I’m sure you’ve ladies have heard of these nutritional heavy hitters before but here’s a little breakdown of their benefits and how you can use them…
(Gelatinized Maca Powder, Sprouted Chia Powder and Goji Berries)
Maca Root increases stamina, combats fatigue, boost libido and helps with hormonal balance (lol my husband thinks I need to eat a lot of this ;). It’s a nutrient dense whole food packed with vitamins, plant sterols, essential minerals, fatty and amino acids. I purchased the gelatinized Maca powder from Whole Foods. It’s a little more expensive than the regular Maca powder but it goes through an extrusion process of removing the starch from it which in turn concentrates the active ingredients. Now this does have a little taste to it but its not bad. I pretty much only use it in my smoothies but you can also use it in tea, cereal and yogurt.
I’ve been hearing about Goji berries for forever and finally decided to pick up a bag. Goji berries are a powerful antioxidant that help reduce cholesterol and maintain healthy blood pressure. Now you would think that these would be the easiest health food to incorporate but for some reason I rarely reach for them. I know my girlfriends all LOVE them but I’m not super crazy about the taste. I know they are extremely beneficial so I’m going to try mixing them in with my granola to get the amazing health benefits of these little berries.
Chia is an great source omega fatty acids and dietary fiber. It’s loaded with calcium, iron, potassium and protein. I’ve been eating chia seeds for over a year but recently switched to chia powder because I wasn’t a fan of the crunchy texture of the seeds. It was an added bonus when I found out that sprouting the seeds greatly increases the nutrient and antioxidant levels in chia. Having ground chia maximizes the body’s ability to digest and absorb the nutritional benefits. I use this in my oatmeal, muffins, smoothies, yogurt and on top of my waffles. I seriously use this stuff on everything!
Do you ladies use any of these?! I always love to hear what nutritional goodies you’re using as well!
I use the goji and the chia but now i have to try the maca! i found a great way to incorporate the goji's into my diet because I am not a huge fan of them either . . . it's Gwyneth Paltrow seed mix . . here is the link … i use it on everything! it is in her cookbook, My Fathers Daughter
http://potpourriwithrosemarie.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/seed-mix/
oh thanks for the link hun xo
I always love reading about your food picks! xo
http://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com/
🙂 Glad you enjoy these posts too xo
Hi Andee! Love this post. I was wondering what blender do you use to make your smoothies and can you link me to one of your previous blog posts with some yummy smoothies recipes using these powders? If you have one already, that is. Thanks!!
hi mama! i know a lot of people use a vitamix blender but i just use my regular blender and it works fine. Once it dies ill probably invest in something better but it works for now. xo Ill do an update smoothie recipe soon but i do have some listed under my Andees Eats board on Pinterest.
I love using chia seeds in everything! I will have to try the powder now 🙂 I had no clue that sprouting the seed amps up the health benefits! Thanks for this post Andee!!
Alisha
http://www.alisharun.blogspot.com
of course love! Glad you enjoyed it xo
Thanks for the info! Someone was just telling me to start eating chia seeds to help my hair grow faster. I'll have to see if I can find any of these here. My little town is void of trader joes, whole foods, or any other awesome food store 🙁
you should try Maxi Hair supplement at Whole Foods they're awesome for hair and nail growth!
I have been using that same MACA powder in my smoothies for a while now. I love it. I'm not crazy about goji berries either. I've tried liking them, but I just don't like the after taste! You should try Cocoa powder by that same MACA brand. I'm obsessed and use it in everything! I even make this avacado mousse with cocoa powder that is to die for! I will try to remember to make a blog post for it!
thanks ashley cocoa is the next one on my list!
