Category Archives: Healthy Snacks

養生茶, bedtime tea

Healthy late-night snack: Best Bedtime Tea to promote better sleep quality, everyday detox, and skin health

Bedtime Tea
bedtime tea

Bedtime Detox Tea

Isabel
Bedtime Tea for better sleep, everyday detox, skin health, and more
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 18 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups Water
  • 6 pieces Jujubes (red dates)
  • 1 handful Goji berres
  • 2 bags Dandy Liver Detox Tea
  • 2 tsp Raw honey
  • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Egg (optional)
  • 1 drop  Astragalus (or 3 slices of dried Astragalus root) (optional)
  • 3 pieces Dried longans (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Boil water in a medium pot
  • Wash jujubes, goji berries, dried astragalus root (optional), and dried longans (optional)
  • Place jujubes, dried astragalus root (optional), and dried longans (optional) into pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes
  • (Optional): Carefully drop the egg into the center of the whirlpool and let it poach for 3 minutes
  • Turn off heat. Add teabags and goji berries. Cover pot and let it steep for 5-10 minutes
  • Stir in raw honey and apple cider vinegar. Serve warm

Notes

  • Longan is used to calm the mind, support sleep & digestion in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) 
  • Organic Jujube/Dried dates 
  • Organic Goji berries Since the vitamins in goji berries are water-soluble, you can also chew them directly without soaking into hot water to maximize nutrient absorption. Soaking goji berries into hot water can soften the dried berries.  
  • Local raw honey may alleviate seasonal allergy symptoms.
  • 1 egg = 6 grams of protein = can help balance blood sugar level and promote better sleep 
  • Dandy Liver Detox Tea (dandelion root, milk thistle seed, lemon peel, and more)
  • Astragalus = Immune booster 
Keyword bedtime, bedtime snack, bedtime tea, detox, healthy recipes, healthy snack, sleep better, sleepaid, tea

KIND Bars: A boost of Nutrients and Flavor

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Savor the Flavor of Eating right with :

  • a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal;
  • oats, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, sweet potato for fuel;
  • healthy nuts & seeds for snacks;
  • more plant-based protein

One of the nutrition questions I get from many of my patients is regarding the high fat content of nuts. It is true that many nutrient-dense plant foods such as Avocados, Nuts & Seeds, Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Tofu, Edamame are high in fat. They naturally contain unsaturated as well as saturated fat.  Here are some things you should know: The presence of saturated fat in a plant-source, whole food doesn’t label a food into the unhealthy category if it is loaded with more essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, the healthy fats, which make up the majority of the fat content in the above high-fat plant foods help reduce LDL cholesterol and lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

Here are some things you should know: The presence of saturated fat in a plant-source, whole food doesn’t put a food into the “unhealthy” category. You have to look at the complete nutrition profile.

My new favorite Kind Bar- The Cashew & Ginger Spice Bar contains 200 Kcal, 14g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 4g Sugar, and 6g Protein. It tastes incredible and it’s way healthier than candied ginger!

Photo Source: kindsnacks.com
Photo Source: kindsnacks.com

Epidemiological studies suggest that regular nut consumption is unlikely to contribute to obesity and may even help in weight loss and lower the risk of hypertension. Raw nuts and seeds consumption, (especially walnuts, flaxseed, chia seed) have been associated with cancer risk reduction. Go Nuts with 5 oz serving weekly to maximize the benefits of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. According to the INC and USDA National Nutrient, the following equal one ounce of nuts:

Photo Source: INC and USDA National Nutrient 150-157 Data Base for Standard Reference, Release 19, 2006.
Photo Source: INC and USDA National Nutrient 150-157
Data Base for Standard Reference, Release 19,
2006.

If you are looking for the perfect sweet & salty granola-like bar, I would recommend KIND Bar’s Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt. Each Bar contains 150 Kcal, 5 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 6 g Sugar, 3 g Protein. It contains all the healthy grains I like: Oats, brown rice, millet, oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa + a subtle maple flavor blend with the nuttiness of pumpkin & sunflower seeds. It makes a great chewy snack packed with amazing nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, magnesium, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are great for your immune system, bone and heart health.

source: kindsnacks.com
source: kindsnacks.com

Bottom line: Fear not the fats in nuts & seeds. You can read more about the latest nutrition research about nuts here.

 

What's on my office bookshelf?
What’s on my office bookshelf?