Modern principles of proper nutrition suggest that every conscious person should know what he eats. One of the main components of our daily diet is starch, and its excess or deficiency can create real health problems, so let’s try to figure out what starch is, why it is needed, where it is and where it is not.
The importance of starch for the human body
Human nutrition must be balanced in terms of replenishing the body with proteins, carbohydrates and fats. It is carbohydrates that are considered the main source of energy in the body, especially glucose, which is broken down quite easily and with a large release of heat. Glucose itself, by the way, is found quite rarely in pure form in foods, and the easiest way for the body to obtain it is from starch, especially since it is found in a huge number of food products.
Consequently, the first property for which starch-containing foods should be consumed more actively is to replenish the body with energy. But the benefits of foods containing starch do not end there. After all, such a substance is useful for beneficial bacteria in the intestines and improves immunity, and also helps to regulate the production of gastric juice and normalize blood sugar levels.
However, It is sometimes worth regulating the amount of starch in the diet in order to limit its amount. Thus, an excess of starch with a sedentary lifestyle is guaranteed to lead to weight gain, and in some cases this component provokes side effects such as flatulence or various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. For this reason, nutritionists, after making some diagnoses, advise the patient to reduce the amount of starchy vegetables and fruits in their menu, for which they need to be known.
You should also pay attention to the fact that starch can be natural and refined. The first, as is often the case with natural products, is not so harmful - it is present mainly in root vegetables, cereals and some vegetables. With such a diet, weight gain is likely only with gigantic portions or complete immobility, so restrictions are usually not imposed. Another thing is supplements based on refined starch, since they are very high in calories and quickly fill you up, but losing excess weight caused by such food is very problematic. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that such additives (for example, thickeners) can be present in the most unexpected products, where starch would seem to have no place.
Where is this substance abundant?
It is very difficult to compile a complete list of starchy foods, precisely because of the additives that can be present virtually anywhere. For this reason, we will simply consider only those types of foods that contain a lot of starch without any additives.
- Cereals. According to a popular saying, a physically weak person “ate little porridge,” and all because it is in such a product that the percentage of starch content is maximum. On average, the content of this substance here is about 70-75%, which is very high. Among popular varieties of food, there are no particular exceptions to this category. The statement about the starchiness of cereals is true for wheat and corn, rice and oats, cereals and flour from all these cereals, bakery and pasta products, even peas and beans.
The only exception is soy products.
- Root vegetables and some other vegetables. The fruits of gardening, especially those growing underground, are also often rich in starch, although not as radically as cereals. Particularly prominent here is garlic, where starch is as much as 26%, and from what people eat en masse and in large quantities - potatoes (15-18%). Even tomatoes growing on the surface can become a source of starch, although there is relatively little of it here - about 5%.
- Fruits. Most fresh fruits contain very little starch, and fresh bananas are almost the only exception. Another thing is that the bulk of the weight of such food is water, and therefore, by drying the fruit, you can increase the concentration of the substance in question several times. For this reason, dried fruits, especially apples, pears and apricots, are considered very high in calories and are contraindicated for those who have problems with excess weight.
Products without starch
If the diet requires you to greatly reduce the amount of starch consumed, then you should abandon most ready-made store products - this ingredient is probably present there in the form of one additive or another. You will probably have to give up cereals and baked goods, as well as pasta, as well as many sauces. However, it is unlikely that any nutritionist will advise giving up starch completely - after all, it provides certain benefits for the body. The patient’s task is simply to slightly reduce his intake, so with a properly designed diet, you can even indulge in a small amount of baked goods.
Thus, non-starchy dietary foods include, for example, mushrooms, but the body’s basic need for food will be met by various vegetables. The list of available options is not so limited: eggplant and broccoli, regular, Brussels and Chinese sprouts, green peas and pumpkin, cucumbers and bell peppers. All these components will allow you not only to prepare a delicious salad without unnecessary polysaccharides, but also to treat yourself to more delicious dishes like vegetable stew or even sweet pumpkin porridge.
The list of available ingredients does not end there; then there are “seasonings” for the main food: spinach and sorrel, garlic and chicory, celery and parsley.
Among fruits, there are also options on how to enjoy dessert without exceeding the normal dosage of starch. Of the year-round fruits, apples are the most accessible, but not all. Nutritionists advise choosing green and hard fruits, since they contain fewer polysaccharides. The rest of the non-starchy fruits are more likely to be seasonal, but their seasons do not coincide with each other, so variety can be added to the menu all year round thanks to strawberries, melons and nectarines. Among the imported but popular fruits in our country with a low starch content, we can note the exotic avocado.
See what a nutritionist will say about carbohydrates from non-starchy vegetables in the following video.
Part I. Fruits
Blessing in fresh fruit
Letter 157, 1900:
464. I am very grateful to God that when Adam sinned and lost his homeland - Eden, He did not deprive him of the opportunity to eat fruit.
465. The Lord desires that the inhabitants of those places where they can eat fresh fruit most of the year would enjoy these blessings that they have in fresh fruit. The more we eat fruit fresh from the tree, the greater the blessing will be.
466. It would be very good for us if we cooked our food less and consumed more fruits in their natural form. Let's teach people to eat plenty of fresh grapes, apples, peaches, pears, berries and any other fruit available. Let's start preparing these fruits for the winter, preserving them in glass rather than in tin containers.
(Fruit is an excellent food, saving housewives a lot of time - § 546.)
467. A person suffering from indigestion can eat a variety of fruits, but not too much at one time.
Letter 12, 1887:
469. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very healthy, if, of course, they are of good quality and not spoiled or affected by disease or rot. Many more people die from eating spoiled or rotten vegetables and fruits, which cause fermentation in the stomach and, as a result, poison the blood, than we think.
Letter 103, 1896:
470. For people who prepare themselves for the work of God, the best food is that which is prepared simply and modestly, and also an abundance of fruit.
(Fruits and cereals are the food of those who prepare themselves for ascension to heaven - § 488, 515.)
471. Cereals, fruits, nuts and vegetables constitute the diet prescribed by our Creator for us. These products, prepared in the simplest and most natural way, are the most wholesome and nutritious foods. They provide strength, stamina, energy and clarity of thought that more complex and stimulating foods cannot provide.
(Fruits, cereals, vegetables cooked with milk or cream are the best food - § 487.)
(Vegetables on the table by E. White - Appendix I, § 4, 8, 15.)
Manuscript 27, 1906:
472. Cereals, fruits, vegetables and nuts contain all the nutrients our body needs. If we come to God in simplicity of mind, He will teach us to cook simple and healthy food without an ounce of meat.
(Fruits are an integral part of proper nutrition - §483,486,513.)
(Nature has generously provided people with fruits, nuts and grains - § 485.)
(Fruits are healthy foods - § 399, 400, 403, 404, 407, 810.)
