Strawberry spice smoothie + superfood facts

First of all, I'd like to wish all of my readers a wonderful, peaceful Holiday season! I hope you keep up the good work and choose flavorful raw desserts over the generic boxed chocolates and sugary baking. It is still good to remember that Christmas is a great opportunity to gather around the people you care about and enjoy delicious food. It is OK to indulge, but even during the Holidays moderation is the key. If you plan on eating heavier tomorrow, today may be a good idea to eat lightly: consider eating "just" smoothies, raw soups and salads. This post is not really a Xmas post, instead I chose to talk about the new up-and-coming health food bee pollen and share a recipe, which includes it.

Why is bee pollen considered a superfood?

I'm sure many of you have heard that bee products (honey, pollen, propolis) have antibiotic properties and that they are loaded with nutrients. Well, I decided to dig a little deeper before believing this and this is what I discovered:

Nutritional content:

Data: Lauks Testing Laboratories, Inc., Seattle, Washington. Tables formatted by myself.

- Pollen is the main source of protein for the bees and for many other insects living in the colonies

- Phytosterols have been reported to promote health of the male prostate and female ovaries and breasts by reducing cancer risk and slowing down the aging process. They also have clinically proven to help lower cholesterol and therefore prevent cardiovascular disease. Preventative action against lung and stomach cancer has also been observed. This is because of the inhibition of carcinogen production, cancer-cell growth, angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors), invasion and metastasis, and through the promotion of apoptosis ("suicide") of cancerous cells.

- Pollen stimulates immunity and has been demonstrated to double the lifetime of test mice with lung cancer

- Bee pollen has also been demonstrated to improve liver health because it helps detoxifying the body from industrial toxins

- Bee pollen also contains flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and/or antimutagenic

What happens in your body when you ingest bee pollen?

It begins to swell and the water in your body will cause it to become enzymatically active. First the external layer, the material in the walls of the pollen grain (pigment, enzymes, allergens) are leached out. Then the acidic environment in the stomach will cause the intine or the inner layer of the grain to come apart. The enzymes in the stomach start to digest pollen proteins, polymer carbohydrates and lipids. Other unbound elements such as sugars, amino acids, vitamins and fatty acids are absorbed as they are.

The pollen may directly enter the blood stream in the gastrointestinal tract (more likely for higher doses). Studies on digestibility both in vitro and in vivo (in a dish and in test mice) showed that digestion is time dependent. Substances located in the external surface as well as the inner layer are however easily reached by the enzymes and digested. No animal can enzymatically digest the sporopollenin, which is why we can only use the soluble substances and submicroscopic areas of the grain's walls as foodstuff. Though there is a need for further studies, there is also reason to believe that nutrients in bee pollen are in fact well digested and absorbed by humans.

Always consume organic pollen from a reliable source!

1) The palynological composition of bee pollen is very specific to region and the local flora surrounding the bees

2)The specific effects of pollen are influenced by various components and may have different mechanisms of action which depend on the season and the method of gathering. Ideally pollen is best when it is collected by hand, but this is not commercially attractive.

3) Scientists have succeeded in extracting chloramphenicol (CAP) from bee pollen. CAP is considered a broad-spectrum, bacteriostatic antibiotic which functions against both Gram- and Gram+ bacteria as well as other pathogenic micro-organisms. It inhibits protein synthesis, which means it makes it impossible for the bacterium to reproduce. This is not naturally present in bee pollen. Japan, EU and the US have set a zero-tolerance for CAP residues in food. It can be dangerous especially to individuals with health problems, as it can for example trigger aplastic anemia in susceptible individuals.

Note: If you are suffering from allergies, consuming bee pollen regularly may help ease symptoms of hay fever and other floral allergies in spring time. At the moment the mechanism is not fully understood nor proven beyond a doubt, but with caution and starting with small doses experimenting is relatively harmless. Start with 1/4tsp/ day or even less, gradually move up to around a 1tsp if possible.

Now for the recipe. Although I usually don't post smoothie recipes because I think everyone likes to improvise their own, I had to share this one because it was so yummy. Good way of eating pollen, maca, parsley and turmeric!

