Super Foods Uncovered

April 6, 2016

Sounds like something super heroes would eat but actually it's just a word used to describe highly nutrient dense foods. It's not really it's own category of food, but what the word 'super food' does refer to is mostly plant based foods that are very dense in nutrition, for example ice burg lettuce IS NOT a super food, but blueberries are.

There are many super foods and in my opinion everyone should do their best to get as many of these foods into their daily life as possible. Simply because they are like little morsels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and more!

All food is made up of ‘macro nutrients’ and ‘micro nutrients’. Macro nutrients are carbs, fats, sugars and proteins. Micro nutrients are minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. See the difference?

I combine a lot of these foods in my GetSetBody program and Chef Kats recipes. ALL the weekly menu plans guide you to live by these rules of highly dense, nutrient packed meals at every meal. Super foods included! Check it out at www.sameastwood.com

Super foods tend to be the foods that are densely packed with ‘micro nutrients’.

Here is a wonderful list and as always, the highest quality forms of these foods are the best choice. Organic, Non GMO and purchased from a trusted reliable source.

Turmeric grams anti inflammatory properties and great benefits to the liver
Coconut Oil anti parasitic, research shows helps to prevent Alzheimer's and other neurological problems, great for focus, clarity and body lubrication
Chia Seeds filled with healthy fats & protein
Raw Cacao one of the highest sources of magnesium, a mineral your body uses for more than 300 chemical reactions (such as building bones and converting food to energy).
Beet Juice a well known cancer fighting food and dense with minerals and vitamins,
Sweet Potatoes grams the intense color of these starchy veggies lets you know they are filled with beta-carotene, vitamin A and you entire daily supply of almost all the vitamins and minerals a boy needs!
Eggs Each egg has 6 grams of protein but just 72 calories. And vitamin D, BUT REMEMBER not to over cook them!
Dried plums (prunes) They're packed with polyphenols, plant chemicals that have been shown to boost bone density by stimulating your bone-building cells.
Walnuts Just 14 walnut halves provide more than twice your daily dose of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat that's been shown to improve memory and coordination.
Brussels sprouts They have more glucosinolates (compounds that combat cancer and detoxify our bodies) than any other vegetable.
Acai juice A glass or two of this anthocyanin-rich berry juice can dramatically boost the amount of antioxidants in your blood. Careful with the amount of sugar used to sweeten most store bough Acai products.
Apples They contain quercetin, an antioxidant that may reduce your risk of lung cancer.
Bok choy This calcium-rich veggie can protect your bones and may even ward off PMS symptoms.
Steel-cut oats Because they're less processed than traditional oats, they're digested more slowly—keeping you full all morning long.
Salmon You'll get all the heart-smart omega-3s you need in a day from just 3 oz.
Avocados Their healthy fat keeps you satisfied and helps you absorb other nutrients.
Spinach A half-cup provides more than five times your daily dose of vitamin K, which helps blood clot and builds strong bones.
Cauliflower White foods can be good for you! This one is packed with cancer-fighting glucosinolates.
Scallops A 3-oz serving has 14 grams of protein but just 75 calories.
Collard greens They're exploding with nutrients like vitamin A, zeaxanthin and lutein, which keep your eyes healthy. Wink wink…
Olives They deliver the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat you get in olive oil, but for just 7 calories per jumbo olive!
Brown rice It's a top source of magnesium, a mineral your body uses for more than 300 chemical reactions (such as building bones and converting food to energy).
Oysters These keep your immune system strong. A 3-oz serving (about 6 oysters) dishes up a quarter of your daily iron, plus nearly twice the zinc and all the selenium you need in a day.
Edamame One cup has a whopping 22 grams of plant protein, as well as lots of fiber, folate and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
Strawberries They're loaded with ellagitannins, phytochemicals that may halt the growth of cervical and colon cancers.
Lentils A great source of meat-free protein, a half-cup of cooked lentils also gives you nearly half your daily folate, a B vitamin that protects a woman's unborn baby from neural tube defects.
Kiwifruit (kiwi) Italian researchers found that it reduces asthma-related wheezing, thanks to its high vitamin C content (one kiwi has 110% of your daily requirement).
Black beans They're loaded with protein, fiber, and flavonoids—antioxidants that help your arteries stay relaxed and pliable.
Sunflower seeds A quarter-cup delivers half your day's vitamin E, which keeps your heart healthy and fights infection.
Sardines 3 oz provide more than 100% of your daily vitamin D. Sardines are also a top source of omega-3 fats. Try adding mashed canned sardines to marinara sauce and serving over whole-wheat pasta.
Asparagus A half-cup supplies 50% of your daily bone-building vitamin K and a third of your day's folate, it's a natural diuretic so it banishes bloating, too.
Bananas They're loaded with several kinds of good-for-you fiber, including resistant starch (which helps you slim down).
Broccoli sprouts They have 10 times more of the cancer-preventing compound glucoraphanin than regular broccoli.
Fat-free milk With a third of the calcium and half the vitamin D you need in a day, plus 8 grams u of muscle-building protein, it's the ultimate energy drink.
Baked potatoes Each one packs a megadose of blood-pressure–lowering potassium—even more than a banana.
Sweet potatoes Half of a large baked sweet potato delivers more than 450% of your daily dose of vitamin A, which protects your vision and your immune system.
Flaxseed Not only is flaxseed loaded with plant omega-3s, it also has more lignans (compounds that may prevent endometrial and ovarian cancer) than any other food. Store ground flaxseed in your refrigerator and sprinkle on yogurt, cold cereal or oatmeal.
Dried tart cherries Researchers at Michigan State University found their potent anthocyanins help control blood sugar, reduce insulin and lower cholesterol.
Blackberries The king of the berry family boasts more antioxidants than strawberries, cranberries or blueberries.
Mustard greens These "greens" (actually a cruciferous veggie) are a top source of vitamin K. For a tasty pesto, chop them in a food processor with garlic, walnuts, Parmesan and olive oil.
Grapes They're a leading source of resveratrol, the plant chemical responsible for the heart-healthy benefits of red wine.
Brazil nuts They have more selenium than any other food. One nut delivers your entire day's worth!
Blueberries They improve memory by protecting your brain from inflammation and boosting communication between brain cells.
Watercress With just 4 calories per cup, this cruciferous veggie delivers a hefty dose of vitamin K, zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Turkey breast It has 20 grams of satisfying protein but just 90 calories per 3-oz serving.
Barley A top source of beta-glucan, a fiber that lowers cholesterol and helps control blood sugar.
Shiitake mushrooms One serving (about ¼ lb) provides as much vitamin D as you'd get from a glass of milk.