Temporary fruit diet
473. Excessive diet is often the cause of illness, and at this moment the body most needs to be freed from the extra burden placed on it. In many cases, the best treatment for the patient may be to abstain from one or two meals, so that the overworked digestive organs have an opportunity to rest. A fruit diet for a few days has often brought great relief to mental workers. In many cases, a short complete fast and subsequent moderate consumption of simple food led to recovery thanks only to the natural forces of the body. Moderate nutrition for one to two months will convince many patients that the path of self-denial is the path to health.
Refusal of harmful products
Letter 145, 1904:
474. Clear instructions regarding abstinence should be given in our medical institutions. Patients should definitely be told about the dangers of alcoholic beverages and the blessings of complete abstinence from them. It is necessary to convince people to give up unhealthy foods that ruin their health and replace them with an abundance of fruits. You can eat oranges, lemons, prunes, peaches and other fruits, for the Lord's earth gives everything in abundance if you work on it with great diligence.
475. Don't eat a lot of salt; avoid eating pickles, marinades and spicy foods; eat plenty of fresh fruit, and then the irritation of the digestive organs, which causes such a great desire to drink during meals, will be greatly reduced.
(Fruit instead of meat - § 149, 312, 320, 492, 514, 649, 795.)
(Fruits instead of sweets - § 546.)
(Fruits are undesirable for those who are accustomed to eating fatty, highly seasoned foods - § 563.)
(Fruits instead of excessive consumption of thin oatmeal - § 490, 499.)
Canned and dried fruits
476. Where fruits can be grown in abundance, they must be stored in unlimited quantities for the winter in canned and dried form. Gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries should be grown in many places where now these berries are almost never grown and are neglected.
For home canning, it is better to use glass containers rather than tin. It is necessary that the harvested fruits are of good quality. When canning, use little sugar and boil the fruit mixture sufficiently to prevent fermentation. Canned food prepared in this way is an excellent substitute for fresh fruit.
Wherever you can buy dried fruits at reasonable prices - raisins, prunes, pears, apples, peaches and apricots - they can be used as staple foods and consumed much more than is customary, with the best results for the health and physical condition of people all professions.
Letter 195, 1905:
477. Applesauce preserved in glass jars is very tasty and healthy. Pears and cherries, if available in sufficient quantities, also make very tasty purees for the winter.
Letter 5, 1870:
478. If you can put enough apples on your menu, that's very good for you... I don't think it's necessary to stock up on many different types of fruit. But during the harvest, apples must be carefully removed, stored, and canned so that they can be consumed at a time when there will be no fruit. Of all the fruits, apples grow best and are best for long-term storage.
Fresh vegetables and fruits directly from the garden
Manuscript 114, 1902:
479. There is one more advantage that the territories of our sanatoriums give - you can plant gardens there... Thus, it will be possible to serve absolutely fresh fruits, not spoiled, taken directly from the trees.
Manuscript 13, 1911:
480. Members of our families and employees of institutions must learn to cultivate and improve the soil. If people knew the value of the products that the earth produces at different times of the year, then more effort would be made to cultivate it. Everyone should be educated about the special value of fresh fruits and vegetables taken directly from the garden and garden. As the number of patients and medical students increases, our healthcare facilities will need more land to cultivate. You can plant vineyards, making fresh grapes grown locally available. It is also good to grow orange trees in your garden or near the sanatorium.
(Advantages of growing fruits and vegetables for nutrition - § 519.)
(Consumption of fruits and vegetables at the same time disrupts digestion - § 188, 190, 722.)
(Eating Fruit at Table E. White - Appendix I, § 4, 9, 15, 22,23.)
(Fruits in the sanatorium diet - § 441.)
(Consumption of fruit by employees of sanatoriums - § 444, 651.)
(Fruit for food at camp meetings - § 124, 765.)
(Include in simple meals and for guests - § 129.)
(Bread, fruits and vegetables - healthy, tasty food - § 204, 503.)
Part II. Cereals
Nutrition determined by the Creator for us
481. Cereals, fruits, nuts and vegetables constitute the diet determined by our Creator for us. These products, prepared in the simplest and most natural way, are the most wholesome and nutritious foods. They provide strength, stamina, energy and clarity of thought that more complex and stimulating foods cannot provide. (See also § 111.)
482. Those who eat meat thereby eat, so to speak, already processed cereal plants and vegetables, because animals eat plants. In this way, all the vital elements contained in grains and vegetables are transferred to the person who eats them. And we, people who eat meat, get all this through the flesh of slaughtered animals. How much better it is to receive all this directly, eating what God Himself has determined for us!
(People should return to eating fruits, vegetables and grains - § 515.)
Part of God's Ordained Nutrition
483. It is a mistake to think that muscle strength depends on eating meat. All the body's needs can be fully met without meat food. Cereals, along with fruits, nuts and vegetables, contain all the nutrients needed to form healthy blood. And a person who eats them can enjoy health and vigor.
Manuscript 27, 1906:
484. Cereals, fruits, vegetables and nuts contain all the nutrients our body needs. If we come to the Lord with simplicity of mind, He will teach us to cook simple and healthy food without using meat.
Abundance of plant foods
485. There is such an abundance of fruits, nuts and grains in nature that there is enough for everyone, and thanks to the development of transport, food products produced in different countries are becoming more accessible every year. As a result, many foods that were once considered luxuries are now available to everyone and form part of our daily diet.
486. With sound planning, almost all countries can produce food that is most conducive to healthy and nutritious diets. A variety of processed and finished products made from rice, corn, oats, wheat, as well as beans, peas, and lentils are shipped overseas (outside the United States) to many countries around the world. All this, in combination with local or imported fruits and a variety of vegetables that grow in each area, makes it possible for everyone to choose a diet that will be complete and sufficient without eating meat.
(Cereals are one of the most abundant natural resources - § 503.)
Properly prepared food
HVBG, 47; SZ, 115:
487. Fruits, cereals and vegetables, cooked simply, without fats and spices, but with the addition of cream or milk, are the healthiest foods. Such nutrition will provide the body with useful substances, give it stamina and clarity of thinking, which no stimulating dishes can provide. (See also § 137.)
488. Cereals and fruits, prepared without fat and in the simplest possible way, should be on the table of those who declare that they are preparing for their ascension to heaven.
(Accustom yourself to eat fruits, cereals and vegetables - § 514.)
(Cereal dishes are an integral part of a healthy diet - § 399, 400, 403,404,407, 810.)
Porridge
489. When preparing porridges, cereals should be cooked for a sufficient time. But liquid food is less healthy than solid food, which requires thorough chewing.
490. Some sincerely think that a proper diet consists mainly of cereals. Frequent consumption of porridge does not guarantee health of the digestive organs, because it is too similar to water. Advise you to eat more fruits, vegetables and bread.
(Indulging in porridge that is too thin is a mistake - § 499.)
Liquid porridge from wheat cereals
491. You can prepare thin wheat porridge. If you are using wholemeal (low-grade) wheat flour, sift it and add milk. This porridge will be the most delicious and nutritious dish for camp meetings.
