Dynamic Bunch

Dynamic Bunch defines synergistic interaction, in which the combined effect is greater, than the simple sum of its parts. Hence synergy can make 1+1=3. The inspiration for today's blog was the latest trend about healthy food combinations, I came across recently, mainly chocolate and apple. I was quite surprised to learn, that this combination is healthy, because I am of an opinion, that no one should combine fruit with any other food product. Such combinations lead to the intestinal fermentation, which is never a good thing, so why this duo might be the reason for the increased health?

 

In addition, what is interesting, there is scientific evidence showing, that such combination actually works...Obviously I experienced cognitive dissonance and while trying to deal with it, I spent hours on the internet searching for the nonexistent publications, which supposedly support the synergistic effect of this new dynamic duo. 

 

Living in the information age means, that we need to navigate the noise, we are flooded with unprecedented amounts of written information, which does not necessarily means, that it is true. Internet has revolutionized the way we communicate and changed our world forever. Everyone can become a writer and contribute to the increased amount of data available on the internet. We can make references to non-existent publications, to appeal to our audiences, the same way the authors of the above mentioned dynamic bunch have done. By doing so we introduce new theories and concepts. We hope, that others are not inquisitive or curious enough to get to the bottom of the issue. The art of getting the most out of the multitude is to select, what is most relevant. We all should remember, that not all things, that are written are true, especially if we rely on internet to tell us what is important. For instance, dynamic bunch, such as oatmeal and peanut butter or hard-boiled egg and banana will never impact our health in a positive manner, although many sites on the internet claim that they possess almost magical power.

Does it mean that food synergy does not exist? Of course it does, but to be able to navigate the noise, we first need to learn what harmonizing combinations are. The below listed combinations are examples of dynamic bunch:

avocado and tomato

brown rice and onion/garlic

legumes and cooked carrot

turmeric and black pepper

vinegar and grains

nuts and beer

broccoli and radishes

mushrooms and cream plus onion

tomato and olive oil

chickpea and beets

The reason why the above mentioned combinations positively influence our health is because all vitamins and minerals interact with one another and also because their absorption is dependent on the presence of another micro-element.

For instance, inulin which is present in onions and garlic positively stimulates our intestinal flora and this in turn helps with digestion of legumes, rice and other grain products (for more information see phytic acid).

Beta-caretonoids present in the cooked carrots, on the other hand, help with absorption of iron and zync present in legumes.

Vitamin D present in mushroom will be better absorbed, if it is in the presence of food high in calcium. Hence the traditional preparation of mushrooms with cream makes perfect sense and is the example of our intuitive power of properly combining food.

When consuming food rich in calcium like for example cheese, we should keep in mind, that it is also a source of sodium and this means, that if we overindulge ourselves, we may run the risk of disturbing the electrolytic balance in our bodies. So keep in mind when eating cheeses or similar food products to always include some vegetables, since they are the source of potassium.

B Vitamins from the theoretical point of view are better absorbed when in the presence of food high in those vitamins. It is also a good idea to combine such food with food high in vitamin C, especially if we aiming to increase the levels of vitamin B2 and B12. While folic acid is important for metabolism of vitamin B1, B5, B6 and B12, magnesium is important for vitamin B6. We can produce our own vitamin B3 but for that we need tryptophan and vitamin B6, hence we also need folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B12 and magnesium.

I believe that most of us already know, that iron is better absorbed when in the presence of vitamin C, and absorption of vitamin C depends on the presence of vitamin E and flavonoids (some of it is present in dark chocolate). Production of vitamin A is dependent on vitamin D and K and selenium levels depend on vitamin C and E.

Have you become confused already? Do not worry, it only seems complicated at first glance. Most of the dynamic duos is utilized in our kitchen already. We intuitively know how to combine food for best results. For example, I am not sure if you noticed, but to make hummus, which is also a good source of iron, we add lemon juice and parsley/coriander as sources of vitamin C. In addition, most if not all legume dishes also contain onion and garlic and to some we also add lemon/orange juice as well as parsley/coriander. Those dishes are also good sources of B vitamins, but also of iron, magnesium, folic acid and added vitamin C. So you see? It is easy.

