Detoxify and Fight Aging with Mung Beans

Discovering healthy foods is an adventure sometimes. You hear about them because of study’s findings, sometimes a comedian cracks a joke about angelenos living off mung beans and sprouts. You might not think of jokester as a health news source, but they are on to something observing what healthy foodies eat.

Yes, mung beans are a nutrient dense food. They are a member of the legume family and are a good source of protein for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Mung beans are considered to be a cleansing food. Highly regarded in Ayurvedic cooking, mung beans are a blend of soluble and unsoluble fibers which are super easy to digest, and help cleanse and tonify your colon. 

Having a healthy gut is crucial in this day and age when so many off our foods are overly processed and full of chemicals. Detoxification happens in our gut, and having it working properly well make everything about us healthier. You’ll keep the pounds off, fight the signs of aging, and have loads of energy when everyone else is home with a cold. 

In addition to protein and fiber, mung beans are a great source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Filling up your body with this yummy, goodness will also result in lower cholesterol levels, breast cancer prevention, reducing heart problems, and maintaining healthy vision with this low cal bean.

I’ve brought home a bag or two of mung beans from the grocery store. I’ve used them as a salad topper. I’ve sautéd them, but unless you grew up with them, you’re not really sure what to do with them. Luckily, I’ve found some great ways to make mung beans part of my everyday healthy life, and it’s especially awesome when it can be done in the most of savory ways.

First off, sprout you own magic beans by washing and soaking them overnight in plenty of filtered water. The next day give them good rinse, and leave the damp beans in a bowl on the counter. Make sure they’re out of direct sunlight. Once a day give them a through rinse and drain. By day three your little guys will have sprouted a tail, and they are ready to pack you full of nutrients and health. 

Keep your protein packed sprouts in the fridge for up to a week, and try some of these amazing and delicious recipes. These of course are a small sampling. Mung beans have been part of healthy, and delicious eating for centuries because their health benefits can truly heal the body.

Middle-Eastern Ayurvedic Falafel

• 1 cup of soaked (overnight) Mung Beans
• 1 small Onion chopped
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic
• 1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro and Parsley
• 1-2 tsp each Cumin Seeds and Coriander Seeds
• 1 tsp each Red Pepper flakes and Turmeric
• 3-5 tsp Potato Starch (optional – this helps to bind them into patties and give a crispy texture)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Cook soaked mung beans in pressure cooker or stock pot
• In a food processor, add all the ingredients mentioned above (except potato starch) along with cooked mung beans, and grind into a coarse texture.
• Mix mixture with potato starch to form falafel balls.
• Once you form all the balls keep them in the fridge for about 30-40 mins to set and firm up.
• Flatten these balls and place them in a skillet over low-medium heat with two drops of olive oil
• Flip them after couple of minutes to cook on the other side, and voila.

If you’re feeling energetic, try making one of these Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Black Mung Bean Curry. You’ll be the hit of the party. Blow your friends’ minds with this healthy twist, on the usual not good for you dish.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Black Mung Bean Curry

Crust

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping

• 1 cup black mung beans, soaked 2 hours
• 1 inch piece kombu
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil or 1/4 cup veggie broth
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Water

Spiced Cauliflower

• Remaining cauliflower, in small florets
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Crust

• Take 3/4ths of the head of cauliflower and grate it into a large bowl. Save the remaining 1/4th for the topping by cutting it up into small florets and placing in a bowl. Or save yourself time and pulse the 3/4th amount in a food processor until grated but not a paste.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place grated cauliflower in a large bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients until well combined. Make sure that the gelled chia is mixed thoroughly into the cauliflower. Use your hands to knead it all together. Spread out cauliflower onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Carefully form a rectangle about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Bake for 30 minutes.

Topping

• Heat up oil or broth in saucepan and saute onion with spices for a few minutes. Drain soaked mung beans and add them along with water to cover. Bring to boil and cover. Simmer until tender. Drain and remove kombu. Season with a little sea salt.
• Meanwhile, heat up skillet and add remaining cauliflower and all ingredients for Spiced Cauliflower, except cilantro. Bring to a boil, then simmer with lid on until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Check on your mung beans.
• To assemble: Spread a layer of mung beans along with pizza crust. Sprinkle the cauliflower across the top of the mung beans and garnish with chopped cilantro.