The need to replace meat
492. When meat is excluded from the diet, it should be replaced with a variety of cereals, nuts, vegetables, fruits, which will be both nutritious and tasty... Meat should be replaced with healthy and inexpensive food. (Instead of meat dishes - § 765, 795.) (Meat is not necessary when there are fruits, cereals and nuts - § 138.)
(Simple meals for guests - § 129.) (On meals for employees of medical institutions - § 444, 651.)
(On the table of E. White - Appendix I, § 15-23.) (Patients in sanatoriums should be accustomed to eating cereals, fruits and nuts - § 767.)
Part III. Bread
Daily bread
Manuscript 34, 1899:
493. Religion will instruct mothers to prepare bread of the best quality... It should be well baked both inside and out. For normal functioning of the stomach, the bread must be dry and easily digestible. Bread is truly an essential commodity and therefore every cook must learn to bake it to the best of his ability.
The Meaning of a Well Baked Loaf of Bread
HVBG, 49; SZ, 117:
494. Some do not understand that preparing food properly is a person's religious duty, and therefore do not strive to learn how to cook well. They allow the dough to become acidic while still in the leaven, and soda, added to the leaven to correct the cook’s carelessness, makes the bread completely unsuitable for the human stomach. Getting a good loaf requires knowledge and care. But there is much more religion in a loaf of well-baked bread than many people think.
495. Every Christian woman or girl should be able to bake fragrant and tasty bread from wholemeal flour and consider this her sacred religious duty. Mothers need to encourage their daughters to work in the kitchen from a very young age and teach them the craft of cooking.
(The importance of practical skills for a woman - § 822.)
About using baking soda when baking bread
496. Using soda in baking bread is harmful and unnecessary. Soda causes inflammation in the stomach and often poisons the entire body. Many housewives think that a good loaf of bread cannot be made without soda, but this is a misconception. If they took the trouble to learn how to bake differently, their bread would be healthier, more nutritious, and have a natural taste—that is, it would be of higher quality.
(Use of soda when baking bread. - See "Soda" - § 565 - 569.)
Using milk in sourdough bread
When making yeasted or leavened bread, do not use milk instead of water. Firstly, this makes the bread much less healthy, and secondly, it is more expensive. Bread leavened with milk does not retain good taste after baking, unlike bread leavened with water, and easily causes fermentation in the stomach.
Fresh leavened bread
The bread should be light and fragrant. Not the slightest piece of unbaked bread should be eaten. It is better to make the loaves small and bake them as much as possible so that the yeast microbes are killed. Freshly baked hot yeast bread is very difficult to digest, so you should not serve it right away. But this rule does not apply to unleavened baked goods. Fresh buns, baked without sourdough or yeast in a well-heated oven, are both healthy and tasty.
Crackers
Rusks, or twice-baked bread, are the easiest to digest and most delicious of foods. Cut regular bread into small slices and toast them in a preheated oven until all the moisture has evaporated. Then you need to let them brown slightly on all sides. Rusks can be stored in a dry place for much longer than regular bread. If you warm them up before eating, they are just as good as a freshly baked loaf. (Crusks are especially useful for dinner - § 273.) (Crusks in the diet of E. White - Appendix I, § 22.)
Stale bread is better than fresh
Letter 142, 1900:
497. Two- or three-day-old bread is much healthier than fresh bread. Oven dried crackers are one of the most nutritious and healthy foods.
Damage caused by sour bread
SC 1, 681-684:
498. We notice that bran bread is often sour, difficult to digest and underbaked. All this is due to lack of interest and conscientiousness in the important duty of cooking. Sometimes we come across unleavened buns or soft, dry cookies that have not been baked, but simply dried, and which have many shortcomings. Bakers may tell you that they do everything well by sticking to old recipes, but in truth, even their families do not like to eat products made from bran flour - they would rather go hungry.
Well, this is not surprising to me. It is your cooking techniques that make food tasteless and unpleasant. Eating such foods causes stomach upset. The unfortunate cooks, as well as everyone who receives food from their hands, will authoritatively confirm to you that sanitary reform does not suit them.
The stomach does not have the strength to digest poorly baked, difficult to digest sour bread, so that it contributes to the formation of good blood; Often the opposite picture occurs: bad bread turns a healthy stomach into a sick one. Those who consume such food know that they are losing strength. What is the reason? Some call themselves health reformers when they are not. They don't know how to cook. They prepare cakes, potato dishes, bran bread, but everything is repeated - every dish is poorly prepared, and the body does not receive the necessary nutrients. Such unfortunate cooks believe that the time devoted to thoroughly learning how to prepare delicious, nutritious dishes is wasted...
Many families have people who suffer from indigestion, and bad bread is often the cause. The mistress of the house decides that the loaf cannot be thrown away, and all family members eat it. But is this really the way to get rid of low-quality baked goods? Will a bad product contribute to the formation of healthy blood? Does the stomach have the power to turn sour bread into unleavened bread, or poorly baked bread into light bread, or moldy bread into fresh?..
Many wives and mothers who have not received the right upbringing and who have not acquired the skills and abilities to prepare food, feed their families every day with food that slowly but surely destroys the digestive organs and impoverishes the blood, causing acute inflammatory diseases and leading to premature death. Many died because they ate poorly baked, sour bread. I was told a case of how one housekeeper baked bread unsuccessfully - it was underbaked and sour. To get rid of him and hide her mistake, she threw a loaf of bread to two large pigs. The next morning the owner found one of them dead. Having examined the feeder, he found pieces of poorly baked bread there. He began to understand what had happened, and the girl confessed to what she had done. She had no idea that a piece of bread would have such an effect on an animal. If sour, poorly baked bread can kill a pig, which even eats rattlesnakes and almost all waste, what effect does it have on the delicate human stomach?
Benefits of Eating Bread and Other Solid Foods
Manuscript 3, 1897:
499. When giving up eating meat and switching to a vegetarian diet, you need to take a lot of care to ensure that your table always has tasty and expertly prepared food. Often cooking thin porridge is a mistake. You should give preference to hard and dry foods that require thorough chewing. Cooking healthy and wholesome meals is a blessing for health. For any occasion, well-baked, toasted bread and unleavened buns, prepared according to the simplest recipes, but with care, are suitable. Bread should not be sour even in the slightest degree. It must be baked until fully cooked - this will eliminate the viscosity and stickiness.
Good vegetables, cooked correctly, will be a better meal for everyone who can eat them than thin purees or porridge. Fruit combined with well-baked two- or three-day-old bread is more beneficial than with fresh bread. If we eat slowly, chewing thoroughly, such nutrition will provide the body with everything it needs.
(Good bread - instead of fatty foods - § 312.)
Freshly baked shortcakes
500. Hot biscuits and meat foods absolutely do not correspond to the principles of sanitary reform.
Letter 72, 1896:
501. Cakes baked with soda are often spread with butter and eaten as a pleasant delicacy, but the weakened digestive organs react negatively to this.
Letter 3, 1884:
502. We are going back to Egypt, not to Canaan. Shouldn't we change the order of things? Shouldn't our table have modest, healthy and high-calorie food? Shouldn't we avoid freshly baked muffins that only cause stomach upset?
