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You can restore your health when your body is detoxified of poisons, you replace chemicalized food with natural food, you employ the principles of correct diet or healthy eating, you give your body maximum nutrition, your muscles are activated, your energy flow is increased by positive thinking, your immune system is strengthened and your organs are encouraged to repair themselves by natural medicines, you don't poison your mouth, you buy products designed for healthy living by grocery shopping, and you 'live naturally' every day.
Natural Foods
"Natural foods" and "all natural foods" are widely used terms in food labeling and marketing with a variety of definitions, some of which are vague. The terms are often misused on labels and in advertisements. In contrast, the term "organic" has an established legal definition in many countries and an international standard.
"Natural foods" are often assumed to be foods that are minimally processed and do not contain any hormones, antibiotics, sweetners, food colors, or flavorings that were not originally in the food.
The international Food and Agriculture Orgqanizatio' Codex Alimentarius does not recognize the term "natural" but does have a standard for organic foods.
Fundamentally, almost all foodstuffs are derived from the natural products of plants and animals and therefore any definition of natural food results in an arbitrary exclusion or inclusion of food ingredients; likewise, since almost all foods are processed in some way, either mechanically, chemically, or by temperature, it is difficult to define which types of food processing is natural.
Whole Foods
Whole foods are foods that are unprcessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains; fruits and vegetables; unprocessed meat, poultry, and fish; and non-homogenized milk.
The term is often confused with organic food, but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole. Because of the lack of basic processing, some whole foods have a very short shelf life.
There are several ways to meet the body's needs with respect to whole foods. One way is to consume a variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables every day.
"Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods, like whole grains, dark green and yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and numerous other phytochemicals that may be protective against chronic diseases."
Federal Dietary Guidelines issued by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promtion in 2005 recommended the consumption of at least three servings of whole grains each day, as there is evidence that they help cut risk of cancer and heart diseases.
Health Food
Health food is used to describe any food that is considered to be healthy, or it can mean specific foods claimed to be especially beneficial to health. A common definition of "health food" is a food that acts like a medicine, providing specific favorable effects on health. Purported examples of health foods include alfalfa or broccolli, sprouts, wheat derm, and low fat yogurt. In general, these claims of health benefits have not been evaluated by the FDA. Health foods are sold in health food stores or in the health/organic section of supermarkets.
In the United States, the term is often used for foods that are low in fat and/or sugar, since over consumption of fatty and sugary foods is seen as contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Functional Food
Functional food or medicinal food is any healthy food claimed to have a health-promoting or disease-preventing property beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients. The general category of functional foods includes processed food or foods fortified with health-promoting additives, like "vitamin-enriched" products. Fermented foods with live cultures are considered as functional foods with probiotic benefits.
Functional foods are an emerging field in food science due to their increasing popularity with health-conscious consumers.
The term was first used in Japan in the 1980s where there is a government approval process for functional foods called Foods for Specified Health Use.
Current research
The Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, which is part of the University of Manitoba, is the only centre of its kind, dedicated to the discussion, discovery, and development of functional foods and nutraceuticals, with a focus on the crops of the Canadian Prairies. Some current research projects examine: the effects of a diet rich in diaclyglycerol oil on body weight, body composition, and blood lipid levels in women; the effect of Heart & Stroke Portfolio diet on lipid metabolism and weight loss in men; the effect of pulses and pulse fractions on indices of lipid, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, as well as oxidative status in overweight, hyperlipidemic individuals; the use of conjugated linoleic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, as a nutraceutical for weight loss in humans; the evaluation of very long chain fatty acids/alcohol and plant sterols as functional food ingredients for cholesterol-lowering in hypercholesterolemic humans; the effects of dietary cholesterol with and without simvastatin on cholesterol absorption and synthesis and sterol profile in Smith Lemli Optiz syndrome patients; the effects of unique algal based polysaccharides on plasma lipid levels and energy metabolism in hamsters.
Dr. Peter Jones is a Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Functional Foods and is the director of the centre. His research concerns itself with finding candidates for functional food ingredients and he does this by examining the efficacy of novel bioactive materials such as plant sterols -- natural components found in plants which can act as cholesterol-lowering agents.
New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research also have a dedicated research team that works on Functional Foods. Their focus is on both 'whole-foods' and food extracts - examining extracts from berries and their effect on sports performance and recovery, as well as the gut-health and immune function role of natural fruits and vegetables. The group also work with 'mood foods' and the delivery mechanisms behind components in foods and beverages designed to enhance mental performance, brain function and cognitive ability.
The Functional Food Centre at Oxford Brookes University is the UK’s first research centre dedicated to functional food. The centre is known internationally for its work on Glycaemic Index and is the largest testing centre in Europe. The centre provides customer-focused research and consultancy services to the food and nutrition industry, UN and government agencies in the UK and overseas. The research and consultancy portfolio not only concentrate on the scientific characteristics of food and nutrition, but also integrate both the science and social aspects of food. The centre also focuses on areas such as satiety, dietary interventions, female nutrition and aging.
