The Fat Truth: Quality Raw Fats for Weight Loss

The Fat Truth: Quality Raw Fats for Weight Loss

- by Eliza Ceci

There is so much confusion about fats in the diet, particularly when your intention is to lose weight.  The truth about fat is simply this: fat does not make you fat.

So, what makes a ‘good’ fat?

Simple. A good fat is a raw fat.

The ‘bad’ fats for ease and understanding are the cooked ones such as saturated, monounsaturated or partially hydrogenated.

So, to make things simple for you, look at your fats from one stand point: Are the fats I am consuming cooked and processed or are they raw and in their natural state?

Read more »

Hold the Almonds and Pass the Arugula: What You Need to Know About Omega Fatty Acids in Oils, Seeds, and Greens!

- by Stacey Terry

When many people begin eating on the raw food diet, they inevitably turn to a variety of oils, nuts, and seeds to help increase their calorie intake and add a variety of fats to the fruits, vegetables, and greens they begin eating.  Typically, many raw foodists turn especially to nuts to create a variety of gourmet dishes designed to replace the heavier meats and starches to which they may have been accustomed on the Standard American Diet (SAD).

Sparked by one of our 21-Day Green Smoothie Detox calls, recently, we had an outstanding teleseminar with green smoothie expert, Victoria Boutenko.  In her quest to understand health and pursue her own best path to wellness, she began passionately researching omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

What she discovered was quite shocking, and it could change the way you approach the raw food diet completely! Read more »

Hormones Driving You Nuts? Then Eat Some!

~ by Eliza Ceci

Hormone fluctuations can affect us all. In fact, that is why some of us come to the raw food way of eating in the first place. These imbalances can occur at any age, and can show up in a variety of masks such as: PMS, headaches, weight gain, changes in mood, acne breakouts, low energy, allergies, low sex drive, food cravings, and more.

Lucky us!

One great way to help balance your hormones naturally and effectively is to add in more essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Read more »

Post Workout Green Smoothie Nutrition to Keep You Going and Going!

- by Tami Groth

This morning after my workout I knew I would need something to keep me going for awhile without stopping to eat, so in addition to lots of good carbs to help my muscle recovery I wanted to add some protein and healthy fats. In the process I came up with a recipe that is not only versatile and nutritious, but also yummy.

The green smoothie recipe, with optional ingredients included, is a powerhouse of nutrition as well. I have been working on ways to get more nuts and seeds into my family’s diet due to all of the nutritional advantages of them — from healthy brains to healthy hearts! However, my family does not actually enjoy eating nuts the way I do so blending them into sauces and smoothies is a great way to add them to their diet. Read more »

Raw Food Cheesecake: Worth. Every. Nanosecond!!

- by Stacey Terry

Have I ever told any of you how much I love my job!?  I tell ya… working for Tera Warner and The Green Smoothie Queen often feels like a dream come true.  Besides getting to read an abundance of raw food and nutritional information that continues to reinforce the lifestyle path I’m on, once in awhile, there’s something special, really special, that comes across my editing desk.

That was most definitely the case when I got a sneak peek at The Decadent Gourmet by Angela Elliott.  And even though I’m a fan of eating green food and always start my day with a good old fashioned glass of lawnmower pulp -  yes, my beloved green smoothies -  I have to admit, reading through all the raw food cheesecake, ice cream, cookies, and cobbler recipes took a bit of a toll on me.  But it was an educational read too.  Anyone like Angela who has found a way to make dessert guilt-free is a dear friend in my heart!  Read more »

The Benefits of Cashew Nuts

- by Joanna Beujekian-Steven

Many raw foodists and western dieters love cashews for their smooth creaminess. They are an invaluable ingredient in raw vegan desserts, nut cheeses, Asian inspired dishes, etc. But there is more to cashews than their delicious taste; they are also powerhouses of nutrition, providing a wealth of important minerals and amino acids. While some may deplore their fat content, it is important to look at cashews within the scope of a healthy, varied diet. When you eat a variety of vegetables, fruits and leafy greens, cashews will not hinder your health and could in fact fill in the gaps and significantly raise your nutrient intake – not to mention enrich your diet with healthy desserts, creamy nut milks, and more!

Protein: Cashews, like most nuts, are rich in protein, but cashews are a bit different in that they are also a very good source of quality amino acids. The website Nutrition Data lists cashews as a “complete or high-quality protein” due to their high amino acid score.

Iron: Iron is a very important mineral, and deficiencies will lead to dizziness, fatigue, and even anemia. Cashews are rich in iron, and they satisfy 10% of our daily requirements in just a single ounce.

Magnesium: Magnesium is such an overlooked nutrient, and the wide majority of the U.S. population is thought to be magnesium deficient due to soil depletion and generally poor eating habits. But just one ounce of cashews will satisfy 20% of our daily needs, making it a delicious way to get enough magnesium.

Phosphorus: One ounce of cashews fulfills nearly 20% of our daily needs. But what is the purpose of phosphorus in our diet? According to the National Institutes of Health, “The main function of phosphorus is in the formation of bones and teeth. It plays an important role in the body’s utilization of carbohydrates and fats and in the synthesis of protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. It is also crucial for the production of ATP, a molecule the body uses to store energy. Phosphorus works with the B vitamins. It also assists in the contraction of muscles, in the functioning of kidneys, in maintaining the regularity of the heartbeat, and in nerve conduction.” Another reason to include cashews in our food rotation!

