Food

Food – The Optimal Diet

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In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God’s original plan for man’s diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. ‘Behold,’ He said, ‘I have given you every herb yielding seed, … and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.’ Genesis 1:29, A.R.V. Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling the earth under the curse of sin, man received permission to eat also ‘the herb of the field.’ Genesis 3:18.

“Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.

“In order to maintain health, a sufficient supply of good, nourishing food is needed.

“If we plan wisely, that which is most conducive to health can be secured in almost every land. The various preparations of rice, wheat, corn, and oats are sent abroad everywhere, also beans, peas, and lentils. These, with native or imported fruits, and the variety of vegetables that grow in each locality, give an opportunity to select a dietary that is complete without the use of flesh meats.” Counsels for the Church, 221, 222.

When eating healthy is mentioned, many ideas come to mind. Some people think eating healthy involves foods that resemble twigs and taste like sawdust. Others think it is limited to just vegetables and fruits. You may be surprised to discover that the optimal diet is full of foods that taste good and are good for you.

The optimal diet has many reasonable benefits, including a longer life span and greater quality of health. The key to optimal diet is optimal nutrition. Consider the following slogans to help you know how to improve your nutrition.

Welcome whole grains—They are a good source of insoluble fiber, B vitamins, and complex carbohydrates.

Vote for vegetables—Deep-green and other deeply colored vegetables offer an array of disease-fighting nutrients and water-soluble vitamins.

Focus on fruit—Color-dense fruits contain impressive amounts of plant chemicals, vitamins, and minerals.

Load up on legumes—Legumes provide soluble fiber, protein, and B vitamins.

Power up with nuts and seeds—Nuts and seeds contain fat-soluble health fats such as omega-3, omega-6, vitamin E, and protein.

Eliminate meat and dairy—Simply put, meat-based diets are not as healthy as plant-based. In addition to soy milk, a variety of plant equivalents, from almond milk to rice cheese, are available.

For your optimal diet, each day choose a variety of foods from these food groups. For example, each week eat something from each food group: dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables. Also, instead of white rice, breads, and cereals that rob nutrients from the diet, choose from several of the whole grains, including whole-wheat, oatmeal, yellow cornmeal, brown or red rice, barley, whole rye, millet, quinoa, or teff.

Recipe – Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing

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½ cup quinoa, rinsed

½ cup almonds, chopped

4 medium zucchini

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup grated Parmesan flavored soy topping

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, combine the quinoa and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange in a large baking dish, cut-side up. Fluff the quinoa and fold in the beans, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini. Top with the remaining tablespoon of oil and ¼ cup parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Quinoa—(keen-wa)—is the king of grains, a perfect protein with a wide range of amino acids. It has approximately 17 percent high quality protein. It can be used as a cereal, in place of rice, or use the flour.

Food Page – Gluten Free

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What is gluten? Most people can easily go through life never knowing—or caring—about gluten. For those who can’t eat it, however, it is foremost in their minds. But just what is it? From a technical standpoint, gluten is actually a storage protein of wheat. Other grains have proteins that chemically resemble gluten. That’s why all of these grains—wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, triticale—are on the “do not eat” list for gluten-free persons.

There are several reasons why some individuals cannot eat gluten. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process of the small intestine. When a person who has celiac disease consumes gluten, his/her immune system responds by attacking the small intestine and inhibiting the absorption of important nutrients into the body. Food allergies and intolerance of gluten compromise the quality of life for 10 to 15 percent of Americans who experience subtle reactions, such as nasal congestion, a feeling of fatigue, rashes, achy joints, and a host of other maladies that are as easily associated with other ailments as with food intolerance. Some people avoid gluten for other reasons. For example, part of the treatment for various autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus may include a gluten-free diet.

There was a time, when learning that you had sensitivity to wheat or gluten, meant a lifetime of dry, tasteless baked goods that crumbled in your hands and often weren’t worth the effort you put in to make them. Not anymore!

You shouldn’t feel embarrassed by your need to be gluten-free and there’s no need to apologize. There are many foods you can enjoy, so embrace your gluten-free life!

Whether hosting a dinner party or just making a weeknight dinner for two, plan menus that fit with using fresh produce and gluten-free grains, such as risotto, quinoa and rice. If you or one of the people you’ll be cooking for must avoid gluten, the good news is that it’s easier than you might think. Foods in their simplest and freshest forms tend to be gluten-free. For example, simple roasted vegetables, cooked with olive oil, salt and desired seasonings, are a great dish, pretty on the plate, delicious and naturally gluten-free.

