Whole 30 Flaxseed Apricot Bars
To ease myself away from the physical carbohydrates cravings that my body is adjusting back to a low carb diet I make these flax, chia seed apricot squares for that go to snack so I don’t eat something I will regret during my whole 30 re-start.
Here we go again my my why did I eat so much over Christmas 😆. It has been a wonderful Christmas of eating and merriment, but it has to stop and while my naughty side and taste buds have throughly enjoyed eating all the food groups that cause inflammation and speedy weight gain my body has told me No on several occasions over the last two weeks. I am pleased that naturally I have had enough and desperately want my clean living balanced lifestyle back! I would also like to fit in to my clothes again!
Ingredients
(Makes 8 bars)
250g dried sulphur free apricots
1cup flax seed milled
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup psyllium husk
1/2 cup sunflower and pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
50-100ml water
Place all the ingredients except the water in a food processor and blitz until incorporated, add the water I start with 50ml and blitz to combine, feel the mixture it wants to be moist enough to hold together.
Place the mixture in to a 6" x 4" baking tin and press down firmly in to all the corners, pop in the fridge and leave to firm up for an hour or so and thats it, I then cut the block in to 8 bars and wrap in parchment paper so that my family can just grab and go.
You can alternatively roll the mixture in to individual balls.
Geeky Good For You Food Science Bit...
FLAX SEED
Just to start 28g of Flaxseed will give you over 6000mg of omega (ALA)-3, 8g of fiber, over 30% of Vitamin B1, Manganese, Magnesium, 19% Phosphorus and 10% Selenium, along with good amounts of B6, Iron, Potassium, Copper and Zinc.
Flaxseed is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, maybe the orgional first Super Food!
High in fiber and low in carbs, the seeds have a high level of mucilage gum, a gel forming water soluble fiber which is beneficial to the intestinal tract. Also high in insoluble fiber which supports colon detoxification. Flaxseeds provide food for the friendly bacteria in your colon that can help cleanse waste from your system. 3 tbsp flax seed oil with a glass of carrot juice can act as a natural constipation relieve.
The ALA fats in flax seed support healthy skin, nails and hair by providing essential fats and B vitamins, can help to improve acne, Rosales and eczema, and dry eye syndrome. Even better is flax seed oil, 2 tbsp daily in your diet increases the concentration of healthy fats.
Lowers cholesterol, the soluble fiber content of flax seed traps fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it is unable to be absorbed, soluble fiber also traps bile which is made from cholesterol in the gall bladder, bile is excreted through the digestive system which forces the body to make more using up excess cholesterol in the blood and lowering cholesterol overall.
Packed with Antioxidants (Lignans), these are a unique fiber related polyphenols that provide us with antioxidant benefits, these support anti aging, hormone balance and cellular health. Lignans are also high in anti viral and antibacterial properties, therefore may offer protection agains colds and flu.
Digestive Health the ALA in flax seed can help protect the lining of the digestive tract and maintain GI health. It has been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from Crohn's disease and other digestive ailments, can also help reduce gut inflammation.
Flax seed and Cancer, there a studies that links time and time again that flax seed may decrease the risk of breast cancer, prostate, ovarian and colon cancer, the three Lignans found in flaxseeds can be converted by intestinal bacteria into enterolactone and enterodiol which naturally balance hormones which may be the reason flax seeds reduce the risk of breast cancer.
CHIA SEEDS
Have a natural phenolic (antioxidant) concentration and the antioxidant activity is shown in studies to stop up to 70% of free radical activity, this speeds up the body's response to repairing damage in turn this prevents further cell damage.
Very high in fiber, 28g has 11g of fiber thats half your RDA, fiber not only supports healthy gut and colon but is essential for your body's ability to balance insulin levels. A natural blood sugar balancer due to their high fiber content and healthy fats.
Chia seeds ability to reverse inflammation, regulate cholesterol and lower blood pressure make them extremely beneficial to consume for heart health, by lowering and reversing oxidative stress you are less likely to develop atherosclerosis.
Fatty Acids, linoleum acid helps the body absorb fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, for such a tiny seed Chia is incredibly high in healthy fats boasting more omega 3s then salmon. Omega 3s work to protect inflammation, lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
Bones, just 28g of chia seeds has almost 20% of your RDA of calcium, fundamental to bone health. A great protein.
High in alpha lipoid acids (ALA) a omega 3, ALA is found to limit the growth of cancer cells in both breast and cervical cancers. It causes cell death of the cancer cells without harming the normal healthy cells.
Packed with calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A and zinc chia seeds are also great for your teeth and tooth health. Zinc prevents tartar by keeping plaque from mineralising on to your teeth and has an antibacterial effect that keeps bad breath germs at bay, vitamin A and phosphorus are important for strong teeth and a healthy mouth.
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