The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the average American consumes more than 135 pounds of sugar each year. That's about 32 teaspoons of sugar each day for every person. What is behind this affair with sugar?

The Difference between Sugar and Starches

SUGAR:

The sugar category includes all refined sugars and syrups. These are: glucose (or dextrose), fructose (or levulose) and galactose; double sugars: sucrose (table sugar), maltose (in beer) and lactose (in milk); dextrins and dextrans and syrups made from sugarcane, sugar beets, sorghum, honey and maple. Our body digests and rapidly absorbs these concentrated sources of sugars and quickly turns them into saturated fatty acids.

STARCHES:

Starches are sugar (glucose) molecules bonded together. Enzymes in our body must break the bonds between glucose molecules, gradually turning digested starches into glucose, the primary fuel for all cells in the body. Starches are preferable to sugars because they are digested more slowly. They contain co-factors that enable our bodies to completely burn them for energy. Whole grains are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Sweet fruits contain starches but also a large amount of sugar, and can lead to fat production when they form more than a small part of your diet. Wild animals such as bears eat fruit in the fall in order to build up fat for the winter. When we eat sweet fruit year round we can get fat from it, year round.

Scary Health Problems from Sugars

Refined sugars need not be digested and are absorbed quickly. Glucose floods our blood and cells. High blood glucose is a dangerous situation that can result in diabetic shock.

Our body deals with excess glucose in two ways:

a. Our body stores it as fat for use in future times

b. It spills excess glucose into our urine (a common symptom of diabetes)

Our body uses this second method only if the first method fails. Nature did not equip our body to deal with continual excess. If we have made bad food choices, stuffed ourselves on refined sugars, or overloaded on glucose, our body responds in the following way:

High blood glucose triggers our pancreas to secrete Insulin, which moves glucose into our cells. Here glucose is fed into the energy producing (Krebs) cycle within the mitochondria of our cells. Glucose in excess of our cell's energy requirements stimulates the production of fatty acids. Three fatty acids hooked into a glycerol molecule make a fat molecule called Triglyceride. Then fat molecules are deposited in our cells and organs or transported by our blood to fat tissues for storage, which leads to cardiovascular disease.

Understanding Refined Sugars and Disease

Refined sugars are digested and absorbed into our bloodstream with uncanny speed and, consequently, raise blood glucose levels too high. This is hyperglycemia, one symptom of diabetes. Insulin removes excess glucose from our bloodstream, and our glucose levels may fall too rapidly. When blood glucose falls too low our adrenal glands kick in to mobilize the body's stores of glycogen. A diet of refined sweets catches our pancreas and adrenal glands in a biochemical see-saw, overworking them.

Refined sugar passes into the bloodstream in large amounts, giving the stomach and pancreas a shock. There is also an alkaloid effect, which gives the user an approximate 90 minute high that ends with a dramatic drop in brain functionality. A resulting acidic condition is then created in the body, and it consumes the body's minerals quickly as it works to balance itself. Our metabolism is directly affected when consuming the deadly substance in exceptional quantities. When we alter metabolic rates by manipulation of chromium (the most pivotal nutrient involved in metabolizing sugar), our organ systems begin to malfunction. The organ of greatest concern is the brain. Precious neurons are affected, and this action creates a scatterbrain effect.

From Food to Mood: The Desire for Sweets Hard-Wired in the Brain?

Richard Wurtman, Ph.D., a professor of brain and cognitive science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Cambridge says that some people crave sweets not because they lack will power but because of an imbalance in serotonin. This theory is supported by evidence that obese people and people who crave sweets often have lower serotonin levels than do lean people or people who prefer protein rich snacks. Their extra low serotonin levels leave them feeling anxious, irritable, and craving a serotonin fix. In essence, "cravers" turn to sweets to relieve dwindling energy levels, hunger, depression and stress brought on by their low serotonin levels. Cravers are rewarded each time they indulge their cravings because the food increases the serotonin levels and makes them feel better.

