Chia, Hemp, and Flax: Are You Eating These Super Seeds?

The next big thing in nutrition might be these tiny seeds.

Chia, hemp, and flax … it’s been said that these tiny seeds are the next big thing in nutrition. If you’ve ever searched for a healthy smoothie recipe or healthy breakfast recipe, chances are you’ll find at least one of these seeds listed in the ingredients. So, why is there so much hype around these “super seeds” and how do we know which ones to include in our diets?

Seeds have been deemed “nutritional powerhouses” by health experts and for a good reason. It’s no wonder: seeds deliver as much protein as nuts (and in some cases more) and all three of these seeds deliver heart-healthy alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 fat, also found in walnuts. All three of these seeds listed below are packed with healthy oils, fiber, disease-fighting minerals and enzymes, antioxidants, and proteins. Each one of these tiny wonders has its own unique nutritional value and can be easily incorporated into just about any recipe without changing its taste or texture.

Here are 3 super food seeds that will add a nutrient-packed punch to your diet:

Chia Seeds

What is it? You may have heard of them first as the seeds that grow toy Chia pets, but chia seeds are actually an ancient super food used by Aztec warriors to increase energy and stamina on the battlefield.

Why is it good for you? In addition to being an excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, and protein, chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Integrative Nutrition visiting teacher Dr. Andrew Weil suggests they may have even more so than flax. Not to mention that this tiny seed may have over three times more calcium than milk! Chia also forms a gel when added to liquid and absorbs ten times its weight in water making it an excellent source of hydration.

Try this Chia Chocolate Tapioca Recipe for a delicious and simple way to enjoy Chia seeds. 

Hemp Seeds

What is it? Hemp seeds come from the same Cannabis species as marijuana, but don’t worry about testing positive for drugs after consuming these seeds—the minuscule amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in hemps seed make them perfectly safe to incorporate in your healthy diet.

Why is it good for you? Hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids—something uncommon in plant protein sources. This means that hemps seeds are a fantastic protein supplement for people on a plant-based diet. They’re also chock-full of fiber and packed with other nutrients, such as omega-3 and omega-6, vitamin E, B vitamins and folic acid.

Start your morning off right by blending a tablespoon of hemp seeds into your oatmeal or your post-workout smoothie for an extra hit of protein and nutrition.

Flax Seeds

What is it? This seed comes from the flax plant and has been celebrated for centuries for its health benefits by people all over the world.

Why is it good for you? Flax seeds are rich in Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid and powerful anti-inflammatory. Some studies show that due to their anti-inflammatory properties, flax seeds may help to prevent heart disease and reduce certain types of cancers.  They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, lignans, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, among other nutrients. To get the most out of your flax seeds, try grinding them first—this will make them easier for you to digest and absorb all the nutrients.

Just sprinkle ground flax seeds into cereals, baked goods, smoothies, and yogurt for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.

Which seeds do you add in your diet?

[via Wellness Today]

Organic Gardening: 10 Tips to Success

Organic gardening is the method of gardening that utilizes only materials derived from living things, ie. all natural plant foods and pesticides. Once you know the basic tenets of this practice, organic vegetable gardening is simple. And the payoff is enormous: no toxic chemicals, no waste, better for the environment as a whole, and not to mention a crop full of natural, delicious vegetables. Remember these 10 steps and you'll have a successful crop in no time!


Soil. It all begins here. Amending your soil with organic material such as composted manure or yard and kitchen scrap compost will get your dirt off to a good start. The inclusion of organic material provides a solid basis of nutrients for your plants which helps to cut down on the need for commercially made fertilizers and improves soil structure making it easier for your plant to absorb the important minerals they need. Sandy soil will not hold its moisture well. Heavy clay soil may prove too dense for healthy root development.

Fertilizer. In addition to compost, your plants will enjoy a healthy dose of other organic foodstuffs like worm poop and pee (we call this worm tea), eggshells, Epsom salts, bone meal, blood meal...the list goes on, but the key word is all-natural. Mother Nature knows what she's doing and these sources provide essential vitamins and minerals for your plants.

Beneficial insects. When planning your garden, educate yourself on which plants repel insects, which plants invite them, and what each bug eats. For instance, ladybugs eat aphids, which is a good thing because aphids will suck the life from just about any plant! By inviting ladybugs into your garden you are employing a natural form of pest control and not toxic chemicals.

Layout. When designing your garden, it's important to adhere to spacing guidelines for your plants. By keeping them close, their leaves will shade the ground beneath them. This not only cuts down on weed growth, but also helps the soil retain water, cutting down on water usage. Organic gardeners are excellent custodians of the environment. Too close, and you'll invite the growth of fungus and disease.

Companion planting. Including a wide variety of plants in your garden and planting them according to their relationship with others helps in many ways. For instance, bean plants fix nitrogen into the soil, which corn plants use to produce healthy cobs. Corn provides support for the climbing vines of the bean family. Add squash to the base and you have instant weed control!

Crop rotation. This is the practice of rotating a plant's location from season to season. Relocating your plants cuts down on soil depletion and disease infestation. In addition, plants like beans will actually put nutrients into the soil that can be used by the next crop, ie. corn. Disease will be reduced because the organisms that infect one plant pose no harm to the next, so rotating eliminates the likelihood a disease will spread.

Water. Conserving water is a key component of organic gardening. Good watering practices include the capturing and storing of rain, the use of drips hoses, and plenty of mulch. With a sprinkler system, a large amount of water can be lost to evaporation. If sprinklers must be used, it's best to water in the early morning or early evening hours. Using mulch around your plants is another way to conserve water because it keeps the soil moist longer, requiring less water to be used.

