The 6 basic nutrients we need for organ development, growth, cell reproduction and a proper metabolism are split up between the 3 basic macronutrients we need for energy - carbohydrates, proteins and fats and the 3 basic micronutrients for our metabolism - vitamins, minerals and water.

Carbohydrates are the bodies main source of energy. These macro nutrients are necessary for digestion and assimilation of foods. Fiber is a carbohydrate that consists of very large molecules. We should get our carbohydrates from unprocessed foods like whole grains, seeds, nuts, peas, brown rice, fruits and vegetables.

Fats consist of fatty acids and hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They have a very high caloric value. Fatty acids are needed for cell production.

Proteins are broken down into amino acids by the body. They are also considered to be the buiding material for muscles, blood, internal organs and skin.

Vitamins are nutrients needed in small quantities but essential for many body functions and the metabolism of nutrients.

Mineral nutrients are constituents of muscles, blood, bones, teeth and soft tissue.

Water is essential in transporting nutrients via the blood and other bodily fluids.

Sweet potatoes are a source of dietary fibre to consider adding to your meal.

As a change of pace from the boring old "spud", perhaps a baked sweet potato tonight with dinner, or a pure sweet potato soup for lunch would add some sweet potato spice to your life. You would be contributing beta carotene, vitamin C and B6 to your nutritional intake.

This complex carbohydrate has been cultivated for over 5000 years and is now enjoying a new found interest. As much as 80 percent of the worlds supply of sweet potato is produced in China!

Perhaps a "greener" approach to experience sweet potato is through the live whole food based insta fresh juice powder drink mix "The Feast" which incorporates sweet potato as one of the many natural ingredients. You can order a sample of The Feast here.

Quinoa is grown as a crop for its edible seeds and called a pseudocereal since it is not a grass but a grain. It originated in the Andes of South America and can be cultivated up to about 4,000 meters.

The Incas called the quinoa grain the mother of all grains. It is considered by many Jews to be kosher if properly processed.

The quinoa grain is appreciated for its nutritional value due to its high protein content (12%-18%). It contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans and is therefore considered a complete food. Quinoa is gluten free and easy to digest.

Most quinoa from south America that is sold in north America is processed to remove the bitter tasting coating. If you make quinoa soup or are cooking quinoa the bitterness should not be too unpalatable.

If you are looking for recipes for organic quinoa or instructions on how to prepare quinoa or how to cook quinoa you can visit quinoa-recipes.com

If you are looking for a quinoa muffin recipe, quinoa dessert recipe or quinoa sesame recipe they should be able to help you.

A good source for a quinoa nutritional profile is nutritiondata.com

The Feast is our preferred source for quinoa nutrition since it contains certified organic quinoa sprouts amongst over 170 other all natural ingredients.

You can order a sample of The Feast or learn more about convenient real nutrition from the CEO of Uri International here.

Vegetein is an excellent organic yellow pea protein powder product. It can be used as a base for yellow pea protein smoothies or yellow pea protein shakes. Yellow split peas offer a good amino acid profile and have water and fat binding properties.

You can find a yellow split pea soup recipe at Cooks.com or buy yellow split peas at your local bulk food store. There are a lot of different recipes for yellow split peas on the internet that also tell you how to cook yellow split peas.

What is the best extra virgin coconut oil?

First of all I would recommend to use organic extra virgin raw coconut oil. The health benefits of extra virgin coconut oil is often attributed to the fact that it's composed predominantely of medium-chain fatty acids.

The relation between coconut oil and low carb diet is discussed in the bestseller "The Coconut Diet" by Cherie Calbom.

According to this BBC article the marketing of products as superfoods is banned in the EU as of June 2007 unless the claim can be supported by credible scientific research.

The definition of a superfood according to Wikipedia is "a type of food believed to have health benefits beyond those of more common foods due to specific phytonutrient content. For instance, blueberries are considered a superfood or superfruit because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants, anthocyanins, vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre which are believed to provide important health benefits."

I guess this is part of the reason why the super grain Salba® is rather considered a functional food. Doug Cook of the Toronto Star Vice Squad calls the salba seed "An Ancient Nutritional Wonder". In his article about these aztec chia seeds he compares the salba seed (Salvia hispanica L.) to the well known flax in terms of a source of omega-3 fats.

I'm sure you will see the emergence of more salba reviews and salba recipies since more and more people will want to find answers to the question "what is salba?" and if there are any health benefits to eating chia seeds. Salba salvia hispanica is available in canada and probably also in the U.S.

Chia seed research has been conducted at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada and probably other places as well.

Before adding any so called superfood or functional food to your diet I highly recommend to consider looking into a source of whole food nutrients with a very high nutrient density like The Feast. Over 176 all natural ingredients delivered through a low-temperature drying process should provide enough vegetable nutrients and essential nutrients to come close to a recommended daily nutrient intake. Why not order a sample and give your taste buds something to look forward to?

