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Experiementing with health food

Brittany L. Morgan

I admit… I haven’t been as strict with my diet since I started working here at Hudson Valley Parent.

I have one can of soda in the AM to wake me up (I’m not a big fan of coffee) and my breakfast usually consists of something I can grab and eat in the car like a breakfast bar or fruit. This week I event opted for *GASP* a poptart!

I’ve decided I need to stop spending money on unhealthy food and get back on track… although I wouldn’t say I’ve really fallen off track, I’m still loosing weight (I just have a difficult time with breakfast… and lunch the couple of days I forget it at home).

I’ve always been a “water snob.” I only drink certain brands/types of water. I know this may sound irrational, but I like my water to be at a pH balance of 8.0… that’s right, I test the water I drink just like you would test pool water!

I’m really into “new age” health things, from 8.0 pH balanced water to tofu soup recipes. I like to try new “healthy” things to broaden my horizons and make my diet less boring.

This morning after discussing an odd drink called “Kombucha” with our guest Art Director, Jackie, I decided to experiment with health food “oddities” and report back next Friday.

And now for the details:

I’ve divided my oddities up into 2 categories. Beverages and Food. I’ll test each item in each category over the next week and report back in my next blog.

Beverages

1. Kombucha: A fermented drink with slimy texture and odd slimy seeds floating around throughout the drink. It is said to improve digestion, lowering cholesterol and even fighting cancer.

2. Yerba Mate: Great coffee replacement, it has as much caffeine as coffee. It’s a very earthy tea.  It is said to suppress weight gain and cholesterol.

3. Pu-erh Tea: A malty type of tea. It’s refreshing and earthy. It is said to significantly suppress weight gain, levels of triacylglycerol and total cholesterol.

Food

1. Chia Seeds: Yep, the same seeds you put on your chia pet in the ’90s.  Chia seeds are apparently an excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, a good source of calcium and omega-3 fatty acid. These can be sprinkled on anything, devoured by the handful or blended in a smoothy.

2. Marmite: A spread that is made from yeast extract with a salty and bitter taste. Marmite is a great source of protein and vitamins. It is usually eaten as a spread on crackers.

3. Kimchee: A blend of  fermented vegetables (generally cabbage or radishes). Kimchee is a great source of vitamin C, carotene and dietary fiber. It’s eaten like a thick stew.

I’m inviting all of you to join me in testing out these new products… let’s see how this goes!

Be sure to leave a comment if you try out one of these odd health foods or if you have a suggestion of your own!

~Brit

 

 

 

 

Permanent Link: http://hvparent.com/experiementing-with-health-food

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