Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and The... (167 page)

Superfoods—as opposed to vitamins or supplements—are foods that naturally concentrate important nutrients. Unlike dietary supplements or vitamins taken in isolation, superfoods provide many nutrients that support each other and prevent the kind of imbalances that often occur when vitamins are taken singly.

Do we need superfoods? In theory, if the diet is good, we should need nothing more to supplement our diet; but can even the most conscientious among us say that his or her diet is, or has been, perfect? With the depletion of our soils, the widespread use of additives and the prevalence of sugar, refined carbohydrates and rancid vegetable oils, which all of us have invariably ingested—if not in adulthood, at least in our youth—no one living in an industrial society today can say that his diet has been perfect. For those unwilling or unable to give up bad habits like caffeine, alcohol or smoking, a daily supply of superfoods is essential.

Even those who live in isolated primitive societies seek out special foods for optimum health—foods high in fat-soluble vitamins, such as fish eggs and organ meats, to ensure reproduction and strong healthy children, soaked grains for strength and stamina, and herbs to prevent certain diseases.

The following short list is not meant to be exhaustive but only to provide a few examples of superfoods that can, in general, be taken by everyone. Herbal products for specific ailments are best taken with the advice of a holistic health practitioner. To purchase hard-to-find superfoods, See
Sources
.

  
Acerola Powder:
A berry rich in ascorbic acid, acerola provides vitamin C with numerous cofactors, including bioflavonoids and rutin, to optimize the body's uptake and use of ascorbic acid. Vitamin C, the most important dietary antioxidant, was popularized by Linus Pauling who recommended taking pure ascorbic acid in amounts up to 15 grams a day for a variety of ailments. But large quantities of vitamin C may be harmful to the kidneys and can lead to deficiencies in bioflavonoids. Small quantities of natural vitamin C occurring in whole foods can provide the same protection as large amounts of pure ascorbic acid, without the side effects.

  
Amalaki Powder:
This is another excellent source of natural vitamin C. The amalaki fruit grows in India and is used in Ayurvedic medicine. The powder is very sour. About ¼ teaspoon mixed with water is a good daily dose—an excellent treatment for allergies. Amalaki powder is an extremely economical source of natural vitamin C.

  
Azomite Mineral Powder:
This powdery mineral supplement, containing montmorillonite clay and many other compounds, comes from an ancient seabed. It is an excellent source of silicon, calcium, magnesium and the gamut of trace minerals. Clay also has detoxifying effects as the negatively charged clay particles attract positively charged pathogens and take them out of the body. Technically sold as an anticaking compound and originally available only in 40-pound bags, Azomite is now available in consumer-friendly, economical 2-pound containers. Take a heaping teaspoon mixed with water daily as an insurance of adequate macro-and trace-mineral ingestion in these days of soil depletion through intensive farming. (It's also great as a soil amendment for the garden and compost pile.)

  
Bee Pollen:
Bee pollen has been popularized by famous athletes who take it regularly for strength and endurance. It has been used successfully to treat a variety of ailments including allergies, asthma, menstrual irregularities, constipation, diarrhea, anemia, low energy, cancer, rheumatism, arthritis and toxic conditions. A Russian study of the inhabitants of the province of Georgia, where many live to 100 years and a few to age 150, revealed that a large portion of these centenarians were beekeepers who often ate raw, unprocessed honey with all its "impurities," that is, with the pollen. Bee pollen contains 22 amino acids including the eight essential ones, 27 minerals and the full gamut of vitamins, hormones and fatty acids. Most importantly, bee pollen contains more than 5,000 enzymes and coenzymes. It is the presence of enzymes, many of which have immediate detoxifying effects, that sometimes provokes allergic reactions in those taking bee pollen for the first time. If this happens, start with very small amounts and slowly build up to a tablespoon or so per day. Some brands are more easily tolerated than others. Avoid pollen that has been dried at temperatures higher than 130 degrees F. Bee pollen can be taken in powder, capsule or tablet form—or in raw unprocessed honey mixed with cereal or spread on toast.

