Spring is here and asparagus are coming to farmers’ markets (at least here in Canada!)  The fresh green asparagus spears are both delicious and tender, yet filled with health super powers.

 5 Health Benefits of Asparagus

Anti-inflammatory

With its unique combination of nutrients, asparagus is one of the best anti-inflammatory food. Rich in saponins, quercetin, rutin and isohamnetin, asparagus is a great food to help to reduce the risk of many health problems.

Antioxidant

Asparagus is packed with antioxidants. Including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and several minerals. Asparagus is also one of the vegetables that contains the most glutathione, a specific antioxidant that is especially good ad supporting liver detoxification.

Anti-cancer

The glutathione and antioxidants that asparagus is so rich of makes is an ideal food to reduce cancer risks.

Supports digestion

Asparagus is an unusual digestive support food. Asparagus contain an interesting amount of a nutrient called inulin. Inulin is considered a prebiotic, a substance that passes undigested to the large intestine, feeding the friendly bacteria associated with nutrient absorption.

Heart healthy

Rich in dietary fiber and vitamins from the B group, asparagus is also good for your health.  Fiber helps to naturally lower cholesterol levels, and vitamin B helps to regulate homocysteine, an amino acid that is closely involved in health diseases.

Sprouts play a big role into raw vegan diet. But you don’t have to be a raw vegan to enjoy all the health benefits associated with sprouts.  And besides their huge health benefits, they are the ultimate locally grown food.

5 reasons to eat more sprouts

Huge amounts of enzymes: Experts estimates that sprouts can have up to 100 times more enzyme levels than raw fruits and vegetables. Enzyme supports your body to better use vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food you eat.

Improved protein source: When sprouted, the protein profile of beans, nut and seeds changes, improving the levels of certain amino acids.

Increased fiber: Sprouts contains much more fiber than their unsprouted counterparts. Fiber is very important for health, as it helps to flush out the toxins, lower cholesterol levels and help in fat digestion.

Better vitamin content: Some vitamins dramatically increase during the sprouting process. Sprouts usually have high levels of vitamin A, B-complex, C and E. With only a few days of sprouting, some food can increase their vitamin level by up to 20 times!

Improved mineral absorption: During the sprouting process, minerals bind to proteins making them more usable in the body, especially calcium and magnesium.

What is your favorite food to sprout? 

Green smoothies are a meal idea that is today becoming more and more familiar to many people. What was once an odd or unheard of green drink to the average person, common only to the raw-vegan community, is today becoming a more visible staple in many Western homes.

Our fruits and vegetables are losing their nutrients.  Scientists have first noticed this decline more than 10 years ago, while comparing the mineral concentrations of 20 crops between 1930 and 1980.

In fact, a 1936 report to the US Senate states that:  “The alarming fact is that foods – fruits and vegetables and grains – now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contains enough needed minerals, are starving us – no matter how much of them we eat.”

In 2004, a former researcher from the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas conducted a study that demonstrated that some vegetables had lost more than 70% of some of their nutrient content in the last 30 years.  According to this study, fruits and vegetables now contain:

• 16% less calcium
• 9% less phosphorus
• 15% less iron
• 6% less protein
• 38% less vitamin B2
• 15% less vitamin C

Why is that?  First hypothesis leads to wide-scale industrialized farming techniques used to speed-up produce growth.  The use of chemical fertilizers, selective breeding, intensive agriculture and long transportation distance seem to decrease vegetable’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil and lower their nutrients content.

And this is why, besides eating organic, locally grown food, we should supply our diet with the most nutrient dense food possible, aka the foods that has the highest nutrients per calorie ratio. There are many ways to calculate nutrient density, but most scales agree on those top 10 superfoods.

Top 10 nutrient dense foods to eat regularly

• Kale
• Spirulina and other seaweed
• Collard
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Chia seeds
• Berries
• Pomegranate
• Hemp seeds
• Shiitake mushrooms

Which one of them are you eating daily?

There’s a clear link between skin health and diet. The standard American diet often includes high amounts of refined foods that are high in sugar, salt and saturated fats. In the long run, those foods can trigger an inflammatory response, which can lead to skin problems. On the other hand, some foods are especially good to protect your skin and fight premature ageing. Adding the following detox foods to your diet is a good way to help your body to detox naturally and protect your skin.

