Benefits of the 3 Super G's: Green Tea, Garlic, and Guts
Check out the benefits of garlic, green tea, and guts on this episode of Crunchy Christian Podcast. Julie breaks down why these are great additions to your daily diet and a few ways to enjoy them.
Benefits of Garlic
Garlic, or Allium sativum, is a member of the onion family. It has numerous benefits, is low calorie, and is easy to find and grow. Nutritionally, it contains manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium, and small amounts of numerous other nutrients. Research shows that garlic shortens the time a person has cold symptoms by up to 70%. And, even though many think that you have to eat it raw to enjoy its benefits, the researchers used aged garlic or a garlic extract, neither of which are raw garlic.

Find out more about the benefits of garlic on the podcast!
Benefits of Green Tea
Did you know that all tea (except herbal tea) comes from the same plant? Camellia sinensis produces all green, black, and white tea.  The reason why it takes different is because of where and how it is grown and processed. So, all tea offers the same benefits to some extent, but the benefits of green tea are a bit greater because it is the least processed. It retains the most nutrients and compounds from the plant. Black teas are oxidized after bruising, but green teas are mostly unoxidized and sometimes undergo a different method of bruising as well. So, artisanal green teas are often hand-picked, whole leaves that are withered only, leaving the tea leaves as close to the source as possible. This helps them retain their nutritional and medicinal value.

The benefits of green tea include a high amount of polyphenol antioxidants, which can reduce inflammation, slow aging, and protect against cancer. It also contains caffeine in combination with L-theanine, an amino acid that crosses the blood-brain barrier. This combination can improve brain function by increasing alertness while at the same time reducing anxiety. Drinking green tea may also have positive effects on bad breath and on Type 2 Diabetes.
Benefits of Eating Liver (and other animal products)
Now we get into the benefits of eating a super food you may never have heard of—animal organs. Because most organs are not commercially available, we’re going to focus on liver and heart. First, make sure all organ meats come from grass fed animals as God intended. Animals that eat the food God intended for them to eat are healthier and are healthier for us, too. So, why are organ meats superfoods?

Let’s consider liver as a representative. Liver is a powerhouse of nutrition! Just 3.5 ounces has all these benefits: vitamin B12 (3000+% of RDI), vitamin A (1000% RDI), riboflavin (200+% RDI), folate (65% RDI), iron (80% RDI), copper (1600+% RDI), and all the choline you need. The only vegetables that compare are the super greens we discussed in the last episode. And, a serving size is quite small, less than half a cup! It is also high in body building protein and low in calories. You may be concerned about cholesterol and toxins as liver is a high cholesterol food, just like nutrient dense pastured eggs.

Learn why you don’t need to be concerned as you listen to the podcast!
And how about bone broth…
Bone broth doesn’t offer the same benefits as liver, but it is an excellent source of minerals and collagen. It’s inexpensive and easy to make your own; you don’t need to buy expensive powders or aseptic boxes or bags of broth. If you have a slow cooker or InstaPot, you have all you need to make your own.

Remember, God provided us with super foods. We don’t need to buy expensive man-made powders, bars, or drinks to get optimal nutrition. In fact, some of the best super foods are also the cheapest. So, enjoy the benefits of garlic, green tea, and liver and save your chicken bones for broth.