Foods for fertility – roe and wild-caught fish, fermented cod liver oil, liver, oysters and butter – represent nutrient-dense solutions for couples who are struggling to conceive, planning to conceive and for mothers who wish to nourish her child in the womb.  Prior to the advent of industrial agriculture and the processing of food, these foods for fertility held a sacred place in the human diet.  Populations went to great lengths to secure nutrient-dense foods like liver and roe and butter prepared from cows grazing and rapidly growing green pastures.  In the absence of these foods which offered an abundance of antioxidants, fat-soluble vitamins, trace minerals and wholesome fats, our nation has suffered an epidemic rise in infertility and in birth defects.  Folate, zinc, DHA, EPA, preformed vitamin A and vitamin D all play crucial roles in the reproductive health of men and women as well as the health of babies developing in the womb.

A fertility diet lacking these essential foods is not a fertility diet at all, so be wary of websites advocating casseroles filled with noodles and prepackaged seasoning mixes or zucchini and banana breads while omitting the foods for fertility listed below which are rich in vitamins A, D, E, K₂, folate, zinc as well as DHA and EPA.  The Weston A Price Foundation offers guidelines for preconception, pregnancy and lactation which can be seen here.  You’ll also find encouragement to consume other wholesome and healthy foods including grass-fed beef and lamb, pasture-raised lard, mineral-rich bone broths, fermented foods,  soaked whole grains and coconut oil.  These guidelines are based on the traditional practices of healthy native peoples across the globe and are particularly dense in vitamins, minerals and healthy fats known to play an essential role in fertility, reproductive health and fetal development.

Foods for Fertility: Fish Roe & Wild-caught Oily Fish

Fish roe, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, vitamins D and B12 as well as trace minerals.  Traditionally heralded as a sacred food for pregnancy and lactation, fish roe is a powerfully rich superfood, teeming with nutrients.  It’s high ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids favors fertility in both men and women.  Salmon roe was particularly prized among the arctic peoples¹ studied by Weston A Price, a nutritional researcher who traveled the world examining the effects of modern versus traditional diets on native populations. Price also found that landlocked peoples still adhering to their traditional diets went to great lengths to obtain fish roe for women of childbearing age as an insurance that they might bear healthy babies.

Indeed low omega-3 levels are implicated in male infertility as men suffering from infertility suffer significantly lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their sperm than men of normal fertility².  In laboratory studies, supplementation with DHA (a fatty acid prevalent in fish roe and cod liver oil) restored fertility to infertile mice³.  Fish roe and caviar typically offer an omega-3:6 ratio of approximately 10 to 1, and regular consumption of this sacred food could certainly improve omega-3 levels among both men and women.

Recommendation: The Weston A Price Foundation recommends wild seafoods, including roe, be consumed two to four times a week.
Serve this Fertility Food: Salmon roe, or ikura, can be ordered in any good quality sushi bar and is widely available from online sources.  Serve rose on its own, paired with cucumbers, served with homemade crackers and freshly cultured sour cream.  Alternatively, consider serving taramasalata – a traditional Greek dip featuring unrefined extra virgin olive oil (see sources) and tarama – carp roe.  Consider serving salmon baked in cream and herbs or misoyaki salmon.

(...)
Click here to read the rest of Conscious Conception: Foods for Fertility (2,287 words)

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]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/foods-for-fertility/feed/ 32 http://nourishedkitchen.com/ghee-a-wholesome-fat/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/ghee-a-wholesome-fat/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:39:47 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=1981

A selection of my favorite ghee recipes.

We don’t fear fat in my household.   Indeed, olive oil, coconut oil, tallow and butter make regular appearances in our kitchen, but there’s an under-appreciated wholesome fat: ghee.     Ghee is pure butterfat in its truest sense. Like many traditional foods, ghee is virtually ubiquitous in cultures that raised cattle for milk.   The French brought us clarified butter.   The Moroccans contributed smen, a clarified butter that is spiced and aged.   And India, of course, brought us ghee.

Ghee: Its Preparation and Culinary Value

The prepartion of ghee is simple and slow – just as it should be.   First butter is slowly simmered until the milk solids separate from the pure butterfat and any water contained in the butter evaporates.   With the milk solids and water removed, all that is left is a pure golden oil that’s rich in vitamin A.

About 60% of ghee’s fat content is saturated.   That high saturated fat content coupled with the lack of milk solids and water means that ghee is exceptionally well-suited to cooking in a way that mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids just can’t match. It is also rich in conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid that offers enormous value in a wholesome diet.   Indeed, recent research indicates that CLA may be useful in the prevention of and fight against cancers as well as in the mitigation of type II diabetes and associated adipose obesity.   It’s good stuff.   (Read more about CLA.)