(Cause of dyspepsia - § 720.)
Unleavened buns
503. Fresh muffins made with soda should never appear on our table. Such dishes are completely unsuitable for the stomach. All baked goods made with soda, if consumed fresh, are very difficult to digest.
Unleavened bread made from wholemeal flour is both nutritious and tasty. They can be baked from wholemeal flour, kneading with water and milk. But it is difficult to accustom the members of our Church to a simple way of life. When we advise our friends to eat unleavened bread made from bran flour, they say: “Oh, yes, we know how to make such bread.” But, to our disappointment, they continue to bake, making the dough with sour milk and soda. This does not indicate the implementation of the principles of sanitary reform. Bran flour mixed with milk and clean, soft water makes the best unleavened buns we have ever eaten. If the water is hard, use more fresh milk or add eggs to the beaten dough. It is necessary that the bread is well baked in a very hot oven with a steady, even heat.
To get tasty and healthy baked goods, use soft water and milk or a little cream. Make a thick dough by kneading it as you would for dry cookies. Bake on the oven rack. The products will be sweet and pleasant to the taste. They require thorough chewing, which will benefit both the teeth and the stomach. They promote the formation of healthy blood and give strength to the body. What more delicacies could you ask for, given such bread and the abundance of fruits, vegetables and cereals that abound in our area?
Bread with bran is much healthier than white bread
504. White bread, baked from the highest quality flour, is not as healthy for the body as bread with bran. Constant consumption of white wheat bread does not help maintain the body in a healthy state. You both have liver disease, and regular use of refined flour is exacerbating your health woes.
505. Premium white flour is not the best from the point of view of economy or health. Bread made from such flour often causes constipation and other painful symptoms and does not contain the same nutrients that are found in bread made from whole wheat.
(Unsifted flour or wholemeal flour is the best product for the body - § 171, 495, 499, 503.)
(Food from grains should be prepared simply - § 481.)
(Bran bread in the diet at camp meetings - § 124.)
(It is our religious duty to be able to bake bread from wholemeal flour - § 392.)
Bread made from various types of flour
Letter 91, 1898:
506. No wheat flour can be recommended for permanent nutrition. It lacks most of the nutrients. A mixture of wheat flour with oat and rye flour is much more nutritious.
Pastry products
Letter 363, 1907:
507. There are rarely buns and cookies on our table. The less we eat sweets, the better. Bread and cookies cause stomach upset, which in turn causes irritability and incontinence in those who have accustomed themselves to their use.
Letter 37, 1901:
508. It would be better not to use sugar to make cookies. Some people love sweet cookies, but they are harmful to the digestive system.
(Sweetened cookies - § 410.)
(People accustomed to fatty and spiced food do not experience pleasure from plain bread - § 563.)
Part IV. Vegetables
Fresh vegetables, simply prepared
Manuscript 13, 1911:
509. Everyone should experience the special benefits of fresh vegetables and fruits brought directly from the garden or vegetable garden. (Encourage the consumption of vegetables - § 490.) (The best treat - § 503.)
HVBG, 47; SZ, 115:
510. Fruits, cereals and vegetables, prepared simply, without animal fats and spices, but with the addition of milk and cream, are the healthiest foods. Such nutrition provides the body with useful substances, gives it endurance, and promotes clear thinking, which cannot be achieved by eating spicy, stimulating foods.
(Fruits, cereals and vegetables are a good treat for guests - § 129.)
(Danger of eating stale vegetables - § 469.) (The quality of food deteriorates if cooked with fat - § 320.)
(Nutrition determined by the Creator Himself - § 471.) (Healthy nutrition - § 403, 404, 407, 810.)
Manuscript 3, 1897:
511. For those who can eat vegetables, properly prepared, they are better than liquid purees and porridges.
512. Vegetables should be cooked with a small amount of milk, cream or something equivalent.
Vegetables as part of a healthy diet
Letter 70, 1896:
513. Food made from cereals, fruits and vegetables contains all the nutrients necessary for the formation of healthy blood. Meat food does not contribute to this.
(Good nutrition - § 483, 484, 486.)
Eat more vegetables
Letter 3, 1884:
514. We consist of what we eat. Will we contribute to the development of base instincts in ourselves by eating meat? Instead of accustoming ourselves to rough meat foods, it's time for us to start eating vegetables, fruits and cereals. You can prepare completely healthy and wholesome dishes from simple ingredients without using meat. A healthy person should eat mostly vegetables, fruits and grains.
(Vegetables on the table of employees of medical institutions - § 444, 651.)
(Vegetables instead of meat - § 492, 649, 765, 795.)
(Instead of fatty foods - § 312.)
(Those who violate health laws do not like dishes made from vegetables - § 204, 563.)
(Meat food is the consumption of already processed plant food - § 482.)
Letter 72, 1896:
515. The Lord intends to return His people to a diet of fruits, vegetables and grains.
Some people can't eat vegetables
Letter 45, 1903:
516. Various requests must be satisfied in a medical institution. Some people need well-cooked vegetables because of their specific needs. Others, on the contrary, cannot eat vegetables due to the painful phenomena that arise in the body.
Potatoes, sweet potatoes
Letter 322, 1905:
517. We do not believe that fried potatoes are healthy because they require fat or oil to cook them. Boiled or baked potatoes, a little salt, with cream are the healthiest dish. Baked Irish sweet potatoes, cooked with a little cream and salt and baked again but not fried, make a great dish.
Beans are very nutritious
518. Another very simple but nutritious dish is boiled or baked beans. Boil some beans in water, mash them, add a little milk or cream to make a soup.
Growing and storing vegetables
Letter 5, 1904:
519. Many people do not consider it important to have land and cultivate it, growing vegetables and fruits for the family table. I am commissioned to say to every family and church, "God will bless you if you work out your salvation with fear and trembling, being careful not to distort God's purpose for your life by your unwise treatment of the body."
(Everyone needs to realize the benefits of eating fresh vegetables and fruits brought directly from the garden or garden - § 480.)
Letter 195, 1905:
520. It is necessary to have some supply of dried sweet corn grains. You can also dry pumpkin and use it to make pies in winter.
Greens and tomatoes in E. White's diet
Letter 31, 1901:
521. You ask about my diet. I am not so committed to any one product that I am unable to consume others. But since you are interested in what types of greens should be consumed, I need not describe them in detail, for I know for a fact that in the area where you live there are many types of plant foods that I can use as greens. I can consume yellow sorrel, young dandelion and mustard leaves in large quantities. When it comes to greens and vegetables, there is much more and better quality here than we could have in Australia. And if there was nothing else, there are cereal dishes.
Letter 10, 1902:
522. For some time before going to the East, I felt a lack of appetite. But now it's back and when it's time to eat I feel really hungry. I eat thistle greens and other greens, well cooked, seasoned with clotted cream and lemon juice. This is very appetizing food. I have noodle-tomato soup at one meal and greens at the next meal. I started eating potato dishes again. All the dishes that make up my menu are good for every taste. I am like a patient who had a high fever and was almost starved to death; I am now in danger of overeating.
