Dairy-Free Alfredo-Pesto Sauce and Vegetarian Pizza

Dairy-Free Alfredo-Pesto Sauce and Vegetarian Pizza    

     At times it is very hard to avoid dairy products.  I live in Wisconsin for crying out loud!  I am happy to have cut out most dairy, however, because I feel so much better.  I've never been overweight, but I must say that my stomach is so much flatter now!  I always had a little belly bulge that would roll over the tops of my jeans when I sat down and that has completely disappeared since I've changed my eating habits.  I know longer have this "bloated feeling" after I eat in my lower abdomen.  However, there are a few dishes, such as creamy alfredo, that I do miss at times.  Luckily I found this delicious dairy-free alfredo sauce from Kris Carr's website (http://kriscarr.com/recipe/amazing-alfredo/).  It's so garlicky, creamy, and delicious!  I add a teaspoon or so of pesto to it and it punches even more yumminess:D.  I will include the recipe for the Dairy-Free Alfredo-Pesto Sauce first, and then add the Vegetarian Pizza recipe below it.  I use the alfredo sauce instead of a marinara sauce for the pizza.  Note, the pizza is vegetarian and not vegan because I do use raw goat's milk mild cheddar cheese on it.  I've also included a link to watch a video of me and my boyfriend's daughter making this tasty dish.  Enjoy!!

Dairy-Free Alfredo-Pesto Sauce

**(This is makes enough sauce for 3-4 sprouted tortilla pizzas.  If making for a family dinner over pasta please double recipe).

Ingredients

1/2 cup Raw, unsalted cashews

1 T Pine nuts (raw)

3/4 cup Water

2 t Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

2 Cloves garlic

1 pinch Nutmeg

1 t Salt

1/4 t Pepper

1 t Pesto (store bought or homemade)

Steps

1.  Blend cashews and pine nuts into a fine powder. 

2.  Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.

3.  Put in a saucepan and bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce to simmer and stir for 7 minutes.  (Mixture will thicken up). 

4.  Add pesto and enjoy!

 

Vegetarian Pizza

Ingredients

Sprouted grain tortillas (I use Ezekiel brand, but you can use any tortilla of your choice)

Alfredo pesto sauce (from previous recipe)

Veggies of your choice (tomatoes, peppers, onions, spinach, etc.)

 

Raw goat's milk mild cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice, but try to buy organic or from your local farmer)

Steps

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Place tortillas on baking sheet (not overlapping) and bake for about 5 minutes (or until they start to crisp and get firm).

3.  Spread alfredo-pesto sauce on tortillas.  Add sliced veggies to your pizza and top with cheese.

4.  Bake pizzas for about another 5-6 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.  You could even put the pizzas under the broiler for a minute or two instead.  Slice and enjoy!!

 

Delicious "Dummy Proof" Baked Chicken (& Chicken Stock)

Delicious "Dummy-proof" Baked Chicken



Isn't this a gorgeous bird!?!  So crispy=)

     Fall is technically here and now it's time to get back into the kitchen!  I love fall (not winter, let's be clear here) and I love dusting off the cookbooks and recipe cards to cook some of my favorite, savory meals.  One thing that I make at our house at least twice a month is a baked whole chicken.  This can seem daunting, time consuming, and even intimidating for most.  In all honesty, this is one of the easiest, most delicious meals you can make.  No joke.  I found a recipe for "Boyfriend Chicken," in Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Cookbook.  I altered it a tiny bit - to make it even easier.  This recipe is dummy-proof.  I've made this several times now and it always turns out delicious.  Another huge benefit to making this meal, besides the fact it will completely wow your friends and family, is that you can make your own chicken broth from it (an even easier feat!).  So put on your cutest apron and enjoy!

Ingredients

-Whole chicken (organic is best but usually go for around $12 a bird and not all grocery stores sell organic whole chickens - like mine sadly=(.  I choose the next best option which is antibiotic-free, no added hormones, and vegetarian fed.  I can buy my Amish brand chicken for $6-7 or sometimes $5 on sale).

