Welcome back to ‘part 2′ of Killer Foods for Fitness. As you may already know, Killer Foods for Fitness is all about combining already ‘good’ food to make for an even better meal. I have already stated that choosing single good foods for fitness would be a boring way to go about this, but I didn’t choose this direction only because I thought it was boring. I chose this because there simply isn’t one super food out there that one can benefit from in order to maintain a good diet. Obtaining maximum health is about finding foods that are good for group dynamics with other foods, and that is what I am aiming for.

So we have,

1) Identify foods that go well together
2) Super food combination’s

But this week I want to include how to find the best quality foods for those super combination’s.

Cantaloupe wedge and yogurt

Why?

The vitamin A in cantaloupe helps ward off viruses, but “enjoying it with foods that are high in zinc, like yogurt, ensures that your body can utilize almost 100 percent of the nutrients.

Choosing the best cantaloupe

You should be able to ‘smell’ a good quality cantaloupe. When selecting them in the store, look for round, creamy-coloured rinds covered with webbed or a netted texture. Ripe cantaloupes should give a little when pressure is applied.

Choosing the best yogurt

Plain non-fat organic yogurt is the best out there for your diet. Look for yogurt with the “Live and Active Cultures” seal, such as Dannon Activia. Yogurt brands like DanActive are rich in vitamin D and contain helpful bacteria that keep the digestive system healthy and help boost the immune system.

Stonefield Farm yogurts

These yogurts are organic/ natural and don’t contain any artificial colours or dyes/

Black Beans and brown rice

Why?

• Heart help
• Lower cholesterol
• Fights obesity

Black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, black beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

Choosing the best beans

Dried black beans are the best to go for and are generally available in pre-packaged containers as well as in bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins containing the black beans are covered and that the store has a good product turnover to ensure that the beans they stock keep maximum freshness. Whether purchasing black beans in bulk or in packaged containers, make sure that there is no evidence of moisture or insect damage and that they have no cracks in them.

You can also go for canned beans. Many canned products like vegetables would usually lose their nutritional value being in a can, but this is not the case with canned beans as there is little difference between the two.

Choosing the best brown rice

Rice is available pre-packaged as well as in bulk containers. If purchasing brown rice in a packaged container, check to see if there is a “use-by” date on the package since brown rice, owing to its natural oils, has the potential to become rancid if kept too long.

Spinach, Carrots, Tomato, Tablespoon Olive Oil and Marjoram

This super combination will give you natural glowing skin that will make your toned muscles look extra spicy. It’s also pretty good for your skin and heart too.

Choosing the best spinach

Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating, as this is an indication of decay.

Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. By doing this it will stay crispy for about five days longer. Do not wash it before storing, as the moisture will cause it to spoil, and avoid storing cooked spinach, as it will not keep very well.

Choosing the best carrots

Carrot roots should be firm, smooth, relatively straight and bright in colour. The deeper the orange-colour, the more beta-carotene is present in the carrot. Avoid carrots that are excessively cracked or forked.

Choosing the best tomatoes

For best quality, select tomatoes that are plump, heavy for their size, and free from bruises. Ripe tomatoes are completely red or reddish-orange, depending on the variety, and give slightly to gentle palm pressure. Avoid tomatoes that are overly ripe and soft.

Green Tea and Lemon

Squeezing a lemon into green tea makes five times more catechin (dye), a heart-healthy antioxidant and your body can use it if you  have sipped sans citrus (Vitamin C slows the breakdown of catechins in the digestive system.)

Choosing the best green tea

To get the best can be pretty hard as the best is usually made in Japan, and usually ends up staying there.

You will find that single-estate green tea is better quality and healthier than other variations of green tea.  This means that the green tea leaves would have been picked from the same estate and harvest.

If you do have troubles finding the best, there is still good quality green tea available on the west side of the world. In general you will pay more for quality, but the best thing is that you can find good prices online. If you do find a quality one, just make sure you actually like the stuff; there is no point in drinking it otherwise.

I recommend
Jasmine Pearls Green Tea

It smells like just like Jasmine flowers (… mmmm).  Jasmine Green Tea goes down very well.  The premium Jasmine Green Tea lies with Jasmine Flowers, with new flowers being brought in 7 or 8 times a season. Watch out for the knock offs though. You can tell if it’s a knock off because it will be sprayed with a Jasmine scent or include some small flower petals in the bag. Fake!

That’s it for this week. For all those that have been asking me about foods to take for a weight loss diet, this was dedicated to you. However, this is only the beginning. Stay tuned for part 3, where I’ll cover more Killer foods for fitness.

See you in the comments.

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