COCONUT OIL CAN CHANGE YOUR HEALTH

• Helps you lose weight, boosts daily energy levels - an instant energy source
• Prevent premature aging while rejuvenating your skin
• Improve conditions such as Diabetes, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Crohn's, IBS, and other digestive disorders
• Promote healthy thyroid and mental function and aid in the body's management of Candida

   Sip of Paradise Extra Virgin and Tasteless Certified Organic Coconut Oil - 370ml & 700ml

 

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Coconut oil consists of 90+% medium chained, saturated fat - a very important building block of every cell in the human body.

Coconut oil contains over 55% (mono)lauric acid (MLA), which has powerful anti-microbial and  anti-fungal properties. The tasteless one boasts 48% MLA. Because you can use the tasteless one in place of all cooking oils you tend to use more of it overall, so you ingest more MLA than you would from just using the Extra Virgin one - although that one tastes amazing in your smoothies and snacks!

Coconut Oil has hundreds of health benefits.  It's health benefits are so many there have been numerous books written on coconut oil and its healing powers. 

 

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Healthier Eating

This is perhaps the only oil that we can cook with that is heart friendly and actually lowers cholesterol! Guaranteed no Trans fats, it is totally organic and vegetarian, not to mention that it tastes delicious! Brown, fry, bake and grill without health risks.

Guaranteed Weight Loss!

Research is mounting, by simply substituting polyunsaturated vegetable oils and margarines with coconut oil…and doing nothing else…you can lose significant amounts of weight! It will feel you up so that you don’t crave foods that will put on the pounds, and it is easily converted to energy instead of settling on your waist, hips and thighs.

Better management of Type 2 Diabetes

Reliable scientific evidence indicates that organic, cold pressed coconut oil stimulates the metabolism and encourages the production of insulin, reduces free radicals that inhibit its absorption into the cells, and is not deposited in the blood vessels as cholesterol. Put simply, coconut oil is seriously beneficial for people who have diabetes.

Heart friendly and low cholesterol

There is a scientific reason why organic coconut oil is less likely to deposit cholesterol in your blood vessels and fat around your waist and buttocks than conventional “healthy” polyunsaturated vegetable oils and margarines. It is because coconut oil has a different molecular structure and, as a result, it is not absorbed into your body the same way.

Natural skin and hair care

Share the secret of the naturally soft and youthful looking skin of the beauties of Tahiti, Hawaii and the South Seas. Did you know that organic coconut oil has the closest structure to your own natural skin oil or sebum? Say goodbye to dandruff and enjoy your hair and skin at its most radiant. Coconut oil can even reverse baldness! Find out more about a natural skin and hair care routine which has been successful for centuries!

Suggested Uses

Eat it by the spoonful, cook/bake with it, add it to your smoothies, rub it on your skin and into your hair, it's benefits are endless - too easy to use, too good for you, and too tasty to ignore!!

 

We all know that it's important to give our body the nutrients it needs and deserves.

We should detox for a healthy liver, eat well, avoid sugar & bad fats, participate in regular exercise and drink more cleansing alkalising water. Yep we know it, so just do it.

It should be that simple, but there's a whole industry built around making good nutrition seem difficult; Diet after diet after diet, some just ridiculous and others with complex daily plans, or there's bottle after bottle of synthetic vitamins, extensive and confusing (and often conflicting) health shop products, nutrient deficient supplements, synthetic meal replacements, over-processed foods, toxic drugs, and even surgery. All are promoted as a means to healthy living and increased vitality. 

Often they offer very little in measurable results, organic wholefoods or real nutrition.

Our aim is to simplify the superfood maze by identifying and selecting the highest quality, most effective and ethical health products.

Here's the secret ...

Here's a secret that few will tell you:  improving your health with natural, organic superfoods can really be so much easier than you think, and way more effective too!

It's the combination of selected quality organic products and a few healthy lifestyle choices, selected to fit in with your existing lifestyle for your long term success, that make the difference to your overall health - it works because you feel great, and it is sustainable for longer than a week or two.