Letter 70, 1900:
523. The tomatoes you sent were beautiful and very tasty. Tomatoes are the best food product for me.
(See also Appendix I, § 16, 22, 23.)
Letter 363, 1907:
524. We grew enough peas and ears of sweet corn for ourselves and our neighbors. We dry corn grains for winter use; as needed, we grind and prepare delicious, appetizing soups and other dishes from them...
At harvest time we have an abundance of grapes, as well as plums and apples, and a lot of cherries, peaches, pears and olives, which we prepare for ourselves. We also grow a lot of tomatoes. I never apologize for the food on my table. I think that God wants us not to be ashamed of our meals. Our customers eat what we eat and seem to be happy with our menu.
(Corn on the table of E. White - Appendix I, § 22, 23.)
(Precautions regarding the simultaneous consumption of vegetables and fruits - § 188, 190.)
(Precautions regarding the consumption of vegetables simultaneously with sweet dishes - § 189, 722.)
(Vegetables in the diet of E. White - Appendix I, § 4, 8, 15.)
Raw food diet and fruit diet are methods of nutrition that are closest to natural, implying eating raw plant-based, thermally unprocessed food. Not a single living creature in its natural habitat prepares its own food and consumes it in the form, quantity and sequence determined by Nature itself. Man is neither a predator nor an omnivore. His digestive system is designed differently and is designed primarily to feed on fruits and vegetables - food that contains life (enzymes).
What is a raw food diet?
A raw food diet is eating foods that have not been subjected to heat treatment. This can be fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, grains - everything that grows and is edible in the form in which it occurs in nature.
Many may be horrified: “How is this?! Not eating normal food???” The fact is that such food is the most normal, and you can easily verify this. People who switch to this way of eating not only do not die from a lack of nutrients and other valuable elements, but also live a full life, without getting sick or aging.
Did you know that more than 99% of the inhabitants of our planet eat as much of their favorite food as they want without getting sick or gaining excess weight? And only the remaining insignificant share has difficulty stuffing anything into themselves, suffers from all sorts of diseases and cannot imagine their life without medicine. These are the people. After all, all the other inhabitants of our planet eat absolutely naturally, do not worry about any diets, doctors, etc., and at the same time have ideal health.
Man, who is the most intelligent creature on the planet, has become too complacent and has forgotten about his origins. But we can learn a lot from wild animals.
The habit of “normal” eating has been imposed on us since childhood through brainwashing. We usually eat not what we ourselves chose, but what we were taught to eat. In infancy, we could not choose between breast milk and artificial feeding - this was decided for us. And how many times a day we should eat was also decided for us. During your school years, did you have the opportunity to eat only what you liked? Even in a restaurant, your choice is limited to the menu.
You may have already found these arguments unconvincing and lost interest, but think about it: on a raw food diet, you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want, and still maintain ideal health. Please note that you do not have to eat only certain foods, because they are very healthy and contain some essential elements. You can eat any living plant food you like in any quantity. After all, you probably have some favorite fruits or vegetables? So eat them as much as you like. Any living product contains all the necessary substances for the human body. Lack of vitamins, nutrients, etc. occurs as a result of heat treatment of food - this is truly malnutrition. I often hear that switching to a raw food diet requires iron willpower, but let me ask, what kind of willpower is needed to eat your favorite foods? Now, while typing this text, I’m gorging myself on watermelon, and believe me, I don’t feel deprived at all. :)
A raw food diet is the norm. Absolute health is the norm. Diseases are a deviation from the norm. “Normal nutrition” imposed on us by civilization is generally some kind of misunderstanding. :)
Our eating habits are not so much the result of our free choice, but rather conditioned reflexes imposed on us by society. And the reflexes of society, in turn, are determined by commercial advertising and selfish motives.
Many people are afraid to switch to a raw food diet because they don’t want to give up a variety of foods. Go to the market or the vegetable department of the store and look at the abundance and variety of live food that is sold there. You don't give up anything, you just gain something new.
Another common “horror story” about a raw food diet: a raw food diet can lead to exhaustion of the body. Well, if you starve yourself by eating one tangerine a day, of course it can. But I already said that on a raw food diet you don’t need to limit yourself in the amount of food. Don't forget that the largest animals on earth are herbivores and do not need to eat flesh to support their massive bones and muscles. The gorilla, a close relative of humans, eats exclusively fresh fruit and at the same time has such strength that any weightlifter will envy it.
What is fruitarianism?
Fruitarianism (from Latin fructus - fruit, English fruitarianism from English fruit - fruit, also: fruit eating, frutarianism or fruitarianism) - nutrition of plant fruits, mainly raw, both sweet juicy fruits and berries, and fruit vegetables, often with the addition nuts, sometimes seeds. Fruitarians eat only those plant foods for which the plants do not need to be destroyed.
Practice
The fruits, ideally, are not processed in any way before consumption (only cleaned), nothing is added to them and they are rarely mixed. Food additives, spices and flavor enhancers are generally not used. If nuts are eaten, then in small quantities, not often, and young and fresh ones that have retained moisture are preferred. More and more fruit eaters are appearing, excluding them altogether. Dried fruits, if consumed, are only air-dried at low temperatures.
Typically, fruitarians prefer to eat as many organic fruits as possible, grown without chemical treatment and preferably in the region where they live.
Many people consider themselves fruitarians if their diet consists of 3/4 or more fruit (75-100%). Some vary the proportion of fruit depending on the season (for example, 100% in summer and autumn, that is, during fertile periods, and less in months when fruit is less available or inferior in freshness and quality), as well as living conditions.
Many vegetables are fruits (like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers), that is, they are completely fruitarian foods, while others are vital parts of plants: roots (for example, carrots), leaves (green onions), so they are avoided.
Other examples of fruits: watermelons, melons, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, buckwheat, green peas, currants, apricots, avocados, figs, bananas and many others.
Varieties
Many fruitarians eat only raw, juicy, ripe fruits, believing that such food is the only necessary and sufficient food, but there are also variations in fruit eating based on personal preferences, considerations of healthfulness and ethics. You can be a fruitarian and not a complete raw foodist. Many fruitarians regularly eat nuts, and some avoid them altogether. Some people drink a lot of freshly squeezed juices.
There is also this type of fruitarianism:
Fruitarianism excludes violence even against plants, therefore only fruits and fruits, as well as plant seeds, that have fallen to the ground naturally, that is, after full ripening, are eaten, and, as a rule, in raw form.
One of the expanded versions of fruit eating is a diet known as 80/10/10 or 811 (80% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 10% fat - by energy value). It recommends eating some green vegetables in addition to fruits.