Ghee is heat stable to roughly 400 º unlike butter which has a lower smok point due to milk solids naturally interspersed in the butterfat.   Moreover, ghee lacks both lactose and casein – two components of milk that make butter difficult to ingest for the milk-intolerant.   In this way,   ghee is a great replacement for butter in general with the added benefit of the very high smoke point.   Removing water and milk solids also contributes another added benefit: ghee is shelf-stable and should be stored at room temperature where it remains semi-solid.   Do not store ghee in your refrigerator – though many health foods stores tock it in the refrigerated section.

Cooking with Ghee

While its heavily used in classical Indian cuisine, I rarely use it that way as Indian cookery makes only rare appearances in my kitchen.   (I do love it though!)   Indeed, I use ghee primarily in sautéing and frying where its beautiful almost nutty flavor is best highlighted.   It’s a remarkably versatile and very under-appreciated fat.   It’s better suited to a variety of dishes than coconut oil or tallow with their strong flavors.   Even our locally owned movie theater uses a grassfed ghee to top fresh popped corn.

Where to Find Good Quality Ghee

If you’re planning to give ghee a shot in your kitchen either because you’re looking for a new wholesome fat to add to your collection or because you’re casein- or lactose-intolerant and searching for a butter replacement, take care to purchase ghee from a company whose cows are grass-fed.   Not only are the cows treated with honor and respect for their natural ruminant behavior, but the butterfat they produce is richer in fat soluble vitamins than that of grain- or corn-fed cows. Choose a source of ghee that is grass-fed especially on spring and summer grasses.

If you can’t find ghee locally, you can purchase it online from various companies (check out the  resources page  for ideas). A good ghee should be a beautiful, gold-colored ghee and made the butterfat from grass-fed cows.   Ideally ghee is produced only when the cows are grazing on spring and summer pastures (read why fresh cream of spring and summer is better, and bottled in glass which eliminates the challenges of endocrine-disrupting plastics leaching into your food.  

My Favorite Ghee Recipes

We use ghee frequently in our home because it is so remarkably versatile, and its subtle nutty flavor and rich golden color are useful in a lot of dishes.   Plus it holds up to high heat without burning or foaming.   So if you want to try ghee in your kitchen, but need a little guidance check out my favorite ghee recipes (and there’s a lot of them on this site!)

• Celery Root, Potato & Fennel Casserole with Walnut-encrusted Cod
• Pan-fried Brussels Sprouts with Piima Cream
• Maple-glazed Parsnips
• Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
• Braised Fennel with Basil
• Spaghetti with Clams, Lemon and Fresh Oregano

Did you like this post? Please let me know by leaving a comment. Don't forget to find Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. © Jenny for Nourished Kitchen, 2009. | Permalink |
]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/ghee-a-wholesome-fat/feed/ 6 http://nourishedkitchen.com/fresh-cream/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/fresh-cream/#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 15:53:47 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=1578

Panna Cotta with Fresh Raw Cream

Fresh cream.   Fresh raw cream.   I love it in all its thick, silky glory.   I love the taste, and the texture it lends to dishes – both savory and sweet.   There’s nothing quite like it, and when cream’s truly fresh – it borders on the divine.

We’re fortunate, after a year or two of developing our local foodshed, to have access to fresh cream from guernsey cows at an expansive Colorado ranch just a short drive away.   The cream is delivered in charming little pint-sized jam jars every Tuesday for $5.   What a delicious way to spend $5.

Many folks don’t consider fresh cream a seasonal food, but it is. Spring is calving season.   Grass is vibrantly green and rapidly growing.   And cream, real cream is flowing.   At this time, cream is plentiful and deeply nourishing.   Cows allowed to graze on fresh pasture – and rapidly growing green grass in particular – produce a cream that is as rich in flavor as it is in nutrients.   Indeed, fresh cream is one of springtime’s best foods.   Historically, spring’s fresh cream was prized for its unique properties and it was reserved for butter making and stored – often in peat – for use throughout the year.   Indeed, we’re still stumbling across forgotten parcels of bog butter including some that are 2,000 years old.

This cream is particularly dense in   fat soluble vitamins as well as conjugated linoleic acid and even coenzyme Q10.   Fat soluble vitamins, like all vitamins, are fragile and delicate nutrients.   Heat, like that required for pasteurization, destroys these delicate, natural and valuable nutrients.   Indeed, after pasteurization cream is no longer whole – it’s missing these natural vitamins.   Even worse, cream is often pasteurized at ultra-high temperatures which denatures the fats even further; the end result is a food that is differs dramatically from the nourishing food that nature intended.

