Category Archives: Healthy Food Essentials

Healthy Food Essentials, Salt

To Salt Or Not To Salt?

The salt is not only healing, but essential for many biological functions. Not any salt though.

Salt is an essential nutrient required for blood pressure regulation, transportation of nutrients and ion exchange. It is important to note Salt 810that all salts are not equal. Processed (table) salt can indeed be harming as it contains chemicals, such as moisture absorbents, flow agents and sometimes fluoride. The salt processing involves drying the salt on high temperatures which radically alters the chemical structure of the salt.

  • On the other hand, the natural unprocessed salt is not only healing, but in fact essential for many biological functions.
  • Himalayan salt mined from ancient sea beds in Pakistan is one of the most appreciated as it is the purest salt available. Note that this salt does not supply iodide.
  • Role of the salt in heart disease is a controversial topic. Whilst mainstream experts suggest excessive salt consumption contributes highly  to the risks of heart attacks , strokes and death and should be avoided, the other experts disagree.
  • Potassium intake of our ancestors was significantly higher than of sodium thus potassium deficiency may be more responsible for hypertension than excess sodium. The best way to ensure getting enough potassium is to increase the vegetable intake. Juicing is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet.
  • Iodine consumption is ever decreasing and lack of iodine is closely associated with cancer, hypothyroidism and  child’s brain function and IQ. Sea vegetables like kelp and spirulina are among the best natural dietary sources of iodine along with organic and whole grain foods, milk and eggs. Unrefined Celtic Sea Salt (or Le sel de Guérande), harvested off the shores of France, is all-natural, pure source of iodine that contain up to 350mcg per 1/4 tsp.

Key Things to Consider

  • Throw away your table salt and replace it with natural, unprocessed salt like e.g. Himalayan salt, Celtic sea salt or similar. You can find them in your health stores, alternatively follow the link to one of the brands I use: Celtic Sea Salt,  Le sel de Guérande,  Himalayan salt.
  • Avoid all processed foods, which are very high in processed salt and low in potassium and other essential nutrients.
  • Take care of your iodine levels by proper intake of see vegetables, spirulina, Celtic sea salt and iodine-rich food.
  • Consider green vegetable juices as an excellent way to ensure your potassium intake.

Resources and Credits

http://products.mercola.com/himalayan-salt/

http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/268/4/R825

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/04/high-salt-consumption.aspx

Coconut Oil, Ghee, Healthy Food Essentials, Healthy Oils and Fats

Healthy Oils/Fats

Oils and Fats Explained

Omega-3 vs. Omega-6 

Butter 800Modern Western diets typically have ratios of omega−6 to omega−3 in excess of 10 to 1, some as high as 30 to 1. The imbalance in the omega-3 and 6 ratio is associated with many health issues.  

We need omega-3 fatty acids for numerous body functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain.  Note that omega-3 fats are necessary for the complete development of the human brain during pregnancy.

On the other hand, vegetable oils like corn, soy, sunflower, canola are rich in omega-6 oils and shouldn’t  be used for cooking.

How Best To Ensure Omega-3 Intake?

Since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fats, we must obtain them through food.

Many nutrition experts believe we need at least 4% of the total calories (approximately 4 grams) as omega-3 fats.

Flaxseeds and walnuts would be at the top of the omega-3 rich foods list. 40 grams of flaxseeds (1/4 cup) contain about 6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. 40 of walnuts contain around 4 grams (1/4 cup of walnuts is around 3 grams)

Beans, fish, winter squash and olive oil are other important sources.

Frying Oxidizes the Oils and Damages Omega-3

Frying destroys the antioxidants and oxidizes the oils.

As the oil is heated and mixed with oxygen, it becomes rancid (oxidized) and should not be consumed as it leads directly to heart disease.

The best is to stay away from frying. Even frying fish and frying with olive oil will damage the omega-3s.

Olive Oil – Great for Salads, Not Great For Cooking

Olive oil is one of those miraculous  gifts of nature.  Extra virgin olive oil is considered by many as one of the healthiest fats on Earth. Real “extra virgin” olive oil is 100% natural and very high in antioxidants. Many of the lower quality olive oils have been processed and adulterated with cheaper oils.