These are few samples of what you can do with mung beans. Discover for yourself what you can do with this amazing bean. You can make anything from simple salads for on the go eating to creating gourmet meals for the whole family. Mung beans may not be the sexiest of names. Maybe all you visualize is those crunchy noodles like I did from the grocery, but with a little creativity, you can make them the main entree of your dinner table.

Moringa: The Asian Superfood You Should Be Eating.

What I find so interesting about the latest health food discoveries is they aren’t newly produced foods. Instead we’re seeing food staples, which have been around for centuries, becoming the latest finds. I had the thought when I discovered Baobab, and couldn’t wait for my local health food store to call me when my special order arrived. Moringa is giving me the same kind of tingles.

One morning when my brain was still kind of fuzzy, I heard a reporter on NPR sharing her childhood superfood story of moringa. I’d never heard of this “superfood,” and it was the first I searched for when I turned on my computer. What is moringa? More important though, where can I get some?

Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing tree native to South Asia and now found throughout the tropics. Its leaves have been used as part of traditional medicine for centuries. The Ayurvedic system of medicine; the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit; associates it with the cure or prevention of about 300 diseases.

Moringa, sometimes described as the “miracle tree,” “drumstick tree,” or “horseradish tree,” has small, rounded leaves that are packed with an incredible amount of nutrition: protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium to name a few benefits. It’s been used medicinally (and as a food source) for at least 4,000 years.

Yes, the moringa trees is seriously amazing. No wonder it’s been around for so long. So what exactly does it does it do for the human body?

Moringa leaves are loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and more. One hundred grams of dry moringa leaf contains:

• 9 times the protein of yogurt
• 10 times the vitamin A of carrots
• 15 times the potassium of bananas
• 17 times the calcium of milk
• 12 times the vitamin C of oranges
• 25 times the iron of spinach

Moringa leaves are rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid by the way, has been shown to slow cells absorption of sugar. Also, moringa appears to have anti-diabetic effects. One study found women who took seven grams of moringa leaf powder daily, for three months, reduced their fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5 percent.

Moringa is also great if you’re dealing with inflammation. The isothiocyanates, flavonoids, and phenolic acids in moringa can help reducing swelling and pain due to flare ups. Also, you can lower your cholesterol levels by making moringa part of your diet.

Your digestive system will also love moringa. It’s so high in fiber, the Epoch Times says it, “works like a mop in your intestines… to clean up any of that extra grunge left over from a greasy diet.” 

Alright so many benefits, but the big question? How do you eat this? 

Unless you have moringa tree growing in your backyard, the best way probably is in powder form. If you can make it to an asian supermarket you might be able to find moringa leaves and pods. You can use the leaves in the same way you would spinach. And pods can be used like green beans. Give them a little steam to soften them up, and viola, nutrition heaven awaits you. Here’s a simple recipe for using moringa leaves.

Moringa Leaf Loaf

• Cooked lentils, quinoa, pinto beans, garbanzo beans - about 4 cups
• Freshly picked Moringa Oleifera leaves - lots of them
• Olive oil and/or butter - 1/4 cup
• Several minced fresh garlic cloves or garlic salt
• Sea salt and/or whatever spices you like
• Wheat germ - 1/2 cup
• Chia seeds - 1/4 cup, ground in nut mill or coffee grinder
• 2 eggs 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 

Lightly grease loaf pan with olive oil or butter. Bake 45 minutes.  

Let rest 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

Otherwise, you can go the simpler route and find moringa leaf powder. Use it in your favorite dishes. Moringa has a "pecany-spinach" taste - sort of like "nutty" greens. Sprinkle it on eggs, veggies, or maybe your favorite vegetarian chile for a little kick.

Make it part of your smoothie rotation with this simple recipe.

Moringa Green Smoothie Recipe

• 2-4 leaves of kale or chard
• 1 banana
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter
• 1 date
• ½ - ¾ cups coconut water
• 1 Tbsp. cacao powder
• ½ tsp. moringa leaf
• 1 cup ice 

Place all smoothie ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

However you enjoy this amazing superfood make sure not to buy any powder or variations of the root. There is a neurotoxin in the root bark, which can be fatal, if taken in large enough quantities. No one appears to know the exact amount, so the best advice is - don't eat the root. 

