Vegan Nutrition

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

A continuation of my previous article on traditional Western medicine…

Hot and moist foods

Lecithin
Green tea
Hot water
Macaroni
Wheat
Peanut butter
Castor oil
Sunflower oil
Sunflower seeds
Olive oil

In some cases of arthritis there may be an actual need to increase more hot and moist foods into the diet. The art of aromatherapy could be applied and then an oil such as peppermint can be selected for its hot and moist properties.

Allergies are generally considered to be hot and moist conditions, indicating excessive heat and moisture. In these cases, a diet high in beans and lentils among a well-balanced healthy food intake would bringe the body’s health back into balance. There may be some foods on the cold and dry list that are actual allergens for the specific allergic person, which means that the allergen food is to be avoided, this may often be the situation for corn (although considered suitable as it is classified as cold and dry).

Cold and dry foods

Barley
Corn
Lentils
Beans
Peas
Balsamic vinegar
Ceylon tea
Coffee
Tomatoes

In cases of arthritis and gout, there are aching joints and a lack of sufficient healthy synovial fluid (the thin layer of fluid that lies between the ends of bones in the joints to provide sufficient lubrication and ease of movement). Often people with these problems complain that tomatoes aggravate their aches and commonly blame it on the acidity content of the fruit. This is largely true.

Yet when we begin to use this old system of medicine we notice that arthritis and other aches in the joints are often seen in the elderly, in cases where there is excessive coldness and dryness.  Note not all arthritis conditions are the same.

Tomatoes will promote coldness and dryness and thereby aggravate the ill state of health. The elderly often lack much plump skin, their skin sags and this is a result of loss of moisture beneath the skin.

People who drink coffee, literally are drying themselves out as it is cold and has a drying in effect. Coffee supports giving us an “adrenaline rush” yet also has favouritism among people aiming to shed weight. It is highly recommended that one drinks a glass of water after each cup of coffee.

Science has shown how coffee promotes potassium loss through being a diuretic. This is science showing us that coffee can cause weight loss through being a diuretic and tends to dry us out by being a diuretic. Then of course there is the caffeine in coffee that affects our nervous system, which deserves to be a topic all on its own…

Back to Hippocrates

In the era of Hippocrates, people were often classified into 4 basic temperaments. This enabled the physician to comprehend the underlining imbalance. Psychology has, and common English terminology still uses, the categories from those times. They were:

• Sanguine – hot and moist – a general optimist and sociable personality
• Melancholic – dry and cold – a worrier, and analytical type of person
• Bilious – hot and dry – an active and assertive person with a need to be physically active
• Phlegmatic – cold and moist – an introvert and more submissive type of personality

A bilious type would be angry at being kept indoors all day and would not be the type to enjoy wet rainy days spent at home reading; whereas that might be the perfect day for a phlegmatic. Indeed a phlegmatic person would benefit from incorporating some spices into their diet, whereas a bilious type might actually benefit from avoiding mustards and other hot foods.

Note these are broad generalisations to express the essential connotations and notions of this system of thought. One or two of these traits may dominate in us, once we are aware of our traits we can begin to adjust our lifestyle to create a more harmonious state of well-being.

Note this article is not intended to treat or attempt to treat any illness. It is provided for educational literature. This literature is written to inspire and promote well-being.

Take care, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more information on healthy vegan diets .

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

[Note: this article is not intended to treat or attempt to treat any illness. It is provided for educational literature. This literature is written to inspire and promote well-being.]

Modern medicine recognises Hippocrates to be the founding father. Hippocrates lived in a time of traditional western medicine.
That era of medicine classified foods into 4 basic groups – Hot and dry, Hot and moist, Cold and moist, Cold and dry. Diseases and illness (physical or mental) were thought to be imbalances. To treat these imbalances the diet was changed, plants recommended with lifestyle changes. As we know at any time of illness, rest is key!

This article will list some common foods in 2 of these basic groups and then explain how these foods affect us in our daily lives. Yet things are not as they were all those hundreds of years ago in the era of Hippocrates. Today foods are often eaten in processed form to some degree, fruits (mainly eaten fresh) are usually farmed with chemicals (non-organic) and pollution has significantly increased.

