Health Benefits of Coconut Oil | Organic Facts

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a multitude of health benefits, which include but are not limited to skin care, hair care, improving digestion and immunity against a host of infections and diseases. The oil is used not just in tropical countries, where coconut plantations are abundant, but also in the US and the UK. People are discovering the wonders this oil can create and it is again gaining popularity throughout the world. Let us see how many of these benefits you are aware of.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Skin care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil that acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin, including dry skin. Unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin from the application of coconut oil. Therefore, it is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays the appearance of wrinkles and sagging of skin, which normally accompany aging.

It helps in preventing degenerative diseases premature aging due to its well-known antioxidant properties. It also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. For that exact reason, coconut oil forms the base ingredient of various body care products like soaps, lotions, and creams that are used for skin care.

Hair care: Coconut oil helps in healthy growth of hair and gives your hair a shiny quality. It is also highly effective in reducing protein loss, which can lead to various unattractive or unhealthy qualities in your hair. It is used as hair care oil and is used in manufacturing various conditioners and dandruff relief creams. It is normally applied topically for hair care.

Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps the re-growth process of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing and healing damaged hair. Research studies indicate that coconut oil provides better protection to hair from damage caused by hygral fatigue.

By regularly massaging your head with coconut oil, you can ensure that your scalp is free of dandruff, even if your scalp is chronically dry. It also helps in keeping your hair and scalp free from lice and lice eggs.

Heart diseases: There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for heart health. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats.In reality, it is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in actively preventing various heart problems like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. Coconut oil does not lead to increase in LDL levels, and it reduces the incidence of injury and damage to arteries and therefore helps in preventing atherosclerosis. Study suggests that intake of coconut oil may help to maintain healthy lipid profiles in pre-menopausal women.

Weight loss: Coconut oil is very useful for weight loss. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. Research suggests that coconut oil helps to reduce abdominal obesity in women. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and endocrine system. Further, it increases the body’s metabolic rate by removing stress on the pancreas, thereby burning more energy and helping obese and overweight people lose the weight. Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who use coconut oil every day as their primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight.

Immunity: It strengthens the immune system because it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which research has supported as an effective way to deal with viruses and bacteria that cause diseases like herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. Coconut oil helps in fighting harmful bacteria like listeria monocytogenes and helicobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Digestion: Internal functions of coconut oil occur primarily due to it being used as cooking oil. It helps to improve the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion-related problems including irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats present in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties and help in dealing with various bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can cause indigestion. It also helps in the absorption of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Candida: Candida, also known as Systemic Candidiasis, is a tragic disease caused from excessive and uncontrolled growth of yeast called Candida Albicans in the stomach. Coconut provides relief from the inflammation caused by candida, both externally and internally. Its high moisture retaining capacity keeps the skin from cracking or peeling off. Capric acid, Caprylic acid, caproic acid, myristic acid and lauric acid found in coconut oil help in eliminating Candida albicans.

Further, unlike other pharmaceutical treatments for candida, the effects of coconut oil is gradual and not drastic or sudden, which gives the patient an appropriate amount of time to get used to the withdrawal symptoms or Herxheimer Reactions (the name given to the symptoms accompanying body’s rejection of toxins generated during elimination of these fungi). But, in the treatment of this condition, people should systematically and gradually increase their dosages of coconut oil and shouldn’t initially start with a large quantity.

 

Healing and Infections: When applied to infected areas, coconut oil forms a chemical layer that protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Coconut oil is highly effective on bruises because it speeds up the healing process of damaged tissues.

According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills the viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, and other serious health risks. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhoea. Finally, coconut oil is also effective in the elimination of fungi and yeast that cause ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, and diaper rash.

Other Benefits

Coconut oil is strongly recommended for a number of other benefits that are explained below. Using coconut oils has been shown to mildly help the following:

Liver: The presence of medium chain triglycerides and fatty acids helps in preventing liver diseases because those substances are easily converted into energy when they reach the liver, thus reducing the work load of the liver and also preventing accumulation of fat.

Kidney: It helps in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases. It also helps to dissolve kidney stones.

Pancreatitis: Coconut oil is also believed to be useful in treating pancreatitis.

Stress relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress. Applying it to the head, followed by a gentle massage, helps to eliminate mental fatigue. According to research virgin coconut oil gives relief from stress and has antioxidant properties.

Diabetes: Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of insulin. It also promotes the effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes.

Bones: As mentioned earlier, coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb important minerals. These include calcium and magnesium, which are necessary for the development of bones. Thus, it is very useful to women who are prone to osteoporosis after middle age.

Dental care: Calcium is an important component of our teeth. Since coconut oil facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in developing strong teeth. It also stops tooth decay. Recent research suggests that coconut oil is beneficial in reducing plaque formation and plaque induced gingivitis.

HIV and cancer: It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in reducing a person’s viral susceptibility for HIV and cancer patients. Preliminary research has shown an indication of this effect of coconut oil on reducing the viral load of HIV patients.