How Sugar Weakens Us: The Outcome of Sugar Consumption

• Fewer and weaker cells are developed in the pancreas (the sugar regulator) and spleen (the cell developer) when any form of sugar saturates the bloodstream.
• Sugar increases calcium loss in urine, sparking further osteoporosis concerns and arthritis.
• The digestive system is weakened and food cannot be digested or assimilated properly. This leads to blood sugar imbalances and further sugar cravings. Sweet food acidifies the blood, destroys vitamin B and other vitamins and depletes the body of many minerals.
• Insulin increases inflammation in the body.
• Saturated fatty acids from sugar decrease oxygen supply to our tissues (hypoxia): red blood cells stick together, become less mobile and, hence this lessens their ability to deliver oxygen to the cells.
• Sugars inhibit the functions of our immune system and increase diseases caused by poor immune function, such as cold and flu.
• Sugar supports the development of food allergies.
• Sugar increases the body's production of adrenaline which puts the body into a fight or flight stress. This increases the production of Cortisone and Cholesterol.
• Sugar induces cavities, causes dental degeneration and hard tissue degeneration.
• Sugar raises triglycerides (blood fat) which lowers immunity.
• Too much sugar can foster obesity.
• Sugar is a vitamin and mineral robber because it lacks the vitamins and minerals required for their own metabolism. So, it draws from our body's own storehouse of these nutrients. Now our bodies cannot metabolize fats and cholesterol.
• Sugar feeds Candida (yeast), fungi, other pathological organisms (toxin producing) and cancer cells.
• Sugar interferes with the transport of vitamins and minerals because they both use the same transport system.
• High blood sugar inhibits the release of linoleic acid from storage fat tissues and thereby contributes to essential fatty acid deficiency.
• Sugars are low in fiber which slows down the speed at which food passes through the digestive tract. They remain in the colon too long and serve as food for harmful bacteria that produce gas and toxins, causing our colon to become inflamed (diverticulitis). Lack of fiber causes constipation, toxin re-absorption, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and worst of all liver weakening.

Some Sweet Consciousness Suggestions

• Prepare meals at home to avoid sugar in restaurant and manufactured food.
• Read labels. Sugar and chemical sweeteners are in almost everything. Although manufacturers are not required to list the percentage of sugar calories, you can get an idea of the sugar content by reading the ingredients list. A food may be too sweet if one of the first three ingredients is sugar or if the list includes several sources of sugar.
• Be aware of so-called natural sweeteners such as fructose, brown sugar, turbinado sugar. They are nearly as refined as white sugar.
• Add sweet vegetables such as: beets, carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips for dessert or in desserts. Raw carrots are especially helpful for sugar cravings.
• Sweeten desserts with fruit juices, rice syrup, barley malt, stevia, molasses, and amasake.
• Use sprouts or sprouted products—sprouting changes starch to sugar.
• Eat something sour, pungent, or spicy to diminish cravings.
• Cravings can be caused by hyper-activity, which often results from lack of exercise or eating too quickly, or an excess of meats and refined foods.
• Balance your yin-yang intake. Salty foods such as sea salt, pickles, and soy sauce create a craving for sweets as well as most animal foods and cheeses.

Sweet without Sugar

Apple juice concentrate and pureed fruits such as bananas, apples, and prunes can be used to replace some of the fat and sugar in recipes. When you omit or reduce the sugar, honey, or other sweeteners, you can add sweetness with one of the following spices or with extracts that provide a sweet flavor, such as vanilla, almond, and cherry.

• Allspice. Use to season baked products such as muffins and breads; also, vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, and sweet potatoes.
• Anise. These seeds give breads and desserts a unique licorice flavor.
• Cardamom. The unique flavor of this spice is good in curries or to flavor winter squash, sweet potatoes, breads, cakes, and cookies.
• Cinnamon. Use the sticks to give a spicy flavor to hot beverages; use ground cinnamon in baked goods, fruit sauces, stews, and puddings; also with carrots, sweet potatoes, and baked apples.
• Cloves. The most aromatic spice, it adds flavor to hot beverages, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, baked goods, meats, stews, and soups.
• Coriander (also called cilantro). Fresh coriander has a sharp, citrus-rind flavor that is good in salads and spicy casseroles, soups, and stews. The ground seeds impart a nutty flavor to rice, dried beans, shellfish, poultry, vegetables, salsa, and salads.
• Ginger. The fresh root is peeled and grated to add spice to marinades with steamed vegetables, chicken, or fish. Use ground ginger in baking and marinades, rice dishes, soups, and in preparing carrots, beets, and squash.
• Mace. Similar in taste to nutmeg but milder (it is the fibrous covering on the nutmeg seed); this spice enhances the flavor of broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, baked goods, and puddings.
• Mint. Choose from more than thirty types of mint (fresh is most flavorful and sweet) to enhance grains, vegetable and fruit salads, iced teas, peas, corn, beans, cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes.
• Nutmeg. A nutty, versatile spice that brings out the best in spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, onions, beans, and sweet potatoes; excellent in sauces, pasta, stews, and low-fat desserts.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice. A blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger that adds a sweet flavor to winter squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots, as well as fruit desserts such as baked apples.