Fresh, raw cream is a living food.   It contains beneficial bacteria and enzymes which are otherwise destroyed during pasteurization and it is precisely these components of living foods that make them so valuable to our overall health.   These enzymes enable better digestion of macronutrients and better absorption of micronutrients while the beneficial bacteria promotes intenstinal health and a well-functioning immune system.

To keep the beneficial bacteria, enzymes and delicate vitamins intact, keep the cream raw or just barely warm it.   In traditional societies studied by Weston A. Price and discussed in his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, if dairy products like fresh cream and butter were consumed they were invariably consumed raw.   In essence, by consuming fresh cream in its freshest form you’re adhering to the same dietary principles that nourished your forebears.     Besides, it just tastes better.

Convinced?   Try these recipes which show off fresh, raw cream in its best form:

• Honeyed Panna Cotta with Berries
• Really Raw Ice Cream with Wildflower Honey and Blackberries

Did you like this post? Please let me know by leaving a comment. Don't forget to find Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. © Jenny for Nourished Kitchen, 2009. | Permalink |
]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/fresh-cream/feed/ 27 http://nourishedkitchen.com/10-reasons-red-meat/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/10-reasons-red-meat/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:01:26 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=582 1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Found in the meat and milk of grass-fed ruminants, like cows, Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA is a potent nutrient. Researchers are just beginning to understand the mechanisms behind the potent and positive health effects traditional peoples have enjoyed since the days of hunting and gathering.   CLA is known as a potent antioxidant and anti-carcinogen.   CLA has shown promise in the treatment of various cancers.   Research conducted at the University of Alberta in Canada, Dartmouth Medical Center and elsewhere   indicates that CLA shows promise in the fight against breast cancer. [1. Lipids. 2009 Mar 6.], [2. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(1):114-22]   Further, CLA even could be valuable in the treatment of brain cancer due to its ability to prevent the development of new malignant tumors as well as inhibit the growth of existing tumors. [3. Brain Res. 2008 Jun 5;1213:35-40. Epub 2008 Feb 16.]

2. Iron

Red meat is a rich source of iron; better yet, it’s a rich source of the most easily absorbed iron: heme iron.   Heme iron is very readily and easily absorbed.   Contrasted with red meat plant sources of iron, like lentils, offer non-heme iron which is poorly absorbed.   Iron is critical to health because, when properly absorbed, it assists the blood’s hemoglobin in carrying oxygen to the body’s cells.   Low iron may lead to fatigue, headaches and dizziness.   Women of child-bearing age, infants and children are most likely to be deficient due to their increased level of need for iron. Red meat should be considered especially important for women–particularly during and after menstruation when the loss of blood brings down iron levels.

3. Stearic Acid

Stearic acid is a saturated fat found in beef and other meats.   Despite the current and prevalent thought that saturated fats cause an elevation in cholesterol, research indicates that stearic acid actually lowers LDL cholesterol [4. Lipids. 2005 Dec;40(12):1201-5.]

4. Protein

Red meat is an easy source of complete protein.   Protein is essential to the human diet not only because it provides energy, but also because it is critical to the growth and repair of cells.   Every cell in the human body contains protein including the antibody cells of the immune system which protect the body against pathogens.   Red meat is an easy to prepare complete protein containing the full spectrum of amino acids.

5. Zinc

The mineral zinc plays an important role in human health.   It is essential for immune system function and can combat the effects of premature aging due to its anti-inflammatory properties. [5. Genes Nutr. 2008 Jul;3(2):61-75.]   Zinc also plays an important role in skin health, particularly in healing from afflictions like acne and eczema.   Zinc deficiency is linked to skin disorders like dermatitis. [6. Orv Hetil. 2004 May 9;145(19):1007-10.] Maternal intake of zinc is also critical to infant and child health.   Mothers with the highest intake of antioxidants like zinc during pregnancy decreased the risk that their children would suffer from wheezing disorders. [7. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):903-11.]   Red meats, particularly beef and lamb, are rich in zinc and provide an easy way to access this vital nutrient in a whole-food form.

6. B Vitamins

Red meat is a potent source of B vitamins, particularly vitamin B12.   These nutrients are concentrated in the organ meats--particularly, the liver.   B vitamins are essential to cognitive and emotional function.   B vitamin deficiency is linked to depression.   Inadequate maternal intake of B vitamins during the months prior to pregnancy and during pregnancy itself are thought to contribute to poor infant growth, cognitive and social development in children.   Further, inadequate B12 status in mothers increases the risk of neural tube defects in offspring and increases the risk for pre-term labor. [7. Food Nutr Bull. 2008 Jun;29(2 Suppl):S126-31.]