The biggest cause of flu and colds is stress. Stress decreases our immune defence and we are more susceptible to passing viruses and bacteria. Resistance to these bugs is generally affected by our environment, current states of health and diets. Many scientific studies validate how fruits, vegetables and other whole foods support our immune system through their powerful phytonutrients. We are encouraged to believe in the power of our diet.

Not many people can literally afford to be ill, to take time off from work and our daily chores. We have arrived at the era of symptomatic treatment. Even though medical science has enabled doctors to have more geared up tests, machines and instruments to discover the cause, we still commonly resort to symptomatic treatment. At times it is essential it is lifesaving, yet at other times symptomatic treatment provides short term relief at the expense of long term well-being. There is a pill or tablet for almost any ache or pain, yet often the exact prescribed pill or tablet has side effects and does not address the cause of our ailment.

In this time of medicine we seem to have largely forgotten the simplicity of how foods and herbs can affect our general state of well-being (have power to affect and change our health). As many people are so absorbed in the era of symptomatic tablets we bypass the huge impact of our foods and herbs that act more slowly but more in harmony with natural health.

Hot and dry foods

Garlic
Onions
Peppers, includes green, yellow and red bell peppers
Mustard
Hazelnuts
Cashews
Grapes
Chickpeas
Aniseed
Nutmeg
Parsley
Alcohol

For anyone with a proneness to fevers, redness of the face and any condition with a rise in body temperature – do try to avoid peppers, spices and any foods that tend to have a heating/warming effect.
We all know that alcoholics (people that habitually binge drink and drink to excess) tend to have a redness of the face. There are a variety of physiological reasons why but simply we know that alcohol has that heating and drying effect. This is why it is highly recommended to drink a glass of water or other non-alcoholic cool beverage between each serving of an alcohol-containing drink.

Cold and moist foods

Soya and rice milk
Fructose and glucose which ensures that generally most fruits are cold or moist to a degree
Sugar cane
Brown, white and basmati rice
Pumpkin and butternut

For mucous conditions, such as bronchitis, asthma, flus and colds with wheezy coughs and ‘runny nose’, sinusitis and any upper respiratory condition with excess mucous production – do try avoid dairy and any other food that promotes a moist effect. Damp conditions in weather also tend to promote more wheezy mucous like conditions.

Many people with excess mucous in the lungs, as in bronchial asthma may benefit from living along the coast. The saline sea air aids in drying up the unnecessary phlegm in the chest. Salted spray has subsequently been marketed as ’saline spray’ to assist in sinus difficulties.

Take care,
Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more information on vegan health .

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

It is a misconception to presume that all vegans follow healthy dietary habits. With a diverse and wide range of vegan foods on the market, it reflects the trend for pursuing a vegan lifestyle.

There are a wide variety of vegan friendly foods marketed for the consumer. All these vegan processed foods are manufactured with the focus on taste appeal and attractive presentation, i.e. sales!

The vegan lifestyle will not necessarily be a healthy one. As with all things in life, once we begin to process foods we tend to alter the food to various degrees. It is all dependent on the method of processing the original plant food and how and what we add to it.

A grainy example

We know that rice is healthy – it is high in complex carbohydrates and has a significant amount of vitamins and minerals. Rice is especially noteworthy for containing high fiber and magnesium levels. As it belongs to the cereal grains, it is naturally low in sodium and calcium. What have we done with rice? We refine it to produce white rice, which does ensure it is more easily digestible. For people with weak digestion, white rice is useful. However white rice, having had its outer nutritious bran and germ layers/sections removed, is much lower in nutrients than brown rice.

Brown rice is unrefined rice with its germ section (containing vitamin E, some other essential fatty acids and nutrients), the bran layer (high in fiber, some protein and other nutrients) and the main bulk middle compartment, called the endosperm (high in carbohydrates), intact. All those nutrients in the bran and germ layer support metabolism and balanced blood sugar regulation. White rice is higher in calories and low in nutrients and fiber compared to brown rice. This is a result of white rice mainly consisting of the endosperm section of the grain.

We can easily buy packaged brown rice that is flavoured. It still gets a vegan friendly tick but is it healthy? Most of these packaged flavoured rices are high in salt, contain additives and some other natural ingredients added such as herbs and spices. The other additives may be artificial and further compromise our health.

Flavoured bottled water too often contains artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. Yet the media has shown that some studies do link aspartame to being potentially carcinogenic. We truly do not know what all the effects of the many artificial / man-made additives have on our cells and our bodies.

