Owing to the fact that I am on a super-special diet for my health (The Specific Carbohydrate Diet- I promise to explain more of this peronally life-saving diet soon!) when I travel to places that are known for exotic food, I am challenged to travel with things I can eat just in case I am in a no-win food situation. This past trip to Japan, I got crafty and packed bags full of superfood berries in the hopes that a week of mainly nuts and fruit and fish wouldn’t make me feel depleted and sickly. It worked so far beyond my expectations, I had to share!
Exotic berries that have been dehydrated but are still technically “raw” are jam packed with protien, a spectrum of vitamins, antioxidants and hard-to-find phytonturient complexes that flood your body with energy. At least, that’s what they did for me. These superfood berries- like longan fruit, above- are my new multivitamins!
Longan fruit is somewhat similar to lychee fruit in its look and consistency before being dehydrated. It is very sweet and pleasant, without the sharp kick of berry tartness that other superfruits have. Longan fruit is a concentrated source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Herbal remedies may include longan fruit to support cardiovascular health. This super-yummy fruit is good for the anemic as it is through to be a blood-building superfood.
Most interesting- and we’ll have to try this one!- longan fruit is through to increase the libido and revv up your sexy.
As Ron Teeguarden’s website explains:
“Longan is not only great for the skin, but is also a sex tonic for women. For that reason, Longan is considered as a special tonic for women who wish to be both beautiful and sexual – it has a 2000-year reputation as a special love tonic, especially for women. Many of the most beautiful women in China eat Longan or drink Longan tea regularly.
Of course, Longan is not really just a woman’s herb. Longan is equally beneficial to men. Men like to look good too, so an herb that benefits the skin is equally valuable to men. Longan has a calming effect and adds radiance to the eyes. It has no direct hormonal influence. It may be consumed by men as they please as an excellent Blood, Qi and Shen tonic. Longan is totally unisex.
Longan Fruit has a high content of iron, about 20 times that of grapes and 15 times that of spinach”
Interesting on so many levels. And so delicious.
While I loved this image of fresh multicolored mulberies, dehydrated white mulberries are a fruit I can eat non-stop for hours. And I did! A generous handful contains half of the daily recommended does of iron (!) one needs in a day, and a ton of fiber and vitamin C along with those lovely antioxidants I mentioned above. According to Dr. Oz, “Studies suggest that the antioxidants in white mulberries may help protect the heart against damage from some toxins.” And… they are so sweet and chewy!!! After plowing through half of a big sack of raw dehydrated white mulberries mixed with handfulls of raw cashews, I was satisfied for hours… and my eyes even seemed brighter!
(goldenberries aka gooseberies)
Gooseberries, known to superfoodies as Goldenberries are the more tart of this group of superfruits and I find that refreshing! Just a third of a cup of goldenberries are replete with 45% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A, tons of carotene and fiber. While you may find then too tart to eat on their own, when mixed in with white mulberries or even rasins in trail mix they are the perfectly balanced, delightfully sour addition to the mixture. (I happen to love this breakfast salad made with goldenberries.) As a bonus to their credit: when they grow, they don’t deplete the soil, so they are also sustainable as a nutrional source on a grand scale in organic farming, making good use of the land!
If you live in Los Angeles, or another big city filled with health foodies, you’ll have no problem finding these and many more superfood berries. While they are far more pricey than your average rasins, just a handful will suffice in terms of their nutritional prowess. If you are not as centrally located near a city of insurgent nutrition, I have had excellent experiences from the mulberries and goldenberries that can be purchased online at Essential Living Foods and I adore longan fruit from Dragon Herbs (it’s where I first encountered them in Santa Monica and got hooked!) Enjoy!!! xoxo Dana
********************
And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101. Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks. It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do. Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow. Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE… And, as always, please let me know what happens!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving Dana!
Double blessing also!
Much love!