Superfoods (such as the Acai Berry, Pea Protein and Super Greens) are naturally occurring sources of functional foods that have high phytonutrient content; antioxidants, anthocyanins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, are low in fat and sugar while being high in nutritional content and support alkalising within your body.

Superfoods can also refer to organic wholefoods that offer a high level of synergistic benefits to our health such as coconut oil, walnuts, salmon, avocados, broccoli, kale, coconut flour, cinnamon etc.

Imbued with phytochemicals, superfoods promote good health and wellbeing, supercharge your metabolism, alkalise your body, boost your energy, detox your liver, encourage natural weightloss, balance blood sugars, assist to eliminate pain and acidosis related inflammation and disease, and confer incredible benefits on your immune system. 

Disease can't survive in an alkaline environment.

Download your free alkalising food chart right now to assist with lowering your pH today.

Barleygrass: along with the Acai berry, are a fantastic source of naturally occurring phytonutrients

 

Maqui Berry vs Acai Berry powder - to cut a long story short both of these antioxidant superfoods are a great addition to your health regimen. Both are from the Amazon, both are a naturally grown berry packed full of free-radical fighting goodness, both boost your immune system, both assist with detoxing and healthy weight management, and both are easily incorporated into your favourite smoothie, snack or meal on a daily basis.

Like most things we buy there are varying qualities of product, and similarly you tend to get what you pay for. Healthfoods are no exception to that. Even though freeze dried Maqui Berry and Acai Berry powders look and taste almost identical and are about the same price, Maqui Berry is reported to have between 3 and 4 times the antioxidant power (ORAC level) of Acai Berry per serve, so there's obviously better 'health' value in Maqui Berry.

Quality of product is also important to consider, that is freeze dried product versus spray dried powders, and of course being certified organic offers a level of quality assurance too. To simplify that, freeze dried powders are far superior to spray dried in that freeze drying retains way more nutrients than spray drying, they taste better too and the final product is significantly better for you.

Any product that is freeze dried (not just Maqui or Acai) will openly promote that fact on it's product labeling and supporting promotional material because it is a positive quality indicator for health food consumers, and it separates itself from inferior quality products which can't promote that fact.

You can usually tell a quality health food product by the price too. For example, one (leading) Maqui Berry brand retails at $44.95 for 150gm, a second brand retails at $29.95 for the same 150gm, and a third retails at $29.95 for only 100gm of Maqui Berry.

Which one do you think uses the cheaper and inferior quality spray dried ingredient?

Correct, the second one. The first and third one openly advertise freeze dried Maqui Berry as the source of product, and are priced similarly, whereas the second one doesn't mention anywhere the 'type' of powder it uses - absolutely nowhere, not on packaging, in consumer advertising, or even in wholesale advertising - so much so I had to phone them to ask the question, and sure enough it's spray dried, a fact the responder offered with a knowing sigh - indicating I'm perhaps not the first to ask them that question!

The bit that bothers me is the manufacturer must know it's an inferior quality ingredient because they hide that very fact by omission, yet they claim in advertising that their product is the 'best value' and 'highest quality', and at the same time offer no statistical facts about their Maqui Berry or the source of ingredient they use.

The same 'omission' of fact is used in an Acai Blend product to hide around 70% of added fruit sugars. They do this by listing the carbs total in the nutrition panel without the sugar (or fructose) differentiation underneath, and not indicating the actual content of certain ingredients. The Acai content is only about 30%, if that. So there's a product where the added fruit powders (added for taste - like most sugars) overpower and negate any health benefits that could be attributed to the Acai. I've pointed this out to health shops on my travels and most of the retailers had never read the product label and had no idea of the actual sugar content. They only care that it sells. I'm sure by now we all know 'fat free' on labels may as well say 'with added sugar', and that sugar (and it's derivatives; fructose, glucose etc) is considered as addictive as heroin or cocaine - so why would a health food manufacturer not only add sugar to their 'health' product, but then hide the fact?? The word 'unscrupulous' comes to mind.