7. Vitamin A

The suet and tallow of grass-fed animals is rich in vitamin A - including both retinol and beta-carotene.   Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin noted for its positive effects on health.   Vitamin A promotes fertility, good vision and immunity.   Inadequate maternal intake of vitamin A prior to and during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects. Retinol or pre-formed vitamin A is essential to properly functioning immune and endocrine systems while beta-carotene is a potent anti-carcinogen due it is powerful antioxidant activity.   The fat from grass-fed cows, lambs and bison is rich in these nutrients--greatly more so than the fat of conventionally fed animals from concentration animal feed operations (CAFOs and feedlots).   The naturally occurring beta-carotene found in abundance among the wild grasses of pastures and plains feed the animals naturally.   Some of this beta-carotene is transformed into retinol in the fat, while some of it remains as beta-carotene.   Red meat and the fat of grass-grazing animals provides a good source of this powerful and essential nutrient.

8. EPA

Similarly, the fat from naturally fed cows and other ruminants contains significant amounts of EPA.   EPA is also found in oily, ocean-going fish.   This omega-3 fatty acid is essential for cognitive function and emotional health and is only naturally available from animal food sources.   EPA is known for its many health benefits including protection from cardiovascular disease, cognitive function and emotional well-being.   Intake of EPA has been proven effective time and time again in the treatment and prevention of heart disease, and regular, daily intake of EPA from diet alone "would be expected to significantly reduce deaths from coronary heart disease." [8. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2008 Dec;10(6):503-9.] While DHA, another notable nutrient found naturally in combination with EPA, is known primarily for its positive effects on brain and cognitive development, EPA is known for its positive effects on mood and emotional well-being.   Combinations of these two omega-3 fatty acids have shown remarkable benefits in treating ADHD/ADD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism and even dyslexia. [9. Altern Med Rev. 2007 Sep;12(3):207-27.] Low levels of EPA have been linked with the development of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.   [10. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Sep;88(3):714-21.]   Grass-finished meat represents an excellent source for EPA due to its favorable omega 3 to omega 5 fatty acid ratio.   Grass-finished meat offers an omega 3 to omega 6 ratio of approximately 1 part omega-3 fatty acids to 2 parts omega-6 fatty acids; by contrast, conventionally fed cows produce meat with a much less favorable ratio and are lacking in the vital nutrient EPA.

9. Mono-unsaturated Fat

Beef fat is comprised of approximately 35% monounsaturated fat.   The consumption of monounsaturated fats are linked to a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)--particularly among insulin-resistant individuals. [11. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007 Oct;26(5):434-44.]

10. Tradition

Traditionally, red meat has comprised an important element of the human diet.   Consider the venison that nourished Europeans, the bison that nourished the Native Americans or the lamb and mutton that provided sustenance for the nomads of the Middle East: all of these foods provide value to the diet including wholesome fats, vital protein, minerals and vitamins.   Red meat has been part of the human diet for millennia - yet the people who consumed it didn't suffer from cancers or heart disease or other diseases of industrialization; rather, they benefited from its many positive and essential nutrients.   If it nourished your ancestors, it can nourish you too.   Take care to purchase only grass-finished meats which offer the very best nutritional profile.

Did you like this post? Please let me know by leaving a comment. Don't forget to find Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. © Jenny for Nourished Kitchen, 2009. | Permalink |
]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/10-reasons-red-meat/feed/ 51 http://nourishedkitchen.com/fat-soluble-vitamins/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/fat-soluble-vitamins/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:23:29 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=568 Fat Soluble Vitamins

Fat soluble vitamins are critical to health and wellness–particularly reproductive health and wellness.   Unfortunately, adequate intake of fat soluble vitamins is sorely lacking among modern peoples–especially by comparison to traditional societies. Average intake of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K is inadequate at best and dangerously low at worst–even among health circles. Low-fat, no-fat and vegan diets are woefully lacking in fat soluble vitamins; however a diet based on traditional foods–those foods that nourished our ancestors through their evolution– can naturally provide these vitamins.

Fat Soluble Vitamins: Where to get them?

Fat soluble vitamins are just that: they’re capable of being dissolved in fat unlike other vitamins which are water soluble.   In short, to reap the benefits of these vitamins you need to eat fat.   And plenty of it.   The higher quality the fat, the more likely it is to contain fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A: What is it?

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that can be classified into retinols or carotenoids.   These substances are metabolized by the body to form usable vitamin A.

Retinols–the vitamin A found in animal-source foods–require very little work by the body in order to convert it to true vitamin A.   Retinols are sometimes referred to as pre-formed vitamin A   or true vitamin A due to the fact that they require such little effort on the part of the body in order for it to be usable.