Conclusion

From what we have learned we can see that sugar causes a plethora of both physical and emotional disorders. However, I believe that by regulating and balancing different foods in the diet, we can successfully manage our urge for too many sweets. There is a time and a place for our favorite sweets. The best time is when you allow yourself to enjoy them on a special occasion, and with the people you love. Also, use quality alcohol-free pure herbal extracts to promote a healthy immune system. The following day, after sweets, get back on track with some alkalizing foods (like all green vegetables and green drinks). Then you'll be in the healthy zone again, I promise.

REFERENCES

Nourishing Wisdom by Marc David

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

Food and Mood by Elizabeth Somer, R.D.

Food: Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper

Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus

"False Foods," Hippocrates Magazine Volume 26, Issue 4 by Brian Clement, Ph.D.

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Introduction:

Protein is one of three major classes of foods called macronutrients—the other two are fats and carbohydrates. Protein is a vital nutrient essential to your health. There are twenty amino acids that combine to form different proteins, 8 of these come from the foods we eat. All the tissues of the body are built and repaired with protein. During digestion and metabolism, protein is broken down into amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Proteins help to replace and repair new tissue, transport oxygen and nutrients in our blood and cells, regulate the balance of water and acids, and is needed to make antibodies.

The theme in America is "more is better." Contrary to belief, too much of even a good thing may not always be good for you. The average American eats about twice as much protein than what is actually required. Some people, in pursuit of thinness, are going on high-protein diets and are eating up to four times the amount of protein that their body needs. PROTEIN DEFICIENCY is not a problem in America. According to the American Heart Association and the National Institute for Health, as little as 50-60 grams of protein is enough for most adults. This breaks down to 10-12% of total calories. To calculate the exact amount you need, multiply your ideal weight by .36. This will give you your optimum daily protein requirements in grams.

Sources of Protein:

A. Animal protein found in beef, poultry and fish contain all the essential amino acids. When choosing meat it is important to know your source, organically grown beef is given access to the outdoors, fresh air, sunshine, water, and organic grass or pastureland and feed. No confined feeding is allowed and they can't be fed any animal by-products, antibiotics, or growth hormones. Organic cattle are tracked from birth to market with a paper trail that can be retraced. As for chickens, also look for ones organically raised from birth without antibiotics or growth hormones, fed certified organic sprouted grains, and have had access to outdoors. Stay away from farmed fish—producers of farmed fish can use pesticides, dyes, antibiotics and hormones in fish productions. You want to purchase wild fish that are caught or harvested from the wild.

B. Plant proteins usually lack at least one amino acid. Plant proteins complement one another. When a food lacking a specific amino acid is eaten with another food that supplies the missing amino acid, the result is a high quality protein. An example of this would be cooked dried beans with rice, or a peanut butter sandwich with bread. Soy foods such as tempeh, soybeans and soy protein powders may be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis. Look for NON-GMO. Soy is a highly genetically modified food. Plant foods are generally abundant in protein: broccoli gets 45% of its calories from protein. Spinach is 49%, cauliflower 40%, beans 23%-54%, nuts 8%-12% and fruits are the lowest at 5% on average. Amaranth is high in protein and calcium, along with quinoa another high protein grain.

