POMEGRANATE
We have believed in the power of pomegranate for centuries : The fruits were often buried alongside ancient Egyptians , in the hope of bringing the deceased a second life . The dark-red seeds inside pomegranates contain a ton of nutritional benefits . They are high in antioxidants and vitamins and are considered to prevent some cancers as well as Alzheimer ’ s . Here in Bangkok , pomegranates are sold as fresh juices at local street-stalls . ( Just beware of the high possibility of added sugars .) You can pick the fruits up at your local wet market or grocery store , too .
BROCCOLI SPROUTS
In her recent podcast , renowned medical specialist Dr . Ronda Patrick spoke about the power of a substance called sulforaphane , high levels of which can be found in broccoli sprouts . Research indicates that sulforaphane aids in cancer prevention and treatment ; wards off mental and cardiovascular disease ; and even stimulates hair growth in balding men .
SPINACH
Cheap and easy-to-access spinach rarely receives the recognition that kale does , but spinach is just as good for you as its more famous , leafy cousin . Recent studies have reinforced the notion that a daily helping of spinach increases muscle efficiency . In fact , if you follow Popeye ’ s lead , your spinach intake can reduce the amount of oxygen required to power muscles during exercise by five percent . You can get your green fix with either fresh leaves or frozen spinach balls — perfect for a veggiesmoothie base .
FERMENTED FOODS
Thailand has an abundance of fermented food ; but , unfortunately , many popular fermented products , such as probiotic fruit flavored drinks , contain high levels of sugar . Homemade kimchi and plain and Greek yogurts , however , are low-sugar choices . Kefir , a fermented dairy import from Russia , is another healthy option . Kefir and plain yogurt are excellent substitutes for the popular kombucha , a fermented and sweetened black or green tea . Fermented foods can even be thought of as essential , as they aid the gut biome — an important function in immunity and disease prevention .
WWW . WANDERLUSTMAG . COM WANDERLUST 13