Is brown rice so pure though? No, it has phytic acid and this can bind with minerals and form insoluble substances, thereby reducing our full access to the minerals in the rice. Try not to read labels at face value; analyze and use your common sense when noting that a portion / serving of rice has so much magnesium, you are not guaranteed to that full numerical value. Your state of emotions at meal times and during digestion, your state of digestive function, and your overall health, will all influence how you digest your food.

High fiber foods (processed foods are rarely high in fiber) provide bulk without excess calories; this supports a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index which is an index for a person’s ideal weight comparative to the person’s height). High fiber diets assist in protecting us against cardiovascular disease and colon cancer.

So soy

Soya beans have such a controversial public image that it is like walking on egg shells trying to talk to some people about them. It is especially soya beans’ natural phytoestrogen content that either has firm friends or foes. Phytoestrogens have a subtle effect in enhancing or balancing the female hormones and in providing antioxidant effects.

They are a vegan food and it provides a great milk alternative as soya milk. Soya milk is usually fortified with calcium and has valuable protein levels. It is processed and how it is processed does affect whether it will be healthy vegan milk or not at all. Adding sugars and additives does bring down its rating as a healthy milk alternative. Are the soya beans non GMO (genetically modified)? … and knowing if only nature identical and natural additives have been added will influence its quality.

Some meaty thoughts

Then there are the meat substitutes for vegans, and they can be extremely tasty yet what are they usually derived from? Mostly soya beans … The beans are processed into texturized soya protein. They become concentrated sources of protein with a reduction of nutrients. The use of monosodium glutamate (MSG) may be added to impart a meaty flavor. MSG has been linked to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), causing a sense of illness and allergies. MSG is made by a combination of salt and a type of amino acid; it is man-made and could be termed as an artificial additive.

Whether vegan meat is MSG free or not, it tends to be high in salt. The starting material of processed vegan foods is generally higher in nutrients than the finished products; unless we fortify it with added nutrients. Then there is the issue of the altered chemical structure during processing.

Is it right to make an ado about avoiding vegan processed foods? No, but it is worth your time to consider that processed vegan food is a great deal similar to ordinary processed foods (except the starting material differs). Should we shun it completely? No, it is fine in moderation. We need salt, but we need it in balanced amounts relative to potassium (found in high levels in fresh fruits, vegetables and other plant based foods).

Ever heard this adage: “Too much of a good thing is a bad thing”? Well that applies to natural foods too. Do not over-eat fruits and vegetables as that can actually also cause an imbalance in your body.

In conclusion, a healthy vegan diet ideally should consist mainly of whole natural foods, high in vegetables, fresh fruits, cereal grains, pulses, sprouts, herbs, spices, nuts and seeds.

In health and happiness,
Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more healthy vegan diets .

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

The range of breakfast cereals on the market is vast. All compete on flavor, texture and attractive appeal.
It is worth our time analyzing the labels to make informed choices in what we feed ourselves. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it is what fuels us for the day ahead and what breaks our fast since our last meal (which may be at least several hours before).

A comparison between Weet-bix, Jungle Oatso Easy Original, Oates and Pronutro (wheat free Pronutro) reveals the following nutritional differences:

Pronutro is just slightly higher in calories than Jungle Oatso Easy. Then comes Oates and lowest in calories is Weet-Bix. For anyone trying to manage a lower calories intake, the Weet-Bix is the prime choice.
Highest in protein is Pronutro, then Oatso Easy, closely followed by Weet-Bix. Then lowest in protein is Oates. For athletes, Pronutro cereal is fabulous as it fuels energy and supplies many essential nutrients. Pronutro also benefits the elderly, anyone recovering from illness and during times of growth (children, adolescents, periods of pregnancy and breast feeding). Pronutro is easy to digest and requires minimal chewing while being easy for anyone with teeth problems (which does tend to be an issue as we reach older years).

Highest in fiber (which brings down cholesterol) is Weet-Bix, closely followed by Pronutro. After that it is Oatso Easy and lowest in fiber is Oates. For anyone with high cholesterol levels, piles, the need to lose weight and poor colon function, higher fiber intake is generally desired. However there are studies that show the fiber in oats is also especially effective in reducing cholesterol and this indicates that the Weet-Bix and Oatso Easy may be prime choices for cases of high cholesterol.