The taste of goji berries puts me off a bit too. But now I want to try the chia and maca – the benefits sound great! x
right? ok glad I'm not only on that one 😉
Andee – is the Maca powder kosher? I need some hormonal balancing too lol.
glad im not alone on the hormonal balance lol Yes it is kosher
I use sprouted flax seed powder and chia seeds as well. I love having goji berry tea – add about 10 goji berries to hot water and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. They are really good for you! However, I'd be careful about the Maca powder – its a root vegetable and not meant to be eaten raw. A lot of people have digestive issues with Maca. I also sometimes add spirulina to smoothies.
you know I've been wanting to try spirulina again. Last time i tried it I was prego and made me nauseous.
I love reading your health & food posts! I used to use flax seed (ground at home) for my smoothies until I read that it mimics estrogen, and therefore should be avoided while pregnant/trying to conceive. I'll have to try chia! Thanks!
kristen genevieve
http://www.kristengenevieve.blogspot.com
if you like the ground flax you'll love the ground chia!
The Chia powder is great and a perfect addition to smoothies. One word of advice…be sure to drink plenty of water when you ingest Chia (unless you've presoaked it) as it absorbs a lot of water. Can result in some tummy troubles otherwise.
thanks for the tip! xo
Andee, curious if you can post a typical food log of what you eat in a day. I love reading your posts and would love to start eating more clean. I've never tried these powders and would love a little guidance. Thanks so much!
Corene
Thanks hun! I have been making an effort to log a few days of what i eat so will post on them soon! xo
I'm the exact same way with the Goji Berries! My coworker eats handfuls but I hate the taste. So I created this granola recipe utilizing them and it's so delicious! Try it! 🙂 http://makeupbylacy.com/?p=2828
Lacy
MakeupbyLacy.com
right?! I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds the taste a little different! Ill def have to check out your recipe
Love this post. I really want to try the Maca powder as I'm coming off birth control pills and need some hormone balance. Do you find it actually boosts libido? I'm so excited to try it out! also picked up goji berries and Chia grounds today:) thanks for the awesome post.
I agree with the Goji berries tasting a little funky.. I have a request, could you do a post on what you wear to the gym? Like where you shop, runners, tanks, crops, etc? Thanks Andee xoxo
Thanks for the request love… I've had one of those posts in the works for forever just need to finalize it! xo
I love reading your health posts. Thanks for explaining 'chia' I've been wondering what it's for-it's all over the place now, GNC, whole foods, blogs! lol thanks I will definitely look into this!
kellysvida.blogspot.com
i know it can all be so overwhelming lol Glad this was helpful for you xo
I use chia seeds and powder often. I put them in smoothies usually, and give them to my kids too. I've been meaning to try goji berries, and I've actually never heard of maca powder. I'll have to check it out. thanks! ~Jenn
http://www.twobytwomom.com
of course hun xo
Hi Andee,
Love your posts! Do you know if there are any issues eating any of these while nursing?
Mel
thats a good question! I think the chia is fine ( I ate it while I was prego) but I would just ask your OB or Pediatrician just to be sure.
Love this post. I really want to try the Maca powder as I'm coming off birth control pills and need some hormone balance. Do you find it actually boosts libido? I'm so excited to try it out! also picked up goji berries and Chia grounds today:) thanks for the awesome post.
I just can't get past the Maca taste. My hubby used to try to sneak it into my lattes but I always knew.
Hey Andee! I am excited to start incorporating Maca into my diet- any suggestions on a good starting dose? I've read anywhere from 1/4 teaspoon to one tablespoon a day. My plan is to add it to smoothies, but I was just wondering if you could recommend a good "beginners" amount. 🙂 Thanks!
Andee, I think you may try this kind of spirulina I got from mercola. It is an organic one and I think it will not make you nauseous at all since I've used it when I was still preggy with my second child.
Hi Andee! I was just going through your nutrition posts because health is important to me and I love eating healthy. Have you tried making coconut banana chia seed pudding? I am hooked! Here is the recipe:
http://veganyackattack.com/2013/04/01/banana-cream-chia-pudding-a-tribute/
We should try to gain the nutrients like iron, potassium, calcium, protein with taking the fruits and vegetables. These have vast quantity of such powerful nutrients.
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