5 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Preserve

Food preservation hails from ancient times when people gathered precious food into the sun, wind or ice. Dehydration and freezing are the oldest methods of preservation.

But as humans became smarter, we discovered that salt, vinegar and canning were excellent means of preserving hard-won foods as well. No matter the method there’s hardly a food that can’t be preserved for either short or long periods of time.

METHODS

Here’s a quick review of several methods of food preservation.

Freezing – It’s easy to understand how freezing food came about. People in cold climates couldn’t stop the cold from freezing their food. Lucky for them, they quickly learned that it was an excellent means for keeping food longer. Not all foods freeze well, but primary sources of protein and certain vegetables and fruits generally freeze with no problems. But some foods do require tricks to get the job done right.

Dehydration – While this isn’t the quickest method of food preservation, and certainly not without its risk, it can make for delicious on-the-go snacks. Given time, air and sometimes heat, foods can be dried for longer keeping.

Fermenting/Pickling – Although seen as two separate categories, fermenting and pickling run along the same vein. One simply precedes the other. When left sitting long enough, fermented sugars and starches turn into vinegar, which gives pickling its unique flavor.

Canning – Finally, the newest addition to the food preservation scene is canning. It requires heat, pressure and cans. When heated and sealed, foods can last months to years.

SIX FOODS YOU CAN PRESERVE

Watermelon

Do you have an abundance of watermelon leftover from your summertime festivities? You can preserve your favorite refreshing fruit in more ways than one. If you prefer the meat of the fruit itself, then use the flesh to create a pickled watermelon dressing, which can be used instantly or preserved in a can for later use. But maybe you’re interested in something a little more unique. Try out watermelon rind pickles!

Swiss Chard Stems (and Other Greens)

Perhaps not the most intuitive choice for preservation. But greens in general, like kale and spinach, can be saved in the freezer for use in smoothies, sautees or soups. Boil the greens for a couple minutes, then blanch them. Make small balls out of the green leaves and position them on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer. Once frozen you can gather all the balls into a freezer bag. Then you have serving size greens. But if you’re feeling adventurous, then you may be interested in spicy siracha pickles made from swiss chard stems.

Avocados

Avocados bring a steep price at the grocery store during certain times of the year. But if you have a tree or see a good deal and want to stock up, then by all means grab a basket full. You’ll be eating guacamole for years. While frozen avocados don’t preserve well in their original form, the flesh can be used in guacamole and other spreads.

Eggs

Are your backyard chickens laying eggs left and right? Before you start giving away or, worse, throwing away your extra eggs, break them open and store them in bags with a little bit of salt. When you’re ready to bake your famous chocolate cake for the holidays you’ll have farm fresh eggs stacked away in the back of your freezer.

Herbs

Your herb garden looks fabulous! But you’ll have to pick it at some point. Instead of forcing yourself to use all your herbs, try one of two methods. You might think that drying them is the best option. It’s a safe and reliable method of preserving your beautiful, tasty herbs. But if you want to go the extra mile to save not only the herbs but their oils too, then freeze them. Chop the herbs and place them in an ice cube tray. Fill each cube with olive oil. Leave a little room at the top for expansion. Then freeze the cubes. You can put the cubes in a large freezer bag once frozen. Now you have herb oil cubes for sautees and other dishes to use throughout the year.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Most foods can be preserved in one form or another. Anything from meat to dairy to fruits and vegetables. It’s a matter of finding the right method. Food preservation is a sustainable and reliable method for getting the most out of your food and eliminating waste. Try one of these methods this week!

The Amazing Fruit That Slows Aging

A particular fruit that slows the aging process sounds too good to be true, but that’s exactly what researchers have discovered. It turns out that pomegranate doesn’t just look beautiful and taste amazing but it contains a unique substance that, when eaten, slows the aging process. Before you run out to your local grocery store to stock up on pomegranates and pomegranate juice, I’ll explain how this wonder fruit can help to transform your health.

The exciting research published in the medical journal Nature Medicine sounds like something out of a science fiction movie because the likelihood of making the discovery is like finding the microscopic needle in a haystack. Researchers discovered that a naturally-occurring compound found in pomegranates interacts with intestinal bacteria in humans to be converted into another substance known as urolithin A, which in turn slows the aging process. The scientists at École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne, Switzerland, deserve a round of applause for their incredible, and seemingly impossible, discovery. Impressive discoveries like this remind me of the miracle of nature. The study results also demonstrate how humans and other animals co-evolved with plants and bacteria over millions of years and how we have an interdependence on each other.