More businesses are providing gluten-free products. Gluten-free flours, such as teff and rice flour, can be found at many supermarkets! Read food labels and keep in mind that while “gluten-free” means there’s no wheat, items listed as “wheat-free” aren’t necessarily gluten-free. Look on the ingredient list for rye, barley, malt, malt syrup, malt extract, and malt vinegar, all of which can contain gluten. Bottom line: If you have celiac disease, wheat allergies, or gluten intolerance, consider gluten-free products.

 

Recipe – Garden Gazpacho

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½ cup corn (cooked)

½ cup cucumber (diced)

1 yellow or red tomato (seeded, chopped)

2 cups low-sodium VI Vegetable Juice

1 cup zucchini (raw, chopped)

2 teaspoons lime juice

½ cup diced carrots (cooked ‘til crunchy tender)

2 Tablespoons fresh basil or parsley

½ cup peas (cooked)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until combined. Chill 1-2 hours or overnight before serving. Serve cold. Yield: Four one-cup servings. Per serving: calories: 95; Fat: 0 grams; saturated fat: 0 grams; sodium: 37 milligrams; carbohydrates: 20 grams; dietary fiber: 4 grams; protein: 4 grams.

Food – Shaving Salt from Your Diet

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“Food should be prepared in as simple a manner as possible, free from condiments and spices, and even from an undue amount of salt.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 340.

We consume sodium every single day, and that’s a good thing! Our bodies need sodium to help maintain water and mineral balances and blood volume. But too much of a good thing (sodium in this case) can have negative effects on our health. The amount of salt we ingest has a direct effect on our blood pressure. Salt makes our body retain water, which increases the volume of our blood, which increases the pressure in our veins and arteries. High sodium intake also contributes to osteoporosis, kidney disease, asthma, and is even closely related to some cancers.

Sodium is a mineral that occurs naturally in foods that you eat every day. Salt and sodium are not the same things—but salt is made from sodium (and chloride). While most of us get enough sodium each day to meet our body’s needs, the average person consumes way too much! You might be surprised to learn that Americans consume three to four teaspoons of salt per day. That is twenty times more than is actually needed! Experts recommend that adults consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily—that’s about one teaspoon of salt.

It’s not just the salt we shake on our food that’s the problem. Most comes from fast and processed foods. It’s hidden in products we might not even suspect such as peanut butter, canned vegetables, crackers, chips, breads, bakery products, soy sauce, many beverages, and even toothpaste.

Here are ways you can cut back on sodium:

  • Use fresh fruit and vegetables instead of packaged or processed foods.
  • Replace the salt shaker with fresh herbs and spices for seasoning your foods.
  • Don’t add salt to boiling water when cooking pasta, vegetables, or rice.
  • Drain and rinse canned foods before serving or adding to recipes. Buy canned goods with “No salt added” on the label.
  • Select brown rice instead of flavored rice or any that comes with a packet of powdered seasoning.
  • Use salt substitutes wisely. Some salt substitutes or light salts contain a mixture of table salt and other compounds. To achieve that familiar salty taste, you may use too much of the substitute—and get too much sodium.

Your taste for salt is acquired, so you can learn to enjoy less. Decrease your use of salt gradually and your taste buds will adjust. After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, you probably won’t miss it, and some foods may even taste too salty. Start by using no more than 1/4 teaspoon of salt daily—at the table and in cooking. Then throw away the salt shaker. As you use less salt, your preference for it diminishes, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the food itself, with heart-healthy benefits.

Recipe – Indian-Spiced Cauliflower and Chickpeas

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4 cups cauliflowerets

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

15 oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. gingerroot, minced fresh

1 ½ tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cumin

15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup frozen or fresh green peas

Place cauliflower in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, sauté onion, carrot and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the ginger, curry, salt and cloves. Add the beans, tomatoes, peas and cauliflower. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the heat. Serve over rice.

Food – The Seasoned Art of Seasoning

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“The words and works of the Lord harmonize. His words are gracious and His works bountiful. ‘He causeth grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man’ [Psalm 104:14].
How liberal are the provisions He has made for us.”
“Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Commentary, vol. 3, 1152.

Herbs and spices are aromatic vegetable products used to season and flavor foods, with herbs having more subtle flavors than spices. Herbs are usually derived from the leaves of aromatic plants of the Temperate Zone, whereas spices come from the root, bark, stem, leaf, bud, seed or fruit of aromatic plants that grow in the tropics. Skillfully and judiciously used, herbs and spices provide the family chef with a keyboard of happy notes that make humdrum cooking sing with flavor. …

The key to good seasoning is blended flavor, with the flavor accents mutually compatible, following one another in proper order, and having the right emphasis or intensity. Flavor harmonies are not always easy to achieve, but they can be most rewarding. The first and last flavor impressions are the most important, and a pleasing aftertaste is the ultimate goal of all good seasoning. The speed with which a specific flavor note appears depends on the nature of the seasoning, on the quantity of seasoning used, and on the sensitivity of the person who does the tasting. … Natural flavors are often blends of two or more simple flavors. Naturally occurring flavors may either be intensified or subdued—according to the desired effect. To strike happy notes on the flavor keyboard:

