Pick a liquid
- Water
- Almond milk (unsweetened)
- Cow’s milk
- Soy milk (unsweetened)
- Hemp milk (unsweetened)
- Iced green tea
Less liquid = thick shakes. More liquid = thin shakes. 4-8 oz is a good starting point for each serving.
Whats your favourite go to hot/warm beverage? Is it coffee, some coffee version like a latte or perhaps you are a tea drinker? Well if you are looking to change things up perhaps try Matcha Green Tea. A long standing tradition of Japanese culture, Matcha Green Tea is the highest quality powdered green tea available. Made from the nutrient-rich young leaves picked from the tips of shade-grown Camellia sinensis plants, Matcha Green Tea is steamed, stemmed, and de-vined before being stone-ground into very fine powder. Matcha Green Tea powder is then stored away from light and oxygen in order to preserve its brilliant green color and antioxidant properties. This miracle elixir has been consumed for over a millennium in the Far East, and is now considered to be one of the most powerful super foods on the market today.
To some of Green Tea Matcha’s benefits we can include:
For that real experience instead of buying it a Davids Tea or Starbucks buy the real thing. Ideally a small kit that would include a mixing bowl and a whisk and off course green matcha. Found in some local shops or on amazon and eBay
Looks something like this:
For centuries, vinegar has been used for various household and cooking purposes. It is also an ancient folk remedy, claimed to help with all sorts of health problems. The most popular vinegar in the natural health community is apple cider vinegar. It is claimed to lead to all sorts of benefits, some of which are supported by science. This includes weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and improved symptoms of diabetes. Here are some health benefits of apple cider vinegar, that are supported by scientific research.
– Can kill many types of bacteria
– Lowers blood sugar levels and fights diabetes
– Helps you lose weight by making you feel full
– Lowers cholesterol and reduces your risk of heart disease
– May have protective effects against cancer
Internet is full of Apple Cider Vinegar health claims but unfortunately only few are supported by science. If you are interested you can read more @ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar
As always, we recommend doing some research before deciding if this is something for you. Some of us at Shinobi have tried it so if you have additional questions ask one of the coaches.
Additionally there are a lot of YouTube videos on the topic of ACV, below are some of our favourites which talk about why you should consider using it, how to use it, how much, common recipes etc.
We often find ourselves busy and on the go which is a common excuse used regarding poor diet. But did you know that not all meals have to be food meals. In fact you can replace one to two meals a day with healthy , balanced and easy to make super nutritious shakes.
Found this easy to follow list on Precision Nutrition.com
Here’s what to do
Less liquid = thick shakes. More liquid = thin shakes. 4-8 oz is a good starting point for each serving.
Some protein powders contain thickeners, which will increase the thickness of your shake. Find the protein supplement that you like best. 1-2 scoops should be sufficient (25-50 g).
Spinach is usually your best bet, as it is virtually flavorless in your Super Shake. Canned pumpkin is great too. It goes well with vanilla. When using beets, try roasting them and removing the skin first. Beets pair well with chocolate. If you add celery or cucumber, you’ll need to use less liquid in your shake. Add 1-2 handfuls.
Toss in half a banana to give the shake an excellent consistency. Dates go a long way, as they’re very sweet (and make sure to get rid of the pit first!). Apples are easy — simply remove the core and slice into wedges. You can use fresh or frozen fruit. Aim for 1-2 cupped handfuls.
When blended well, nuts and seeds give the shake a nice, rich consistency. 1-2 thumbs is usually enough.
Cinnamon is good with vanilla and pumpkin. Add oats if you need extra carbs, yogurt if you want more protein and a smoother consistency. For all of these, a little goes a long way.
Thats all folks. Give it a try and don’t let your busy schedules get in a way of healthy living.
Continuing with our Super Food subject from last week here some other examples of foods you should consider consuming regularly:
Kiwifruit also tops many a list of popular superfoods. Its benefits are similar, for the most part, to berries, melons, citrus fruit, apples and pears, all of which are high in vitamin C and rich in antioxidants. Kiwifruit is labeled a superfood perhaps because it contains a wider range of nutrients compared to some other fruits. A very small study published in 2011 in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that consumption of kiwifruit (which also contains serotonin, a hormone that helps induce and maintain sleep) might promote a better night’s rest in people with sleep disorders.
Beans and whole grains are standard additions to the superfood lists. Beans are a source of low-fat protein. Beans contain insoluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol; soluble fiber, which provides a longer feeling of fullness; and loads of vitamins and trace minerals largely absent in the typical American diet, such as manganese. Whole grains — named such because, unlike refined grains, they are not stripped of their nutrient-containing bran and germ during processing — have similar benefits to beans, though they don’t contain as much protein. Quinoa is not a grain, but it cooks up like one, and this too is a remarkable source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
Nuts and seeds contain high levels of minerals and healthy fats. Although these are common additions on superfood lists, the downside is that they are high in calories. Portion control is key. Shelled nuts and seeds, in this regard, are ideal because they take time to crack open and slow you down. A quick handful of shelled nuts could contain more than 100 calories, according to Hyde.
