The EssentiaList

by Catherine Haug

A March 2010 study, reported in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1), looked at the effect of dietary saturated fat on risk of heart disease and stroke, by analyzing data from 21 previous studies. These studies included almost 350,000 subjects with between 5 and 23 years of follow-up. They found that:

“‘There is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of [heart disease and stroke].’ (1,2)

A related article from dLife, Nix the Nonfat Milk; Chuck the Lowfat Cheese (2), also reports:

“Also, a 16-year prospective study of more than 1,500 Australian adults, published in 2010, showed that those who ate the most full-fat dairy had the lowest risk of death from cardiovascular disease.” (2) [emphasis mine]

Huh? (more…)

by Catherine Haug, May 19, 2011

This is a companion post to The Importance of Grinding your own Flour. Both topics were discussed at our recent May gathering (Making and Using Sourdough, a Panel Presentation).

The USDA is really pushing the healthfulness of whole grains, putting them in the prime position at the bottom of their food pyramid (see below). But did you know that many of the nutrients in the grain are not available for absorption, including minerals and some vitamins? And that some components are actually toxic?

No worries, though; all is made well by fermenting the grain (i.e., sourdough; soaking with yogurt or whey), or sprouting the seeds before grinding. (more…)

by Catherine Haug, May 12, 2011

I admit, I’m into food – but it has to be good food. Not just taste good, but be made of wholesome, whole-food ingredients, prepared in someone’s kitchen (not in an industrial setting). But while I’ve always loved to eat, I’ve not always eaten as well as I do now.

When I was a young, poor, struggling graduate student, I ate a lot of cheap, junk foods: frozen TV dinners, canned soups, boxed cereals, pasteurized milk, and so on. And now I’m paying for it with health issues, which include insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome), arthritis and other inflammatory problems.

About 25 years ago, I decided to change the way I eat and take care of my body. These lifestyle changes were the beginning of my path toward sustainable living.

The changes did not reverse my problems overnight; in fact, I still have many of them. But I believe if I had NOT made these changes, my health today would be much worse than it is.

Food Matters

Have you seen the 3 minute trailer for the 90-minute movie: Food Matters? (more…)