Rawpower

      by Michelle Ovens, Naturopath

Sugar has become the new faux pas in the health industry. Everyone everywhere (or so it seems) is talking about how ‘bad’ sugar is for you. And it’s not just white sugar they are banning from their kitchens. The evil synthetic sugar alternatives aspartame and acesulfame-K, to name just two, have been linked to cancer. 

So what else is there? Here are my top 5 natural healthy alternatives to sugar in no particular order.

This is a thick syrup made from coconut tree sap. Unlike maple syrup, it doesn’t require intense heating to bring out its sweetness. This allows it to be enzymatically alive and for its naturally high amino acid profile to remain intact. It has far higher levels of important minerals than any other sugar, as well as high levels of Vitamin C.

Unlike sugar cane, which leeches the soil, coconut palms repair damaged soil, require very little water and produce 50-75 percent more sugar per acre than sugar cane.

Health Benefits: Low glycemic index; high in vitamins and minerals. Also has insoluble fibre, which prevents against sugar spikes in the bloodstream, and a unique medium chain fatty acid, said to help prevent heart disease.

Stevia, a shrub native to Latin America, is not really a sugar at all! It is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar too. It has no kilojoules and does not raise blood sugar levels. Not all stevia is equal though. Often times, cellulose powder and bulking agents are added to make stevia more palatable. You must check the label first. The green powder is the stevia you need to be looking out for. Some people say Stevia has an aftertaste. This is something you can certainly get used to over time.

Health benefits: In truly unprocessed form, provides beneficial antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Because our bodies can't digest the stevia plant, it offers essentially zero calories and has an extremely low glycemic index. Fructose count also becomes negligible, and it doesn't affect blood sugar levels.

Source raw honey that’s been organically and locally produced to reap the full benefits. Packed with vitamins, honey also has antimicrobial properties. It does have more calories than normal sugar but because it’s sweeter you use less of it.

Health benefits: Natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties; can be used to treat ulcers. Some raw honeys have a number on their labels; the higher this number, the higher the antibiotic properties. Local, raw honey may also help people with seasonal allergies.

Agave nectar comes from the blue agave cactus – a massive plant. While it’s become a popular sweetener among health enthusiasts in recent years and is a popular alternative to honey among vegans, you do need to ensure you are getting good quality raw dark unfiltered agave as oftentimes, the lighter agave is adulterated with HFCS. This is still a rare occurance within Australia but does happen. Agave has a low GI of 30

Health benefits: Provides the body with several nutrients and may be beneficial for digestion. Because it's very sweet, a little goes a long way.

Yacon syrup is made from the root of the yacon plant, which grows in the Andes region of South America. Thanks to its high fructooligosaccharides level (FOS), a sugar polymer our bodies cannot digest, it has minimal impact on blood sugar levels. It is glucose-free, and does not increase blood sugar levels. Because of this, yacon syrup is often recommended as a sweetener to those suffering from diabetes or at risk of becoming diabetic. Yacon syrup has a divine carmel flavour and is one of my favourites. I love its smooth taste, especially in chocolate!

Health Benefits: Considered a prebiotic as it aids in the absorption of calcium and other vitamins. Also promotes healthy gut flora, which is essential for good digestion. Because its primary sugar is FOS, which can't be absorbed, it's low-calorie and has a low glycemic index.

Super Kale Power Smoothie

• 1 lebanese cucumber peeled
• 3 leaves kale
• 1 rib celery
• 4 cos lettuce leaves
• 1 large pear
• 1 heaped tbsp. mesquite
• 1-2 tbsp yacon
• 1 heaped tsp. AFA
• Bee pollen to garnish (optional)

Mix all ingredients into a blender and blend until a smooth consistency. Sprinkle bee pollen on top as a garnish if desired

      by Michelle Ovens, Naturopath

“Let thy food be thy medicine

And thy medicine be thy food.”

- Hippocrates

Eating Supercharged food simply means food that is pure, clean and unprocessed that will provide the body with maximum nutrition and vitality. 

Learn to eat for health and nutrition rather than convenience and taste. While highly processed, deep fried and salty foods may taste great, they rob the body of essential nutrients making the road to healing even longer and most times, even setting you back significantly in health. 

Some tips for supercharged eating include, always locate food in season. You can download seasonal fruit and vegetable guides from a multitude of websites. Buy only what you can eat in a few days. If your fridge is full of healthy food, you will eat only healthy food. Plan your weekly menu and buy only what you need. When you have a daily meal plan, it makes preparation so much easier.

Top 10 Supercharged Superstars

1. Lychees:

A French study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that lychee has the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols of all fruits tested—nearly 15% more than the amount found in grapes (cited by many as polyphenol powerhouses).

2. Edamame

Edamame is a fancy name for boiled green soybeans. High in fibre and protein, these little nutrition powerhouses really pack a healthy punch! Half a cup a day is a fabulous snack and the kids love it!

3. Asian Pear

Asian pear – also known as nashi pear is a little health gem. One large asian pear contains a whopping 100g of cholesterol lowering fibre

4. Broccoli

Broccoli helps fight infections and viruses as it is a powerful immunity booster

5. Kale

Kale is the new meat! Bursting with essential vitamins and minerals, kale is fantastic for your skin. Plus they taste great dehydrated as an alternative to potato chips

6. Spinach

Spinach is packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, the essential blood clotting vitamin K, coenzyme Q10 for heart health, folate, iron and carotenoids. All in all, it is a powerful little supercharged superstar food!