 Top 8 detox foods for beautiful skin

Peaches: rich in pectin, a soluble fiber type, peaches help to excrete heavy metals and to clean the liver and kidneys.

Asparagus: As the single best glutathione food source, asparagus supports your liver to detox naturally.

Fennel: Fennel has sting diuretic properties, which help the body to eliminate fats.

Cinnamon: This spice helps to control blood sugar, preventing inflammation due to a sugar-rich diet. Keeping steady blood sugar levels is important to prevent inflammation.

Seaweed: Rich in antioxidants and essential minerals, seaweed purifies the blood and supplies your body with essential nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy.

Lemon: containing more than 30 detoxifying compounds, lemons are a great food to help your skin.

Almonds: Almonds are a great source of biotin, a nutrient that is closely involved in skin health.

Leafy greens: Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach and collard are very rich in vitamin A, a potent vitamin that protects skin’s elasticity.

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Try this delicious gluten free vegan detox recipe to incorporate fresh wild greens to your diet. Wild spring greens like dandelions or nettle are boasting with nutrients and detoxification support compounds.  They protect your liver and help your body to flush out the toxins.  Spring is the best time to incorporate it into your diet, as they are bright green and haven’t fully developed their bitterness.

Ingredients – for 2 servings

• 2 cups fresh dandelion greens
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 to 4 cups vegetable stock divided, preferably homemade
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Dayia cheese-style shreds (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add washed dandelion greens. Let boil for about 3 to 4 minutes. Quickly remove the greens from water and immediately place them in a big bowl of ice water. Let them cool and drain in a colander. Squeeze all excess water from the blanched greens with a cloth or a tea towel. Finely chop dandelion and remove any tough stems.

Gently heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add shallot, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring.  Add the garlic and the rice and stir well for a minute until the rice is well coated in olive oil. Add 1 cup of the vegetable stock into the rice and increase heat. When the rice starts boiling, turn down the heat to medium and stir often, at least every minute or so, until the rice absorbs the stock. Repeat with a second cup of stock.

When the second cup is absorbed, add the greens and the third cup of stock. Stir well to combine. Keep stirring constantly to develop the creaminess in the risotto and to distribute the greens evenly. Let the stock absorb well. Adjust the stock quantity, or add a bit of heated water to loosen up the risotto a bit. The texture should be smooth, not firm. You might need to add a bit more of liquid if you use Daiya shreds.

Add the Daiya cheese. Stir everything well and let the Dayia melt in the risotto for about 2 or 3 minutes, stirring often. Serve immediately.

Kale could be considered as an ideal food; it’s cheap, tasty, super versatile and incredibly healthy.  Available year round, kale is best during the winter, when the cold makes its flavor milder.  When buying kale, always choose a bunch with dark green, frilly leaves.  To keep it fresh longer and retain the most nutrients, keep it unwashed in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

5 health benefits of kale

Detox support

Kale provides a comprehensive support for the body’s natural detox system.  New research shows that isothiocyanates (ITCs) found in kale can help regulate detox at a genetic level, supporting both phases I and II of the body’s natural detoxification process.

Digestive health

Rich in dietary fiber, kale promotes a healthy digestion, prevents constipation, lowers blood sugar and prevents overeating.  Kale is also wonderful to help preventing stomach ulcers, which can lead to stomach cancer.

Antioxidants

Kale is among the best sources of carotenoids and flavonoids, two types of antioxidants that scavenges free radicals and prevents premature ageing.  Among the numerous flavonoids contained in kale, kaempferol and quercetin help fighting against the formation of cancerous cells.

Anti-Inflammatory

Kale is among the few vegetables that contain both omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K, two compounds that cools down the body’s inflammatory response, helping with arthritis and autoimmune diseases.

Cardiovascular support

The high fiber content in kale naturally lowers cholesterol levels by binding with bile acids produced during fat digestion.  The cholesterol lowering properties of kale makes it a great food for cardiovascular health.

Who knew that eating fat could help you flatten your belly? Monounsaturated fats, the good for you fats found in avocados as example, are part of a healthy diet regimen that helps you to lose weight, especially belly fat, and keep you healthy. Those delicious, easy to prepare smoothies also combine superfoods to help you achieve optimum health.