Sprouts
One of the most common sprouts is that of the mung bean; other common sprouts are chickpeas & alfalfa sprout and the barley sprout.
Sprouting is also applied on a large scale to barley as a part of the malting process. Malted barley is an important ingredient in beer and is used in huge quantities. Most malted barley is distributed among wide retail sellers in North American regions.
Many sprouts, such as kidney beans, are toxic. Some sprouts can be cooked to remove the toxin, while others cannot.
With all seeds, care should be taken that they are intended for sprouting or human consumption rather than sowing. Seeds intended for sowing may be treated with chemical dressings. Several countries, such as New Zealand, also require that some varieties of edible seed be heat-treated, thus making them impossible to sprout.
Many varieties of nuts, such as almonds and peanuts, can also be started in their growth cycle by soaking and sprouting, although because the sprouts are generally still very small when eaten, they are usually called "soaks."
Sprouting
Moisture, warmth, and in most cases, indirect sunlight are necessary for sprouting. Some sprouts, such as mung beans, can be grown in the dark.
To sprout seeds, the seeds are moistened, then left at room temperature (between 13 °C (55.4 °F) and 21 °C (69.8 °F)) in a sprouting vessel. Many different types of vessels can be used. One type is a simple glass jar with a piece of cloth secured over its rim. ‘Tiered’ clear plastic sprouters are commercially available, allowing a number of "crops" to be grown simultaneously. By staggering sowings, a constant supply of young sprouts can be ensured. Any vessel used for sprouting must allow water to drain from it, because sprouts that sit in water will rot quickly. The seeds will swell and begin germinating within a day or two.
Sprouts are rinsed as little as twice a day, but possibly three or four times a day in hotter climates, to prevent them from souring. Each seed has its own ideal sprouting time. Depending on which seed is used, after three to five days they will have grown to two or three inches in length and will be suitable for consumption. If left longer they will begin to develop leaves, and are then known as baby greens. A popular baby green is sunflower after 7–10 days. The growth process of any sprout can be slowed or halted by refrigerating until needed.
Common causes for sprouts to become inedible:
- Seeds are allowed to dry out
- Seeds are left in standing water
- Temperature is high or too low
- Insufficient rinsing
- Dirty equipment
- Insufficient air flow
- Contaminated source of water
- Poor rate of germination of seed
Mung beans can be sprouted either in light or dark conditions. Those sprouted in the dark will be crisper in texture and whiter, as in the case of commercially available Chinese Bean Sprouts, but these have less nutritional content than those grown in partial sunlight. Growing in full sunlight is not recommended, because it can cause the beans to overheat or dry out. Subjecting the sprouts to pressure, for example, by placing a weight on top of them in their sprouting container, will result in larger, crunchier sprouts similar to those sold in Polish grocery stores.
A very effective way to sprout beans like lentils or azuki is in colanders. Soak the beans in water for about 8 hours then place in the colander. Wash twice a day. The sprouted beans can be eaten raw or cooked.
Nutritional information
Sprouts are rich in digestible energy, bioavailable vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and phytochemicals, as these are necessary for a germinating plant to grow. These nutrients are essential for human health. To clarify, the nutritional changes upon germination & sprouting have been summarized below. Chavan and Kadam (1989) concluded that - “The desirable nutritional changes that occur during sprouting are mainly due to the breakdown of complex compounds into a more simple form, transformation into essential constituents and breakdown of nutritionally undesirable constituents.”
“The metabolic activity of resting seeds increases as soon as they are hydrated during soaking. Complex biochemical changes occur during hydration and subsequent sprouting. The reserve chemical constituents, such as protein, starch and lipids, are broken down by enzymes into simple compounds that are used to make new compounds.”
“Sprouting grains causes increased activities of hydrolytic enzymes, improvements in the contents of total proteins, fat, certain essential amino acids, total sugars, B-group vitamins, and a decrease in dry matter, starch and anti-nutrients. The increased contents of protein, fat, fibre and total ash are only apparent and attributable to the disappearance of starch. However, improvements in amino acid composition, B-group vitamins, sugars, protein and starch digestibilities, and decrease in phytates and protease inhibitors are the metabolic effects of the sprouting process.”
Increases in Protein Quality Chavan and Kadam (1989) stated - “Very complex qualitative changes are reported to occur during soaking and sprouting of seeds. The conversion of storage proteins of cereal grains into albumins and globulins during sprouting may improve the quality of cereal proteins. Many studies have shown an increase in the content of the amino acid Lysine with sprouting.”
