Need a Juice Boost? Try Adding These 5 Nutritious Ingredients For Your Next Juice…

 
Need an ingredient change or addition to your juice routine? Getting tired of the same flavors? Not reaping the benefits of multiple superfoods in your juice? Here are 5 nutritious ingredients that will give your juice a boost! Click here for SET 2 JUICE BOOSTERS! Or our new SET 3 – SMOOTHIE BOOSTERS

Juice Boost Ingredient #1 > Just Add Kale

 
Leafy greens have amazing health benefits but there is one leafy green that outshines the rest. You’ve guessed it…. KALE is the #1 superfood when it comes to greens as it contains zero fat, is low in calories and high in fiber. In addition, kale is extremely high in iron, Vitamins A, C and K, calcium and powerful antioxidants. These vitamins and minerals give kale the edge when it comes to anti-inflammatory foods. Not only that, but this juice booster also gives you cardiovascular support and is a great detox superfood as well.

Juice Booster #2 > Just Add Chia Seeds

 
Many people have heard of chia seeds, but not many people add it to their morning smoothie or juice. We recommend adding chia seeds as a juice booster to start your morning off on the right foot. Just a tablespoon of chia seeds will do the trick. Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory agents. It’s fiber cleans out our digestive tract too. Chia seeds as a juice boost also features amazing amounts of phosphorous, calcium, magnesium and manganese in addition to being a gluten free addition to your morning smoothie.

Juice Boost Ingredient #3 > Just Add Blueberries

 
Wild blueberries will give you a boost in essential anthocyanins, vitamin A, C, E & B complex in addition to several minerals that will boost your immunity and prevent infections. The high concentration of antioxidants will combat free radicals and lower your risk of heart disease through cardiovascular support. In addition, the blueberry juice booster will also help prevent cancers, improve brain function and aid in your urinary and digestive systems. Now this is a great juice boost for any morning juice or smoothie!

Juice Booster #4 > Just Add Spirulina

 
Not your average juice booster, spirulina is a cyanobacteria (algae) that is rich in health benefits. Incredibly high in protein and nutrients, spirulina is extremely rich in iron, B-12 content, gamma linolenic acid (GLA), omega-3 fatty acids, natural chlorophyll, potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, sodium and zinc just to name a few. As a juice boost spirulina will also give you great amounts of Vitamin B-1 (thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), C, D, A and E! Not only that, but a spirulina juice boost will also help in preventing allergies and fat burning.

Juice Boost Ingredient #5 > Just Add Cacao

 
By using raw cacao powder or cacao nibs as a juice boost, you will be adding a healthy supply of potassium, calcium, Vitamin C, iron and copper into your daily diet. Also rich in magnesium and iron, cacao provides healthy doses of antioxidants to fight free radicals in addition to Vitamin E, copper and magnesium that help heart function. Cacao also balances serotonin levels which contribute to feelings of happiness and contentment.

Just Add Good Stuff recommends adding some or all of the above juice boost ingredients into your daily smoothie or juice. Please consult with a health professional to make sure you are not allergic to any of these juice boosters. The 5 juice boost ingredients recommended in this article are: kale, chia seeds, blueberries, spirulina and cacao.

INFOGRAM > 8 Fresh Produce Picks to Lower & Balance Your Blood Pressure

Ever wonder how you can balance or even lower your blood pressure through fresh produce?

 
According to this health infogram, these are the 8 FRESH PRODUCE picks for BETTER BLOOD PRESSURE.

Beets, leafy greens, and other vegetables high in nitrates may help lower blood pressure naturally.  And how is this done?  Vegetables that are high in nitrates relax our blood vessels and improve circulation.  The result: a more balanced blood pressure.

So if you are looking to lower your blood pressure, try eating more of these nitrate rich heart-healthy picks.  Wherever possible, try to eat these vegetables in its organic raw state or as ‘raw as possible’.

1. BEETS are well known for their blood pressure benefits

A new study published in the American Heart Association’s Hypertension journal concludes that drinking a small amount of fresh, raw beet juice not only lowers high blood pressure quickly and effectively but could also be a natural approach to reducing future cardiovascular problems. The research was conducted by scientists at London’s Queen Mary University on red beets, called beetroot in Britain. Beets have drawn attention from nutritional scientists in recent years because of their health benefits. Specifically, beets have been found to be rich in betaine, a nutrient which reduces the blood concentration of homocycsteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease and stroke.

