Superfood, blueberries and "supplements"
My Two Cents:
By supplements I mean what we use to call "vitamin pills", etc. I never take ANY of that crap. What a waste of money. Of course, I support the business - if fools will buy it, why not sell it? Just like the current craze involving "organic food". I have heard of two people I know, in the past week, who are in, or planning to get in, to the "organic food" business. I see no evidence to believe organic food is better than "regular" food. In fact here is an article on the subject. From what I know, it is a good business - Like PT Barnum is commonly purported to have said: "there is a sucker born every minute". And I feel the same way about dietary supplement pills, etc.
If you want super nutrients, eat blueberries. To isolate a few of the THOUSANDS of chemical substances in a blueberry, or any other food, for that matter, and package it for sale and consumption is sheer folly, and makes no rational sense to anyone who really understands chemistry. In fact, I think it is dangerous. Firstly, you are removing the substance from its chemical matrix, and it may be a combination that is important, not a one or a few substances. Infact, acting by themselves, or out of concert with other chemical substances, the substances in supplements and vitamins can be dangerous. My chemical intuition suggested that to me years ago, and so I stopped the consumption of vitamins, (with the exception of some limited use of vitamin C as an agent to relieve mild cold symptoms). This does not mean that I do not take some herbs as medicine. I find ginger to be a very effective agent in reducing mild motion sickness and nausea (thanks to Cyberdaughter II for that one). Secondly, the Dose Makes the Poison, as I say here FREQUENTLY! Just because a substance is "good" for you in low doses, DOES NOT MEAN it is better for you in high doses. This is particularly true of the fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E or K.
Other superfoods that do what most people think vitamins and health supplements do:
blueberries (so as not to leave them off the list!)
beans
oats
broccoli
spinach
fish
small amounts of meat, esp poultry
nuts
tomatoes
yogurt
Another note on blueberries - I bake a whole wheat, low fat, low sugar, banana-"FROZEN blueberry" bread. The ingredients are in the follow ratios: 2.5 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 4 bananas, 3 egg whites, 2 cups thawed frozen blueberries, 0.5 cups unsweetened apple sauce, and some vanilla, baking powder and baking soda. Eat this as a replacement for less nutritious snacks, or for dessert, or even for breakfast once in a while with a cup of coffee. This way, you can get blueberries all year round.
Regarding fresh blueberries, the best, by far, in terms of size, texture and flavor, come from New Jersey. They are out in the stores NOW.
If you are pregnant, it is important to eat lots of fish, and also to make sure you get lots of folic acid. The latter comes from spinach, whole wheat bread (NOT just brown "Wheat Bread"), nuts and seeds, poultry, fortified breakfast cereal. You should eat all the stuff on this list.
Individ
PS - Whereas I have a doctorate in science, I am NOT a medical doctor, and I do NOT give formal medical advice. (I'm also a graduate of a big city police academy - so when I say "Back off man, I'm a Scientist", watch out!).
By supplements I mean what we use to call "vitamin pills", etc. I never take ANY of that crap. What a waste of money. Of course, I support the business - if fools will buy it, why not sell it? Just like the current craze involving "organic food". I have heard of two people I know, in the past week, who are in, or planning to get in, to the "organic food" business. I see no evidence to believe organic food is better than "regular" food. In fact here is an article on the subject. From what I know, it is a good business - Like PT Barnum is commonly purported to have said: "there is a sucker born every minute". And I feel the same way about dietary supplement pills, etc.
If you want super nutrients, eat blueberries. To isolate a few of the THOUSANDS of chemical substances in a blueberry, or any other food, for that matter, and package it for sale and consumption is sheer folly, and makes no rational sense to anyone who really understands chemistry. In fact, I think it is dangerous. Firstly, you are removing the substance from its chemical matrix, and it may be a combination that is important, not a one or a few substances. Infact, acting by themselves, or out of concert with other chemical substances, the substances in supplements and vitamins can be dangerous. My chemical intuition suggested that to me years ago, and so I stopped the consumption of vitamins, (with the exception of some limited use of vitamin C as an agent to relieve mild cold symptoms). This does not mean that I do not take some herbs as medicine. I find ginger to be a very effective agent in reducing mild motion sickness and nausea (thanks to Cyberdaughter II for that one). Secondly, the Dose Makes the Poison, as I say here FREQUENTLY! Just because a substance is "good" for you in low doses, DOES NOT MEAN it is better for you in high doses. This is particularly true of the fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E or K.
Other superfoods that do what most people think vitamins and health supplements do:
blueberries (so as not to leave them off the list!)
beans
oats
broccoli
spinach
fish
small amounts of meat, esp poultry
nuts
tomatoes
yogurt
Another note on blueberries - I bake a whole wheat, low fat, low sugar, banana-"FROZEN blueberry" bread. The ingredients are in the follow ratios: 2.5 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 4 bananas, 3 egg whites, 2 cups thawed frozen blueberries, 0.5 cups unsweetened apple sauce, and some vanilla, baking powder and baking soda. Eat this as a replacement for less nutritious snacks, or for dessert, or even for breakfast once in a while with a cup of coffee. This way, you can get blueberries all year round.
Regarding fresh blueberries, the best, by far, in terms of size, texture and flavor, come from New Jersey. They are out in the stores NOW.
If you are pregnant, it is important to eat lots of fish, and also to make sure you get lots of folic acid. The latter comes from spinach, whole wheat bread (NOT just brown "Wheat Bread"), nuts and seeds, poultry, fortified breakfast cereal. You should eat all the stuff on this list.
Individ
PS - Whereas I have a doctorate in science, I am NOT a medical doctor, and I do NOT give formal medical advice. (I'm also a graduate of a big city police academy - so when I say "Back off man, I'm a Scientist", watch out!).
posted by individ at 10:31 PM
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