HOW EASY IS THAT!

DON'T BE SHY SUPER HEROES, EAT UP!

SamX

An "eating out" guide to your meal plan

January 18, 2016

A word on Nutrient Dense Food:

This program is designed to provide you with a multitude of recipes that will point you in the direction of optimal health. Some recipes are super fast and simple while others take a bit longer, but each one is nutrient dense and delicious so you feel satisfied and nourished ALL day.

We’re hoping that throughout the course of a month you’ll acquire new skills and a taste for new foods via the recipes that have all been derived from my years of cooking for Hollywood’s A-list.

Each meal is based on the food I’ve cooked for past clients who were committed to having the BEST health and bodies for life, and my aim is to share these gems with you.

This program may seem pricy when you hit the checkout but please keep this in mind… By cooking your own meals at home with the best ingredients you can afford you’ll save yourself from the empty-calorie pitfalls of cheap take-out and costly sodium, sugar, and fat saturated restaurant meals. Plus many of the recipes provide you with leftovers that are intended to be used in subsequent meals or frozen for meals down the road when you just don’t feel like cooking.

The point is to buy what YOU can afford… if organic fruits and vegetables are out of your budget then just focus on FRESH food, or buy frozen when that’s what makes sense. Keep an eye on your local grocery store’s sales, very often you can get great meat and fish on offer that can easily be frozen for later use. Hit the farmers market when you have the time, you’ll never get fresher fruits and vegetables than what you can get in-season directly from a farmer, and often you’ll find it at a great price.

Americans on average are accustomed to government subsidized food ingredients and products, so the cost of buying the wholesome foods and ingredients recommended in this program may seem high. But we want you to eat beautifully, for LIFE, and if that means you have to budget a little extra for your food each month and cut back in other areas then we think that it’s 100% worth it.

Tips for making healthy choices while eating out of the house:

Appetizers:

If you’re out with a group and appetizers are being ordered either (preferably) skip this part of the meal or stick to the lightest item available… lettuce cups, shrimp cocktail, edamame, or a small salad with dressing on the side. Absolutely avoid anything breaded or fried!

Bread:

If possible ask your server to not to bring the bread-basket, it’s not even worth the temptation.

For your entree:

A bowl of broth or tomato based soup and a small side salad with dressing on the side is an easy choice that nearly every restaurant can accommodate. Likewise common appetizers such as shrimp cocktail, ahi tartar, or lettuce cups with a small cup of soup or a side salad can make for a nice, light dinner.

Another good thing to go for would be a piece of protein such as salmon, chicken, or a petit filet with a serving of steamed vegetables; look for words such as grilled, broiled, baked, or roasted, and avoid anything creamy or fried.

The portion size at most restaurants is generous to say the least so follow the rule of thumb that a sensible portion size is about a deck of cards. Box up anything additional right when the food arrives to the table and take the leftovers home for lunch. Skip the starch unless the restaurant offers something healthful such as quinoa or roast sweet potato, and then only eat what would fit in the palm of your hand.

Dessert:

Skip it!! While everyone else is having dessert order a tea or a coffee and revel in your powers of self control.

Fast Food:

Sometimes it’s IMPOSSIBLE to avoid a trip to a fast food restaurant… in these instances look for an entree salad and order it with a vinaigrette style dressing on the side. Some places also now offer lettuce in place of a bun, that way you can order a burger or a chicken breast sandwich with slightly less guilt. Ditch the cheese and opt for mustard instead of high sugar ketchup or a “secret sauce".

Enjoy! x

Why am I so hungry after I workout?

December 4, 2015

I get this question a lot. Why is it that when I work out I'm so hungry afterwards?

It's a pretty simple answer but it's good to know the science behind it.

Imagine filling up your car with fuel till it's full and then getting in your car and you take a really long road trip the car is working really hard to get you From point a to point B. After driving in the car for many many hours and many many miles you happen to look down at the fuel tank and noticed that your warning light is on your almost empty you better find a gas station quick. Fortunately you do without incident but you pull over and fill it to the top once again.

Our bodies are so very similar to this, we wake up in the morning we eat breakfast and then we spend our day doing x y and z and by the time lunch rolls around our fuel tank is about halfway empty so you eat again and then you decide after work that you might go for a work out even though you're feeling a little bit hungry. All of that exertion all that activity burns calories it uses up all the food you had throughout the day and now your tank is on empty and you go to work out and now you really are running on fumes having used up every last bit of fuel your body could possibly find.

So by the time you leave the gym you are famished. It's really just about fuel and burning that fuel and replacing that fuel and how quickly you do it how slow you do it how quickly you burn calories and how quickly you replenish them.

Some people don't have an appetite at all after they work out and that's usually because they worked out so hard they’re in the fight or flight mode when you're in the fight or flight mode you go into an auxiliary state of utilizing sugars as a last ditch effort we also know this as ketosis. But once that person comes out of that fight or flight state and into the parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest and digest state their appetite will kick in and they will be like a zombie locked in an empty meal cooler!

In this moment of starvation and desperation just make sure you make the right choice on your "fuel". That workout was hard right? Why ruin it with a burger, double portion of french fries and a chocolate milkshake.......! Have plan on what you're eating before you get the desperation mode.

Tip. Have something small and nutricious 20 minutes before you exercise, and again after you exercise. A tablespoon of almond butter is always my go to, full of protein and good fats, keeps your fuel tank ticking away.

Samx

SET Blog

Super Foods Uncovered

Turmeric grams anti inflammatory properties and great benefits to the liver

Coconut Oil anti parasitic, research shows helps to prevent Alzheimer's and other neurological problems, great for focus, clarity and body lubrication

Chia Seeds filled with healthy fats & protein

Raw Cacao one of the highest sources of magnesium, a mineral your body uses for more than 300 chemical reactions (such as building bones and converting food to energy).

Beet Juice a well known cancer fighting food and dense with minerals and vitamins,

Sweet Potatoes grams the intense color of these starchy veggies lets you know they are filled with beta-carotene, vitamin A and you entire daily supply of almost all the vitamins and minerals a boy needs!

Eggs Each egg has 6 grams of protein but just 72 calories. And vitamin D, BUT REMEMBER not to over cook them!

Dried plums (prunes) They're packed with polyphenols, plant chemicals that have been shown to boost bone density by stimulating your bone-building cells.

Walnuts Just 14 walnut halves provide more than twice your daily dose of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat that's been shown to improve memory and coordination.

Brussels sprouts They have more glucosinolates (compounds that combat cancer and detoxify our bodies) than any other vegetable.

