It is fascinating to see how much we are learning about food today. People often say, “You are what you eat.” The truth is, “You are what your body gets from what you eat.” There is a considerable difference between those statements. The following are examples of modern day food truths that will allow your body to absorb more from what you consume, helping to boost your level of physical and emotional fitness to an entirely new level!
- If you enjoy sandwiches, choose a sprouted grain bread rather than a flour based bread. Sprouting grains allows the grain seed to germinate, and this germinating process comes with several benefits including higher fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron and a much greater antioxidant capability. The germinating process also eliminates anti-nutrients such as tannins and phytic acid which hinder mineral absorption. Sprouted grain bread has a lower glycemic index than flour based bread which helps stabilize insulin and control blood sugar. By the way, so called gluten free flour based breads don’t only come with higher price tags, they also have higher glycemic indexes than gluten containing breads. They may help you avoid gluten, however your insulin response may suffer dramatically if you consume them.
- Salads are a fantastic choice for your meals. We know how important green leafy vegetables are for building the human brain and body. What you may not know is that by adding hard boiled eggs to your salad, you unlock the potential of the salad by increasing the bio-availability of the nutrients within the salad by up to 8X. The fat within the egg yolk will help you absorb much higher levels of vitamins and minerals from your salad which can help you control inflammation. If you are not a fan of eggs or have an egg allergy, other fat options for accomplishing the same objective include avocados, almonds or walnuts, pumpkin seeds and olive oil as a dressing.
- If you cook with garlic, chop it up and let it sit for a few minutes. Garlic’s cell structure contains allicin and an enzyme called alliinase. Separately, they have very little potential and won’t do much. Together, they act as one of the most potent anti-cancer fighters in our nutritional arsenal. Allicin is a messenger chemical that causes cancer cells to destroy themselves. Make sure you add chopped or minced garlic to your food. Just don’t forget your breath mints!
- For my tomato lovers, add a high quality oil to your tomato sauce. Lycopene is a super antioxidant that has tremendous health benefits such as controlling cholesterol and lowering inflammation. To be absorbed by the body, it requires the presence of heat and fat. By cooking tomatoes and adding oil, you are unlocking the combination to the lycopene vault, allowing this miracle from Mother Nature to perform her job responsibility beautifully. Without heat and oil, lycopene becomes another classic example of wasted talent!
- Green tea has anti-cancer potential due to its high presence of catechins. Adding a splash of citrus in the form of orange, lemon or lime is more than just about flavor. A study out of Purdue University demonstrated that our ability to digest these beneficial catechins is enhanced BIG time with the addition of citrus. Absorption increases from around 20% to around 98%. WOW. Catechins have been proven to protect against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease and many other forms of dis-ease. By the way, there are only 2 options regarding your health; ease or dis-ease. There is no such thing as disease. Think about that one for a moment.
- For my curry lovers, turmeric which is the spice that gives curry its distinctive color, is being studied over and over for its health benefits. Turmeric contains curcumin, a potent antioxidant and anti-cancer fighter. Curcumin, by itself, is not well absorbed by the body. If you add black pepper and some olive oil to your turmeric, you increase the bio-availability of the curcumin by 2000%. Yes, that is 2000%, not 200%! Just a pinch of black pepper, literally 1/20th of a teaspoon is all you need. As little as a teaspoon of olive oil completes this extraordinary trifecta!
- Omega fatty acids and resveratrol are two of the darlings of the nutritional field due to their heart healthy protection. The easiest way to maximize both is to consume a glass (not a bottle) of red wine with your wild fish. Yes, I said wild fish. Stay away from farmed-raised fish that consume GMO (genetically modified) corn and soy. Wild fish and red wine are two of the reasons for the health touting benefits of the so-called Mediterranean diet.
There you have it folks. By applying these nutritional truths, you could experience higher levels of focus, clarity, energy and vitality so that YOU can become everything that YOU were meant to become!
Contributor: Dr. Gregg Baron
The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. None of the information presented is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