With some food we do not even have to think about best combination. For example fruit and vegetables, which are good sources of vitamin C are also good sources of vitamin E. I have already talked about healthy combination between mushrooms and cream, but another dynamic duo, which is also a good example of intuitive combining, is tumeric and black pepper. This duo is natural for regions, where curry is on every day menu. We adopted the spice, so maybe it is not as intuitive for us, but it makes sense at least. While we are talking about black pepper, I want to tell you, that black pepper goes well with anything. And the reason for this is, because it stimulates our stomach to release gastric juices. This also means, that those who like pepper are most likely those who do not have problems with digestion and others who stay away from it may be those, who may experience digestion problems from time to time.

The bottom line is, that there are some dynamic bunch, which harmonize with one another, but we should not stay extra vigilant and worry too much, that we do not know everything about food, because as I hope I showed you, a lot of those healthy duos we already use intuitively in the kitchen.

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/10-powerful-healthy-food-pairings
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/10-powerful-healthy-food-pairings http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=106
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/10-powerful-healthy-food-pairings
https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/9-healthy-food-pairings-for-more-nutrition
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/healthy-food-pairings
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/food-pairings-that-are-healthier-together/slide/6
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-healthiest-food-pairings.html
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3615/10-Common-Food-Combinations-That-Wreak-Havoc-on-Your-Health.html
https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/9-healthy-food-pairings-for-more-nutrition

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/advice/a6333/7-super-powered-food-pairings-125087/

Reflection on Raw Food Diet

Enthusiasts of raw food diet claim, that food is not only about nutrition, but also about life's energy. Food, which is eaten in its natural unprepared state, with all the enzymes intact, is the source of vitality, and our nourishment. In our hands, it is also an ammunition of strength and self-reliance. Labored beginnings, however, characterize the raw diet. It is a slow process, not a single event in time. But with mindful approach to food, we can select from life, what is best for our well-being.

Both paleo diet and raw diet discard processed and artificial food, and replace it with a simple and natural ones. Enthusiasts of raw food diet claim, that it is their lifestyle and although it is not an easy transition, it can be adopted by many. Testimonials from ordinary people are endless, but there is always one underlying note: it is a challenging diet and it works most effectively, if you follow the rule of 80:20, meaning that you rely on raw food 80% of a time and eat cooked food for the other 20% of a time.

Raw veganism is a plant-based diet, that involves no cooking. No food is heated above 42 degrees Celsius. Foods are eaten fresh, sprouted, dehydrated with low heat or fermented. So taking these ideas into consideration, let's come up with a healthy regime, which is also nutritious. Let's create a 1800 calorie diet plan, which is quite restrictive, hence more challenging. It is a daily plan for 1 person. So let's take a look:

1/6 cookie sheet of dry seed crackers (see below), 50g almonds, 25g nuts (3 walnuts, 3 brazilian nuts), 100g quinoa or lentils (every other day), 50g pumpkin seeds, vegetables (200g romaine lettuce, 2 tomatoes, 1 red pepper, 200g cucumber, 7 radishes, 1 beetroot, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 fermented cucumber, 2 onions), fruit (1 orange, 1 apple, 1 nectarine).

The above mentioned plan translates into the following:

vitA:821%, vitC:650%, vitE:113%, vitK:388%, vitD:?, vitB1:168%, vitB2:96%, vitB3:75%, vitB5:66%, vitB6:137%, vitB12:?, folate:290%, Ca:82%, Fe:120%, Mg:203%, K:175%, Zn:117%, Se:442%

COMMENTS

1. Healthy raw food diet means eating approx. 1.2kg of vegetables, 0.5kg of fruit. It is also based on eating nuts, almonds and seeds – we need approx. 180g of them every day as well as some grain and legumes, such as quinoa and lentils (I selected quinoa since it is the most nutritious type of grain and the same rationale was for selecting lentils).

2. Due to calorie restrictions, there is no room in this diet for any type of sweets, even those prepared raw. It is also hard to incorporate into this diet fruit, such as banana or avocado because of the calories (1 banana corresponds to 100 calories and ½ avocado means 160 calories). The same goes for oil. We should limit ourselves only to olive oil, due to high content of vitamin E.

