Super Spreads!

The team at Tonic are always experimenting with fun new ways to incorporate superfoods into easy, everyday foods.  This week in the kitchen we have come up with some great recipes for everyone's favourite condiments & spreads.  Great for snacks, school lunch boxes & ingredients for smoothies!


If you would like us to show you how to put a superfood spin on one of your favourite meals, please email us at sales@tonicsuperfoods.com.au with your request!


Super Almond Butter
This is a great alternative to peanut butter!  Almonds are a great source of protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium & vitamin E, as well as a whole host of other essential nutrients.  It tastes great as a snack with some celery or pop a spoonful in a smoothy for a great nutty taste!

Ingredients:
4 cups of raw almonds
4 tbsp raw organic honey
2 tbsp Tonic Superfoods Maca Powder
1/2 tspn celtic sea salt


Method:
Soak the almonds overnight in water, then drain.
Place the almonds in a food processor & process for aprox. 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. You will notice that after about 10 minutes the mixture goes from being very dry to slightly doughy and butter like.
Once your mixture starts to look buttery, add the honey, maca & sea salt. then continue to process for another minute, until mixed.
Store mixture in a jar & enjoy!


Cacao-Hazelnut Spread

So you have a sweet tooth?  Remember eating nutella straight from the jar as a child? YUM - well this is even better!  Cacao is a great source of phytonutrients including aminos, protein, omega-3, calcium, zinc, sulphur, copper, potassium, beta-carotene, chromium and magnesium. Cacao is without rival the highest source of magnesium to be found in any food, so rich in it that it has been known to reverse magnesium deficiency. Magnesium assists in regulating blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and enhances metabolism, whilst helping to relax muscles and relieve stress.  Couple this with mesquite meal - also assisting in controlling blood sugar levels, as well as a great source in Vitamin D & you have yourself a fantastic health snack that is going to not only taste great, but help curb sugar cravings!
This one is also really yummy with Tonic's amazing Maca Pancakes - YUMMO!


Ingredients:

4 cups of roasted hazelnuts

4 tbsp raw organic honey

3 tbsp Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

1 Tonic Superfoods Vanilla Bean

Method:

Place the hazelnuts in a food processor & process for aprox. 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. You will notice that after about 10 minutes the mixture goes from being very dry to slightly doughy and butter like.

Once your mixture starts to look buttery, add the cacao, honey & vanilla bean. Then continue to process for another minute, until mixed.

Store mixture in a jar & enjoy!

Goji Jam!

Goji berries increase strength, stamina, longevity by increasing the energy of both the kidneys and the adrenal glands. Goji berries are a great source of vitamin C, Vitamin A, posess 21 minerals, 18 amino acids and of course score an amazing 23,500 on the ORAC (anti-oxidant) scale. Ginger is great for digestion, nausea, blood circulation & inflammation. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of Tonic Superfoods Goji Berries (Soaked overnight & drained)

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

3 pitted medjool dates

Meat from one young coconut

Method:

Blend until pureed consistency for spreading.  If you find this is still too thick, you can add some of the coconut water and blend until it is at a spreadable consistency. 

Store mixture in a jar & enjoy!

Summer Detox Part 2: Back to Basics

In Summer Detox Part 1: Heavy Metal Detox, Bonnie Pockley introduced a fun and easy way to start the summer detox process by way of a heavy metal cleanse.  Now its time to go back to basics, to give you your best beach body ever!

The sun is out and the days are fine, the smell of blossom fills the air and on the weekend, your friends want to go to the beach. Yes, it’s almost Summer; the season of shorts, bikinis and long languorous days. It’s the perfect time to spring-clean your body and get your eating habits back on track to look, and feel, your best. So, let’s get back to basics and start summer with some detoxification and a reminder of the principles of good eating. At TONIC SUPERFOODS we believe that the more good stuff you add in, the less of the other stuff you need to worry about. Remember: the best way to get rid of bad habits is to replace them with good ones!