Weeds. Weed removal is best done by hand, without the use of chemicals. While tedious, this duty can be cut down tremendously by the use of smart planting. Remember, keeping plants close helps prevent weed growth. Natural mulch is another great method. Not only does it help prevent weeds, it has the added benefit of providing nutrients into the soil as it breaks down.

Cover crops. These are the plants you grow in between seasons. They help to replenish the soil with vital nutrients and prevent soil erosion. They can also be used to feed the beneficial insects in the absence of your vegetable crop and keep weeds at bay.

Seeds. Organic gardening is all about using sustainable methods and what better way to be self-sustaining than to use your own seeds! The practice of saving seeds has been around for centuries and ensures you "know what you grow." But to ensure purity and avoid cross-pollination, you must keep some distance between the same plants of different varieties. You don't want to be disappointed when you plant those tomato seeds next year and discover the result is a hybrid--and not the decadent beefsteak tomato you were looking forward to. Only heirlooms can produce the original fruit, not hybrids.

Organic vegetable gardening is all about sustainable practices. It's conservation at its best, because you are using what you have and what you can find in nature. From fall leaves to leftover food, you waste nothing in an organic garden. Plants help each other, insects play a role...why even Mother Nature helps by delivering an extra shot of nitrogen in every rain drop!

But more than being a good steward of the environment, organic gardening makes for a healthier you.

[via Huff Post | GalTime.com]

The Post-GMO Economy

One mainstream farmer is returning to conventional seed — and he’s not alone

As an invulnerable tween, Chris Huegerich, the child of a prosperous farming family, wiped out on his motorcycle in tiny Breda, Iowa. Forty years on, folks still call Huegerich “Crash.” And though he eventually went down a conventional path (married, divorced) and bought out his parents’ farm, Huegerich has recently reverted to his daredevil ways — at least when it comes to choosing what kind of corn to plant.

It’s late November, and Huegerich’s 2,800 acres in central Iowa have been neatly shorn to sepia-and-umber stubble. His enormous combines and cultivators have been precision parked — wheel nut to headlight — inside his equipment sheds. But in Huegerich’s office, between the fields and the sheds, chaos reigns. A dozen dog-eared seed catalogs litter a table, along with marked-up spreadsheets and soil maps. For farmers choosing next year’s crop, this is decision time.

Huegerich, in his combine. He has no ideological problem with GMOs but has been experimenting with conventional seeds for financial reasons

Buying seeds used to be a fairly simple matter. Farmers picked four or five varieties offered by a regional dealer, and that was that. But in the mid-1990s, biotech companies started producing seeds genetically modified with traits from other organisms. One trait made soybeans resistant to the herbicide glyphosate; another, using a protein from the soil bacterium Bt, helped corn fend off the insects rootworm and European corn borer.

Huegerich’s father eagerly embraced the new genetically modified (GMO) seeds. They cost more, but he could save money on herbicides and pesticides. His yields and profits went up, helped in part by good weather and favorable market conditions. But as revenue rose and the years passed, trouble was looming.

“Five years ago the traits worked,” says the strongly built Huegerich, who followed in his father’s footsteps and planted GMO seeds. “I didn’t have corn rootworm because of the Bt gene, and I used less pesticide. Now, the worms are adjusting, and the weeds are resistant. Mother Nature adapts.”

Staring at a future of lower corn prices and higher inputs, Huegerich decided to experiment. Two years ago, he planted 320 acres of conventional corn and 1,700 with GMO corn. To his delight, the conventional fields yielded 15 to 30 more bushels per acre than the GMO fields, with a profit margin of up to $100 more per acre. And so in 2013, he upped the ante, ordering six varieties of conventional seeds for close to 750 acres and GMOs for his remaining acres.

Attachments for a skid loader sit stacked near the silos at Huegerich’s home base. After harvest, Huegerich has a busy winter planning for next year’s crop.

Hugerich Isn’t the only farmer retreating from GMO seeds. In pockets across the nation, commodity growers are becoming fed up with traits that don’t work like they used to. Not only are the seeds expensive (GMO corn can cost $150 more per bag than conventional corn), they’re also driving farmers to buy and apply more chemicals. During the growing season, Huegerich sprays both his conventional and his GMO corn twice with herbicides and twice with pesticides, despite the GMO’s theoretical resistance to rootworm. “It gives me peace of mind,” Huegerich says. Between 2001 and 2010, the consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch reports, total on-farm herbicide use increased 26 percent as weed resistance grew. Today, 61.2 million acres of cropland, including many of Huegerich’s, are plagued by glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Just as plants and animals adapt to environmental pressures, retailers respond to consumer pressure. This past March, Whole Foods announced that by 2018 it would label all its foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. In June, Target announced it would debut a line of foods, called Simply Balanced, that would be free of genetically modified ingredients by the end of 2014. And by late summer, more than 20 states were considering genetic modification label laws.

While consumer demand will ultimately propel more non-GMO grain into the market, more proximate factors can also influence what kinds of seeds farmers plant. For example, geography. Does the grower live close to the river systems that send the vast majority of the nation’s conventional grain to GMO-averse markets in Japan, South Korea and the EU? Wyatt Muse, a merchandiser for Clarkson Grain, which buys conventional and organic corn and soybeans, pays farmers a premium — up to $2 extra per bushel over the base commodity price of soybeans, $1 for corn — to not only grow the crop but also preserve its identity. (That is, keep it separate from genetically modified grain all the way from planting through harvest, storage and transportation.)