Coconut oil is often used by athletes, body builders and by those who are dieting. The reason behind this being that it contains less calories than other oils, its fat content is easily converted into energy, and it does not lead to accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil helps boost energy and endurance, and generally enhances the performance of athletes.

Coconut oil and Alzheimer’s disease: The research conducted by Dr. Newport states that the oil is useful in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from this there is no scientific evidence or traditional knowledge of coconut oil being used for treating Alzheimer’s. In fact, it is not traditionally thought that the oil helps in boosting the function of the brain in any form.

Use as Carrier Oil

Carrier oils are those oils, which easily penetrate or absorb into the skin and thus facilitate seepage or absorption of other oils (such as essential oils) and herbal extracts through the skin when mixed into it.It is easily absorbed through the skin’s pores and thus is used as carrier oil. Furthermore, being one of the most stable oils, it doesn’t go rancid, nor does it let the other oils, herbal extracts, or medicines spoil inside of it. It does not alter the properties of the oils and herbs mixed within it. It also protects the herbs and oils from microbial or fungal interactions. Coconut oil is expensive in several countries; however, in tropical countries its cost is low enough to make it affordable as carrier oil.

Buying Coconut Oil

There are primarily 6 varieties of coconut oil: pure, refined, virgin, organic, fractionated and extra virgin (this is most debated form as there are no standards on virginity and it is unclear as to what qualifies as extra virgin oil). When you want to buy coconut oil, first of all, you need to decide why you need it and where you are going to use it. Your choice should be based on your need, like whether you want it for edible purposes or as a carrier oil to be used in aromatherapy, for massaging, for weight loss, or for medicinal purposes. Below is a list of such purposes and the type of coconut oil to buy.

Purpose————–Preferable Type to Buy

Cooking—————-Refined

Weight Loss———–Virgin

As a Carrier Oil——-Virgin, Fractionated

Good Health———-Virgin, Organic

Massaging————-Pure, Refined

Hair——————–Pure, Refined

Medicinal uses——–Virgin, Virgin Organic

Furthermore, before you buy coconut oil, you should keep in mind that for edible and therapeutic uses, refined oil is the best as it is hygienic and clean. Unrefined oil is good for external applications like hair care and skin care.

How to use and store it?

Unlike most other oils, coconut oil has a high melting point – about 24 to 25 degrees Celsius or 76-78 Fahrenheit. Therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperature rises considerably. It is often in this form, and obviously, don’t keep it in your refrigerator.

If you are using coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil (if it is solid) by keeping the bottle in the sun or soaking it in warm water. You can also take some oil out and put it in a small bowl and heat the bowl over a flame (don’t use a microwave). Then, take the oil on your palm and apply it to your hair. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Remember, you don’t need to completely switch to coconut oil, because then you will lose the other benefits of more traditional oils and dairy products.

In colder countries, coconut oil comes in good, broad containers. However, if you get it in a pack (tetra-pack or plastic pouch), after opening the pack, be sure to keep the oil in containers with tight lid and broad mouth so that you can scoop it out with a spoon if it solidifies. Keeping it sealed or lidded is necessary because there are other admirers of coconut oil (ants, cockroaches, other insects and rodents just love it!).

I don’t like the taste of coconut oil. What should I do?: Try using it in a variety of different recipes. However, if you get nauseated after eating coconut oil, don’t force yourself to eat it. As can happen with any food item, your body may be allergic to coconut oil and it is best not to consume it.

Where to buy from?: Pure and refined coconut oils are easily available in most grocery stores, especially in tropical countries. For other varieties, you may need to search in larger department stores or drug stores. In countries which do not produce coconut oil, like the US, Canada, and most of Europe, you will need to visit big grocers or grocery stores in localities which have higher populations of people from India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and coastal Africa. Obviously, you can order it online as well and have it delivered wherever you live.

Which brand to buy?: When you are buying coconut oil in packs, go for the reliable and reputable brands. Read the contents carefully and check the manufacturing date (although it has a long shelf life, fresher is still better).

How much to pay?: The price of coconut oil depends on many factors such as its availability (cheaper where it is produced and more costly in other places, and it is even more expensive when ordered via phone, Internet etc.). The price is also affected by demand, variety (the refined one costs the least, followed by the fractionated, the virgin, the organic and the organic virgin coconut oils), brand, and quantity (buying in bulk costs a little less).

How much to buy? Buy only as much you can consume in few months, because despite the fact that coconut oil does not go rancid for a long time, it is not wise to store it unnecessarily. You will get better results with fresh coconut oil.

Composition of Coconut Oil

More than 90% of coconut oil consists of saturated fats (Don’t panic! It’s not as bad as it sounds, read to the end of this review and your opinion may change), along with traces of a few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Virgin coconut oil is no different from this.

Saturated fatty acids: Most of them are medium chain triglycerides, which are supposed to assimilate well in the body’s systems.