-3 Tbs butter or ghee

-1 Tbs olive oil

-Garlic salt

-Rosemary (or herbs of your choice)

-Pepper

-Lemon (washed and cut in half)

-Onion (peeled and cut in half)

Steps

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take chicken out of package, place on roasting pan or cookie sheet (on top of metal cooling rack if you have one so drippings drip down into pan) and pat dry with paper towels.  This is a trick I learned from the legendary, Julia Child.  Always, always, always pat your meat dry with paper towels if you want it to brown nicely.  (Also remove gizzards if they are inside). 

2.  Sprinkle rosemary or herbs of choice into the cavity of chicken.  Place lemon and onion halves into cavity. 

3.  Melt butter in small bowl and mix olive oil into it.  Brush entire chicken with this mixture (this makes the skin nice and crispy!!).  Sprinkle garlic salt and pepper all over the skin.  You will have to flip the bird to accomplish this.  Be sure to wash hands in between touching the chicken and handling the spice jars!  You don't want bacteria spread throughout your kitchen! 

4.  Make sure your chicken is breast-side up when you put it into the oven.  I find that it cooks a little more evenly this way and the skin crisps better.  Place on middle rack in oven.

5.  Bake chicken for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.  After 45 minutes set the oven to 350 degrees.  At this time you can brush the chicken with more butter/olive oil if you wish.  Bake the chicken for an additional 45 minutes at the reduced temperature of 350 degrees.

6.  Take the chicken out of the oven and let rest for ten minutes.  Carve the chicken and enjoy!!

     After you wow your friends and family with this delicious meal you can then start making your homemade chicken broth/stock.  This is super easy and will save you money.  A typical box of organic chicken stock can run $4-$5.  This is essentially free! 

Chicken Stock

Ingredients

-Chicken bones/meat/carcass/drippings

-Onion, peeled and quartered

-Water

Steps

1.  Place leftover chicken bones/meat/carcass/drippings into crock pot.

2.  Add onion.  Fill crock pot to top with water.

3.  Cook on low overnight or for 8 hours on low, ideally.  (You can cook longer if you like, but low and slow is the best).

4.  Strain through fine mesh strainer into smaller, freezable bowls.  Put in freezer and thaw to make soups, braised meats/veggies, stews, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energizing Green Juice

Energizing Green Juice

     Here is a recipe for green juice that my friend, Haley, shared with me.  It's not a sweet tasting green juice but it is mild tasting and goes down smoothly!  If you want a burst of micronutrients (vitamins!) and a surge of energy try making this!  When I made it I got 20 ounces out of this batch of fruits and veggies and divided it into two servings.  Remember to refrigerate the second serving and try to drink it the same day or within 24 hours or it starts losing its nutritional value.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 leaves of kale

3 stalks of celery

1 cucumber

2 green apples

Steps:

1.  Try to buy all organic ingredients, but if you live in the middle of nowhere like me and it's impossible, wash everything well and peel the apples and cucumber.

2.  Juice and enjoy!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 










Alex helping me make green juice=)  Start them young,
people!

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Flare Up Friendly Foods

Flare Up Friendly Foods

     As I've mentioned before, I have Crohn's disease.  It's surprising how many people I run into on a daily basis that have this disease or a similar inflammatory bowel disease.  The unfortunate thing with this disease is that it is an autoimmune disease, and although there are certain foods that act as triggers to this disease, at other times it just seems to have a mind of its own and will rear its ugly head whenever it please:/.  If anyone reading this (or if you know anyone who has this or a similar disease) has this disease then you know how terrible a flare up can be.  My flare up symptoms keep me up late at night or really early in the morning with painful lower abdomen cramping as well as trips to the bathroom.  It's at these times that you want to be VERY careful what foods you put into your body.  There were times when I had a flare up and I was scared to eat anything...fearing that later when my body would try to digest it I would suffer the horrible stomach cramps.  Unfortunately, everyone is a little different when it comes to what foods trigger this disease.  Recently I had a flare up that lasted almost three weeks and I did a lot of research to figure out which foods helped during a flare up and which foods to avoid. 
When I was up at three in the morning with stomachaches I watched countless Youtube videos and read several articles on Crohn's disease and flare up friendly diets.  My fear is losing weight during a flare up.  I'm already a fairly thin person so losing eight pounds is a big deal to my body structure.  (That's how much weight I lost during this last flare up I had and I'm still working at putting it back on).  Thank God my boyfriend is patient and understanding with me and my disease!  He was such a help during my last episode.  He made trips to the health food store for me, selected calorie-dense, healthy foods for me, and asked how I was feeling around the clock.  I am blessed!  So with his help, here is the "Becky Flare Up Friendly Food List."  Please share with anyone you know who suffers from Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and IBS.  Also note that I am NOT a physician and these are merely strategies and foods that have helped me during a flare up (please don't sue me!!:).