Huegerich doesn’t live near a dry mill that would pay him a premium for conventional corn, or a river that can move his product out into the world. But he does live within trucking distance of Blair, Nebraska, where a Cargill-owned plant converts his crop into plastic for customers who want a bio-based product but can’t get behind GMO corn. “I get a fifty-cent-per-bushel premium,” Huegerich says.

Aaron Bloom doesn’t farm near an outlet that pays a premium, but he still comes out ahead with conventional corn. A crop consultant, Bloom has been experimenting with non-GMO varieties for five years on land he works around Cherokee, Iowa. “We get the same or better yields, and we save money up front,” he says. And yet when he first suggests conventional seeds to clients, he sometimes gets pushback. “Guys think that you have to get out the cultivator” — which pierces the soil between rows of crops — “and kill your weeds by hand. No! You’re going out there with the planter anyway, just add your insecticide and your conventional herbicides.” Last year, not one of the roughly 30 farmers to whom Bloom sold non-GMO seeds had a bad harvest — despite unprecedented drought. “And I’ve got another 20 trying this year.”

Still, winning converts to conventional corn can be an uphill slog. Post-harvest, farmers face a barrage of TV and print ads touting the latest seed technology. There’s a subtler psychology at work, too. Farmers have close relationships with their seed dealers, who often live nearby and keep them company at local baseball games, PTA meetings or church. “You can’t break up with them,” Bloom says, noting that seed dealers work on commission. DuPont Pioneer, for example, offers him a non-GMO corn for $180 a bag, while Wyffels Hybrids sold the same for $115 a bag last year.

Why does Pioneer charge so much? Because it doesn’t want lower-priced conventional seed to lure customers away from GMOs. Bloom says a company dealer confessed: “We don’t want our farmers to buy it.”

From left: Rotary hoes neatly stacked in Huegerich’s shop; The corn combine shows some attitude.

Into this breach, smaller companies that specialize in non-GMO seed have leapt. West Des Moines–based eMerge Genetics has averaged 30 percent growth in each of the last five years. Sales at Spectrum Seed Solutions, based in Linden, Indiana, have doubled every year of the four it’s been in business. Its president, Scott Odle, believes that non-GMO corn could be 20 percent of the market in five years. After surveying 10 smaller companies focusing on conventional seed in the grain belt earlier this year, Ken Roseboro, editor of The Organic & Non-GMO Report, reported that each saw an increase in demand. “And I think it’s going to continue,” he says.

But are there more acres of conventional corn being planted, or are small seed companies simply filling a niche that larger companies have relinquished? It’s difficult to say. Jeffrey Neu, a Monsanto spokesperson, says, “While we offer some conventional hybrids, we continue to see the greatest demand for ‘traited’ products. We typically do not provide percentage or sales information.” Daniel Jones, a business manager at DuPont Pioneer, says sales of his company’s conventional seeds have “trended up,” but he declines to say by how much. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 88 percent of the corn planted in the nation in 2011 and 2012 was genetically modified; in 2013, the percentage rose to 90. Because the total acreage of corn is so huge — 97 million acres — it obscures the acreage planted by farmers like Huegerich and Bloom. “The growth is regional and local,” Wyatt Muse of Clarkson Grain says, “so it won’t show up in the national data.”

Aaron Bloom, a farmer and business consultant at Huegerich’s farm;

The big seed companies are carefully watching state legislatures, spending tens of millions of dollars to defeat proposed labeling laws and fielding calls from food companies concerned with how such laws could impact production agriculture. “If such laws create a demand at the farmer level, we’ll have to respond,” Pioneer’s Jones says, cautiously. “But we won’t lead the charge.” Chuck Hill, specialty products manager at AgriGold Hybrids, which sells both GMOs and hybrids, sounds a similarly wary note: “Whole Foods’ decision to label was not an earthshaker,” he insists. “The company was already serving that clientele. Now, if Walmart decided to label GM food, that would be a major chit.”

And yet this parallel seed economy is churning. The Non-GMO Project, which offers third-party verification and labeling for non-GMO products, has been inundated with requests from food purveyors for information about enrolling their products, and consumer spending on non-GMO-verified products rose from $1.3 billion to $3.1 billion between 2011 and 2013. Companies that make non-GMO feed for animals, says Caroline Kinsman, communications manager for the Non-GMO Project, are experiencing “incredible demand.”

From left: A sign in the town of Breda, Iowa; Non-GMO corn shows its stuff at one of Huegerich’s farms

Sales at Hiland Naturals, which makes conventional and organic feeds for livestock, have more than doubled since it received Non-GMO Project verification last year. Most of Hiland’s customers are small farmers who sell eggs or meat at farmers markets and natural grocery stores. But many sell birds to Whole Foods and to institutions like colleges. Some of Hiland’s growth, owner Dan Masters says, comes from people wanting to know what they’re eating, some is from pending labeling laws and some is from “people who are tired of big corporations and big agriculture.”

As farmers across the grain belt were contemplating what they’d plant next spring, Masters was in talks with one of the nation’s largest animal feed producers to formulate a non-GMO-verified product. Should the deal come to fruition, it would more than double his company’s size and trigger the opening of several more mills.

“We need to get more farmers on board with conventional seed now,” Aaron Bloom says, anticipating the market’s growth. “We need to be innovative and grow toward the demand of the consumer.”