3. The recommended amounts of vitamin D and B12 can only be derived from eating raw fish. If we consume raw fish twice a week, then we will take care of our daily requirements for those vitamins. The other options are to supplement the diet with vitamins or by adding nutritional yeast.

4. If we follow the rule of 80:20, then it is OK to cook hard-to-digest food like quinoa or lentils. It is also advisable to cook carrots and add them to food containing phytic acid, such as nuts or seeds (see here).

5. We should consume 1 fermented cucumber every day, to take care of our intestinal flora. Fermented vegetables contain probiotics, which are important in maintaining a healthy gut.

6. Raw food can be source of infection and it is due to the fact, that most food is in a fermented state and is of plant-origin. Hence it is very important to sterilize the equipment and wash thoroughly vegetables and fruit. We should wash them in acidic water to remove microorganisms and in alkaline water to remove pesticides. It is also advisable to rinse the mouth with water and baking soda. 

 

REFLECTION

Raw plants and vegetables tend to be hard on our digestion. So if we are constantly eating foods, that our bodies cannot digest, our ability to digest food in general is weakened. A weakened digestive system can cause bloating, indigestion, constipation or loose stools, malnutrition, food allergies and a lowered immune system, even if we consume food filled with nutrients supporting our health. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed, that raw foods are too “cold” - or yin – in nature and require too much energy from our part to digest. The cold, hard-to-digest food puts a damper on the body's digestive fires. The prolonged practice of eating raw depletes body's energy from having to support the weakened digestive system, which results in less energy for other bodily functions. Hence, enthusiasts of this diet steer towards uniform meals, to ease the digestion. They prepare simple meals and follow the rule of proper combining. In addition, a helpful tip is to keep fruit at room temperature and take vegetables from fridge at least 1 hour before eating. Eating food at room temperature aids the digestion and may alleviate some of the problems associated with eating raw.

Raw food can be the source of infection and every enthusiast of this diet knows, that raw food diet requires a lot of attention on our part. We should stay away from ready-to-eat food found in grocery stores as well as be wary about eating-out. The main reason why this type of food can be unhealthy is, because it is processed to encourage the growth of microorganisms. Every time when we ferment or sprout food, we also encourage the growth of bacteria and if not careful we can make ourselves ill, because of what we eat. This is probably one of the reasons, why raw food lovers tend to cook at home and devote a lot of their time to washing food and preparing meal for themselves.

Arguments against this diet rely on not sufficient scientific evidence showing, that it can be healthy. And this is true simply, because we lack evidence based on practice and real-life stories. However, we often hear, that raw diet is the source of malnutrition. Raw food lovers are deficient in vitamin D, B12, calcium, iron, zinc, omega-3 and selenium. If you look again at my plan above you will see, that raw food diet is only sensitive to deficiencies in vitamin D and B12. Vegans try to circumvent the problem and eat nutritional yeast. And yes, they can be a good source of vitamin B12 but at the same time they are the source of vitamin B complex overload (for example 100% of vitamin B12 translates into 640% of vitamin B1, 570% of vitamin B2, 280% of vitamin B3 and 480% of vitamin B6). If you are on raw food diet and eat flax seeds and walnuts, then you are OK with omega-3 and brazilian nuts take care of selenium requirements. Good sources of calcium are almonds, sesame seeds, and oranges, so you may want to pay close attention to this food, not to become deficient in calcium.

For sure it is a quite restrictive diet, hence not for everyone. Personally, I love eating warm food and I do not think, that I will ever try switching to eating raw. However, as I have shown you above there are certain tricks to make this diet healthy. But is eating raw really hard on our digestion and drains us of energy in the long run? I leave it to others to decide. Definitely we need more evidence backed up by practice. The best thing about Raw Food diet, in my mind, is that it shows us, that with careful planning, we can also be healthy, if we rely on raw food, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Sounds impossible, almost like paradox and that's the beauty of it all.