C. Spirulina form of protein benefits people who have eaten too many animal products and refined foods, typically those who are overweight, diabetic, hypoglycemic, cancerous, and arthritic. Spirulina protein is in the context of massive amounts of beta-carotene, chlorophyll, fatty acid and other nutrients. Eating 10-15 grams daily of protein in this form, the body normally becomes satisfied and animal protein is craved less. Spirulina also protects the kidneys against injury that occurs from taking strong prescription medication, builds and enriches blood, cleanses the arteries, and enhances intestinal flora as well as the growth of fungi, bacteria and yeast.

D. Chlorella is another algal food of high nutritional value somewhat comparable to that of spirulina, but contains a little less protein. It is more expensive than spirulina because of the processing required for improving the digestibility of a tough outer cell wall. The cell wall binds with heavy metals, pesticides, and such carcinogens as PCBs (polychlorobuphenyls) and carries these toxins safely out of the body. The law of similars ("like cures like") offers another approach to understanding the immune-strengthening quality of chlorella: an organism with a tough outer cellular wall may well posses the basic properties which strengthen our own cellular structure against invading organisms and toxins.

E. Whey protein is a high quality complete protein containing all of the essential amino acids required by the body each and every day. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein and contains between 90% and 95% protein. It contains little fat or lactose. Whey protein is a dairy protein and comes from cow's milk. It does not come from animal flesh. Whey protein is a soluble, very easy to digest protein. It is great for making fruit shakes.

F. Sea vegetables contain 10 to 20 times the minerals and vitamins of land vegetables. All sea vegetables contain significant amounts of protein, sometimes as much as 48%. Sea vegetables are also rich sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers. Studies have shown that alginic acid removes heavy metals and radioactive isotopes from the digestive tract. You can add your sea vegetables to a pot of grains or beans, which makes the minerals available and ensures that some will be absorbed.

REFERENCES:

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
The Healing Secrets of Food by Deborah Kesten & Dean Ornish, M.D.
Natural Healing by Tom Monte
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, www.pcrm.org

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Knowing the right food to eat–or not to eat is not a gift–it's a process you work towards every day. It is a wealth of knowledge, the ultimate tool to shape your life every day, to empower and create a dynamic well-being. In a very simple and profound way what we eat affects our appearance, thought, emotion, lifestyle, health and our planet.

Food can quicken the brain and lift the mood. Food can infuse our brains with spurts of electrical energy that make us think faster and perform better.

Much of the credit for discovery of how food can manipulate the brain activity goes to Neuroendocrinologist Richard Wurtman and colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. According to their pioneering research the secret is in Neurotransmitters. These Neurotransmitters are manufactured by nerve cells using specific food components called precursors as raw material. Food helps create various Neurotransmitters with different functions depending on the type of raw material supplied by a specific food. An example is tryptophan, an amino in protein foods that is made into serotonin, the calming chemical that makes you relaxed and drowsy. From tyrosine, an amino, are born dopamine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that enliven the brain making you more alert and mentally energetic.

Brain chemistry is extremely complex because amino acids, varying in size and concentration in the blood, compete for entry into the brain.

1. What are the key factors to fine tuning your diet and listening to your body?

1. Protein–protein containing foods are uppers when you want to stay mentally sharp. Do not reach for candy, cake, donuts, ice cream, rice, or pasta. Bonnie Spring, a professor of Psychology at the University of Health Science at Chicago Medical School, and Food and Mood researchers explain that protein simply keeps the carbos from making you fuzzy-headed. Spring says studies show that including 5%-10% protein in a meal helps block the build-up of serotonin in the brain. Dr. Barry Spears, creator of "The Zone Diet" and William Wolcott of "The Metabolic Diet" share some of the same beliefs, based on clinical nutrition.

2. Brainpower and Smart Foods

What you eat could have a profound effect on how you think, your intelligence level, and your memory. For example, what you eat affects the following:

1. The level of nerve chemicals in the brain that regulate all mental processes
2. The development and maintenance of brain cell function and structure
3. The insulating sheath surrounding the nerve cells that speeds the transport of messages from one neuron to another
4. The level of enzymes and their activity, which enhances brain function
5. The amount of oxygen that reaches the brain
6. The rate of accumulation and removal of cellular debris
7. The ability of brain cells to transmit electrical messages

Brain power fluctuates depending on what and when you eat. Your brain is an organ just like your heart or liver and it needs a constant optimal supply of nutrients to function at its best.

