Some people believed that before organic food became popular, to grow the best kind of food, you need to grow it in the best kind of soil, the kind of soil that is enhanced with organic ingredients, and not with artificial fertilizers that take away the essential stuff that make it a “healthy” kind of soil.
There was a published article called the “The Rodale Diet” in a magazine named Organic Gardening that outlines food with a lot of health benefits that are naturally grown without the use of chemicals. This kind of food also has a lot of advantages when dealing with diseases.
Research after research have discovered that the food suggested in the Rodale Diet back in the forties have an abundance in antioxidant-rich ingredients, beneficial fatty acids, and several other significant ingredients that food nowadays lack. Here are a few things you should know before you start the Rodale Diet.
FISHES
Fishes are not like cows. They don’t consume food that was grown by adding chemicals into it. Fishes feed in water with high mineral content. The most significant of these minerals is iodine.
The health benefits
Experts were talking about fishes from the sea or any waters with saline, after all, they are the most common and popular fishes in the market. It is also among the most abundant in protein among the food consumed globally. Nowadays, most of the fishes in our oceans and seas do not consume food with a lot of chemicals. There is a growing concern though, that the numbers of these fishes are decreasing over time. People have overfished and overfished throughout the years thereby reducing the levels of fishes in the oceans and seas as the days go by.
Recommendations and suggestions
Always obtain the fishes that are safe to consume. Fishes like those who live in saltwater fisheries, like wild salmon from Alaska and wild sardines from the Pacific Ocean. There are a few fishes found in farms that grow in relatively undamaged environments. However a number of these fishes like tilapia and catfish may have eaten food which are tainted with poisonous chemicals or food that has gone through genetic modification.
KELPS
Kelp has a lot of potassium. Kelp is one the main reasons scientists speculate that people in Asia, especially those in China and Japan, don’t experience hay-fever.
The health benefits
This is a brown kind of algae that can be prepared as food, and it has a lot more minerals aside from potassium. It has more iodine, protein, and magnesium than almost all of the veggies grown in fields. It also has the very healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Recommendations and suggestions
Some marine scientists believe that the harvest of kelp can be sustained and if executed correctly, it can be safe for the waters of the planet. There is however a warning that a number of people farming kelp have begun to introduce kelp that have gone through genetic modification. These mutated versions can leave their farms and act as a contaminant of the nearby ecosystems. Another kind of kelp to be cautious about is the kelp that grows in the water contaminated by pollution from big factories. A lot of these kelp have heavy metals in them. Around eight to ninety percent of kelp originates from China, but it is called Japanese kelp. This causes confusion. Just look for kelp that is grown domestically.
MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms grow where there is a lot of organic matter. There are no harmful chemicals needed to cultivate it since these harmful chemicals would be fatal to each mushroom spore that grows the mushrooms. Mushrooms are also known to have a lot of iron and protein.
The health benefits
A mushroom isn’t only healthy, consumed regularly, it can help fortify your immune system and protect your body against infections. Over the years, mushrooms have become very important supplements when it comes to medicinal research. It has even been discovered that they can combat illnesses like breast cancer. Today however, big companies that cultivate mushrooms use a lot of harmful chemicals. Experts concluded that because it is traditionally the practice to cultivate mushrooms in caves or any similar environment, there are a lot of insects. So in order to keep the mushrooms safe, the ground is sprayed with chemicals to kill insects. The chemicals themselves have been modified so as to be harmless to the spore inside a mushroom. There has been a raised amount of chemicals found in mushrooms. This is a cause for concern especially since the surfaces of mushrooms can absorb substances quickly.
Recommendations and suggestions
Of course, organically grown mushrooms are best since they are the ones with the least chances of contamination.
COCONUTS
A coconut has a lot of healthy fat and carbs, plus it’s very advantageous to your pearly whites. Another important detail to note is that the trees in which they come from don’t need to be bombarded with artificial fertilizers or harmful chemicals.
The health benefits
Even with a lot of saturated fat, products from coconuts, especially coconut oils have been proven to be extremely beneficial to one’s health. There has been research that shows a link between the consumption of coconut oils and the reduced rate of heart diseases. Coconut oils are also sources of the very rare lauric acid, which fortifies the body’s immunity against bacteria and viruses.
Recommendations and suggestions
Each section of a coconut is important. The shell itself is sometimes used as water filtration devices. Back in the day, harvesting coconuts were done in the wild. Today however numerous plantations can be found all around Southeast Asia. It is in this region where most of the coconuts in the world can be found. Large factories and plantations rob the area of natural ingredients and raise the numbers of pests, thus, raising the need to use pesticides. But since it may be difficult to look for the purely organic breed, try looking for products that are organic.
WATERCRESS
The best thing about watercress is that it doesn’t use chemicals for growth. You can find it growing in the vicinity of running water, like brooks and such. It also has a higher level of iron than most veggies.
The health benefits
Watercress is much more than an iron-loaded weapon. Researchers discovered that the antioxidant properties of watercress can aid in the fight against cancer, specifically, the cancers that target the breasts and lungs. A recent study also showed that three oz of watercress a day can raise antioxidant levels by a hundred percent.