Flare Up Friendly Food List:

1.  Svelte Organic Protein Shakes

     These are the organic versions of Ensure or Boost.  These things rock and my favorite flavor is chocolate (because I'm a chocoholic!) but the Chai tea flavored one is delicious too.  These are almost 16 fluid ounces and have 260 calories in them and 16 grams of protein.  There are several other vitamins and minerals as well.  These shakes are digested in the small intestine (often times Crohn's affects the large intestine) and help you get your daily calories as well as protein.  They even taste pretty good! If you are allergic to soy do NOT drink these...soybeans are the main source of protein in these shakes.  They are dairy-free and gluten-free as well which is a double bonus because gluten and dairy are often times hard to digest and can be triggers for flare ups.

2. Aloe Vera Juice

     Aloe is known for its very calming and soothing qualities.  Try to get a high quality aloe vera juice with chunks of the aloe plant in it.  This made sound weird but the chunks of the plant are gel-like in consistency and coat the inside of your inflamed gastrointestinal tract and help stop the inflammation.  The texture in the juice may take some getting used to, but it's worth healing your poor insides!

3.  Nut Butters

     My best friend during times of flare ups are individual packets of almond butter (smooth, not crunchy).  You can throw them in your purse and snack on them at any moment.  Nut butters in general are great for flare ups because they have calories, healthy fats, and protein that your body needs.  You can try eating nuts as well but be sure to chew WELL because you don't want the fiber irritating your intestines.  To be safe, though, I would just stick with smooth nut butters.

4.  Rice/Rice Krispie Treats

     Now, normally I wouldn't recommend eating white rice because we all know that brown has more nutrients and fiber.  HOWEVER, during times of crisis (a.k.a. flare up time) fiber is the enemy!  At least, insoluble fiber is the enemy.  Fiber normally is a very healthy thing that cleans your innards and moves things along in the GI tract, but when you are dealing with sensitive, inflamed guts fiber must be avoided.  I have not noticed any issues when eating white rice during a flare up.  I even had a sushi roll with only salmon, white rice, avocado, and nori and it didn't cause any stomach cramping.  This may not be the case with everyone, as grains are controversial and affect people differently, but for me it was one of the few things my body could tolerate so I ate it.  I also indulged in Rice Krispie treats - which have preservatives and high fructose corn syrup (I call HFCS crack;) in them but I was desperate and ironically it didn't bother my belly.  The puffed rice was easy to digest and I was thankful for the calories (even if empty calories) it offered to me.  Since whole wheat and white flour (gluten) are very inflammatory foods, it was nice to have white rice as an option.

5.  Apple Sauce and Pear Sauce

     Apples and pears contain a chemical called pectin.  Pectin is the chemical used to stabalize foods and cause jams and jellies to gel.  Pectin can be soothing to your GI tract as it causes digested foods to gel and can help prevent diarrhea.  I would personally recommend eating applesauce or pear sauce versus fresh apples and pears because there is, again, less fiber.

6.  Salmon and Trout

     I ate a piece of fish almost everyday of my flare up once I figured out it didn't bother my body.  Salmon and trout have healthy Omega-3 fats that help your body heal and rebuild.  Fish also offers protein which your body will need especially during flare ups. 

7.  Cooked Green Beans

     I eat tons of vegetables when I'm not having a flare up, however, a lot of veggies (especially salads) aggravate my system when I am having a flare up.  One veggie that I noticed didn't bother me was cooked green beans.  I crave veggies normally, but when I can't eat them due to a flare up it's like I crave them even more!  At least cooked green beans agree with me:).