Consumers beware, health food manufacturing is a business like any other and (sorry to say) profits are the bottom line. Manufacturers don't really care about your health. That, my friends, is left entirely for you to do as a discerning consumer - not all health foods are created equal, some are as bad as more obvious junk food. So, do your homework, ask the questions, compare products and be aware of what you are buying ... if something is too good a bargain compared to another there is probably a 'quality' (or lack of!!) reason for that. Don't believe all that you read in advertising either, it's what they don't say that may be the more relevant info.

PS. Planet Organics or MaquiBerry Active are our brands of choice for Maqui Berry freeze dried powders ... the 'Dr Superfoods' brand of Maqui Berry and Acai Berry powders is the one that contains the inferior spray dried powder in both berry products ... Can anyone else see the irony in that?? =)

" ... I know I'm naughty but why is it we tend to gravitate towards the things that are so bad for us and why the heck does PIGFAT taste so bloody good in ice cream  LOL.

You would think that would be enough to turn me off eating it... really! "

Yes really, you would wouldn't you.  If only it was that easy. Too many of us know the battle of fighting sugar addiction and it's side effects of ill-health and weight gain.

Thanks Chris for the comment on facebook that prompted this blog on why it is so hard to avoid bad foods even when we KNOW they are bad for us.

If you have a look at most foods that we consider 'bad' for us there is a common denominator - sugar. Well to be fair there are usually two, sugar and fat, but lets just deal with one at a time here, today it is sugar.  

Even if the product itself isn't high in sugar as an actual ingredient - such as bread, bagels, pancakes - the combination of it's ingredients; wheat, sugar, grains - and what we put on it; honey, jam, vegemite, syrup - spike our blood sugars causing us to crave more of it once the high from the initial hit of sugar wears off. In obvious foods such as chocolate, lollies, iced biscuits, cakes, softdrinks etc the sugar is no secret.  In more subtle products like icecream, yoghurt, crackers, even fruit, the sugar isn't as obvious but it's effects are just the same - a sugar high peak and then a crash, prompting us to feel hungry, feel down, feel tired and yes, you guessed it, crave more sugar.

Sugar also spikes a serotonin boost in our brains too, and this makes us feel good. Who wouldn't want more of that when it is so readily available. So of course we associate these yummy sweet foods with feeling good and in todays stressful environments we'll take that any way it comes, even at the sacrifice of our health, because we often don't realise why we are craving those foods.

Guess who also knows that? Right! The companies who make these sugar-ful foods. To add insult to injury, in subliminal marketing ploys they position these foods right in front of our noses and go on to tell us it is good for us - go figure!! And we are so sugar blissed out that we BELIEVE them and buy more!! And so the cycle goes.

Further hidden sugars need more explaining. In crediting our readers with having common sense, I will point out the obvious just once, eat obvious sugar foods and you will crave obvious sugar foods. That's a no brainer. So why then when we cut out obvious sugar foods do we still crave other high carb and semi-sugar loaded foods, foods that we perhaps don't immediately recognise as bad for us.

If we pick just one food group or ingredient that can make the biggest difference to reducing our sugar addiction, it would have to be wheat and/or grains. Why?

Because of it's hidden sugar effect.  

Wheat is high in gluten, and as such is not only a common allergen - even to those not diagnosed as gluten intolerant, most of us are but don't realise it - but the reaction of wheat, and grains for that matter, in our bodies is to spike our insulin levels. Not only does this release the sugars into our blood stream but the gluten gets into our liver and causes it to overload on toxin removal.  When it can't do that well (due to the alcohol, sugars, proteins, fats and other things it is also trying to process at the same time) our health suffers.

Ever noticed how after a heavy carb lunch we feel really full and bloated, our digestion kicks in to try and digest the combinations of foods, and we get tired.  The energy required to digest sugars, grain and heavy carb toxins wears our bodies out, depleting our precious and finely balanced energy levels. Our sugar levels spike and crash and pretty soon we are napping through exhaustion or craving those carbs and sugars again, or stimulants like coffee and coke, to keep going.