Don’t let the disclaimer scare you from this superfood. Yes, every piece of this tree can be used, but not every piece is meant to be eaten. Other than that, enjoy discovering this amazing “new” food which has only been used for the last 4,000 years. Hey, better late than never when it comes to health.

Electrolytes: Realign Your Post Workout Recovery

The thermometer has been in the triple digits recently, and unfortunately for us, it doesn’t seem like the heat is going to give up anytime soon. Working out in this weather does burn more calories, but we’re also sweating out crucial water and electrolytes. You probably think of the sidelines sports cliche. Football coach being doused with a thermos of Gatorade after the big game, when you think of electrolytes. There is a reason though, why this drink is a must for a athletes.

As the body loses electrolytes through sweat, the imbalance can result in symptoms like muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea, and mental confusion. If the electrolyte supply stays low, muscles may not fully recover, and could explain why the next day is a little painful to walk. It’s all about keeping your body in balance. Losing electrolytes means your body needs more sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and bicarbonates to help retain fluids, and maintain proper fluid balance. 

Why are these guys so important to replenish?

Sodium

If you loose too much sodium while sweating, it can lead to muscle cramps, and in some cases hyponatremia (low blood sodium) – both can lead to a decrease in performance, and can cause major health complications. Sodium is critical for maintaining fluid balance, nerve function, muscle contractions, and acid-base balance.

Potassium

Potassium together with sodium helps alleviate and prevent muscle cramps.

Calcium

We know calcium is crucial for healthy bones, but did you you know it also know it has a major impact on the metabolism of essential nutrients, and proper physiological functions. It regulates muscle contractions and heart rhythm during periods of intense working out.

Magnesium

Similar to how sodium and potassium function together, magnesium and calcium do the same. Calcium is essential for muscle contractions; magnesium aids in helping muscles relax.

Bicarbonates

Sodium bicarbonate buffers lactic acid in the blood. During exercise, lactic acid builds up which stresses the anaerobic glycolysis energy system. When this energy system becomes disrupted, the acid accumulations inhibit muscle contractions, which leads to fatigue. Replenish your sodium bicarbonates and good bye fatigue. You’ll also be enhancing your endurance capacity.

You start losing electrolytes about an hour into working out, making those studios classes a sweet spot. You might not be on the field like a football player, but taking an intense spx pilates class, followed by a day in the heat makes workout recovery necessary. Nobody wants those sore muscles the next day.

Don’t think a sugary sports drink is the only way to give your body some post workout love. You can eat your way to electrolyte recovery with these five foods to increase electrolytes naturally. 

Most fruits and vegetables

Apples, corn, beets, carrots and green beans, are all rich in electrolytes. Other electrolyte-laden fruits and veggies include limes, lemons, oranges, sweet potatoes, artichokes, and all types of squash and tomatoes.

Nuts and seeds

Most nuts and seeds are very high in electrolytes. Add some almonds, cashews, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds or pistachios to workout bag, and your muscles will thank you.

Beans

Lima, red, mung, white and pinto beans are the highest in mineral-rich electrolytes.

Dark Leafy Greens

Most greens are a great source of the major required electrolytes. Spinach, in particular, is high in minerals. You can choose from kale, beet greens, mustard greens, bok choy and chard, to name a few. Each of these greens holds sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, as well as “prebiotics” that foster good gut flora and digestion.

Bananas

A great source of electrolytes. Potassium is a key form of electrolytes, and this sweet fruit it one of the richest sources of potassium on the planet.

If you want to drink your electrolytes without adding unnecessary calories try one of this DIY recipes.  

Cucumber Lime Electrolyte Refresher

½ cucumber

2 limes, peeled

1½ cups coconut water

Juice the cucumber and lime in a juicer. Mix the juice with coconut water. Enjoy chilled or over ice.

Homemade Gatorade Recipe

3 cups water

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

Toss all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Enjoy chilled or over ice.

Watermelon Electrolyte Booster

1 quarter of a watermelon, seeded

2 large glasses of coconut water

A pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Enjoy!