8. Turkey and Chicken without Skin

     Turkey was a food that didn't bother me either.  Even chicken didn't cause any problems as long as I was diligent about removing the skin.  The key here is lean proteins.  Anything too fatty can be hard to digest, but lean meats should be fairly easy to digest as well as keep you nourished.

 

      I hope this list of foods will help you or someone you know during times of turmoil and uncomfortable flare ups.  If you have any other suggestions please don't hesitate to comment or email me.

 

pinterest@Foodblot

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

     I'm a chocoholic.  I admit it.  One of my favorite candies were Reese's Peanut Butter cups...the miniatures.  YUM!  Now, since I'm cutting my sugars and GMO intake, I have to try and find a substitute.  I had a friend ask me for some healthy dessert recipes - which made me do some digging!  I found this recipe floating around on Facebook and made some of my own modifications to it and TADA!  These cookies are fabulous and definitely help a chocoholic, like myself, out when we are having one of our cravings.  These cookies are super moist (there is no flour!) and delicate.  I store them in the fridge to preserve their freshness.  I did use regular chocolate chips when I baked these up (I'm still working on cleaning out my cupboards and using up the last of my not-so-healthy ingredients), but there are other chocolate chips you can use that are healthier.  Hershey's, Nestle's, and Ghirardelli's all contain GMOs.  I did a quick internet search and found that Trader Joe's brand of chocolate chips is GMO free!  They also use pure cane sugar in the chocolate chips and a 12 ounce bag sells for $1.99.  What a deal!  Now, on to this yummy recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c canned chickpeas (this is a little less than a can - rinse well and pat dry)

2 t pure vanilla extract

1/2 c + 2 T almond butter

1/4 c honey (try to use raw)

1 t baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 c chocolate chips (chocolate chips have sugar in them, but the amount per cookie is pretty minimal)

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine all the ingredients, except for chocolate chips, in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth, scraping sides periodically.

3. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. With wet hands (because the mixture is sticky), form into 1 1/2" balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press down on the balls to flatten them slightly. 

5. Bake for about ten minutes, let cool and enjoy!  You can store these in the refrigerator to ensure freshness.  You can also try using natural peanut butter instead of almond butter.

 

pinterest@Foodblot

Yummo Taco Bowls

Yummo Taco Bowls

     These taco bowls are a favorite in our house.  The key to keeping them healthy is using ground turkey instead of ground beef (I no longer eat beef or pork since I'm a blood type A and it's harder for us to digest), organic blue corn chips (non-GMO), and lots of lettuce (always incorporate greens in your meals when you can!!).  I still eat low-fat sour cream in moderation as well as some cheese in certain dishes.  I do buy cheese from a local farm in the area, though, to try and avoid overuse of antibiotics and hormones in the dairy products.  My next  adventure is going to try and track down local raw cheese to use in some dishes, but that's another post! 

                Another healthy tip is to make your own taco seasoning.  Have you ever looked on the back of a taco seasoning packet in the grocery store??  Yuck!  Most of them contain MSG (monosodium glutamate) - which is a horrible food additive!  There  is research from independent studies that shows that MSG can lead to Alzheimer's disease, asthma, autism, depression, epilepsy, high blood pressure, inflammation, obesity, and many more serious health conditions.¹  Check out this website for more information: http://msgtruth.org/.  This website was created by a food process engineer and food scientist who worked for huge food companies.  She then left these companies and shared all of the information that she had learned about the dangerous food additives that companies put in their processed foods.  She felt she needed to inform the public on these dangerous chemicals that are sold in supermarkets every day.  So check it out, it's a very interesting read!    

      Now, on to the recipes!