Which brings me to artificial sugars.

It's common knowledge coke is full of sugar, and caffeine is an effective short term stimulant for counteracting that tired feeling mid morning and afternoon (after those high carb (sugar) breakfasts and lunches) right?  Some add sugar and milk to coffee both of which stimulate that insulin level again, but everything in moderation.  Imagine you could have that stimulation from caffeine when you don't especially NEED it.  Imagine having a coffee just for the fun of the additional energy and buzz it offers, and it's antioxidants ... and you might like the taste too, sure. It's a habit as well, part of our culture and socialising, so enjoy it if you like it. Coke sucks though, any way you look at it. Avoid it just because it is full of chemicals and offers not a skeric of nutrition.

Lets just focus on the synthetic sugars in those fake energy drinks, in 'diet' soft drinks, and the artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Saccharin, Equal, Nutrasweet etc. that we add to our drinks and foods thinking we are avoiding sugar and doing a good thing.  Perhaps we are lowering the calorie content of the food overall but the damage to our bodies, namely our liver, is not worth it. You are better off having sugar.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is a nasty, toxic overprocessed unnatural sweetener and should be avoided at all costs. It is so toxic to our liver it should have a warning blog all of its own.  It is so bad many countries have banned its inclusion in many foods, luckily Australia is one of them.  In Malaysia for example, HFCS is still used in the manufacture of Coke, among other foods.  In Australia they just use straight sugar instead. In Diet Coke however - and in other diet softdrinks and diet foods as well as other commercial foods - Aspartame is used, and this artificial sweetener, also known as Additive 951, is classed as an excitotoxin.

An excitotoxin is a chemical that stimulates the neurons in the brain to excessive firing, which then fatigues and sometimes kills them, leading to serious diseases. In addition to aspartame, MSG and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins are also commonly consumed excitotoxins.

The effect of Aspartame in the body is like lead poisoning, your liver cannot process it and hence stores it's toxicity. In fact, it works to combat the very benefits we are trying to achieve by taking it; a healthy liver, and weight loss. Having too much Aspartame can cause reactions in the body much like Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus.  In fact people diagnosed with Systemic Lupus often find their symptoms reduce remarkably after stopping diet softdrinks.  And those who overdose on Aspartame (3-4 diet softdrinks a day) or who are allergic to it, present with symptoms of MS.  Crazy huh? Crazier still are the authorities who approve it's use ... all in the name of taxes and profits. But that also is a subject for another blog. Suffice to say NutraSweet is better used as an ant killer, and is cheaper than AntRid too.

So what to use for sweetening? What is natural, nontoxic, tastes great, and considered safe as a herbal sweetener? Simple, nice and natural herb Stevia.  Stevia extract comes in drops, powder and tablets. In it's purest form it is a green herb but in order to concentrate it's sweetening effect, so you don't need two tablespoons in your coffee, it is made into an extract. Yep that requires processing, but it is still better for you than any artificial or synthetic sweetener.  It is considered safe to use by leading natural health professionals worldwide, many of whom openly lobby governments and health authorities on the use of artificial sweeteners.

So where to from here. For the sake of your liver, to aid weightloss efforts, to reduce bloating, to feel great and encourage natural balanced energy levels, and to help reduce the cravings for sugar, here it is in simple form:

Sugar creates sugar addiction. Sugar makes you want more sugar. Do your best to avoid sugar wherever possible. Read labels, sugar can be hidden. It only takes 4 days of avoiding sugar to break the cravings. A few more days and you will start to notice your taste buds really change in their enjoyment of other foods without sugar. You may notice some tastes become really strong, like salt, and you may even have to reduce that intake too. Salt isn't so bad if the rest of your health is ok.

Think about foods that create sugar through ingestion, there are many, but one staple ingredient you can aim to avoid is wheat if you'd like to make one really powerful change to your diet and health.