  • Lauric acid is the chief contributor, representing more than 40% of the total, followed by capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid and palmitic. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin. Lauric acid is helpful in dealing with viruses and diseases.
  • Capric acid reacts with certain enzymes secreted by other bacteria, which subsequently convert it into a powerful antimicrobial agent, monocaprin.
  • Caprylic acid, caproic acid and myristic acid are rich in antimicrobial and antifungal properties

Unsaturated fatty acids: Polyunsaturated fatty acids- linoleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acids- Oleic acid

Poly-phenols: Coconut contains Gallic acid, which is also known as phenolic acid. These polyphenols are responsible for the fragrance and the taste of coconut oil and Virgin Coconut Oil is rich in these polyphenols.

Derivatives of fatty acid: Betaines, ethanolamide, ethoxylates, fatty esters, fatty polysorbates, monoglycerides and polyol esters.

Derivatives of fatty alcohols: Fatty chlorides, fatty alcohol sulphate and fatty alcohol ether sulphate

Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamin E, vitamin K and minerals such as iron.

Hope this will be of some help to you. Got any suggestions? Your comments are welcome! You may also share this information with your friends. Thanks!

10 Things You Need To Know About Soy

10 Things You Need To Know About Soy

Tackling the topic of soy is a little like trying to untangle my four year-old daughter’s hair. First, I feel overwhelmed just looking at the mess. And then, when I tackle it, more and more tangles keep appearing!

That’s why, for years, I avoided looking at all the data on soy.

Finally, folks, I did it for you. As a health professional, I get asked about soy a lot, as it’s one of the most common food allergens in the westernized world.

And it’s only gotten more confusing recently. A few years ago, soy manufacturers funded a PR push after some studies showed it helped ease some menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. But then the pendulum swung the other way and soy became the scapegoat for almost everything under the sun, including cancer.

If you’re adopting a plant-based lifestyle, this is an even trickier topic, since you’re faced with soy in practically every product in the vegetarian section of your grocery store. It’s difficult to completely remove soy from your diet as it’s practically everywhere; you’d have to drastically move away from all mainstream food choices to avoid it completely.

But what is the real risk of moderate consumption? And why is there so much polarized information?

I’ve tried to boil it all down to the top 10 facts you need to know about soy:

1. Soy feed is the major ingredient in modern animal feed.

Along with corn, fat-free (defatted) soybean meal is a significant and inexpensive source of protein for animal feeds. Without soy, it would be impossible to raise farm animals (such as chicken, hog, turkey) on a large industrial scale. Did you know that the US produced over 90 million tons of soy in 2011, making it the largest soy producer in the world?

2. It’s estrogen-like.

Soy’s role as a natural hormone replacement was touted for many years because soy contains isoflavones, which are similar to estrogen. While isoflavones may act like estrogen, they can block the more potent natural estrogens from binding to the estrogen receptor. So, it’s much more complex[1] than is usually presented in the media.

How does this affect kids? I am concerned about my son, who tends to like soy meat replacement products. How much is OK? A few experts on the subjects weighed in on this question[2] and concluded that about two servings a day should be the upper limit of soy intake for boys and girls.

3. It may contribute to breast cancer.

This, to me, was the thorniest issue. Some articles supported the idea that soy contributes to breast cancer, but most of them studied soy consumption at extremely high levels. Also, many of them were animal studies. And most of them had the participants eat processed soy.

However, the Weston A. Price foundation made a nice summary page of all literature that supports soy and breast cancer[3]. Quite a few sources say that soy does not correlate with an increase of risk of breast cancer and I found a good summary of it here[4].

4. Soy may affect your thyroid especially if you are already hypothyroid.

It’s now accepted, even by soy advocates, that people with hypothyroidism should avoid consuming more than 1 serving a day of soy[5].

Because soy is a goitrogen (meaning that it promotes the growth of a goiter), it can slow thyroid function, and sometimes, trigger thyroid disease[6] if taken in large quantities. Also, children who drink soy formula tend to develop problems with their thyroid at a higher rate than other children.

5. Most soy is GMO.

In fact, 93% of all soy in the US is genetically modified[7]. Also, in the US, there are no rules to separate GMO soy from non GMO fields of soy.

6. It is often highly processed.

Like wheat, part of the problem with soy is that it often presents itself in the processed form of snacks, cakes, and meat alternatives. In my practice, I find that cutting out soy and wheat from the diet is partially beneficial because it also means you cut out processed foods such as cakes, cookies and other junk food.

7. Soy is a complete protein.

Soybeans are a source of complete protein[8]. They are considered as being almost equivalent in protein quality to animal proteins.

8. Soybean oil is processed with Hexane.

Most of the soy crop in the U.S. is used to produce soybean oil, and uses hexane (a chemical solvent) in its intial stages of extraction[9]. If you choose organic soy products or unprocessed soy (like edamame)—you don’t have to worry about hexane use.

9. Soybean provide a large amount of protein with moderate amounts of fat.

This is a fact. 100g of soy contains 173 calories[10], with 9 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs (6 of which are fiber) and 17 grams of protein.

10. Soy has been eaten in Asian countries for thousands of years.

Soy farming in China and East asia started in 1100 BC. The Japanese and Chinese eat 10 grams of soy protein[11] per day (although some groups in these countries eat as much as 50 grams). Also much of the soy that is consumed is fermented, which makes it a healthier choice. But in America, many soy supplements and powders can have as much as 50 grams of soy protein in one serving.

