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My Favorite Healthy Foods

Favorite products: teas & coffees

3/21/2018

0 Comments

 
Teeccino French Roast Organic Chicory Herbal Coffee Alternative, Caffeine Free
Oakland Coffee Works, Atomic Garden Blend, 12 Ounce, Whole Bean, USDA Organic
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BROWNIES: BAKING STAPLES & A RECIPE

3/21/2018

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Nielsen-Massey Vanilla
Real Salt
To Your Health Sprouted Organic Flour

Dr. Bronner's Coconut Oil
Coconut Sugar
Just Panela Sugar (Evaporated Cane Juice)

Shiloh Farms Organic Cocoa Powder
Equal Exchange Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (70%)

Pyrex Mixing Bowls
Pyrex 8x8 Baking Dish
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My Favorite Superfoods List

11/17/2017

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  1. Kelp (& other seaweeds)
  2. Black Sesame Seeds
  3. Black Garlic
  4. Garlic
  5. Onions
  6. Ginger
  7. Turmeric
  8. Leafy Greens (dandelion greens, spinach, lamb’s quarter, Swiss chard, beet greens, arugula, etc.)
  9. Sprouted Legumes
  10. Sprouts (Alfalfa, Broccoli Seed, Mung Bean, Pea Shoots, etc.)
  11. Wheatgrass, Kamut Grass, Barley Grass
  12. Fermented Foods (sauerkraut, rejuvelac, goat milk kefir, etc.)
  13. Fresh Herbs: Parsley, Cilantro, Oregano, Dill, Thyme, Basil, etc.
  14. Carrots (purple, white, yellow, orange - all raw)
  15. Peas
  16. Beets (I prefer red, over golden or Chioggia [aka candy stripe beet])
  17. Sweet Potatoes (Garnet, Jewel, Japanese, etc.)
  18. Peppers (sweet, hot ... love them all - even very HOT!)
  19. Olives (especially Castelvetrano and Niçoise)
  20. Mushrooms: ANY KIND ... I love all edible (and medicinal) mushrooms!
  21. Brazil Nuts (raw & sprouted) & other Raw, Sprouted Nuts like Almonds, Pecans, & Walnuts
  22. Macadamia Nuts, Cashews, & Pistachios
  23. Organic Peanut Butter (homemade or a brand that is in glass ... no plastic)
  24. Tahini (a brand in glass like Once Again Nut Butters or Blue Mountain)
  25. Seeds: Chia, Flaxseeds, & Hemp
  26. Pumpkin Seeds (raw & sprouted)
  27. Cacao
  28. Carob
  29. Coconuts
  30. Berries: Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Cranberries, Goji, Wild Strawberries, Wineberries, Loganberries, etc.
  31. Pineapples (fresh not canned)
  32. Papayas (fresh not dried ... also make certain that is non-GMO)
  33. Apples (local, organic … not store bought coated with wax)
  34. Lemons
  35. Grapefruits
  36. Watermelon (seeded only and I greatly prefer red over yellow)
  37. Avocados
  38. Spirulina
  39. Chlorella
  40. Raw Honey
  41. Organic Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
  42. Oatmeal (sprouted and soaked overnight with 1 tablespoon of organic, grass-fed whey from my homemade kefir & 1 tablespoon of ground organic sprouted rye flour*)
  43. Spelt Bread made with organic, sprouted freshly milled spelt flour.
  44. Sardines

This is my list of favorites … what are yours?  There are definitely super healthy foods beyond this list like limes, but I don't like limes and avoid them. 

To be healthy, we need to eat healthy.  :)

* I grind my own in small batches and freeze.
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Molasses: A Truly Healthy Sweetener

8/28/2017

2 Comments

 
Molasses is made from sugar beets or sugarcane.  It is the byproduct that remains after the sucrose is removed.  That sucrose is used to make table sugar, which is non-nutritive and should be avoided.  Molasses is rich in minerals like magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, copper, calcium, and selenium.  A tablespoon has 60 calories and a low glycemic load of 9¹.

I choose only organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses in a glass bottle.
 
Why do I choose organic molasses?  Molasses is made from sugar beets or sugarcane.  Sugar beets are genetically modified (GMO).  Non-organic sugar cane is sprayed with pesticides and/or herbicides like glyphosate².  Organic foods are not GMO and are not sprayed with herbicides like glyphosate, which has been listed as a possible carcinogen by the WHO [World Health Organization].
 