And it is easy for me to say, I agree.  So how can I help you to combat those sugar/wheat cravings that will undoubtedly improve your health and weightloss efforts?

For starters, read this every day to remind yourself why you really need to make the best effort for your health's sake. Mind over matter; tell yourself you can do it, get your family or friends involved and inspire each other. Don't let that nasty simple food source get the better of you. Don't let those corporations who don't care about your health, your weight, your happiness or your liver, grow their profits on your ill-health.

An obvious one, (you were right Chris!) don't buy it then you won't have to eat it. Love your family's health too, don't buy it for them either! Reward yourself with a massage after a week of no sugar or wheat.  Or, having lost several kilos, you will be happy to have a day shopping for some new clothes after just two weeks.

Get moving.  Exercise creates the most amazing endorphins, makes you feel incredibly healthy and happy so you won't need to lift your mood with sugar.  It will only get better with each day that you spoil yourself and your health by avoiding sugar and wheat.

Some will find it easy to stop 100% easily, and some may need to reduce gradually. Don't beat yourself up over it, congratulate for every effort, just keep it up and be consistent. Adopt the changes gradually if need be, such as:

Week one; avoid obvious sugars.

Week two; avoid wheat and sugars.

Week three; avoid alcohol, wheat and sugars. 

Yes I snuck the alcohol in there.  Your liver recognises alcohol as the No. 1 toxin in your body. While it has alcohol in it's system you liver can't process the sugars and ingested sugars as well as it would like to, in fact it processes nothing but the alcohol until it is all gone and then it gets to processing the food sugars, fats etc.  That is why people lose weight easily when they cut out alcohol because your liver can do it's best work without it, ridding excess sugars and fats. I haven't listed alcohol in the sugars before now as some alcohols are low in sugar, some aren't, it is often the mixers that carry the greater sugar content and empty calories. Again the toxicity of alcohol is content for another blog, just consider it here for the purposes of enhancing healthy weightloss.

Increase alkaline foods. Disease can't survive in an alkaline environment. Sugar creates acidicity in the body, acidity feeds disease, alkalising reduces the effect of acid within the body. You can download an alkaline food chart from our home page. Choose foods from there. Ideally follow the 80/20 rule - 80% alkalising, 20% acidic foods.  To start with, build your awareness of which foods are which, select your favourite alkaline foods and try to use them every day in meals, juices, salads etc.

To help curb the cravings for sugar, when it gets tough, try a spoonful of Apple Cider Vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice in a glass of water or diluted (no added sugar) apple juice. It will help to take the edge off, and it will aid your alkalising efforts too.  Use the ACV with the 'mother' still in the bottle, Braggs is the preferred brand.  Just be aware that lemon and ACV can exacerbate Candida if you are prone to that.  (Good news is that by eliminating sugar and wheat you will likely find your candida improves too.)

Or if you are feeling brave try a spoonful of the SuperGreens in some water too, morning and afternoon, ideally on an empty stomach for maximum absorption.  You'll get a great hit of alkalising superfood nutrition as well as a craving reduction, it will help fill you up if you are feeling hungry as well.  

And finally, drink lots of water.  We all know to drink 2 litres a day at least, but you can drink more.  Get used to grabbing a glass of water when normally you would grab sugar.  It's only 4 days to reduced cravings and better health, keep that in mind.  4 days is no time at all, but can seem ages when you are doing it.

If you are good and totally eliminate sugar and wheat everywhere else, and you would like something to enjoy as a sweet treat - a place to go if you are really in need it - you can keep one teaspoon of sugar in your tea or coffee, up to a max of two a day. Preferably tea, as it offers relaxing properties to help you along your new healthy path.