If you're having trouble concentrating, staying motivated or just thinking clearly, take a good look at your breakfast habits. Skipping meals frequently will drain glucose reserves and force the brain to "run on fumes."

The best way to enhance brainpower is to:

1. Always eat breakfast
2. Keep your meals small and frequent
3. Combine a little protein with some carbohydrate whole food

3. Stress and Diet

Stress and nutrition are closely intertwined. A nutritional deficiency is a stress to the body itself, a strain on all the metabolic processes. For example, a marginal iron deficiency results in reduced oxygen supply to the tissues and brain. In turn, the oxygen starved tissues leave a person feeling tired, irritable and unable to concentrate. Likewise, an inadequate intake of the B Vitamins stresses the cell's ability to convert carbohydrates and fats into energy. The lack of certain amounts of beta-carotene and Vitamin C weakens the body's antioxidant defenses, exposing the tissues to increased risk of damage and disease. In addition, how well your body is nourished prior to and during stressful events affects how well you handle the stress. A well-nourished person copes better than a poorly nourished one.

4. The Antioxidant Part
One of the most exciting areas of nutritional research today is identification and investigation of compounds in plants that supply us with certain powerful antioxidants. One sure way of getting these in your diet is to eat from "The Rainbow Diet," that is to have your plate reflect many different colors.

The good news is that the antioxidant nutrients help protect and maintain a well-functioning nervous system and brain (they also protect against premature aging). This system is only as good as the person's diet. When antioxidant intake is optimal throughout life, free radical damage is kept at bay, whereas a consistently poor diet, low in antioxidants weakens the body's defenses and allows free radicals to proceed unchecked.

Brainpower Foods Rich in Antioxidants are:

1. Quality proteins
2. Fruits and nuts
3. Non-toxic and non-polluted seafood
4. Legumes
5. Whole grains
6. Dark green vegetables
7. Chlorophyll foods (spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass)
8. Fermented soyfoods
9. Foods rich in carotenoids
10. Foods rich in bio-flavonoids

References: Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
The World's Oldest Health Plan by Kathleen O'Bannon Baldinger
Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
Food & Mood by Dr. Elizabeth Somer
Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin
Nourishing Wisdom by Marc David
Metabolic Typing Diet by William L. Wolcott

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The notion that food plays an enormous role in our health is not new thinking as evidenced by Hippocrates' statement nearly 2, 500 years ago, "Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot, if you can heal the patient with food." We are the living product of a four million year partnership with nature, which requires us to continually take in nutrients from food and water. Our bodies only receive the nutrients that we provide ourselves with at every swallow of our food choices. Every living cell has in it a multitude of organized metabolic enzymes that are the chief workers for over 2,000 proteins in the body. These are regularly produced within the cells if the nutritional chain of life is furnished with "Nutrient-Dense Food."

One of the most exciting areas of nutritional research today is identification and investigation of compounds in plants that can bolster our defenses against agents of disease, reducing risks of cancer and other serious illnesses. So many of these have come into light in recent years, with actions so varied and beneficial, that it is a wonder that the consumption of fruits and vegetables is not going up faster than this. These protective Phytochemicals are vitally important because our exposure to dangerous organisms and toxins has never been greater. To take just one example, living organisms have always had to deal with oxidative stress of normal metabolism as well as oxidant pressures from the environment. To the background we have added tobacco smoke, air pollution, GE altered foods, and a host of cancer promoting chemicals in our water and food, some of which are there by accident (industrial effluents) and some by design (pesticides on crops). It is likely that our natural antioxidant defenses—a large group of compounds, some made in our body, others provided by the diet, that work together to savage free radicals, and block oxidation reactions—are overwhelmed and need all the help they can get.

It is possible to eat all day long and still be starved. Why? Because if you eat foods with little or no nutrition such as overly cooked and re-heated foods, processed fast foods, and chemically produced foods, you will not receive the nutrients you need for cells to function at peak performance, let alone prevent disease. If you're going to build a house how long would you like it to last—50 years, 100 years? You need excellent materials. We re-build our bodies each year, every cell, bone and brain tissue is completely regenerated by new cells that replace old cells. The liver is completely reconstructed every 3 weeks. If we are not producing quality enzymes it is like we are building a house with soggy cardboard. Our house, like our bodies are in a weakened state. If our food is out of balance, our bodies are out of balance. This disturbs the fragile integration of body, mind and spirit. The following foods act as MEDICINE in the body in that they protect and heal the body. Experts in the field are calling these foods "Functional Foods."