Taco Seasoning Ingredients:

1/2 c chili powder

1/4 c onion powder

1/8 c ground cumin

2 T garlic powder

1 T paprika

1 T kosher or sea salt

Yummo Taco Bowl Ingredients:

Organic Blue Corn Chips

Lettuce

Shredded Cheese (try to buy organic, locally farmed cheese)

1 pound ground turkey

Taco seasoning (homemade)

Low-fat sour cream (optional)

Diced onions

Salsa, Guacamole, Taco Sauce (optional)

Steps:

1.  Make your taco seasoning by mixing the ingredients listed above for the taco seasoning ingredients.

2.  Brown your ground turkey.  Add some of your taco seasoning to the turkey (I don't have an exact measurement here - sorry!  I'm one of those people who "eyeball" it, taste, add more lol.   Maybe start with 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup  and see if you want more flavor after it simmers for a bit).  Also add 3/4 cups of water and let it simmer while stirring occasionally.

3.  Crush blue corn chips in a bowl and put shredded lettuce on top.  Add your taco meat, cheese, sour cream and any other toppings of your choice.  Enjoy!! 

 

Resources:

1. http://msgtruth.org/states.htm

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My Favorite Go-to Salad

My Favorite Go-to Salad

     I never used to be a "salad" person.  Until lately, my body didn't process raw vegetables well and I was always left bloated and with a stomachache.  Now my body craves raw veggies!  Ever since I cut out inflammatory foods my body has started the healing process and can finally start digesting nutrient-dense fresh foods.  This is my all-time favorite go-to salad.  I eat this salad usually as a side dish two to four times a week.  I  LOVE it!  According to the blood type diet spinach, avocados, and olive oil are anti-inflammatory foods for people with blood type A=).  Olive oil is beneficial for all blood types to eat as well, so enjoy this yummy, nutritious recipe!

Ingredients:

Spinach

Greens  of your choice (I use leaf lettuce from my garden a lot, but any lettuce is great)

Cucumbers

1/2 sliced avocado

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use half a lemon)

Kosher or sea salt to taste (optional)

Pepper to taste (optional)

Other options I may add: feta cheese crumbles, raw sunflower seeds, hard-boiled egg slices

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The Power of Lemon Water

The Power of Lemon Water

     This is such a simple, yet incredibly beneficial, thing to add to your morning routine.  By simply drinking 6-8 ounces of lemon water in the morning (first thing when you wake up), you can naturally cleanse your liver and kidneys, stabilize your body’s pH, kick start your metabolism (want to lose weight?  This helps with that!), boost your immune system, clear your skin, promote healing in your body, and hydrate your lymph system.¹  Isn’t that incredible??!  This is such an amazing thing to do for your body and it takes very little effort.

     When I do my weekly grocery shopping I always buy a few lemons for the week.  I try to buy organic when I can (they taste so much better – not even joking, they are sweeter and less bitter), but due to lack of availability in my town I usually end up with regular lemons.  Please do not let the rinds sit in your lemon water if they are not organic – you do not want chemicals leeching in your water because this will counter the benefits of drinking lemon juice in the first place.  I have a nifty lemon squeezer gadget pictured here that I bought at a store for about six dollars.  I cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into my water and then drink it.  Tada!  That’s it.  This squeezer doesn’t let seeds get into the water and it gets more juice out of the half of lemon than my hand can by manually squeezing the lemon.  But, you can make your lemon water however you want=).  With the other half of my lemon I make a lemon water bottle for my boyfriend so he gets his natural, daily cleanse too.  You can also use a whole lemon in your water (pretty lemony-tasting though!) or save the other half in the fridge for the following day.