Carotenoids which include the very prevalent beta carotene are poorly converted by the body.   For example, some studies indicate that the body requires as much as twenty-one times the amount of carotenoids to create the same amount of vitamin A is one part retinol.   To add insult to injury many people, especially those suffering from thyroid disorders and small children, are even poorer converters.   A 2001 study found that the conversion rate of carotenoids to true vitamin A is so poor as to render it nutritionally insignificant.

Check out these bloggers who are also addressing Fat Soluble Vitamins

• Life Spotlight on Just How Important is Vitamin D?
• Eat Salad on Vitamin E
• Cheeseslave on Vitamin D

Vitamin A: Its Role in Health

Vitamin A, like other fat soluble vitamins, is critical to health.   It is essential to growing children and to mothers and fathers who are trying to conceive.   It promotes a healthy immune system, fertility, good vision and healthy skin.   Vitamin A also plays a role in the health of the heart.     Low maternal intake of vitamin A has been linked birth defects including cleft palate (see more about maternal intake of vitamin A and cleft palate).

Vitamin A: Whole & Traditional Food Sources

While beta-carotene is a great antioxidant and plays a very important role in overall health, if you’re shooting for vitamin A make sure to get it from reliable sources like animal foods which are rich in retinol–that form of vitamin A that is most easily absorbed by the body.

Retinol in Micrograms per 100-gram serving.

• Calf Liver (21140 mcg per 100-gram serving)
• Goose Liver Pâté (1001 mcg per 100-gram serving)
• Fresh Butter (671 mcg per 100-gram serving)
• Fresh Tuna (655 mcg per 100-gram serving)
• Fresh Cream (405 mcg per 100-gram serving)

Vitamin D

Vitamin D: What is it?

Vitamin D is a   group of fat-soluble vitamins.   They are considered prohormones, or the precursors to hormones, and are essential to endocrine health.   There are several forms of vitamin D, but the most common are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) which are known together as   calciferol.

Vitamin D2 is not a truly natural form of the vitamin D.   Vitamin D2 does not occur in any detectable quantities in humans; instead, it’s produced in minute quantities in plants.   Supplementary vitamin D2 is manufactured by subjecting fungus to ultraviolet radiation.   As this process is considered “natural,” supplementary vitamin D2 may be misleadingly labeled as “natural” even though that is not truly the case.   Recent research indicates that vitamin D2 is linked to calcium malabsorption.

In a study on vitamin D2 published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers stated:

“These are officially regarded as equivalent and interchangeable (1-3). Although sunshine exposure and fish consumption provide vitamin D in the form of D₃, a different bioactive, plant-derived form of vitamin D, named vitamin D₂, was produced in the early 1920s through ultraviolet exposure of foods. This process was patented and licensed to pharmaceutical companies, which led to the development of a medicinal preparation of vitamin D_{2 …} Vitamin D₂, or ergocalciferol, should not be regarded as a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification.”

Vitamin D: Its Role in Health

Vitamin D is critical to bone health and immune system function.     Vitamin D deficiency is actually fairly common, and is linked to high blood pressure, cancer, periodontal disease, osteoporosis and autoimmune disease.

Vitamin D: Whole & Traditional Food Sources

Raw, oily, ocean-going fish represent one of the best food sources of vitamin D.   Many nutritionists also recommend pasteurized milk as a source for vitamin D; however, the vitamin D added to pasteurized milk is vitamin D2 and is best avoided.

IUs of Vitamin D   per 100-gram serving.

• Sunlight.
• Mackerel Sashimi (360 IU)
• Raw Oysters (320 IU)
• Sardines (272 IU)
• Raw Pastured Egg Yolk (107 IU)

Vitamin E

Vitamin E: What is it?

Vitamin E refers to several nutrients called tocopherols.   These are fat soluble vitamins.   Of these tocopherols, alpha-tocopherol offers the highest bioavailability.   While alpha-tocopherol seems to be the most active, beta-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol and delta-tocopherol each play their complementary role.   As with other fat soluble vitamins, avoid synthetic supplements.

Vitamin E: Its Role in Health

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.   This fat soluble vitamin is essential for cell health.   It’s remarkably effective in mitigating cardiovascular disease with protective effects for the entire circulatory system.   Vitamin E also promotes healthy, clear skin.   Due to its status as an antioxidant, it could prove helpful in the fight against cancer.   Beyond that, it’s critical for eye health and may mitigate the effects of cataracts.

Notable naturopathic physician, Ron Schmid has this to say about vitamin E in his book Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine:

“The absence of whole grains and liver, traditional foods rich in vitamin E, from the modern diet has resulted in widespread deficiencies.   Much evidence demonstrates this has significantly contributed to the modern epidemic of heart disease and other problems.”

