and reishi
mushrooms
that has been
micronized
to help aid
absorption.
Supplements include New Chapter Life Shield
products and Fungi Perfecti Host Defense. Fungus Among Us offers a variety of dried mushrooms and finished
goods such as truffle mustard and
dried soup packs.
Red Rice. This nutrient-rich carbohydrate base delivers key minerals for
heart health. Red rice offers potassium, which works in opposition to
sodium, offering blood-pressure-regu-lating benefits; and magnesium,
which works in opposition to calcium,
and is responsible for the relaxation
of the heart muscles potassium as well
as helping turn off our fight-or-flight
response within cells, thus acting as a
natural stress reducer. Red rice also
contains anthocyanins, noted above as
a class of plant nutrients known for
their cardio-protective benefits. Lotus
Foods Bhutan Red Rice and truRoots
Accents Rice blend are easy ways to
quickly get the benefits of this nutrient-rich food.
Sacha Inchi. Also known as Incan
peanuts, sacha inchi delivers several
heart-healthy nutrients such as a pow-
erful dose of omega- 3 fatty acids, an-
tioxidant vitamins (A , E) and fiber (if
eating the seed) to help optimize cho-
lesterol levels, scavenge free radicals
and reduce inappropriate inflamma-
tion. Some companies that offer prod-
ucts using sacha
inchi are Sacha
Vida and Sunfood.
SaviSeed has also
developed a line of
snacks that includes
certified organic
chocolate-covered
and “karmalized”
sacha inchi.
Fungus Among Us Soups
SaviSeed
Chocolate-covered
“Incan Peanuts”
Closing Thoughts
Whether adding one or all of these healthy ingredients to products
or recipes, remember that the biggest nutrition upgrade of all is exchanging a chemically produced ingredient for a certified organic ingredient. So continue to source organic ingredients that deliver
optimal energy from food and beverages by giving the body what it recognizes and as a result uses most efficiently. o
Ashley Koff, R.D. ( www.AshleyKoffRD.com) has been named one of
the Top 10 Registered Dietitians in the U.S. by Today’s Dietitian Mag-
azine and is the co-author of Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live
Fully Charged (Hay House, September 2011) and founder of the “AKA
stamp of approval,” which helps consumers identify products that
meet a high standard of nutrition and marketing integrity. Ashley
maintains a private practice, regularly lectures
and works to educate healthcare professionals and the
media in an effort to improve the quality of food choices as
part of her quality eating mission (Qualitarian). Ashley is
the featured dietitian on the CW’S Sheddingforthe Wed-
ding and Lifetime’s Love Handles as well as a health and
nutrition expert on national media outlets, including Dr.
Oz, CBS’s The Early Show, Good Morning America Health,
The Doctors, CNN and E! You can reach Ashley at
aka@ashleykoffapproved.com.
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