Refined carbohydrates like white, refined flour, pasta, and bakery goods have no or little fiber and are (for the majority) nutrient-empty.

There is a difference in the way refined carbohydrates and unrefined carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body. Refined carbohydrates are converted to glucose quickly, which causes blood sugar to spike. This makes the body work hard to get the blood sugar level under control. It puts pressure on the pancreas to make and release insulin, which works “like a key to open the door of the cells so glucose. . . can come inside and be converted into energy.”[i]

If too many refined carbohydrates are eaten on a continual basis, driving up blood sugar levels, this will stress the pancreas and eventually it will have trouble making insulin. This can result in diabetes.

The body stores excess glucose in the muscle to use later, but if the muscle is fully saturated, as a result of this, the body will also turn the excess glucose into fat. This can result in weight gain and obesity. Carrying too much fat can lead to glucose intolerance. The body will start ignoring the signal to take glucose from the blood.

To process nutrient-empty, refined food, the body must pull nutrients from itself. The spiking of blood sugar from refined and empty food results in cravings, because when the body is not getting the nutrients it needs, it will start begging for nutrients.

On the other hand, feeding the body with nutrient-dense food gives it what it needs, and there shouldn’t be any cravings.

Because unrefined carbohydrates are fiber-rich, they take longer to digest. This means they do not put additional pressure on the pancreas to produce insulin in an unhealthy way. Unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains, should be a major part of a well-balanced diet.

Packaging can be very deceiving and misleading. When looking at a package that says “whole wheat” or “whole-grain,” read the ingredient list and make sure it says “whole” before every grain listed. If the ingredient list contains just the name of the grain, then it is not whole-grain.

My research shows me that it is much better for our health to consume sprouted grains in place of simply eating the whole grains. So, I always look for organic, “sprouted” whole-grain breads, like Ezekiel or Alvarado Bakery breads when I am buying breads at the grocery store.

According to Secinaro, for Harvard Health, Sprouted grains have many health benefits. According to her, “This germinating process breaks down some of the starch, which makes the percentage of nutrients higher. It also breaks down phytate, a form of phytic acid that normally decreases absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. So sprouted grains have more available nutrients than mature grains,” Secinaro says. Those nutrients include folate, iron, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and protein. Sprouted grains also may have less starch and be easier to digest than regular grains. “It may help people who are sensitive to digesting grains.”

I believe that sprouting the whole grains or seeds, that this helps people digest the grains or breads more effectively and with less digestion issues, like gas or bloating.

If you are buying gluten-free products, make sure they are sprouted and whole-grain, and check the sugar content. I have found that even in the seemingly healthiest packages at the “healthy grocery stores,” the gluten-free foods are alarmingly high in sugar. It is extremely important to find ones that are low in added sugar.

It’s all about quality!

In closing, I recommend looking for breads with low sugar content, avoiding breads with canola oil, vegetable oils (like soy, corn, or cotton seed oils), and enjoying the organic, sprouted, whole-grain carbohydrate-types of foods in moderation, and they can benefit your health!

Bon Appetit!

Sources:

Cousens, Gabriel. (2008). There Is a Cure for Diabetes. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

104 Nazor, Nina. “All About Insulin.” People and Diabetes. Retrieved from http://peopleanddiabetes.com/id26.html

[i] Nazor, Nina. “All About Insulin.” People and Diabetes. Retrieved from http://peopleanddiabetes.com/id26.html

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Holiday foods often involve a number of rich, savory foods, creamy dips and fried foods. And yet, these foods don’t always make our body feel at it’s best. So, here are a few ingredient or food choice tips that can make our dishes healthier to share with beloved family and friends.

A potato dish can be made with sweet or purple potatoes in place of white potatoes. Use a high quality, organic butter, or use organic ghee or coconut oil as the healthy fat for mashed potatoes or when baking fries. Sweet potatoes are delicious and high in fiber and beta-carotene.

For a healthy stuffing, try making one with organic sprouted rice or even wild rice. Then, bake your stuffing in a separate dish instead of cooking it inside the turkey (where it can absorb a high amount of high saturated fat from the meat.) Also, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Doing both of these things allow the vegetarian or vegan diners to be able to enjoy that dish as well.

When making cornbread stuffing, purchase the non-GMO, organic cornmeal (which is free of the bT toxin). If you are feeling brave, try using blue cornmeal, which is about 30 percent higher in protein and has more zinc and iron than white or yellow corn.

When preparing creature foods, try using a little orange juice and coconut oil to add moisture, and try baking it instead of frying it. If you are baking, frying or sautéing anything, use organic, pure coconut oil in place of lard, vegetable oil or a trans-fat like Crisco. It handles heat well and has fantastic health benefits.

For other types of animal, fish or fowl, you can grill, broil, or sauté them in a little coconut oil. After you remove them from the heat, you can drizzle some pure, organic, extra virgin olive oil on them and serve with lemon juice or a lemon juice vinaigrette. When dining, choose skinless, white meat pieces, and then add just a tiny bit of gravy.

Now for dessert, try making a pumpkin pie! You can make a whole sprouted grain crust yourself or you can find a whole grain ready-made crust at the store, and make my cashew crème recipe as the whipped cream for the topping. (Recipe is on page 185 in my award winning cookbook,  How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian, 2nd edition.) I also love having a simple pitted date as a sweet treat or dessert. It’s just fruit, and it is a healthier choice.

Try using non-dairy milk in your recipes or for your coffee creamer. If you want it to be sweeter, blend the milk (like the unsweetened, vanilla coconut or hemp milk) with a little extra added vanilla or maple extract in a blender and add some pitted dates (I soak them in water to make them softer, so they will crème up easier) and voilà! You have a healthier version of a sweet, holiday creamer for your coffee or desserts.

When making or serving snacks, try an easy dip option such as a healthy high-protein hummus or nutritious guacamole. Cutting some cucumber, red bell pepper or celery to use as the dipping chips is also a great choice! If you want to serve crackers or chips, try using a whole grain, sprouted, organic version or an organic sweet potato chip or cracker. (Late July is a good brand for chips and Mary’s Gone Cracker’s is my favorite cracker these days.)

For additional snacks that are easy for travel or on the go, try combinations of organic, sprouted nuts, sprouted seeds, olives, pitted dates, raisins, dry fruits, kale chips and coconut chips.

Here are some easy substitutions I use frequently: 1. unsweetened cashew yogurt in place of sour cream, 2. hummus or mashed avocado instead of mayonnaise for sandwiches, 3. unsweetened vanilla coconut, hemp or cashew milk in place of dairy.

With these ingredient substitutions, you can still eat all the delicious flavors you love while enjoying a number of health benefits.

In this way, you can feel and look your best as holiday activities continue on into January. Instead of regretting what you ate, you will glow with radiant health as you welcome the New Year of 2018!

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