Remember also that fruit is high in sugar, and even though it is natural sugar, or fructose, it still creates or adds to the cravings.  Low sugar fruits to enjoy are strawberries, kiwi fruit, acai berries, and a small green apple.  Acai is available as a freeze dried powder so it mixes well with yoghurt (check the sugar content - Yalna low fat Vanilla yoghurt is reasonably low in sugar and has no artificial additives). Being less than 2% sugar Acai is a fruit that helps to balance your blood sugars, offers fibre that fills you up, has omegas 6 & 9 too, but best of all it is a proven and highly effective antioxidant which helps fight free radicals in the body (disease and inflammation) too.

Riolife's Acai is the only Acai in Australia that doesn't add citric acid. Being as citric acid is as toxic as MSG you're doing your body a favour avoiding it at all costs. Balance Acai's omegas with Chia seeds to add Omega 3, which will also fill you up some more and add more organic nutrition to your body, aiding the weightloss side of things if that is your motivation. Simply chew them, mix them in yoghurt with acai, soak them and add to your smoothie or sprinkle them over your salad or in your water bottle.

Well there you have it. There is so much more I could continue with on this subject, but lets remember what this blog is about, sugar addiction and what to do about it.

Good luck with your efforts. Contact me on facebook if you have any comments or would like some suggestions to help you along.  A 7 day Superfood Menu will be coming soon, so get your sugar cravings under control in the meantime and your liver will be ready for the new and improved food choices, not to mention your body ready to absorb the enhanced nutrition from some exciting superfood recipes and meal choices.

Until then, stay happy, healthy and rock on!!

Carole

Had a good question from a twitter follower today relating the the 25 simple words to improving health and reducing weight. She asked "Why wheat?" I've responded online but likely there are many others thinking the same thing, so here is a brief answer.

The reason to eliminate wheat is the level of gluten contained in it and in wheat products. Wheat compromises health and offers little benefit to our bodies, there are healthier gluten free grains to use in place of wheat.  Even though many of us aren't diagnosed coeliacs, there are many of us who still have a reaction to wheat, or the gluten contained in it, without actually realising it.

It is one of the most allergenic of all foods, and reactions to wheat are disguised in such common ailments as migraines, spastic colon, lupus, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, anaemia, sleep apnoea, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, CFS, GERD, diarrhea, just to name a few. For the purposes of increasing energy and achieving weightloss, and to reduce triglycerides and avoid unnecessary spikes in our insulin levels, we need to avoid products like bread and pasta to eliminate their impact on our digestive system, our heart, our blood pressure, our liver, our energy levels and our increasing waistlines.

If you don't have a serious illness, but just feel 'yucky' or not quite 100%, try eliminating wheat and similar grains from your diet for about 3 weeks, and see just how good you will likely start to feel. There are many tasty alternatives to using wheat, and wheat products. Try quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat grain products instead.  Millet is another good grain to consider, but use it sparingly if  you have thyroid issues.

There is some more helpful grain and legume information in an earlier blog. Scroll down thru the blogs til you find one titled Grains and Legumes for Superfood Health.

Here is the link:

http://www.energysuperfoods.com/_blog/Energy_Blog/post/Grains_Legumes_for_Superfood_Health/

25 simple words spell out 10 easy steps that hold the key to improving your health, boosting your energy, getting balanced nutrition and losing those extra few kilos.

They are:

Eliminate Sugar
Eliminate Wheat
Drink More Water
Steam For Lean
Choose Organic Wholefoods
Eat More Seeds, Nuts
Alkalise With Greens
Exercise
Laugh More
Love Yourself

... see, it's not complicated! Plus you'll feel happier, healthier and naturally energised.

We'll explain each of these in more detail over the next few blogs - stay tuned!!

Here are 3 simple steps you can implement today that will make huge improvements to your health.

Start now before the silly season gets into full swing so your body will be better able to cope with the influx of alcohol and Xmas fare. The benefits of these changes will help in reducing the cravings for over-indulging in these treats too - which may help your NYE resolution be something other than weightloss related!

