Brown Rice

Ah, the noble grain of brown rice.
Whether long, or short grain or right in between at a lovely medium, this whole grain is the centerpiece to George Oshawa's Macrobiotic Diet.
As I delve into this beautiful way of eating, brown rice has emerged as a dietary superstar for me.

Once a carb - phobe, I no longer eschew the goodness of whole grains.

I have started to incorporate brown rice or another whole grain into my diet at least once a day. I am particularly enchanted with brown rice for breakfast.

Either fixed plain and served with miso soup or sweetened with a bit of stevia, raisins, goji berries, pumpkin seeds and walnuts, I am feeling lighter, more energized and clear headed starting the day with this fuel.

I never understood how folks could prefer white rice, stripped of all the flavor, goodness, fiber, vitamins and protein of it's original brown form. Brown rice has a hearty, filling, nutty flavor that goes well with any vegetable, fat, protein or even fruit!

Nutritionally, you can't beat this grain's profile. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, brown rice has even recently been linked to heart health.
Check out this article for more on what is in brown rice that may prevent cardiovascular disease: http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100257520

Steam it, boil it, pressure cook it - JUST EAT IT!!

(image from: istockphoto.com)

Almased

An ad for Almased caught my eye while paging through Cosmo magazine.

Almased is a meal replacement shake that is made from yogurt, honey and soy.

Simply packaged and endorsed by a pharmacist (because they are known for their nutritional prowess and weight loss expertise?) The two page spread details a "Bikini Emergency" diet plan that consists of three days consumption of just three Almased shakes and as much vegetable broth as you can consume.

With only 180 calories (1g of fiber, but 25g protein) per shake, The Almased plan comes in at a grand total of 540 calories per day.

Last time I checked - that qualifies for a starvation diet.

The diet then graduates you to two shakes and one meal per day and eventually two meals and one shake per day. Sound familiar? This is the second coming of Slim Fast packaged as "health" food.

If you read this blog daily, you know this is a positive place. I rarely write about products I don't like, but I have to speak out when I feel unhealthy and dangerous eating habits are being directly targeted at women.

I am constantly shocked at people's misconceptions around food and nutrition in general. Even the most educated folks sometimes don't really think about what they are putting in their mouths. A product like Almased further distorts the issue of dieting and health food by promoting a product to sustain a starvation diet.

Please consider what you consume carefully. If you want to change your body, eat whole, fresh, unprocessed foods in sensible portions. Keep track of your calories in Fitday, undertake an exercise program and watch your body and life transform - the healthy way!

(image from: almased.com)

RoundUp Ready Alfalfa

Today's post is on a more serious note, as the subject of it definitely has implications to not only looking and feeling damn good, but to the environment and general health and wellness.

My local food co-op, Great Basin sent out a call to action that opened my eyes to some issues I had not been aware of.

The most alarming of which is the USDA's plan to approve RoundUp-Ready Alfalfa (RR) into the state of Nevada. Alfalfa is Nevada's #1 cash crop and the fourth most widely grown crop in the US.
This would be the first perennial crop approved for genetic modification and release.

RR Alfalfa is genetically engineered to be resistant to Glyphosate, an herbicide farmer's use against broad leaf and cereal weeds. (wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyphosate)

So what's wrong with it?

According to http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8153.pdf,"it is the primary feed for dairy production, and is commonly fed to beef, cattle, sheep and horses." Therefore RR Alfalfa will make it's way onto our plates.

Further, there is the risk that the RR Alfalfa will cross pollinate with organic crops, compromising their organic integrity.
Further ramifications include the future of more crops, ones that WE humans consume, becoming next on Monsanto's list to genetically modify.

I totally understand how genetically engineered crops help farmers do their job, but there has to be a better way without jeopardizing the food supply for those who want to eat organically grown, natural foods.

Learn more about both sides of the issue from these links:

Anti-RR: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/02/action-alertgenetically-modified-alfalfa-threatens-organic-agriculture/

Pro- RR: http://www.roundupreadyalfalfa.com/

Visit the Great Basin Food Co-op here: http://www.greatbasinfood.coop/

(image from: istockphoto.com)