It's all about The Dirt:

If you want phytonutrient energy running your body, go for this recipe. Just mix equal quantities of goji berries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, and blackberries. Let the mixture churn in the blenders for a few seconds.

Add a cup of water, rice or hemp milk, along with a scoop of protein powder and shaved coconut. Other add-ins could be raw cacao powder, chopped nuts, maca powder, hemp or chia seeds, unsweetened carob chips, or any other concoction.

Power up!

Usually when there’s a lot of hype around some ‘Holy Grail’ of food, I tend to smell a rat. With my background in marketing and sales promotion, I try not to be suckered into buying something because it’s the latest and greatest drink, food or gadget. I do my homework and ask around to my favorite sources, then funnel all my research into a choice. Do I try it? How do I feel after I eat it? Is it really what they claim it to be? What are good sources to get them?

And not every food is right for every person. For example, I just tried Maca powder and noticed within two days something was not right. I retraced my food steps and found I only ate one thing that was different: Maca. It didn’t work for me, but maybe it’s “the best” for another. Break out of your dirty food habits…try new things that may work for you…but ALWAYS listen to your body. First your body will give you a gentle tap on the shoulder, then a slap in the face, then a knock in the head…don’t let it get that far.

I tried goji berries and I feel good when I eat them. They give me a bit of sweet taste and energy without the blood sugar spike. I eat them everyday, but IN MODERATION (1 oz.). Plus they are way too expensive to binge on. Here are some facts from Wikipedia that I found, but this is the down and Dirty version:

What are they?

It’s a fruit produced by the Wolfberry plant that is bright orange-red, ellipsoid berry 1–2-cm deep. In the English-speaking world, “goji berry” has been used since the early 21st century as a synonym for “wolfberry”. Lycium barbarum is the name of the plant species. They are found in the Himalayans, regions of China and along the flood plains of the Yellow River. They are eaten dried or in powder form, and have a tart taste that doesn’t really resemble any other fruit. Some are raisin-like, whereas others are more dry.

Why do I want to eat them?

Wolfberries (or goji berries) contain many nutrients and phytochemicals. The rich, natural color indicates a nutrient dense food. Here’s it straight from Wikipedia:

- 11 essential and 22 trace dietary minerals
- 18 amino acids, 60 essential vitamins, 8 polysaccharides and 6 monosaturates,
- 5 unsaturated fatty acids, including the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acids
- beta-sitosterol and other phytosterols
- 5 carotenoids, including beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene and cryptoxanthin, a xanthophyll
- numerous phenolic pigments (phenols) associated with antioxidant properties

Is the goji berry’s “Claim to Fame” true?

I can add other amazing properties of the goji, but there’s no scientific evidence to prove it. I’m not going to claim something if I can’t back it up. I do know they are high in iron, vitamin C, vitamin A (beta carotene), and selenium. If you find out more, please share!

A Placebo Effect?

Can you eat something that might not be as great as the marketers say, but have it be very beneficial? My answer is yes. The facts are above, but can it cure cancer? Who knows. The power of the mind can be extremely strong in changing beliefs, therefore changing the body. That whole mind/body connection. Making the choice of putting goji into my diet gives me self nourishment in a physical and mental sense. I choose to put it into my body and listen. My position is not to convince you to eat a certain food, it’s just to explore and be open to other possibilites…

Where do I get them?

You can buy them at natural food stores, or order them online. My favorite source that is the least expensive and best quality: http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/product//GB1.php#description. They are currently out of stock though.

This post makes me sound like a weird foodie (and I am), but this is actually really good. I’ve been yelled at on rides as I pass someone “I want to know what you eat for breakfast!” It’s not a bowl of oatmeal or cereal, and this is definitely not cheap. If I need food to sustain me through a crazy day, a gnarly bike ride or a long hike with plenty of lasting energy and without bad food cravings, here’s one way I do it:

- Medium sized bowl of warm water, filled almost to top
- 3 heaping tablespoons of Chia seeds…yes, like the Chia shots above without the sprout
- ½ cup of shaved coconut flakes
- A handful of goji berries
- 1 scoop of protein powder; my fave is HealthFX whey protein:
http://www.thepeopleschemist.com/product_detail.php?product_id=16
- 1 teaspoon of organic raw cacao powder (preferred), or cocoa powder
- ½ cup of diced almonds
- 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds
- Add a sweetener (if needed) like Stevia, but it’s already in the protein powder above

First, you combine the chia seeds with warm water, stirring constantly otherwise they stick together. Then add the other ingredients in whatever order you like. I tend to stick with the order above because sometimes I’m neurotic about habit. If you don’t like the consistency of watery oatmeal, then cut the water down to ½ bowl and add water as needed; the chia seeds will absorb a ton.

Where do you find this stuff and what the heck is it? Mainly at your natural foods store or online, and I will begin to share with you the amazing properties of superfoods.

In my opinion, they can replace all those synthetic vitamins you’re taking and give you REAL FOOD that’s much more bioavailable to your body.

And I admit once you get used to eating it, you’ll feel like nothing else compares. Sometimes I don’t even want to eat lunch, so there’s a way to justify the cost. If I eat cereal and a piece of fruit, I feel empty and hungry in an hour…no good!

Stay tuned. I’ll start to feed you info on superfoods…