1. Reduce or (ideally) eliminate sugars - use stevia instead, check ingredients on packaged goods, go for low sugar fruits: cherries, berries, green apples, kiwifruit, grapefruit

2. Cut out all bad fats (canola & soy oils, margarine). Use instead: olive (use cold, not for cooking), coconut (use cold and for cooking), and organic unrefined seed oils (pumpkin seed, flaxseed etc - use cold), butter, ghee, fish and codliver oils

3. Introduce fermented foods with meals; aids digestion, boosts immune system, introduces microflora that 'eats' sugar, reduces cravings - easy one to start with is Apple Cider Vinegar - dilute in cranberry juice 'n water if u prefer, or you can ferment your own veggies and foods.

Bring in one change at a time if you like, but the quicker you get them underway the sooner they will work together to benefit each other and improve your health, boost your energy, revitalise your good looks with your welcomed new feeling of amazing wellbeing!!

Due to the high incidence and usage of sugar in our diets this change will likely feel like the hardest, but just three to four days is all it takes to break the addictive habit. A dose of apple cider vinegar in between meals is a helpful tool in curbing the cravings and increasing your success, as well as offering an alkalising boost. Which just leaves the oil, and that one is the easiest of all. Just make sure to check contents of packaged foods too for this one - you'll be surprised how many products also contain the nasty canola and soy oils, more than likely the hydrogenated forms of them too which makes them even worse for your health. 

Which brings me to packaged (processed) vs raw foods ... nah just kidding - one step at a time!! =)

At this time of the year, pumpkin pie is a favourite dessert in the USA.  For our cooler climate here is a cold alternative that still offers the yumminess of healthy ingredients, including the delicious combination of dates, nuts, sweetened pumpkin and cinnamon, with the creaminess of yoghurt, a nice change to our traditional desserts. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
4-5 dates
dash of salt

 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until crumbly and sticky.

Press in the bottom and sides of a pie pan.

Filling
2 cups pumpkin puree (cold, cooked and mashed)
1 cup greek yogurt (low fat if you prefer)
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey (to taste)
1 tblspn lemon juice
1 tblspn ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

 

Mix ingredients together in a food processor and pour into crust.

Bake at 180 fan forced for 50 to 55 minutes until no longer wobbily, or until loosely firm. It will set further on cooling. Cool and enjoy.

Below is a list of libido boosting 'superfoods' -

super because not only are they highly nutritious, but they are said to offer various healthy side effects, not the least of which is to add a little encouragement to your libido! Feed your partner the same sexy foods and (with a bit of luck and good timing!) the resulting outcome will create a nice dose of feelgood hormones for starters, along with a bit of stress relief at this busy time of the year ... and it's a nice little calorie burn opportunity too!!  Eat up!!

Sex-drive boosting libido superfoods:

Celery:

considered an excellent food to ramp up sexual stimulation. The reason being that it boosts a powerful substance known as androsterone – an odorless hormone released through male perspiration. ‘Yuk’ I hear you say. Well, this is one of those kind of sweats that has that strange effect on women…the same effect that I understand a dozen red roses has.

Maca:

this is a less common food, but is no less potent. Recently it was hailed as a Natural Viagra in the superfood world. According to some it is believed to improve sexual performance, the frequency with which people desire sex and can be effective in increasing sperm count! Not only that, but guys should expect an increase in testosterone, a helping hand in any fight against erective dysfunctions and impotency and it also makes you feel younger. Quality! Fear not ladies – for women, maca is reknowned for increasing sex-drive and fertility, and helping to balance hormone fluctuations! And it goes easily into your morning smoothie, and as a preworkout food is also known to boost workout performances too - What a superfood!

Pumpkin Seeds:

contain zinc, which is important in testosterone production for men and also helps to sustain sexual desire in women. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in the essential fatty acid omega 3, which acts as a precursor of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that play a key role in sexual health. Word on the street is that a diet rich in pumpkin seeds will enhance potency, drive and fertility. Hmmm does this perhaps relate to the stork dropping off babies in the pumpkin patch??

