of nutrients and properties.

Here are a few benefits that we get from eating walnuts:

  • Because they are rich in vitamin E, melatonin and polyphenols, walnuts have a higher antioxidant concentration than any other nut.
  • By eating a walnut-rich meal, you prevent the oxidative damage of “bad” LDL cholesterol. If not prevented, oxidized LDL builds up in your blood vessels causing atherosclerosis.
  • Also, walnuts have a higher concentration of omega 3 fat, also known as Alpha – Linolenic Acid (ALA), than any other nut. ALA is an essential fat, a fat that the body doesn’t produce by itself, so needs to be taken out of our diet. With a single serving a day, you reach your body’s suggested ALA daily intake.
  • Studies have shown that with each gram of walnuts you consume day by day, it lowers the risk of dying from a heart complication by 10%.
  • Walnuts decrease inflammation and, by doing so, they decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer and cancer diseases.
  • Consuming walnuts promotes a healthy life by having a Healthy Gut. By doing so your gut stays rich in microbiota and health-promoting bacteria. What we eat directly influences the composition of the bacteria in our gut so if your gut is filled with unhealthy bacteria, it can contribute to a disease located anywhere in your body.
  • Some testing done to both humans and animals shows that eating walnuts reduces the risk of certain cancers, such as breast, prostate and colorectal.
  • Walnuts support weight control. Even if they are calorie dense, the energy absorbed from them is 21% lower than in any other food with the same calories number. Furthermore, by eating walnuts, you decrease your hunger and crave for other foods.
  • It has been shown that eating walnuts could help lower blood sugar in healthy or high blood pressure people, when under stress.

 

Below I will present some very interesting studies about walnuts and, implicitly, about their benefits:

  1. In a study where 100 type 2 diabetes people took place, it was concluded that they had 8 % decrease in fasting blood sugar, by consuming 1 tablespoon of cold-pressed walnut oil for 3 months, while not interrupting their diabetes medication and diet.
    Studies state that one of the reasons why walnuts are good with lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes is that they control body weight. Increased weight increases the risk of high blood sugar and also diabetes.
    Furthermore, consuming walnuts may help control blood sugar, above their influence on body weight control.
  2. An experiment was made where 10 obese people were giving a smoothie with roughly 48 grams of walnuts, once a day, for 5 days. This decreased their appetite hunger and crave, compared to a placebo smoothie that had the same calories.
    After 5 years of drinking the same walnut smoothie, tests showed that the subjects had increased brain activation in a region that helped with resisting highly addictive and tempting foods, such as fries, cakes etc. walnut fresh
  3. If mentioning diets, it’s worth remembering about the 4 years study where roughly 7500 participants participated. Each individual had a high risk of heart disease. Over the span of 4 years, they were given Mediterranean diet dishes alongside roughly 30 grams of mixed nuts, daily. From those, half were walnuts.
    The results of the study concluded that the Mediterranean diet participants had a 0.65 mmHg greater decrease in blood pressure than people on a more or less same heart-healthy diet but without the 30 grams of nuts. This is a high indicator that nuts improve the blood pressure benefits of a healthy heart-based diet.
    As a conclusion, eating 30 grams of nuts daily will improve your blood pressure. It will also help you age healthily.
  4. In a study that lasted for over 18 years and included more than 50.000 older women, it has been concluded that the participants with the healthiest diets, had among other foods, walnuts. The healthy diet resulted in a 13% lower risk of physical impairment.
    From this, we can draw the conclusion that a healthy diet with nuts included will preserve walking and self-care abilities at an old age, which are essential for a healthy and happy aging.
  5. A diet with nuts in it will support good brain function. Personally, I think it is not a coincidence that the shell of a walnut looks like a miniature brain. Tests done to both animals and humans show that polyunsaturated fat, polyphenols and vitamin E, among other nutrients found in walnuts, help reduce inflammation and oxidative damage to the brain.
    In a 10 month Alzheimer’s disease study, mice were being feed 6-9 % of their calories income in walnuts (similar to 28-45 g/day in people). There were observed high improvements in anxiety reduction, learning and memory skills. Also, tests done to older people, clearly linked eating walnuts to better brain functioning, such as faster processing speed, flexibility and better memory. So it is safe to say that walnuts contain nutrients that protect the brain from damage and help towards a healthy brain as you grow older.
  6. Eating walnuts support male reproductive health: 117 healthy young men took part in a study. They were given 75 grams of walnuts a day, without any other diet change from their typical Western Style diet, for 3 months. The results showed improved sperm shape, vitality and mobility. More tests need to be done to totally confirm these benefits but if you’re a guy concerned about your fertility, eating walnuts is a safe and easy thing to do that will only bring you benefits.
  7. Eating walnuts on a regular basis is known to decrease cholesterol levels: to support this affirmation, a study where 194 healthy students ate 43 grams of walnuts daily for 8 weeks, measured a decrease of 5% in total cholesterol, 5% decrease in LDL cholesterol and 5% decrease in triglycerides.