Vitamin E: Whole & Traditional Food Sources

Nuts and seeds represent some of the most concentrated sources of vitamin E traditionally available, although vitamin E can be found in whole grains and some animal foods.

Mgs of Alpha-tocopherol per 100-gram serving.

• RawAlmonds (26 mg)
• Palm Kernel Oil (19 mg)
• Flaxseed Oil (17 mg)
• Raw Hazelnuts (17 mg)
• Wild Salmon Roe (7 mg)

Vitamin K

Vitamin K: What is it?

Vitamin K is a group of vitamins, notably vitamin K1 and vitamin K2.   Vitamin K, like vitamins A, D and E, are fat soluble vitamins.   Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 are naturally occuring vitamins; however, there’s a subset of vitamin K which include vitamin K3, K4, K5 all of which are synthetic vitamins.

Vitamin K2 is produced be beneficial bacteria that are naturally occurring in the intestinal tract of healthy people.   Those with severely damaged guts, or who have been subjected to the consistent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may lack these vital bacteria and therefore may suffer from poor vitamin K2 production.

Vitamin K: Its Role in Health

Vitamin K is essential for proper blood clotting.   Vitamin K also supports bone health, even reducing post-menopausal bone loss among women.   Interestingly, vitamin K may even prove effective in the fight against degenerative cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease.   Japanese studies indicate that vitamin K could play a very vital role in the treatment of cancers–particularly liver cancer.

Vitamin K: Whole & Traditional Food Sources

Leafy greens represent a great source of vitamin K, but take care to eat these greens with an accompanying wholesome fat.

Mcg of Vitamin K per 100-gram serving.

• Cooked Kale (882 mcg)
• Raw Swiss Chard (830 mcg)
• Dandelion Greens (778 mcg)
• Raw Radicchio (255 mcg)
• Miso (23 mcg)

Did you like this post? Please let me know by leaving a comment. Don't forget to find Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. © Jenny for Nourished Kitchen, 2009. | Permalink |
]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/fat-soluble-vitamins/feed/ 15 http://nourishedkitchen.com/top-ten-nutritional-powerhouses/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/top-ten-nutritional-powerhouses/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:26:20 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=544 Counting your pennies?   Trying to feed your family in an economic slump and every single dime counts?   In no particular order, here’s my top ten nutritional powerhouses that won’t break the bank.   Believe me: they’ve made a steady and regular appearance at our table the last few weeks.

1. Eggs from Pasture-fed Hens

Selling anywhere from $1 to $6 a dozen, truly farm fresh eggs from hens fed on pasture makes for a remarkably inexpensive, but nourishing food.   Produced by hens who are allowed to freely wander the farm, foraging for their natural diet of grubs, bugs, worms and sprouts, pastured eggs offer a much different, healthier nutrient-profile than eggs from conventional, battery-cage hens.   Sadly, 98% of the world’s eggs are produced from battery cage operations.

Eggs from pasture-fed hens offer a higher omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin A and vitamin E content than eggs produced from caged or so-called “free range” hens.   Further, farm fresh eggs are a remarkable source of high quality fat, cholesterol which is essential for cognitive function, protein and flavor.   Plus the humble egg’s high choline content offers anti-inflammatory properties.

2. Cod Liver Oil

I know, I know.   Even the sounds, when rolled off the tongue, make many of us squirm.     Cod Liver Oil.   It sounds like a punishment, doesn’t it?

Cod Liver Oil, while not a feature on anyone’s dinner table, is a profound source of fat soluble vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids – nutrients that are severely lacking in the standard American diet.   Cod liver oil packs in vitamin A in a form that is more readily absorbed than beta-carotene, vitamin D, DHA and EPA.   (Here’s just one reason why Vitamin A is so important: Vitamin A & Cleft Palate).

A bottle of cod liver oil will run you anywhere from $8 to over $40 depending on the size and quality.   Remember, look for a cod liver oil without added synthetic vitamins and buy it in the liquid form instead of capsules.       It is an excellent, natural supplement that can provide a nutritional boost to a healthy diet.   You can purchase some cod liver oil here.

3. Liver from Grass-finished Animals

First cod liver oil and now liver? Yeah, I see your grimaces even as I type this list.     And, yes, you better believe I still struggle with this one: organ meat.   It is not for the faint of palate – and virtually everyone who’s been raised on the standard American diet is faint of palate.   Still, our modern reliance on muscle meat is not in keeping with our ancestors’ views on using and eating the whole animal.