Drink MSM every morning:

MSM is a powerful blood cleanser and detoxifier. Drinking a teaspoon to a tablespoon in water every morning is one of the best things your can do to kick start your metabolism and set you up for a good day. MSM helps digestion and supports the synthesis of collagen, making it an all round must for glowing skin and a beating the dreaded bikini bloated belly. MSM tastes bitter so disguise the taste with some organic honey or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Click Here for Tonic Superfoods MSM

Alkalise your body:

In order for your body to operate at its optimum level your blood needs to be alkaline. When it becomes acidic, your kidneys work overtime to regain a blood ph level of around 7.45. Beyond this, an acidic system is aging, inflammatory and aggressive to your body because it leeches calcium and other mineral from your skeleton to redress acidity in the blood. Fruit and vegetables alkalise your body so eat plenty of them and avoid acidic foods like glutenous grains (oats, rye, wheat,) refined dairy, sugar and excess coffee. I don’t say ban coffee altogether here because coffee has certain health benefits that offset its acidity. Coffee brewed fresh and black is a great blood cleanser so oft for a Long Black or a Long Macchiato instead of your usual Flat White. TONIC SUPERFOODS smoothies are also the ideal meal or snack during a hot summer day because they are quick, easy, nutrition and delicious! Water also alkalises your body so make sure you are drinking your 8 glasses every day.

Stay away from processed foods:

Processed foods are often highly toxic. As we’ve mentioned before on this blog, processed foods often contain nasty chemical, GM additives, high amounts of sugar and fat and are difficult for your body to process and are thus stored as toxic build-up. Added to this, inorganic foods are sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that contain heavy metals. It is fair to say, the more human interference involved with food production the more likely it to make you look and feel unhealthy, contribute to weight gain and illness. The most important guideline under this topic heading is to get rid of sugar and flour! If you are serious about your health, cut them out of your diet as much as you can.

Eat nutrient rich food from organic sources:

Organic food is what food should be and means that it hasn’t been sprayed, waxed or tampered with during its production. Organic food also has a higher nutrient value, better taste and is environmentally sound. TONIC SUPERFOODS are a great place to start with eating organic because they contain higher mineral and vitamin levels than other foods, stay fresh on your shelf (no more having to throw out old fruit and veg because you haven’t got around to eating it), tastes delicious and leaves you satisfied. Added to this, your body will feel more energised, look healthy and perform better.

Eat good quality protein at almost every meal: 

Add protein to a detox? It may sound strange but protein is very important to detoxification. Your body required amino acids (protein building blocs) for almost every process in your body. Protein also keeps you feeling full and is an important part of any weight loss plan. This doesn’t mean you have to eat steak at every meal but rather to be mindful of including protein in your diet. Did you also know that TONIC SUPERFOODS Bee Pollen is richer in protein than beef? There are many ways to include protein in your diet so be creative and try something different like adding a spoonful of bee pollen to your favourite smoothie. You’ll love the taste!

Click here for Tonic Superfoods Bee Pollen

Stress-less:

Stress has become a past of our modern lifestyles. We never have enough time to stop and enjoy what matters to us. Stress contributes to almost every illness making it important for us to find the time to unwind before we pay the price later. Use the beautiful weather as an excuse to sit in the park or go to the beach and tune out to other people’s demands on your time. Taking even just 15 minutes a day for yourself will help keep stress levels down and make you feel slightly more human again. You’ll find the less stressed you are, the better food choices you make and the happier you will feel. Magnesium is also a great stress-buster so make sure your smoothies contain some of TONIC’s high magnesium Raw Cacao.

Click here for Tonic Superfoods Raw Cacao

By Bonnie Pockley

Going Nutty!

Having the same protein shake or super smoothie everyday can get pretty unexciting!  Here is one of the latest creations from the Tonic kitchen – guaranteed to send you nutty!

If you would like us to show you how to put a superfood spin on one of your favourite meals, please email us at sales@tonicsuperfoods.com.au with your request!

250mls of almond milk

1 banana

1-2 scoops of SunWarrior Protein (Chocolate)

2 tbsp of ABC Spread (Almond, Brazil Nut, Cashew)

1 tbsp of Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

1 tbsp of Tonic Superfoods Maca Powder

1 tbsp of coconut oil

1 tspn of Raw Honey

Blend & Enjoy!

Creamy Cacao Mousse

One of our readers Becky asked, "What is something she can eat that will satisfy sweet chocolate cravings without completely ruining her clean eating plan?"  I’ve made this from time to time for friends, and they love it!  The cacao provides a great source of magnesium – which is great for relaxing after training, whilst the coconut oil is great for fat burning!

If you would like us to show you how to put a superfood spin on one of your favourite meals, please email us at sales@tonicsuperfoods.com.au with your request!

Creamy Cacao Mousse

Ingredients

2 Ripe Avocados

½ cup Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

3 tbsp Raw Honey or Agave

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tspn Cinnamon Powder

Optional Ingredients – Depending on personal preference!

1 tspn Mesquite Powder

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper

½ Tonic Superfoods Vanilla Pod

1 tbsp Cacao Nibs

Strawberries!

Method

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy!  Yum!

