This week on Thrive we're launching our Nutrition Revolution and arming ourselves with simple recipes focused on clean, live, whole fruits & vegetables as Mother Nature intended. But hold on -- does this mean we have to eat only organic?
There's no doubt organic produce is going to be richer in vitamins and minerals because the soil they grow in is nutrient-rich and free of harmful chemicals.
But if instead of eating whole fruits & vegetables, you are :
- snacking on organic crackers, crisps & biscuits (or anything organic that comes in a box)
- turning to organic baked goods as your go-to snack
- drinking organic fruit juice or opting for organic dried fruit, like raisins
- spending your organic budget on organic granola and the hundreds of organic snacks available at your supermarket or health food store
I hate to break it to you -- but just because these foods are organic, they are never going to be as good for you as non-organic, whole FRUITS & VEGETABLES.
Whole fruits & vegetables are full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, water and fibre. And Mother Nature has packaged them PERFECTLY so that you can't overeat them. When was the last time you ate a whole watermelon? But having a whole bar of Green & Blacks organic chocolate -- totally feasible.
This is my favourite whole food, mid-afternoon snack for the whole family:
- 1 whole papaya
- juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime
- 3 kiwis
- brazil nuts (about 2 per person)
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds (optional but a great addition to your pantry)
Cut the papaya in cubes and put into a bowl. Pour the lemon juice over. Cover & chill. When ready to serve, chop up the kiwis, add to the bowl, sprinkle over the hemp seeds and top with brazil nuts.
- Apart from being packed with antioxidants, papaya has an enzyme called papain which is great for digestion. It's also full of fibre & water. It is the most poop-friendly fruit out there and great if you're prone to constipation. Super for babies too.
- Kiwis are one of the best, most readily available pre-biotic fruits. Prebiotic foods feed the good bacteria in your gut so that they proliferate exponentially and crowed out the bad bacteria. By eating a kiwi with your daily probiotic you can multiply its effect!
- Lemon or lime juice adds an extra Vitamin C shot to help you & your children fight off viruses and nourish the adrenals -- because school & extracurriculars are stressful!
- Brazil nuts are super high in selenium, an essential trace element that plays a critical role in immunity, thyroid function and fighting inflammatory conditions like asthma.
- Hemp seeds are high in protein and have a great balance of omega fatty acids, which are good for your heart.
Most importantly - this snack tastes like sunshine in your mouth.
PLAIN & SIMPLE LIVE FOOD SNACK.
No organic glow bar, cheddar-crusted kale chip or raw seed cracker can do all that.
Thrive Nutrition Practice launches Spring 2016