Story
Among the southern peoples even now there are those who eat only fruits, like monkeys, and all these natives, without exception, are tall, muscular, ideally built people. They die in old age, and when civilized nutrition penetrates them, only then do they begin to suffer from cultural diseases. “Ideal food”, as well as transitional regimes to it, have not yet been studied enough. Some material is available on long-term raw food diets with a fruit-food bias. We are talking about a pure raw food diet here. There are many cases of eating mainly raw fruits. There are many of them in the USSR. Entire nations in Africa and Asia live in a similar way, distinguished by their beauty, strength and endurance. ...Colonies of raw fruit eaters existed back in 1924 in California, Argentina, and Australia. Fruit eaters still thrive in California to this day. Their diet contains less than 22 grams of protein per day, and they get these proteins from fruits. ...There are undoubtedly cases where this kind of regime has given excellent results. I had to observe one long-term pure fruit-eater-raw foodist who lived in France. He looked remarkably healthy. The whole question is whether such cases are exceptional, and how negative cases arise from certain deviations or from exceptional constitutions, or special painful conditions.
Justifications
Ethical
The core idea is respectful coexistence with all living things, achieving optimal health while not causing unnecessary harm. Respectful attitude is practiced not only towards animals, but also towards plants. Fruitarianism is veganism with an expanded focus. Many fruitarians treat both living nature as a whole (ecosystems) and individual representatives of flora and fauna with care, and also try to minimize the consumption of things made from plant materials (for example, wood), in addition to avoiding items made from animal remains (ethical veganism).
Nutritional
The fruits are recommended for daily consumption by the world's leading nutritionists. Raw fruits are easily absorbed by the body and require a minimum of expenditure, since fresh fruits contain enzymes that promote their self-decomposition. The necessary enzyme catalysts and partially coenzymes do not tolerate mild heat treatment, so the fruits are consumed raw. It is believed that such food helps maintain the symbiotic intestinal flora, which synthesizes substances necessary for humans, and prevents the proliferation of pathological microorganisms, which is a necessary condition for health.
Fruits and vegetables play an indispensable role in human nutrition. The very concept of rational nutrition cannot exist without the required quantity and assortment of fresh or processed fruits, berries and vegetables.
Evolutionary
It is also believed that humans are frugivores based on a comparative analysis of the digestive systems of various mammals.
The number and structure of teeth, the length and structure of the digestive tract, the location of the eyes, the nature of the nails, the functions of the skin, the composition of saliva, the relative size of the liver, the number and location of the mammary glands, the position and structure of the genital organs, the structure of the placenta and many other factors - all this indicates that by his constitution man is a frugivorous creature.
Since childhood, people have a craving only for sweet taste, therefore ripe fruits and berries are most attractive to us, also due to their aroma.
Eating fruits is considered a natural behavior in an ecosystem, since fruits are “produced” by the plant to be most attractive to be eaten by certain species of animals, due to which the plants provide their seeds with a higher probability of germination. The seeds of many plants, after they eat the fruits, pass without losing their germination through the intestines of birds and mammals after they eat the fruits.
The seeds contained in the juicy fruits are spread by animals that eat the fruits. The bright, tasty fruits of bird cherry, raspberry, and viburnum attract many birds. Eating the fruit along with the pulp, they also swallow the seeds. The pulp is digested in the stomach and intestines, and the seeds, protected by a thick skin, pass undigested and are thrown out somewhere along with the droppings. So the seeds are sown and, moreover, together with fertilizers.
The meaning of the fruit (organ of angiosperms) for the plant is the protection and distribution of seeds. Before ripening, the pericarp protects them from drying out, mechanical damage, and being eaten by animals (during this period, toxic, acidic or astringent substances often accumulate in it, which disappear when the fruit (organ of angiosperms) ripens).
Fruits with pulp have a direct purpose: to be eaten by animals in order to achieve seed dispersal.
Our DNA is 99% identical to chimpanzees. This also applies to our internal organs. The main diet of all monkeys is fruits and nuts. They do not eat meat or milk, with rare exceptions. An adult male gorilla is 30 times stronger than a human.<...>Fruit is an optimal food in terms of taste, vitamins, nutrients, fiber, fluid, energy concentration, ease of digestion and elimination of toxins.<...>Fresh fruits combined with nuts, vegetables, grains and other vegetation are the very ideal food set that nature has given us.
Environmental:
restoration of green spaces;
counteracting soil erosion and landslides;
multilateral improvement of the microclimate (stabilization of temperatures, humidity, improvement of air quality);
avoiding environmental pollution with excrement and gases from farm animals;
non-toxic waste, compost;
paper made from cotton lasts longer than paper made from wood, and virgin forests are not cut down when used.
Economic:
savings on production costs (energy and labor), packaging materials, kitchen equipment, etc.;
decentralization of agriculture;
reducing the risk of plant loss (for example, drought resistance);
trees naturally provide building materials other than timber for alternative or traditional architectural structures;
fruits are an easily reproduced type of food; enormous diversity and the development of new varieties are possible.
Aesthetic:
it is more pleasant to live surrounded by gardens rather than monoculture fields or livestock farms;
The flowering of fruit trees is very beautiful;
fruits make us more attractive.
Other
including purely subjective ones:
disease prevention;
formation of a slim body;
preservation of vision:
Carotenoids found in green leafy vegetables and colorful fruits may improve vision and prevent age-related eye diseases, say researchers from Georgia State University, USA.
reducing the risk of poisoning (80% of all food poisoning is through meat);
freedom from food addictions;
avoiding mental problems:
Teenagers who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables experience fewer mental problems, an Australian study by the Telethon Institute in Perth of more than 1,600 14-year-olds found.
cleansing the body of toxins;
Fruits are good for brain activity:
Researchers have found that people become smarter from... cranberries! Blueberries take second place after cranberries. And third place was shared between large-leaf beets and cabbage. An honorable fifth place in the ranking of “smart” foods is taken by spinach. Next come the famous peaches, bananas, pears, strawberries, etc... fruits and berries!
freeing up free time with minimal cooking;
people who have their own garden are more economically independent;
clarity of thought and feeling of lightness in the body;
The fruit is a food with a high weight yield per land area (400,000 pounds per acre). Spherical three-dimensional fruit trees produce more than two-dimensional linear rows of vegetables. For example, a perennial apple tree can produce 2 tons of fruit. This fertility can be increased by the technology of three-level gardens, when other plants - fruitful bushes and vines - are planted around the trunks of fruit trees. Growing fruit is also ideal for permaculture.
Potassium is considered the most valuable mineral for the human body, since the functioning of important systems depends on its abundance. Moreover, both its deficiency and excess are considered harmful. That is why very often today the question arises of how to find potassium in foods?
Abnormal potassium levels create a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, erosions of the gastric mucosa, cervix and duodenum. Potassium plays a special role for a woman’s reproductive system, since an imbalance leads to infertility and miscarriage.
Causes of potassium deficiency
Only proper nutrition is the key to excellent digestion and good health. Any natural gifts should be consumed fresh to avoid illnesses associated with a lack of potassium, as well as magnesium and sodium.
- The key cause of many problems is considered incorrect nutrition. When the diet contains a minimum amount of dairy, meat and plant products, and semi-finished products predominate, the body does not receive enough nutrients.
