Acai Berries – A Family Superfood

You have probably been hearing a great deal about acai berries lately which are the latest answer when it comes to weight loss.

These are small but easily distinguishable purple and black berries that hail originally from the Amazon rainforests. They are one of the new diet superfoods that are on the market and they are sold as everything from a mash to a juice or even mixed in with yogurt. You can also buy it in powdered form and pill form to help expedite the kind of elimination from your colon that can also speed up weight loss.

Asia berries are classified as super foods because aside from weight loss they offer a very wide range of health benefiters including life extension, free radical fighting and keeping your blood pressure under control. The berry is also a potent immune system booster that can help prevent colds and flues.

One of the unique things about this berry from the rainforest is that it can also help boost energy levels and stamina which assist greatly with our exercise efforts. Some individuals believe that it is actually a mood booster of some sort although technically it is classified as a food both in America and South America.
Also the aecia berry contains very high levels of dietary fiber which can help your digestive system to become more efficient. Less crap is allowed to fester and ferment in your digestive tract and stomach.

This is important, because most people do not take on board sufficient dietary fiber in their normal diet which means that over time, a significant amount of undigested food gets left in your stomach (some claim that there can be up to 20 pounds of ‘rubbish' in your gut that never gets shifted under normal circumstances and that you need to take something that prompts the intestinal process in order to get your bowels moving.)

Hence, as you drink lots more water whilst increasing your consumption of high fiber foodstuffs such as fruit, vegetables and acai, it is quite possible that you will see a very significant weight drop in the first few days as these toxins are flushed out of your system. This could manifest as diarrhea at first but the key is to be patient. Some people suffer this side effect for just a few hours and others for quite a few days as the colon cleans itself out.

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Making Baby Food From Grapes

As summer approaches making baby food from grapes is a good idea. It is a very cooling fruit that is full of immune system boosters and antioxidants. The darker the color of the grapes are the better they are thought to be for you. Grapes contain a lot of vitamin A, most of the Bs, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Sodium, Iron, Zinc and Copper.

When buying grapes for your baby try to buy the organic types as other kinds might be highly contaminated with pesticides. Choose grapes without soft spots or cuts and try to avoid grapes that are imported from Latin and South America as they are more likely to be tainted with pesticides. Wash the grapes well, especially if they are coated with a bit of a dusty looking substance. Be sure that you do not blend any mould into your purees by inspecting each grape to make sure it is not overripe or fermented. Fizzy grapes can cause upset stomach in a baby.

Until your baby is about two years old it is best to peel them and mash them up. They are a choking hazard. The simplest way to make grape baby food is to simply take a cup of grapes and pure them. You do not want to overdo it as it is easy to simply reduce it to grape juice if you blend them too hard. Adding a bit of yogurt can help thicken the mixture.

A nutritious savory baby food recipe using grapes is –
• 1 12 oz. package couscous
• 1 3/4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock/broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup finely mashed up grapes
• 1/2 cup finely diced cooked chicken

Cook the cous cous according to the package directions and then pour into bowl. Add oil and lemon juice. Add the grape mash and the chicken and stir together. If the baby is under a year be sure to puree it before serving.

If you do not have cous cous you can also use any kind of rice or even quinoa. Just make sure that if the baby is under a year to blend the mixture very well. If this tastes bland you can try adding a bit of cheddar cheese or a touch of soy sauce to the mixture as well.

Other foods that go great this a pureed grape mash are blueberries, avocado, peaches, pears, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato, chicken and yogurt.

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