Last weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada. My mom come to pay us a visit, so we shopped, we laughed, we ate, we shopped some more! It was SUCH a treat to have my mom around and spend time with family.
p.s.
If you have little ones who will be trick or treating this Halloween, then you'll definitely want to check out this!
This is a classic recipe perfect for Thanksgiving Day and any day your family needs a healthy new twist on an old favorite!
Directions for the crust:
Place the walnuts, vanilla flavor, dates, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor, and process until the mixture holds together and forms dough.
Press into a 9-inch pie pan to form a crust.
Directions for the filling:
Place the apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and 1 Tbs. of the cinnamon, and toss until evenly coated. Place the dates, agave, and remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon, and salt in a blender. Add a very small amount of filtered water, just enough to facilitate blending, and process until smooth. Add to the apples, and toss until evenly distributed. Spoon into the prepared crust. Slice, and serve.
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Every Day Superfoods at Every Day Prices!
by Linda C Douglas, PhD, RD.
This article is the first in a series that will focus on the phytochemical composition of natural foods as it relates to health benefits.
Goji berries and maca and hemp seeds, oh my! Can a raw foodist or high-raw enthusast be healthy without wonders like these? Absolutely! The superfoods ARE super in so many ways. In fact, some are actually medicinal in nature. But, superfoods can also be super costly, both money-wise and environmentally. So, let’s take a little time to consider the more mundane foodie powerhouses and give them a little appreciation, too. You might find that your diet doesn’t lack that many superheroes, or that it may not be such a stretch to add a little super-pizzaz to your smoothie, soup, or salad.
To accomplish this, we are going to look at foods from a nutraceutical standpoint. The word "nutraceutical "implies that a food has benefits beyond regular nutrition. This means that we are not going to be looking at the vitamins, minerals, calories, and fibers we usually consider when talking about the benefits of a particular food item. I want to consider the plant chemicals that are responsible for helping us fight free radicals, cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative conditions. I want to talk about phytochemicals.
Let’s consider the major phytochemical (natural plant chemicals) groups that are associated with health benefits. These include:
- Betalains
- Indoles
- Organosulfides
- Phenolic compounds
- Terpenes
Sounds like a chemical factory, doesn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what plants are and an important reason to expand the variety of plants we eat and to rotate them for optimum health. The goal is to obtain a wide variety of active plant chemicals, while avoiding concentrating too heavily on any one phytochemical group. So, as a first instalment, let’s consider the characteristics, benefits and sources of betalains.
Betalains are relatively rare, consisting of over 20 betacyanins and betaxanthins, and are the violet, red, pink, yellow, and orange pigments contained in beet roots. They are antioxidants and a quick peek at the research reveals that they may play a role in cancer prevention, liver health, cardiovascular health, and improving the oxidation status of the body. Keep in mind that this very positive research on betalains is in its infancy, as this group of plant pigments occurs in relatively few edible plants, effectively replacing the more common red and purple pigment group, the anthocyanins. Beets have been mistakenly reported to contain anthocyanin pigments. But, they do not. Anthocyanins are plant colors produced from a different amino acid than betalains, which are based on tyrosine.
If the research is limited on betalains, how can we be sure of the health benefits we can expect of these plant pigments and the foods that contain them? We can know by their history of use and a basic understanding of why plants produce phytochemicals at all. Usually, phytochemicals are produced and used by plants for their own food, for protection, as well as pest repellents, and pollinator attractants. Plants produce their precious colors and other chemicals through capturing the rays of the sun, water, and soil minerals, and work their special magic on these things, which ultimately brings us health. Through their color and aroma chemicals, plants attract us (among others) to eat them. In eating the plants, we absorb their precision-made nutraceuticals, gaining the vitality that came from the color spectrum contained in natural sunlight.
The most commonly found good source of betalain is beet roots. Beets have historically been used to support cardiovascular, liver, and kidney function, as well as being thought valuable in the prevention of cancers. This is due to the antioxidant functions of betalains and to the presence of betaine in beets. The next most common source of betalains is cactus fruit. In addition, betalains are among the phytochemicals found in beet greens, spinach, swiss chard, amaranth, purslane, chickweed, lambsquarters, quinoa, and miner’s lettuce.
I believe using leafy greens is pretty simple. But, beet roots can be a challenge. Easy ways to use more beets include simply throwing a quarter of a scrubbed beet into a berry or chocolate smoothie, spiralizing some gorgeous beet pasta, or blending up a quick raw borscht. If you like to juice, add a bit of beet to any veggie or fruit juice. If you love beets, you won’t need these hints. But, if beets aren’t on your list of favorite veggies, start with the smoothie. You’ll be surprised at the flavor and your body will thank you for the betalains!
Until next time,
Dr. Linda
References:
Carmen Socaciu, Ed. 2008. Food Colorants: Chemical and Functional Properties. Boca Raton: CRC Press. 633 p.
Charlotte Bringle Clarke. 1978. Edible and Useful Plants of California. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. 286 p.
Craig, S. 2004. Betaine in Human Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:539–49.
David R. Hershey. “More Misconceptions to Avoid When Teaching about Plants.” Action Bioscience. Accessed on 10/1/2009. http://www.actionbioscience.org/ education/ hershey3.html.
Lloyd, A. (project director)“Identification and functional analysis of betalain pathway genes.” United States Department of Agriculture Research, Education & Economics Information System. Accessed on 10/1/2009. http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/213965.html
Tesoriere, L. et al. 2004. Supplementation with cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans: a comparative study with vitamin C. Am J Clin Nutr. 80:391-5.
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Hidden Mineral Oil Is Making You Look Older, Faster
by Tracy Neely
Did you know that the skin care industry is a billion dollars industry and steadily growing? The growth in the skin care industry wouldn’t be so alarming if it were not for the fact that a long list of manufacturers are using toxic ingredients in their skin care products that are causing major harm not only to our skin, but also to our health.
One ingredient I want to talk about in particular is mineral oil. Mineral oil is a petrochemical product, which means that it is derived from crude oil. It is a byproduct of the process used to create petroleum products(gasoline) and is also called white oil. You may not be able to find the words 'mineral oil' on your label because it has hundreds of different names. You can go to my website
Nourish and Flourish Healthy Living to check out the many names of mineral oil.
According to the Cosmetic Safety Database, mineral oil is used extensively in skin care products, anti aging products and cosmetics. It lists 454 different moisturizers that contain mineral oil, so chances are very high that the moisturizer that you use will have mineral oil in it. Also, according to the Cosmetics Safety Database mineral oil is linked to cancer, allergies and immunotoxicity and irritation of the skin, eyes and lungs.
We know that excessive direct exposure to the sun causes premature aging, but a 1996 John Hopkins Study list mineral oil as the number two cause of aging. Mineral oil has also been linked to a number of skin problems, including acne. The problem with mineral oil in moisturizers and other skin care products and cosmetics is that it clogs the pores of the skin. This is why it can lead to acne, and also means that the skin is more limited in its natural ability to purge toxins.
To learn more about the natural approach to skin care that will enhance the health of your skin, go to
Nourish & Flourish Healthy Skin and click on Skin Care.
Here’s To Healthy Skin,
Tracy
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This week we emptied out our little community garden and prepared the earth for a season of sleeping. Everywhere I look I see leaves falling and the nip on the end of my nose is proof that winter is just around the corner. The first snowflakes fell yesterday, too, but didn't last long enough to paint the streets white yet.