Acai juice A glass or two of this anthocyanin-rich berry juice can dramatically boost the amount of antioxidants in your blood. Careful with the amount of sugar used to sweeten most store bough Acai products.

Apples They contain quercetin, an antioxidant that may reduce your risk of lung cancer.

Bok choy This calcium-rich veggie can protect your bones and may even ward off PMS symptoms.

Steel-cut oats Because they're less processed than traditional oats, they're digested more slowly—keeping you full all morning long.

Salmon You'll get all the heart-smart omega-3s you need in a day from just 3 oz.

Avocados Their healthy fat keeps you satisfied and helps you absorb other nutrients.

Spinach A half-cup provides more than five times your daily dose of vitamin K, which helps blood clot and builds strong bones.

Cauliflower White foods can be good for you! This one is packed with cancer-fighting glucosinolates.

Scallops A 3-oz serving has 14 grams of protein but just 75 calories.

Collard greens They're exploding with nutrients like vitamin A, zeaxanthin and lutein, which keep your eyes healthy. Wink wink…

Olives They deliver the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat you get in olive oil, but for just 7 calories per jumbo olive!

Brown rice It's a top source of magnesium, a mineral your body uses for more than 300 chemical reactions (such as building bones and converting food to energy).

Oysters These keep your immune system strong. A 3-oz serving (about 6 oysters) dishes up a quarter of your daily iron, plus nearly twice the zinc and all the selenium you need in a day.

Edamame One cup has a whopping 22 grams of plant protein, as well as lots of fiber, folate and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.

Strawberries They're loaded with ellagitannins, phytochemicals that may halt the growth of cervical and colon cancers.

Lentils A great source of meat-free protein, a half-cup of cooked lentils also gives you nearly half your daily folate, a B vitamin that protects a woman's unborn baby from neural tube defects.

Kiwifruit (kiwi) Italian researchers found that it reduces asthma-related wheezing, thanks to its high vitamin C content (one kiwi has 110% of your daily requirement).

Black beans They're loaded with protein, fiber, and flavonoids—antioxidants that help your arteries stay relaxed and pliable.

Sunflower seeds A quarter-cup delivers half your day's vitamin E, which keeps your heart healthy and fights infection.

Sardines 3 oz provide more than 100% of your daily vitamin D. Sardines are also a top source of omega-3 fats. Try adding mashed canned sardines to marinara sauce and serving over whole-wheat pasta.

Asparagus A half-cup supplies 50% of your daily bone-building vitamin K and a third of your day's folate, it's a natural diuretic so it banishes bloating, too.

Bananas They're loaded with several kinds of good-for-you fiber, including resistant starch (which helps you slim down).

Broccoli sprouts They have 10 times more of the cancer-preventing compound glucoraphanin than regular broccoli.

Fat-free milk With a third of the calcium and half the vitamin D you need in a day, plus 8 grams u of muscle-building protein, it's the ultimate energy drink.

Baked potatoes Each one packs a megadose of blood-pressure–lowering potassium—even more than a banana.

Sweet potatoes Half of a large baked sweet potato delivers more than 450% of your daily dose of vitamin A, which protects your vision and your immune system.

Flaxseed Not only is flaxseed loaded with plant omega-3s, it also has more lignans (compounds that may prevent endometrial and ovarian cancer) than any other food. Store ground flaxseed in your refrigerator and sprinkle on yogurt, cold cereal or oatmeal.

Dried tart cherries Researchers at Michigan State University found their potent anthocyanins help control blood sugar, reduce insulin and lower cholesterol.

Blackberries The king of the berry family boasts more antioxidants than strawberries, cranberries or blueberries.

Mustard greens These "greens" (actually a cruciferous veggie) are a top source of vitamin K. For a tasty pesto, chop them in a food processor with garlic, walnuts, Parmesan and olive oil.

Grapes They're a leading source of resveratrol, the plant chemical responsible for the heart-healthy benefits of red wine.

Brazil nuts They have more selenium than any other food. One nut delivers your entire day's worth!

Blueberries They improve memory by protecting your brain from inflammation and boosting communication between brain cells.

Watercress With just 4 calories per cup, this cruciferous veggie delivers a hefty dose of vitamin K, zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.

Turkey breast It has 20 grams of satisfying protein but just 90 calories per 3-oz serving.

Barley A top source of beta-glucan, a fiber that lowers cholesterol and helps control blood sugar.

Shiitake mushrooms One serving (about ¼ lb) provides as much vitamin D as you'd get from a glass of milk.