Strawberry spice smoothie

3 large glasses

2 ripe persimmons

1 banana

2 apples

1 ruby grapefruit

1 C frozen strawberries

collard greens & fresh flat-leaf parsley (use as much as you can enjoy!)

0,5tsp turmeric (or more, to taste)

3tbsp soaked chia seeds

water

Optional nutritional boosts:

bee pollen granules

maca powder

Peel grapefruit and banana, but leave the peel on for the persimmons and apples. Depending on your blender's processing power, you may want to chop up some of the fruit before tossing it in. Blend with water to desired consistency, add turmeric. Finally add the frozen strawberries and taste. Be creative! I also added 3 tsp bee pollen (for three adults) and 3 tsp maca. You really need to listen to your body and especially if you are new to these "superfoods", start with small amounts.

This smoothie is so delicious, it is almost like a dessert. It also reminds me of summer, probably because of the strawberries.. which was nice, considering it just snowed like 5 inches last night and it is freezing outside.

Sources:

"Phytosterols Added to Foods Work to Cut Bad Cholesterol. " Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter May2009, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p8-8. ISSN: 15260143.

Woyengo, T. A.,Ramprasath, V. R. & Jones, P. J. H. "Anticancer effects of phytosterols". European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jul2009, Vol. 63 Issue 7, p813-820.

Furusawa E, et al. Antitumor potential of pollen extract on Lewis lung carcinoma implanted intraperitoneally in syngenic mice. Phytother Res 1995;9:255-9.

Ceglecka M, et al. Effect of pollen extracts on prolonged poisoning of rats with organic solvents. Phytother Res 1991:5;245-9.

H. F. Linskens & W. Jorde. "Pollen as food and medicine—A review". Economic Botany Volume 51, Number 1 / January, 1997.

Burdock GA. Review of the biological properties of propolis and toxicity of bee propolis (propolis). Food Chem Toxicol 1998;36:347-63.

"Determination of Chloramphenicol Residues in Bee Pollen by Liquid Chromatography/TandemMass". Journal of AOAC. International Sep/Oct 2008, Vol. 91 Issue 5, p. 1103-1109. ISSN: 10603271.

P. Carrión et al. "Classification of honeybee pollen using a multiscale texture filtering scheme". Machine Vision and Applications Volume 15, Number 4 / October, 2004.

IMAGE source: http://beeyondthehive.com/store/media/thumbnails/BeePollen

How much calcium do we really need?

Are you thinking about cutting out the dairy but worried about adequate calcium intake? Or are you a parent concerned about the adverse health effects of dairy products, but scared that your child will suffer from calcium deficiency without them? Is there an alternative to supplemental Calcium tablets?

From the get-go I was apprehensive about milk with my daughter because I am so strongly lactose-intolerant (and possible casein allergy). It was touted as the only way for your child, so I initially thought that she would need dairy. I proceeded to do an extensive amount of research on the subject, starting with why omit dairy. Here are the main reasons:

- Calcium from cow's milk poorly absorbed (30% or less)

- Harmful effects of milk protein, casein (increased risk for cancer, increases autism syptoms, similar to gluten and may cause problems for gluten-intolerant)

- Lactose, nearly everyone is intolerant but in varying degrees (some tolerate more than others)

- Animal protein increases secretion of calcium to urine, and this loss is much more significant in determining calcium utilization relative to calcium intake

- Cow's milk is optimal for calves until they are weaned, not meant for (excessive) human consumption

- Especially O blood group was most prevalent long before agriculture, may be the reason that individuals with O blood cannot digest dairy (or grains) too well. On the contrary blood type A is common in agricultural societies and therefore are better adapted to consuming dairy products

Then, after reviewing the potential risks, I started wondering could milk be replaced by alternative calcium sources? Straightforward answer: YES it can! And it is easy. Excellent sources include:

Chia seeds 820mg/100g (123 mg in one tablespoon!)