Silky Mango

• 1/4 cup mango cubes
• 1/4 cup avocado
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Brain health blueberry dream

• 1 cup of unsweetened frozen blueberries, thawed
• 1 small banana
• 1 tbsp of cold-pressed flaxseed oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Strong bones green almonds smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp natural almond butter
• 1 small banana
• 1 small handful of kale leaves

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Healthy heart choco-raspberry smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 organic, fair-trade dark chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup of fresh organic raspberries

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Healthy dessert in a glass

• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1 small banana
• 2 tbsp of natural hazelnut butter
• 1 tsp of organic, fair –trade cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

If life give you lemons, than you should be thankful as lemons are among the healthiest fruits ever.

Here are 8 reasons to fall in love with lemons

It supports your liver detoxification: Fresh lemon juice contains several detoxifying compounds. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in your morning glass of water to help your body to detox naturally.

It cleanses your bowels: The bitterness of lemons gives them the ability to increase bowel movements, which helps to eliminate waste and improve regularity.

It fights cancer: With its 22 anti-cancer compounds, including limonene and flavonol glycosides, lemons could slow down tumor growth and stop division of cancer cells.

It prevents colds and flu: Rich in vitamin C and other immune-boosting substances, lemons are a great way to prevent colds and infections.

It is rich in nutrients: Besides vitamin C, lemons contain B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and fiber, all contributing to optimum health.

It balances your body’s pH: Even though lemons are acidic, they have an alkalizing effect on the blood, which helps to stabilize the body’s essential pH balance.

It helps with allergies: Hesperetin, a phytonutrient found in lemons, has been shown to reduce allergic symptoms.

It lowers blood sugar levels: Hesperetin, the same phytonutrient that helps with allergies, lowers blood sugar, making lemons a food of choice for those with diabetes.

Do you like lemons? What’s your favorite way to use them?

Like any other part of your body, your eyes need nutrients to function. Whether or not you need glasses or contact lenses, there are steps you can take to maintain healthy eyes and prevent eye diseases. This article will give you examples of foods that are good for the eyes, and also of things that it is wise to avoid. Vegetables and fruits are generally good for your eyes, while excessive fat, sugar or salt can be harmful.

Vitamin A
Mothers often tell their children to finish their carrots, as carrots are supposed to be good for the eyes. There is some truth to this, as carrots contain Vitamin A which is essential for eyesight. Vitamin A is found in other vegetables as well as in orange and yellow fruit, liver, eggs, dairy products. A form of Vitamin A is attached to a protein in the retina that acts as a light absorber. If Vitamin A is lacking, there is increased risk of developing eye disorders like Glaucoma.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C improves eye conditions like edema of the retina and cataracts. It is found in citrus fruits, juice and berries.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, and are found in vegetables and fruits. Oxidative stress can cause age-related macular degeneration, AMD. AMD affects people in the forties and fifties, symptoms include blind spots, blurry night vision and blindness.

Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, fish oil, liver oil, walnuts and cabbage. It has been proven to reduce the intraocular pressure by up to 13%. Pressure inside the eye can damage the optic nerve and cause Glaucoma.

Foods to avoid
• Fast food often contains an excessive amount of fat, sugar and salt that can have a negative impact on your vision in the long run.
• Monosodium Glutamate, MSG, is a salt often used to enhance flavor in processed Asian foods. Research from Hirosaki University in Japan has shown that excessive MSG can damage your eyes and cause blindness. The substance binds to cells in the retina and destroys them. Surrounding cells lose much of their ability to transmit electric signals.
• Margarine often contains trans-fats that are unhealthy to the eyes.
• Deep-fried food increases the amount of free radicals in the body. Deep-frying potato reduces Vitamin C content and increases the amount of trans-fats.
• Food with much sugar and starch increase the risk of developing AMD.
• Foods that make your blood sugar rise, for example chocolate, make your retina more vulnerable.
To sum up, a varied diet with a lot of fruits of vegetables is necessary for preserving good eyesight. Avoid excessive junk food. Visit your eyes doctors regularly to get your eyes examined, and to get further advice on your diet with regards to eye health.

Guest post by: LensShopper.com, a contact lenses price comparison tool to help you get the best prices when searching for contact lenses. Proud partner of the World Sight Day, people behind LensShopper.com take your eyesight at heart.