Additionally, all the above mentioned cereals are nutrient fortified. The lowest in sodium (this is beneficial for people with high blood pressure) is Weet-Bix, closely followed by Oatso Easy. Then follows Pronutro, which is still relatively low in sodium. Highest in sodium is Oates. Sometimes the more processed a food, the higher it may be in sodium.

Weet-Bix is the most natural and least altered with additives. From reading the ingredients list it seems then it is Pronutro and Oatso Easy. These 3 are the best overall and for optimum nutritional intakes opt for Pronutro; as Pronutro is the most nutrient fortified out of these 4 mentioned cereals.

Lowest in sugars are Oatso Easy and Weet-Bix. Then it is Pronutro. This is especially beneficial for anyone with blood sugar irregularities. Anyone with blood sugar irregularities may benefit more from Oatso Easy and Weet-Bix. Highest in sugars is Oates.

Overall Weet-Bix and Oatso Easy may look dull and old fashioned, yet they are overall healthier than some of the more attractively packaged, sweeter tasting breakfast cereals. Advertising is a major factor in consuming processed foods. For optimum health, our breakfast meal should be composed of as much balanced whole natural based foods as possible. Fortification with nutrients is a benefit to our health yet the addition of too many additives and the alteration of the starting basic food can change the effect of foods on our health.

Consequently there are some healthy breakfast cereals being produced on the market and they are worth our consumption. However there are many breakfast cereals that are nutrient fortified yet generally are high in sugars and additives for taste appeal and attractive appearance. These are great for times when we need a high energy sugar intake, such as before an athletic/physical exercise/activity. Long term they drain us as they do not supply balanced, healthy fats and protein.

Take care
Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more nutrition for vegans information.

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

Tinned

Tinned food has come a long way. As food technology advances, tinned foods still have a major space in supermarket food stores. As the holiday season is present and many people want to save on cooking or preparation time, tinned foods often sells more.

The great aspect of tinned beans is that they are pre-cooked and ready for consumption. Often the surrounding syrup in a can of beans is high in salt and sugar. To reduce this many people rinse the beans with cool water. Yet as with all tinned foods, most of the nutrients (the water soluble nutrients) tend to be disolved in the syrup. So with a loss of syrup is a loss of minerals, vitamin C and B vitamins.

The preparation of whole natural foods to be suitable for being placed in tins involves several processes. Often peeling, removal of seeds and cutting of the vegetables and fruits into smaller sizes are just some of these processes. Generally the processing involve loss of some nutrients, addition of preservatives and a change in taste.

Originally canned foods were placed in tin cans (made literally of tin) and with technology the cans have been upgraded to other metals. Now many modern cans are formulated from aluminum.

There are advantages and disadvantages with canning foods. Tinned foods provide us with foods for long periods of storage. Foods in tins are convenient and still contribute to our nutrient intake yet are not as comparably beneficial as the fresh counterpart.

The preservatives added to tinned foods are also worth our concern. Naturlite labeled tinned fruit produces tinned fruit pieces preserved in fruit juice without any added cane sugar. This is fantastic!

Tinned tomatoes are often preserved with sugar and/or salt. One of the most natural ways is to preserve them is with citric acid. Yet tomatoes or any food containing high amounts of acid, such as citric acid, will cause leaching of the inner aluminum into the food. This can cause a subtle metal toxic poisoning that may lead to symptoms depending on the intake dosage. A general sense of depleted vitality with sluggish cellular function will lead to some form of disease.

Key things to check on tinned foods:
• Expiry date;
• The tin is not dented;
• The tinned food uses natural preservatives, nature-identical preservatives and minimal or no artificial preservatives;
• The amount of added salt can significantly disrupt the natural potassium/sodium balance in foods and therefore disrupt our balanced mineral intake that further disrupts our metabolic balance;
• The level of added sugar;
• High acid containing foods in aluminum cans;
• Read the nutritional label and try to avoid anything with over 700 mg of sodium per serving portion;
• Read labels for low GI (glycemic index)

Remember it is your body that you are feeding, and the people you care for, when you prepare foods for yourself and others. It is a responsibility for us to be functioning at our best, and we may only do this when we eat healthy, live healthy and think healthy.

Take care, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more healthy vegan information.

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

Mash facts

Mash potato is ubiquitous and for a vegan would often be avoided when eating out, as most cooks tend to add dairy produce such as butter and milk. My reason for avoiding mash potato is that it is often a source of extra sodium/salt or dairy fat.

