Day 17

Wheat Germ... sounds weird, right? Well you should march right down to the store and get you a big ole jar of this weird stuff... I'm just sayin. It's ubber healthy and you know me... I'm about to tell you why.

It contains OCTACOSANOL (very few foods contain this) and it's been known to:
- lower cholesterol
- quicken reflexes
- spark alertness
- enhance performance, endurance and stamina
- improve oxygen utilization
- balance metabolism
- improve energy storage in muscles
- increase ability to handle stress

Wheat Germ is the highest food in VITAMIN E COMPLEX (including all three tocopherols):
- Tocopherols are natural antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, cancer and aging.
- Vitamin E protects muscles, blood, lungs & eyes
- strengthens immune system
- prevents blood clots

Wheat Germ is one of the highest foods in VITAMIN B COMPLEX
- good for your metabolism
- helps with handling stress
- this vitamin is needed for energy, digestion, nerves, muscles, skin, hair, organs, growth and repair of tissues, etc.

Wheat Germ is super rich in PROTEIN
- carries minerals and other nutrients to cells
- tissue repair

Wheat Germ contains FOLIC ACID
- prevent neural-tube birth defects
- reduces a compound in your body (homocysteine) which will help reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis bone fractures and dementia

Wheat Germ is also a great source for fiber (which satisfies that appetite!) , iron and zinc - it's a health food POWERHOUSE! Get some! Literally.... now, go get some.

Now that I've sold you on the goods let me let you in on a few little tips. It will go bad quickly (especially when raw)... it should smell like toasted nuts. If it is unopened it will keep for about a year. If opened, keep it in the fridge for up to 9 months. You can add wheat germ to pretty much anything, seriously. You can add it to any baked good, including breads by replacing 0.5-1 cup of flour with it (you may want to add 1-2 TBSP of water for every 1/4cup of wheat germ you add to a recipe due to it's tendency to absorb moisture). It's also a great lower-fat alternative to granola so you can throw it in your yogurt and cereals. You can also bread chicken with it! I've done it - I mix it (instead of crushed up crackers) with some Italian dressing mix and bread my chicken with it... mmmm!

Now, before I go watch my shows I'm gonna share one super recipe with you...
Blend 1 frozen banana, 1 cup milk (you can use soy if you like), 1/4 cup smooth PB, 1/4 cup wheat germ, 2 TBSP of your favorite seedless jelly.
And yes I can actually eat this for those of you that know of my phobia of bananas... frozen and blended isn't so horrid. :)

Goodnight folks, hope you learned your lesson and decided to add WHEAT GERM to everything!