Seed crackers (1 cookie sheet): 1 cup flax seeds, ½ cup sesame seeds, ½ cup sunflower seeds. Ferment all in acidic water overnight. The next day rinse it thoroughly and mix all with ¾ cup of water to create thick dough – add your favorite spices. Leave to rest for approx. 5 minutes. Spread the dough onto a cookie sheet covered with a baking paper. Dehydrate in a dehydrator or bake in the oven set to 42 degrees until dry.

Reflection on Paleo Diet

Do you feel bombarded with change from every direction? Are you fascinated by the world and you want to explore it and experiment? Our imagination takes us to many wonderful places and our creativity also finds its outlet in our attitude towards food. Modern trends in diet change fast and they are no longer about weight loss, but the new lifestyle. Paleo food lovers turn away from our traditional western diet and toss out all processed food, to replace it with natural and healthy lifestyle. They believe, it is a journey into the roots and something much greater, but is it really? Is Paleo diet really the diet we are predisposed to naturally and the only solution to retain health, or simply our romantic fascination with tradition?

Meat consumption is part of our evolutionary heritage and some say, that we are genetically predisposed to eating meat. Hence it does not surprise me, that we have seen a huge success of Paleo diet in recent years, because it relies heavily on meat, as the main source of protein intake. Another reason is, that it appeals to our sensibilities, and scientific reasoning claiming, that we cannot escape our genetic makeup. It is the only healthy lifestyle for us, but is it really?

Before we jump to any conclusions, let's concentrate on the diet itself. According to recommendations we should derive 50% of our daily calories from meat, or meat products (lean meat, fish and eggs), 35% from oil and 15% from fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts. There is no room in this diet for processed food, diary, grains, legumes, starchy veggies like potatoes, sugar, but also for coffee and alcohol. So if we assume, that our daily allowances are 2000 calories, then we should derive 1000 calories from meat products, 700 calories from fat and 300 calories from fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts. With those assumptions, is it possible to create a healthy diet? Let's take a look.

I have analyzed the diet and have to admit, that it is NOT possible to include seeds and nuts into the same category with fruit and vegetables. The simple reason is, that seeds and nuts are dense in calories and 300 calorie limit is far too low to include all types of food. The best solution is to include them into either meat or fat category. So if we do that, then it is possible to create a healthy plan, which is not only nutritious, but it also fulfills our daily vitamin and mineral requirement regime. However, in order to achieve it, we should consume liver daily together with some lean meat and fish. If we toss out liver then consuming just meat does not make it OK or healthy.

So if we want to eat healthy we should consume every day the following: 250g meat (50g liver – chicken, 100g chicken breast, 100g fish – the best would be small fish, that we eat with bone), 100g almonds, and 2 eggs; 100g olive oil or any other healthy oil (I prefer olive oil, due to high content of vitamin E), and eat every day 100g broccoli, 200g dark-leaf vegetables, 1 beet, 1 carrot, 1 tomato, 1 small cucumber, 7 radishes, ½ red pepper, ½ onion and 20g sunflower seeds. If we follow those recommendations, then the nutritious breakdown will look like this:

VitA: 800%, VitC: 430, VitE:194%, VitK: 434%, VitB1:84%, VitB2: 198%, VitB3: 167%, VitB5: 88%, VitB6: 123%, VitB12: 308%, Folate: 241%, Ca: 91%, Fe: 117%, Mg: 143%, K: 110%, Zn: 90%, Se: 259%.

We will also have enough VitD providing we will stick with small fish and of course we would not need to worry about omega-3.

COMMENTS:

Deficiencies in VitB1, B5 and Zn can be overcome by eating more liver every day. For my calculations I used 50g of chicken liver, but if we change that amount to 75g, then we should be OK. As for calcium, it is tricky to ensure adequate amounts in this diet. Everyone should be aware of it and make sure to eat regularly small fish, almonds, and the tiny seeds, which I omitted in my analysis – sesame seeds. They are also a very good source of calcium, but in order to take advantage of them, they need to be fermented first (see here) – the same is true for almonds. Hence 28g of sesame seeds, or 3 tbsp, are equivalent to 160 calories, and this amount contains 25% Ca, 25% Fe plus other vitamins and minerals. So others are right in saying, that Paleo diet is the source of calcium deficiencies. Improperly eaten almonds and/or sesame seeds will not provide adequate amounts of calcium, because most of it will be bound to phytic acid and will be removed from our bodies. Something to think about.