Sesame seeds, unhulled 640mg/100g (95mg in tbsp)

Sardines, 92mg/sardine

Sunflower seeds 116mg/100g

Rose hip puree (ruusunmarjasose) 334mg/100g

Almonds 276mg/100g

Dried figs 250mg/100g

Raisins 50mg/100g

Sweet potato, raw 30mg/100g

Breastmilk 27-30mg/100g

Compared:

Cow's milk, 1% 120mg/100g

But how much calcium is actually required? Recommendations vary a lot in different countries, in America often an adult RDA is 1200mg, whereas in Japan this is only 600mg. RDA's are however not minimum intakes, or even necessary intakes. They are based on statistics with margins to ensure that they are suitable for everyone, it does not take individuality into account. For example, consumption of animal protein increases secretion of calcium. Therefore a diet rich in plant protein and low in animal protein means you require less calcium. This is also true for infants not consuming any dairy. Many sources including AAP say that infants need 400mg calcium, but I have not succeeded in finding a minimum calcium intake for infants. This is probably because it is too risky info, they would rather have children consume an excess than risk any child getting less than what is required. I found this chart however, that lists values specific to age categories:

Infants, 0 - 6 months	210 mg
Infants, 7 - 12 months	270 mg
Children, 1 - 3 years	500 mg
Children, 4 - 8 years	800 mg
Pre-teens and Teens, 9-18 years	1300 mg
Adults (19-50 years)	1000 mg
Adults (50+ years)	1200 mg
Pregnant and Nursing (up to age 18)	1300 mg
Pregnant and Nursing (19-50 years)	1000 mg

Source: http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/calcium

This seems reasonable. I try to ensure my soon 1-year-old daughter gets 300-400mg calcium daily, and that I self (nursing) get around 800-1000mg daily. Like I said, for individuals who consume less animal protein the required intake of calcium is less. Calcium from plant sources is often highly absorbed, especially in the case of chia and sprouted sesame seeds. A diet rich in vegetables is also high in boron, which further increases calcium utilization and bone strength. Chia seeds also contain plenty of boron.

Clearly a diet rich in calcium does not need to include dairy. Contradictory to common belief, it does not require soy products either.

Tips to include calcium in infant diets:

- Chia smoothies (1 tbsp chia seeds, 1-2 times a day)

- Sprouted sesame seeds in porridges and smoothies

- Rose hip puree (on its own, smoothies, porridge)

- Mash a sardine or mackerel fillet (low sodium ones) in with a veggie meal

- Nutmilks (after first year)

- Dried dates, figs and prunes and raw grated veggies as finger foods

- Soak dried fruit or raisins in water for smoothies

- Dark leafy greens in smoothies (calcium from spinach not too well absorbed due to oxalic acid, also too high in nitrates for infants)

Remember that calcium absorption hinges on adequate vitamin D intake! And please take the time to sign this important petition againts aspartame in children's antibiotics.

IMG: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Calcium-Tablets-2007.jpg

Pure and nutritious baby food, Part I

I've been talking about a baby food post for who knows how long. Here is part I, I'm predicting this is a topic I'll keep coming back to. One reason why I've waited so long to post about this is because I've been thinking about how I should phrase my knowledge into words. I have so little experience in this type of writing, which is why I ask you to be open-minded and understanding. My way is not the only way, and there is a lot I don't know. If you have something to add or want to comment on anything, please do. If you have some good recipes or ideas, please share them!

First of all, I want to begin by stressing the importance of breastfeeding. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. Some nurses in Finland practically push you to feed solids after 4 months, even though even here the national recommendation is 6 months. I for one was accused of starving my child more than once. Even when she was always just normal in weight, developing right on schedule or even early. Their answer to every growth problem is solids - if your baby weighs too much, "your milk is not enough" and if your baby weighs too little "your milk is not enough". Well, what do they recommend instead? Formula made with cow's milk, pureed potatoes, corn porridge? If your baby is underweight, substituting your milk, the natural source of nutrition tailored to meet your child's needs, for overcooked potatoes is definitely not the answer. And no matter how much your baby weighs, breastmilk is still optimized to meet his or her dietary needs. Remember, breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts a mother can offer her child. But there is also no reason to beat yourself up, if you have a valid reason not to nurse. Guilting yourself will only hurt both of you.