- Modern people no longer consider it the norm balanced frequent meals and consume a lot of salt. Due to an excess of sodium, potassium is excreted from the body too quickly.
- The person began to take more medications, leaching potassium and other important trace elements.
If you eliminate these factors from your life, as well as problems such as depression, weakness and fatigue, health problems will not bother you.
Products containing potassium
May be in different volumes. The largest amount of it can be found in millet porridge, and for this you should boil and eat a medium portion.
However, it should be remembered that overuse of porridge can cause constipation.
Experts also recommend preparing a special drink containing the required amount of potassium: dilute 1 tablespoon in one glass of water. honey and 1 tsp. vinegar (apple vinegar). Take a little before meals.
In addition, bran and brewer's yeast are enriched with potassium.
Basically, potassium fortified foods fall into 2 categories:
- Animal origin- fish, cottage cheese, liver.
- Vegetable origin- vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts.
In normal volume potassium in foods people can find it in dried fruits, in summer - in fresh vegetables, this applies to pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots. Berries contain sufficient potassium (especially a lot of it in red currants and lingonberries). You should pay attention to walnuts and pine nuts, almonds, and peanuts.
Few people realize, but potassium is found in everyday foods - potatoes, rye bread, oatmeal and milk.
Abuse of alcohol and coffee can lead to a deficiency of the element.
| Foods rich in potassium | ||
| Fruits with potassium | Vegetables with potassium | Other foods with potassium |
| Fresh apricot | Legumes, peas | Bran / Cereals with bran (oatmeal, granola, buckwheat, pearl barley, rice) |
| Dried apricot | Beet | Chocolate |
| Avocado | Broccoli | |
| Banana | Brussels sprouts | Milk, all types |
| Cantaloupe | Chinese cabbage | Nuts and seeds |
| Dates | Carrot | Peanut butter |
| Figs | Green leafy salads, excluding kale | Yogurt |
| Grapefruit juice | Kohlrabi | |
| Papaya | Lentils | |
| Kiwi | Legumes | |
| Mango | White mushrooms | |
| Nectarine | Parsnip | |
| Orange | Potato | |
| Orange juice | Pumpkin | |
| Pomegranate | Swede | |
| Pomegranate juice | Spinach | |
| Prunes | Tomatoes | |
| Plum juice | Vegetable juices | |
| Raisin | ||
How to properly prepare and store foods containing potassium?
Since plant foods contain enough potassium, if stored and prepared incorrectly, the food may lose this microelement. There are certain rules that should be used when preparing healthy dishes:
- eating fresh fruits and vegetables;
- storing food in a cool place;
- following the seasonal consumption of fruits, when they have the highest degree of usefulness;
- if the integrity of the products is preserved during cooking, they will have a higher potassium content;
- Cooking dishes in a double boiler is the most healthy option, preserving the maximum vitamins.
How much potassium do people need?
Every person should know the required daily intake of potassium:
- child per 1 kg of weight - 15-30 mg;
- adult - 2g;
- pregnant women - 2.5 g;
- athletes - 3.5 g;
- more than 5 g of potassium is required for workers who are engaged in complex physical labor, as well as professional athletes.
Only with a close relationship between the complex of essential minerals and vitamins of natural origin is the process of growth, formation and normal functioning of the cells of a living organism possible.
Finally, it should be noted that potassium is essential in the human body, and with chronic deficiency, irreversible sad consequences often occur. However, if you adhere to a varied diet, a lack of potassium will not threaten the body. The risk group includes only people on a diet, athletes and those engaged in heavy physical labor.
Many people ask whether corn is a vegetable or a fruit. Not everyone understands what a plant with large yellow ears is. However, this is definitely not a fruit. Then it is necessary to consider what corn is - a vegetable or a cereal.
Corn is a cereal crop. It is familiar to people of all countries, loved on all continents, as it has many beneficial properties.
What is corn?
The corn plant is, like rice, oats, rye or wheat, a grain crop. It is a herbaceous plant that can grow up to 3 m in height. On its long stem, ears with juicy seeds are formed, which are eaten. However, other parts of the plant are suitable for processing and use in various areas of human life.
Origin story
The history of the origin of culture goes back centuries. Archaeologists discovered the oldest ears of corn in what is now Peru. The age of the find is about 10 thousand years. And the age of the first discovered corn pollen is 55 thousand years. Corn as a cultivated plant was first grown in Mexico. The first cobs differed little from wild fruits. They did not exceed 5 cm in length, and the grains were small.
At the same time, the fodder crop became widespread in other countries of Central and South America. On the American continent, corn is called maize. This name was given to it by the ancient Mayan tribes. These people grew several varieties of maize - from an early ripening one, which was called Rooster Song, to a late ripening one, called Old Woman Maize and ripening within six months.
For American tribes, maize was a special plant. Due to their round shape and golden color, ancient people associated the grains with the sun. In honor of maize, lush festivities were held, the plant was depicted next to figurines of gods. The bread, which was baked from corn flour, was placed in the temple of the Sun God. And the temples themselves looked like an ear of corn.
An Indian legend says that one day a beautiful girl decided to save people from hunger and turned into an ear of corn, leaving only her beautiful hair. Among some tribes, Maize was the son of the Sun and Moon.
Even the American holiday Thanksgiving is associated with corn. When the Europeans landed on the shores of the new continent, the aborigines treated them to maize. Later, in gratitude, the Europeans brought gifts from their continent to the local tribes.
Maize appeared in Europe thanks to Christopher Columbus. This event took place at the end of the 15th century during the period of the Great Geographical Discoveries. Europeans liked corn, however, at first it was grown as an ornamental plant. Only several decades later were the taste and beneficial properties of maize appreciated.
Maize came to Russia during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. The Turks had already planted the American plant in Bessarabia. The first regions in Russia to begin growing “Turkish wheat,” as corn was first called, were Crimea, the Caucasus and southern Ukraine.
Biological description
Most grain crops belong to the botanical family Poaceae. These include corn, a cereal that is the only representative of the Corn genus.
However, according to the botanical description, the characteristics of the plant differ in many ways from other representatives of cereal crops. Its root system and ground part are more powerfully developed. The leaves are long, the inflorescences are panicle and spadix. Male flowers have stamens, while female flowers only have pistils. The grains have a different shape, size and color from other cereals.
Although corn is native to the hot countries of South and Central America, the plant tolerates cooler climates well. The seedlings are able to withstand short-term frosts, and seed ripening begins already at a temperature of +10 °C. The crop is undemanding to moisture and light. There is enough daylight and moderate precipitation for good growth and flowering.
But corn loves loose and fertile soil. It grows best on black soil, loamy, sandy loam or peat soils. If you also feed the plant during the growing season, then a high yield is practically guaranteed.
Kinds
Corn is called the “queen of fields.” It is widely used in the food and industrial sectors. Over a long history, species of wild, wild, field corn have evolved into cultivated varieties. There are 8 types of plants in total. However, there are hundreds of varieties of each species. In this regard, cereal corn, legumes and nuts are similar.
