Thoughtful preparation of nutrient-dense foods is key to absorbing and utilizing all they have to offer!
Some nutrients are more bio-available when soaked and sprouted, some when cooked, and some when raw. For example, raw carrots and spinach are loaded with bioavailable vitamin C, but if you want to reap the benefit of their antioxidant carotenoids, gentle cooking is best.
Bottom line: eat a wide array of raw AND cooked colorful vegetables and fruits each day.
Preparing Meats
Avoid overcooked and charred meats which create carcinogenic and oxidative compounds in the body. Marinating meats in extra virgin olive oil can greatly reduce the carcinogenic effects of grilling and searing at high heat.1 Braising, slow cooking, and pressure cooking are best methods for tender, flavorful meats that retain their valuable nutrients and prevent oxidative damage.
Spice it Up!
Herbs and spices add not just to the flavor profile of your dishes, but contribute many amazing phytochemical compounds as well that work in synergy with other foods to maximize nutrients. Herbs have a wide variety of potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties that support our bodies at the cellular level. Cut leafy herbs such as parsley, cilantro and dill straight from your window garden to enhance any meal with fresh flavor and nutrients!
Preparing grains, legumes, nuts and seeds
Not everyone can tolerate eating grains, but those who can will find that proper preparation is key to digesting and absorbing their nutrients. Soaking, sprouting and fermenting whole grains and beans makes their minerals more bio-available and improves digestibility. Adding soaked and sprouted grains, beans and legumes to dishes is also a great way to stretch the food budget while boosting nutrient content.
It takes a little extra planning on the front end, but utilizing these methods can reap so many benefits in the long run. I truly enjoy the process when I make time for it, much in the same way I enjoy planting seeds in the garden and watching them grow. There is deep satisfaction in being part of creating your own food from seed, and I believe that satisfaction magnifies the physical benefit we receive from consuming the food itself!
For those of you with busy schedules, many online retailers and natural grocery stores carry sprouted seeds and grains. Thrive Market has a wide variety of organic sprouted foods that I use routinely. Click on the Thrive button below for a free gift up to $24! Azure Standard is another favorite online retailer carrying a large selection of organic sprouted flours, grains, beans and nuts.
Cookware and Food Storage
You’ve done a great job choosing quality, sustainable foods that are free from damaging chemicals, let’s do the same with your cookware and storage containers!
Teflon coated pans contain PFAS compounds which are not only dangerous to our health but also the environment. Plastic storage containers, utensils and wraps leach harmful polymers into our food and even BPA-free plastics are not completely toxin-free.
The great news is that there are inexpensive, long-lasting solutions to these kitchen problems.
- Buy one quality cast iron skillet – naturally non-stick when properly seasoned and will last you a lifetime.
- Replace plastic storage containers with glass, or let food cool completely before storing in plastic to avoid leaching of chemicals
- Swap out foil for unbleached parchment paper
- Consider using beeswax wrap in the place of plastic wrap
You do not need to spend a lot of money replacing every item in your kitchen. Make use of the upcoming holidays and ask for a few key kitchen items for Christmas. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales coming up are typically wonderful ways to find deals on kitchen essentials. Research ahead to find the best deals, but I’ve found phenomenal kitchen deals at Macy’s, Kohl’s and Amazon.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12963012/ Persson E., Graziani G., Ferracane R., Fogliano V., Skog K. Influence of Antioxidants in Virgin Olive Oil on the formation of hetercyclic amines in fried beefburgers.