Recommendations and suggestions
Wild watercress is rare in supermarkets and groceries. But fresh ones, the ones that grown in water can easily be found. For the fresh watercress, not a lot of chemicals are used. Trees where berries grow don’t need chemicals to develop. And in the past, even berries that were cultivated seldom needed chemicals.
The health benefits
A wild berry, especially the blueberry kind, has an increased level of antioxidants than berries that are cultivated. A research conducted in Canada discovered that blueberries can help against the effects of inflammation and can even provide relief to those who are sensitive to insulin. These are a couple of problems that when unchecked can lead to arthritis and diabetes. A mulberry, a huckleberry, and a blackberry each possess a raised level of antioxidants compared to those grown artificially.
Recommendations and suggestions
Blueberries, the wild kind, are usually available in your nearest supermarket or grocery. But be reminded that these are seasonal fruits, and that other wild berries can only be found if you yourself look for them in the great outdoors.
WILD RICE
Wild grass is a fascinating creation. It flourished in swamplands and it carries with in some cultural and historical weight.
The health benefits
What can be found in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota? The Great Lakes. What else can be found in this region of the United States? Wild rice. This type of grass (not grain) has been gathered by hand by native Americans for centuries. It has a lot of protein and it is very fibrous. It also has an abundance of vitamin B. And because it is wild, it doesn’t use harmful chemicals or artificial fertilizers and its harvesting is very environment-friendly.
Recommendations and suggestions
Almost all of the wild rice you can find in supermarkets and groceries is a mixed product. It’s not wild the same as the one we talked about above. But there are some companies that still sell the original product.
WILD GAME
Wild game is great since it isn’t tainted by harmful chemicals put in fertilizers. This happens to be the case since wild game look for their sustenance in the wild. Some doctors also prescribe this type of food to hypertensive people.
The health benefits
A study conducted recently showed that aside from being untainted of harmful chemicals, this type of game doesn’t have hormones, antibiotics and bacteria that fights these antibiotics which is commonly found in animals that are bred in farms. Meat taken from deers, elks, boars and other types of wild game has a lower calorie count, lower count of saturated and total fat, and lower cholesterol level. The most serious problem with wild game though is there is a chance it might be contaminated with lead since those that hunt wild game use bullets (made out of lead). One might just find a shattered bullet fragment in the meat.
Recommendations and suggestions
Rodale suggests that you should visit places where hunting is common during the right season. A lot of the places sell wild game meat. But you can also shop for the meat through the internet since a lot of people sell it through the web. So you see, you need not go too far. Just make it a point to ask if they test for lead contamination.
MAPLE SYRUP
Rodale insists that we replace white sugar with maple syrup.
The health benefits
White sugar is bad. It has been through refining so many times, and it has no nutrients to offer. It comes from sugar cane and beets which has a lot of chemicals. Not only do sugar beets have a lot of pesticides, they go through genetic modification for accelerated growth. This is done so those living in the United States can buy that cheap sugar they always wanted but really have no need for. Only a teaspoon of maple syrup is enough to make your coffee, pastries or oatmeal sweet, plus it’s healthy. Researchers found over fifty ingredients in maple syrup that have proven to be handy versus cancers and heart ailments.
Recommendations and suggestions
Look for the organic kind of maple syrup at your nearest supermarket or grocery or farmers’ market. Stay away from the syrups used for pancakes. It’s just corn syrups with a lot of fructose, dyed in a brownish color with a bit of maple flavoring. HONEY Honey that is naturally extracted has a lot of hormonal properties that is very important to a healthy diet.
The health benefits
Honey has a lot of antioxidant properties and oftentimes people use it to treat and clean wounds. Rodale also mentioned before that part of the hormones honey contains is one called phytoestrogens. Researchers doing research on Greek honey discovered that phytoestrogens can help delay the development of certain types of cancers. Honey also doesn’t have a high glycemic level which means you can use it on tea or coffee and you won’t experience crashes like you would with sugar.
Recommendations and suggestions
Raw and local honey from a farm you know is the most ideal kind. A study showed that over three-fourths of the honey in the United States has gone through so much filtration and processing that it loses all its golden quality, and ultimately becomes unhealthy.
NUTS
A walnut, pecan nut, filbert and pine nut are all valuable. The trees from which they sprouted grew from soil with a lot of organic matter. And the organic matter in said soil is very concentrated with minerals and proteins because it has been a part of the soil for hundreds of years.
The health benefits
The nuts nowadays grow on trees in plantations. And if there’s one thing we discovered about plantations, they use a lot of chemicals. Look for nuts that are certified to be organic. That way you’ll get the nuts without the added harmful chemicals. Plus a walnut and a pine nut in themselves contain ample amounts of fatty acid that protects the nervous, cardio-vascular and skeletal systems.
Recommendations and suggestions
If you can’t seem to find the organic kind at your usual supermarket or grocery, consider taking a walk. Pecan and pine nuts grow in trees found only in particular places, but walnuts, you can find anywhere. Look for trees that that green shells sprouting from them that look like apples. Open one of these shells and you’ll find a nut inside some soft material that will color your fingers brown.