Avocados are a surprisingly complete food, with fourteen minerals to stimulate growth, including iron and copper for your blood. The sodium and potassium in avocados keeps your body chemically balanced, and their low sugar content and absence of starch make them an ideal fruit for diabetics or hypoglycemics. Vitamins in avocados include A, several B-complex, C, and E, as well as phosphorus and magnesium. They’re also a great source of antioxidants like vitamins E and C.  Furthermore, Avocados contain lutein, which is an antioxidant that is great for the eyes. It helps to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.

Due to their density, avocados, like bananas, are filling. They are also a perfectly digestible slow-burning fuel, making them ideal for replenishing nutrients for athletes. They’re a great source of fruit oil and digestible fats. Avocados also contain many other antioxidants that can fight against free radicals in your body that can cause cancer. These antioxidants are so powerful that they can even reverse the signs of aging.

What about the FAT?

Eating avocados in moderation for your fat source is a wise decision. It is very high in nutrients per calorie, meaning that your body will be getting all of its necessary nutrients and you will be feeling full because of the avocados good amount of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Also, eating avocados with other fruits and vegetables will make it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients from those other foods as well. Most of the nutrients are fat soluble nutrients and, well, we’ve already established that avocados contain fat. So eating them together will make for one healthy body!

The high fat content in the avocado nutrition facts is actually a good thing. According to studies done on the use of avocado in a diet to reduce cholesterol, the monounsaturated fat in avocados helps to reduce triglyceride levels and increase HDL, which is the good cholesterol.

Mighty Magnesium - The Key to good health.

Magnesium helps us to relax, and prevents us from getting overly stressed, it is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body—it can be found in human bones, teeth and red blood cells, and activates more enzyme systems than both Iron and Zinc combined. Magnesium is critical in over 350 essential biochemical reactions in the body including digestion, energy production, muscle function, bone formation, creation of new cells, activation of B vitamins, relaxation of muscles, and also assists in the proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, adrenals, brain and nervous system.

Magnesium Deficiency

When the body’s cells are depleted of magnesium, the body will start to replace magnesium stores from its own reserves, namely from the bones & the liver.  When the body no longer has the capacity to replace magnesium from its own reserves, the symptoms of magnesium deficiency start to manifest.  Symptoms can range from cramps, muscle twitches, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, as well as migraines & insomnia to name a few.

A magnesium deficiency accompanies a potassium and phosphate deficiency, and in the worst instances, a calcium deficiency is also evident.

Magnesium & Women.

During the menstral cycle, levels of magnesium in the body drop, which can lead to migraine head aches and cramping.  The magnesium found in Cacao, can assist in easing these symptoms, as well as assisting with water retention and weight gain that are caused by low levels of aldosterone which is produced by adrenal gland as resulting of magnesium deficiency .

What can cause magnesium deficiency?

Modern diets & bad eating habits have lead to many people not consuming enough magnesium, however the shortage of magnesium begins with modern day  farming methods whereby crops are artificially fertilised with potassium and nitrogenous fertiliser, which in turn drains the earth of nutrients including magnesium!  Furthermore, modern day processing methods of sugar, grain & salt based foods see more than 80% of magnesium is removed, 38-67% of magnesium is lost through cooking, up to 38% through freezing and up to 99% through refining processes.

A deficiency can also generally be traced to areas in which the soil composition already has a poor magnesium content and consequently less of it is found in the drinking water and food. Australia has the lowest magnesium content in the soil in the world.

Reasons for magnesium deficiency

• Diets that don’t incorporate multiple  nutritional sources
• Diets high in refined foods, such as sugar & white flour
• Food that has a very high calcium content, or is lacking in vitamins B1, B2 & B6
• Excessive Alcohol consumption & smoking
• The use of diuretics and some antibiotics.
• Excessive exercise
• Stressful situations

Cacao & Magnesium

Cacao is a great source of phytonutrients including aminos, protein, omega-3, calcium, zinc, sulphur, copper, potassium, beta-carotene, chromium and magnesium. Cacao is without rival the highest source of magnesium to be found in any food, so rich in it that it has been known to reverse magnesium deficiency.

Mighty Magnesium Smoothie!

4 cups Almond milk

3 tbsp Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

1 tbsp Tonic Superfoods Maca Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tbsp Cacao nibs

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tbsp Raw Cashews

1 tbsp Raw Honey – To Sweeten

1 pinch Celtic Sea Salt

½ Tonic Superfoods Vanilla Bean

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Blend & Enjoy!

Strong Bones, Strong Body: maintain your bone health with SUPERFOODS

By Bonnie Pockley
Did you know that healthy bone is half as strong as steel in resisting compression and fully as strong as steel in resisting tension?1 Did you also know that the body leeches (resorbs) calcium from bones to control blood calcium levels as calcium is used in an extensive number of the body’s regulatory systems?

