An orange in 1950 held huge amounts of Vitamin A, and just one was enough. How many oranges do you need to consume today to get the equivalent level of Vitamin A? About 8.
“A Kushi Institute analysis of nutrient data from 1975 to 1997 found that average calcium levels in 12 fresh vegetables dropped 27 percent; iron levels 37 percent; vitamin A levels 21 percent, and vitamin C levels 30 percent. A similar study of British nutrient data from 1930 to 1980, published in the British Food Journal,found that in 20 vegetables the average calcium content had declined 19 percent; iron 22 percent; and potassium 14 percent. Yet another study concluded that one would have to eat eight oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one.” Source.
It’s not just the soil imbalance and depletion that has caused such a rapid – and incredibly disturbing! – decline in our food nutrition levels. Studies seem to suggest that it’s a logical and simple question of YIELD vs NUTRITIONAL DENSITY. As we breed, farm and push for higher crop yields, the nutrition per fruit-vegetable-mouthful declines. It’s incredibly logical, when you take a large step back. The carbohydrate volume per fruit or vegetable increases, but the nutritional content doesn’t, since the same plant has the same nutritional uptake ability, but just spreads it across more fruits. You can read more about that HERE. We may think we’re collectively very clever & evolved, but when you read stuff like this, you have to wonder about our collective stupidity.
Our bodies KNOW this, and it’s why our whole Being sings when it tastes wild blackberries that have grown undisturbed in the summer sunshine. We can feel and taste the difference! And we need to eat a lot less.
Given that few of us have the daily luxury of prancing about eating wild blackberries, how do we respond intelligently to this information? How do we do that in cities? In urban areas? In Asia?
One of my solutions is Juicing. Intelligent juicing. Not just huge super-sweet, fruity, yummy juicing and smoothies. I juice for nutrition, and I try to err on the not-fruit side of things. Because getting massive sugar hits is not terribly smart for long term good heath.
Often (mostly now, since we live in Mae Rim), I juice at home. I use cucumbers and broccoli stalks as my base usually, with lime and ginger. And I add carrot, beetroot and often tomato.
When I’m out and about? This is my go-to:
Beetroot, carrot, pineapple and ginger. With a shot each of wheatgrass, gotu-kola and turmeric-lime-ginger. It costs me 140 THB (about $4.70) and is a superb investment in better nutrition and my whole body functioning more efficiently. Where do I buy this in Chiang Mai? At Khun Kae’s Juice Bar in Moon Muang Soi 7, in the Old City. Yes, I have pinned her to the @steemitworldmap, but you can find her on all the usual facebook, tripadviser, instagram et al.
What else can you do?
Choose more nutrient-dense foods. We start each day with moringa powder in our morning super-smoothie, and we also add powdered raw black rice and bee pollen. Choose the black rice over white or brown. Choose nuts instead of raisins.
Grow your own veggies and fruits – and let them BE rather than trying to push for more, more more and bigger, bigger, bigger.
Eat natural foods like organic eggs and seeds which, by design, have a complete nutritional range built in.
Grow your own micro-greens. The just-sprouted seeds are PACKED with most everything and a very dense & yummy!) way of boosting nutrition. My current favourite is fenugreek sprouts. We buy fenugreek seeds from Laan Bombay inside Kad Luang (Wororot) – the germination yield is always excellent, unlike the coriander seeds I bought from Makro, where only 2 out of maybe 400 seeds sprouted! 🙁 The fenugreek sprouts take about 4 days most of the year round in Thailand – 3 days in hot season and 5 in the cool season.
Bio-availability is everything, and many studies show the very poor absorption on synthetic supplements, not to mention GMOs, colouring agents and even plastics. Urgh. If you must slug down supplements, make sure they’re ORGANIC and NOT SYNTHETIC. Choose loose herbal powders over capsules. Making your own is awesome, from shade-air dried herbs. Making your own vegetable powders from surplus (eg pumpkin) is also a great idea – add to soups and other dishes to increase nutrition levels.
Think about living less urban, if not completely wild. It may be the most radical thing you can do not only for your health, but for your mind, spirit and quality of life.
Be aware that the big, yummy, organic salad is not really cutting it nutritionally anymore, on its own. Sprinkle with organic pumpkin seeds and have a vegetable juice on the side.
Food security is not just about putting anything in your mouth and feeling full – it’s about nourishing your body with all the things it needs, in sufficient quantities, for optimal performance and excellent immune response. Make it your business to get involved in the food security, organic and better-soils discussions.