Liver is exceptionally nutrient-dense and therefore remarkably valuable for everyone – and particularly so for those who are on their road to recovery from poor eating habits or who suffer from poor health.   It is remarkably rich in vitamin B12, vitamin A, copper, folate, riboflavin, selenium and zinc – all of which play a critical role in health and wellness.   Further, vitamin A and folate are critical to a preconception diet for couples who are looking to conceive.

Liver from grass-finished animals sells for as little as $3 – $8 per pound depending on your market; however, if you get to know your rancher you might be able to pick up liver as well as other oft-discarded organ meats for free.

4. Sardines & Anchovies

Both sardines and anchovies are inexpensive whole foods.   While their strong flavor may take some getting used to, it’s important to note that many wholesome, healthy foods are strongly flavored.   Those are the nutrients you’re tasting!

Sardines and anchovies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and good sources of nutrients like selenium which is good for hair, skin and nails as well as calcium, niacin, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin E.   Sardines and anchovies, like most ocean-going fish, are strongly anti-inflammatory.

Purchase wild-caught fish packed in extra virgin olive oil rather than soybean oil.   Sardines and anchovies sell around $1.99 per tin.     If you’re a die-hard anchovy lover like me or you just want to try them out, check out this recipe for Anchovy Toasts.

5. Winter Squash

Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and folate, winter squash provides a variety of critical nutrients for very little money.   Indeed, organic winter squash will sell for as little as $1 per pound.   Winter squash, with its dark orange hue is an excellent source of beta-cryptoxanthi, a carotenoid that is proven effective in the prevention of cancer.

Winter squash is exceptionally versatile and suited to a myriad of culinary purposes: soups, casseroles, gratins, roast vegetable dishes and, of course, pumpkin pie.

6. Oranges

Organic oranges sell for as little as $1 per pound when purchased in season.   Packed with vitamin C and dietary fiber, they’re both nutritious and appetizing.   Oranges are also good sources of folate and thiamine – both of which are critical in the maternal diet. Vitamin C is critical to proper immune function.   Further, vitamin C is also a very powerful antioxidant and some research indicates it may prove effective in the prevention of cancer – particularly colon cancer.

Much of an orange’s nutrients reside in the skin that is too-often discarded rather than put to good use.   Dried orange peels can add excellent flavor to both savory and sweet dishes.

7. Kale

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that can be eaten raw when young, but is also good steamed, sauteed or added to soups.   An exceptionally good source of beta-carotene, vitamin K and manganese, it makes for a nourishing, inexpensive addition to meals.   By some estimates, leafy greens like kale and animal foods comprised the bulk of the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.   Leafy greens are, essentially, the foods that nourished us throughout our evolution.

Most kale can be purchased in season for as little as $1-2 a bunch.   Take care in serving kale to your family as it has a high oxalic acid content which is mitigated to some degree by cooking.   Most people with healthy intestinal flora will be able to eat kale – raw or cooked – without concern; however, people suffering from mineral deficiency might do well to limit kale or at least cook it.   Check out this recipe for kale and white bean soup – it’s tasty and super cheap.

8. Real Sauerkraut

Real sauerkraut is inexpensive to make, lasts a very long time and is rich in vitamins and probiotics.   You can purchase heads of organic cabbage for as little as $0.75 per pound, and process the sauerkraut yourself using Celtic sea salt or real salt which increases the mineral content of the sauerkraut.   Further, because it is a raw, living food its vitamin C content remains better intact than in cooked cabbage.   Cabbage that undergoes fermentation as   in the case of sauerkraut and kimchi produces isothiocynates which are powerful cancer fighters, and the beneficial bacteria present in naturally fermented sauerkraut increases intestinal health and assists with proper immune function.

Want to make your own sauerkraut?   Check out this recipe for naturally fermented sauerkraut.

9. Beets

Betacyanin is the component that makes beets both vibrantly colorful and remarkably healthful.   This naturally occurring pigment is a potent cancer fighter and coupled with other nutrients like folate, potassium and manganese, makes the homely beet a nutritional powerhouse.   Beets are showing promise in the fight against cardiovascular disease, cancer and hyperlipidemia.   Plus, they’re cheap!   A bunch of organic beets will usually run between $2 and $4.99.   Check out these beet recipes (Roasted Baby Beets and Chioggia Beets with Citrus Glaze).

10. Bone Broth

Now, I’ve detailed the benefits of bone broth before, but let me outline them again.   Bone broth is one of the most valuable sources of hard-to-get nutrients and it should be consumed frequently, if not every day.   Exceptionally rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, bone broth is a valuable, nutrient-dense addition to the diet.   Bone broth is also an excellent source of gelatin and glucosamin-chondroitin – nutrients essential for joint health.