Ok, so what’s the final verdict?

I’ll let you decide … but if I were you, I’d avoid consuming processed soy.

That said, having edamame at restaurant, or a couple of whole organic, non-GMO or fermented soy meals per week is fine for most people.

I know that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but I wanted to present the facts as I see them so you can make an informed decision. What’s your stance on soy?

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10 Things People In Their 20s Should Do NOW To Be Healthy Later In Life[12]

Young men and women in their 20s don’t always do all that they can to prevent problems later in life. After all, a 20-something is young and healthy, right? The future is so far away! Read [13]

5 Foods and Herbs for Healing Cancer » Natural News Blogs

5 Foods and Herbs for Healing Cancer

Much research has been done on cancer treatments in recent decades to improve therapies for the millions of Americans who are fighting this disease. What some may not be aware of, however, is that many foods and herbs have demonstrated potent anti-cancer properties and can improve both longevity and quality of life. Five of these are discussed below.

Sea Vegetables
Popular in Asia, sea vegetables such as kombu, kelp and nori (the seaweed best known in the preparation of sushi dishes) have all demonstrated remarkable abilities to fight cancer. They are a rich source of natural iodine, a deficiency of which has shown up in many ovarian and breast cancer patients. They also alkalize the body with high levels of calcium and potassium: the alkaline environment is very unfriendly to cancer cells.

Algae
Consumption of algae has been commonplace in Africa and Asia for generations, and the publicity received in recent years for the remarkable properties of algae like chlorella and spirulina has introduced it to the West. Algae are wonderful detoxifiers that can remove heavy metals from the body and strengthen the immune system by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria. They are also rich in Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K as well as minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium. In addition, they contain incredibly potent antioxidants like beta-carotene which are renowned for their cancer-fighting power.

Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower and are another powerful and natural way to fight cancer. Vegetables from this family all contain sulforaphane, a phytochemical that is able to detoxify cancer-causing agents before they are able to damage healthy cells; it also contains chemicals which believe help activate enzymes that detoxify the body. Inclusion of these vegetables in the diet is believed to lower the risk for cancer and halt the growth of tumors in the breast, female reproductive tract, colon, liver and lung.

Medicinal Mushrooms
Mushrooms like reishi and chaga also have the ability to fight cancer; this is due to the fact that they contain a rich array of active compounds including polysaccharides (a complex carbohydrate which can boost the immune system), polyphenols (molecules that are strong anti-oxidants), as well as flavonoids, folates, carotenoids and various enzymes and organic acids. This combination packs quite a powerful punch and have drawn the interest of researchers and oncologists. One recent study showed that regular inclusion of reishi in the diet did in fact prohibit the growth and proliferation of tumors.

Aloe Vera
Most people are aware of aloe vera as a topical medicine only, but when taken orally, its polysaccharides have been proven to modulate the immune system and fight the formation and growth of cancerous tumors. One study published in International Immunopharmacology found that these polysaccharides were able to stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which inhibits tumors. Aloe vera is also rich in minerals, vitamins, amino acids and phytochemicals that can eliminate bacteria, viruses and fungi from the body. This can make it a powerful tool for the body to use when fighting cancer.

A diet which includes any or all of the following foods does more than just boost the health. It nourishes the immune system and can help those battling cancer to live longer and have a better quality of life.

Giving Tofu the New Look It Deserves – NYTimes.com

Giving Tofu the New Look It Deserves

Evan Sung for The New York Times

By MARK BITTMAN
July 7, 2014

It’s not likely that tofu will become anyone’s favorite food; this we know. Those who grew up in households where it was well prepared may relish it, but for the rest of us it’s a bit of a requisite, something we think we “should” eat in place of chicken or eggs whenever we can stomach it.

However. With meat substitutes and even alternative animal protein like bugs surging in popularity — or at least media attention — it’s time to re-evaluate and finally embrace the original plant-based mock meat. (There are others, of course: seitan, or wheat gluten, which in the current anti-gluten climate is difficult to talk about, and tempeh, a fermented soy and grain product that I don’t cook with much. That could change.)

I like tofu. I cook it a couple of times a week, which is more often than I cook chicken. It’s as natural a product as mozzarella, arguably simpler (you don’t need a cow, for one thing) and similarly produced: In both cases, you take milk and you add something that will clump it up. Period. In one case the milk is dairy, and in the other it’s soy.

The differences between the two are obvious, and we could argue about whether good fresh mozzarella offers a better eating experience than good fresh tofu (neither has much flavor without some condiments), but what’s inarguable is that tofu is our most versatile form of nonanimal concentrated protein, as well as the least processed and the most traditional. Andrea Nguyen, in her valuable “Asian Tofu,”[1] says tofu has been made for about 2,000 years and has been popular since the 10th century.

 

Scrambled tofu with tomatoes.

Evan Sung for The New York Times


There are, of course, hyperprocessed or preflavored forms of tofu, or both, that range from Tofu Pups to pressed tofu (usually flavored with five-spice powder or something like it, and incredibly easy to cook well), to fermented tofu, which is both ancient and delicious, if somewhat stinkily off-putting to some.