The article was produced in collaboration with the Food & Environment Reporting Network, an independent, non-profit news organization producing investigative reporting on food, agriculture and environmental health.

[via modern farmer]

Top Five Reasons to Label GMO Food

October has been designated Non-GMO Month, the month to focus on why we need to regulate genetically modified organisms (GMOs) closely. To further understand what GMOs are, go to www.nongmoproject.org.  Here are my five top reasons for why we must label GMO food!

1) The research proving the safety of GMOs is flawed. First, the only research being considered is done by the companies that created the products and profit by them and the pesticides that are necessary to grow them. Take the famous golden rice. As Rachel Parent pointed out, a person needs to eat 23 cups of rice a day to get the Vitamin A recommended dietary allowance. There are so many conflicting facts about GMOs and GMO research that 64 countries in the world refuse to allow GMO agriculture. Another way to look at it is these countries are refusing to be lab rats for flawed GMO research.

2) GMO agriculture increases the use of pesticides and water in farming. While we keep hearing that GMOs will reduce the use of water and pesticides, the opposite is the truth. A study by Washington State University concluded that the use of pesticides has increased by more than 7% because of GMO-intensive agriculture. Pesticides are water intensive. While conventional agriculture was using a billion pounds of pesticides a year, our GMO agriculture is responsible for increasing that

usage to 1.2 billion pounds annually without increasing the food supply. The patent for Roundup Ready® (RR) corn and soy beans has coincidentally expired as roundup has also lost its efficacy. RR leaves a legacy as it is responsible for increasing superweeds across the globe. The new replacement for RR will be a cocktail, much more potent and will include dicamba or 2,4- D, used as an ingredient in Agent Orange in the Vietnam war, well studied and identified with birth defects and cancer. Dicamba corn patent is currently going through USDA approval process.

3) GMO food has no benefits and will not feed the world. The most profitable corporations use World Hunger to maintain their domination in the market place. Currently, evidence is strong – we produce enough food in the world today for 10 billion people. Why are 2 billion people on our planet hungry and/or starving? It is not lack of food worldwide or even distribution, though better distribution can help. Social justice is the first place to find the real reason for hunger and starvation. Poor people cannot afford to buy food and their ability to feed themselves has been compromised. Global domination of our food by the very corporations that say they will feed the world is not the answer, it is the problem. Go to Google and search “suicides of cotton farmers in India” for a shocking peek into a tragic GMO failure. If we look at the big GMO foods in farm production today, it is mostly livestock feed – corn and soy beans – or inedible cotton. Livestock, by the way, are much happier and make higher omega milk on pasture and forage, not corn and soy. GMO ag does not lower the price of food nor produce more food. There is no known advantage to humans while there is evidence of emerging health issues and some devastating cultural issues.

4) The biotech industries – Monsanto, Cargill and DuPont – are examples of American corporations undermining democracy and abusing their power for short term domination and profits. William James, the father of American Psychology said in the late 1800s, “The most significant characteristic of modern civilization is the sacrifice of the future for the present.” Add “present profits” and we have the situation. Many citizens today wonder about the new face of democracy as we watch special interests put their agenda before what is good for all. Those following the issues sprung by a Supreme Court ruling called Citizens United, which gives corporations the status of personhood are asking “How do we get our government back?” Powerful corporations as cited above get special treatment in the government. The best way to say it is “corporate corruption.”

5) Seed ownership has consolidated and biotech owns almost all of our seed stock. Number 5 but perhaps the most important point – who owns our seeds? Weak anti-trust laws and blatant favoritism toward biotech on the Supreme Court level has allowed the consolidation of our seeds into the hands of bottom line corporations. Just two years ago, biotech owned over 65% of our seed stock2. I had the pleasure of connecting with a few Organic Seed Alliance staff members at a conference a few days ago and had to ask them how many of our seeds are controlled by biotech now and they answer was frightening:  90% of all commercial seeds are owned by 5 corporations. The questions of who should own our genetics is one that deserves a well vetted public debate. Does it bother anyone that biotech is using the human genome in its experiments? We should all be concerned about the ethics of genetic ownership and manipulation. Seed ownership needs to be in the public trust and not owned by profit-benefiting corporations.

We have to take action and advocate for our right to know. Now that I’ve given you my top five, here are five things YOU can do to help:

• Lend your voice to stop the Monsanto Protection Act
• Join the Just Label It campaign
• Support Washington 522
• Stop 2,4-D corn
• Check out the Superweed FrogTV episode and send it to unsuspecting friends and family

[via Root Stock]

25 Healthiest, Nutrient-Dense Foods

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t go first to a pharmacist to address maladies ranging from the common cold to cancer; instead, we’d create grocery shopping lists aimed at fostering optimal health. Good nutrition may not cure disease, but a growing body of research shows it could do something even more powerful: help prevent disease. “By choosing foods wisely, we can control our health destiny,” says Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Eat for Health (Gift of Health, 2008). “But we can’t make small, moderate changes to the average diet and expect prevention; we need to make aggressive, radical changes.”

Fuhrman developed a comprehensive nutrient-per-calorie ranking system, which he calls the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI). The charts on the following pages list the top ANDI-ranked foods by category. Use them as guides to make the healthiest eating choices for you and your family.

~ Top 6 Vegetables ~

Vegetables are low in calories and loaded with fiber and micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals— so eat them in unlimited quantities (exceptions: starches such as potatoes, yams, and corn).

