A Cow by Any Other Name

By Marguerite

Its strange that people are happy to eat Steak and Ham, Cutlets and Shanks but when you start calling it what it really is, Cow, Pig, Sheep, they get uncomfortable even angry. As if you had brought into discussion the sewerage treatment process at the dinner table. As soon as we put a face to what we eat it becomes a moral issue.

As long as its out of sight, its out of mind and people don't want to be reminded of what they are eating and the processes involved in getting the cow to be a steak. Turning a blind eye has never been more prevalent or more dangerous.

Here is a recipe for one of my favourites, 100% Vegan, 100% Delicious!

CHICKPEA TAGINE with Green Olives and Lemon Zest

Lightly fry 1 chopped medium onion in a little olive oil, add one teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground black pepper, ground cumin and ground paprika. Add to this 1 medium sized butternut, peeled, seeded and cubed, and pour over enough veggie stock to cover. Stir in 1/2 a teaspoon of Harrisa paste and simmer covered until the butternut is tender and the liquid has reduced. Remove from the heat and add pitted and chopped green olives and freshly grated lemon zest to taste, serve on a bed of cous cous. This meal can also be dressed up with a little aubergine relish and some Moroccan flat bread. Enjoy!

Top 10 Foods and Drinks for Cancer Prevention

By Melissa Breyer

Cancer is such a staggering epidemic–the sheer number of people affected by the disease is as heartbreaking as it is mystifying. As we are slowly learning more about the causes, we are beginning to learn more about preventive measures.

In terms of the relationship between diet and cancer, this leads us to lists of what not to eat (french fries, sigh), as well as the other side of the coin: What we should eat (artichokes and red wine, yay!).

In the book Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic (New Society Publishers, 2007) the authors Liz Armstrong, Guy Dauncey and Anne Wordsworth consider the importance of eating specific foods and drinks for cancer protection. Here’s what they suggest:

1. Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale. These score high for containing many anti-cancer substances, such as isothiocyanates.

2. Globe artichoke for very high levels of salvestrols.

3. Dark greens, such as spinach and romaine lettuce, for their fiber, folate and a wide range of cancer-fighting carotenoids. Other dark colored veggies, too, such as beets and red cabbage.

4. Grapes and red wine, especially for the resveratrol.

5. Legumes: beans, peas and lentils, for the saponins, protease inhibitors and more.

6. Berries, particularly blueberries, for the ellagic acid and anthocyanosides.

7. Flaxseed, especially if you grind it yourself and consume when fresh, for the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, lignans and other “good fats.”

8. Garlic, onions, scallions, leeks and chives, for many anti-cancer substances including allicin.

9. Green tea, for its anti-cancer catechins, a potent antioxidant.

10. Tomatoes, for the famous flavenoid lycopene.

Source: Care2.com

Top 5 Healthy Carbohydrates that Should Be in Your Diet

By Jill Ettinger

The C Word. Admit it, bread scares you. What if I told you there were healthy—actually really kind of important—carbohydrates you should be eating regularly? I know, we hardly know each other, but trust me on this.

If you've read Michael Pollan's seminal book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, you likely retained this very important slice of information pie: the human diet is totally whacked. Why we weren't built as simple as kittens is anyone's guess. It's no wonder we're so intelligent (instead of cute and furry)… we need brainpower to think about eating the 'right' foods, and even still, we get it wrong most of the time.

It's nothing personal, Dr. Atkins, surely you were just trying to reverse an extreme obesity epidemic, but everything in moderation, ok?

Here's the deal: aside from animal flesh and pure fats, most every other food has carbs. The good news, though, is good, really. Carbs are not only important for brain and muscle function, energy and strength, but they help keep your cells healthy so you can fight off diseases. Here is our top 5 carbohydrate list:

1. Fruits: Nature's candy is so good for you; it's kind of unbelievable. A great source of healthy carbohydrates, fruit fiber slows sugar absorption so you burn it off more efficiently. And fruit is loaded with lots of super vitamins like my favorite, vitamin C.
2. Vegetables: There's a reason Mom insisted you eat all those Brussel sprouts. Many veggies are carbo rich and also an energy and fiber powerhouse meant to be consumed daily.
3. Beans and Legumes: Beans gets such a bad rap, but here's a secret: rinse off the water beans were cooked in to reduce gas. Beans and legumes are a super source of carbs as well as protein for your Meatless Monday. Plus, they're so versatile and tasty; you're missing out if they're not a regular staple in your diet.
4. Nuts and Seeds: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire….are actually so good for you it's kind of like another Christmas present. All nuts and seeds are a source of good carbohydrates. My favorites are walnuts and pumpkin seeds, which are both also loaded with healthy omega fats.
5. Whole Grains: Brown rice is full of good carbs, fiber and minerals and vitamins found in the hull. The same goes for other whole grains like wheat berries, quinoa, millet and oats. Be careful with grains, though. Allergies to wheat and gluten are sprouting up.

