Good morning warm chocolate

So here is the recipe for my beautiful morning warm cacao drinks. 

One cup hot water (never fully boiled as it destroys the enzymes in the other ingredients that you add)

1 T raw cacao powder

2 T raw hemp seeds

1 T Antonias almond butter 

1 T pea and hemp protein

1 sachet of Four Sigma Foods Reishi, cacao and cinnamon mix (if you don't have this then leave it out, alternatively add a pinch of non-irradiated cinnamon and a dropper full of reishi. In South Africa we recommend African Forest Medicinals brand. Available at Leafy Greens's shop). 

5 drops liquid stevia

Blend in a Nutribullet and serve in a beautiful glass and bamboo Fressko cup. 

Too good to be true?

Easter is just a few weeks away now and already the supermarket shelves are full to bursting with chocolate eggs, bunnies and teddy bears. These present a veritable minefield of refined sugar and dairy, and yet many people might find it difficult not to over indulge.

You may have seen articles claiming that chocolate is good for you, and that it can be included in the best category of all: superfoods. However, these articles can often be misleading. The problem with most chocolate available in shops and supermarkets is that it is usually heated to temperatures exceeding 150˚C, destroying all the valuable enzymes and anti-oxidants found in chocolate. In addition to this, it is usually  loaded with refined sugar which poses a number of health risks.

The trick is to get your hands on raw cacao, and preferably the organic variety.  

The benefits of raw cacao have been understood for centuries. Archaeologists have found evidence that it was used by the Olmec and Aztec peoples to make beverages up to a thousand years ago. They might not have understood the science behind what makes cacao so good for us, but they instinctively knew that this plant was something special. 

Cacao is choc-full of disease-busting compounds like flavonoids and theobromine - which translates as ‘food of the gods’ – and although it’s an ‘ancient’ food, these compounds can help with some very modern health problems. 

Flavonoids can control insulin sensitivity, helping prevent the onset of diabetes. They have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and also to promote a feeling of satiety – the sense that you have eaten enough. This helps with portion size control and weight management.  

Cacao flavonoids have also been shown to boost the skin’s natural defences against sunburn, and even to boost performance in intelligence tests. Of course these benefits would be offset by all the sugar in mass-produced chocolate, so it’s important to stick to chocolate that is high in organic cacao and low in refined sugar.

One sure fire way to get all the goodness of cacao and none of the harmful sugars is to pop in to Leafy Greens and enjoy our Chocolate Bliss smoothie. 

It contains maca, another superfood that has amazing effects when combined with cacao, and is sweetened using bananas and dates – perfectly healthy! 

http://lgcafe.blogspot.co.za/2016/02/chocolate-bliss-yes-you-read-right-this.html 

So there you have it – a superfood that’s also a smart food which can be included in some really delicious but guilt-free recipes. 

One less thing to stress about – oh yes, flavonoids lower stress, too! 

HAPPY EASTER!

#antoniasfoodblog #eatwelldogood @antoniadeluca 

More about MORINGA

This month at Leafy Greens Café we’re excited about one of nature’s miracle plants – it’s time for some March Moringa Madness!

We’re delighted to make Moringa Raw Potent Leaf Powder available in South Africa, and we wanted to share with you just what is so special about this amazing product. 

Originally from Asia, the Moringa or Miracle Tree (Moringa oleifera) has been used by healers for centuries. Every part of this tree has beneficial properties, from the roots upwards, and the more we learn about it the more excited we are to get everyone to try it.

Taking Moringa powder is a bit like a giving your body a full service. It helps maintain good overall health and helps prevent disease, but that’s just the start of the good news. 

Moringa the leaves contain twenty five times more iron than spinach, fifteen times more potassium than bananas and more seventeen times more calcium than milk. It also contains more Vitamin C than oranges, and more Vitamin A than carrots. The list goes on and on!  

Rich in essential amino acids, Moringa powder can help boost your immune system and improve your eyesight. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is great news for diabetics. 

Breastfeeding mothers might want to know that consuming Moringa products can help boost breast milk production, giving your baby more of what’s best for her. 

And there’s more: Moringa is particularly good for your hair as it naturally contains everything you need for healthy, glossy hair, from vitamin A to zinc. Plus, we know you will love the anti-ageing effect of moringa on your skin – it even helps prevent city pollution adhering to your skin.

What’s not to love? A natural, healthy supplement that prevents diseases, boosts overall health, and leaves you looking and feeling younger. Nothing short of miraculous! 

So how can you include more Moringa in your diet? The taste isn’t perhaps to everyone’s liking so we don’t recommend you take it on its own. 

Instead, try sprinkling one tablespoon of Moringa powder in stews or on salads to start enjoying the benefits of the Miracle tree today – just ensure that you don’t cook the powder, as this destroys all the valuable compounds. You can also include it in your favourite bread or porridge recipe to boost nutrient levels. 

Invest in a miracle today: http://leafygreens.co.za/shop/shop/product/moringa-powder #antoniasfoodblog #eatwelldogood @antoniadeluca 

A good night's sleep

Doctors are still trying to understand the science of sleep, but it is known that sleep is the time during which our bodies heal, rejuvenate, and restore. Sleep is also the time the brain uses to process all the information received during the day, forming new memories and ideas. It is undeniable that of the most important components of good health and vitality is that of a good quality, deep sleep.

It’s ironic, then, that one of the most common complaints revolve around sleep. Whether it’s not sleeping long enough, or not sleeping well enough, almost everyone struggles to get the sleep they need We all know we should get eight hours of sleep a night, but very few of us seem to manage to get to bed on time and, when we do, we often find we have so much on our minds that we simply can’t nod off.

These simple tips will help you sleep longer and better, and feel like a new person in the morning:

Skip the coffee

While we all love an almond milk cappuccino, too much caffeine can very easily lead to a poor sleeping pattern – improper sleep at night leads to the need for more caffeine during the day, which again leads to improper sleep that night. It’s a vicious cycle, but it can be broken. Cutting out caffeine, especially after 2pm, will help you get feel far more relaxed come bedtime.  

Eat with the sun

When you eat a meal late in the evening, your stomach is still digesting it well into the early hours of the morning. Digestion requires energy, and this means that your body cannot rest the way it needs to. A good rule of thumb is to only eat during daylight, and limit yourself to liquids after sunset.

Hello darkness my old friend

The body needs darkness to sleep deeply. As the sky gets darker, our brains are programmed to release melanin, the sleepy hormone, but extra lights from TV’s, computers and cellphones disrupts this process and leads to sleeplessness. A good practice is to completely ban any electronic devices in the bedroom and to avoid using them before bed.

#antoniasfoodblog #sleepwelldogood @antoniadeluca 

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