When it comes to nutrition facts regarding the food you're eating a good place to go is Nutrition.gov where government information on food and human nutrition for consumers is provided.

The best source for nutrient dense live whole foods and fresh raw juices that taste great is Uri International's The Feast. They developed a whole new concept in nutrition based on their proprietary perfect drying process which maintains the complete integrity of the fresh live whole foods that are being dried. Samples of The Feast are available here.

At www.mypyramid.gov the US government offers a new nutrition pyramid for kids & adults. The nutrition pyramid offers you a personal eating plan as well as information about a proper pregnancy nutrition diet. The fitness and nutrition pyramid guide stresses the importance of grains, fruits and vegetables in a nutrient-dense form.

One of the best and at the same time convenient sources of fruits and vegetables is The Feast as it is available in powder form to be mixed with water or in kosher vegetarian capsules and is made from fresh, live whole foods without any isolated, synthetic or inorganic vitamins and minerals.

You can order a sample of The Feast to find out yourself if you like the taste before you order.

THE FEAST is the only product on the market that provides a synergistically complete, nutritionally balanced combination of natures most beneficial live whole foods. The Feast is a convenient all-in-one live whole food supplement for today’s active and demanding lifestyles! Feed your body the feast it deserves!

The Feast is the one and only live whole food product on the planet that delivers a full, synergistic spectrum of:

• 30 Antioxidant Rich Fruits & Berries
• 30 Powerful Greens & Vegetables
• 11 Nutrient Dense Seeds, Nuts & Sprouts
• 83+ Active Enzymes & Fulvic Minerals
• 22 Strains of Resilient Living Probiotics

THE FEAST:

• More variety, quality and quantity of ingredients than any other live whole food supplement.
• Easily assimilated and absorbed.
• 100% natural Live Whole Food nutrition.
• Nutritious and Delicious!
• Does not contain synthetic or isolated vitamins and minerals.
• Non-pasteurized. Preservative free.
• Dried at temperatures below 100°F.
• The most powerful, nutrient dense nutritional product on the market.
• Fresh live whole foods to powder in seconds.
• Naturally alkaline ingredients.

EVERY 2 SCOOPS PROVIDE:

• 70+ nutrient dense live whole foods.
• 4 servings of concentrated, fresh live whole foods.
• Nutritional equivalent of 8 servings of fresh live whole foods.
• 1000’s of naturally occurring bioavailable nutritional compounds.

All of this in ONE power packed, nutrient dense, complete whole food formula for the ultimate in whole food nutrition! The Feast is revolutionizing the wellness industry.†

Typical ORAC Value: Per suggested use 3,180. Per jar 47,700.

INGREDIENTS:
Each serving contains juice and whole powders from:

Antioxidant Rich Fruits & Berries: Purple Grape*, Raspberry*, Noni Fruit, Mangosteen, Wolfberry-Goji, Acai Berry, Black Currant, Blackberry*, Blueberry*, Pomegranate, Bilberry, Whole Purple Grape, Elderberry, Cranberry, Strawberry*, Acerola Cherry, Pear, Orange, Watermelon*, Papaya, Banana, Lemon, Grapefruit, Peach, Prune, Cherry*, Plum*, Pineapple and Hawthorn Berry in a base of Apple.

Power Greens & Vegetables: Barley Grass juice powder*, Alfalfa Leaf juice powder*, Wheat Grass juice powder*, Carrot*, Oat Grass juice powder*, Dunaliella, Kelp, Spinach*, Sweet Potato*, Beet*, Dulse, Klamath Lake Algae*, Chlorella, Spirulina, Broccoli*, Kale, Tomato*, Squash, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bell Pepper, Parsley, Cucumber, Brussels Sprout, Onion, Celery, Garlic, Cayenne, Asparagus and Ginger.

Nutrient Dense Seeds, Nuts & Sprouts:** Flax Seed, Oat Bran, Brown Rice Fiber Complex, Almond Seed*, Sunflower Seed, Wheat Sprout*, Quinoa Sprout*, Amaranth Sprout*, Pumpkin Seed, Chia Seed and Sesame Seed.

Active Enzymes & Fulvic Mineral Blend: Amylase, Cellulase, Protease, Lactase, Lipase, Maltase, Bromelain, Sucrase, Ionic Fulvic Mineral Extract Powder Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Aloe Vera Leaf Extract and Yucca.

Resilient Living Probiotics: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus kefir, Leuconostoc cremoris, Lactobacillus caucasicus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus brevis, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Other Ingredients:

Natural Mixed Berry flavor, Guar Gum and Stevia.

*Certified Organic