Bananas

You'll never look at bananas the same way again after discovering the health benefits and reasons to add them to your diet! Did you know Bananas can help to combat depression, relieve morning sickness, protect against kidney cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and blindness. Plus they can even cure the itch of a mosquito bite and put a great shine on your shoes. Bet you didn’t know that!!

Facts your probably didn’t know about bananas….

1. Bananas help overcome depression due to high levels of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin -- the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter.

2. Improve your mood and reduce PMS symptoms by simply eating a banana, this regulates blood sugar and produces stress-relieving relaxation.

3. Bananas can act as a prebiotic, helping to stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria your bowel. Plus they also produce digestive enzymes to assist in absorbing nutrients.

4. Bananas can make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. TIP: Eat a banana before an exam to boost your level of potassium.

5. Eating a banana can lower the body temperature and cool you during a fever or on a hot day. Perfect for Summer!

6. Last but not least, bananas are the ultimate snack for on the go plus super affordable! They always readily available and can be used for smoothies, fruit salads and baking!

3 ingredient Protein Banana Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
- 1 banana
- 2 eggs
- 1 scoop of protein powder

METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Lightly spray a medium non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into pan and spread out evenly. Repeat with remaining batter. Cook for 1–2 minutes or until golden. Serve with fresh berries and greek yogurt.

Sweet Cinnamon

Cinnamon is sometimes referred to as one of the healthiest spices in the world.

This superfood may already be sitting in the pantry – and a tiny sprinkle goes a very long way! It’s antioxidants abilities are what makes it especially beneficial to include into your diet. Just as little as 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon added your diet daily can have positive effects on your blood sugar levels, digestion, immunity plus heaps more! Adding a higher dosage of cinnamon can be extremely beneficial as it can help towards improving heart disease risk and even cutting your chances of diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases! AMAZING!!

Just to give you a little bit more on the contents of cinnamon. One single tablespoon of ground cinnamon contains:

0 grams of fat, sugar, or protein
4 grams of fibre
68 percent daily value manganese
8 percent daily value calcium
4 percent daily value iron
3 percent daily value vitamin K

Cinnamon can be included into your diet whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner! For example your morning coffee! Most of us are adding either creamer, milk (whole or skim) sugar, or butter to your coffee to improve its taste at some point. If you're looking for something different, though, try a new twist with a dash of cinnamon. This sweet, sharp spice can do so much more than improve coffee's taste! Adding cinnamon to your morning coffee can prove to be very beneficial. According to a research conducted, the simple act of smelling cinnamon can help to improve your processing capabilities and ingesting the spice is even more beneficial. The study participants were better able to complete tasks when eating cinnamon, and improved their attention overall. This is due to cinnamons ability to improve your brain's cognitive processing, spur brain function altogether, and help you master your visual and motor responses! Hopefully this makes you think twice before adding sugar to your coffee!

To help you start introducing more cinnamon into your diet, below are my fav cinnamon inspired recipe!

Golden Cinnamon Sweet Potato

INGREDIENTS
1 Medium sized sweet potato, diced
1 - 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Drizzle of olive oil or coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 400 Degrees F. Toss the sweet potato in the cinnamon ensuring all the sweet potato pieces are evenly covered, place on a baking tray in the oven until golden brown. Serve with a fresh salad, add to your omelette or by itself for a healthy snack!

Egg-Cellent Eggs

Eggs, which have been a usual part of many people’s breakfast, definitely have a place on SophiaFIT’s Superfoods list. They are loaded with nutrients and as they can take up to four hours to digest, this protein can actually help you lose weight!!

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient our bodies require! They truly are the perfect food to be added into our diet!

One Eggs contains the following:
* Vitamin A
* Folate
* Vitamin B5
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin B2
* Phosphorus
* Selenium

Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc!

Along with containing all of the above, they are a great source of inexpensive, high quality protein with more than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white!

Instead of loading you up with a plethora of facts about Eggs, I thought I’d just choose one!

Did you know that eating eggs can help you lose weight? I know this may come as a surprise to those who thought eggs were fattening or unhealthy, but a study carried out by the Rochester Center for Obesity Research found that eating eggs for breakfast helps limit your calorie intake all day, by more than 400 calories. That means you could lose three pounds or more per month.

The high level of protein in which eggs contain help keep you fuller for longer therefore decreasing the chances of you reaching for that mid-morning snack or over eating at lunch!

Don’t have time in the morning to cook your eggs?? Cook them the night before or meal prep on Sunday! Boiled eggs last for safely up to a week in the refrigerator after they were cooked or prep your omelette the night before whilst cooking your dinner!

It doesn’t stop there!! The use of eggs extends past the kitchen! Egg whites can be used for face masks to help tighten your pores and cure acne problems. For a quick and easy Hydrating Egg Facemasks all you need to do is combine 1 egg white , ¼ ripe avocado and 1 teaspoon yogurt!

Hopefully this weeks Superfood Series Blog has helped provide you some insight into how amazing eggs are! If you are stuck for ideas on how to incorporate eggs into your diet, both my Nutrition E Book & 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook contain plenty of recipes showing the versatility of eggs! Alternatively send me an email at sophia@sophiafit.com as we can work on meal plan together!

King Kale

If you are still yet to try Kale, now may be the perfect time! This nutritional powerhouse supports healthy skin, hair, and bones. With more nutritional value than spinach, Kale should definitely make its way onto your weekly shopping list if its not there already!!

Kales nutrients can help boost wellbeing and prevent a range of health problems. It contains fibre, antioxidants, calcium and vitamin K. As well as a good source of vitamin C and iron. Kale will not only add nutritional value but colour to salads and side dishes!