Smart tip: Start lunch and dinner with a serving of raw vegetables, such as a large salad or crudités, to increase nutrient intake and help control appetite.

1. Dark Leafy Greens

Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, manganese, magnesium, calcium, fiber
Health Boosts: May promote eye health (thanks to carotenoids, a group of pigments found mainly in green leafy vegetables, carrots, and tomatoes), fight cancer, and reduce diabetes risk (vitamin K improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control).
Recipes:
Garlicky Mustard Greens with Garbanzos
Dandelion and Watercress Salad with Ginger Dressing
Kale with Sesame Seed Dressing

2. Bok Choy

Nutrients: Vitamin C, folate, calcium, fiber
Health Boosts: May help promote bone health and support immunity.
Recipes:
Braised Baby Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic
Bok Choy Stir-Fry with Shrimp
Baby Bok Choy

3. Brussels Sprouts

Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, manganese, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6
Health Boosts: Linked to reduced cancer risk, especially breast and colon cancers.
Recipes:
Mustard-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts
Brussels Sprouts in Sage Butter
Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Shallots

4. Radishes

Nutrients: Vitamin C, fiber, folate
Health Boosts: Help with weight control; may boost the immune system.
Recipes:
Radish, Fennel & Dandelion Salad
Black-Eyed Pea, Corn, and Radish Salad

5. Bean Sprouts

Nutrients: Vitamins C and K, folate, protein, potassium
Health Boosts: May boost satiety and assist in weight management.
Recipes:
Seaweed Salad with Bean Sprouts and Tofu
Chilled Tofu with Bean Sprouts

6. Red Bell Peppers

Nutrients: Vitamin C (three times as much as green bell peppers), vitamins A, B6, and K, fiber, manganese, folate
Health Boosts: May promote heart health. Vitamin C supports immunity; carotenoids may decrease risk of certain types of cancer, including lung cancer.
Recipes:
Grilled Red Peppers and Tomato

 

~ Top 5 Fruits ~

Eat at least four fresh fruits daily for the maximum variety of phytochemicals. Frozen fruit is a fine substitute, but avoid canned, which often contains added sweeteners. For weight loss and diabetes or prediabetes management, eat just two fruits daily, focusing on lower-sugar options such as berries, green or Granny Smith apples, melons, grapefruit, oranges, kiwifruit, and papaya.

1. Strawberries

Nutrients: Vitamin C, potassium, fiber, folate, flavonoids
Health Boost: May have anti-inflammatory, anticancer effects and promote brain health; may lower cholesterol and improve the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diets.
Recipes:
Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Strawberry Sunrise Shake

2. Pomegranate Juice

Nutrients: Antioxidants, flavonoids, potassium, fiber, calcium
Health Boost: Studies indicate that pomegranate juice has antiatherogenic (protects against plaque in the arteries), antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory effects that help fight heart disease, certain types of cancer, and brain degeneration.
Recipes:
Squash Tart with Fresh Pomegranate Juice

3. Tomatoes

Nutrients: Vitamins A, B, and C, potassium, iron, folic acid, phosphorus, carotenoids, fiber
Health Boost: Lycopene, a potent antioxidant in tomatoes, may prevent certain cancers, protect skin from UV rays, and promote overall prostate health.
Recipes:
Indian-Seasoned Tofu with Tomatoes
Quinoa and Salmon Stew with Tomatoes

4. Plums

Nutrients: Fiber, vitamins A and C
Health Boost: Plums help support immunity and may help slow development of artherosclerosis. Polyphenols from dried plums may promote bone strength and density by regulating growth factors linked to bone formation.
Recipes:
Curried Chicken with Dried Plums
One-Pan Baked Chicken with Peaches and Plums
Lettuce Wraps with Chicken in Plum Sauce

5. Raspberries

Nutrients: Manganese, vitamin C, fiber
Health Boost: Anthocyanins—red plant pigments—may protect eyes and improve heart health by preventing artery hardening and reducing blood pressure; ellagic acid, a phytochemical, helps kill certain types of cancer cells.
Recipes:
Raspberry Soup
Apple, Raspberry, and Frisée Salad
Melon and Berry Salad

 

~ Top 4 Beans and Legumes ~

Eat at least 1⁄2 cup of beans daily. Try adding them to soups, stews, and salads. Dried beans are the most economical; if you’re buying canned, look for unsalted and BPA-free varieties. To avoid gas or bloating, soak dried beans for 8 to 12 hours and slow cook with a piece of sea vegetable, such as wakame.

1. Lentils

Nutrients: Protein, fiber, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium
Health Boost: Folate may improve colon, breast, and brain health and lower blood pressure.
Recipes:
Green Lentils and Seasoned Walnuts
Curried Lentils
Grilled Salmon with Lentils and Curried Mint Yogurt

2. Black Beans

Nutrients: Iron, fiber, protein, folate, manganese, magnesium
Health Boost: Some of the best sources of antioxidants, as indicated by their dark color; may protect against colorectal cancer and slow tumor growth.
Recipes:
Cuban Black Bean & Rice Soup
Tex-Mex Bean Salad
Black Beans Cakes with Orange Basil Salsa

3. Adzuki Beans

Nutrients: Protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate
Health Boost: Promote heart health; help manage weight.
Recipes:
Oriental Bean Cakes

4. Red Kidney Beans

Nutrients: Folate, fiber, manganese, protein, iron, tryptophan, phosphorus
Health Boost: Promote heart health; may help prevent diabetes.
Recipes:
Kidney Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
Baked Winter Squash with Heirloom Beans and Hominy

 

~ Top 5 Grains ~

Not all whole-grain products are good foods, says Fuhrman. Breakfast cereals and some breads, for example, lose much of their fiber and micronutrients during processing. Choose coarsely ground grains, which the bloodstream absorbs more slowly, and always look for “whole” on the package (or the Whole Grains Council’s 100 Percent Whole Grain stamp). Whole grains should appear among the first items in the ingredient list. 

