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From King of the Kales to Mushroom magic, what do you bet on?
You’re on a fitness (read “workout and boring diet”) regime for a few days. You’re not getting ripped as fast as you’d like. And after the 9th day, you go, “chuck it, I got to grab those fries now!” Wonder why is it difficult to stick to a diet plan for that could guarantee sexy abs or a toned body? Well, the answer is simple – we are made to eat boring stuff and humans aren’t trained to deal with boredom. So, here’s a smart grocery shopping list of 5 whacky Asian foods for you.
1. King Kale: Why is “Kale” the king? Raw kale has 4% protein and richness of vitamin A, C, B6, iron and manganese. What do these one lettered vitamins and minerals do to your body? Multiple functions! Manganese helps convert fats into energy and also helps in cholesterol metabolism. Goodbye fats, goodbye heart disease! If that’s not enough, the two fancy flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) in kale helps lower blood pressure and improves heart health. Got 3 mins? Take some kale, pine nuts, parmesan, oil, garlic and squeeze a few lemon drops. Mix it in a mixer to make a paste. Add some olive oil and seasoning and relish it with multi-grain or pita bread.
2. Mushroom magic: It’s a fungus, yeah – so what? As per Romans, mushroom isn’t our food – it’s God’s food. Mushroom ain’t just something you should consume as a pizza topping while chillin’ with friends. This superfood rich in vitamin B is known to decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease – the 3 chronic pests that affect us as we age. One cuppa mushroom is great for you with only 15 calories and all vital vitamins to keep your energy levels up, your brain active, you nerve function in order, and a kickass muscle tone.
3. Tough Tempeh: This one sounds meh, but it’s a fermented superfood that could make ya tough as a hulk. 1 cuppa tempeh has got about 31g protein. So, after you work out, you could skip those boring soy seeds or not-so-delicious protein shakes and instead jump with joy to eat some boiled tempeh. Early in the day, steam your tempeh for a few seconds, soak it in a marinade (some chilli flakes in 1 ½ tbsp sesame oil, some salty peanut, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp maple syrup for 2-10 hours). After soaking, bake it till your tempeh becomes golden. What you waiting for? Nom nom!
4. Superfood Spirulina: Incredibly high in protein and a good source of antioxidants, B-vitamins, iodine, magnesium and other nutrients, spirulina protects our cells from damage with a double header-kinda effect of fat burning during workout time. If you’re unsure as to how to guzzle this magic powder, a thick shake or smoothie can be your best bet. You can take 2 kiwis (peel on or off), add 1-2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp spirulina powder, 1 cup of coconut water or plain water and half a cup of grated pineapple. Squeeze in half a lemon for a tangy flavor, if you’d like vitamin C to work that drink for a cleansing and nourishing effect. Blend it all together and tadaa, you’re ready with a smoothie that tastes A-class and has all the reasons to be put up on Insta with a hashtag #SmoothieDetox !
5. Turmeric Tales: Turmeric, also called Haldi in some nations, has natural anti-inflammatory compounds that helps relieve pain and internal trauma. Throw in additional qualities like that of being an antioxidant that could make a big difference in delaying ageing, boosting skin health, heart health and immunity; turmeric can easily be called a spice that’s a treasure trove of medicinal benefits. For a quick fix, you could give turmeric lemonade a shot—All you need to do is spruce up your chilled lemonade with some ground haldi, and a teaspoon of ginger to take its health quotient to the next level. Chuck sugar out and opt for maple syrup or honey instead. Click and ‘gram it, we say!
So, which of these foods would be there on your go-do list? Bulking up on all of the above for a 100% health-conscious you would be quite a thing!