 

Just another simple benefit of these SUPERFOODS called walnuts is that they are available anywhere, very easy to find.

When in stores, look for raw walnuts or cold-pressed oil in the oils section. These 2 are the healthiest walnuts variation.

In every study researched and all throughout this article, I’ve mentioned the serving size of walnuts in grams.

For a better understanding, 28 grams are 1/4 cup or one small handful. The 28 grams that I mention in more than one occasion convert to about 190 calories.

 

Personally, I prefer consuming walnuts as a snack in between meals, but there are also delicious dishes to be made with the help of these delicious delights.

Try adding them:
– to leafy, veggie, or fruit salads;
– in sauces;
– chopped and baked in whole grain breads;
– chopped or crushed and used as a coating for meat;
– chopped or crushed and mixed with oatmeal or yogurt;
– lightly baked in a pan and added to your fav stir fry recipe;
– roasted or raw, chopped and mixed with pasta;
– crushed and used in oil and vinaigrette dressing.

walnut salad

Be cautious if you are cooking for more than yourself, make sure none of them is allergic to walnuts!

I love walnuts because of their simplicity, they’re easy and delicious to be added to any diet, they can be mixed up with pretty much everything.

And to sum it all up, I would say that they are truly and proudly part of the SuperFoods category. They have more antioxidants and more omega 3 fats than any other nut out there.

Having this remarkable combination, they contribute to so many health benefits.

We are still at the beginning of the road when considering the discoveries that are yet to be made about the benefits of walnuts.

We will be hearing more astonishing benefits in the years that come, from tests that are ongoing and the ones that haven’t even started yet.

Food of the week – Avocado

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One of my favourite food is avocado, a delicious fruit that is high in healthy monounsaturated fats, has a lot of benefits, and is super tasty either consumed simply in salads, deserts or as guacamole dip.

Here’s a my quick, delicious breakfast using avocado:

For a couple hundred calories, avocado is one of the top superfoods to add to your everyday diet, making a filling addition to any meal or snack, while providing nutritious heart-healthy fats, fibers, folate, vitamin A, potassium and more. It has many essential nutrients and by eating it you care enjoy its benefits like improved heart and digestive health, cancer prevention, balancing your hormones, improving your vision, beautiful skin, hair and nails and because of its fibers that speed up the digestive system it will lower your cholesterol.

Avocado is not that low in terms of calories, but as I mentioned before, I don’t care at all about calories. It contains healthy fat, fiber and phytochemical content, and this super nutrient food should only help you lose weight, if consumed properly.

Let’s take a look into its benefits :

Monounsaturated fats — Shown to reverse insulin resistance and regulate blood sugar levels, avocados and avocado oil are some of the richest sources of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) in the world! Unlike saturated, or “bad,” fats, MUFAs are actually good for you and help the heart and brain. MUFAs are the main dietary form of fat in the Mediterranean diet, which for decades has been linked to protection against heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline and many other disorders.

Carotenoids — Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that can improve memory and brain activity. (3) Oleic acid in turn helps the body with carotenoid absorption. Carotenoids are chemical compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright yellow, orange or red color. Beta-carotene is one of the most common carotenoids. Carotenoid benefits include lowering inflammation, promoting healthy growth and development, and boosting immunity, among others.

Fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K — Our bodies not only require these vitamins to function properly, but they also work together in an integrated way with essential minerals (such as magnesium and zinc) to impact metabolic factors (such as carbon dioxide and thyroid hormone).

Water-soluble vitamins B and C — I’m not sure if you knew this, but B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are not stored in your body. This means that you need to replenish them every day. Avocados are one of the better vitamin C foods and sources of B vitamins, which reminds me of my mantra: “An avocado a day keeps the medical doctor away!”

Important trace minerals (like magnesium, potassium, iron and copper) — One interesting fact many people are unaware of is that you would need to eat two bananas to meet the potassium content in just one whole avocado, which makes avocados an excellent source to prevent low potassium.