1. Oats

Nutrients: Fiber, protein, calcium, iron
Health Boost: Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber, can slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream to help fight diabetes. Oats also lower cholesterol and may reduce risk of heart disease and cancer.
Recipes:
Quick Apple-Cranberry Oatmeal
Mixed Whole-Grain Breakfast

2. Brown Rice

Nutrients: Fiber, manganese, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus
Health Boost: May improve blood glucose control; helps control weight and manage cholesterol, and may decrease asthma risk.
Recipes:
Puffed Brown Rice Tabbouleh with Red Cabbage

3. Sprouted Grain Bread

Nutrients: Fiber, protein, vitamin B1
Health Boost: When grain seedlings sprout, enzymes convert some of the fats and carbohydrates into vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; sprouted-seed breads are more filling and have less of a spiking impact on blood sugar than other breads.
Recipes:
Sprouted Spelt and Seed Bread

4. Barley

Nutrients: Fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin E
Health Boost: Look for hulled barley, which contains more nutrients than pearl barley. The FDA recently confirmed the qualified health claim linking whole-grain barley to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease; soluble fiber lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood glucose levels.
Recipes:
Barley and Spinach-Stuffed Bell Peppers
Lima Bean, Mushroom and Barley Soup

5. Quinoa

Nutrients: Protein, calcium, lysine, iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, phosphorus, fiber
Health Boost: Bolsters heart health; may protect against certain types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Recipes:
Quinoa and Wild Rice
Quinoa & Pecan Salad with Dried Cranberries
Quinoa with Mixed Vegetables

 

~ Top 5 Nuts and Seeds ~

Despite being high in calories, nuts and seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, which promote brain and heart health. Most women should limit intake to 1 ounce per day and men to 2 ounces (about a handful), especially when trying to lose weight. Increase servings if you need to fuel athletic efforts.

1. Brazil Nuts

Nutrients: Selenium, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin A, iron
Health Boost: One of the richest sources of selenium, Brazil nuts may bolster immunity, reduce the risk of cancer, and promote liver health.
Recipes:
Fresh Vegetable Rolls with Mango and Tamarind Sauce

2. Sunflower Seeds

Nutrients: Vitamins B1, B5, and E, manganese, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, folate
Health Boost: May help prevent cardiovascular disease and alleviate arthritis symptoms.
Recipes:
Soy Nut Trail Mix

3. Flaxseeds

Nutrients: Lignans (phytoestrogens), fiber, omega-3s, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Health Boost: May prevent colon, breast, skin, and lung cancers; can help treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; may decrease cholesterol levels, arterial plaque formation, and diabetes risk.
Recipes:
Fresh Ricotta with Arugula and Flaxseed Pizza
Buckwheat-Flaxseed Blueberry Pancakes

4. Sesame Seeds

Nutrients: Protein, calcium, vitamin B3, iron, zinc
Health Boost: May decrease breast cancer risk.
Recipes:
Carrot Salad with Sesame Seeds

5. Pumpkin Seeds

Nutrients: Protein, iron, zinc, omega-3s, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus
Health Boost: Help reduce cholesterol; may promote prostate health.
Recipes:
Luscious Beet Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

[via Delicious Living]

Saving Poppy Seeds

If you’ve ever considered saving seeds, but have been too afraid to try, start by saving ornamental poppy seeds. Why? Saving poppy seeds is practically labor-free, is incredibly easy, and can be done in about a minute.

The folks at Gardenerd.com grew a beautiful variety this year called Lauren’s Grape and taught us how to save the seeds from this gorgeous bloom!

This poppy inspires instant happiness

Now the flowers are long gone, and the dry seed pods remain, populating the garden in all their brown bulbous glory. It’s time to harvest the seeds for continued joy in years to come.

Seed pods turn brown and crisp

Harvesting seed is so easy. Just cut off the seed pods and keep them upright.

Poppy seed pods are architecturally beautiful

Note the holes at the top of the seed pod, just underneath the crown (the part that looks like a toupee). If you tip the pod over, the seeds come pouring out the holes.

Poppy seeds fall right out through the holes along the top

Poppy seeds are tiny, so be sure to collect them in a bowl. Or just sprinkle them back into the garden. The seeds require light to germinate, so you don’t even need to bury them. It’s that simple.

We stored our seeds in the original seed envelope, but separate from the original seeds (envelope in an envelope). Next year we’ll plant both to see how they differ, if at all.

Have you saved seeds lately? Share your experiences here.

[via Gardenerd]

Top 10 Healthiest Seeds on Earth

They come in all different sizes, shapes and colours. The seed is an embryonic plant itself and the origin of nutrition. A plant goes to great lengths to produce each seed and fill it with high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential oils and dormant enzymes. If you're looking for a high quality, nutritious and filling snack, seeds are tough to beat. Let's look at the ten healthiest seeds on Earth and how to consume them.

A seed is life. It is a living food. It is impossible to eat a raw seed and not derive nutrition.

Many seeds are edible and the majority of human calories come from seeds, especially from legumes and nuts. Seeds also provide most cooking oils, many beverages and spices and some important food additives.

