If you could only eat five foods for the rest of your life, what would you eat?
It’s a hard choice, right? There are so many foods out there that are absolutely delicious. Strawberries, broccoli, yogurts, bread, pasta, cheese, steak, fish, tacos, donuts โฆ the list goes on and on!
But if we’re going to only eat five foods for the rest of our lives, we can’t only think about how they taste. We need to think about the “health factor” as well. Are those five foods going to sustain us throughout our lives? Are they going to give us the nutrition we need to be healthy, strong, and guarded against disease? Or are they going to only provide temporary enjoyment and lead to conditions such as malnutrition, obesity, and even a weakened immune system?
Thankfully, we’re in a position where we don’t have to just choose five foods to eat for the rest of our lives. But at the same time, I think each time we eat something, we should ask ourselves if that food is helping us or hurting us. Of course, we can treat ourselves to sugary foods in moderation, but overall โ are the foods that we are consuming improving our lives or destroying our lives?
The food you eat affects more than your appetite. It affects your gut health, your brain performance, your overall mood, your mental health, your emotional wellbeing, and your physical fitness. It also affects the earth you live on!
So, what foods should we be eating? Today, I’m bringing on an expert nutritionist to help us walk through the “superfood mindset” that will help us optimize our health! Please welcome Darin Olien to The School of Greatness!
In this episode, Darin talks about his own top superfoods and the science behind them. We also discuss why water is critical to our health and how to make sure you’re drinking the healthiest water types. Lastly, we also talked about what kinds of food you should and should not be eating in general and so many other fascinating insights that’ll change the way you view nutrition and your health.
So if you’re ready to hear all about the superfood mindset and how to enhance your brain, body, and life with the incredible Darin Olien, let’s get started!
Who Is Darin Olien?
Darin Olien is the co-host with Zac Efron on the widely popular Netflix docu-series called Down to Earth with Zac Efron and host of the #1 Health & Wellness podcast The Darin Olien Show. Darin is also a highly recognized exotic superfoods hunter, supplement formulator, and author of the New York Times bestseller book, SuperLife: The Five Fixes That Will Keep You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome.
Darin also worked with fitness company Beachbody to formulate one of the top superfoods shakes in the USA โ a whole-food supplement called “Shakeology” as well as the plant-based “Ultimate Reset 21-day” detoxification program. Additionally, Darin is one of the founders of Barukasโข, a new super nut from the Savannah “Cerrado” of Brazil. The company is committed to supporting this vital biome through sustainable business practices by planting 20 million Baruzeita trees.
Darin is also the Director of Strategic Alliances and the Global Health Ambassador for APPICS, a revolutionary new social media platform monetizing passion and content through cryptocurrency and blockchain, as well as an advisor to Footprintโข, which is eliminating single-use plastics with plant-based compostable products that don’t harm you or the planet. In 2021, Darin became Vice President of Health Innovation with Kindhumans.
Darin’s involvement with the health, fitness, and plant-based industry goes on and on. He has done so many great things for this planet and has helped people everywhere revolutionize their diets, fitness, and ultimately, their lives!
It was an honor to have him on The School of Greatness to discuss how the right foods can improve the quality of our lives.
Five Core Foods You Need in Your Body
Have you ever considered how certain people manage to achieve greatness? Often, we dismiss greatness by saying, “People are born with it.” While certain things, such as talent or genes, are undoubtedly essential, I believe other aspects distinguish regular people from the “great” ones. Your health and diet are some of these factors.
I also believe that it’s only through a healthy mind and body that we can achieve greatness. Though the path to greatness may not be easy, it is certainly possible to have a healthy body and mind. For Darin, an exotic superfoods hunter, he started our conversation by giving the five core foods that he thinks everyone should try even once in their lifetime to improve their physical health!
#1: Spirulina
Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is grown in freshwater, which contains several vitamins that can optimize one’s health. Darin explained that when we eat spirulina in its raw form, we get to take in different vitamins like B Vitamins, including B12, B6, and B9. It also comes with Vitamin E, a high amount of antioxidants, and complete protein.
#2: Moringa
Moringa is an extremely strong and powerful leaf that Darin absolutely loves! He shared that in Africa, moringa means “never die.” If you’re wondering why it’s called that way, Darin explained that moringa leaves contain so much nutritional value, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin E, and 36 different antioxidants. The seeds of the moringa plants can even be a source of oil and work as a filter to create clean water.
Darin also explained that you can get the leaves dried and pulverized to be transported. The downside, though, is its quality has degraded once dried. However, it still brings with it a tremendous amount of vitamin and antioxidant capacity, so donโt miss out on this amazing plant!
#3: Durian
Known for its brain-like appearance and sewer-like smell, Darin suggests that everyone try a durian, a spiky and gnarly fruit usually found in Southeast Asia. Aside from its appearance and smell, the durian can literally kill people when it falls off a tree due to the spikes covering its skin.
Despite this exciting, dangerous description, Darin still considers it his favorite fruit. He says that this superfood has very high nutritional value, including a vast array of vitamins. No wonder it’s called the King of all Fruits!
#4: Chaga Mushroom
Also known as the King of all Mushrooms, the chaga mushrooms have probably the highest antioxidant in a mushroom in the world. Darin likes it for the following reasons.
“It keeps my immune system cranking and keeps the cortisol levels low. It can also keep my endocrine system balanced. โฆ Chaga mushrooms are everywhere. You can even get the full chunks of chaga, and you can simmer that for hours and drink it as a tea.” – Darin Olien
Darin even said that you can add cacao with it, and with a bit of sweetener, it’s decadent and delicious.
#5: Schisandra Berry
Another superfood that Darin encourages everyone to try are schisandra berries. These berries grow in some sovereign areas near Tibet and the Eastern region of China. Darin said that you can simply pick the berries and eat them raw. You can even ferment and make a decadent little wine out of it. Aside from these, this kind of berry also comes with many benefits.
“In traditional Chinese medicine, it’s one of the oldest in the record [of] adaptogenic herbs that they use. They use it as kind of a base because it’s so well-balanced and balances out your body over time, both in stress response, cortisol, endocrine, overall strength.” – Darin Olien
These are just some of the superfoods that Darin believes keep him healthy, strong, happy, and whole. Everyone is different, so make sure that you try to discover yours, too!