Loads of fiber – Avocados contain more soluble fiber than most foods and help stabilize blood sugar levels, facilitate proper bowel regularity and maintain proper weight control.

Protein — Avocados are on the list of top protein foods. Having the highest protein and lowest sugar content of any fruit, avocados offer a unique balance to building lean muscle mass and burning fat.

Antioxidant phytochemicals (such as beta-sitosterol, glutathione and lutein) — To help protect against various diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts, it’s a good idea to eat a diet rich in phytochemicals like avocados. Antioxidant phytochemicals prevent oxidative damage (also called free radicals) that have the power to change DNA and result in cell mutations.

Folate — Because of its high supply of the crucial nutrient folate, avocado benefits include preventing certain birth defects like spinal bifida and neural tube defects. Research has even suggested that folate-rich foods can help prevent strokes!

Phytonutrients (polyphenols and flavonoids) — Anti-inflammatory compounds like phytonutrients are key to reducing the risk of inflammatory and degenerative disorders that can affect every part of the body — including joints, the heart, brain, internal organ systems, skin and connective tissue.

 

How to choose an avocado?

If you are planing to serve or eat an avocado in a few days you should always chose ones that are still firm when you gentle press them and their skin is a bright green color. These ones are firm, unripe, fresh avocados that should be perfect to eat in 4-5 days. You should store them at room temperature or, if you lust at it, place in a brown paper bag with bananas or apples to speed up its ripening process.

Perfect for a snack or salad are fresh avocados that are almost ripe, have a softer feel, but they will not yield when you press their skin. They can vary in color, and will be perfect to mash for guacamole dip in 1-2 days if you store it at room temperature.

Ready-to-eat avocados have a darker color, they yield to firm gentle pressure and they feel lightly soft. This is a ripe fruit, perfect for that day, that you can store in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it in a day or two to prevent the fruit from becoming overripe or spoiled.

My favorite receipe when it comes to this fruit is the simple guacamole dip.

You only need six ingredients: avocado, lemon juice,one clove of garlic, cherry tomatoes, one small onion and salt.

Start by chosing a ripe avocado, scoop it into your bowl with a spoon and mash it with a regular fork, add a pinch of salt, half of lemon juice, then add some cherry tomatoes and onion, one crushed clove of garlic and ta-da! a super delicious and fast dip for you.

What are your favorite avocado recipes?

XO,

Iulia

Food of the week – Quinoa

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My goals is to make you fall in love with superfoods.

This week’s super nutricious, insainely healthy food is quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) a grain crop, grown for its edible seeds. As ancient incas stated, quinoa is “mother of all grains”, and was believed to be sacred.

Nowadays, you can find it in almost every store and you should know that there are three main types: white, red and black.

This whole-grain food is very nutricious and loaded with vitamins and minerals.

This grain contains the plant compounds quercetin and kaempferol. important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects in studies.

By including quinoa in your diet, you will significantly increase your total intake of these (and other) important nutrients.

 

It’s very high in fiber, much higher than most grains and perfect for people with gluten intolerance, as is naturally gluten-free.

Is high in protein compared to most plant foods and it contains all the essential amino acids that you need, making it an excellent protein source for vegetarians and vegans.

 

Has a low glycemic index, around 53, but be aware, as it’s still relatively high in carbs.

Quinoa is very high in minerals, anioxidants and could improve metabolic health.

Some studies show that quinoa can improve metabolic health, by reducing blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels.

This superfood is very high in antioxidants, which are substances that neutralize free radicals and are believed to help fight aging and many diseases.

Also, is high in fiber, protein and has a low glycemic index. These properties have all been linked to weight loss and improved health and it is very easy to incorporate into your diet.

It can be ready to eat in as little as 15–20 minutes, as you ca boil it, or let it sit over night in a bowl of water.

The best thing about quinoa is that it’s delicious, versatile and incredibly easy to prepare and you can use it for breakfast bowls, lunches and dinners.

My favourite receipe with this amazing food is either a vegetable soup for lunch or a tasty salad or even a delicious desert using quinoa flakes.

Here’s an example of a healthy super tasty breakfast using quinoa flakes, banana, forest fruits and chia seeds:

This grain is so versatile that you can include it in almost all your meals.

Please let me know, using my contact page if you would like me to include some of my favorite recipes using this superfood.

 

XO,

Iulia