Bone ‘resorption’ in offset by bone ‘repair’ to the extent that our thigh bone, for example, is fully replaced every 6 months. The human body does not actually act to preserve the skeleton’s strength and wellbeing but to maintain blood-calcium homeostasis and without adequate nutritional intake our blood calcium levels drop dangerously. Extended periods of low blood calcium levels demineralise our bones so much that they develop large, punched-out-looking holes. Taking a calcium supplements is, however, problematic and will not improve the health of your bones. As calcium supplements are generally made of ground down shell and other hardened or ‘calcified’ forms of the mineral, the calcium content of most supplements isn’t readily available to your body for use. Further more, these forms of calcium actually cause calcification throughout the body, decrease flexibility and exacerbate inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.


Want to maintain functional strength as well as prevent osteoporosis, arthritis and other conditions relating to the deterioration of bone mass?


Did you know that magnesium and silicon play as big a role as calcium in the intracellular balance that is conducive to bone health?


Silicon, in fact, not only reduces the number of bone destroying cells but also partially prevents bone resorption and bone damage. 2 Studies have also shown that with every 100mg supplementation of magnesium (consider here that 50% of the body’s total magnesium is found in bone), bone density increase by 2%! 3






Complete bone health is dependant on a variety of bioavailable vitamins, proteins and minerals: vitamin C, vitamin D, Vitamin A, several minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese) and silicon.


Where do you find the richest source of most of these? Superfoods!


Raw Cacao contains more magnesium, and Camu Camu contains more vitamin C, than any other food substance. Bee Pollen contains high levels of all essential amino acids and bone repairing minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. MSM synthesises and increases the level of silicon that is available to the body. Supplementing your diet with these good quality, organic tonic foods will not only improve your physical well being but improve your performance, strength and endurance during training.






1) Marieb & Hoehn, ‘Human Anatomy and Physiology, Bones and Skeletal tissue, Pearson International Edition, 2010.


2) Silicon: An Overlooked Trace Mineral; www.arthritissupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/739 v8/18/2003


3) Stengler, M. Magnesium Is the Key to Strong Bones, http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/hot_topics.html?aid=38200&sid=hottopo2, 25/9/10

Your best present ever - A good nights sleep!

When was the last time that you can honestly say you had a good nights sleep?  You know, the kind of sleep where you wake up feeling so refreshed, you could take on just about anything.  It’s been a while hasn’t it?  So if I were to ask you when the last time was you had several of these nights in a row you would probably look at me like I was speaking Chinese!  I’m on holidays at the moment, and have been sleeping up a storm.  It feels great, I’ve got energy, my skin has improved, I’ve been able to focus & concentrate on study & I just feel outright AMAZING! 

We have such busy lifestyles, and sleep takes up so much time – any wonder why we scrimp on sleep just to get everything done.  Guaranteed, if we could, we would eradicate sleep altogether, after all, we would then have time to work, study, exercise, socialize & just about anything else we wanted!  Feeling as great as I feel now, I thought it was important to look into what sleep is, why we NEED it & how important it is to get a good nights sleep.

What is sleep?

Sleep is defined as a state of reduced motor activity & lower response to sensory stimulation. Sleep is essential for the normal functioning of all systems in the body & has direct effect on our mental and physical health. Lack of, or poor sleep can affect our ability to fight and endure sickness, cause irritability, poor concentration, impair memory and decreases hand-eye co-ordination.

Many of us consider sleep as a passive state (where nothing happens), however brain activity actually continues during sleep. Our cells produce and release proteins essential for growth and tissue repair during sleep. Sleep helps us maintain optimal emotional and social functioning while awake by giving a rest during sleep to the parts of the brain that control emotions and social interactions.

Brain activity plays an important part in sleep. Neurotransmitters control whether we are awake or asleep by acting on nerve cells in different parts of the brain. The neurons located in the brain stem cause sleep by inhibiting other parts of the brain that keep a person awake.

Circadian Rhythms

Biological variations that occur in the course of 24 hours are called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are controlled by the body's biological clock. Many bodily functions follow the biological clock, but sleep and wakefulness consist of the most important circadian rhythm, with our hypothalamus controlling our sleep/wakefulness rhythm.

Light directly affect the sleep/wakefulness rhythm. This is why it is more normal for us to be awake during daylight and asleep at night. Light is called a zeitgeber (a German word meaning time-giver) as it sets the biological clock.