My analysis has been done for 2000 calories, which means, that it is more representative of a diet for men, then women. Women on this diet should be very careful about their menu, due to calorie restrictions (1800 calories). They should get rid of traditional meat and switch to, for example, chicken liver and fish only. As for calcium they should experiment with almonds and sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are less dense in calories than almonds, but they are as nutritious as almonds. For example, 100g almonds translates into 500 calories and 28g sesame seeds (see above) equals to 160 calories. Both products are dense in nutrients, so it is a good idea to eat them every day.

I hope you noticed, that my analysis lacks fruit. They are high in calories, which makes them unattractive for this diet. A 2000 calorie diet should contain 300 calories coming from fruit, vegetables and seeds. So if we include fruit, then we do that at the expense of either vegetables or seeds. This means, that men can afford to eat fruit from time to time, but women should stay away from them and completely forget that they exist.

 

REFLECTION ON PALEO DIET

Killing animals and eating meat have been significant components of human evolution, that had a synergistic relationship with other key attributes, that have made us humans, such as evolution of human intelligence, development of language and of capacities for planning, cooperation and socializing in particular.

Given, that there are more of us now, we need more animals than our ancestors, to keep up with the tradition of meat consumption and deal with its “side effects”. Is it then possible to come up with a comprehensive appraisal, in order to contrast the positive effects of meat consumption with the negative consequences of meat production and to answer a simple question: are the benefits (health and otherwise) of eating meat greater than the undesirable cost, multitude of environmental burdens in particular, of producing it?

I hope, that I convinced you, that it is possible to stay healthy on Paleo diet. But this also means, that we need to consume 1kg of meat (700g traditional meat and 300g of meat liver) plus 700g fish every week or 48kg of meat (or 48 chickens) and 30kg fish every year. This amount is not particularly alarming, because in western countries consumption of meat is much greater, approximately 80-90kg/year. But comparing this amount to the average, which is 42kg/year, it is quite a lot, and there are consequences both from the production standpoint and the environment. However, the above calculations are based on the assumption, that we group almonds to the protein category, and if we move them to fats, then we will need to consume twice as much meat, which means, that we will consume 156kg/year of meat. A horrifying amount! Is this the price everyone needs to pay, so we can stay healthy???

Industrialized production of animals for human consumption is the source of multiple environmental burdens. At risk are land, water and energy sources, but it is also a source of greenhouse gas and reactive nitrogen burden. For example, while production of 1 ton of meat (poultry) requires 4,000L of water, cultivation of 1 ton of wheat depends on 1,500 L and 1 ton of potatoes has need for only 133 liters of water. Production of beef is more exploitative and it uses 17,000L of water to produce 1 ton of meat. On average production of 1kg meat requires 100 times more water than cultivation of cereal. By insisting on increasing the production of meat at the expense of other types of food we are wasting away natural resources unnecessary.

The same problem is with energy and we know how important it is for us. Meat production system relies on a ratio 25:1, which means, that to produce 1 calorie of meat we need to spend 25 calories of energy. Milk industry uses a ratio of 14:1, beef industry – 40:1, eggs – 39:1 and wheat – 2:1. To illustrate the situation, I have made my own calculations and found out, that to produce 1kg of beef meat we require 70 kW/h energy, which also means, that this energy will be enough to provide light to 250 apartments for 1 hour (or to drive 250km by car). In comparison production of 1 egg will provide light to 8 apartments for 1 hour (2kW/h) and 30 eggs are equal to 1kg of beef meat. I find it interesting and horrifying at the same time, don't you think?

Negative consequences of meat production are seen in other areas of our life. A rise in greenhouse gas emissions, landmass erosion and the fact, that we need more animals every day for our consumption purposes. Currently there is 5 times more cultivated animals in the world than us and if we continue to follow the trend the consequences are quite obvious.

