The post Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>Coconut Oil is unique in that the fat is predominantly composed of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs are found naturally in human breast milk. It is these fats which make Coconut Oil such a powerful addition to our diet.
Consuming Coconut Oil can increase energy and metabolism, improve thyroid function, and it is even being used as an additional diet supplement for people with Alzheimers Disease. It makes a great moisturiser, treatment for insect bites, chemical free lip balm and hair treatment.
Coconut Oil is one of the only commonly used vegetable fats stable enough to resist heat-induced damage, and due to its stability a good quality Coconut Oil has a long shelf life and can last two years or more.
Paleo
Vegetarian
Vegan
Raw
Gluten Free
FODMAP
Excellent cooking oil.
Apply directly to the skin as a moisturiser.
Use it to make healthy truffles.
Use for Oil Pulling
Use it to pop popcorn.
Makeup Remover
Massage Oil
A jar of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil in the pantry will provide for many different uses. It’s great for stir-frys, baking and is a great dairy free butter alternative. Topically it can be applied to the skin or hair to help with almost any skin condition, or as a chemical free moisturiser or eye makeup remover.
Coconut Oil is extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, but not all Coconut Oils are the same. Choosing the right Coconut Oil requires an understanding of the labels so you can choose the right oil for your needs. Refined Coconut Oil has less flavour than unrefined versions and usually has a higher smoke point. It has less of the health benefits than unrefined although is still a good source of beneficial fatty acids (MTC).
Unrefined Coconut Oil is usually labeled virgin or extra virgin and made from the pressing of fresh raw coconut without the addition of chemicals. Unlike with Olive Oil there is no industry standard definitions for Virgin or Extra Virgin, so either name is interchangeable. You may also want to consider fermented coconut oil.
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]]>The post Health Benefits Of Quinoa, ‘Mother’ Of All Grains appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>It is high in magnesium and iron and a good source of calcium and potassium. It is naturally gluten free. Sprouting can enhance the nutritional qualities of Quinoa and make it easier to digest. Because of all the nutritional characteristics the benefits of quinoa, are being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied space flights.
While it looks a bit like rice, it has a richer, heartier flavor and crunchier texture. Preparation is similar to rice, although you can soak and sprout Quinoa if you prefer it raw. It can be used as a rice substitute, in salads or in many other ways. Try it in a gluten free pizza base, or even in baking or breakfast cereal substitute.
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN -wah) is related to beets, chard and spinach and is not technically a grain, but usually referred to as one as it a similar nutrient profile and is used in a similar way. True grains are the fruit from grasses, whereas Quinoa is a seed from a broadleaf plant.
Quinoa was first domesticated by the Andean peoples about 3000 years ago. It was a sacred crop to the Incas and was referred to as Chisaya Mama, or “the mother of all grains”. During the Spanish conquest of South America the colonists scorned Quinoa, calling it “food for Indians” and destroyed the Quinoa fields to undermine the Inca culture. The Inca’s were forbidden to cultivate it and were forced to grow wheat instead.
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]]>The post Coconut Flour, The Healthy Bakers Best Friend appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>For this reason you can’t just substitute Coconut Flour with wheat flour. It takes many more eggs and other liquids to make up a recipe using Coconut Flour.
Unless you already have prior experience cooking with coconut flour, it is best to use an existing coconut flour recipe rather than risk wasting time and ingredients trying to adapt an existing wheat flour recipe.
Nutritionally Coconut Flour stacks up to be the most healthful choice as a replacement to wheat flour.
It has the highest fibre content of any flour, and few digestible carbohydrates. The fat in Coconuts is mainly lauric acid, a saturated fat thought to support the immune system and the thyroid, although not a lot of it remains in the flour after the defatting process.
If you need a gluten free option for the school lunchbox, Coconut Flour treats are a good choice.
Coconut Flour is simply finely ground dried coconut meat. It is made from the coconut solids that are left over after the meat been used to produce coconut milk.
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]]>The post 5 Great Uses For Apple Cider Vinegar appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>2.Use as a salad dressing to boost nutritional benefits from your greens.
3,Use as a hair rinse by mixing 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 part water. It removes product build up, detangles and adds shine and is a chemical free dandruff treatment.
4.Make a facial skin toner by mixing 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water to restore the skins natural pH balance.
5.A teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar diluted with water treats heartburn and reflux which can often be a result of low stomach acid.