Phytonutrients/Phytochemicals—Protective Food Factors in the Functional Foods:

They are:
• EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate)
• Polyphenols
• Carotenoids
• Indole 3 Carbinol
• Lutein
• Lycopenes
• Sulforophane
• Monoterpenes
• Phytoestrogen
• Polysaccharides
• Ellagic Acid

Bioactive Components, Sources and Health Benefits:

EGCG:

Is found in green tea, which is also present in lesser amounts in apples. EGCG shows impressive activity against many forms of cancer. It protects the heart and arteries from oxidative damage. You need to drink about four cups of green tea daily to get optimal dosages. You can use green tea concentrate drops in the form of an herbal extract (standardized herbal supplement) if you find you cannot drink the suggested amount.

Polyphenols:

Found in many plants that have red and purple pigments called anthocyanuns and proanthocyanidins. They give color to berries, cherries, red grapes (juice and wine), plums, pomegranates, and red cabbage, and also occur in some beans and grains. The pigments in them protect the heart, lungs, and blood vessels from degenerative changes.

Carotenoids:

Protective compounds found in colorful vegetables and leafy green ones that play a strong role in disease prevention, especially degenerative changes, and can help retard cancer cell growth.

Sources:
• Carrots
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cantaloupes
• Butternut Squash
• Apricots
• Pumpkin
• Turnip Greens
• Spinach
• Spirulina
• Sea Vegetables

Indol 3 Carbinol:

These potent cancer fighters produce a protective phase 2 enzyme that fights cancer by detoxifying carcinogens and eliminating them from the body. A major role in intestinal health. Carbinol plays a key role in the metabolism of estrogen, reducing the activity of the hormone and decreasing the risk of breast and uterine cancer.

Sources:
• Cabbage
• Kale and Collard Greens
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Mustard Greens
• Brussels Sprouts
• Bok Choy

Lutein and Lycopenes:

These are potent antioxidants that scavenge free radicals, thus inhibiting cellular destruction. Lycopene is a preventive factor against one of the primary causes of heart disease, and decreases the risks of several types of cancers. Lycopene may reduce risks of prostate cancer.

Sources of:
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Pink Grapefruit
• Apricots

Lutein:

This antioxidant protects vision, lowering risks of developing cataract and macular degeneration, the most common causes of vision loss in older people.

Sources:
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Kale
• Leeks
• Collard Greens
• Swiss Chard
• Peas
• Red Pepper

Sulforophane:

Is one of the three sulfur-containing phytochemical foods that stimulate the production of enzymes that detoxify, which acts to guard against toxic chemicals, carcinogens and mutagens that may induce cancer and other chronic diseases.

Sources of Sulforophane and other Sulfur Food:
• Broccoli
• Garlic, Onions
• Leeks
• Chives
• Shallots

Sources of another Sulfur Food, Isothiocyanates:
• Watercress
• Radishes
• Cabbage

Monoterpenes (Limeones):

These inhibit mammary tumor growth, and are also effective in causing the regression of mammary carcinogens. They fight cancer by detoxifying carcinogens and eliminating them from the body.

Sources:
• Citrus Fruit Oil
• Orange
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Limes

Phytoestrogens:

Compounds in plants that can interact with estrogen receptors on cells in the human body. This is a chemically diverse group, including isoflavones in soy and lignans in flax and other seed oils. There is still a lot to learn about how they work. One theory is that phytoestrogens attach to estrogen receptors but only weakly activate them. Soy isoflavones may have enough estrogenic activity to prevent hot flashes in women and other symptoms of menopause. They may also protect men from similar hormonal pressures on the prostate. Genistein, the compound in soy is associated with reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer by its anti-estrogenic activity. It also inhibits enzymes that promote tumor formation and protects against coronary heart disease.