I am not against meat consumption, but what I am against is our belief, that eating meat is the only choice to stay healthy. Relying on chicken breast leads to overeating, because we overcompensate the lack of vitamins and minerals in our bodies. Knowledge is power, so let's select food consciously. Living consciously means, that we take care of ourselves and the environment we live in at the same time. If we want to stay on a meat diet, then we should remember to include meat organs and fish into our menu. They are very nutritious and filled with vitamins and minerals.

In my mind, Paleo diet is not going back to the roots, nor it is a natural or healthy lifestyle. Presently it will contribute to degradation of the environment simply, because we need more animals to feed us. Paleo diet is an extreme approach, because it does not take advantage of other food, which has been shown to be nutritious, such as legumes or some type of grain, which by the way are less of a burden to our environment. Throughout history we experimented with food and now we can capitalize on our heritage to make intelligent choices. While meat was a prestige food throughout the millennia of pre-industrial history and associated with affluent economies, it does not have the same connotation anymore. Times are changing and affluence now means intelligence, so why not base individual diets on nutritional value of food and their vitamin and mineral content?

Hummus – a different type

Hummus is not longer an exotic dish, rather it is a simple fix of few ingredients readily available in any kitchen. However we are not yet accustomed to making hummus from seeds. I have already posted a recipe for hummus from pumpkin seeds and today I want to share with you a recipe for my beloved hummus from sunflower seeds. I make this hummus, because it is extremely nutritious. Not only it is filled with many vitamins and minerals, but it is also the best source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is quite special. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant and although its role has been shown in protection against free radical damage and cardiovascular disease, severe deficiencies manifest neurologically.

Lately my goal in the kitchen has been to create healthy recipes. I have to admit, that I am very proud of this hummus. I eat it every week, because it helps me remember to consume sunflower seeds regularly. I am not sure if you know, but it is very difficult to eat and maintain appropriate levels of vitamin E. It is because the meaningful amounts are only present in a handful of products, for example almonds, olive oil and some other nuts. If we are not eating them regularly for sure we are deficient. It is estimated that 90% of Americans are deficient in vitamin E without even knowing it.

The recipe is quite simple and it takes almost no time to prepare. As with any other food containing phytic acid fermentation is advised, so before I start making hummus I ferment sunflower seeds. To do so I add 1 tablespoon of yogurt to warm water, but you can do that with vinegar or lemon juice as well. In addition I add carrots to help neutralize the negative effect of phytic acid and it is also a simple way to introduce a little bit of color. I have to admit that it is a really cool trick, you can add carrots while preparing a standard hummus from chickpeas. If you are looking for a more complex flavor, I recommend adding also oven-roasted peppers. You can eat this hummus with veggies, but also you can prepare tortilla rolls with red onion for lunch. ENJOY! 

 

Reflection on traditional diet

Traditional diet is messed up because it is based on compulsive eating of meat. It is as if we are paralyzed and fear got the best of us. No one can argue, that traditional diet is very effective and energetic. It can provide most of the energy we need and require little effort on our part. So why we should dismiss something, which requires little sacrifice on our part?

The first sign we are in trouble is when our common sense flies out the window. It is when we start accepting side effects of wrong diet, such as bloating, gas, heartburn, as something normal, because it affects so many. So later other symptoms appear and then again we think that all is OK. We start having problems with gluten, we develop IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), allergies, diabetes, obesity and others. But we do nothing and our paralysis gets the better of us, because we cannot resolve the messages of certainty and doubt. Everyday we come across new information and there is no consistency to what is healthy and nutritious anymore. So why change? Why not stick to something, that we know and grew up to trust it?

Why not look for evidence? The best way to do so, in my mind, is to examine personal diet from vitamin and mineral standpoint. Even though it seems reasonable, it was only recently, when I realized, that this should be the first thing we do, if we want to be healthy. If you are like me, then you also took for granted, that adding healthy food to your diet will automatically transform your life and improve your health. However, what nutrition analysis showed me was that few extra things, which are in fact very nutritious and delicious, do not magically make it right, but in order to get proper nutrition, we should follow a well-balanced diet. Selecting food based only on amount of carbs, protein, fat and sugar is not longer a viable option. In my mind we should switch to vitamin- and mineral-rich produce and by doing so we will incidentally take care of other nutritive aspect of diet.

