“From the farm to your table” seems to be the modern mantra.
Given the pace of life in today’s world and the consequences of stress taking a definitive toll on people, there is a renewed interest in everything natural. Also, struggling to cope with exhaustion, burnout, insomnia and restlessness, more and more people are looking for ways to fortify their diets with natural supplements.
Nutrition: The missing link
The truth is, we are not getting the minimum daily requirement of daily nutrition our bodies need from the foods we eat. This missing nutritional gap predisposes us to a host of problems: the risk of premature aging, birth defects and degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. The American Medical Association states that in order to be healthy we must supplement our diet.
Commercial processing: the culprit
The reason why our diets are nutritionally deficient is because of commercial processing. All the nutrients required for optimum health are not present in our modern diet and, therefore, we must look to other sources to improve this deficit. The commercial industry needs artificial fertilisers to grow food. Of the 26 nutrients essential to human beings, only 16 are necessary for plant growth. So, artificial fertilisers created for higher plant yields tend to overlook the human body’s requirements for the remaining 10 nutrients. The result: production of nutritionally-depleted food. Conventional food contains multiple pesticide residues. A study published by the National Research Council determined that, for infants and children, the major source of exposure to pesticides is through diet.
Choose health; choose organic
As organic foods are not genetically-modified and are purchased directly from growers they tend to be more expensive, but definitely healthier too. A study shows that organically grown foods consistently have about 1/3rd as many pesticide residues as conventionally grown foods. The nutrients most affected are vitamin C, beta-carotene and the B-vitamins – nutrients essential for the body to withstand the onslaught of chemical toxins. Although there is no conclusive evidence to prove that organic foods are definitely nutritionally superior to conventionally-grown foods, the major difference seems to be in the amount of pesticide residue each category contains.
Eating organic foods: Benefits
- You enjoy a renewed relationship with nature
- You eat non-toxic foods
- These foods help you attain a natural balance
- You get a higher level of nutrients in your daily intake
- You have a better opportunity to reach your full potential through this natural balance.
Keeping nutrients alive
Studies have shown that optimum amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients [nutraceuticals] help prevent disease and slow down aging naturally. Anti-oxidants have long been regarded as agents that prevent the formation of free radicals. The right dosage of vitamin E makes it the most important agent to counter free radicals. Did you know that vitamin E forms the basic substance in anti-wrinkle creams? Flavonoids, important micronutrients that help fight cancer and heart disease, are produced by plants. But, plants sprayed with insecticides and fungus-killing chemicals do not make as many flavonoids as organically-grown plants. In fact, it has been found that there is a significant difference in flavonoids levels in fruits and vegetables grown by organic and conventional farming methods.
Olive: New-age oil
Olives are picked and squeezed, not boiled before squeezing – a process called “cold-pressing.” Olives grow in a warm environment. As the fruit has to protect itself from heat and bright sunshine, it contains a lot of phenol-like substance. This has a positive effect on cholesterol and this healthy aspect makes olive oil a popular choice in the finest cuisines in the world.
Your Recipe for Good Health
- The main ingredient in most fruits is water, just like in our bodies, which makes it very healthy for us
- Fruits are considered the ultimate brain fuel as they are great memory-stimulants
- They have excellent healing properties
- Fruits and vegetables are fibre-rich, fight obesity and blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease
- They are 100 per cent “bad-cholesterol” free
- Depressive people on a fruit diet have reported mood elevation
- They are the most natural foods: made by plants to be eaten by humans and animals
- There isn’t a single fruit or vegetable in the human food chain that is not balanced. For instance, fruits and vegetables with vitamin C always include the entire naturally-balanced bioflavonoid family
- Flavonoids present in the red and blue pigments of fruits and vegetables have strong anti-oxidant properties. Carotenes, especially beta-carotenes, present in oranges and red vegetables, are highly effective in flushing out free radicals
- 4-5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day provides the wide range of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals your body needs to maintain good health and energy levels
- It is recommended that you choose a combination of blue/purple [brinjal, purple cabbage, blackcurrants, raisins, plums, purple grapes], green [spinach, beans, peas, green pepper, celery, broccoli], white/tan/brown [banana, dates, garlic, ginger, radish, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions], yellow/orange [pumpkin, lemon, papaya, peach, melon, pineapple, sweet corn, mangoes, oranges, yellow pepper] and red [apples, tomatoes, berries, pomegranate, red pepper, beetroot, cherries] in your daily diet plan for optimum benefit and healthy longevity.