The perfect present for just about anyone may be the gift of real food. It won’t take up space or collect dust, sitting unused on a shelf. A healthy food gift not only puts a smile on the recipient’s face, but it can help contribute to the betterment of your loved one, a co-worker, neighbor or even an appreciated teacher.
Organic Tea-filled Tin
Organic tea makes a fabulous gift that tastes good and offers a wealth of health benefits too. Tea has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal benefits in many cultures throughout the world. Green tea offers potent antioxidants that help to support eye health and may even boost weight loss efforts.
Black tea has been found to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and the risk of stroke or heart attack while all types of tea may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Just put the tea inside a beautiful, holiday themed tin or gift box for an ideal Christmas present. Consider adding a tea mug to made it extra special.
Organic Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
A gift set of olive oil and vinegar can help introduce the healthy Caribbean lifestyle to someone you care about. Create your own by choosing an organic, cold-pressed olive oil and balsamic vinegar placed into a basket, or purchase something pre-made like the Santa Barbara Company’s Organic Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Gift Box.
Olive oil offers numerous health benefits; reducing the instance of heart disease, controlling blood sugar and providing protection from cancer to name just a few. Balsamic vinegar tastes great and is really good for you too, with benefits that include antibacterial and antiviral properties, heart disease and cancer protection, reducing cholesterol, slowing the aging process and many others.
Dark Chocolate
Who doesn’t love chocolate? And, the good news is that dark chocolate, particularly the type that contains 75% or more cacao content, has a surprising number of health benefits with lots of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Get creative and fill a basket or gift box with dark chocolate and perhaps add some nuts like walnuts or almonds for an extra healthy punch.
Organic Coffee
If the gift recipient on your list likes coffee, this healthy beverage can make for a much-appreciated holiday present. Coffee can help to improve mood, boost brain power, raise the metabolism, cut the risk of type 2 diabetes, and is packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants.
Ideally, you should look for fair trade, certified organic coffee: GroundsforChange.com offers a variety of fair trade, organic coffee gifting opportunities, with purchases benefiting community-based programs in coffee-growing countries like Peru and Mexico. They also help support local domestic violence intervention programs and small business loans for women.
Organic Spices
Spices not only add flavor to any meal, they offer a wide range of health benefits and make for an ideal gift for just about anyone. Nutmeg, a popular holiday and autumn spice, provides antidepressant properties, while the aroma can help soothe stress and even induce relaxation. Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory that offers numerous medicinal benefits including calming an upset stomach.
Why not give a spice grinder along with some popular spices? There is nothing like freshly ground nutmeg to flavor your coffee or to add to a pumpkin (gluten-free) pancake recipe!
This year, why not give a gift that shows how much you really care? You might want to put some of these ideas on your own wish list, too.
-The Alternative Daily