Episode 10
Tips and Tricks for getting the most nutrients from your food
Welcome to another episode of Nutrition is the Key to Health, my name is Alicia and I am your host.
Nutrition can be so confusing at times. After all, you have started a new way of eating and want to eat healthier. If you are like me, all the cofactors, enzymes, and oxalates just confuse the situation. The last thing you want to do when trying to throw a quick meal or snack together is to make sure you are following all the rules as they relate to food. I am going to break it down and give you some tips and tricks to get the most from your meals and snacks.
Disclaimer, I am not a physician, nurse, registered dietician, physical therapist, or mental health professional. This is my story and what I have done and learned over the course of my journey. If you plan to start a diet or exercise program, please get approval from your doctor.
You might want to get a pen and paper to make notes. If you are driving, just come back to this podcast later, when it is safe to do so.
First, I used to make a smoothie each day that consisted of greens, a banana, strawberries, and blueberries with a touch of protein powder, some flax, and plant milk. After I heard this on The Exam Room Podcast with Chuck Carrol, I stopped. Dr. Neal Barnard said that researchers found that an enzyme in bananas will make the flavanols in the berries less bioavailable.
So, bananas will block your ability to absorb all those great compounds. The same holds true for other berries, grapes, and cocoa. So, if you want berries in your smoothie, do not add a banana. If you want a banana smoothie, do not add berries.
Second, spinach is packed with nutrients and it is probably my favorite green. I use it for my smoothies, salads, stir-fries, and many more things. To me, it is more palatable than other greens.
But, you must be careful not to eat too much of this power green raw.
A trick is, if you cook the spinach with a light sauté, you will get more calcium and iron while reducing the amounts of oxalates. So, a quick sauté with a few onions, and a squeeze of lemon juice to top it off, will make a quick and healthy side to any main course.
If you do not know what oxalates are, they are compounds found in certain foods, that if eaten enough in their raw form, can cause kidney stones. So, if you are prone to stones, be cognizant of this and always try and cook your spinach. Remember the squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which contains vitamin C, will be a cofactor to the iron that is in the spinach and help your body absorb more of it. If you have a condition called hemochromatosis, please consult your doctor before consuming iron-containing foods.
Number 3. One cup of cooked white mushrooms has two times as much muscle-building potassium, heart-healthy niacin, and immune-boosting zinc, and bone-strengthening magnesium as a cup of raw mushrooms. According to the Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, cooking the mushrooms help destroy any toxins that might be contained in this super food.
Number 4 is carrots. Cooking these gems ignites this veggie’s cancer-fighting carotenoids, the nutrient responsible for its orange color. A 2008 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that lightly boiling carrots whole until tender, not only boosts the concentration of the carotenoids by 14% but preserves the nutrients from bleaching out into the water.
But, they also warn, do not pan-fry or put into stir-fries until after the process is complete, or you will reduce the concentration of the carotenoids by 13%. If you are like me, carrots when into all my stir-fries, but now, I add them after.
Number 5. Cook asparagus with a light broil, or sauté, to help the digestion of these insoluble fiber-rich gems. They are packed with nutrients. Simply add a bit of spice, and sprinkle of balsamic vinegar and you are off to the races.
Number 6. Cook tomatoes to increase lycopene. Lycopene-rich foods are linked to lower rates of cancer and heart disease.
Number 7. Red Bell Peppers are great for eye health. They should be cooked by lightly sauteing in a stir-fry, or added to a soup.
I have to tell you about a book that I call my food bible. I have had it for years, maybe even decades. If I want to know anything about a certain food, I go to this book. It tells you how to pick, prepare, store, and cook everything. To where you are getting the most benefit from every food. Now, this book does not discriminate. It has spices, root vegetables, vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat, oils, and condiments. It gives you macros on each, along with micros. I think it is the most comprehensive food book on the market, even though it is years in print. It is called The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan with a publish date of 2007.
You can go to my website at Nutritionisthekeytohealth.com and you will find a link for this book under the June 3, 2023 Blog titled: Information is the Key to Success , or following the link in the transcript.
I am glad you joined me today, and I hope you find a bit of encouragement to take that first step and begin to make a change for better health.
See you in the next episode.