Tuesday July 28, 2009
Hello Friends,
Many people ask me for reviews of various super berry juice and "superfood" products so I thought I would share my general stance on these products. I have 3 criteria for a product/food regardless of how healthy, anti-aging, etc. it is for the body. They are taste, cost and availability.
The good news is that the research studies do demonstrate that the exotic superfood berries such as acai, maqui, mangosteen and goji are indeed extremely high in antioxidants and are healthy beneficial real foods. I personally find the taste of acai very strong but I am very, very picky. For those that do not ingest sufficient fruits/vegetables I think it is a great idea for them to drink an acai, or maqui berry beverage or low sodium vegetable juice if they can afford it. The high quality superfood/super berry beverages are not exactly cheap, in my opinion. This is especially true when you consider they are competing against "antioxidant blend" juice drinks from well known companies that offer coupons for their (sometimes) sugar laden, 10-20% juice drinks blend products.
Otherwise, if cost, availability or taste is an issue, I would recommend people stick to consuming local fruits and vegetables like blueberries, cherries, strawberries, sweet potatoes or whatever is available in your area. These are antioxidant powerhouses as well but are much more affordable and available. Prior to creating humans, God designed a whole planet of delicious, healthy foods. I REFUSE to believe God made the most super healthful foods available in only ONE part of the world or affordable to only the most wealthy who can find and pay for them.
Regarding juice, I think most people need to stay away from too much commercially prepared juices and especially juice drinks. You can usually find good deals on inexpensive regular blenders that make great smoothies or drinks (with coconut milk-yummy and cheap) using local fruits if you really want the most affordable way. I have found several local farmers’ markets that also accept Food Stamps to make fresh fruits and vegetables affordable to EVERYONE. Check in your area.
Here are some easy healthy drink recipes my kids and I LOVE! The ingredients are found in regular grocery stores.
Juice Bubbles [my kids named this drink]
frozen concentrate 100% fruit juice (apple, orange, grape)
sparkling water
1. Reconstitute thawed juice concentrate with sparkling water instead of regular water. Yummy!
Fizzy Fiber Juice
5-6 dried apricots
sparkling water
2 TBSP apple juice
crushed ice
1. Add the dried apricots into 2 TBSP apple juice and let soak for 5-10 minutes inside a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add crushed ice and some sparkling water to your taste for a refreshing fizzy fiber rich drink.
4. There is about 3-4 grams of fiber in a serving of dried apricots, so this is a great tasting way to get a bit more fiber for the day.
Enjoy.
Renee
Check out the other Kid Approved Real Recipes (KARR), photos and blog archives at www.thetakebacktour.com
"Many times when we are sick, we pray to God for healing.
Sometimes, the miracle of healing is the miracle of our obedience." - Renee Lea-Currie , Ph.D., www.thetakebacktour.com
Hello Friends,
Many people ask me for reviews of various super berry juice and "superfood" products so I thought I would share my general stance on these products. I have 3 criteria for a product/food regardless of how healthy, anti-aging, etc. it is for the body. They are taste, cost and availability.
The good news is that the research studies do demonstrate that the exotic superfood berries such as acai, maqui, mangosteen and goji are indeed extremely high in antioxidants and are healthy beneficial real foods. I personally find the taste of acai very strong but I am very, very picky. For those that do not ingest sufficient fruits/vegetables I think it is a great idea for them to drink an acai, or maqui berry beverage or low sodium vegetable juice if they can afford it. The high quality superfood/super berry beverages are not exactly cheap, in my opinion. This is especially true when you consider they are competing against "antioxidant blend" juice drinks from well known companies that offer coupons for their (sometimes) sugar laden, 10-20% juice drinks blend products.
Otherwise, if cost, availability or taste is an issue, I would recommend people stick to consuming local fruits and vegetables like blueberries, cherries, strawberries, sweet potatoes or whatever is available in your area. These are antioxidant powerhouses as well but are much more affordable and available. Prior to creating humans, God designed a whole planet of delicious, healthy foods. I REFUSE to believe God made the most super healthful foods available in only ONE part of the world or affordable to only the most wealthy who can find and pay for them.
Regarding juice, I think most people need to stay away from too much commercially prepared juices and especially juice drinks. You can usually find good deals on inexpensive regular blenders that make great smoothies or drinks (with coconut milk-yummy and cheap) using local fruits if you really want the most affordable way. I have found several local farmers’ markets that also accept Food Stamps to make fresh fruits and vegetables affordable to EVERYONE. Check in your area.
Here are some easy healthy drink recipes my kids and I LOVE! The ingredients are found in regular grocery stores.
Juice Bubbles [my kids named this drink]
frozen concentrate 100% fruit juice (apple, orange, grape)
sparkling water
1. Reconstitute thawed juice concentrate with sparkling water instead of regular water. Yummy!
Fizzy Fiber Juice
5-6 dried apricots
sparkling water
2 TBSP apple juice
crushed ice
1. Add the dried apricots into 2 TBSP apple juice and let soak for 5-10 minutes inside a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add crushed ice and some sparkling water to your taste for a refreshing fizzy fiber rich drink.
4. There is about 3-4 grams of fiber in a serving of dried apricots, so this is a great tasting way to get a bit more fiber for the day.
Enjoy.
Renee
Check out the other Kid Approved Real Recipes (KARR), photos and blog archives at www.thetakebacktour.com
"Many times when we are sick, we pray to God for healing.
Sometimes, the miracle of healing is the miracle of our obedience." - Renee Lea-Currie , Ph.D., www.thetakebacktour.com
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