Copper: Copper is an important mineral similar to iron in some ways, as it plays a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells and is important for the health of our circulatory, nervous, and skeletal system. Cashews will satisfy in just one ounce more than 30% of our copper requirement for the day! According to the National Institutes of Health, “Lack of copper may lead to anemia and osteoporosis.”

Manganese: Did you know that the word ‘manganese’ comes from the Greek word for magic? Indeed, manganese is a somewhat mysterious chemical, but it is absolutely crucial for brain health, sexual well-being, and skeletal health; it serves important anti-oxidant purposes as well. One ounce of cashews will fulfill nearly one quarter of our magnesium needs.

Raw? Not Raw? Some have argued that cashews cannot possibly be raw, and that they are even poisonous in their raw state. Nothing could be further from the truth! Cashews themselves are not poisonous; only the shell is (and you would not want to eat it anyway!). Also, while nearly 100% of cashews sold in stores are indeed heated at high temperatures during the shelling process, ethical raw food stores will only sell hand cracked, hand polished cashews, which are indeed raw.

References:

Nutrition Data: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3095/2

National Institute of Health – Phosphorus: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002424.htm

National Institute of Health – Copper: Retrieved February 3, 2010 from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002419.htm

From SAD to Smiles!

I know by the time February rolls around, it seems like my mood and emotions permanently set up camp in the basement, and they choose the dreariest and most miserable corner of that basement they can find.  Then they turn out the lights until about June.  This year, my goal is to fight back!  And thanks to Kate, I now have some great ingredients in my arsenal!

‘Blue’ Smoothies!

- by Kate Nicholson

Boost your mood with a smoothie!

Any fellow sufferers feeling a little blue from S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as winter inches its way along will be cheered by these happy-making ingredients for ‘Beat-the-Blues’ smoothies…

To the usual mix of 40% green leafy veggies and 60% of fruit, try adding any of the following…

• Sesame seeds: these are one of the richest sources of the amino acid threonine (low levels of which are one of the culprits for depression). A spoonful of raw tahini mixes best.
• A teaspoon of raw chocolate powder (high quantities of phenols, antioxidants which boost the mood) and N-acylethanoloamine, a chemical which stimulates the brain to produce endorphins.
• Nuts are a good source of omega-3′s, B-vitamins, magnesium and protein, all providing mood-enhancing qualities. Hazelnuts and almonds are particularly good for supporting the nervous system.
• Bananas: starchy carbohydrate which helps to produce serotonin.
• Broccoli sprouts, which contain folate, a natural protection against depression, plus you get as much antioxidant in 25grams of broccoli sprouts as you would if you ate 1.36 kilograms of fully grown broccoli.
• Parsley: an abundant supplier of B-vitamins. Also a good source of glutamine, a potent brain food, and essential nutrient for healing.
• Avocado: rich in omega-3′s, lecithin (protects cells from oxidation and largely makes up the protective sheaths surrounding the brain) and also acts as a ‘nutrient-booster’ enabling the body to absorb antioxidants more efficiently.
• Raw honey: contains small amounts of antioxidants and is wonderful for busting S.A.D. sugar cravings!

Experiment and enjoy! And don’t forget a good dose of daily fresh air – even if the sun isn’t shining!

Wash-day Blues

You know, I have it pretty “together” in most areas of my life. Most of the time. OK, some of the time. (Tomorrow could be a different story.)

But there’s one area in particular that has been driving me crazy. It’s the clothes washing. More specifically, the washing basket in our bedroom. It’s the repository for all “light” (ie, non-“colored”) washing; Darren’s business shirts; and all those fiddly hand-washing jobs. The lights get washed once there’s enough for a full load, as do Darren’s shirts (which he washes – and irons – himself. I’m such a women’s libber.). But those jolly hand-wash items just sit there, taunting me each time I sort out the basket.

The thought of having to get out the hand-washing buckets/bowls, the soap, and the rubber gloves, and of having to actually stand at the laundry basin for five or 10 minutes, is more than I can stand. I have a life to live! The mundanity of it all drives me crazy. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Right now the basket holds a pretty light-blue woolen cardigan that’s edged with pink flowers (a present to the girls from a friend in England – in there so long now it’s probably too small for them); the girls’ ballet outfits (they’ll be needing those this weekend, so they have to be done soon); one of my knit tops; a groovy going-out top that I don’t want to risk in a load with other items; and a collection of bibs from when we baby-sit my little cousin (the bibs have Velcro and I’ve “been there, done that” when it comes to mixing Velcro-d bibs in a load with other clothes!).

A few weeks ago, I even did up a schedule, adding one hand-wash item a day to the usual household jobs. Just to break it all down a bit. So that I didn’t feel overwhelmed. This worked for a few days – I got through a few items. But the above bits and pieces remain, taunting me. I know it’s not terribly hygienic to have them sitting at the bottom of the basket for weeks (OK, months) on end, and it’s certainly not good feng shui. I’m aching for the feeling of smug satisfaction that comes with completing a long-avoided project. Oh yeah…

It would also be nice to be so completely on top of the hand-washing that it doesn’t build up and threaten to spill like Vesuvius from under the basket lid. So, I’m determined to beat it. Why do you think I’m writing about it this week? I want to be held accountable!

I’ll report back next week. Watch this space.