Stop! Don’t Nuke Those Carrots

In yesterday’s Globe and Mail, Leslie Beck reported on a new study which found that cooking certain vegetables ruptures their cell walls, thus making the antioxidants more available. Lycopene in tomatoes was used as an example.

This is true; however, heating food above 118F destroys most of the same antioxidants that have been made available by rupturing the cell walls.

Dr Brian Clement, ND, explains that the same effect can be achieved through blending or juicing the food. However, this way, the antioxidants are still ‘alive’ and can actually perform their proper functions in your body.

Why the misinformation? Leslie Beck is an expert! I’m confused.

Every few years, a study such as the one Leslie has referenced comes out that advocates cooking over eating vegetables raw. There are a few reasons why this happens, but the most likely is explained by Harvard Professor, Gene Heyman: sometimes information is overlooked because it is not what a researcher is specifically looking for. Instead of taking the long route to understand the whole picture, “making [their] world more difficult,” researchers focus only on the part that they specialize in.

Do you actually expect me to eat a blended tomato?

If you’re not trying to switch to a raw diet, but want to maximize your nutrition, you can make raw salsa that tastes just like the real thing.

Time: 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes
• 2 red peppers
• 1 avocado
• 1 head of corn
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1 tbsp Cold pressed oil
• Cilantro
• Lemon or lime
• Mint

Directions:

• Blend together 1 tomato, 1 red pepper, salt, oil, cilantro, mint, and lemon.
• Chop the other tomato, red pepper, avocado, and slice the corn off the cob with knife. Yes, raw corn! Tastes great.
• Combine the blended ingredients with the chopped ingredients. Garnish with mint.

More recipes can be found at http://goneraw.com

Sources:

• Dr Brian Clement, ND, Video, “Cooking does not increase nutrients”, 2008
• Macleans interview with Harvard Professor Gene Heyman, May 2009

Wrinkle-Fighting Recipe: Raw 2-Bite Brownies

Refined sugar is a major cause of wrinkles, so here is a recipe that will give you your fix and actually help protect your skin’s cells from aging.

Time:

• 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup raw dates
• 1 tbsp raw chocolate powder (this is expensive, so I will look the other way if you use regular cocoa powder)
• 2 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil/butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp bee pollen
• Pinch Celtic sea salt
• Couple squeezes of raw agave nectar or raw honey

Tools:

• Food processor

Directions:

• Pour the seeds, chocolate powder, and salt into the food processor. Blend until coarse.
• Keep blending and add the dates in one at a time, to avoid clumping.
• Add the agave nectar, coconut oil/butter, and vanilla last. Blend again.
• Form into small balls, or into bars to wrap up and keep in your car, purse, or desk.

Wrinkle-Fighting Details:

• Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, which promotes cell repair and growth, and is a key member of a group of enzymes that helps to maintain skin’s collagen supply. Without zinc, the enzymes that rebuild new collagen do not function properly. In addition to preventing wrinkles, Zinc also prevents and aids in the healing of stretch marks, cellulite, and other outward signs of aging.
• Bee pollen is a sulfur-residue food, which contains enzymes that keep the skin flexible and the collagen strong by rebuilding cells and protecting them from damage. It’s also nature’s natural multi-vitamin.
• Coconut oil contains tocotrienols, which are type of vitamin E that protects the skin from wrinkling caused by the sun.

Disclaimer:

Cocoa, even the raw kind, is not “healthy” for you. In fact, it can be toxic. Although there is only a small amount in this recipe, this doesn’t mean that you can eat as much as you want. With any dessert, moderation is important.

Sources:

• Paul Nison, 18-year raw vegan
  
• David Wolfe, Eating for Beauty

Sun’s Out! Eat This To Avoid Wrinkling

We all know that Vitamin E plays an important role in maintaining our skin’s beauty, and it is often assumed that almonds or olive oil are the best sources. While these two sources are abundant, they contain Vitamin E from the tocopherol family, which is less effective at preventing skin aging than its tocotrienol cousin.

Tocotrienols should be “our first line of defense” against preventing skin damage by the sun, according to dermatologist Dr Nicholas Perricone, MD, CNS.  It’s a powerful anti-oxidant, which has also been shown to contain anti-cancer properties.

The best sources of Tocotrienols are the following foods:

• Cold-pressed palm oil
• Cold-pressed rice bran oil
• Cold-pressed coconut oil
• Barley
• Oats
• Rye

When applied topically, tocotrienols absorb rapidly into the skin, enhancing the concentration and protection of Vitamin E that your body is getting.  We would strongly recommend against rubbing any of these oils on your skin before heading into the sun, since this increases your risk of burning. Instead, use coconut oil as a night cream, and your regular sunblock during the day.

Since we advocate a raw food diet at the House of Verona, we’d recommend that you buy raw, unprocessed forms of these foods, and to eat them without cooking, in order to keep the tocotrienols intact.

But how does one eat grains raw?

Raw barley, oats, and rye can be soaked for 6 to 8 hours until soft, and then either eaten with salads or cereals, or blended in with a morning shake.

Sources:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-nicholas-perricone/sun-and-tanning_b_174844.html
• Nesaretnam, K.; R. Ambra R, K. R. Selvaduray, et al. (2004). “Tocotrienol-rich fraction from palm oil and gene expression in human breast cancer cells”. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1031: 143–157.
• Tocotrienol metabolism and antiproliferative effect in prostate cancer cells”. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1031: 391–394.
• http://www.ehow.com/how_4502222_soak-sprout-grains-nuts-seeds.html
• The gorgeous photo is from Isabel Watson

How your job affects willpower

If you’re trying to harness your willpower to lose weight, eat healthier, or go to the gym, read on.

Your life choices, especially what you choose as a career, can either deplete or replenish your willpower.

Consider the following study, reported in Brendan Brazier’s new book, Thrive Fitness.

This study divided children into 2 groups. Group A was taken to the beach for a day where they were free to do whatever they liked: play with kites, swim, and build sand castles.

Meanwhile, Group B was taught a monotonous subject in a classroom setting, while being monitored by adult supervision.

Afterwards, both groups of children were taken into a room and seated in front of a plate of freshly baked cookies. They were instructed not to touch the cookies. The adult left the room and the children were observed.

The children from Group A were able to control their cravings and the cookies were left untouched. However, Group B lacked the willpower to resist, and ended up eating the cookies.

Researchers extrapolated that the pleasure we take from some parts of our lives will affect our ability to restrain ourselves in other aspects of our lives.

If you’re having a hard time loving your job, you’ll have a much harder time coming home and avoiding the foods that contribute to a poor diet. But, if you allow yourself freedom and joy throughout your day, you’ll be more likely to choose swimming goggles over beer goggles.

Sources:

• Brendan Brazier, Thrive Fitness – Brendan also makes Vega bars, which are fantastic raw power bars
  
• Photo credit: http://www.smrussell.net/