Kale Fast Facts!

- Kale is high in fibre and contains zero fat
- Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.
- Kale is a great cardiovascular support
- Great detox food: the fibre and sulphur in kale helps to detoxify the body, keeping your liver healthy!

Kale’s versatility allows you to easily add to any of your meals throughout the day! You can enjoy it raw in salads or on sandwiches or wraps, steamed, baked, sautéed or added to soups and casseroles.

In salads: When using kale raw in salads, massage the leaves with coconut oil or olive oil. Then add your favourite spices or herbs to give them a boost of This begins the breakdown of the cellulose in the leaves and helps release the nutrients for easier absorption.

As a side dish: Sauté fresh garlic and onions in extra-virgin olive oil until soft. Add kale and continue to sauté until desired tenderness. Alternatively, steam for 5 minutes, then drain and stir in a dash of Tamara and tahini.

Kale chips: Massage kale with extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil and sprinkle with a combination of cumin, curry powder or chilli flakes. Bake at 275 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes to desired crispness.

Smoothies: Add a handful of kale to your favourite smoothie. It will add nutrients without changing the flavour very much so you will hardly notice it :)

Keep your eyes peeled for next weeks Superfood Series Post! I would love to hear what your favourite superfoods are! Comment below or leave me a message on facebook! ENJOY!

Let's Sweet Potato It Up!

Yes I am talking about the ever so humble sweet potato. These Orange-fleshed vegetables may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene! Not only are sweet potatoes readily available, inexpensive, and delicious, they have many other benefits for your health.

Before I go through a few delicious & nutritious recipes, here are just few amazing benefits...

1. They provide kind carbohydrates that don't induce a sugar crash
While white potatoes’ high glycemic index mean that their carbohydrates are quickly converted into sugar and a corresponding elevation in blood sugar levels, sweet potatoes are different. They fall much lower on the glycemic index which is better for avoiding sugar crashes and better for diabetes control, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Sweet potatoes in moderate amounts can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels even for those with diabetes.

2. They keep your digestion running and help beat disease
One medium sweet potato with skin provides roughly between 4 to 6 grams of fiber which although isn’t the highest fiber source from plants but it sure does pack a punch! And plus we all know the benefits that fiber has on our bodies!!

3. Help with treating inflammation
Sweet potatoes prevent and fight inflammation in the body. As the protein it contains helps the plant repair itself after damage or bruising and this protein acts as an anti-inflammatory in our body. They also are a great source to replace inflammatory food culprits like wheat!

This ones for the ladies..
4. They could help conquer PMS blues
While huge amounts of manganese aren’t healthy, experts estimate that up to 37 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of manganese in their diet. Along with promoting good bone health, studies show that boosting manganese intake from 1 mg to 5.6 mg of dietary manganese per day helped women with PMS to have fewer mood swings and cramps. For those asking what is Manganese, it is a mineral that is found in several foods including nuts, legumes, seeds, tea, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. It is considered an essential nutrient, because the body requires it to function properly!

RECIPE TIME!! I have compiled a few recipes that you can include in your weekly meals! All are quick & easy and of course, healthy!

Sweet Potato Oats (Serves 2)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rolled oats, GF for gluten-free eaters (another alternative is quinoa flakes or buckwheat)
1 small sweet potato, steamed and pureed
1-2 Teaspoons maple syrup, honey or rice malt syrup
(something sweet)
½  tsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of flax seed
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
Handful of pecans

METHOD
1. To roast your sweet potato, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 F) and cut a sweet potato in half and lightly coat with olive oil or coconut oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until soft and tender.
2. Mash your sweet potato and set aside.
3. Once cooled down, stir in sweet potato puree with oats, sweetener of choice, cinnamon, flax seed, chia seeds and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavor/seasonings as desired. If mixture is too thick, add a splash of non-dairy milk (such as almond).
4. Divide oats between two serving bowls and sprinkle with Pecans. Add a drizzle of honey for more sweetness. Enjoy immediately or place in jar to enjoy during the week!
 

Baked Chilli Sweet Potato ( serves 2)
INGREDIENTS
2 Small to Medium sized Sweet Potatoes
Cup of Black beans
½ Cup Diced Cucumber
½ Cup of Diced Tomatoes
Tablespoon of Greek yogurt
Tablespoon of fresh or dried chilli
Fresh Lime

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Poke holes into your sweet potatoes and bake them on a baking sheet (don't wrap them in foil), for about 40-45 minutes or until they're tender
3. Remove from the oven. Slice them open, and scoop out a little bit to make room for your stuffing.
4. Stuff with black beans, cucumber, tomato and top with greek yogurt.
5. Sprinkle some chilli on top and dig in.

Sweet Potato Brownies (Serves 12)
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
½ teaspoon vanilla powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
1 large sweet potato, cooked in the oven until soft, skin removed & pureed
3 eggs, whisked
¼ cup coconut oil
⅓ cup rice malt syrup or honey

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 185 °C (365 °F)
2. Combine sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, honey and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl and stir together until well incorporated. Then add cacao powder, cinnamon, pinch of salt, protein powder (optional), baking powder and stir. Finally add coconut flour. Avoid adding too much coconut flour as it will absorb too much moisture which will leave you with dry brownies..
3. Once combined, pour the mixture into a baking tray lined with lightly greased baking paper.
4. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove the tin and cool for 5-10 minutes before carefully removing the brownies from the tin. Cut them into squares and dust with a little cacao powder. Serve with raspberries or strawberries and maybe some greek yogurt or coconut yogurt to be extra decadent.