Sauerkraut:

an unlikely inclusion, but a vital key in unlocking not only your 'fermenting' nutritional and digestive health but your libido too, according to the Scottish diet guru Gillian McKeith. He has deemed sauerkraut sexy, citing a U.S. study that reported 90 percent of men were more “active” after eating it. And it goes great on cold meats too!

Bananas:

help to boost male libido largely due to the presence of the enzyme ‘bromelain’. Bananas are also a good source of vitamins like riboflavin and potassium, which increase the body's total energy levels. However, they are also very rich in potassium and B vitamins, which are vital for sex-hormone production.  And they also go great in a morning smoothie, with some maca too, better warn your partner! Bromelain is also high in pineapples, which is commonly known to aid digestive health.

Almonds:

are another major source of essential fatty acids. Almonds provide the basis for the healthy production of male hormones that are important in regulating sex-drive and they are full of energising protein as well as being a contributor to alkalising; adsorbing acidity which also leads to increased feelings of well being and energy. The smell of almonds is found to arouse passion in females - so they say - I am not convinced by this as almonds don't smell much at all. Marzipan or an organic almond essence may be more likely to cause this curious side effect.

Avocado:

The Aztecs called the avocado tree ahuacatl or “testicle tree.” Interesting fact and probably somewhatt related to it's shape. Avocado helps to increase both male and female libido. Containing very high levels of folic acid and healthy fats, it assists in metabolising proteins, thus providing you more energy – which is obviously good all round. Avocado also features vitamin B6 (a nutrient which improves male hormone production) and potassium (which helps to regulate a woman's thyroid gland).

Asparagus:

it is not only the ever-so-slightly suggestive shape of asparagus that acts as a libido booster – asparagus also happens to be very high in vitamin E, which has long been thought of as ‘the sex vitamin’. The Vegetarian Society suggests “eating asparagus for three days for the most powerful affect”.

Chillies:

may heat up your sex life too, due to capsaicin, the substance that gives kick to peppers, curries and other spicy foods. Triggering the release of endorphins, capsaicin is therefore a feel good chemical for your brain. It also stimulates nerve endings and raises your heart rate and also your metabolism. IMPORTANT: if you chop the stronger chillies yourself – make sure you wash your hands very very thoroughly - rubbing your eyes, nose or other sensitive areas with the chilli oil on your skin will tend to curb any libido increasing effects - replaced with seriously burning pain!

Basil:

increases circulation, stimulates the sex drive and boosts fertility! It is also said to produce a general sense of well being for body and mind. But most curiously of all, its scent is supposed to drive us wild! In fact, basil oil was once employed by Mediterranean prostitutes as a perfume to attract customers!

Cardamon:

is an nicely aromatic spice. In many cultures it is viewed as an intensely powerful aphrodisiac and also beneficial in treating impotence (mix with maca for some ‘interesting results’). It is high in cineole, which can increase blood flow in certain important areas! Try it in a chai tea to incorporate all the Ayurvedic potent spices. 

Figs:

rather crudely, some sources suggest that figs work as an aphrodisiac because of their appearance being similar to certain sex organs. Officially, Figs are very high in amino acids, which are critical to increasing your libido and boosting sexual stamina. 

Oysters:

have a high zinc content which raises the testosterone levels and sperm production, both of which are considered important for enhancing libido. Simply scrub shells thoroughly to remove any dirt and bacteria, pry them open and place on a bed ... of ice with a wedge of lemon! ;)

Garlic:

bad on the breath but great for the sex drive. Maybe this is one for long-term couples who don’t worry so much over little matters such as garlic-breath - or both have some then you won't notice it on the other! It's great for your immune health too. Garlic contains high levels of allicin, a compound – that can improve blood flow to the sexual organs. But note – don’t just munch on big cloves of raw garlic! Allicin is only produced once garlic has been chopped as it is produced through an enzyme reaction. As a bonus, allicin is also has great anti-fungal properties.

Sexy superfoods rock - there are many ways to combine plenty of these together for a supercharged libido feast.  It's is the time for giving afterall, spoil your partner and eat well for your  libido and health as well!!