I’m not talking about any of that. And I’m not talking about making your own tofu, although that’s easy enough. I’m talking buying bricks of plain old tofu, the kind you cut into cubes or, if you’re fancy, diamonds; the kind that we dutifully stir-fried with broccoli and soy sauce back in the ’70s. I’m talking about using tofu in ways that really play up its strengths and make it if not the best choice for a dish then a substitute that doesn’t feel like a compromise but simply another way of doing things.

All of the recipes here make a point, none better than Tofu “Chorizo.” It starts with taking tofu and crumbling it finely, as if it were ground or coarsely chopped. You can do that in 20 seconds, with no utensil other than your hands. Then you then cook it until the water is driven out, as you would ground beef or chicken, to get a result that’s very similar to ground meat. What you wind up with are little crispy bits of fat and protein that have some chew and the flavor of whatever you cooked with them.

I don’t want this to be a competition — I eat meat — but put this stuff in tacos and no one will know the difference. You’ll have saved money and cooked a product with a lighter carbon footprint, no animal welfare issues and fewer health threats than any meat. That kind of proselytizing aside, try the dish and see whether you think it’s any good.

 

Evan Sung for The New York Times


I love silken tofu in soups and soupy stir-fries because it puffs and firms up a bit, becoming quite juicy and, if the other ingredients are right, quite delicious. But silken tofu has other properties very akin to cream. The Chocolate Tofu Pudding[2] I ran in these pages five years ago is among the most popular and surprising recipes I’ve ever developed. A more recent development, Chocolate Avocado Mousse, is in my latest book, “The VB6 Cookbook[3]” and, I think, equally successful.

But the best use for silken tofu is what you might call vegannaise, an egg-free mayo that takes five minutes. (I know, the recipe says 10, but that doesn’t allow for multitasking.) It’s a recipe that never fails and can be varied, say, by adding basil, in all the ways you’d vary real mayonnaise. (Eggs are nicely mimicked, too, when you scramble firm tofu with vegetables or grains. I wouldn’t say no one could tell the difference, but I will say this kind of scramble is easy and satisfying.)

A good meat substitute should at least occasionally offer some real chew, and one of the common complaints about tofu is that to make it chewy you have to process it somehow. (Of course, chicken breasts aren’t very pleasant in their raw state either.) Hence, we have the pressed tofu mentioned above, the new preflavored and even precooked products like grilled tofu or the long explanations and techniques for pressing and weighting tofu.

None of that is necessary. If you bake tofu, you can dry it out and firm it up as much as you like. I’ve developed a tofu jerky recipe that’s nearly as tough as beef jerky. When it becomes firm, you can turn it into a fine escabeche or sauce it in 100 different ways. I offer Manchurian-style here, but you can do this with Provençal, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, Sichuan or many other seasonings; stir-fry it like chicken.

This is not a dish that’s trying to fool people — it’s tofu, all right — but it is intended to persuade them, and you, that in an era when many cooks are looking to cut back on meat, this is an ingredient worth taking seriously. Finally.

Recipes: Tofu Escabeche[4] | Scrambled Tofu With Tomatoes, Scallions and Soy Sauce[5] | Tofu Mayonnaise[6] | Tofu ‘Chorizo’[7]

More recipes are at NYT Cooking[8], which is under development as the recipe resource of The New York Times. If you don’t yet have access, sign up for the wait list, at cooking.nytimes.com[9].

A List of Summer Picnic Bowls – 101 Cookbooks

A List of Summer Picnic Bowls

This coming weekend I’m planning a break from the fog. If all goes well, there will be sun-bright days, star-lit skies, pine trees, bare feet, and eating outdoors. There will be a river. There will be a grill. There will be a cabin. All the necessary components for California mountain summering. I’m incredibly excited. As soon as we solidified our plans I started going through my archives looking for ideas for good picnic-style salads to make, and found myself drafting a list of contenders. It occurred to me that it might be helpful to post the list here as well. Most of these salads are the sort that can be prepped, in large part, ahead of time. And they’re all meant to be served family-style as part of a larger spread. I hope it’s helpful. Here’s to long weekends, long days, and summer adventures. xo -h

 

Mung Yoga Bowl – The kind of bowl that keeps you strong – herb-packed yogurt dolloped over a hearty bowl of mung beans and quinoa, finished with toasted nuts and a simple paprika oil.

 

California Barley Bowl – Plump barley grains tossed with sprouts (or greens), nuts, avocado, a bit of cheese – all dolloped with a simple yogurt sauce.

 

Avocado Salad – thinly sliced avocado arranged over simple lentils, drizzled with oregano oil, toasted hazelnuts, and chives.

 

Roasted Vegetable Orzo – Roasted delicata squash and kale tossed w/ orzo pasta & salted yogurt dressing. For summer you can swap in seasonal squash or vegetables in place of the delicata.

 

Coconut Corn Salad – SImple. Butter a skillet add corn, fresh thyme, red onions, toasted almonds and coconut, and finish with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.