Just as with liver, bones are often discarded at slaughter and can be purchased inexpensively for under $2 per pound.   However, by getting to know your rancher and regularly purchasing farm-direct, it’s likely you can pick up bones as free gift for your patronage.   Beyond that, carcasses from roast chickens and turkey make excellent broth (see the roast chicken stock recipe here).

So that’s my top ten list!   What are your favorite, frugal, nutrient-rich foods?

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]]> http://nourishedkitchen.com/top-ten-nutritional-powerhouses/feed/ 21 http://nourishedkitchen.com/food-wars-butter-vs-margarine/ http://nourishedkitchen.com/food-wars-butter-vs-margarine/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:31:09 +0000 Jenny http://nourishedkitchen.com/?p=72

Why anyone would still willingly eat margarine is beyond me. Seriously.   Taste alone should be enough deterrent, but beyond personal taste preferences, there’s a striking difference between the healthfulness of the two foods.

Margarine

Margarine, even now after everyone knows and understands the word transfat, margarine is still sometimes heralded as “heart-healthy” and the ideal over butter.   Margarine is made from vegetable oils – mostly soy and cottonseed.   These vegetable oils are processed under extreme conditions: high heat, high pressure and using chemical solvents designed to extract the oil.   Vegetable oils are largely comprised of polyunsaturated fatty acids which degrades easily without the added insult of extreme processing during the manufacture.

Polyunsaturated oils are not as heart-healthy as you might think.   While it’s certain that some intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids are important to our health (take Omega-3 fatty acids for example), excessive intake is actually linked to chronic disease.   Part of this problem stems from the lack of balance in our diet of Omega-3s to Omega-6s.   I’ve read that the ideal ratio is 3:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3, but some research indicates that the ideal ratio might actually be closer to 1:1.   Regardless of whether or not the ratio is 3:1 or 1:1, we’re not even close as most people eat far higher ratio of Omega-6 fatty acids to Omega-3s.   Excessive consumption of these oils is actually linked to cancer, heart disease, damage to bodily organs, impaired growth and obesity.

But that’s not quite all, polyunsaturated fats degrade and go rancid very easily leaving them susceptible to oxidation and high levels of free radicals.   When heated, as in the creation of margarine or cooking and baking, the oils are further degraded.

Additionally, most margarines further insult these oils by subjecting them to the hydrogenation process which leaves them more solid at room temperature and spreadable.   Unfortunately, the hydrogenation process produces trans-fatty acids which are severely damaging to human health.

Beyond all of that, one must recognize that these oils (with a few rare exceptions) were simply not present in the human diet until the last hundred years and were not consumed to any great degree until the last few decades.   Without a doubt, our ancestors had no ability to chemically extract oil from cottonseeds and they certainly had no ability to hydrogenate them.

Butter

Butter is an oft-loathed and oft-loved food.   Who can deny the deliciousness of that wonderful creamy flavor?   Yet, over the past century as the prevalence of the vegetable oil industry has risen, butter has become maligned by the medical community to the detriment of our health.

Butter is an animal fat and, like other animal fats, is largely comprised of saturated fat.   Saturated fat has been given a bad rap despite the faulty and inaccurate research indicating that it’s damaging to the cardiovascular system.   Indeed the short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids that come from butter offer antimicrobial and immune-enhancing benefits to the eater.   As an added benefit, saturated fat is heat-stable meaning that it is not as likely to be damaged by heat and cooking as polyunsaturated fats are.

Butter is rich in vitamins and minerals that are not present in margarine.   For example, butter is rich in real Vitamin A – a vitamin that is critical to reproductive health and vitally important to both babies still developing in their mothers’ wombs as well as young children.   Butter is rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin D and the mineral selenium all of which are vital to health.

Beyond the vitamins and minerals critical to human health, butter contains other important factors which   convey benefits to our bodies.   Butter contains conjugated linoleic acid which is known to fight cancer.   It also contains lecithin which assists the metabolism of cholesterol and fat.   Speaking of cholesterol, it is a factor that is critical to brain development that margarine simply lacks.

Historically, butter has been eaten for millennia with the most prized butter coming from the cream of cows pastured on quickly growing spring grasses.   Indeed, the butter from grass-fed cows is richer in vitamins and minerals than the butter coming from cows kept in confinement and the butter made from the raw cream of grass-fed cows is the best option as it is closest to its original nature and rich in enzymes and beneficial bacteria that would have been killed by the pasteurization process.   If raw butter is unavailable, choose butter from grass-fed cows such as KerryGold or Organic Valley Limited Edition Pasture Butter.   You can also find butter from grass-fed cows online.   (See sources.)

Butter is a natural, wholesome food that humans have enjoyed for thousands of years and it’s deeply nutritive.   When wondering what’s best: margarine or butter, the answer is real butter hands-down.