In the animal study, researchers determined that urolithin A slows aging by improving the functioning of the microscopic energy factories found in the cells—known as mitochondria. Impaired mitochondria have been linked with aging and some health conditions like Parkinson’s disease. The research is in its infancy so it is not yet clear how wide-reaching the benefits may be; however, the animals in the study experienced improved muscular function.

While researchers made the discovery with pomegranates, several other foods contain the natural compound known as ellagic acid, which is the compound that interacts with gut bacteria to form urolithin A. Ellagic acid is also found in blackberries, blueberries, sour cherries, black and red currants, elderberries, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts and to a lesser extent, pecans.

Ellagic acid also helps to ensure the body can kill cancer cells before they can do harm by regulating the process of cancer cell destruction. It has also been found to stimulate the liver to improve its detoxification of environmental toxins, hormones and food toxins.

When researchers tested the anti-aging effect on nematode worms, the worms lived 45 percent longer than worms not exposed to urolithin A. According to one of the study’s lead researchers and professor of neuroscience, Patrick Aebischer in an interview with Medical News Today, “it’s the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy. It’s a completely natural substance and its effect is powerful and measurable.”

Will humans live 45 percent longer by eating pomegranates on a regular basis? It’s not likely but we’ll have to wait for research on urolithin A on humans to find out. As an amusing anecdote: as I’m writing this blog, the song “Who Wants to Live Forever?” by the Canadian Tenors just started playing. While we await the research to determine just how much longer we might live thanks to urolithin A, you may want to start enjoying pomegranate and the other fruit and nuts that contain ellagic acid to start reaping the antiaging and energy benefits of these delicious and healing foods.

The Product that Most People Use Every Morning Can Cause Heart Attack, Cancer and Obesity

Originally created during the 1930’s as a way of saving time for busy home cooks, General Mills (under the label Betty Crocker) created a shortcut for making biscuits by combining many of the ingredients needed into one simple mix… they called this quick biscuit mix Bisquick.

  

The ingredients are: Enriched flour, partially hydrated soybean and/or cottonseed oil, leavening, dextrose and salt.

  

Bisquick Health Dangers

The horrifying ingredient is second one on the list, Partially Hydrated Soybean and/or Cottonseed oil.  Doesn’t General Mills know that the recommended consumption of trans-fat per day is zero?  There really is no reason to either sell or buy a product with trans-fat in the modern age.

In this case, General Mills is using trans fat filled oil’s as a shortening.  Traditionally, this meant lard.  Of course that is lard prior to hydrogenation.  However, as hydrogenation was developed and it was discovered that you could hydrogenate what was thought to be a waste product (cottonseed oil) to create a room temperature, relatively stable (does not go rancid) lard like substance (what you now know as Crisco) it became very cheap and popular.  Of course, we know now that this invention created trans fat, which kills by elevating LDL cholesterol levels and promotes obesity, especially in children. Hydrogenated oil can cause cancer, obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, decreased immune system, increased bad cholesterol and reproductive problems.

  

True lard, made from pig fat (and lots of it) is hard to find now days.

Most farmers no longer raise pigs on natural feed, thus, they do not develop the thick 1 inch plus layer of fat on their backs as they naturally should.  Also, natural lard is not shelf stable.  You can render you own from back fat purchased directly from a butcher or natural farmer.  If you do this you can use the lard as shortening in the following Bisquick substitute recipe.

MAKE YOUR OWN BISQUICK: (time 1 min)

1. Combine: 1 cup organic flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil or melted butter (melted butter will taste better but has more saturated fat…though that is not necessarily bad).
2. Mix

As you can see Bisquick is nothing special and nothing that you cant easily replace with healthier ingredients than trans-fat.

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20 Super-Hydrating Fruits and Vegetables

Drinking water and healthy beverages is the best way to stay hydrated. But did you know that fruits and veggies can also increase your fluid intake?

Some foods like cucumbers and strawberries have high water content. Eating such foods regularly may prevent dehydration.

Foods with high water content are also low in calories and rich in nutrients. So these foods will keep hunger at bay and provide your body with nutrients.

Freshly harvested fruits and veggies have the highest water content. And they continue to lose water as time goes by. But that’s not the only reason you should buy fresh produce. Foods also lose nutrients the longer they’re stored.