But what should you do when your child is 6 months? I believe it is more important to watch for clues for whether your baby is ready for solids or not, there is no exact chronological deadline for this significant step in your child's development. Some tell-tale signs include: teeth(ing), sitting upright, signs of curiosity towards what you are eating and excessive nursing needs. My daughter actually started stealing food off our plates, which was a natural time to start introducing her new flavors.

What not to feed your baby (under 12 months):

Foods high in nitrates (beets, spinach, rutabaga), interfere with oxygen transport

Honey, increased risk of botulism

Any food additives (especially avoid artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers)

Animal milk

White, refined sugar

Fructose (not fruit sugar as it is falsely called, it is made from corn starch by microbes)

Potato, deficient in nutrients and packed with starch which can cause tummy trouble

Liver, or any other animal product high in vitamin A

Corn, very often genetically manipulated and low in nutrients

Wheat, white rice

Soy, even organic non GMO, mimics estrogen (female hormone) in the body causing a harmful hormone imbalance

Nuts, mycotoxins and risk of inhaling

Cacao, caffeine, oxalic acid (lowers calcium absorption) and other harmful compounds for your baby

Salt

What TO feed your baby:

Chia seeds, good ratio of beneficial fatty acids, high in protein and fiber

Avocados, essential fats

Hemp seeds, perfect ratio of omega's, high in protein

Fresh organic fruit, berries and vegetables

Cold-pressed organic oils (coconut, canola, camelina etc)

Lucuma (highly nutritional, improves taste)

Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet

Berry powders made by freeze-drying whole berries (high in nutrients, antioxidants and good flavor, especially sea buckthorn, cloudberry, aronia berry, blueberry)

I also believe fresh, wild-caught fish is good for you baby after 7-8 months age. Remember to give different species and to avoid ones which gather high levels of toxins, fish can be served 1-3 times a week. Avoid fish altogether if there is a family history of fish allergies, as the reaction can be severe. I do not recommend restricting your baby's diet because of your personal ethical viewpoints, but rather to ensure your baby is getting everything he or she needs. There is however good reason to avoid red meats not only due to ethics but health concerns as well. Fish isn't necessary, but if omitted care must be taken to provide your child other sources of healthy fats for optimal brain development.

Wondering what to do about milk? If you're from Finland, I'm sure you are aware of the "Calcium myth". The nurses and doctors will stress that dairy products are the only source of calcium. The national recommendation is giving your child cow's milk several glasses a day after 10-12 months of age. Did you know that only around 30 per cent of the calcium in animal milk is properly absorbed? Compare this with the 60% of total calcium content of sesame seeds that is absorbed (even higher when soaked in water for 8h and sprouted for 6h-3 days). Did you know that most zoo animal babies are fed goat milk because if they where fed cow's milk they would die or become very ill? Many of you are aware of these things, and those who aren't I strongly encourage to do your own research and then decide for yourself. Calcium is crucial for normal bone development among many other things, so cow's milk or nut milk or no milk, make sure your child is getting enough calcium. Remember also that WHO recommends breastfeeding be continued at least for the first 2 years and after that for as long as it feels natural for both mother and child. Because this is considered unrealistic and thought to guilt mothers, Finland ha s set a recommendation to nurse for the first year. My daughter will be a year soon, and I plan on breastfeeding until she is between 12-18 months (when most experts feel it is easiest to wean). I just started making her smoothies with sesame seeds a couple times a week. My husband and I both feel strongly about avoiding animal milk, especially because I get a strong reaction from it.

How to cook for your baby?

Does the food necessarily have to be cooked? All fruits and berries can be served raw for babies any age. For first foods, hard vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, can be steamed briefly and then pureed smooth in a food processor. When it is time for finger foods, serve fresh vegetables and fruit. If you want to give your child cereal/porridge, I recommend grains like millet, spelt, amarath and quinoa. In Finland Holle makes organic baby cereal where you only need to add (breast)milk. No cooking or heating necessary. NEVER, EVER use the microwave for anything that your child eats.

All this text and no recipes? Well here are some:

Berry porridge (6 months and up):

Holle-cereal, preferably millet or spelt

Aronia berry, sea buckthorn, blueberry, cranberry or other berry powder to baby's taste

Hemp powder, to baby's taste

(Breast)milk

Measure out an appropriate amount of dry porridge flakes (4 or more tbsp usually). Express milk to desired consistency, stir. The natural enzymes in breastmilk will start breaking up the protein and other nutrients in the cereal and it will get a bit runnier, but there is no need to add cereal flakes. Stir in berry powder.