In different seeds the seed embryo or the endosperm dominates and provides most of the nutrients. The storage proteins of the embryo and endosperm differ in their amino acid content and physical properties.

How to Eat Seeds

There is only one way to derive nutrition from seeds and that is to eat them raw. Once they are exposed to heat, they produce toxic substances and the vitamin, mineral and essential oil profiles are denatured. By roasting a seed, its classification moves from a living food to a dead food. There is no seed on earth that can withstand roasting or heating without breaking down its nutritional components. Always remember, eat seeds naturally...eat them raw. This also means they can be soaked, ground or mashed (i.e. tahini), especially if a seed's shell or coat is too difficult to pierce with the teeth.

• Choose raw and unsalted seeds
• Avoid coated or roasted seeds
• Avoid sugar coated seeds

The 10 Healthiest Seeds on Earth

Chia Seeds 

Serving Size = 1 Tsp

Consider these facts about Chia seeds:

• 2.5 times more protein than kidney beans
• 3 times the antioxidant strength of blueberries
• 3 times more iron than spinach
• 6 times more calcium than milk
• 7 times more vitamin C than oranges
• 8 times more omega-3 than salmon
• 10 times more fiber than rice
• 15 times more magnesium than broccoli

The seeds are loaded with vitamins and minerals, are an excellent source of fiber, protein and antioxidants, and are the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids. Consumption of chia seeds could help reduce joint pain, aid in weight loss, deliver an energy boost and protect against serious ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. The seeds are gluten-free, which also makes them appealing to people with celiac disease or an aversion to gluten.

Consumption of chia seeds may increase blood levels of the long chain omega-3 EPA by 30%, says a new study from the Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina.
Chia seeds are a source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of “short-chain” omega-3 fatty acid, whereas fish is a source of the “long-chain” fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While growing research has linked consumption of EPA and DHA to heart health, improved brain function and possible other health benefits such as improvement in depression or rheumatoid arthritis, studies are now suggesting that ALA may bring about redistribution associated with heart and liver protection.

Consumption of chia seeds as a source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) may bring about redistribution associated with heart and liver protection. The top benefits of chia seeds are far reaching and as far as superfoods go, this is undeniably one of the top ten.

Hemp Seeds

Serving Size = 1 Tbsp

More people are discovering the nutritional benefits of hemp seed, nut and oil.

Hemp contains:

• All 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) our bodies cannot produce.
• A high protein percentage of the simple proteins that strengthen immunity and fend off toxins.
• Eating hemp seeds in any form could aid, if not heal, people suffering from immune deficiency diseases. This conclusion is supported by the fact that hemp seed has been used to treat nutritional deficiencies brought on by tuberculosis, a severe nutrition blocking disease that causes the body to waste away.3
• Nature’s highest botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or seed oil.
• A perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid -- for cardiovascular health and general strengthening of the immune system.
• A superior vegetarian source of protein considered easily digestible.
• A rich source of phytonutrients, the disease-protective element of plants with benefits protecting your immunity, bloodstream, tissues, cells, skin, organs and mitochondria.
• The richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids.

According to the hemp growers industry, industrial hemp grown for food, fuel and natural fibers contains virtually no THC (less than .3%).

In fact, when hemp is processed into hemp seed oil and hemp seed milk, for example, it further reduces the minute amount of THC in hemp.

And yet, there's still a stigma due to the long-standing idea that hemp and marijuana are one in the same. Hemp is actually categorized with marijuana as part of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and is therefore illegal to grow in the US.

The best way to insure the body has enough amino acid material to make the globulins is to eat foods high in globulin proteins. Since hemp seed protein is 65% globulin edistin, and also includes quantities of albumin, its protein is readily available in a form quite similar to that found in blood plasma.

Eating hemp seeds gives the body all the essential amino acids required to maintain health, and provides the necessary kinds and amounts of amino acids the body needs to make human serum albumin and serum globulins like the immune enhancing gamma globulins. Eating hemp seeds could aid, if not heal, people suffering from immune deficiency diseases. This conclusion is supported by the fact that hemp seed was used to treat nutritional deficiencies brought on by tuberculosis, a severe nutrition blocking disease that causes the body to waste away.

Pomegranate Seeds

Serving Size = 1/2 Cup

Pomegranates are a rich source of antioxidants. Therefore, it helps to protect your body's cells from free radicals, which cause premature aging. In simple words, pomegranate juice pumps the level of oxygen in your blood. The antioxidants fight free radicals and prevents blood clots. This eventually helps the blood to flow freely in your body in turn improving the oxygen levels in your blood.

Pomegranates are especially high in polyphenols, a form of antioxidant purported to help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. In fact, pomegranate juice, which contains health-boosting tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, has higher antioxidant activity than green tea and red wine.

The pomegranate, with its edible seeds inside juicy sacs, is high in vitamin C and potassium, low in calories (80 per serving, which is just under one-third of a medium fruit), and a good source of fibre.

The antioxidant properties of a pomegranate prevent low-density lipoprotein cholesterol from oxidizing. This essentially means that pomegranates prevent the hardening of the artery walls with excess fat, leaving your arteries fat free and pumping with antioxidants.

"Mice that drank pomegranate juice were able to significantly reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, [by] at least 30 percent," said study co-author Dr. Claudio Napoli, a professor of medicine and clinical pathology at the University of Naples School of Medicine in Italy.