Follow Jill on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jillettinger

Soy: The Complete Protein!

By Marie Oser

Obesity is a health problem of epidemic proportions and the high fat cholesterol laden Western diet has increasingly come under fire in recent years.

Home cooks are choosing vegetarian alternatives more often than ever before and the market for soy milk, burgers, breakfast sausages, snack bars and even tofu has exploded.¹

Soy protein is a complete high quality protein, comparable to meat, milk and eggs, but without the unhealthy baggage.² It is very good news that consumers have been buying vegetarian products in record numbers because of the health benefits and environmental concerns.

However, old myths die hard and there are those who would have you believe that a plant based menu is somehow lacking and that one must follow the ‘food combining’ strategy promoted in the 1971 bestseller, “Diet for a Small Planet.” (Author, Frances Moore Lappe reversed her position in the 1981 edition.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) addressed the quality of soy protein and whether or not it supplies all of the amino acids that we need almost 20 years ago. A 1991 Food and Agriculture Report (FAO) identified soy as a high quality protein that meets all of the essential amino acid requirements of humans.³ The 1988 American Dietetic Association Position Paper discredited ‘Protein Combining’ stating, “Adequate amounts of amino acids will be obtained if a varied vegan diet, containing unrefined grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and vegetables is eaten on a daily basis” ⁴

For more than 5,000 years, soy has been a dietary staple and the primary source of complete, high quality protein for millions of people worldwide. So, where did this flawed information originate? An outdated method of evaluating protein requirements, the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), which based the protein quality for humans on the growth of young rats, whose amino acid requirements are vastly different from humans.

From 1919 until recent years the PER had been a widely used method for evaluating the quality of protein in food. In 1993 the FDA adopted the PDCAAS method, which is based on human amino acid requirements and is more appropriate than a method based on the amino acid needs of animals.

Scientists who have studied the impact of soy protein on heart health for many years have concluded that soy protein, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease. The results of these studies have led governments to approve soy protein health claims related to heart disease (US FDA 1999).

Soy protein is the only protein with a health claim and is clinically proven to help improve heart health. Since 1996, eleven countries have established heart health claims for soy protein.⁵

Meat and dairy products are the only dietary source of cholesterol and a major source of fat, particularly saturated fat.  Animal protein is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and a number of cancers, as well as the development of numerous risk factors that lead to these diseases, including obesity and hypertension.

Therefore, it follows that replacing animal products with plant foods, such as soy is a nutritionally sound dietary strategy.

Marie Oser is a best-selling author, writer/producer and host of VegTV, Follow Marie on Twitter:http://twitter.com/vegtv

Sources:

1. Soyfoods:The U.S. Market 2009. Soyatech, LLC and SPINS, Inc. April 16, 2009
   
2. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2002.
3. FAO/WHO. Protein Quality Evaluation Report of Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1991.
4. Havala, S. and Dwyer, J. (1988). ‘Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets - technical support paper’, J. Am. Diet. Assn., 88, 352-355.
5. Japan 1996, U.S. 1999, UK 2002, South Africa 2002, Philippines 2004, Indonesia 2005, Korea 2005, Brazil 2005, Chile 2005, Maylasia 2006, Columbia 2008

Original Article Here!

Three Easy Steps to Eating Green

By Marie Oser

Eating Green is at the heart of the green revolution and can be the most important contribution you can make toward preserving the planet.

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that vegetarian diets protect the environment, reduce pollution and minimize global warming.¹ Eating a plant-based diet is a healthful triple play with numerous benefits for the planet and its people, our waterways and wildlife.

What could be greener than plants? The average American diet requires the production of an extra ton and a half of greenhouse gases when compared to a vegan diet.²  Both the burning of fossil fuels during food production and the non-carbon dioxide emissions associated with livestock and animal waste, contribute to the problem.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC) Non-CO₂greenhouse gases are a significant contributor to climate change.³

Eating green can be as easy as one, two, three! Every plant-based meal you consume can be an adventure and exploring delicious new foods also helps reduce pollution.  While many find it most effective to drop all animal products at once, others find that a gradual approach is best for their family.