So let's analyze diet based on daily allowances for each nutrient. To give you an example of such exercise, I have prepared a list of produce used in a traditional diet and let's analyze them together. Let's assume, that our weekly traditional diet consists of the following:

800g meet, 200g fish, 300g cottage cheese, 4 eggs, 400g cheese, 200g yogurt. 100g tomato paste, 7 tomatoes, 200g carrots, 200g beets, 300 g broccoli, 400g green-leaf vegetables, 14 slices of wholewheat bread, 300g rice, 200g quinoa, 800 g potatoes, 200g oats, 300g dark chocolate. I did not include fat, sugar and processed food into calculation.

RESULTS:

By regularly consuming above mentioned produce we become deficient in vitamin E, B2, B5, B6, B12, as well as Ca, Fe, K, Zn and omega 3 (you can get your own results by using the tables listed here). The extent of those deficiencies also depends on health status of our gut. So imagine, if we have regular problems with intestines, ... we miss out even more.

TIPS:

1. To avoid those deficiencies we should incorporate the following food products:

100g nuts, 100g peanuts, 100g sunflower seeds, 100g pumpkin seeds, increase amount of yogurt to 700g, decrease meat and increase the amount of fish to 400g, 200g legumes (the best would be lentils) and 7 servings of fruit (eg., banana, apples, avocado, tomato, watermelon). It is also highly recommended that we consume as much olive oil as possible, since it is one of the best sources of vitamin E.

2. To enhance absorption of vitamins and minerals we should practice the proper combining of food every day. It may be hard at the beginning, but it will become better, as days progress.

3. Always think about fermenting legumes, nuts, and grain not to lose unnecessarily any minerals, due to the presence of phytic acid (see here).

Are you still confused? I hope not. Making few adjustments to eating habits may seem daunting at first, but I believe, that in time we will find ways, and ideas to create new routines. Changes are not easy, but they teach us to slow down a little and with that we find a new appreciation for the power of food.

Reflection on “living with phytic acid”

"Living with phytic acid" is one of those cases, where importance of culinary tradition comes to the forefront. As society, we act boldly, and we are not afraid to try new things, almost like children. In order to do so, we discard years of experience accumulated by older generation, so we can experiment with new things. This has been seen through history and the recent revolution is a very good example. With the advent of new technology we have created a “better world” for ourselves. And in many aspects, it is a better world, but we became also more alienated and started to rely on processed food to be able to work harder, harder and harder...

As the case of “living with phytic acid” shows us, a closer inspection of our traditions is needed, before decisions to abandon some of them can be made. As it turns out, we cannot always rely on the assumption, that when it comes to food “faster is better”. Food teaches us to slow down from time to time, in order to put our interest ahead of any other. We failed to do so with phytic acid and more precisely with food that contains it, grain, seeds, nuts and legumes. As a result, the society we live in, has become profoundly sick, because it is nutrition deficient.

It comes as a surprise to us..., because we strongly believe in our abilities and potential. And it is nothing wrong with that. Thankfully, we slowly acknowledge, that the root cause of our chronic health problems come from our diet and our attitude to life in general. What “living with phytic acid” teaches us also is, that adding few healthy food to our diet does not necessary mean, that we will automatically be healthy. Instead, we should re-examine our culinary tradition and re-visit the culinary process of our ancestors again.

Phytic acid, by some is called the mineral thief and by others a potent anti-nutrient. Its reputation comes from the fact, that it is present in most nutritious food known to man. As I mentioned above, it is present in grain, seeds, nuts and legumes, the food that man grew up to rely on for nutrients. However, when processed incorrectly the food, that is nutritious, becomes its worst enemy. Phytic acid, as any other acid, has the tendency to bind minerals to form salts. What this means for us is, that all minerals found in food containing phytic acid will be eliminated from our system..., as waste. Precisely, it binds to magnesium, iron, calcium zinc and copper, so by consuming such food, we become deficient in those minerals. Nature, however, comes in different colors and shapes, so it also provided us with an antidote, an enzyme called phytase. When activated, this enzyme breaks down, or in other words neutralizes the acid, hence frees the minerals for absorption. The trick is to know, what to do, to activate the enzyme to do the dirty work for us. 

