Real superfoods

NUTRI-THERAPY specialist Olivia Charlet offers her advice on which superfoods offer real health benefits and not just those invented for marketing purposes.

According to Charlet, plants, seaweed and seeds contain nutrients that most people lack. As a rule, they should be taken in powdered form so that they can be digested easier.

Raw cacao With a magnesium content that is even higher than dark chocolate and without the sugar, raw cacao is sold in its original bean form or packaged as a spread or powder.

If you’re not used to the bitter taste, Charlet recommends starting with products that contain a percentage of cacao sugar, or raw cacao bars, which are less bitter.

Chia seeds Boost your intake of omega-3 fatty acids with chia seeds, an excellent breakfast food that’s even more nutritious than linseed. Chia seeds are composed of 48% omega-3, 20% protein and is also high in calcium.

Spirulina A freshwater algae with 70% protein content, spirulina is, according to Charlet, an excellent remedy for digestive aliments. Along with vitamins, minerals and protein, spirulina has high levels of chlorophyll, which helps to clean the alimentary canal and eliminate heavy metals.

Seaweed Seaweed is an excellent source of iodine, essential for thyroid function. Ready-to-eat marinated mixes containing varieties like dulse, nori, wakamé and ulva lactuca are available from health food stores.

Sprouts An excellent addition to salads, sprouts like leek, lentil, chickpea and alfalfa sprouts are rich in protein, essential fatty acids, and amino acids. Sprouted seeds offer even more vitamins and enzymes. – AFPRelaxnews sauce on the brain’, a saying used to refer to ‘crazy people’.

“Whoever thought then that this small Filipino restaurant in Manila, run by crazy kids, could make it somewhere? We certainly didn’t. But we sure are thankful to those that saw something in us,” reads a Facebook post in response to the win.

Added Navarra ( above, centre): “From the start, our mission at Toyo Eatery has been to reassess, rediscover, and find a deeper understanding of Filipino culture through food.”

Navarra will accept the award at the gala event on March 27 in Macau. – AFP-Relaxnews