Pomegranate health benefits run bone deep; it can reduce the damage on the cartilage for those hit with arthritis. This fruit has the ability to lessen the inflammation and fights the enzymes that destroy the cartilage.

Flax Seeds

Serving Size = 1-2 Tsp (ground)

Dietary fiber from flaxseed suppresses rises in blood levels of lipids after a meal and modulate appetite. University of Copenhagen researchers report that flax fiber suppresses appetite and helps support weight loss.

Flax has been cultivated for centuries and has been celebrated for its usefulness all over the world. Hippocrates wrote about using flax for the relief of abdominal pains, and the French Emperor Charlemagne favored flax seed so much that he passed laws requiring its consumption!

The main health benefits of flax seed are due to its rich content of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), dietary fiber, and lignans.

The essential fatty acid ALA is a powerful anti-inflammatory, decreasing the production of agents that promote inflammation and lowering blood levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation. Through the actions of the ALA and lignans, flax has been shown to block tumor growth in animals and may help reduce cancer risk in humans.

Lignans are phytoestrogens, plant compounds that have estrogen-like effects and antioxidant properties. Phytoestrogens help to stabilize hormonal levels, reducing the symptoms of PMS and menopause, and potentially reducing the risk of developing breast and prostate cancer.

The fiber in flax seed promotes healthy bowel function. One tablespoon of whole flax seed contains as much fiber as half a cup of cooked oat bran. Flax's soluble fibers can lower blood cholesterol levels, helping reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Ground flax seed provides more nutritional benefits than does the whole seed. Grind the seeds at home using a coffee grinder or blender, and add them to cereals, baked goods and smoothies.

Pumpkin Seeds

Serving Size = 1/2 Cup

They are the only seed that is alkaline-forming in this world of highly acidic diets.

Add pumpkin seeds to your list of foods rich in protein. 100 grams of seeds on a daily basis provide 54 percent of the daily requirement in terms of protein. Most of us pop pills to replenish deficiency of vitamin B-complex, try pumpkin seeds next time. Pumpkin seeds are a good source for vitamin B like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 and folates.

For those who are down in the dumps, pumpkin seeds can help fight through depression. The chemical component L-tryptophan is the secret ingredient to boost your mood. Did you know that pumpkin seeds can prevent kidney stones? Studies suggest that pumpkin seeds can help prevent certain kidney stone formations like calcium oxalate kidney stone.

Pumpkin seeds even hold the secret to fighting parasites, especially tapeworms.

Apricot Seeds

Serving Size = 1/4 Cup

Apricot kernels are, like most nuts and seeds, very nutritious. Among the nutrients they contain is one called amygdalin, which is also known as vitamin B17. This attacks cancer cells, and thus can help prevent cancer from breaking out in our bodies.

Amygdalin (vitamin B17) is contained in many hundreds of foods, but ones that are particularly rich in amygdalin have disappeared to a large extent from our Western diet. People throughout the world who still eat a traditional diet, have been found to be largely free from cancer. These diets are rich in foods containing amygdalin.

Apart from apricot kernels, examples of other amygdalin rich foods are bitter almonds (amygdalin tastes bitter - sweet almonds do not contain it, and apricot kernels that are not bitter do not contain it). Other foods containing amygdalin are apple pips, grape seeds, millet, broad beans, most berries, cassava and many other seeds, beans, pulses and grains - but not ones that have been highly hybridized.

For prevention, however, Dr Ernst T Krebs Jr., the biochemist who first produced laetrile (concentrated amygdalin) in the 1950s, recommended that if a person would eat ten to twelve apricot kernels a day for life, then barring the equivalent of Chernobyl, he is likely to be cancer free.

Sesame Seeds

Serving Size = 1/4 Cup

Sesame seeds may be the oldest condiment known to man. They are highly valued for their oil which is exceptionally resistant to rancidity.

Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin. Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.

Sunflower Seeds

Serving Size = 1/4 Cup

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, the body's primary fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals that would otherwise damage fat-containing structures and molecules, such as cell membranes, brain cells, and cholesterol.

Sesame seeds have some of the highest total phytosterol content of seeds. Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.

Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium. Numerous studies have demonstrated that magnesium helps reduce the severity of asthma, lower high blood pressure, and prevent migraine headaches, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Cumin Seeds

Serving Size = 1 Tbsp

Cumin is a seed that has been used since antiquity. This traditional herb is known for its health benefits and medicinal uses for hundreds of years. Cumin is useful for digestive disorders and even as an antiseptic. The seeds themselves are rich in iron and help boost the power of the liver.

Cumin also helps relieve symptoms of common cold. If you have a sore throat, try adding some dry ginger to cumin water, to help soothe it. Cumin juice makes for a great tonic for the body even if you don’t have a specific ailment. It is said to increase the heat in the body thus making metabolism more efficient.

It is also considered to be a powerful kidney and liver herb which can help boost the immune system. It’s also believed that black cumin seeds can treat asthma and arthritis.

Grape Seeds

Serving Size = 1-2 Tbsp

Grape seeds have a great concentration of vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid and polyphenols.

Grape seed extract may prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. By limiting lipid oxidation, phenolics in grape seeds may reduce risk of heart disease, such as by inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing inflammation. A study published in the journal Carcinogenesis shows that grape seed extract (GSE) kills squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Grape seeds may even reduce the infectivity of Norovirus surrogates according to research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Seeds anyone?

[via Prevent Disease] 
[sources: Whole Foods, Wikipedia, Anticancer Info, Ratical, Body Ecology, Chicago Tribune]