Sardines | The Superfood of the Sea

It was at least a year ago when I heard in passing about a woman who wrote a book on how she lost weight eating a diet consisting mainly of sardines, green veggies, water.  I didn't think much of it at the time except that it reminded me of how much I loved eating sardines when I was younger.

Months passed before I finally picked up a couple of cans.  More time passed before I actually cracked one of them open.  I guess the thought of eating little fish straight from the can didn't seem all that appetizing to me anymore.  That is....until I actually tried them.  They're actually pretty tasty when prepared right.  I love them in sandwiches with a little mustard, some kale greens, avocado slices, red onion and raw cheese.  In fact, I love this combination so much that I've been enjoying several cans of sardines a week for the past month.

Sunday Brunch: sardine sandwich, season fries, tomato soup

What I didn't know at the time is how much of a super-food sardines are until recently.  Turns out that these little inexpensive delicacies are an excellent source of complete protein.  But it doesn't stop there.  If you pick up the kind with the bones included, you are also getting high quality calcium with your meal.  Sardines also have high amounts of B12, omega 3s, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B3, phosphorous (helps our body absorb the calcium) and selenium. It's also one of the few foods with the antioxidant Co-enzyme Q10.  Even if you don't like the taste of sardines, it's completely worth it to add to your diet for all the nutritional benefits.  Another important thing to note is that sardines have very low levels of mercury due to their low position on the food chain.

*Side note: Selenium is said to have the ability to help the body get rid of mercury....  Looks at nutrient list in sardines, sees selenium on the list, feels better about eating them. *

One thing I noticed of late is that my skin isn't as dry as it normally is this time of year.  My water intake is up and down so I don't think its because I'm drinking so much water.  My scalp also isn't as dry and my skin is happy.  I'm also loving the convenience factor of these little super food snacks. They require no cooking at all and if I'm too lazy to make a sandwich, I'll just have them on a bed of greens.

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that bring the most pleasure.