Mash can be prepared from cauliflower too, which can be cooked and smashed into a substitute mash. However when we want a high energy meal and something more dense, smash potato is an ally.

In South Africa potatoes, spinach and onions are almost always in stock in shops and are relatively reasonably priced. I tend to pull away from spinach as I find the taste to be uncompromising for my taste buds. Yet as spinach is high in fiber and iron – 2 things we all may need more of to be healthy vegans – I had to try incorporating it into my meals.

The reputation of spinach supporting strength lies in its unique nutritional composition. Spinach also supplies some useful amino acids to build up protein structures.

I decided mixing spinach with soup did not quite do it, to conceal the taste; perhaps a strong onion and mash potato would do it. The onion adds hardly any calories and the same applies to spinach! This is generally a low calorie mash potato dish as there is not any significant addition of calorie loaded ingredients.
Onions not only add a pungent zest, they also provide fantastic antioxidants, such as quercetine, that are shown to ward off the development of cardiovascular disease.

By not adding salt, this is an ideal recipe for anyone with an eye on keeping their heart and overall blood pressure healthy. The natural sodium in potato, onion and spinach, is ideally balanced with their potassium content, which aids healthy blood pressure.

The iron in the spinach supports our red blood cells’ ability to carry or transport oxygen, and this further supports physical activity. We need healthy red blood cells that can supply oxygen to adequately perform physical exertion. If we do not have that we develop symptoms of anemia. Anemia is a state of fatigue after walking fast, or during any physical exertion when we become tired and out of breath quickly. A paleness is evident and a sense of mental and physical fatigue or weakness.

A nutritious recipe for mashed potato

The following is a recipe for an energy and iron boosting mash potato; for one person. Increase ingredients as required for more people, who may be prepared to consume a high green iron mash potato:

Cut 3 small or 2 medium sized unpeeled potatoes into chunks and dunk into boiling water. Adding vitamin C to boiling water is reputed to conserve the vitamin C more efficiently. Let simmer until the potato is soft. Then add finely chopped onion rings of about a handful (or less if you want a more mundane final taste). Turn up the heat to let it simmer for about a few minutes. Then let it cool.

Add finely chopped or shredded pieces of 2 or 3 spinach leaves. The mixture should have little water left in with the potatoes. If there is significant water then the final mixture will be runny and more of a soup than mash potato. Then mix all in a blender.

Add a pinch of salt for a more salty taste (for anyone with blood pressure concerns rather do avoid the added salt). Do rather add herbs of sweet basil or parsley or even a little grounded black pepper to the final mixture, for additional flavor. Depending on how much onions were added, the onions alone should provide adequate taste.

Serve hot (warm it up) or cold. This can be eaten as a high energy meal as the potatoes will be supplying ample carbohydrates. It will contain negligible fat. This is a great meal for anyone seeking to obtain more iron in their diet, support cardiovascular health and to boost energy.

In your health and do email me anytime on relevant nutritional matters.

Take care, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more vegan nutritional information.

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

Potentially harmful food

I have written and composed numerous articles and reviews on the healthy and beneficial ingredients of natural plant foods. However this article will focus on some potentially harmful ingredients in plant foods. These can be toxic as we have inadequate detoxification systems designed to deal with some toxins.

Grapefruit increases oestrogen levels and increases statin (the medical drugs used to regulate and bring down cholesterol in the blood) levels which can be dangerous. Anyone on the contraceptive pill should also be mindful that grapefruit has a way of interacting with the functioning of the pill and therefore to interfere with its effectiveness.

Grapefruit has the power to reduce or inhibit certain detoxification pathways. This means that when we eat grapefruit regularly and use certain drug medications, our ability to effectively detoxify those drugs will be reduced and we may experience a stronger effect from the drugs. If you are on any drug medication, do discuss with your healthcare professional if there are any implications of your dietary intake of grapefruit.

Peach, apple, cherry, plum and apricot fruit seeds are rarely eaten yet it is worth being aware that all these seeds contain cyanide. Swallowing them is not as dangerous as having chewed them before swallowing them whole. The tough outer seed coating protects the inner contents and often the whole seed will pass out of our digestive system undigested. Yet when we have chewed the seed, we are susceptible to exposure to toxic cyanide, which can be fatal at certain levels.