2. SPINACH will lower your blood pressure quickly

A green leafy delight, spinach is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate, and magnesium — key ingredients for lowering and maintaining blood pressure levels. An easy way to eat more of this great green? Try mixing fresh spinach leaves into salads or adding them to sandwiches.

3. CELERY is a surprising blood pressure balancer too!

Three active ingredients in celery promote healthy blood pressure: 3-n-butylphthalide, or NBP; apigenin, a plant-based antioxidant; and omega-6 fatty acids, an essential fatty acid. In his book “How to Prevent and Treat Diabetes with Natural Medicine,” Dr. Michael Murray, a naturopathic doctor, writes that NBP behaves like a calcium channel blocker, dilating arteries and relaxing blood vessels. Apigenin protects your body against cellular damage, decreases inflammation in your arteries and prevents blood clots. Omega-6 fatty acids, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, may help protect your body against hypertension, or high blood pressure.

4. SWISS CHARD … what, never heard of it!

Eating foods with plenty of vitamin E, such as Swiss Chard (which has one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin E in any vegetable) might also reduce the chances of developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to a heart attack or heart failure. Other heart-healthy perks found in chard include vitamin B6 and potassium — which may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, respectively. Keeping your cholesterol low by eating good sources of fiber such as chard may lower heart-disease risk even more.

5. RADISH is more than just a salad topping!

High in nitrites and many other trace minerals, radishes are beginning to get more notice when it comes to balancing our blood pressure and lowering cholesterol.  Many studies are now underway as to additional benefits of radishes when it comes to our circulatory system.  In other words, keep eating them!

6. KALE helps balance our blood pressure

The high fiber content of kale lowers our cholesterol by binding with bile acids that the liver produces from cholesterol for digesting fat. Because many of these bile acids are coupled with fiber, the liver is charged with producing more bile acid to digest fat, and therefore requires more cholesterol to so, ultimately lowering the amount of cholesterol within our bodies.  This in turn helps regulate our blood pressure and in some cases, even lower it.

7. LETTUCE helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol

Eating vegetables daily with a high dietary nitrate content, such as green leafy vegetables (all type of lettuce), will help in lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure by as much as 10%.

8. ARUGULA and blood pressure benefitsd

Arugula has a perfect amount of Vitamin K which has many benefits including bone health and healthy blood clotting. Research has also shown that getting more Vitamin K may reduce the risk of heart disease. It’s also a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium to help control blood pressure and preserve bone health. Plus, it’s a decent source of iron to build healthy red blood cells.

This awesome everyday HEALTH INFOGRAM is from our friends at the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture (Nathan Bryan Ph.D).

Kale Chips – The Perfect Snack Before Bedtime or Anytime!

Kale Chips > The BEST Bedtime Snack? We think so…

Are you looking for that perfect snack that will fill you up, help you sleep and nourish your body at the same time?  Look no further than kale chips!

First of all, here’s some background information about kale.  Kale is a green or purple vegetable that is similar to cabbage and spring/collard greens. There are many types of kale that are classified into different kale families depending on their leaf type.

Kale is packed full of nutrition and is often called a ‘superfood‘.

All forms of kale can be easily prepared, whether eaten raw (within a salad) or juiced or boiled or cooked.

One of our favourite ways to prepare curly-leaf or dinosaur kale is by making them into kale chips.  It’s fun, easy, quick and tastes really great!  Kale chips are also an ideal snack for the entire family.  Below is our kale chips recipe that will take you less than 20 minutes!

Kale Chips Recipe > An easy kale chips recipe for you to follow…

Recipe makes 1 serving (great for up to 2 people) and will take roughly 20 to 25 minutes to prepare.  Here are the ingredients for the kale chips recipe:

• 5 large leaves of Curly Leaved or Dinosaur Kale (about 1 bunch)
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• sea salt

The kale chips recipe method is:

• Wash and tear the kale into chip sized pieces
• Drain water off the kale pieces
• Melt the coconut oil
• Toss the kale in the coconut oil
• Put the kale onto a baking sheet
• Sprinkle sea salt onto kale
• Roast at 350F for about 15 minutes

Keys to the kale chip recipe:

1. The kale will shrink, so make sure your pieces are not too small
2. Don’t drench the kale in the coconut oil … just toss it
3. Sea salt is not necessary, but gives the chips a great flavour
4. Roasting time depends on your oven so take the kale chips out when crispy
5. Once crispy, take the kale chips out and put onto paper towel to soak up excess oil

For those who have troubles falling asleep, kale chips are the perfect bedtime snack as they help kick-start the production of your sleep hormones!