Vegetarian Food Pyramid
A vegetarian’s guide to healthy eating.
FDA Approves New Sweetener for U.S.
A stevia plant
The newly approved sweetener is called stevia and is a herbal, zero-calorie, zero-carbohydrate sweetener. Stevia has been available in the States for some time but because it had not yet been approved as a sweetener, it has been coyly marked as a “dietary supplement.”
Now Coca-Cola and Pepsi both have stevia-sweetened sweeteners ready for the market; thus, the FDA no longer has any objection to stevia as a sweetener. This new approval will open doors for more stevia-sweetened products to hit the U.S. market.
Stevia is considered by many to be a far more natural and safer zero-calorie sweetener than Equal and Splenda. In fact, the leaves of the stevia plant are naturally sweet and calorie-free. (Commercial sweeteners produced from stevia, however, are highly refined and concentrated.) And unlike Equal and Splenda, stevia seems to have beneficial effects on blood sugar control.
”Soon you’ll see stevia in pretty much every food product you can imagine,” predicts Oscar Rodes, the founder of Texas-based producer Stevita Co., who is betting the herb could eventually account for 20 percent of the overall sweetener market. So remember the name. Because you’ll be hearing it a lot starting in the near future.
The Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet is based on unprocessed and uncooked plant food like fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, nuts, and seaweed. At least 75% of the diet must be living or raw, and it is recommended that a large quantity of the food be organic.
Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking food is also thought to decrease the nutritional value and “life force” of the food. Plus, raw foods taste better; they often have more flavor versus the same thing cooked.
What are ways of telling if a food is raw/living? Foods that have not been processed in any way, shape or form are raw and living foods (until cooked). Processed foods (canned, bottled or prepackaged) are usually adulterated, or changed from their original state, by heating, additives, preservatives, colorings, or adding salt or sugar. Raw/living foods are in their natural state.
The raw food diet provides numerous health benefits including increased energy, better digestion, improved skin appearance, weight loss, and reduced risk of heart disease.
The diet is low in trans and saturated fat and sodium. It is high in potassium, folate, magnesium, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals. Just these properties alone are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
When first starting the raw food diet, the body will sometimes go through a detox period, especially if the person’s previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Thus, it is recommended that you start the transition slowly, so as to not have such a harsh detoxification reaction. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings are typical detox symptoms that can occur but usually last for only a few days.
The raw food diet is not for everyone including children, pregnant or nursing women, people at risk for osteoporosis, and people with anemia. Raw foodists must spend a lot of time, energy, and commitment on the diet to be healthy. Much of the food is made from scratch, and some ingredients may be hard to find.
For a great site with more information about the diet click here.
Green Tea for your Health
Drinking green tea is a must if you are trying to be healthier. Just drinking one cup a day can provide numerous health benefits. Green tea is sometimes even sometimes called the “miracle drink”. It is rich in antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallat (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful antioxidant- besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. Some other benefits of drinking green tea are it:
- prevents tooth decay
- increases metabolism
- prevents cancer
- prevents rheumatoid arthritis
- fights high cholesterol levels
- prevents cardiovascular disease
- fights infection
- prevents diabetes
- boosts immune system
- lowers chances of cognitive impairment
- prevents bad breath
- lowers stress levels
- boosts mental alertness
Make Sure To Get Your Vitamins
Vitamins are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Here are some major vitamins and minerals, why they’re important, and which (vegetarian) foods contain them.
Calcium strengthens bones and teeth, reduces risk of colon cancer, decreases chance of bone loss, aids the nervous system, and alleviates insomnia. Found in almonds, soybeans, seeds, Brazil nuts, kale, collard greens, molasses, and kelp (seaweed).
Iron aids growth, prevents fatigue and anemia, promotes resistance to disease, and enhances good skin tone. Found in nuts, pumpkin seeds, lentils, beans, whole grains, oatmeal, asparagus, molasses, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, swiss chard, peas, green beans, and sea veggies.
Folic Acid promotes healthy skin, protects against parasites and food poisoning, fights against birth defects, and helps ward off anemia. Eat leafy green veggies, carrots, fruit, cantaloupe, artichokes, avocados, apricots, beans, lentils, soybeans, garbanzos, barley, and whole wheat.
Omega-3 fatty acids fight heart disease, lower bad cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of breast cancer, lessen the likelihood of blood clots, help with rheumatoid arthritis, and keep skin, hair, and nails healthy. Found in flaxseeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hempseed oil, and other seeds and their unrefined oils.
Omega-6 fatty acids combat PMS symptoms, ward off eczema, acne, and psoriasis, and help with endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Found in flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, black current seed oil, and borage oil.
Magnesium fights depression, helps burn fat, boosts energy, prevents heart attacks, maintains good cholesterol levels, combats PMS symptoms, aids indigestion, helps prevent premature labor, and keeps teeth strong and healthy. Nuts, seeds, green veggies, sunflower seeds, soybeans, kelp, and molasses are all good sources of magnesium.
Potassium reduces blood pressure, increases clearer thinking by helping send oxygen to the brain, and helps the body dispose of waste. Found in bananas, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, tomatoes, watercress, green leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds, lentils, avocados, potatoes, and whole grains.
B Vitamins improve mental attitude, aid in digestion, help migraine headaches, provide healthy skin, act as natural diuretics, increase energy, improve concentration and memory, strengthen immunity, and are helpful to the nervous system. Eat whole wheat, wheat germ, oatmeal, bran, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, soybeans, dates, figs, bananas, and vegetables.
Vitamin C accelerates healing, prevents colds, lowers blood pressure, protects against cancer, and helps decrease bad cholesterol. Also forms collagen. Sources are broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, collard greens, green peppers, spinach, watercress, potatoes, grapefruits, papayas, and oranges.
Vitamin D helps build strong bones and teeth. Helps assimilate vitamin A, and prevents colds when teamed up with vitamins A and C. To obtain vitamin D all you need to do is get direct sun exposure on your skin. (Fifteen minutes a day is recommended).
Vitamin E keeps you looking youthful, inhibits cancer cell growth, prevents blood clots, fights fatigue, lowers blood pressure, decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and accelerates the healing of burns. Found in wheat germ, whole grain cereals, nuts, whole wheat, sunflower seeds, leafy greens, and vegetable oils.
Zinc helps with infertility issues and brain function, maintains the body’s acid/alkaline balance, aids in collagen formation, and helps form insulin. Found in wheat germ, whole grains, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.
We can get almost all the nutrients we need from food sources. Vitamin B-12 however, is only found in animal products, so most veg*ns take B-12 supplements. Sublingual liquid B vitamins with folic acid are more quickly and easily absorbed than pills. If you are worried you aren’t getting sufficient vitamins in your diet and want to take supplements, you should consult your physician.