Use restraint. Dried herbs are stronger than fresh herbs, and a smaller amount is needed to achieve the same effect. One-fourth teaspoon of a dried herb is usually sufficient in four servings. Crush leafy herbs. Use untried spices and herbs cautiously, striving for a subtle, not-too-pronounced flavor. …

Add seasoning to cold foods well in advance of serving, to give the flavors time to blend. Hot foods require less time for flavor penetration. When possible, season hot foods during the final hour of cooking. Remember, also, that flavors are perishable.

Use spices or herbs in only one or two dishes at a meal. Some herbs and spices are entirely harmless in their effect on the body; others, when used occasionally and sparingly, have no significant objectionable effects; still others are decidedly injurious even in small quantities. Strong spices harm the delicate membranes of the digestive organs and impair their normal operation.

Dining Delightfully; Tested Recipes From Adventist Hospital Chefs, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Hospital Association Medical Department, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, D.C., 1968, 9.

Recipe – Eggplant Stew

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2 pounds eggplant, cubed

1 – 14 oz. can garbanzos

3 6-oz. onions, chopped

2 – 14 1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 Tbps olive oil

In a 9×13 inch pan, mix eggplant, onions, and oil. Bake in a 450 degree oven until eggplant is very soft when pressed, about 45 minutes. Drain and rinse garbanzos; drain tomatoes reserving juice; add water to juice to make 1 1/3 cups. Add mixture to eggplant. Continue to bake until vegetables are hot, about 20 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Food – Life-saving Produce

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Care should be taken to have all food in as good condition as possible. In the end, good food is the cheapest. Vegetables that are stale or of poor quality are likely to be unpalatable and unwholesome. So, with fruits. Ripe and fresh, they are as wholesome as they are delicious; but green, partly decayed, or overripe fruit should never be eaten raw. When cooked, unripe fruit is less objectionable. So far as possible, however, we should use fruit in its natural state. The more we accustom ourselves to use it fresh from the tree, the greater will be our enjoyment of fruit, and the more benefit we shall receive from its use.” Life and Health, July 1, 1905.

Unless you’ve purposely ignored reading anything about nutrition for the past 30 years, you know that message number one is that eating lots of fresh produce—including both fruits and vegetables—can substantially lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and many other diseases. And if you have a chronic health issue like high blood pressure or diabetes, regular consumption of green, red, blue, orange, and purple produce can help you reverse the condition.

You are encouraged to eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want—provided they’re as close to their natural state as possible. That means fresh fruit and minimally cooked vegetables. It also means limiting canned produce (which is often packed minus the skin, an important source of fiber) and opting for either fresh or frozen to get the most fiber and nutrients.

The best way to approach produce is to eat as many different kinds as often as possible. Don’t think of that as a chore. Many people tend to reach for the same produce, shopping trip after shopping trip, and then complain that fruits and vegetables are boring or unsatisfying. Cut out the monomania. Diversify your shopping cart. It just might save your life!

Below are the top 20 pieces of produce that pack the most antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent and slow down oxidative damage to your body—a chemical reaction you want to avoid as much as possible. Why? When your body cells use oxygen, they produce free radicals that can cause damage to your internal organs. Antioxidants act as free-radical scavengers and snuff them out, preventing and repairing damage done by these evil-little free radicals. Health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, macular degeneration, and cancer are all linked to the oxidation process and free radicals.

Try a different piece of produce each week. You’ll never get bored and you’ll be getting a ton of nutrients that stabilize your blood sugar and fight off a host of long-term diseases. Here are the top 20, life-saving, fruit and vegetable picks:

Fruits Vegetables
1. Prunes 1. Kale
2. Raisins 2. Spnach
3. Berries 3. Brussels sprouts
4. Plums 4, Alfalfa sprouts
5. Apples 5. Broccoli
6. Oranges 6. Beets
7. Red grapes 7. Red bell peppers
8. Cherries 8. Onions
9. Kiwi fruit 9. Corn
10. Grapefruit 10. Eggplant

 

Recipe – Almond Brown Rice Stuffing

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1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup chopped celery

3 Tbpn margarine

1/2 tsp. chicken style seasoning

1 medium tart red apple, cored and diced

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cups cooked brown rice

Cook almonds in margarine in large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add apple, onion, celery, chicken style seasoning, and thyme; continue to cook until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in rice; cook until thoroughly heated. Bake in tightly covered baking dish at 350 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Serves 6.