My Current Favorite Superfoods & How To Use Them| + A Moringa Latte Recipe

I’ve really been wanting do a “what’s in my pantry” series to help you guys along your health and wellness journey. You may be asking yourself right now, or after reading all my previous blog posts, what the heck is in this girl’s pantry??? The answer to that is… a lot lol. My pantry literally looks like the health food section in Whole Foods and a shelf in vitamin shoppe. I have tons of superfoods, vegan protein powders, probiotics, herbal teas, you name it. And starting today I will be sharing them with you so you can be great in your journey as well. Also, it won’t cost you a ton of money.

I am a serious health food thrift shopper and in this series I will also be sharing helpful tips on where to find all these health products before you will ever have to step foot in an expensive health store. Please keep in mind that this is not an easy process, my pantry took me YEARS to perfect and I am still not done. Have patience and stay the course on your wellness journey.

So what exactly is a superfood?

Superfoods are a special category of foods found in nature. They are calorie sparse and nutrient dense. They are superior sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With that being said let’s get started… what superfoods are in my pantry? 

Superfoods

Turmeric. A ayurvedic anti-inflammatory super herb. It is one of nature’s most important antioxidant. I use it to make juices, teas, lattes, and even for cosmetic purposes. It promotes glowing, healthy skin. Check out the juice I make with it here Ginger, Turmeric, & Carrot Juice!, face mask I make with it here DIY Rose Clay & Turmeric Face Mask, and the tea I make with it here It’s that time of the year…

Maca Root. Provides increased strength, energy, and endurance. It also promotes mood balance so it’s perfect for those with hormonal imbalances, like myself. This glorious root was definitely formulated by God himself to help women balance hormones, achieve glowing skin, boost energy, regulate cycles and promote fitness goals.

Moringa. Rich source of vitamins, mineral, and amino acids. It fights free radicals, lowers blood sugar (my dad is diabetic and once I introduced this to him he hasn’t taken a pill for his diabetes since!!), protects the liver and cardiovascular system, balances hormones, and protects and nourishes the skin. I make moringa lattes almost every morning. 

Moringa Latte Recipe

1. Heat 1 cup of a milk of your choice (I prefer plant milk, I am dairy free) on the stove top
2. Add 1 tbsp. of moringa powder and vanilla extract
3. Stir/whisk and add raw honey to sweeten

 

Acaí. Loaded with antioxidants, regulates cholesterol, improves digestion, promotes heart health, promotes skin health, boosts metabolism and burns fat. Definitely something to include in your diet if you are currently on a weight loss journey. Check out a smoothie recipe here A Lil Morning Smoothie.

Goji Berry. VITAMIN AND MINERAL RICH. One of the best sources of antioxidants known to man. It contains essential fatty acids (the healthy omegas) and protein. 

Matcha. High in antioxidants, increases energy levels, enhances mood, boosts immune system, stimulates metabolism, detoxifies, boosts concentration, improves skin, lowers cholesterol, and helps prevent cancer. I make tea, and beauty products with this superfood. Check out my matcha latte here Who needs Starbucks??, and a face mask here Matcha + Honey face mask

Cacao. Promotes heart health, improves brain function, fights free radicals, eases PMS, contains essential vitamins and minerals, enhances mood, high in antioxidants, detoxifies the liver, improves heart function and helps regulate blood pressure (my current BP is 117/60, and my HR is 49 bpm) promotes healthy skin, and aids in weight loss. I make a pre-workout smoothie with it, check out the recipe here Morning pre-workout smoothie 😉

Camu Camu. This is a super duper source of vitamin C. It is the highest known source of it. It has 30-60 times more vitamin C than an orange. So of course with that being said it strengthens the immune system. It also energizes the body, reduces inflammation within the body, improves respiratory health, helps maintain healthy gums eyes and skin, supports healthy liver lungs lymphatic and nervous system, and fights the cold and flu. It is a POWERFUL antioxidant.

Spirulina. Rich in protein (its a complete protein), vitamins, and antioxidants. It increases energy, boosts the immune system, detoxifies the body, boosts eye health, decreases triglycerides & LDL (bad cholesterol), and lowers blood pressure. I take a shot of it every morning, check it out here My Morning Wellness Shot!

Beetroot Powder. Stimulates liver function, boosts the immune system, improves heart health, detoxes the body, controls diabetes, lowers blood pressure, boots eye health, and promotes glowing skin. If you’re a runner beet juice is definitely something you should start consuming on a regular basis, it boosts endurance by making more blood vessels in the muscles, which in turn creates more blood flow to the muscles, which means more oxygen being delivered via the blood. Therefore it helps you to run faster and longer. I put that in the simplest terms that I could, the exercise science major in me can go on and on and on. 

Kale Powder. A rich source of antioxidants and vitamins. It is high in potassium and carotenoids. It promotes eye and skin health, reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, improves sleep, aids in weight loss, and lowers cholesterol. I add it to my smoothies, juice, and sometimes water. 

Ashwagandha Root. Reduces stress and anxiety, promotes weight loss, fights cancer, controls diabetes, treats skin conditions, helps debility and weakness, reduces inflammation in the body, reduces brain-cell degeneration, lowers cholesterol, improves learning and memory (perfect for the college grad student), rejuvenates the body, and improves your overall health. It also is one of my new hair fads, I will go into detail about how this herb insanely grows your hair in a later post!

Coconut Activated Charcoal Powder. Great for internal and external use. It helps with detoxification of the body, and it improves digestion. You can also use it to make face masks and whiten your teeth. I mix it with water and drink it first thing in the morning if I feel like I’m in need of a quick good detox.

Coconut Oil. Improves nutrient absorption, boosts energy, improves immune health, helps control yeast overgrowth, fights inflammation, balances hormones, supports digestive health, helps the body burn fat, balances cholesterol levels, helps to prevent diabetes and cancer. I add a spoonful to my smoothies, coffee, and sometimes my tea.

Chia Seeds. Rich in antioxidants, lowers bad cholesterol, contains omega 3 fatty acids, provides dietary fiber. I add this to my smoothies.

Flaxseeds. Contains soluble fiber, maintains a healthy blood sugar, makes bones stronger, and lowers cholesterol levels. I add this to my smoothies.

Collagen. Improves skin and hair, repairs joints, helps leaky gut syndrome, boosts metabolism, strengthens teeth and nails, helps detox the body, reduces cellulite and stretch marks, improves sleep, balances hormones, and is a great source of protein.

MCT Oil. MCTs are burned by the body for energy, or “fuel,” instead of being stored as fat (they are a healthy fat used for immediate energy). They are super gut friendly because they have the capability to fight harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. They are also high in antioxidants. I add this to my morning coffee. Check out the recipe here, What I Add To My Morning Coffee!

Health food stores can really be a burden on your bank account, so I always will shop at either Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Ross, or on Amazon. The health food store is always always always, the last resort.

XOXO

♥