 

Yellow Bean Salad – A summer yellow bean salad with a green chile-spiked, cilantro-flecked, and coconut milk dressing, toasted pepitas, and (if you want to make a meal of it) pan-fried tofu.

 

Heirloom Tomato Salad – A favorite tomato salad, made with roasted and ripe tomatoes, capers, mozzarella, almonds, and chives.

 

Ginger Soba Noodles – Soba noodles tossed with a creamy-ginger dressing and topped with crispy tofu, tarragon, and toasted delicata squash seeds.

Shaved Fennel Salad – Shaved fennel, arugula, zucchini coins, feta, toasted almonds.

 

Buttermilk Farro Salad – Farro with shaved radishes, zucchini, and fennel tossed with a tangy herbed buttermilk vinaigrette.

Non-GMO soybean oil by Cargil NaturalNews.com

Non-GMO soybean oil announced by Cargill as consumer demand for non-toxic food skyrockets

(NaturalNews) Agri-giant Cargill is responding to market pressure and will be introducing a soybean oil made from identity-preserved (IdP), conventionally bred soybeans (these are non-GMO) for customers who are considering shopping for products with a “non-GMO” sticker on their label.

“Despite the many merits of biotechnology, consumer interest in food and beverage products made from non-GM ingredients is growing, creating opportunities and challenges for food manufacturers and food service operators,” said Ethan Theis, food ingredients commercial manager at Cargill, in a company press release.

For now, supplies of Cargill’s new oil are limited; one food maker has already purchased a large amount of the available supply. But Theis says that producing IdP soybean oil from non-GMO soybeans is an intricate process; it requires procurement of a dedicated supply of non-GMO soybeans as well as the development of processes aimed at avoiding co-mingling with bioengineered crops during harvesting, transportation, storage, handling, processing and then refining into products.

Good news for consumers because it means they are winning the battle

“Developing industrial scale IdP products is difficult but something Cargill is well-suited for because of our knowledge of consumer trends, formulation experience, supply-chain management expertise, manufacturing infrastructure and strong relationships with farmers,” Theis said.

The company release said that Cargill has a large amount of global experience in assisting food makers’ source non-GMO crops and ingredients made from those crops.

“The combination of Cargill’s portfolio of non-GM sweeteners, starches, texturizers, oils, cocoa and chocolate, fibers, and stabilizer systems, coupled with R&D and global supply chain capabilities, allows Cargill to help customers manage both the product development and supply chain challenges associated with reformulating to non-GMO,” said the release.

But does mean that Cargill is going all non-GMO? Hardly, writes Heather Callaghan at Activist Post:

Okay, Cargill is riding the PR fence. They escaped the PR scandal of “pink slime” because their process for treating the meat filler includes citric acid instead of ammonium hydroxide gas. Citric acid sounds lovely like lemonade, but is actually made from the fermentation of crude sugars from corn – most of which is genetically modified. The hydrolyzed proteins create the release of free glutamic acid (like MSG), triggering allergies in people who can’t handle MSG. So again, let’s not forget that they fully support genetic modification in agriculture.

What’s to hide?

She also warns that Americans who prefer non-GMO foods (and that number is growing — more on that in a moment) should not get their food fryers ready for the new oil just yet, owing to Cargill’s warning that procuring a sizable supply of non-GMO soybean seeds takes time, suppliers and a logistics chain which company execs pledge they are building. We’ll see. But in any event, Callaghan notes that Western soy production, even non-GMO crops, has a dark side, “especially with its negative reproductive health effects and the proliferation of soy allergies in the U.S.”

Nevertheless, Cargill’s admission that consumer pressure led to the company’s development of its new oil is notable in that it is a triumph of the will of the people: “It means that despite the corporate lauding of genetic modification, they can only to [sic] continue to push it as far as it is profitable – and palatable. Rising consumer awareness and demand is finally starting to tip the massive tower in its own direction.”

True story; reports over the past few months have touted the rise of organic and non-GMO purchases by more and more American food shoppers, even though such foods cost more. Vermont and states like it that are passing or pursuing GMO labeling laws have gone a long way towards raising awareness, and by its stubborn resistance, the industry has left itself liable, with more Americans now asking what it is they have to hide.

Check out GMOs.NaturalNews.com for more breaking news and information on related topics.

Why Lots Of Grass-Fed Beef Sold In U.S. Comes From Down Under : The Salt : NPR

Why Lots Of Grass-Fed Beef Sold In U.S. Comes From Down Under
Patricia Whisnant, who runs Rain Crow Ranch in Doniphan, Mo., says her grass-fed beef can compete with the Australian product because it has a better story American consumers can connect with.Enlarge image

Patricia Whisnant, who runs Rain Crow Ranch in Doniphan, Mo., says her grass-fed beef can compete with the Australian product because it has a better story American consumers can connect with.

Courtesy of Rain Crow Ranch

Beef from cattle that have grazed only on pasture is in high demand — much to the surprise of many meat retailers, who didn’t traditionally think of grass-fed beef as top-quality.