Herbal Cooler

4 cups herbal tea (something citrus preferably)

2-4 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup

1/4 tsp. sea salt

A few drops of trace mineral drops, such as Concentrace (optional)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly, and store in the fridge. Drink chilled or over ice.

DIY Electrolyte Sports Drink

1/2 liter of ginger water (recipe below)

1 liter of water

Juice of 3 small lemons

1/2 tsp. sea salt (you can add a bit more if you’d like)

Stevia to taste

Ginger Water:

1 medium-sized ginger root

1 liter of water

Liquid Stevia, to taste

Cut ginger into large coins and place into a large pot. Add water. Bring water to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep until cool. Add liquid stevia to taste and store in airtight container in the fridge.

Whether you’re running outdoors or inside an air conditioned studio, making sure you’re hydrated and electrolyte balanced will make for happy muscles, and a happy you. We can’t control the weather, but at least we can control how well we treat ourselves. 

Dextox Supefood Kefir. Drink Your Way To Health

Oh the grocery store, where some days you have it down to a science, and can get in and out the building like a ninja. Other days, you wonder how you spent two hours reading labels for almost every product you’d been curious about. It’s how I ended up with kefir in my cart one day, and now this probiotic superfood is part of my daily life. 

I’d always thought of kefir as a “drinkable yogurt,” and wasn’t exactly sure what the difference was between the two. I thought consistency was the only real difference, but I was way off base. Kefir has been through a fermenting process. After this 24 hour process, kefir now has 10 to 20 strains of probiotics [in kefir], which is three times what you would find in yogurt. 

Why should you care about probiotics? Simply put, probiotics help keep everything moving. When we eat clean, exercise, and hydrate our goal is to keep everything in balance and release the toxins. It’s why we love a good sweat during our workout, your body is detoxing, and you can feel it happening.

Our guts or digestive system also need to be taken care with the same thinking in mind. You think it’s just the kidneys processing toxins, but it’s everything starting from our mouth, all the way to our gall bladder. 75% of your immune system is housed in your digestive system, and with the help of kefier, you can help it work properly with it’s good bacterias and vitamins. 

Kefir is right up there with the other superfoods like kale, chia seeds, and blueberries for the multitude of health benefits you’ll receive. Drink it regularly and you’ll

• Boost your immunity

• Heal inflammatory bowel disease

• Build bone density

• Fight allergies

• Improve lactose digestion

• Kill candida

• Support detoxification

If you’re lactose intolerant or trying to reduce the amount of dairy you consume, don’t worry, through the fermentation process kefir loses much of it’s sugar or ‘lactose’ as it’s more commonly known, and you end up with lactic acid instead. How?

Fermented foods go through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics. All the good stuff our body wants and needs.

People have been drinking kefir for centuries. Before refrigeration and all these modern conveniences, people did a lot of canning, preserving, and pickling. Without knowing it, people created superfoods, and have been reaping the benefits for centuries. 

Its unique name comes from the Turkish word “keif”, which means “good feeling.” Maybe because tryptophan, an amino acid, is also found in kefir, which we all know is found in turkey. It’s what puts you in the ‘let’s sit on the couch’ and lounge mode. Now you can have the same feeling of relaxation without eating a monster holiday meal.

Kefir is a great way to get extra protein in your diet without extra calories. A single serving of plain, non-fat kefir has less than 100 calories, but provides 10.5 grams of protein, which can help you feel fuller without extra fat. Great for late night when you’re craving a snack or some ice cream. Why not add this healthy alternative into your diet? Just watch out for added calories and sugar if you purchase flavored kefir.

With the benefits of kefir becoming more well, there are so many different brands and varieties of kefir available. You can choose from cow, goat, coconut or water base, and if you’re not a fan of the plain flavored tart taste. You have anything from pomegranate, mangos, or peaches blended into you kefir.

Are you curious about kefir now? I hope so. It tastes greats. Comes in so many varieties. And when you want to feel like you’re having a cheat moment, you’re really not. Kefir tastes amazing, and you’ll feel so good after you stomach is coated with some probiotic goodness. 

Why not put it your morning smoothie? You’ll be starting off the day right, and your body will treat you right the rest of the day, and everyday.