Chia-banana smoothie (6 months and up):

0,5-1 tbsp Chia seeds

1/2 C water

Berry powder of choice

Hemp powder or hulled hemp seeds to taste

(Lucuma powder to taste)

0,5-1 banana

Soak chia seeds in water until a gel forms. Blend in a blender with banana and berry powder. Add hemp powder or blend in hulled hemp seeds. My daughter loved this from the get-go, it is still one of her favorites. For variety, substitute banana for a pear, apple, mango or any other fruit or berry. You can also substitute Chia for soaked sesame seeds.

Sweet-potato salmon meal:

organic sweet potato, cubed

fresh, wild-caught salmon

coconut oil

Lightly cook salmon in coconut oil on low heat on a frying pan. Cook only until just done, don't brown. Steam the sweet potato. You can also steam the fish. Process smooth in a food processor. This is another favorite of my daughter.

Vegetable-chick pea meal:

1 part sweet potato

1 part carrot

1 part chick peas (soaked and boiled, start with smaller amounts)

Steam veggies, blend with boiled chick peas. Add water if too thick. Again, one of my daughter's all-time faves.

Suitable finger foods:

- fruit chunks, vegetable chunks

- dehydrated coconut-oil coated banana chips

- sundried organic raisins or other sugar-free dried fruit

- organic boiled eggs

A basic foundation for a healthy meal:

80% parts vegetables (raw or steamed)

10% part quality grain (such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, boiled until done to avoid indigestion)

10% part protein (fish, organic chicken, chick peas, lentils etc)

Avoid all soy products. Start feeding legumes slowly to see if your child can digest them. Your baby needs protein, but quality is more important than quantity. Nuts should be avoided due to risk of mycotoxins (highly poisonous or deadly compounds from Fungi) until at least 1 year of age, which is why especially vegan families need to be especially careful about adequate protein intake.

More important than specific meals is the balance. Most of your child's diet should be fruit or vegetables, and a significant portion of the food either raw or just lightly steamed. Always organic, because even if you can't afford all organic yourself, your baby eats so little it doesn't cost much. It is still cheaper than feeding all regular can food. Check everything twice for food additives, avoid them all. I invite every mom and dad with healthy baby food recipes to share these in the comment box, I hope this will trigger discussion and that everyone learns something new!

The picture shows my daughter with her veggie-chick pea meal, after she had poured water into it and tried to eat it herself first with the spoon and then with her little hands. :)

Flu fighter smoothie and some thoughts

A while back I discovered collard greens in smoothies, and have been tossing them in frequently ever since. The taste is great, does not overwhelm the smoothie even in large quantities. Just like most dark leafy greens, collards are loaded with vitamin C and essential minerals. They are also reputed to contain anti-cancer properties (scientists suggest diinfolylmethane and sulforaphane). According to this source:

"Some of these compounds [found in collards and kale] enhance antioxidant and detoxification effects in the body. Others inhibit tumor growth; some block cancer causing compounds, and some prevent the formation of carcinogens. The American Cancer Society recommends that Americans increase their intake of kale, cabbage, and other brassicas. It has also been reported that compounds in brassicas can protect the eyes against macular degeneration."

Diindolylmethane has also been attributed anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

Another ingredient in this power smoothie is grapefruit, widely recognized for its high fiber, vitamin C and potassium content. The ruby one, which I always buy, has the important phytochemical lycopene along with plenty of antioxidants. Here are some potential health effects of consuming grapefruit:

"In humans, drinking three 6-ounce glasses of grapefruit juice a day was shown to reduce the activity of an enzyme that activates cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. In rats whose colons were injected with carcinogens, grapefruit and its isolated active compounds (apigenin, hesperidin, limonin, naringin, naringenin, nobiletin) not only increased the suicide (apoptosis) of cancer cells, but also the production of normal colon cells."

Even if that isn't true in humans, it is still yummy and packed with nutrients. But remember to ask your doctor first if you are on some medication and suddenly start consuming plenty of grapefruit.