Sources:
• High Forms of Soy Protein
• Edamame
• Miso
• Tempeh

Polysaccharides:

These are active compounds in a number of medicinal plants and foods that are non-toxic but have powerful enhancing effects on immunity. They resemble constituents of bacterial cell walls and for that reason may be immunologically active. Macrophages—large roving immune cells that leave blood vessels and move through tissues—can gobble up polysaccharides from the cell wall and transport them to other immune cells, initiating a chain of defense events. This translates into increased numbers and activity of natural killer cells, which are the main destroyers of malignant cells and provide increased resistance to invasion of bacteria and viruses.

Sources:
• Button Mushrooms
• Edible Wild Mushrooms
• Shiitake Mushrooms
• Oyster Mushrooms
• Maitake Mushrooms

Ellagic Acid:

This compound inhibits lung and skin tumors, and interferes with certain carcinogenic compounds. Ellagic Acid is an antioxidant polyphenol that helps to scavenge free radicals, which damage membrane lipids and aid tumor production. They are a part of many phytochemicals that are all potent cancer fighters, as Allicin in garlic, which lowers blood pressure and acts as a natural antibiotic; Ginger contains shogaols, which counter inflammation.

Sources:
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Citrus Peel

The definition of "Functional Foods" states: functional food or medicinal food is any fresh or processed food claimed to have a health-promoting and/or disease preventing property beyond basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients. Functional Foods are sometimes called nutraceuticals, a blend of the words nutrition and pharmaceutical, and can include food that has been genetically modified. The general category includes processed foods made from functional food ingredients, or fortified with health-promoting additives like "vitamin enriched" products.

Genetically Engineered Functional Foods

In 1994, the FDA approved the sale of Monsanto's controversial recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH). This GE hormone is injected into dairy cows to force them to produce more milk. Scientists have warned that significantly higher levels of a potent chemical hormone, Insulin-like Growth Factor, in the milk and dairy products of rBGH injected cows, could pose serious hazards such as human breast, prostate and colon cancer. The udder infections requiring increasing antibiotic treatment poses an unacceptable risk for the public health. A number of studies have shown that humans with elevated levels of rBGH in their bodies are much more likely to get cancer. The European Union has had a ban on injecting cows with rBGH in place since 1994. In 1999 Canada banned rBGH use after laboratory rats fed dosages of rBGH showed damage to the prostate and thyroid cysts, indicating potential cancer hazards from the drug. Ten percent of all US dairy cows continue to be injected with rBGH while no other industrialized country has legalized its use. In the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers found that concentrations of beneficial phytoestrogen compounds thought to protect against heart disease and cancer were lower in GE soybeans than in traditional strains. These and other studies indicate that GE foods will likely result in foods lower in quality and nutrition. Does genetically engineered food really fit the description of functional foods?

Conclusion

When processed foods are considered "functional foods" because they might have a "functional food" ingredient or are fortified with health-promoting additives like vitamin-enriched products, we have complicated the simplicity of the natural whole healing abilities of food in its most natural state. When strawberry milk powder, primarily made with refined white sugar (an ingredient known to promote obesity, diabetes, and mood swings), reads 100% daily requirement of calcium on the front label, it makes the product appear healthy. The calcium claim is misleading. Brand name so called "functional foods" contain refined carbohydrates, hydrogenated oils, chemical additives like aspartame, MSG, and artificial coloring. You can't make this product healthy by adding milligrams of calcium. Big food manufacturers exploit health claims to sell more products, not to fundamentally make their foods healthier. They can take a highly toxic, disease promoting manufactured food item, add extra calcium and soy, and put a healthy sounding claim on the front label and be fully approved by the FDA. Truly healthy foods like Spirulina, an extraordinary health enhancing super food that contains phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and abundant protein, can't be sold with any health claims whatsoever; yet, instant chocolate milk primarily made with sugar can. Food politics is another lecture. Health-conscious baby boomers have made "functional foods" the leading trend in the U.S. food industry. Functional foods are predicted to become one of the biggest dietary trends over the next 25 years.

REFERENCES:
Eating Well for Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil, MD
Food Politics by Marion Nestle
"Institute of Food Technologies" by Claire Hasler, Ph.D.

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