 

Things to keep in mind when “living with phytic acid”

1. THE MOST IMPORTANT TRICK TO HAVE UP YOUR SLEEVES: Phytase is activated in acidic environment. Food containing phytic acid should be “fermented” in acidic water for at least 20 hours. Ideally it is recommended to add yogurt to water, because it contains whey plus bacteria, which can produce additional phytase needed to neutralize phytic acid found in our food. Our ancestors somehow knew about that and they fermented legumes, or even sprouted them, before they processed them for consumption. This trick has been lost and hopefully will come back again.

2. Adding onion, garlic or carrots to food containing phytic acid can have neutralizing effects and can enhance absorption of minerals.

3. It has been shown that people with healthy gut bacteria can tolerate phytic acid better than those who have gut problems. Part of the reason is attributed to healthy bacteria, which produce phytase to neutralize phytic acid. Thus, including yogurt into diet consisting of legumes will help you with digesting phytic acid containing food and absorption of minerals.

4. There is also evidence showing, that phytic acid can act as powerful anti-oxidant in our gut, so staying away from food containing it should not be our prerogative. Instead, we should ferment it, to enhance our chances of absorption of minerals, and what is not neutralized can be then used to keep our gut healthy.

If you want to read more about phytic acid I strongly recommend the following link. It is a comprehensive description on the topic and provides some basic information about our mineral thief (but I have to warn you, it is actually quite scientific):

http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/living-with-phytic-acid/

Pumpkin seed hummus

I think, that I became a hummus lover from the first time, I tried it. It has been a long time ago now, so I am not sure anymore. Back then I was going to the special market to buy hummus. It was in a big barrel of freshly prepared hummus, and everyone was buying according to needs. I was not a Health Nut back then, but still enjoyed it a lot, especially in summer with a piece of pita bread. Things changed drastically, when I learned, that it is insanely easy to make it yourself, and after that, there was not turning back. I never looked back and never even considered store-bought hummus anymore. I realized, that it can be made, not only from chickpeas, but also from beans, lentils, and the one made from frozen green peas is something else, the bright green color is simply not from this earth. I hope you get the message, I experiment a lot. And with my new-found passion for healthy food, I started thinking about nutritious meals, and how to make them.

I have to admit, that I was worried a little, when I tried this hummus for the first time. I was motivated, because I do not eat seeds enough as snacks, and really wanted to incorporate them into my regular menu. So there you go... This recipe is simply amazing: it tastes great, it is extremely healthy and it is very easy to make. Just give it a try.

Have you ever came across saying, that pumpkin seeds are "good source" of magnesium and zinc? I checked my nutrition charts and have to say, that "good source" is understatement. They are as good source of iron as chickpeas, but better source of magnesium and zinc than common ingredient of hummus. And they are the best source of zinc of all food products known to man. Given that both magnesium and zinc are the two elements, which most likely to be deficient in any diet, we should include food rich in those elements in our diet. This is why pumpkin seeds are important and this is why I am so proud of myself creating this recipe. Now it is easy for me to make sure, that I eat approx. 100g of them each week. 

 

Tips:

1. Remember, that all seeds, including pumpkin seeds contain phytic acid, the mineral thief.
2. There are several ways to de-activate phytic acid and make minerals accessible to us.
3. Ways to limit activity of phytic acid are: ferment seeds in acidic water, include carrots, garlic or onion into the recipe.
4. Some say, that small amounts of food containing phytic acid is well tolerated by us, however I could not find specific information, what that actually means. 
5. Typically we eat this hummus as tortilla roll-ups with home-made tomato sauce and salad, but you can also use it as "pate" to make a sandwich or you can enrich your soup by blending-in some of that hummus into it.

ENJOY!