Potatoes belong to the nightshade family and contain solanine. Solanine is a toxin yet we can tolerate it easily at the low levels found in potatoes. However when a potato is green or has sprouted, the levels of solanine increase and can be harmful. Ideally the potato that has green sections or has sprouted should be thrown out; or at least cut away those sections.

Improperly cooked dried beans can be toxic and upset your digestion. Beans contain a type of toxin that is destroyed by soaking and their molecule structures are not properly digested if they are cooked insufficiently. Always soak beans for about 10-12 hours, boil for 10 minutes and then simmer until soft.

Brinjals contain such a minor amount of nicotine that it is not harmful to us yet it is worth knowing about if you wish to avoid any trace amounts of nicotine.

Rhubarb leaves are toxic but not rhubarb stalks.

Food care for pets

Theobromine in chocolate is poisonous for dogs and cats. Xylitol (the natural sweetener, often found in ‘healthy’ sugar free products common to health shops) is another ingredient that is poisonous and can be fatal for dogs and cats. Avocado pear has persin which can be dealt with by humans but not generally by domestic animals. Persin is a toxin for cats and dogs. Garlic, onions, caffeine (in tea and coffee) and macadamia nuts are all harmful to feed dogs and cats.

The above noted foods are a short insight into some of our toxic natural plant ingredients.

Take care, do email me anytime for advice on your nutritional health.

Smiles, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more vegan health information.

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

Although we generally place peanuts along with nuts, peanuts belong to the legume family. Legumes consist of peas, lentils, beans, chickpeas as well as peanuts. Legumes are all high in protein and have noteworthy magnesium, potassium and some fiber.

Peanuts are uniquely different as they have a high fat content compared to other types of legumes and significant vitamin E. Vitamin E is an essential vitamin and a proven antioxidant in protecting us from cancer and ageing. Many of our foods have minor levels of vitamin E, yet nuts, seeds and peanuts are common sources of this vitamin.

The fat of peanuts belongs to a class of healthy fats known as monounsaturated fats. Avocadoes and olive oil are some other well-known suppliers of monounsaturated fats. Peanuts also deliver essential omega 6, needed especially for immune system, brain and eye health. They have substantial components of antioxidants to protect against disease development and ageing; while being high fuel suppliers for energy.

Peanuts are not perfect for everyone. There are people with peanut allergies, who develop severe reactions that can be fatal due to exposure. Peanuts can also be prone to mold. The mold produces alfatoxins that are harmful and dangerous for consumption. Mold contamination is more likely in warm, damp conditions. It is ideal to store peanuts in dry and sealed containers with some form of preservation treatment. The most common form of preservation is salting and roasting.

Adding salt is one of the oldest methods of preserving foods. Anyone with high blood pressure, due to excess sodium and deficient potassium intakes or sensitivity to salt, will need to avoid salted peanuts or wash off the salt by rinsing with water and lightly rubbing them dry. Roasting peanuts not only enhances the flavor but also increases levels of a type of antioxidant (p-coumaric).

Peanut snacks

Peanuts and raisins are one of the healthiest high energy yielding snacks. Raisins provide the quick yielding energy in the form of sugars while peanuts provide longer lasting energy in the form of fats and protein. Peanuts are ideal (not only as a bar snack to accompany alcoholic beverages) for athletes, travellers, for lunch boxes, as part of meals or as a snack.

Peanuts can be processed into peanut butter and flour. These are useful foods yet they do not contain the same nutritional profile as the peanut itself. Peanut butter should be as natural as possible without artificial preservatives. The level of added salt, sugar and refined oil is also a factor to consider.

The sodium level content in peanuts is balanced against its potassium level content. It has about double the a

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

It is of less necessity generally for a vegan to ‘detox’ than for a meat eater. It is even less of a concern for a wholefood plant eater avoiding all processed foods to detox. Why am I writing about this? Well I was interviewed for SHAPE magazine about detoxing.

There are some misunderstandings:

“It is not only during detox diets or detox days that we detox”. Nonsense! Our bodies are managing detoxification pathways every minute. We produce natural toxins.

Our bodies are designed to eliminate toxins, if not we would be dead. We make toxins all the time during metabolic functions. However due to our lower wholefood intakes, higher processed food intakes and exposure to various environmental and lifestyle toxins, a period of detoxification will give our body “a break” and support elimination of toxins far more than we would otherwise usually take effort to care about.

Although we are designed to detoxify there are some substances we are not designed to detoxify and we can die when exposed to it. Anything that we cannot adequately detoxify, we tend to label it as poison.
Drug medications can be detoxified by us yet the by-products or breakdown products can be toxic or poisonous. Some medications can have fatal effects. It is when a substance exceeds the threshold for which it can be detoxified and excreted that we suffer the toxic effects.

Foods that support detoxification best are foods that are free of artificial preservatives, have a natural composition of nutrients and antioxidants that work in a synergistic manner, are fresh, and produced or grown organically.

Fruits are usually the special component of detox diets. Fruits tend to jump start stage 1 detoxification and stage 2 more powerfully though than they do elimination. Without matching powerful support for elimination we develop a state called ‘aggravation’. Symptoms of headaches, aches and pains and nausea can develop.

During this experience in a detox programme the person is having a rush-out of toxins from the cells into the blood and lymphatic system. Swollen lymph glands may also develop. Without sufficient promotion for elimination, the toxins circulate in the body and can be eliminated to a degree yet they will also lodge and settle down again in the cells.

To support elimination, drink ample clean water and have lymph massage therapy. Enemas and colonic irrigation may be added as regular bowel movements are important for elimination of toxins. This is partly why vegetables with their high fiber content are valuable components in healthy lifestyles.

Utilizing a milder detox diet with vegetables, and not only fruit and fresh fruit juices, is of more benefit. It has a more balanced effect. There are advantages to a ‘wean week’ which is a run up period to a detox as it allows time to experiment with alternatives. One can experiment with various fresh fruits and vegetables.

Detox spas receive negative publicity when there is misunderstanding of how to handle detoxification. A qualified holistic therapist should be consulted during detox, especially when adverse symptoms appear. Unfortunately many people toss away the fruit after a fruit fast as their experience was unpleasant and harsh on their body. This does not have to be the way and detox diets should be a time of better understanding of our body and being conscious of how foods affect us.

There are different ways foods can interact with detoxification pathways. Rancid fats made by heating monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats to prepare fried potato chips or eggs will depress detoxification pathways by increasing our body’s work load to metabolize garbage (not needed).

As detoxification pathways require vitamins and minerals as co-factors for enzymes, the more fruit, vegetables and whole foods we eat the more we support detoxification.

The stages of detoxification

There are 2 stages in detoxification, stage 1 and stage 2.

Stage 1 incorporates deactivating or neutralizing reactive toxins/free radicals. Stage 2 incorporates adding a chemical (conjugation) to the toxin/free radical to also neutralize and assist in its elimination. By binding methyl groups, glucoronic acid, or other chemicals, the toxin is effectively able to make the transit out of the body – in elimination.

Not everyone has the same degree of activity in detoxification pathways. Some of us can handle or manage more toxic exposure than others, without becoming ill and suffering poisonous results. Our ability or degree of detoxification is determined by genetics. Do not frown in dismay … Science has shown that we can switch genes on and off through our lifestyle. We truly do hold the power of health by the way we think, act and what we expose ourselves to.

Not all toxins are processed by stage 1; some are only processed by stage 2. Eliminative pathways are through the bowel into the feces, through the urinary tract into urine, through the respiratory system into expelled air, through the hair and skin. Of course any bodily secretion is an elimination of some sort. Typically the ’snotty’ or runny nose develops when there is active elimination during a viral infection. The body is trying to push out the toxins via infection.

Our body temperature tends to rise during detoxification and elimination. As detoxification takes up energy, internal heat rises in the body as we burn calories/fuel. It is imperative to attain adequate nutrients and fuel to support detoxification.

Grapefruit can reduce or inhibit certain detoxification pathways. All medications/drugs are detoxified and metabolized to a degree within our body before safely being excreted or removed. Anyone on the contraceptive pill, statins (for cholesterol management), certain immune-suppressants, antihistamines and some other specific drugs/medications should be cautious about grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

Grapefruit has been shown to increase estrogen levels. It does this by inhibiting an enzyme (cytochrome P450 3A4) that has a role in detoxification pathways and metabolism of hormones. Cytochromes P450 are a group of active enzymes in stage 1 detoxification. As estrogen is a hormone that needs to be actively metabolized before being excreted from our body, it is affected by decreased active metabolism – caused by grapefruit consumption. This may be seen as an issue when estrogen levels are being monitored and need management.

The best course of action is always to discuss issues of concern with a relevant health care professional, as each individual has a unique set of circumstances and health care priorities.

“Falling off the wagon” during a detox may range from overeating chocolate or having a nibble of crumbled chicken. As we are constantly detoxing, it won’t spell the end of it at all but rather just be adding more work for your body.

It is imperative to know that in our body, detoxification takes place every minute. Detox is a fad word. What does happen during a detox is that we become conscious of what we put into our body to support its health and ease the work load for it in detoxification.

Do email your relevant queries anytime, always glad to correspond with readers.

In your health, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more information on vegan health.

… a regular nutrition series for vegans by Anastacia Sampson

The following soup is light around your waist (low in calories), light on your pocket (cost effective), filling for your stomach and an immune booster…

This winter I had the task to prepare a vegetable soup for a meat eater and 2 little girls that love the usual processed foods. The idea was that they needed vegetables as they had been ill with the travelling flu virus. Symptoms ranged from snotty nose, cough and ear ache.

The simple ingredients

While in the supermarket, Pick n Pay to be precise, I had to select some basic ingredients that would be nutritious yet have taste appeal. Also it had to be basic as I cannot cook that well due to lack of adequate experience (my perfect excuse). Smiles! I purchased white sweet potato (the white variety is denser in carbohydrates and less watery than the orange variety), butternut and baby marrows. There were onions at home and they were the fourth vegetable ingredient.

One medium to large sweet potato (about 220 grams) and double that amount in butternut (440 grams) was used. Retain the peel and add it as well. The pieces were chopped up in chunks. The baby marrow was sliced up; I used about 4 of them. Then a small handful of chopped up onions were also tossed into a pot of hot water over a gas stove. For a more pungent taste, use more onions or add one or two sticks of leek.
The gas cooking is reputed by some chefs to enhance the taste of food. Once the vegetables are soft, use a whizz/liquidizer or potato masher to mush it all and turn into a watery paste. If it is too watery, resume cooking to evaporate moisture; if it is too thick then add water.

Then add crushed black pepper and a little salt or herbs to complete it and serve hot.

The benefits

In winter our immune systems need a boost and cold harsh winter winds can be rough on our skin. The benefit of this soup is that it is cost-effective and each ingredient has special properties.

The sweet potato is high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that is able to ward away disease development and slow down the rate of ageing. Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is another antioxidant that has been scientifically shown to protect us against cardiovascular disease. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in our bodies. Vitamin A is essential for a strong immune system and healthy skin. Sweet potato is also great in delivering a variety of other nutrients.

Butternut is especially high in beta-carotene. Onions deliver quercetin, an antioxidant that protects us against complications of sugar diabetes and general disease development. Quercetin supports maintenance of strong blood capillaries. Onion adds a great tang to any soup.

The baby marrow adds colour and fiber. Baby marrow has an extremely low calorie count and a cup of it has only about 20 calories!

The soup can be amended: for a richer and creamier consistency, use more sweet potato than butternut.

The comments from my guests varied. The meat eater enjoyed it and had second servings, although he suggested meat pieces can be added sometimes. The 7 year old also had seconds. Yet the youngest, aged 6, did not like it that much. The consensus was that it was filling.

A soup is always versatile

The ingredients in the above mentioned soup are suitable for weight watchers or anyone trying to manage weight. The high fiber content will support lowering high cholesterol levels. For sugar diabetes, this is an ideal soup. The sweet potato has a low GI despite being sweet and all the ingredients are suitable for anyone with blood sugar problems.

To boost this soup, add a cup of lentils. The lentils add protein and extra iron. Regular potatoes can be used instead of sweet potatoes if sweet potatoes are not liked, however it does alter the nutritional profile and taste of the soup.

Homemade soup is perfect for babies, the elderly and anyone with digestive problems. It is simple to digest and does not require any chewing. This makes it also ideal for people recovering from illness. Unfortunately many processed powdered soups, which are quick to prepare by just adding hot water, are high in salt for taste yet have almost no nutritional value.

This wholesome soup above can be prepared within an hour.

If you have any questions or suggestions for your nutritional health do email me anytime.

Winter smiles, Anastacia

Visit Vegan SA for more information on healthly vegan dining.