     Now I’m going to get a little scientific on you (Hey, Mom and Dad, see I’m using my chemistry degree now=).  Let’s talk a little about our body’s pH.  In biology pH is very important to the survival and function of organisms.  If an environment is too acidic or too alkaline (fancy word for basic) an organism either has to adapt or it will die.  Most organisms need a very specific pH for its metabolic processes and reactions to occur, thus allowing the organism to thrive.  If you ever had an aquarium you would know that you need to check the pH of the water periodically to make sure it is in the correct range so the fish can survive and be happy.  Well, the same is true for our bodies.  Our blood should have a pH around 7.4.²  If our bodies get too acidic (less than 7.4) acidosis can occur which is very serious.  Living in even a mild, chronic state of acidosis can cause cardiovascular problems, weight gain, obesity, kidney stones, bladder issues, immune deficiencies, hormone concerns, premature aging (due to free radicals being oxidized), joint pain, bone density loss, muscle aches, possibly lead to cancer, low energy, and slow digestion (just to name a FEW!!).  Foods that act like an acid once they are metabolized in our system are meats, dairy, refined sugars, refined flours, and soft drinks.  The typical American diet lacks in fresh vegetables and certain fruits which promote alkaline properties within the body.³ This link here: http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2006/02/10/lemon-water-alkalising-superstar/  explains how lemons (even though they are very acidic with a pH of 2) have an alkalizing effect on the body.  What the video in the link above explains is that the minerals in lemons (potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium) are alkaline salts and as they are metabolized in your body they dissociate and help reduce any excess acidity in your body.  So even though a food may be acidic in its natural state, once it is metabolized in the body it may have alkalizing effects.  Lemons are also very low in sugar (as are limes and grapefruits) and this is why they don’t act like an acid in your body…like an orange does (oranges have a lot of natural sugars and act like an acid in your body).  Click this link: http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html to see a chart of foods and whether they have an alkalizing or acidic effect on the body.  Choose alkalizing foods for your diet!  Note, I’m not advising anyone to never eat meat or completely eliminate dairy from their diets!  Please just also include many alkalizing foods as well so your body can maintain a healthy, happy pH equilibrium.  Don’t forget to start your day out right by drinking your freshly squeezed lemon water=).

Resources:

1.       http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/03/01/lemon-benefits_n_2789780.html

2.       http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Buffer/Buffer.html

3.       http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html

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Soba Noodle Bowl

Soba Noodle Bowl

     I love Asian inspired dishes.  They are usually pretty easy to whip up, can be very nutritional, and so tasty!  My father was raised in South Korea so as kids my sisters and I grew up eating kim, kimchi, rice with a fried egg on top, and stir fry almost weekly.  These dishes are still something I crave time to time - even though my boyfriend looks at me strange when I break the gooey yolk of a fried egg over my rice...mmmm=).  This dish was a spur-the moment, "throw it together" lunch I whipped up one day.  Soba noodles are very nutritional, extremely versatile, and taste delicious!  I served mine with a little side of kimchi (fermented vegetables have amazing health benefits and are full of probiotics!) pictured here.  Let me know some of your favorite childhood dishes!  Enjoy!

 

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 tablespoons oyster sauce (fish sauce would work too)

2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce

1-2 tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch to use as a thickener

Rest of Ingredients:

Soba noodles

oil of your choice for frying (I use grape seed oil)

granulated garlic

broccoli (or veggies of your choice)

green onions

onions

tofu

kimchi (optional)

Steps:

1.  Cook soba noodles according to instructions...don't overcook as they tend to get slimy.  When finished, strain and rinse quickly with cold water to stop cooking process.

2.  In frying pan heat a few tablespoons of grape seed oil. Add the chopped veggies of your choice (leave green onions out and use them as a fresh garnish on top). Fry the veggies for a couple minutes, then add a few table spoons of water and cover so the veggies soften.  Let them soften just a little bit, you don't want soggy veggies!  Set aside.

3.  Slice your tofu and squeeze out excess water in a paper towel.  Next, sprinkle tofu with granulated garlic and fry until slightly golden on each side in a little bit of grape seed oil.  Remove from heat and cube.

4. Make your sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Combine everything except cornstarch mixture.  When sauce first starts to boil slowly whisk in a little bit of the cornstarch mixture and continue whisking and adding mixture until the sauce reaches the thickness you like.  I like the thickness that most Chinese sauces are when you go to a Chinese buffet.

5.  Put your soba noodles, tofu, and cooked veggies in a bowl.  Drizzle the desired amount of sauce over and toss.  Garnish with green onions (sesame seeds if desired) and serve with kimchi.  Enjoy!

Foods that Cause Inflammation...Part Two!

