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Soaring numbers of people with
Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease
are convincing us that it's time to start eating healthier.
You may be thinking to yourself, "Well I have a
salad for lunch once in a while and try to snack on
fruits." That's a nice start, but it doesn't mean
you're eating healthy.
A 2005 study by Loren Cordain,
Ph.D., shows that 57 percent of the typical American
diet comes from processed foods that really aren't good
for you. These include refined grains, hydrogenated
vegetable oils and added sugars.
"The problem with processed
grains is that during the refining process, the B vitamins,
fiber, protein and fat they contain are all removed.
Hydrogenated vegetable oils, or trans fats, are responsible
for raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol.
Sugar contains empty calories that offer no nutrition
value whatsoever," says Anne DiCello, a registered
dietitian from Cleveland, Ohio, who adds that it's never
too late to set things right. "All you have to
do is stop eating processed foods and turn to whole
foods instead," she says.
By definition, whole foods are
foods as close to their natural state as possible. They
have had little or no processing and have retained most,
if not all, of their original nutrients and fiber.
Examples of whole foods
include:
- Organically grown fruits
and vegetables that are rich in naturally occurring
vitamins, minerals and plant phytochemicals.
- Nuts which are good sources
of fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, copper, magnesium
and the amino acid arginine, for each of which there
is evidence of a role in preventing heart disease,
cancer and other health problems.
- Whole grains like wheat
pasta, brown rice and milled oats that contain B vitamins,
vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber as well as other
valuable antioxidants not found in some fruits and
vegetables.
These unrefined foods offer
many health benefits. In its recently revised Food Pyramid,
the U.S.D.A. recommends Americans consume at least 12
servings of whole foods a day. If you follow the agency's
suggestion of eating several small meals instead of
two to three big ones each day, you'll find it easy
to do.
DiCello offers these
recommendations for people trying to work more whole
foods into their diets:
- Shop for local produce when
it's in season and freeze it so you'll always have
whole foods on hand.
- Bring fruits, nuts and vegetables
with you to work or school and snack on them throughout
the day.
- Look for creative ways to
work whole foods into your diet. Fruits can be crushed
at home and used in juices and smoothies; vegetables
can be turned into soups; whole grains can be turned
into home made breads and rolls.
"The key to getting all
the nutrients available from fruits, vegetables and
grains is consuming the whole thing. Don't throw away
the pulp, peel and seeds. They contain fiber and a lot
of the beneficial phytochemicals you need," says
DiCello who points out most people throw them away because
they're not sure how to process them.
It is very easy to do if you
have the right tool for the job. Anyone who has ever
used the Vita-Mix Super 5000 will tell you it's the
only kitchen appliance you'll ever need. The machine
performs 35 different functions, everything from juicing
whole foods to cooking hot soup, grinding whole-wheat
berries into flour and kneading dough for whole grain
bread.
The reason for the machine's
incredible function is its powerful commercial-grade
motor that drives precision-guided blades capable of
crushing up and cutting whole food fiber down to the
cellular level so your body can benefit from every nutrient.
You don't have to throw anything away. Just wash your
fruits and vegetables, turn on the machine, and everything
-- skin, peels, stems, leaves and seeds -- will be liquefied.
Whole grains can be cracked for cereals or ground into
flour for preservative-free homemade bread.
Here are some recipes
you may want to try:
Cantaloupe, Pineapple and Banana
Cooler
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cantaloupe
- 1/2 cup pineapple
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1/8 inch slice lemon, with
peel
- 1/2 cup 100 percent cranberry
juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or other
sweetener, to taste
- 3/4 cup ice cubes
Directions:
Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order
listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select variable speed #1.
Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then
to high. Run for 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately.
Sweet Pea and Potato Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen or fresh sweet peas, steamed
1/2 cup potatoes, scrubbed and cooked
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
1 cup skim milk, hot
1 teaspoon onion
1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order
listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select variable, speed #1.
Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then
to high. Run for 2 to 3 minutes or until steam escapes
through lid. Serve immediately.
When you order your Vita-Mix
whole food machine, it will come with cookbooks and
a DVD to get you started. The machines are made right
here in the USA and the company has customers whose
machines have been in constant use for 25 years or more.
For more information, log on
to www.vitamix.com/pr
Courtesy
of ARAcontent
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