• “Meatless Monday.” Eating green one or two days a week is a great way to explore how easy and delicious it can be. Start with vegetarian meals that you may already enjoy. Dishes such as Pasta Primavera, Bean Burritos or vegetable stew with a side of salad and crusty bread are satisfying and very tasty. Try these quick and easy Asparagus Wraps

• Choose a few of your favorite recipes and adapt them. With a few simple adjustments, you can transform some of the meals that you make most often into a healthier and more eco-friendly version. You can replace poultry or beef with seitan, tofu or tempeh in just about any dish. Use soymilk in place of cow’s milk one-for-one in any recipe and it is delicious on cereal, too! Explore healthy foods like hummus and tofu. Some find a more gradual approach fits their lifestyle more easily. A lot of people choose to drop one class of food at a time with a one or two week interval. Most choose to begin by eliminating beef, then poultry, followed by fish and lastly, dairy and eggs. Here’s a delicious dish: Louisiana Stuffed Potatoes with Cajun Cream Sauce

• Give it a try for 30 days. This can be a great opportunity to experience the effect this healthful regimen has on your body.  Most are surprised at how easy it is and how soon they begin to feel really good. It is not uncommon to notice an increase in clarity, energy and endurance. You may realize that you’ve lost a few pounds and require less sleep. The surprise for most is that adopting a vegetarian lifestyle is easy, saves money and improves overall physical wellbeing.

Marie Oser is a best-selling author, writer/producer and host of VegTV, Follow Marie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vegtv

Sources:

1. Leitzmann, C., Nutrition ecology: the contribution of vegetarian dietsAm. J. Clinical Nutrition, Sep 2003; 78: 657S - 659S

2. Eshel, G., and P.A. Martin, 2006: Diet, Energy, and Global Warming. Earth Interactions, 10, 1-17.

3. Climate Change; Assessment 2001. IPCC World Meteorological Organization (WMO) UN Environment Program (UNEP)

Source : Ecomii

The Power of Papaya

I’m proselytizing that papaya often falls by the wayside in favor of its yellower, tropical counterpart - the mango - purely from lack of promotion, though I’d be remiss not to mention that, for some, papaya carries an acquired taste. But what papaya lacks… is well, nothing! In its many sunset-colored varieties, you’re sure to find one that wows the palette given proper research. And if you don’t (or won’t), papaya offers a plethora of other awesome benefits that don’t require the actual eating of it.

Papayas can work from the inside out or the outside in. When eaten, they cleanse and soothe the digestive tract, calming indigestion and gas and restoring balance to your intestinal bacteria. When plagued by nausea (morning sickness anyone?) or a tummy ache, reach for a papaya slice, squeeze a little lime on top, and enjoy the double whammy of deliciousness and gastric ease. Containing a breadth of vitamins,antioxidants, trace minerals, folates, fiber and more, all the goodness in papayas combines synergistically to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease -among other boons - and all this coming in at just about 50 calories per cup!

Externally, papaya is used in anti-aging products, both the skin and pulp valuable healing agents. When I cut open a papaya and it’s a bit unripe to enjoy just yet, I rub the fruit over my skin. That might sound a tad odd, but it’s rich with enzymes that help uncover a radiant, fresh complexion. To treat acne, you can combine mashed papaya, yogurt and sea salt, cool it in the fridge, applying it to your face for about 10 minutes before washing off with cool water. Who knows, maybe the leftovers will make a nice afternoon treat too.

Source: Organic Authority

Top 5 Foods You Didn't Know Are High in Vitamin C

According to two-time Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Linus Pauling, vitamin C is critically under consumed. He suggests the recommended daily dose is only the minimum needed to prevent the fatal disease scurvy, and is not nearly enough to achieve optimal health. He even claims it could cure diseases such as polio and cancer. Sure Vitamin C may not be as sexy as some of the fancy antioxidants like green tea extract or resveratrol. But think of it like the classic sexy black dress—vitamin C is always in fashion.

One thing that's for sure, vitamin C is super good for you. It's not toxic (though way too much can cause, um, diarrhea. But you'd typically need to take over 30 grams before that happens).  If you think of your body's cells as bricks, vitamin C is the cement that holds them all together. You wouldn't just cement one layer of bricks when building your house, right? (Er, when your brawny husband's building it for you, that is.) Of course not. The glue that holds our bodies together is vitamin C. It creates collagen, elasticity, repairs tissue damage and makes cells strong enough to block virus and bacteria from making us sick. Try these foods high in vitamin C.

Red Bell Peppers: They're sweet and crunchy and actually have double the vitamin C content found in oranges! Add them to salads, sandwiches or slice 'em up like carrot sticks and munch as a snack.

Cranberries: Admit it, when you think of berries, you think blue, straw, ras…but the cran is King of vitamin C. It's tangy tartness can make your lemonade sublime and your trail mix terrific.

Taro Root: Next time you're in Hawaii, you might want to put down that Mai Tai and pick up some Poi. Taro can have nearly 100 milligrams of vitamin C per serving. Now you've really got a reason to get off the mainland.

Currants: You've seen them. They look like raisin-runts. Actually, currants are super tasty and pack a lot of vitamin C for being so itty bitty—almost as much as red peppers. They go great anywhere you’d use a raisin, especially your mouth.

Acerola: This West Indian cherry is the vitamin C mother load. You'll often find it added to juice blends or in vitamin C capsules and powders. It's tangy and tart and contains over 1000 times your RDA of vitamin C.

Source: Organic Authority