Part Two - Inflammatory Foods

     Before I continue our discussion about inflammatory foods, I think it is important to make another note about sugar.  Refined sugar is inflammatory and you should not have more than the daily allotted grams suggested by the American Heart Association.  What about fruit, raw honey, and pure maple syrup?  I personally do not count these towards my 20 grams of sugar per day.  People should eat 1-3 servings of fruit or fruit juices (make sure it's 100% fruit without added sugar or squeeze/juice it yourself) per day.  One of my favorite fruits is a nectarine.  An average nectarine has 13 grams of sugar...If I had two of these a day I would be over my "sugar limit."  Every fruit has their own glycemic index so if you are concerned with raising your insulin levels too much you can pick fruits such as cherries (GI of 22), grapefruit (GI of 25),  and pears (GI of 33-42).¹  Since the sugars in fruits, raw honey, and pure maple syrup aren't processed, and because these foods contain so many other beneficial nutrients, I do not count them towards my 20 sugar gram limit. While these natural foods do raise one’s insulin levels, they do usually have a lower glycemic index than refined sugars.  Just make sure you are purchasing quality foods such as raw honey.  Raw honey has a glycemic index of 30-40 while commercial honeys usually have a glycemic index of 55-80.²  Pure maple syrup has a glycemic index of 54 while flavored maple syrups have a GI of 68.³  However, please note that this doesn't give me the green light to drench my pancakes or oatmeal in a cup of pure maple syrup, or drink 60 ounces of Welch's 100% grape juice a day.  These natural sugars still affect your insulin levels and metabolism so do everything in moderation.  If I want to sweeten my oatmeal I'll put a teaspoon of pure maple syrup in it along with some ground cinnamon.  If I want to sweeten my green tea I'll put a teaspoon of raw honey in it.  Now, onto more inflammatory foods!

3. Corn

     This may sound very funny that corn is an inflammatory food – but it’s probably not what you think.  Don’t worry; your farmer’s market sweet corn is safe to eat.  I’m referring to the GMO (genetically modified organism), heavily processed corn that you find hiding in the majority of processed foods.  The majority of the corn in the United States is genetically modified (88% as of 2012).⁴  There have been independent studies performed in laboratories that show that rats being fed a diet of Monsanto GM corn have developed tumors as well as suffered from multiple organ damage.⁵  Many processed foods that you find everyday in your grocery store contain GM corn.  In fact, unless the food product is certified organic or states that it uses non-GMO crops, you better assume that it is genetically modified.  Another dangerous thing to look out for is high fructose corn syrup.  There has been a lot of misleading marketing regarding high fructose corn syrup stating that there is no difference between regular sugar and corn syrup.  We have already discussed how sugar can be inflammatory if you eat more than the allotted amount per day.  HFCS is even worse for you than sugar because it is so heavily processed and there is no fiber accompanying the HFCS molecules like there is with the fructose in fruit.⁶  This allows the body to digest it faster, making you hungrier quicker, and less satisfied.  (If you want to see how HFCS is made click this link: http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/06/05/diy-artisanal-high-fructose-corn-syrup and in the article there is a short video for DIY HFCS...very informative and I found it comical:).  There was a Princeton University study performed giving one group of rats HFCS to eat and the other group of rats table sugar to eat along with the same amount of other calories.  The interesting thing was that the HFCS was half as sweet as what companies put in our sodas and that the rats that had access and ate the HFCS gained 48% more weight than the rats that ate the table sugar.  The rats that ate the HFCS also had developed more abdominal fat deposits and had higher circulating triglycerides.⁷  These traits in humans usually lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.  The truth is that high fructose corn syrup is just a cheap sweet substitute that is horrible for our health.  Please look at your ingredient labels!  HFCS is in MANY processed foods.  Here are some labels from popular cereals.  Pay attention to all the ingredients that include corn.  Note: A very interesting documentary to watch is King Corn.  It is available on Netflix and explains all about corn from farming it, to how high fructose corn syrup is made.