The following types of corn are of production importance:
- Sugar (sweet, milky). This type is the most common because the kernels of sweet corn are soft and tasty. The young ear has a milky color, but after ripening it becomes golden yellow. The grains of young cobs are most often eaten, as they are the sweetest. This species has many varieties and hybrids growing all over the world.
- Dentoform. A characteristic feature of such corn is the rich golden yellow color of the grains. This species is famous for its high yield and good endurance. It is eaten. It is used to produce flour and starch, livestock feed (silage), and alcohol.
- Siliceous (Indian). This species is characterized by early maturity. The grains are round and smooth, different in color. One cob can contain white, yellow, red and black grains. This species contains a large amount of starch, however, cereals and flakes are produced from it.
- Starchy (soft, mealy). This species is distinguished by a thin head of cabbage with large grains of red and white colors. The species got its name for its high starch content. Starch is soft and therefore easy to process. Starchy corn is used to produce flour and molasses. However, the species is grown only in the USA and South American countries.
- Waxy. If you ask which type of corn shows the least vitality and produces the worst yield, the answer will be waxy. This species received its name for the peculiarity of its grain coating, which resembles a layer of wax. The grains themselves are white or yellow, but are often diluted with red grains.
This type of maize was formed as a result of a wild mutation and is unsuitable for cultivation in regions with unsuitable climatic conditions. The main region for the industrial production of waxy corn is China. There, starch is produced from it, which is considered the best corn product. But some varieties of waxy maize have good taste.
Etymology
In its homeland the plant is called maize. This name comes from the Haitian language. But there are also several dialects in different regions. When the sunny plant from the Cereal family appeared in Europe, the inhabitants of the Old World countries retained names that relate to the culture of the Indians.
The Turks used the word “kokoroz”, and the Romanians “corn”, which translated as “fir cone”. It is not known what the renaming refers to, but this name was adopted by residents of Eastern European countries. Later, the word “kokoroz” was transformed into the familiar “corn” of the genus Corn.
Effect on the body
The positive effect of the corn fruit on the body will not be long in coming if you consume the cereal regularly. The microelements contained in it help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, due to which the cardiovascular system returns to normal.
B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, providing an anti-stress effect on the body. Eating corn promotes restful and sound sleep, quickly overcoming emotional overload and depression.
Vitamin E in the “Queen of the Fields” helps maintain youthful skin. Corn is also useful for digestion, as it normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cleanses the body of toxins, and destroys substances that cause intoxication. Maize contains carotenoids that support eye health and increase visual acuity.
Sunflower has a positive effect on the reproductive system of the female body, normalizes the menstrual cycle, and reduces the negative manifestations of menopause. Corn is also beneficial for men. Porridge made from golden grains helps restore potency.
Corn has a positive effect on the human body not only when eaten. Various rejuvenating and nourishing masks for the skin of the face, body and hair are made from the grain. Corn helps cleanse the skin of acne and age spots.
However, it should be remembered that in some cases, maize can cause harm to the body. Although corn is considered a safe product, sometimes people are allergic to substances contained in the cereal crop. Corn is also contraindicated for those who suffer from stomach ulcers, duodenal diseases or thrombophlebitis.
How to choose?
You can grow corn yourself, or purchase it in a store or market. When buying cereal, you need to be careful. Sellers may pass off cheaper fodder varieties as a cultivated plant used for food. These cobs taste rough and bland. You can distinguish them by color. The ears of forage varieties have a rich yellow color.
Sometimes a good cob looks bright. A small test will help determine the quality. If you pierce a grain with your fingernail, juice will flow out of a good cob.
Corn is called (names, called) a healthy grain. However, a spoiled or old cob will not bring any benefit. When choosing a cereal, try to unfold the cob. The young plant has milky or light yellow grains, and the tendrils are white and soft. The combination of white and yellow corn kernels on one cob indicates that the grain is not yet ripe.
Dry leaves indicate that the cob was cut long ago and has already lost its juiciness. If there are bugs and other insects under the leaves, then it is better not to buy such products.
Corn in medicine
The corn crop is a storehouse of microelements and is essential for human life. Corn silk is used to make drugs that help prevent cholecystitis and hepatitis. In urology, this raw material is used as a diuretic.
Many varieties of corn contain large amounts of magnesium, calcium, iron and important amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan. These substances are included in medications for people with blood diseases.
Corn grits are included in preparations that cleanse the intestines and also normalize blood glucose levels, which is important for people with diabetes. The coarse fibers of cereals allow you to get rid of toxic substances in the body.
Maize is also used in folk medicine. The stigmas and styles are the most valuable, although other parts of the plant are also useful. Diuretics are prepared from the stigmas, and a tincture for blood pressure is prepared from corn flour. Puree from golden grains is useful for people with gastritis or damage to the gastric mucosa.
Useful properties of the culture
The composition of the cereal culture includes such healing substances as fiber, pyridoxine, linoleic, ascorbic and pantothenic acids, starch, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, amino acids and vitamins C, D, K, PP, group B. B Maize stigmas contain a large amount of essential oils, and the leaves contain phenolcarboxylic acids.
Corn is also good because after freezing or canning it retains all its beneficial properties.
The Indians knew that maize is a storehouse of useful substances. They used the plant completely. Various dishes were prepared from the grains and used to make seasonings, bread was baked from pollen and soups were made, and drinks were made from the stem. There were even special dishes and drinks made from maize, which were served at the imperial table, used during rituals, and helped in treatment. The leaves and stems were used to make clothes and use them for other household needs.
And today the grain crop is widely used in industrial production. The United States is the leader in the cultivation and use of grain crops. There they make food, drinks, paper, toothpaste, and medicines from it. Most of the maize is used to produce livestock feed, which helps the United States maintain leadership in the livestock industry.
Over the entire history of the plant’s existence, many interesting facts related to solar cereal have accumulated. Although maize most often does not grow higher than 3 m, there are varieties that can reach a height of 7 m.
Maize is not found in the wild today. People have cultivated this plant so much that it can only be planted with seeds. Seeds that fall to the ground will not sprout. This feature has long bothered people who considered maize to be a gift from the gods or a gift from aliens. However, scientists have proven that the wild ancestors of corn looked different and were wind pollinated.
Delicious popcorn is not a 20th century American invention. This product was invented by their ancestors 5 thousand years ago. They covered the grains with sand and built a fire nearby, and then caught the balls flying out of the fire.
Many snacks are made from corn. However, corn sticks, flakes and other similar products are not as healthy as a whole cob. During processing, snacks lose most of the beneficial properties of maize.
Although corn appeared in Russia in the 18th century, it was glorified by N.S. Khrushchev in the mid-20th century. His epic with the cultivation of cereals in all regions of the USSR failed miserably. Corn, although tolerant of cool temperatures, prefers warm and sunny climates. But the first secretary left the word “kukutsapol” to the younger generation, made up of his famous phrase “Corn is the queen of the fields.”
Loading...