And if you’re in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand? Khun Kae’s is the place to be and where so many cool global friends meet. Standing room only, some days. Might see you there!!
This article was originally published on my own blog, My Natural Thai Life - check it out for all things healthy and natural in Thailand.
I love how you're being creative with food ;>)
After reading this and seeing this delicious and beautiful colored picture, I can't wait to start juicing.
Funny enough, I just talked with @yangyanje who I'm hanging out with these days ( as described in yesterday's post about cucumbers and healthy living / healthy eating ). It's actually kind of logical we're having these kinds of conversations, as he has been vegan for many years. And, since I'm hanging out with him, I have been eating vegan myself. I even picked up vegan shoes a week and a half ago :>)
Suffice to say that I will keep a closer eyes on your posts from now on. Can't help but loving this content.
A big hug from The Netherlands,
Vincent
You know I'm born in den Haag, right? Meppelweg 33. A looooong time ago! Yes, the people we hang out with shape us more than we know. We eat a lot of vegan by choice, but not exclusively.
Thank you for the hartelijk connection & support.
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Great post, though I'm not sure the #creativecoin tag is appropriate.
As far as nutrition goes, I think today the smartest approach is to simply reduce the amount of traditional staples (tubers, grains, rice, legumes, etc) and increase non staples,meat, offal, eggs, dairy, vegetables, (non-sweet) fruits, nuts, etc, to fill up the gap.
@pibara, #creativecoin have said they accept cooking posts as creative, and I'd say that being creative with nutrition is absolutely a qualifier, especially in a well presented, educated response. I guess the problem with this tag is that creativity can be so subjective, right?
I love this post. And you are absolutely right about the fruit density. These days fruits we eat are not as packed with vitamins and minerals as they use to be. And, in most cases we need to eat way more to get what we need on daily basis.
We have "improved" so much with technology but we are ruining things that were already perfect. We are ruining one thing we can't afford to ruin really. And, that is our planet. And, our food supply to go along with it. All for the sake of profit.
There is a huge difference of just going I to to the woods and finding untouched blackberries or berries. They taste so much better than the ones you can buy at the stores. I think with all the GMO on the shelves today people are slowly forgetting want real food even tastes like.
Great post, well written, amazing job, have a blessed day. 😀
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Nutritious and delicious! Excellent combination! 🤤😋
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It really is so crazy in our attempt to make everything "bigger and better" we have really shot ourselves in the foot (or perhaps gut?) with lower quality products. I am so lucky to have a jam-packed local farmers market and relationships with my local growers. Though it might not be quite the same as food grown 30-40 years ago, their products are sooo much better than the fruit and veggies in the stores! I've dabble with juicing before, but tend to end up doing smoothies more often at home just because I can toss it all in the blender and go! :) I do love loading up on the greens, celery, beets and the like, as well, then add some fruit to make them a bit more palatable. I often get made fun of as they tend to be quite Earthy smoothies, but like you I use them as a way to get more nutrients in, not just taste good.
@artemislives What a great post, What awesome colors and also literally thank you for reminding me to get back to drinking more smoothies and less coffee in the morning. Wouldn't agree on the bio-available nutrition in eggs and if they would favour synthesis due to PH value and Low density level cholesterol which rather affect the parathyroid function and balance overall of phosphate, calcium and regulate the absorption of d2 or d3 through UV rays hens period is not my thing(unfertilised embryo). Arguing that it doesn't really come from the cholesterol we eat anyways, it's everyones choice and I feel that the PH value and the affects of the trans fatty acids in eggs is a more important attribute. I mean some people literally think they are baby cows, which is everyones choice to make and I wouldn't never judge because dogmas don't agree with me. Smoothies are alkaline and really good for us :) Never the less a holistic approach is to look at the overall consumption of what the human species or masses define and sell as food to consumers, whether processed industrially or by individuals in their nutrition centers. I would totally agree that bio availability and bio activity depends on the fruit, it's ripeness and what we eat with it during that time frame. @vincentnijman told me I should check out more of your cooking posts, which I will make a habit of. Thank you for sharing your wonderful post and insights with us.
The Kushi Institute's report is so shocking and you, you are such a great care-taker of your body. :)
Wow, I love your post and write ✍️up on oranges. Actually I do consume close to 3 every other day. If am not too stressed out. Every time I go out and coming back from work it always fruits salad 🍊🍊🍊. Thanks for sharing this.
Resteemed 👍
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This makes me miss my cold-presser juicer we had in Cambodia. Jackfruit juice was nectar of the gods. I searched for #fruitandveggiesmonday, and this was the only post I got. Is this a new hashtag?