7. Goji Berries

These little nutrition powerhouses are filled with amazing health benefits such as:

• Essential fatty acids
• Protein
• Vitamin C
• 19 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids
• Vitamin E
• B vitamins
• Carotenoids
• Germanium
• Polysaccharides
• Trace minerals
• Zeaxanthin
• Cyperone
• Beta-Sitosterol
• Solavetivone
• Physalin
• Betaine
• Iron

8. Camu camu

The Camu Camu berry is not just full of Vitamin C but also contains calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron. Amino acids such as leucine, serine and valine are also present in this excellent superfood. Other vitamins that are also found in the Camu Camu are thiamine, riboflavin and niacin

9. Nuts

Nuts are rich in fibre, B vitamins, Vitamin E and magnesium. Eating a handful of nuts a couple times a week helps to reduce your risk of heart disease and helps with the appearance of your skin. Keep in mind that nuts are high in calories and can lead to weight gain if not eaten in moderation

10. Guava

These colourful tropical fruits native to South America are packed with skin healing Vitamin C. One cup has nearly 5 times as much Vitamin C as one orange (377mg compared to 83mg)

Foods To Avoid

The regular consumption of caffeinated drinks play havoc on our body. It loads the body unnecessarily with toxins, places a strain on the liver to detoxify the caffeine molecules and contributes to the aging process. 

Avoiding processed foods, sugar, table salt and man-made fats such as margarine or those found in commercial popcorn. Ban anything that contains additives, preservatives and chemicals.

What Is The Next Step?

The next step is to find out what foods work for you and create your meals around that. Look at where you’d like your health goals to take you, what you’d like to achieve and work towards that. It’s all about one step at a time.   

RECIPE

Berry Superfood Compote

Ingredients

½ cup Coconut water made from Organic Coconut water powder
2 Tbsp Berry Ultimate Antioxidant Blend
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
2 Tbsp Yacon Syrup
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Directions

Mix together the chia seeds with the coconut water in a small bowl or glass. Allow to sit for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring once. After the chia has gelatinized, mix in the Berry Ultimate Antioxidant Blend powder, yacon syrup, and lemon juice. For best results, allow mixture to set for 30 minutes before serving. Will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Makes: 2/3 cup

RAW FOOD SUPPORT GROUP - Gold Coast, QLD

Raw food support group for people who are on a raw food diet to cure cancer, auto-immune diseases, heart disease, etc;

This group would also support one another to stick with the healing process, and discuss our milestones to perfect health. Bring your own raw food lunch and meet at my place? or someone else’s place? (my house is not that big)

The idea is to be around supporting, motivated people who are on a healing journey, and yet, may feel isolated and alone in trying to achieve their goal.’

I am also on raw food to cure rheumatoid arthritis, and squamous cell skin cancers, which I cured back in the nineties, but when my twin sister died last March, the arthritis came back due to the stress.

All we need is a positive attitude, and believing that we will, and can get well again. Thousands world wide are curing themselves of cancers and all kinds of diseases through a raw food diet, including MS and Parkinson disease.

If you would like to join the group

Please contact

• Sonia St. Claire - Nutritional counsellor.
• 07 55 37 55 04
• 0409 834 575
• sonia.sc@bigpond.net.au
• Biggera Waters, Northern end of the Gold Coast.

Breakfast Recipe

Apple Crumble with Raisin infused Yacon Syrup Cacao Nib Sauce

by Omid Jaffari, BotanicalCuisine.com

[Omid needs 8,000 Facebook friends by the end of the year.
Click here to visit and join his Facebook group]

Healthy, crunchy, fruity - a great vegan breakfast.

Like this recipe? Visit and join Omid's Facebook here for more.

Mid-month Specials

Cacao Powder Organic 1kg was $35 now $29

Spirulina Powder 1kg was $79 now $72 500g was $44 now $41

Honey Active Jellybush 500g was $40 now $33.50

We hope you had a great Australia Day and that 2012 has started nicely for you. Are you familiar with the latin quotation: Mens sana in corpore sano (A healthy mind in a healthy body)? You know, it's so true that what we eat is so important, not only to our physical health, but also to our mental well-being. One Raw Food blogger that we really like is Lori Clayton who is a regular contributor to the We Like it Raw site. Here's a great article by her titled "Healing Mood Disorders with Food". In it, she lists some Good Mood foods:

• Almonds: High in B6, magnesium 
• Walnuts: High in minerals and omega 3
• Chia: High in essential fatty acids
• Sesame Seeds: High in calcium, magnesium, tryptophan
• Kelp: High in calcium, omega 3, protein, zinc, magnesium
• Cashews: High in tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin 
• Greens: High in calcium and folic acid
• Guava: High in vitamin C, tryptophan 
• Figs: High in calcium, magnesium, fiber
• Cacao: High in magnesium, also makes opioids that make you happy! 
• Avocados: High in essential fatty acids, tryptophan, folic acid

END OF MONTH SPECIALS

Versatile noodle for your raw recipes Kelp Noodles 340g was $10.50 now $9.95 or $8.95 for 6 or more	21 Delicious 10-minute Recipes Quick, Delicious & Raw DVD was $39.95 now $32	Low GI Sweetener with amazing properties Yacon Syrup 250ml was $29 now $24
From the Amazon River floodplains Acai Berry Powder  Organic Dried 100g was $34.95 now $25	Maintain your smile chemical-free est Tooth Powder Organic Mint 45g was $11.95 now $8.95	Natural care for mother & baby Baby & Skin Care Products 10% off with promo code*: 10babycare   *Note: Enter code into shopping cart. Expires 1-Feb-2012.