Blackstrap is the most concentrated source of nutrients, as it is the form of molasses that has the most sugar (the non-nutritive sucrose) removed. 

Unsulphured is not treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve.  Unsulphured molasses is made from matured cane plants that have been allowed to ripen naturally in the field. Sulfur dioxide is listed as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA, except when it isn’t.  GRAS items are not rigorously tested for safety, if at all.
 
Why do I choose Plantation brand over other organic brands? Another leading brand is organic and is listed as blackstrap-style.  Well, is that truly blackstrap?  I don't know, so I would rather err on the side of caution.  Regardless, this brand sells its molasses in a plastic bottle, so it would lose on that fact if all other things were equal.  Plantation brand meets all of my criteria and I have yet to find another brand that does. 
Please let me know in the comments, if you know of a brand that meets these criteria: Organic, unsulphured, blackstrap, in glass.

Plantation Organic (Unsulphured) Blackstrap Molasses is available online from various retailers including Amazon and VitaCost – both of which that I have an affiliate relationship (see the link to my Affiliate Disclosure above and to the right).  I have only found one brick-and-mortar retailer at this time that carries this product – MOM's Organic Market (located primarily in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore region with a few stores in the Philadelphia area as well).  I have no affiliation with MOM’s, aside from being a regular customer.

Amazon describes Plantation Organic (Unsulphured) Blackstrap Molasses (link below):
  • Thick viscous syrup with a distinct taste
  • Byproduct of refining sugar cane
  • Third boiling or crystallization of sugar syrup
  • Source of minerals that promotes your health
  • Energy giving iron and calcium

Other sweeteners that I use:
  • Raw Honey from pesticide free areas (organic and/or local, if possible)
  • Organic Maple Syrup
  • Organic Stevia (not with additives like maltodextrin or dextrose – both of which have extremely high glycemic loads, which escalates blood sugar.)  Please see “Common Fillers and Additives in Stevia” at One Green Planet http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/fillers-and-additives-what-to-watch-out-for-when-buying-stevia/                                                                                                   I recently ordered Frontier Organic Stevia from VitaCost.  It is 100% Stevia.  There is a link below, for anyone interested.  [UPDATE on 11/10/17: I am rethinking Stevia, as there is evidence to suggest it negatively impacts the endocrine system and may cause blood sugar imbalances.)
  • Organic Coconut Sugar (aka Coconut Palm Sugar)
  • Organic Jaggery (traditional non-centrifugal sugar that may be made with date, cane juice, or palm sap (aka palm sugar).  It retains the nutrients without the separation of the molasses and crystals.)

NOTE: I never use table sugar or high fructose corn syrup (both are which have no nutrients).  These may be sourced from GMO sugar beets or GMO corn, respectively.  That concern – along with the fact that these sweeteners provide empty calories and have high glycemic indices³ – are enough reasons to know that these are not healthy or safe for consumption, in my opinion.

Also I avoid all sweeteners during my parasite cleanses, unless part of a protocol like Jaggery & Carom Seeds or Turpentine & Sugar Cubes. 

Thanks for reading and for your support! 

Sources:
The World's Healthiest Foods
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=88

What Is the Difference Between Blackstrap Molasses & Unsulphured Molasses?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/507716-what-is-the-difference-between-blackstrap-molasses-unsulphured-molasses/

References:
¹SELF Nutrition Data – Molasses
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5573/2

²Lower Dalley, C., & Richard, E. (2010). Herbicides as Ripeners for Sugarcane. Weed Science, 58(3), 329-333. doi:10.1614/WS-D-09-00001.1

³Hung CT. Effects of high-fructose (90%) corn syrup on plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and normal subjects. Taiwan Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi. 1989;88(9):883–885. [PubMed - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2695593]

Please see my Affiliate Disclosure above & to the right.
VitaCost Links - Click the Icons Below:  
Amazon Link - Click the Icons Below:
2 Comments

    Author

    Learned about intestinal parasites from personal experience. 
    Degrees in Research Methodology, Applied Mathematics, & Natural Sciences. 
    Extensive coursework in Nutrition, Anatomy, and Herbalism.

    Affiliate Disclosure

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The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare provider.  Please consult your healthcare provider before embarking on any diet, fast, exercise, or supplementation program and/or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.  Do not use or consume any wild plants based solely on the information on this website.                            © 2016-2023 I Love Iodine. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
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