However,  olive oil is extremely “fragile” and need to be carefully stored and handled with care.

Olive oil is best to be consumed in when not heated. Olive oil is not the best oil to cook with as cooking makes it prone to oxidative damage.  Also the olive oil go rancid quickly.

Tip: To help protect extra virgin olive oil from oxidation, you may add one drop of astaxanthin or lutein (by piercing and squeezing the gellule). Astaxanthin or lutein cause oil to turn red or orange so once when the color fades, the oil should be thrown away.

Another good strategy is to keep olive oil at the dark place and buy smaller quantities.

Butter is Healthy!

Butter is a great source of vitamin A, (D, E and K2), which are often lacking in the urban diet. It also contains minerals like selenium, it is good source of iodine, fatty acids, contains a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats and many other benefits.

However, not all butter is created equal, and you need to take care to buy the butter made from raw, unpasteurized, organic milk.  

Avoid Margarine, Butter-Mimicking Products and “Cholesterol-Free” Cooking Fats

Margarine and all other butter-mimicking foods including “cholesterol-free” advertised cooking fats should be avoided at any cost.

There is a myriad of unhealthy components in margarine and the likes including trans fats (unnatural fats that contribute to heart disease, cancer), free radicals (linked to cancer), emulsifiers, preservatives, bleach, additives and many, many others.

Key Things to Remember

  • Take care of your omega-3 fatty acid intake.  Adding some flaxseed and walnuts would be the easiest way to go about it. ghee 4
  • For cooking and baking the best is to use exclusively coconut oil or ghee.
  • Consume, but do not heat other healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and butter (from raw, organic milk). Avocados,  egg yolks are additional sources of healthy fats.
  • Stay away from margarine and “butter-mimicking” foods including “cholesterol-free” advertised cooking fats.

Sources and Credits

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/07/why-is-butter-better.aspx

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=75

Healthy Food Essentials, Milk/Dairy

Homogenized Milk “Hurts” Arteries

Glass of MilkHomogenized Milk “Hurts” Arteries and Enable Deposits to Build Up on Arterial Walls.

  • Processed milk is filled with allergens, carcinogens, hormones and antibiotics.
  • The “modern” cows today have abnormally large pituitary glands so that they produce far more milk than the “old fashioned” cows. These cows have health issues and are “fed” antibiotics.
  • BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) is used to increase the milk production and directly absorbed into the human bloodstream. This is linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, etc.
  • The cows are fed with high-protein, soy-based food as a substitute for fresh green grass.
  • In pasteurization process all valuable enzymes are destroyed. Without them, milk is very difficult to digest and causing over-stress of the pancreas.
  • Homogenized milk contains small “granules” that are hurting our arteries and forming lesions. These lesions allow cholesterol, calcium and iron to easily build deposits on arterial walls so arteries become hardened and clogged. This is of course associated with heart disease and high blood pressure.
  • Reduced-fat milk is especially not good for us as it is depleted from important ingredients and high in milk sugar.
  • Even if the label on the milk says “organic”, you need make sure it is NOT homogenized.  You need to look for a milk that is organic,  kept in the fridge (typically labeled as “fresh milk”) and has a short shelf time.

 Key Things to Remember

  • Raw whole, unpasteurized, non-homogenized milk is the best option. It is very difficult to find it but sometimes you can buy it directly from small farms.
  • Second best would be the whole, lightly pasteurized, non-homogenized milk from cows raised on organic feed which is now available in many health food shops.
  • Alternative sources of calcium are: cultured buttermilk that is often more easily digested than regular milk. Butter obtained from raw milk is great especially for children. Goat milk is also a great alternative and easily digested.
  • Dark green vegetables, white beans, sardines, dried figs etc. are also good sources.

Credits and Read More

http://www.mercola.com/article/milk/no-milk.htm

http://nutritionguidetohealth.com/milk-to%20drink%20or%20not%20to%20drink.html