4. Dairy

     Dairy is probably one of the hardest foods for me to avoid.  To be completely honest I haven’t completely cut it out of my diet yet, but I have made some major changes and feel A LOT better=).  The truth is dairy is inflammatory because most people have a degree of lactose intolerance.  I used to think that people who were lactose intolerant had horrible stomach pains, would vomit, and have diarrhea from eating a single piece of cheese – and some do – but you can have a lactose intolerance and not have these severe of issues.  You can simply feel slightly bloated for example.  Or you can have a mild acne break out.  The point is the symptoms greatly very so you may not even realize your body is having trouble trying to digest dairy foods.  At least 60% of people on this earth are lactose intolerant – that’s the majority!  Think about it…we are the only animals on this earth that continues to drink milk after we are weaned.  Our bodies naturally create less and less lactase (the enzyme necessary to digest lactose) as we age because that’s the way nature intended it to be.  Once we are weaned off our mother’s milk we really do not have any need to drink milk or milk products again.  An article in USA Today says that, "Being able to digest milk is so strange that scientists say we shouldn't really call lactose intolerance a disease, because that presumes it's abnormal. Instead, they call it lactase persistence, indicating what's really weird is the ability to continue to drink milk."⁸

     This is why I follow the blood type diet when it comes to dairy (I follow it in general as well, but especially protein and dairy).  The blood type diet is based on the science of anthropology as well as biology.  It looks at how different populations ate thousands of years ago and how their migration patterns as well as agricultural innovations changed the biochemistry of their blood and enzymes.  The different blood types (O, A, B, and AB) have different antigens and enzymes in their bodies and digest foods very differently from one another.   In Dr. D’Adamo’s book, Eat Right for Your Type, he discusses how people with blood type B can digest a lot more dairy products than the other blood types.⁹  He includes lists of all foods for all of the blood types that either fall into a “beneficial, neutral, or avoid,” category.  People with blood type A (which is me) should eat very little to no dairy, with the exceptions being goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, and low fat sour cream.  These are considered neutral.  There are no beneficial dairy products to people with blood type A so I try to eat as little as possible.  Instead of cow’s milk I now eat almond milk, and actually enjoy it more!  There are many little substitutions you can make, but I admit, once in awhile I do crave ice cream  from our local farmer’s store and I cheat and have a small chocolate cone=)

5. Pork

     Pork was not really that hard for me to cut out of my diet because the only pork item that I ate on any sort of regular basis was bacon.  Good thing for me is that I don’t mind turkey bacon so I made that easy switch and was pretty much set. 

      I listed pork as a food to avoid for a couple different reasons.  Scientifically, pork can be 30 times more toxic than beef.¹⁰  Pigs do not have a great digestive or lymph system that aide in getting rid of toxins.  Unlike cows, who have four stomachs and take 24 hours to digest their food, pigs may only take up to 20 minutes to four hours to digest their food.  Basically, whatever a pig eats can become part of the pig in 20 minutes.  Depending on what the pig farmer actually feeds their pigs, this could be very scary.  When talking about the lymph system, pigs do not sweat.  Sweating is a natural way many animals (including ourselves) get rid of toxins in their bodies.  Pigs do not have sweat glands – which is why they lay in the mud to cool off.¹¹  This is why pork tends to be a lot more toxic than other meats.  The blood type diet tells all blood types to avoid pork as well.

      I’ve also read, Our Maker’s Diet, and the author listed some scriptural references of where people were asked to avoid eating pork.¹²  Leviticus 11:7-8 says, “And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.  You should not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”  I know in the Jewish religion they do not eat pork either.  Now whether you like scientific facts or if you are more of a religious person, my point is that there is evidence saying the same thing when it comes to pork – AVOID it.  (For more interesting, scientific facts on pork read this article by "The Real Truth": http://realtruth.org/articles/263-apt.html).

Resources
1. http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/glycemicindlist_3.htm
2.http://milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com/2011/01/raw-honey-lower-glycaemic-index.html
3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/542305-glycemic-index-of-honey-vs-maple-syrup/
4. http://phys.org/news/2013-06-gmo-corn-soybeans-dominate.html
5. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2012/09/20/scientists-savage-study-purportedly-showing-health-dangers-of-monsantos-genetically-modified-corn/
6. http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/06/05/diy-artisanal-high-fructose-corn-syrup
7. http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/
8. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-08-30-lactose-intolerance_N.htm
9. http://www.dadamo.com/
10. http://www.livestrong.com/article/474320-digestive-problems-with-pork/
11.http://www.draxe.com/why-you-should-avoid-pork/
12. http://www.makers-diet.net/