  
Blue-Green Algae, Spirulina and Chlorella:
Blue-green micro algae, and its cousins spirulina and chlorella, grow on inland waters throughout the world—visible as greenish scum on still lakes and ponds. The Aztecs of Mexico ate it as a staple food, dried and spread on tortillas. Africans of the Sahara region also use dried spirulina with grains and vegetables. These algae are high in protein, carotenoids and minerals. Beware, however, of claims that they can provide vitamin B
₁₂
in vegetarian diets. Nevertheless, the high mineral and protein content of the various algae make them an excellent superfood, a good supplement to the diet and a useful product for the treatment of a variety of health problems. Of the three main types of algae, spirulina is said to be the easiest to digest and absorb, because its cell walls are composed of mucopolysaccharides rather than indigestible cellulose. Chlorella needs special processing to improve digestibility of a tough outer cell wall, but is valued for its ability to bind with heavy metals and carry them out of the body. Wild blue-green algae is said to have remarkable healing properties but can transform into an exceptionally toxic plant under certain conditions. Freeze drying is said to denature these toxins.

  
Bitters:
Herbal extracts of bitter, mineral-rich herbs are a traditional tonic for stimulating the bile and increasing digestion and assimilation of fats. They often are the best remedy for calming a queasy stomach. One such product is made by Floradix. Another is Swedish Bitters, originally formulated by Paracelsus and later "rediscovered" by a Swedish scientist. Bitters supply nutrients from bitter leaves that are often lacking in the Western diet. Many cultures, including the Chinese and Hindu, value bitter herbs for their cleansing, strengthening and healing properties.

  
Butter, High-Vitamin and High-Vitamin Butter Oil:
Deep yellow butter from cows feeding on rapidly growing green grass in the spring and fall supplies not only vitamins A and D but also the X Factor, discovered by Weston Price. The high-vitamin oil is made by centrifuging butter at a low temperature; the process concentrates the nutrients in the oil. Use high-vitamin butter or butter oil as a supplement to regular dietary butter, particularly during winter and early spring.

  
Cod Liver Oil:
Once a standard supplement in traditional European societies, cod liver oil provides fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which Dr. Price found present in the diet of primitives in amounts ten times higher than the typical American diet of his day. Cod liver oil supplements are a must for women
and
their male partners, to be taken for several months
before
conception, and for women during pregnancy and lactation. Growing children will also benefit greatly from a small daily dose. Cod liver oil is also rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The body makes this fatty acid from omega-3 linolenic acid as an important link in the chain of fatty acids that ultimately results in prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones. It is very important for the proper function of the brain and nervous system, and for visual acuity. Those individuals who have consumed large amounts of polyunsaturated oils, especially hydrogenated oils, or who have impaired pancreatic function, such as diabetics, may not be able to produce EPA and will therefore lack important prostaglandins unless they consume large amounts of oily fish or take a cod liver oil supplement. Cod liver oil varies in potency: regular cod liver oil contains about 5000 IU vitamin A per teaspoon while high-vitamin cod liver oil contains about 5000 IU vitamin A per ½ teaspoon. Use cod liver oil to provide a maintenance dose of 10,000 IU vitamin A per day for adults and 5000 IU vitamin A per day for infants and children. Higher amounts may be used by pregnant and nursing women and those recovering from illness, accidents or surgery, under the guidance of a health care practitioner. Cod liver oil is easy to take when stirred into a small amount of fresh orange juice or water. (Use an eye dropper to give it to infants.) Dr. Price always gave cod liver oil together with high-vitamin butter or butter oil, extracted by centrifuge from good quality spring or fall butter. He found that cod liver oil on its own was relatively ineffective but combined with high-vitamin butter or butter oil produced excellent results. Your diet should include both cod liver oil and good quality butter from grass-fed cows.