Green Girl
Goodies, August 2012
Featuring
information from “12 Best Foods Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi
Everyone
knows that knowledge is power and that idea applies to food as well. Many people try to eat healthy but we are surrounded by so many distorted food
facts and information from companies trying to sell products that it is easy to
be led down the wrong path. When a friend
of mine got married, she had on her registry a book called “12 Best Foods
Cookbook” by Dana Jacobi. I got her and
her husband a copy for their wedding present and purchased one for myself as
well. Like Jacobi, I have a passion for
amazing, delicious food and am a firm believer that healthy food can fall into
this category as well. She uses 3 main
principles to select her top “12 Best Foods”:
1.
“Seek Foods with Maximum Vitality” - i.e. “more
nutritional bang for their caloric buck”
2.
“Consider Versatility and Convenience”
3.
“Enjoy Voluptuousness, Always” - Voluptuous, although frequently associated
with sexy, actually means “delighting the senses”. Jacobi
understands that “the food we eat must ignite our senses or we are unlikely to
eat it”
I decided
her top 12 would be a great starting point for my Friday Food Facts. Each Friday I will share with you information
on a chosen food item to help you get a better understanding of why some foods
are considered healthier than others and get you pointed in the right direction
as far as choosing what to put in your body!
This week I chose from her top 12 an ingredient I have been using a lot
lately: Soy.
Not only is
soy one of my favorite foods to enjoy in all of its various forms, Jacobi says “If one food is best of all, soy earns the
top spot as the Best Food because it
offers so many benefits and delicious possibilities.” Soy comes in the form of edamame (soy
beans), tofu, soy milk, soynuts, miso, tempeh, soy based imitation meats, soy
sauce, soy yogurt, soynut butter, soy flour and various soy supplements. With so many options to choose from,
incorporating soy into your diet is easier than you think! Once you read on about all the health
benefits soy has to offer, you will begin to wonder why you haven’t been eating
more of it already J
Soy offers
the highest-quality cholesterol-free meatless protein and is also a great
source of fiber. 25 grams a day of soy
daily combined with a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat has been shown
to not only reduce cholesterol levels but also lower blood pressure. Soy is the only major food source of
isoflavones, an estrogen-like substance that helps protect and maintain bone strength,
reducing the risk of osteoporosis. These
isoflavones have also been shown to stabilize blood sugar and reduce insulin
resistance and to protect again certain cancers, including breast and prostate. In addition to all these great benefits, soy
is a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans, calcium and
potassium.
If the
health benefits alone aren’t enough to inspire you, try out some of our amazing
recipes. Soy takes on the flavor of the
ingredients around it and can be easily disguised and hidden in many
dishes. Start small by snacking on
edamame and work yourself up to switching out your regular milk for soy milk or
replacing one carnivorous meal with a meal centered around tofu or tempeh. It is a hard adjustment for many but give it
a shot! You will feel great and your
body will thank you in the long run J
When picking
out your soy ingredients, the brand can make all the difference. You might need to try a few different kinds
to find the brand you like best. Also,
be sure to look for the “Non-GMO” or “Organic” label so you know you are
getting soy products made with non-genetically modified soy beans.
Look for
more tips from the Green Girl on working with various soy products in posts to
come!
Next Friday Food Facts:
Spinach
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