The hypothalamus also controls body temperature. Body temperature increases during the day and decrease at night. Prolactin, testosterone and growth hormone have a maximal secretion at night.

Circadian rhythms can be affected by external influences like alarm clocks, meals, travel/crossing of time zones and shift work. It usually takes several days for the body to adjust.  Not to mention our busy lifestyles. It’s so easy to work all day, go to the gym, come home, eat dinner – then you look at the time it’s already 9.30pm & you still have to prepair your meals for tomorrow, have a shower etc.  Before you know it, it’s midnight and you’re only just thinking about getting to bed!

6 Reasons why sleep is important!

Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.

Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may lead to a lack of concentration - not good when you are driving or operating machinery!

Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

Magnesium & Sleep

If you are still having trouble with sleep, add some magnesium to your diet. Our bodies use magnesium in more than 300 metabolic reactions. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, steadies heart rhythms, and supports our immune systems. Additionally magnesium regulates blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and enhances metabolism.

Magnesium is considered the "anti-stress" mineral and is a natural sedative. Magnesium supplements improve sleep by decreasing the release of cortisol, a known cause of sleep disruption. Stress depletes magnesium and magnesium relieves stress. When your magnesium levels are low, your nervous system gets out of balance, and you feel on edge, naturally resulting in tightening muscles.

Although we expect sleep to relax us, when magnesium levels are low, it may not. When we sleep, muscle groups move and stretch, in preparation for the next day’s activity. However, magnesium works with the calcium in our bodies to help our muscles first contract and then relax again. Muscles contract with the help of stored calcium. Magnesium is the mineral that helps them relax. Without enough magnesium, muscles are unable to relax fully after contraction and nighttime muscle cramps develop, causing another sleep disruption.

The high levels of magnesium found in Cacao, make cacao a great choice for magnesium supplementation.  Cacao also contains phytonutrients including aminos, protein, omega-3, calcium, zinc, sulphur, copper, potassium, beta-carotene, chromium as well as Penylethylamine (PEA). PEA is a chemical associated with love and optimism. When we feel good our PEA levels increase. When we ingest PEA rich foods such as cacao our mood also is likely to become elevated, combine this with a good nights sleep – and you will feel on top of the world! (I like to make a Hot Chocolate before bed - check out the recipe here!)

Click here to purchase Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

It’s great to exercise & eat well, but you aren’t doing yourself any favours by overlooking the importance of a good nights sleep!  In the long run it will catch up with you.  After experiencing how amazing I feel at the moment, allowing myself to sleep – I won’t be letting myself forget this feeling in a hurry & I urge you to do the same!

SWEET DREAMS!

Do you have your own website or blog?  Check out the Tonic Superfoods Affiliate Program.  By spreading the word about Tonic Superfoods on your site, you are not only helping people in their health journey, but you can make money!

Cheeky Choc-Mint Cheesecake!

Whilst playing around with natural sweeteners - Tonic created this amazing cheesecake recipe that was too good not to share!  With no sugar, you don't need to feel guilty whilst enjoying this sweet treat!
Incorporating cacao which contains Penylethylamine (PEA), this cheesecake is guaranteed to make you feel good - PEA is a chemical associated with love and optimism. When we feel good our PEA levels increase. When we ingest PEA rich foods such as cacao our mood also is likely to become elevated - So go on, have a slice of cheesecake, it will make you smile!


If you would like us to show you how to put a superfood spin on one of your favourite meals, please email us at sales@tonicsuperfoods.com.au with your request!

Crust Ingredients

2 cups crushed almonds (left over almond fiber from making almond milk is great!)

1/2 cup organic butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 Tblsp Tonic Superfoods Xylitol

Method

Butter sides & bottom of 9” spring foam pan.

Press almond mixture to bottom of pan & bring the mixture ½ an inch up the sides.

Bake for 10 minutes on 140ºC.

Leave to cool completely.

Filling Ingredients

2 tsp stevia

¾ tsp peppermint extract

2 x 500g block of Cream Cheese (Softened)

2 cups water

¼ cup Tonic Superfoods Cacao Powder

1½ envelopes of unflavoured gelatin

Method

Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Sift cocoa powder

Add cream cheese & combine until smooth using an electric mixer

Add stevia & peppermint extract & mix well.

Boil the water & quickly add the gelatin, stirring until dissolved.

Add gelatin to cream cheese mixture & mix well on a low speed.

Pour filling into spring form pan with completely cooled crust.

Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours & garnish with Mint leaves before serving.

YUM!

Do you have your own website or blog?  Check out the Tonic Superfoods Affiliate Program.  By spreading the word about Tonic Superfoods on your site, you are not only helping people in their health journey, but you can make money!