George Siemon, a founder of Organic Valley, the big organic food supplier, says the push for grass-fed beef started with activists who wanted to challenge a beef industry dominated by factory-scale feedlots. In those feedlots, cattle are fed a corn-heavy diet designed to make the animals gain weight as quickly as possible.

Today, Siemon says, grass-fed has grown beyond that. “It has a naturalness that seems to attract the mainstream market,” he says.

But if you look carefully at the labels on grass-fed beef, especially in mainstream supermarkets like Safeway and Stop & Shop, you’ll notice something peculiar. Quite a lot of this beef is coming to the U.S. from half a world away, in Australia.

Patricia Whisnant knows about this through personal experience. She and her husband own Rain Crow Ranch in southern Missouri, which has become one of the country’s largest grass-fed-beef producers. Several thousand cattle graze on more than 10,000 acres of grassland on the ranch itself and other farms nearby. “They roam around; they actually live a life that’s behaviorally and biologically appropriate for that ruminant animal,” says Whisnant.

The Whisnants have some big customers, including Whole Foods. A couple of years ago, an even bigger potential customer came to visit. It was a meat broker, a company that wanted to supply this increasingly popular product to mainstream supermarkets. The visit went well, but as Patricia Whisnant tells the story, the brokers also located another supplier that was bringing in grass-fed ground beef from Australia.

That Australian beef was 75 cents or a dollar cheaper per pound. And Whisnant lost the deal. “They said, ‘We’re sorry, you can’t match that price, so we’re going with them,’ ” Whisnant recalls.

Nobody collects information on exactly how much of the grass-fed beef that Americans eat comes from abroad. Theo Weening, the global meat coordinator for Whole Foods, says his company buys very little. “We probably import maybe 3 percent. The rest is regional, local; that’s what we really push for,” he says.

But you’ll see plenty of Australian-origin beef in other supermarkets. Organic Valley, meanwhile, gets all of its grass-fed beef from Australia. There’s also a lot of grass-fed beef coming in from Uruguay and Brazil.

So why does the U.S., the world’s biggest beef producer, have to go abroad to find enough of the grass-fed variety?

Curt Lacy, an agricultural economist at the University of Georgia, says some of the reasons are pretty simple. Weather, for instance. In most of the U.S., it freezes. In Australia, it doesn’t. So in Australia, as long as there’s water, there’s grass year-round.

And then there’s the issue of land. “If you’re going to finish animals on grass, it takes more land,” Lacy says. Grassland in Australia is relatively cheap and plentiful, and there’s not much else you can do with a lot of it, apart from grazing animals.

As a result, Australian grass-fed cattle operations are really big. In fact, they’re the mainstream. Seventy percent of Australia’s beef production comes from cattle that spent their lives grazing. And when beef operations are large-scale, everything becomes cheaper, from slaughtering to shipping.

On Monday, the U.S. company Cargill announced a new deal with Australia’s second-biggest beef producer — a company called Tey’s. Cargill will now sell more Australian beef in the U.S., both grass-fed and grain-fed.

Grass-fed-beef producer Whisnant says she still has one big advantage. “We have a story behind what we sell,” she says. It’s a story about her family, their ranch and her sons, who have just joined the business. Some consumers will pay more for that story.

And to reach the other consumers, American grass-fed operations are trying to get more efficient, too. Many are growing in size. The Whisnants have built their own slaughtering operation. They’re also selling meat via the Internet. Maybe someday, American grass-fed beef won’t seem quite so expensive, compared with the Australian competition.

Natural News Blogs Sprouting Organic Mung Beans » Natural News Blogs

Sprouting Organic Mung Beans
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Mung Beans have a shelf life of 3-5 years if kept in a cool, dark place such as a closet but not a hot garage. Mung beans will usually produce twice the amount of sprouts as seeds. Mung bean sprouts can last up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator if properly stored. As with anything in the fridge, if it smells funky in a bad way, don’t eat it!

Directions:

Put 1/3 cup beans into your sprout jar. Add 2 cups of water. Allow seeds to soak for 8-12 hours. Empty the seeds into your Sprout Jar. Drain off the soak water. You may use it to water plants. Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water. Drain thoroughly.Once I emptied out the water I set the jar upside down in a bowl to drain completely.

If you want to grow short, sweet Mung Beans – with 1/8 – 1/2 inch roots:

Rinse and drain every 8-12 hours for 2 – 3 days.

If you want to grow big, thick Mung Bean – with 1 – 3 inch roots:
Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours for 4 – 6 days.

Just to be clear:
Soak for 8-10 hours. Rinse and drain. Leave the jar in a cool place with no direct sunlight for the next 8-10 hours (dry). Repeat. It is VERY important that you rinse and drain thoroughly.The great thing about my Sprout Jar is that it’s self-contained. I can soak, drain, rinse and let them sit all in one container.

Your sprouts are done 8-10 hours after the final rinse. Be sure to drain your sprouts as thoroughly as possible after the final rinse. Remove any left over hulls. Transfer your sprouts to a plastic bag or sealed container and put them in the refrigerator.

