Sunday, February 26, 2012

Food Combining-who would have known!

Just finished up a report on food combining.It amazes me over and over again how food combining affects our health and beauty.So many people know so little about it, but it has a huge effect on our digestion and our well being. It is a little secret that can make a huge difference.

So what exactly is food combining? Every food we eat is classified in different food groups, like carbohydrates, starches, proteins and fats.
There are different kind of digestive juices in our stomach that helps to break down the foods we eat and each kind of food calls for its own specific modification of the digestive juice.. to say it simple if we mix up food groups we greatly impair the efficiency of digestion. Nutrition will be enhanced, because only food that is digested is capable of nourishing us. Various disease of the digestive tract are increasing at an alarming rate, for example colon cancer.Rather than pop a pill to suppress the symptoms of indigestion, it would be wiser to apply food combining practises. Anybody can benefit from it.
If you think about our ancestors, they never had a meal made out of steak, french fries and overcooked broccoli. They usually ate one thing at a time, eating from and apple tree until they were full, giving the body enough time to digest properly until they introduced another food group.
Benefits of food combining include: better digestion, increased energy, weight loss, clearer skin and a sense of well-being.
So what are the food combing rules?
I will try to make it as simple as possible.





1. Eat fruit only by itself
That is a rule I live by, you can combine fruit with other non starchy vegetables, like greens, but don't mix fruit with any other food group.The reason behind it, fruit digests so quick (30-45 min) and if you would eat it with other foods it will ferment and be stuck in your digestive system like a traffic jam.Best time to eat fruit is for breakfast. And don't have fruit for dessert.


2. Eat veggies with everything
Non starchy veggies combine well with every food group.That doesn't include potatoes, squash or other starches.


3. Eat protein with unlimited non starchy vegetables
Protein combines well with all kinds of raw or (cooked) vegetables.
Eat up!


4. Don't combine animal protein and starches
Don't eat a steak or chicken with potatoes or rice. Protein requires a highly acidic hydrochloric acid for digestion. Starches require a nearly neutral medium for digestion.Because of these differential working conditions in your body, the digestive process becomes very complicated. It can take double the time to digest the food properly.


5. Don't combine fat and animal protein
Fat slows down the flow of gastric juice interfering with protein digestion. Extra fat intake makes digestion difficult.


If you feel bloated and tired after a meal give these food combining tips a try and see how you feel.


Have a beautiful Sunday.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer


Friday, February 17, 2012

Chop Chop Corn Salad

I found this recipe in one of my Raw Food books and I loved it so much.I guess you can say I am addicted to it.Of course it contains good for your heart Avocados...my favorite food in the world.





1 cup fresh or frozen organic corn
1/8 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red, orange or yellow  peppers
1/2 to 1 avocado-I used a whole one of course
Handful of chopped cilantro
A couple of romaine lettuce leaves
Fresh lime or lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Mix everything together in a bowl,sprinkle with lime juice and salt and pepper.You can chop the avocado or leave it in bigger pieces and arrange it like a fan on top of the salad.Serve salad on top of romaine lettuce leaves.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Scary Food Additives





Good Morning America...
Oh Oh the scary and toxic world of food additives.They live in everyday foods like breads,cereals,lunch meats,cookies and many many more wanna be foods.
Food additives function as emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners. They are used to modify taste, texture, color, nutritional value, as well as improve flavor and prevent spoilage.If consumed on a regular basis these ''FRANKEN FOODS'' can cause serious health issues.
There are more than 3,000 substances used as food additives that can either be natural or synthetic.



Additives that you should not consume are





Artificial Sweeteners

Acesulfame potassium is a non-caloric sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so only a little is needed to get a sweet flavor. Tests done in the 1970s indicated that acesulfame potassium may cause tumors.



Artificial Colors

Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, and Yellow 6 are all suspected carcinogens. They can be found in a wide range of products to include beverages, baked goods, candy, gelatin, certain cereals and sausage. There is concern that not enough testing has been done on these additives. Use of artificial colorings in beverages indicates that natural ingredients or real fruits are not used.



Preservatives

Sodium nitrite is used to preserve meats and can be found in lunch meats, bacon, hot dogs and canned meats. Sodium nitrites are a concern because when they mix with stomach acids, they are converted to nitrosamines which have carcinogenic properties, or also called cancer causing effects.

Butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, is used in many processed foods such as potato chips, chewing gum and certain cereals. This preservative is used to prevent oil from becoming rancid. BHA has been shown to cause cancer and also seems to affect sleep and appetite.



Fat and Fat Substitutes

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is used in many baked goods, margarine, crackers, snack foods, salad dressings, fried foods and microwave popcorn. Trans fat is formed when vegetable oil is converted into a solid by adding hydrogen. The newly created trans fat raises cholesterol levels. Trans fats are also associated with heart disease, breast and colon cancer and atherosclerosis.



Oxidizing Agents

Potasium bromate is an oxidizing agent used in the bread-making process to make the bread stronger and more elastic. Bromate has been shown to cause cancer in animals and has been banned in several countries to include Canada and the European Union. In California a warning label is required when bromated flour is used.




So what is the best way to avoid these harmful chemicals!!Eat whole unprocessed plant foods and if you don't understand what is on the ingredients list and it sounds like you need a degree in chemical science don't buy it.Pretty simple!!


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Friday, February 3, 2012

Smoothies for little ''Munchkins''



I know the pickiest 5 year old boy, when it comes to any kind of healthy food.Whenever food is fresh and actually has some vibrant colours to it, like green,red or blue he freaks out.To get at least some nutrition in his little,growing body I invented the ''purple'' smoothie for the little Munchkins and sometimes Monsters(-;..but I love them sooo much!



Purple ''Munchkin'' Smoothie

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup spinach

Add everything to blender and blend until smooth..make sure the spinach is blended well.Everything green freaks little Munchkins out.Serve in a fun cup and some bright coloured straws.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Jenny's Bircher Muesli



This breakfast muesli reminds me of the ''Birchermuesli'' I used to eat, while I lived in Switzerland.
The Swiss version is full of whipped cream and dairy and is far from healthy.
My vegan version rocks and brings me back to the good old days.
Make sure you prepare it the night before.


Jenny's Bircher Muesli

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped raw nuts or sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 small apple
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Combine oats, raisins, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Stir together milk and juice.
Pour over fruit mixture and stir to mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Chop apples in little pieces and add raspberries and apples to the muesli right before serving.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer