Dinner So, what and why:
Organic spinach, pumpkin, broccolini and onion - Why? Because organic vegetables are more nutrient dense ie have more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and don't (shouldn't) contain pesticide residue. Also different coloured vegetables contain different phytonutrients that all play different roles in the body. It's important to eat a variety of colours and types of vegetables to get a good mix of nutrients.
Lightly steamed - Why? So that heat sensitive nutrients (like vitamin C, folate and phytonutrients) are not completely destroyed as they would be if overcooked, and so minerals are not lost in cooking water if boiling. Here's a good table on vitamins and what their individual vulnerabilities are:http://www.beyondveg.com/tu-j-l/raw-cooked/raw-cooked-2e.shtml Also I still don't tolerate too much raw veg so eat my veg mostly lightly steamed these days.
Raw organic cucumber - Why? Because beneficial enzymes and some nutrients are going to be lost in steaming, and I can handle a bit of raw veg. Enzymes help to digest your food which takes some pressure off your digestive system they also help with numerous other bodily processes, more on that another time.
Organic sauerkraut - Why? Fermented foods contain probiotic (good) bacteria, SO important for EVERYTHING. I thought 60% of your immune system is located in your gut but my teacher said that it's up to 80%. Beneficial bacteria play a vital role in helping to maintain your immune system. Fermented foods also contain those beneficial enzymes.
'Grass-fed and finished' beef mince - Why? Because cows naturally eat grass, not grain. When they eat grain their meat becomes unusually high in omega 6 fatty acids that in high concentrations in the human body are inflammatory and inflammation leads to so many bad things! Heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, diabetes etc. Most western diets provide very high omega 6 levels, we don't need more from beef. When grazing cattle are grass-fed and finished (meaning grass-fed all the way through, not grain-fed at the end for fattening up before slaughter like most are) their meat apparently has more omega 3 than fish! Omega 3 fatty acids counteract the inflammatory effects of omega 6. Good stuff.
Here's a whole lot of scholarly articles on omega 3 and 6 and inflammation for those that appreciate them:http://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=omega+6+inflammatory+response&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=LW4hU7yZGZCEkgX9hoHICA&ved=0CCkQgQMwAA
At least a tablespoon of cold pressed, virgin coconut oil - Why? You'll notice there's no grains in this meal and no starchy veg either. That's common for me at present. My diet is currently very low in carbohydrate (as I was reacting to grains and high carb foods as a result of being vegan, my body didn't like it for more than a short period), and so my energy comes from fat. Good fats are so important for the brain. Most people don't get enough good fats. More about them another time.
Organic spinach, pumpkin, broccolini and onion - Why? Because organic vegetables are more nutrient dense ie have more vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and don't (shouldn't) contain pesticide residue. Also different coloured vegetables contain different phytonutrients that all play different roles in the body. It's important to eat a variety of colours and types of vegetables to get a good mix of nutrients.
Lightly steamed - Why? So that heat sensitive nutrients (like vitamin C, folate and phytonutrients) are not completely destroyed as they would be if overcooked, and so minerals are not lost in cooking water if boiling. Here's a good table on vitamins and what their individual vulnerabilities are:http://www.beyondveg.com/tu-j-l/raw-cooked/raw-cooked-2e.shtml Also I still don't tolerate too much raw veg so eat my veg mostly lightly steamed these days.
Raw organic cucumber - Why? Because beneficial enzymes and some nutrients are going to be lost in steaming, and I can handle a bit of raw veg. Enzymes help to digest your food which takes some pressure off your digestive system they also help with numerous other bodily processes, more on that another time.
Organic sauerkraut - Why? Fermented foods contain probiotic (good) bacteria, SO important for EVERYTHING. I thought 60% of your immune system is located in your gut but my teacher said that it's up to 80%. Beneficial bacteria play a vital role in helping to maintain your immune system. Fermented foods also contain those beneficial enzymes.
'Grass-fed and finished' beef mince - Why? Because cows naturally eat grass, not grain. When they eat grain their meat becomes unusually high in omega 6 fatty acids that in high concentrations in the human body are inflammatory and inflammation leads to so many bad things! Heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, diabetes etc. Most western diets provide very high omega 6 levels, we don't need more from beef. When grazing cattle are grass-fed and finished (meaning grass-fed all the way through, not grain-fed at the end for fattening up before slaughter like most are) their meat apparently has more omega 3 than fish! Omega 3 fatty acids counteract the inflammatory effects of omega 6. Good stuff.
Here's a whole lot of scholarly articles on omega 3 and 6 and inflammation for those that appreciate them:http://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=omega+6+inflammatory+response&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=LW4hU7yZGZCEkgX9hoHICA&ved=0CCkQgQMwAA
At least a tablespoon of cold pressed, virgin coconut oil - Why? You'll notice there's no grains in this meal and no starchy veg either. That's common for me at present. My diet is currently very low in carbohydrate (as I was reacting to grains and high carb foods as a result of being vegan, my body didn't like it for more than a short period), and so my energy comes from fat. Good fats are so important for the brain. Most people don't get enough good fats. More about them another time.
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