KS

Organics vs. Conventional: What’s the Difference?

organic versus non organic foods

The difference between organic and conventional foods is more than just what you find on a Nutrition Facts label. Organic products and conventional products have the same nutritional values. For instance,

  • 1 cup of organic milk has very similar calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrate content to non-organic milk, and both organic and conventionally produced milk are fortified with Vitamins D and A. In other words, organic milk does not have more or less calories than conventional milk.
  • Fruits and vegetables, whether they are organic or conventionally grown, all contain vitamins, minerals, fibers, and other phytonutrients. Actual levels will vary regardless of their organic/non-organic status because of the differences in growing conditions, including nutrient levels in the soil.

Therefore, better nutrition should not be the reason we purchase organics. For most people, buying organics means eating fewer pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc. Organic milk is produced without the use of growth hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics. Organic regulations also prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and require that the production of foods adhere to environmentally and ecologically friendly practices. Produce grown in accordance with organic regulations cannot use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Several studies have documented the reduction in pesticide levels in the urine of children consuming conventionally grown produce when they switch to the organic version of the produce they eat.

So, Is Organic Worth the Extra Money?

We would argue that yes, organics are worth the extra money because organic is about much more than which nutrients are contained within the food. However, not everyone can afford to buy organic exclusively. Don’t be discouraged: there are still ways to minimize your exposure to pesticides in conventional produce, such as by checking out the Environmental Working Group’s list of “clean” (minimal to no detectable pesticide residues) and “dirty” (high levels of pesticide residues) produce. If you have room in your budget, buy organic versions of the produce listed as the “dirty dozen,” such as apples, celery, strawberries, and bell peppers.

The Bottom Line

Health guidelines all recommend that we eat more plant-based foods, particularly of the minimally processed variety: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Don’t let the “non-organic” status of a particular food discourage you from buying it. We would also like to point out that there are local growers or farmers who may not be officially certified organic, but are growing and producing their foods in a way that preserves the soil and environment. So eat local! Don’t discount local producers just because they don’t sport an organic label.

On a budget? Try these affordable six superfood staples from Naturalfood.com

Buying organic bulk produce, grains, and beans and becoming your own chef will save you money by not selecting processed foods packaged at higher prices. Those only make you trade health for convenience.

You’re paying for the packaging, additives, and usually bad oils used in those foods, some of which may contain GMOs. Focus more on bulk items and do your own prepping and cooking.

A tip for those concerned about phytic acid or phytates in grains and beans that are reputed to inhibit mineral absorption: Simply soak whatever you plan on eating overnight or for several hours in purified water with added lime or lemon juice.

This process can significantly reduce phytic acid. To prepare, remove the soaking water and replace it with water for cooking.

Inexpensive healthy food staples you can buy in bulk

(1) Organic rice from bulk bins is cheaper and healthier than the packaged stuff. There are a variety of rices from which to choose. Basmati brown and basmati white are usually available in most. Then there are some more exotic choices as well.

Ayurveda practitioners usually recommend parboiled white basmati rice as a main staple. Parboiling is a method discovered in India to remove the outer husk and still retain most of the rice’s nutrients. You may have to seek out an Indian or other food specialty store for parboiled rice.

Rinse all bulk rices in a hand held strainer, rapidly shaking it side to side under a strong stream of water until there is no more cloudy water. There’s often a mineral oil coating to protect the rice that needs to be rinsed out.

You can create several combinations of white or brown rice with peas, beans, veggies, herbs, and spices that will offer your pallet the variety you think you’ve lost by moving away from processed foods (http://www.naturalnews.com/028007_food_shortage_costs.html).

(2) Soaking beans overnight is actually required for dry bulk beans, which are much cheaper and healthier than canned beans. It would take hours to cook beans that haven’t been soaked overnight. The one exception is lentils, which are inexpensive and high in plant protein.

Black or turtle beans require hours of soaking, but once any batch of beans is soaked, you can keep the soaking beans in the fridge for a couple or few days. Black beans are high in anthocyanins, which are strong antioxidant flavonoids.

All beans contain many nutrients, including protein, and they are high in fiber. Nutty flavored garbanzo beans (chick peas) require very little to create a tasty dish, hot or cold. You can make bean salads from cold cooked beans.

(3) For breakfast, buy a batch of organic steel cut oats from bulk at $1.50 or less a pound. Just before you go to bed, measure two to one water to oats in a pan and let is soak until you awaken. Then turn on the stove, bring the oats to a boil, cover snugly and turn off the stove. It’ll be ready in 20 minutes or less.

(4) Organic yams and sweet potatoes are cheap and nutritious. Peel and slice them into small pieces, then boil them. Try mashing them in real butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a little real maple syrup. Add some chopped nuts. Delicious!

(5) Greens and more greens from the organic produce section. Kale, chard, broccoli, and leafy lettuces should be an every day eating event steamed or mixed into salads. You can add avocado, a true superfood, to your salads. They don’t have to be organic. Avocados from Mexico are abundant and inexpensive.

(6) Now for the pricier part of better living through good whole food. The two healthiest oils for cooking and salads are organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil and olive oil.

Contrary to weight loss diet fad philosophies, our bodies need healthy fats. You should be able to afford them after saving money with bulk purchasing.

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