Superfoods and Nutrition ~ Where to Start!

So what is a whole food anyway?  What is it that compels Darin and his team to venture to the lab and test familiar and exotic fruits and plants?  Eating for life requires more of us than simply eating.  We must be committed to educating ourselves on the latest research, but we must also be willing to listen to  our inner voice.  That voice itself will direct you to certain foods over others.  For example, it doesn’t take an herbalist or student of nutrition to know that an apple is better for you than a soft drink.  Even if each of us possesses an internal barometer, pointing us in the direction of nutrient-rich foods, it is easy enough to convince oneself to silence that knowledge or convince oneself that it is either inaccurate or irrelevant.

All of this considered, self doubt can be a dangerous obstacle on your path to a richer, fuller life.  For our purposes, this issue can be combated by frequently going back to basics.  When we think logically and rationally about what food is supposed to do for our bodies, it becomes obvious that eating whole foods is essential.  But what exactly is a whole food?  Can I buy them at my local market?  Can I afford them on a budget?  And if whole foods are just that, whole and complete, does that mean other foods are incomplete?

A whole food is a food in its complete form, without being processed or isolated into fractions.  In nature, each fruit or plant is made perfectly.  There is a perfect balance of minerals and nutrients to support absorption rates and create beneficial chemical reactions inside the human body.  While maintaining a strict vitamin supplement regimen may sound helpful, the isolated forms of minerals that are found in supplements will function differently in the body than when those minerals are introduced in a natural form in the company of a variety of other minerals.

Whole foods are all around us, including on the shelves at your local market.  Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and anything that fits into the definition listed above can be considered to be a whole food.  There are still rules to choosing optimally amongst these items.  Always buy organic when possible in order to avoid unsafe pesticide exposure and try to buy foods in season.  Don’t assume!  Always check ingredient labels.  Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits often have unwanted additives so make sure to check for anything undesirable before making a purchase.

The question of affordability is unfortunately a common concern in the whole food industry.  Some people think twice about paying high prices for organic produce.  There is an easy answer for who are unsure the higher prices are worth it.  It is absolutely worth it!  The nutrients received from whole foods will improve your body’s overall functioning.  Processed foods with added sugars and other chemicals may be cheaper, but they offer nothing for your body, except harm.   The non-whole foods that may be part of your diet are considered bulk foods.  They are literally designed to trick the body into thinking it’s full, when in reality it is starving for nutrients and possibly storing unnecessary bulk as extra body fat.

Similar to the essential minerals themselves, the debate over price cannot be completely isolated or put into a box.  There is a relationship between quantity, quality, and pricing that can even out the discrepancy between whole and non-whole food prices.  Since the feeling of fullness after eating bulk foods is mostly a facade, you will most likely end up consuming more quantity, thus paying more overall than you might if you were eating more whole foods.  If you also consider the positive effects of whole foods on your body, the inherent value of the whole food versus the bulk food can help neutralize the belief that whole foods are unaffordable.  There is enough evidence against that argument that concerns over affordability alone should not be reason enough to eat poor quality foods.

After reviewing the definition of a whole food, perhaps you will eat more consciously today.  Eating consciously today could lead to eating consciously tomorrow.  Good choices lead to good choices because your body is grateful for the nutrients you provide it with.  The next time you are food shopping and asking yourself what you should buy, take a moment to access your inner voice.  Get rid of everything you’ve been told, and simply look at, touch, and smell the foods around you.  Your true self will never steer you wrong!

Alkalinazation:

Did You know human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 )? A pH of 7.0 is neutral, whereas a pH below 7.0 is acidic and a pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH, meaning low in oxygen, is caused by processes which deprive the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  Improper diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions may be responsible for higher pH acidity.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  When not enough electrolyte minerals are found, cells become more acidic.  The effects of having an acidic pH can be extreme.  An acidic balance will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness, creating an environment favorable to fermentation outside the digestive system, causing many extreme and unwanted processes in the body. This favors the overall production of nitric oxide, which is associated to cancer, inflammation and other pathological disturbances.

In American society, diet is typically the culprit for an acidic pH balance.  To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.  As a general rule, one can assume that most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline-producing, whereas meat, eggs, dairy, artificial sweeteners, and coffee are acid-producing.  It is important to note that the pH of the food and its effect on the body are not necessarily the same.  Some acidic foods, such as lemons, may be acidic before digestion, however they have an alkalinizing affect on the body. This is called pleomorphism. Similarly, meat is alkaline before digestion, but leaves acidic by-products in the body.  Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid in the whole food has an alkalizing effect on the system. For example; lemons are acidic in nature, but when ingested as a whole food, has a very alkalizing effect. This is not the case for isolated vitamin c or ascorbic acid as they are acidic outside as well as inside the body when isolated from the whole food as a supplement.

Adding more alkaline-producing components to a diet and eliminating acid-producing foods is a great idea for those individuals seeking to feel more energized or experience improvement in the strength of their immune system.  Having an understanding of alkalinity and acidity, as well as knowing which foods fall in either category, is one way to start feeling healthier today.  Below is a guideline to help inform your decision to consume or not consume various foods and substances:

Extremely Alkaline

Lemons, watermelon, baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, tangerine, and pineapple.

Alkaline Forming

Cantaloupe, cayenne, celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress.

Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.

Moderately Alkaline

Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).

Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).

Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.

Slightly Alkaline

Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).

Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat’s milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).

Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.

Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods

Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.

Neutral

Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow’s milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).

Very Low Acid Forming Foods

Curry, Kona coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.

Slightly Acidic

Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.

Moderately Acidic

Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat’s milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).

Molasses (unsulferd and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).

Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.

Extremely Acidic

Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.

Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).

Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

*Remember that factors other than foods contribute to alkalinity and acidosis.  Drugs and chemicals you may be knowingly or unknowingly exposed to can also influence your pH balance:

Acidifying drugs and chemicals
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco
**Our minds and emotions also affect our pH balance.  Practices like meditation and prayer are considered alkaline, as are practices of peace, kindness and love.  Alternately, anger, fear, jealousy, stress, and being overworked have an acidifying effect on the body.

Keep this list in mind when making choices in the future.  A healthy pH is vital to healthy life!