Apple Cider Vinegar has long been touted as a remedy for many ailments. Though there is much anecdotal evidence showing promising results for weight loss and Diabetes research is limited (a common problem with natural health therapies).
In 2004, a study in the publication Diabetes Care found that taking vinegar before meals significantly increased insulin sensitivity and dramatically reduced the insulin and glucose spikes that occur after meals. Interestingly people with pre-diabetic symptoms gained the most benefit from the Apple Cider Vinegar. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full
Another four week study showed taking ACV resulted in moderate weight loss. Half of participants took a two tablespoons of vinegar prior to each of two meals daily, while the other half were told to avoid vinegar.
Participants taking the vinegar lost an average of two pounds over the four-week period, while weight remained constant in the non-vinegar group. And some participants taking vinegar lost up to four pounds.
Apple Cider Vinegar may also increase the absorption of minerals from the foods we eat due to the high in acetic acid content.
Other benefits range from heartburn and candida cures to topical treatments for dandruff, warts and fungal infections.
After crushing apples and extracting the liquid, it is fermented and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria. Natural organic and unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar contains the ‘mother’, similar to the mother in Kombucha, it is made up of strand like enzymes of connected protein molecules with living nutrients and bacteria. Clear vinegar doesn’t contain the ‘mother’ and doesn’t have the benefits of natural Apple Cider Vinegar.
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]]>The post Buckwheat, The Ancient Grain Back In Fashion appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>Buckwheat is also used to make gluten free beer and whiskey.
The hulls are often used as a filling for upholstery including pillows.
Buckwheat is starchier than other seeds like flax seeds or pumpkin seeds and has a glycemic index of 54 although 4-7% of the starch content is resistant starch, escaping digestion in the colon and contributing to gut health.
Not being a true true cereal grain it is naturally gluten free and has higher levels of zinc, copper, and manganese than other cereal grains, and the bioavailability of zinc, copper, and potassium from buckwheat is also high.
Buckwheat is also very high in protein although there is some evidence that protein digestibility in humans can be somewhat low. It is high in soluble fiber which helps slow the rate of glucose absorption and is a better option than wheat if you are diabetic or trying to maintain balanced blood sugar.
Often referred to as a grain, ancient grain or Psuedo Grain/Cereal, Buckwheat is actually a seed from a broad leaf plant, unlike true cereal grains such as wheat or barley which are the fruit from grasses. Despite the name, Buckwheat is unrelated to wheat and is actually related to rhubarb and sorrel. The triangular seed is called a groat and can be can be milled into flour or used whole.
Buckwheat was first cultivated in inland southeast Asia, possibly around 6000 BC and then spread to Tibet and then to the Middle East and Europe.
It had special use in mountainous areas such as Tibet and Northern China as it can grow at a high elevation unlike wheat and can be made into noodles such as the Japanese soba noodles.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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]]>The post Chia Seeds, Supercharging Your Calcium & Omega 3 appeared first on Food Compass.
]]>If you soak them in liquid they become gel like, great for making puddings or thickening gravy. You can use them as an egg substitute. You can use them as a gluten free alternative to breading.
You can sprout them for use in salads. Or if you don’t want to eat them, make your own grass head for the kids.
If we look at the benefits of Chia Seeds, we can see why they are becoming so popular. Nutritionally, like flax seeds they are a good source of plant based Omega 3 fatty acids – ALA in particular.
They are high in soluble fibre. This type of fibre gets fermented, feeds the gut flora and has a host of health benefits. Chia seeds are very high in calcium, just a tablespoon of Chia Seeds have more calcium than a glass of milk.
They are also contain phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, sodium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, silicon, and anti-oxidants.
Salvia Hispanica is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, native to Mexico and Guatemala and commonly known as Chia. You find the seeds in white or black, nutritionally they are similar.
Chia seeds have been around as part of the human diet for thousands of years.The Aztecs and Mayans were pretty big fans of the seeds and they were an important part of their diet.
Chia became known in America in the late 70’s and early 80s not as a superfood, but as a terracotta pot figurine called Chia Pets. The seeds were used to coat the terracotta and then sprouted to look like fur. Check out the original TV advertisement here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzY7qQFij_M
The post Chia Seeds, Supercharging Your Calcium & Omega 3 appeared first on Food Compass.
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