“An increase in proteolytic activity during sprouting is desirable for nutritional improvement of cereals because it leads to hydrolysis of prolamins and the liberated amino acids such as glutamic and proline are converted to limiting amino acids such as lysine.”
Increases in Crude Fibre content Cuddeford (1989), based on data obtained by Peer and Leeson (1985), stated - “In sprouted barley, crude fibre, a major constituent of cell walls, increases both in percentage and real terms, with the synthesis of structural carbohydrates, such as cellulose and hemicellulose”. Chung et al. (1989) found that the fibre content increased from 3.75% in unsprouted barley seed to 6% in 5-day sprouts.”
Crude Protein and Crude Fibre changes in Barley Sprouted over a 7-day period
Crude Protein Crude Fibre (% of DM) (% of DM)
Original seed 12.7% 5.4% Day 1= 12.7% 5.6%, Day 2= 13.0% 5.9%, Day 3= 13.6% 5.8%, Day 4= 13.4% 7.4%, Day 5= 13.9% 9.7%, Day 6= 14.0% 10.8%, Day 7= 15.5% 14.1%
Source: Cuddeford (1989), based on data obtained by Peer and Leeson (1985).
Increases in Essential Fatty Acids
An increase in lipase activity has been reported in barley by MacLeod and White (1962), as cited by Chavan and Kadam (1989). Increased lipolytic activity during germination and sprouting causes hydrolysis of triacylglycerols to glycerol and constituent fatty acids.
Increases in Vitamin content According to Chavan and Kadam (1989), most reports agree that sprouting treatment of cereal grains generally improves their vitamin value, especially the B-group vitamins. Certain vitamins such as α-tocopherol (Vitamin-E) and β-carotene (Vitamin-A precursor) are produced during the growth process (Cuddeford, 1989).
According to Shipard (2005)- “Sprouts provide a good supply of Vitamins A, E & C plus B complex. Like enzymes, vitamins serve as bioactive catalysts to assist in the digestion and metabolism of feeds and the release of energy. They are also essential for the healing and repair of cells. However, vitamins are very perishable, and in general, the fresher the feeds eaten, the higher the vitamin content. The vitamin content of some seeds can increase by up to 20 times their original value within several days of sprouting. Mung Bean sprouts have B vitamin increases, compared to the dry seeds, of - B1 up 285%, B2 up 515%, B3 up 256%. Even soaking seeds overnight in water yields greatly increased amounts of B vitamins, as well as Vitamin C. Compared with mature plants, sprouts can yield vitamin contents 30 times higher.”
Chelation of Minerals Shipard (2005) claims that - “When seeds are sprouted, minerals chelate or merge with protein, in a way that increases their function.”
It is important to note that while these changes may sound impressive, the comparisons are of dormant, non-sprouted seed to sprouted seed rather than comparisons of sprouts to normal sized vegetables.
Avoiding poisoning
Plant toxins As the consumption of raw foods gains popularity, some potentially unsafe foods have re-entered the diets of humans. However, the following list includes many foods which are rarely promoted by the educated proponents of raw foodism, especially beans or legumes.
- Buckwheat greens are toxic when raw, particularly if juiced or eaten in large quantities by fair-skinned individuals. The chemical component fagopyrin is known to cause severe photosensitivity and other dermatological complaints.
- Kidney beans, including sprouts, are toxic when raw, due to the chemical phyytohaemagglutinin.
- Alfalfa sprouts contain the toxin canavanine.
- Some types of raw cassava or cassava flour can be toxic.
- Raw eggs contain avidin, a vitamin B-7 inhibitor, which can cause “egg white injury”. As many as 24 egg whites would have to be eaten to inactivate biotin. Avidin is denatured by heat.
- Raw seeds of the genus Lathyrus (peas), can cause lathyrism.
- Raw Brassica species can contain glucosinolate.
- Raw parsnips contain furanocoumarin.
- Raw foods, particularly raw meat, may contain harmful bacteria and their associated bacterial toxins. Other parasites and viruses may also be present, such as Toxoplasma, Trichinella or rotavirus, which may cause serious foodborne illnesses.
- Raw milk may contain Mycobacterium bovis (which can cause non-pulmonary tuberculosis) and Brucella bacteria that cause undulant fever and spontaneous abortion.
- Raw sweet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, rutabaga, canola oil, cassava, pinenuts, mustard, millet, soybeans and peanuts contain small amounts of goitrogens which can interfere with iodine metabolism and worsen hypothyroidism.
Dr. Balraj Bains
Dr. Karamjeet kaur Bains
Bains Health Center Moga
94630-38229, 94654-12596
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Bains Health Center Moga
398, Rama Colony, Akalsar Road, backside Ratan Cinema, Moga 142001, Punjab.
Under: Sarabh Dharam Satkar Sabha Regd. No.1217/1996-97.
Affiliated to: Centre For Research On Chronic Diseases, Ludhiana
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