Here’s a list of super hydrating fruits and vegetables.

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If This doesn't restore your faith in humanity than nothing will. 

All These Things May Be Harming Your Gut Health

Suffering from even mild gut distress can be a real bummer. It can also be confusing. Is it your diet? Is it your lifestyle? Where to begin? To give you a solid lay of the land, here are some of the most common things that could be harming your gut:

Sugar

The bad bacteria in our guts feed off of sugar, so it is best to consume the sweet stuff in moderation. The imbalance and inflammation caused by excess sugar consumption can lead to leaky gut and autoimmune disorders, along with insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes.

Artificial sweeteners

No, artificial sweeteners aren’t any better. Artificial sweeteners can actually cause insulin levels to spike, as real sugar does, which is pretty confusing for the body, especially since artificial sweeteners are not digestible. In fact, aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde, which is a well-known carcinogen. No one’s gut tolerates formaldehydewell. 

Grains

Grains are loaded with potential issues, especially if your gut is already sensitive. Between lectins, phytic acid and gluten, grains can be a difficult food group to navigate for some. All grains and legumes (and nightshade veggies) contain lectins, which can cause digestive inflammation and leaky gut symptoms (similar to gluten). Luckily, if you presoak or sprout your grains, both lectins and phytic acid quantities are significantly reduced and the grains become far more digestible. But many grains, like wheat and bulgar, also contain gluten, which can further contribute to issues with leaky gut and inflammation in some. Also be very cautious beans and legumes, including soy consumption, too. Traditional Asian diets prepared and consumed soy in a way that broke down the lectins and phytic acid through fermentation. However, modern day soy milk and tofu are not prepared in this manner and are difficult to digest and potentially inflammatory. Take the time to prepare your grains and beans before eating them if you are concerned about your gut health.

Raw spinach and kale

Greens like spinach, kale, collards and chard and are full of oxalic acid, which binds to nutrients in your digestive system and prevents you from absorbing them during digestion, which can lead to deficiencies. If you are suffering from sluggish digestion or nutritional deficiencies, it is a good idea to lightly steam these greens before consuming, particularly if you consume them in large quantities.

Dairy

For some, dairy consumption can cause an imbalance in gut flora. This can lead to inflammation and digestive issues, as well as a sluggish immune system. While some of us can tolerate dairy, many cannot. Luckily coconut milk exists, so ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt and creamy stews are still within reach. Dairy-free eating isn’t so bad after all.

Processed foods

Like sugar, processed foods can cause an imbalanced microbiome by feeding the wrong types of critters. The inflammation and insulin resistance that results can lead to obesity, diabetes and other diseases down the line. Just stop eating lots of processed foods. They’re bad news.

Chlorinated water

In pools and city water supplies, chlorine is used to demolish all bad bacteria. However, when you are drinking it, the chlorine may be doing damage by killing off important gut flora in your digestive system. In fact, there may even be a link between chlorinated water consumption and bladder cancer. If your tap water is chlorinated, invest in a reverse osmosis filter. These can remove all the chlorine from your drinking water, along with pesticides and other nasties.

Too much meat

The link between red meat and heart disease may be due to the breakdown of a compound known as carnitine. As gut microbes break carnitine down, they create compounds that may increase plaque buildup in the arteries. If you do consume meat, always opt for grass-fed and enjoy it as a garnish rather than the centerpiece of a meal.

Stress

It’s not just food that can harm your gut. Stress has an immediate impact on our gut function. It changes the composition of the microbiome (for the worse) while increases gut permeability, which can lead to leaky gut. Consistent stress can also lead to the development of food allergies, so finding good stress management techniques is so important for your health both mentally and physically.

Antibiotics & NSAID pain relievers

When we rely on drugs too much, we can do a lot of damage to our guts. For instance, antibiotics decimate the gut flora so as to kill all the bad bacteria present. And taking too many ibuprofen or the like for headaches can also do damage to the intestinal walls, so opt for natural remedies when you can. If you have to take antibiotics, as sometimes we all do, be sure to take an intensive course of probiotics during and after treatment. The microbiome rules our health. By wiping yours out, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to the growth of unwanted flora, imbalance and potential disease.

By no means do you have to cut all of these things out in order to have a healthy gut, but it is important to figure out which foods work best for you. If you are suffering from gut issues with unknown origins, do some testing by removing certain foods from your diet and addressing your lifestyle and see how you feel. And always, always consult a trusted medical professional for safety and support.