More and more health nuts are raving about parsley and it's immense array of health benefits - and for a good reason. Parsley is packed with vitamin C & A, iron and necessary minerals. For women especially, the folate and calcium are very imporant. Do your own research and start by reading this.

Flu fighter smoothie (~3 large glasses):

1 large ruby red grapefruit (only take the outer peel off, don't separate the "meat" because you'll lose fiber, remove all seeds)

2 apples (we had fresh, green and nicely tart Finnish apples)

1 banana

2 tsp maca-powder

sesame seeds

parsley

collard greens

raw, organic honey

I find that although I am accustomed to green smoothies, I can still cram way more greens into this smoothie (both parsley and collards), when I add just a little honey and a banana. Go crazy with the green, add as much as your taste allows. The green smoothie is meant to be enjoyed, not chugged down quickly while holding your nose and trying not to vomit. :)

Green smoothies really are the perfect starter to the day. I used to have oatmeal every morning, but though it did keep the hunger away as long as the smoothie does, it did not have the same "pick-me-up" factor. It must be all those vitamins.

I've just started this blog and it is impossible to know yet what this will lead to. It seems like my diet is different every week, often times I find something new and amazing but sometimes I come to realize that something I have been eating quite a bit is not actually right for me. And that's the thing really, you need to be tuned to your own body and listen to it. What's good for someone else, may not be good for you.

Here are some products I make a point to avoid in my diet:

1. All dairy - When I found out I was severely lactose-intolerant, I took it as a sign that milk is just not for me. The casein is also harmful in so many ways that I wouldn't give my daughter any dairy even if she could tolerate the lactose.

2. All soy - I used to consume quite a bit of soy, as I figured just as long as it is organic and preferably fermented, it is ok (tofu, wheat-free soy sauce, soyoghurt). Now I'm not even using nama shouy, because I'm worried about how it may affect my hormone levels.

3. Oat, barley, kamut, spelt, wheat and rye - Wheat or barley grass I am growing, but am not sure if it agrees with me yet (gluten sensitivity).

4. All refined oils & sugars - I think you all know why.

5. Peanuts - not only are they bad for the acid-base balance in your body, but they also contain toxins. I believe more people are having adverse reactions to them than they may realize.

6. Any food additives - easily avoided when you purchase organic and stay clear from processed food.

7. All unnecessary medication - antibiotics, hormonal birth control, acetaminophen or ibuprofen for any minor ache or just out of habit

Don't worry, I won't be flooding the server with constant posts all the time. Courses reassume next Monday and I begin working on my master's thesis soon. Some people may consider me strange, but science is such a source of gradification for me and lacking a better term.. just makes me happy. It is thrilling to actual feel like you are making a difference when you reach important conclusions in your research. Not only that, but I get to study young children, which naturally is so much fun. I'm fortunate to be able to say that I truly am passionate about my work and studies. Not everyone is lucky enough to say that they love what they do for a living.

Perilla banana smoothie

Perilla, purple mint, is an interesting herb I have to admit I had never heard of before. The smell was intoxicatingly good, and I suspected it would be tasty in a smoothie because of the delicious minty aroma. I also figured that since the color is so intensely purple, it must have plenty of antioxidants and vitamins. Hence I decided to read up on it, and found out it is most known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Yay! Especially since I changed my diet in hopes of improving my notoriously bad immune system that kept me in and out of hospitals with serious infections. So far, skipping the gluten and lactose combined with increasing my intake of raw food while no longer consuming any processed food seems to work like a charm.

Here's the recipe for this tasty, mildly minty smoothie I concocted this morning:


Perilla banana smoothie for two:

2 bananas
1 large orange
1 apple
handful or two of romaine
small handful of perilla
sesame seeds
maca powder
(dash of honey)

If this won't cheer up your morning nothing will! Isn't it much easier to smile throughout the day when you can feel that you are nourishing your body just right? I'll be back later to post our yesterday's dinner, creamy tomato soup, salad with poppyseed dressing and coconut-chive steamed salmon.

Plant image source: http://www.plantoftheweek.org/image/perilla2.jpg