Kale lives up to the hype of a superfood. But so do most dark, leafy greens: Swiss chard, collards, mustards (including radish greens), spinach (and others in the amaranth family), and cabbages. Add broccoli to that list, as well. It’s in the cabbage-mustard family; the modern version is merely grown for its floret instead of leaves. These dark vegetables are loaded with vitamins A, C and K, as well as fiber, calcium and other minerals.
Sweet potato and squash also usually make the superfood list, for similar reasons as those listed for leafy greens. Both kinds of food are generally excellent sources of fiber, vitamin A and much more. They are also naturally sweet and don’t require the butter, cream or salt typically added to potatoes.
Salmon, sardines, mackerel and certain other fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. The benefits of eating fish may far outweigh the risk of harming your health from the mercury these fish contain, according to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If you worry about the contaminants your fish dinner may contain, you can try eating lower down on the food chain. Certain fish, such as sharks, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, contain higher levels of mercury than smaller fish, like sardines, smelt, and anchovy.
source: www.livescience.com
These days we hear a lot of people use term Super Food. But what is it and how does it help my diet? Lets try to answer this in few simple words.
If you google Super Food you will get something like that:
“So-called ‘superfoods’ — such as spinach, beans, sweet potatoes, salmon, fruits, nuts, whole grains and berries — are said to be rich in nutrients. Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one’s health.”
However, there are no set criteria for determining what is and what is not a superfood. Superfoods don’t have their own food group. Consuming foods that are packed with nutrients (as many so-called superfoods are) is certainly a good idea, but the key to a healthy diet is to consume a variety of nutritious foods in the right quantities.
Superfoods have extra-large doses of vitamins and minerals that can help us ward off diseases and live a longer, healthier life.
Some of the nutrients that certain superfoods contain include antioxidants, thought to ward off cancer; healthy fats, thought to prevent heart disease; fiber, thought to prevent diabetes and digestive problems; or phytochemicals, the chemicals in plants responsible for deep colors and smells, which can have numerous health benefits.
Lets take a closer loo at some of those foods people today call Super and examine the most popular ones over the next few weeks.
Blueberries often top many lists of superfoods because they are rich in vitamins, soluble fiber and phytochemicals. But the same nutrients found in blueberries are also found in many other kinds of berries, including strawberries and cranberries.
Main Benefits of consuming Blueberries include:
If you want to dive in a learn more check out the link below
https://draxe.com/health-benefits-blueberries/
Source: ” Livescience.com”
What is Food? Well, its sounds like a silly thing to ask because most will say its the stuff we eat that fuels our body. However food is soo much more than that and I think people often forget that outside of the things like micronutrients : vitamins and minerals , phytohemicals, zoochemical and some other molecules Food is LIFE
What I mean by that is that our bodies aren’t just some dumb machines that process food for energy. Food deserves a lot more recognition and with todays DIET society and obsession about our looks we loose site of what really matters.
So let me quickly remind you what FOOD IS:
So next time you think about food in categories of Good and Bad, if you should have that piece of someones birthday cake stop for a second and remind yourself that Food is LIFE.
Food from coach Suavek’s recent trip to Europe
Coach Suavek
Intention of these posts is to share things we dug out in the world of nutrition like tips, hacks, useful information that can help you improve and/or maintain good overall health . Sometimes those will be original posts, other times shared articles, videos from different sources etc.
Today we are talking about the importance and benefits of MEAL PREP.
Some of those benefits include:
Go on and give Meal Prepping a Try – do it regularly, stay committed, turn it into a habit and you won’t be disaapointed.
If interested in reading more please take a look at the article below describing the topic in more detail:
Source: Harvard
Coach Suavek
Growing up we have all heard the saying ” Eat Your Vegetables” often used by your mom or grandma. Its likely something they’ve been harping on for years. Well as science and research has demonstrated your grandma was on to something 🙂
Fruits and Vegetables have many benefits to our overall health and here are some of the most important ones:
So what do you do now?
Simple , aim to include vegetables – at least 1-2 fist sized servings with every meal , and add about 1 cupped handful of fruits with most meals. Don’t be afraid to experiment, try new kinds, new colours, prepare vegetables in different ways, in other words – EAT THE GARDEN!
We often get questions on what to eat in a pinch. I guess the ultimate goal is to not get caught in a pinch without any quality food around the house.
After a fantastic weekend capped off with a day at the beach and a visit with family, we got home late, tired and a little hangry. Thankfully, we keep our place stocked for such occasions.
I dipped into the freezer and grabbed, some wild caught shrimp (Superstore) and some frozen grilled veggies (Costco). Got some homemade pesto from the fridge, and rice noodles from the pantry.
10 mins later we had this.
Simple rules
