Mangosteen to Maca Part 2: The Body Ecology Guide to 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries & Roots (Including A Recipe to Make the New Superfoods Healthier!)
Curious about the new superfroods, like maca root and yacon syrup? Find out the benefits AND detractors t these new superfoods and what you can do to get the most out of them…plus get a recipe to make everything from mangosteen and acai to maca even healthier!
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NOTE: Also see Part 1 of Mangosteen to Maca: 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries and Roots
In part 2 of this article, you’ll learn about the new superfood “roots,” maca root, yacon root and yacon syrup. While these roots may seem like healthy “no-brainers,” they are not necessarily the best choices for your health.
But Body Ecology founder, Donna Gates, has come up with a solution for you to enjoy all the benefits with none of the health drawbacks of these superfruits and super-roots!
How to Incorporate the New Superfoods into Your Healthy Diet: The Roots
- Maca – Also called Lepidium meyenii and Peruvian ginseng (although it is not related to the ginseng family, it has similar effects), maca has been used for centuries to promote energy, libido and longevity.
This mat-like vegetable is in the same family as the wild Mexican yam and grows high in the plateaus of the Andes in Peru. Maca root looks similar to a radish.
What all the fuss is about: Maca is easy to digest and packed with nutrients, like:1
- 18 amino acids.
- Vitamins B1, B2, B12, C and E.
- High trace minerals (calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous and trace amounts of 31 different
- minerals) from the Peruvian soil.
- Fatty acids.
- Maca root is an adaptogen, which helps your adrenals respond to stress. It has also been used to boost energy, regulate the endocrine system, balance hormones and the menstrual cycle, support immunity and improve fertility and sexual function.
Where to find maca: Maca root is typically sold as capsules or in powder form and you can find organic maca powder online
or in your health food store. We recommend choosing organic maca.
Body Ecology says: Maca is a starchy root vegetable that should be combined with grains and vegetables. However, keep in mind that maca has natural sugars that can feed candida, like the sweet potato. While 1 cup of sweet potato (200 grams) has 13 grams of sugar, you might consider only using a small amount of raw maca root (5 grams or approx. 1 tsp), which has only 1 gram of sugar. Eating them with cultured veggies is great too so that the microflora eat up the sugar and these alkaline veggies help balance the more acidic maca powder.
So the amount of maca you eat is important. Look at the label of the organic maca powder you are considering to be sure the sugar content is low.
One thing you can do if you want to eat more maca is soak it for 8 hours or overnight in young coconut kefir or our probiotic liquids, like Innergy-Biotic. The healthy microflora in our probiotic liquids will eat up the excess sugars so that you can enjoy your maca with no worries.
Another option is to take maca capsules with 2 oz. of your favorite probiotic liquid.
- Yacon Root and Syrup – Another plant from the Peruvian Andes, yacon root has dark brown skin and looks like an elongated potato. A sweet tuber, yacon root is crunchy like water chestnuts and tastes like a cross between an apple and a watermelon.
What all the fuss is about: Yacon root and yacon root syrup have been touted for being sweet (the sweetness comes from inulin), low-calorie and safe for diabetics.
Where you can get yacon root syrup: You can get yacon root syrup online and at health food stores.
Avoid the dangers of too-sweet sweeteners with all-natural Lakanto. More and more natural sweeteners are coming out on the market, but all too often, they are too sweet and still feed candida, the systemic fungal infection that plays a role in many diseases, like diabetes. Instead, use delicious zero-calorie, zero-glycemic index Lakanto that tastes and bakes just like sugar. The Japanese Ministry of Health approves AND recommends Lakanto for weight loss and blood sugar issues like diabetes. Try Lakanto today!
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Body Ecology says: Yacon root syrup may appear promising as a sweetner, but it is still too sweet and can cause acidic blood and feed candida. If you truly want a safe, healthy alternative to sugar that is low calorie, safe for diabetics and does not have the dangers of too-sweet sweeteners, we recommend you use Stevia or Lakanto.
To learn more about Stevia, read: A Brief But Interesting History of Stevia ... and How It Benefits You
To learn more about Lakanto, read: Lakanto Q&A: Some KEY Questions about the New All-Natural Zero-Calorie Sweetener Answered
Body Ecology Recipe to Enjoy Your Exotic Superfood Benefits Without the Health Detractors
Here’s a recipe from Body Ecology’s founder, Donna Gates. Use this delicious recipe for a superior nutrition and energy packed superfood meal:
In an 8 oz. Ball Jar, add:
- 2 oz. of your choice: XanGo, MonaVie, goji juice or Acai juice (choose one with no-added sugar)
- 4 oz. Passion Fruit Biotic or your favorite probiotic liquid (the microflora in probiotic liquids help eat the sugars from the superfruit juices and also, eat up extra sugars in your intestines)
- 1 Heaping TBL chia seeds chia seeds
(chia seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and slow the digestion of sugars in your body)
Directions:
- Let this mixture ferment for two days in the Ball jar and then enjoy your nutrient-packed super-superfood!
At Body Ecology, we are always looking for ways to make healthy eating, well...healthier! Some foods, while inherently healthy, have a backside or detrimental affects on certain health conditions that are epidemic in our modern times. But when you pair them with the healing benefits of probiotic liquids, you can create a balance that keeps your body feeling it’s best for the long term.
NOTE: Also see Part 1 of Mangosteen to Maca: 5 Exotic Fruits, Berries and Roots
Source:
[1] Ley, Beth, M. Maca: Adaptogen and Hormonal Regulator.
http://books.google.com/books?id=-_etK2PJlkwC&dq=maca&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=pFRrQCaopH&sig=JpspEStHaUZYowqom0LJK47Dsrk&hl=en&ei=CYuFSouNDMyLtgfzoISvCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#v=onepage&q=&f=false
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