The Goods On Spaghetti Squash

It's autumn in Southern Ontario and that means it's squash season. One of the tastiest yet one of the more overlooked is the Spaghetti Squash. This yellow fleshed delight is easy cook and even easier to eat. The only question is whether to cut before or after cooking. The skin of the Spaghetti Squash is quite tough when raw.

If you cut before baking, it is suggested to clean out the 'guts', cut into two halves and bake for 10 minutes at 350, cut side down. After the ten minutes, flip the halves over and bake for another 20 or so minutes.

If you don't cut, bake at 375 for 1 hour but before putting in the oven, pierce the squash with a sharp knife in a few locations so that the squash does not blow up in your oven. After an hour, take the squash out of the oven and cut in half. Remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.

The reason why it is called Spaghetti Squash is because the flesh separates into thin strips that resemble strands of spaghetti. Form follows function (or, I guess, function follows form...) and one of the best ways to eat the squash is as a substitute for pasta.

The way I like to prepare Spaghetti Squash is by baking the whole squash for an hour while preparing a tomato based sauce on the stove top. I start with some sauteed onions mixed with a cubed zucchini squash. Once the onions have browned, I add a can of crushed tomatoes (or a mason jar of homemade, Italian-style tomato sauce). I add garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, black pepper and turmeric and let the mixture simmer until the squash is done. When all is cooked, I scoop out the flesh from the squash. I put a serving on a plate then cover it in the sauce.

The Spaghetti Squash is not a essential nutrient powerhouse but does contain a decent amount of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and Manganese. The seeds can be roasted in the same manner as you would Pumpkin seeds and have a very similar taste.

Rating 99 Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts

Rating 99 fruits, vegetables and nuts for essential nutrients
I'm always getting asked if I'm getting all my essential nutrients being on a vegan diet. My answer is always, "Of course." Then under my breath, I say, "At least, more than you my meat and potato eating friend." Then I wonder, "Am I getting all the essential nutrients? What the hell are the essential nutrients?"
I've really started doing the research and crunching the numbers to learn what the hell this body really needs and what can most efficiently fulfill those needs. My first in a series of posts on this topic is a rating system I came up with. I'm big on rating systems...
Using data from NutritionData.com, I've made a simple system taking each of the fruits, vegetables or nuts that I've chosen and given 5 points for every essential nutrient where that item provides 25% or more of the daily RDA in a 100 gram serving. If the item provides 15-24% of the daily RDA of an essential nutrient, 3 points are given for each. If the item provides 5-14%, 1 point each is given.
Keep in mind, to give each item equal ground, all are measured in their raw state and all info is for a 100 gram serving. This may skew items like the Sunflower Seed as 100 grams is a fair amount of Sunflower Seeds!
In following posts, I will cover just what the essential nutrients are; How much of each vitamin, mineral, fats, proteins and carbs we need each day; What powerhouse non-meat sources can provide your daily RDA in just one serving; What essentials are fully covered by a one-a-day vitamin; etc.
I am not a dietitian, by any means, but I hope this ratings list will provide everyone with some great info when choosing what to eat for meals and snacks. I do have to apologize for the crooked formatting - Excel does not go into Blogger well so the spacing was all done manually...

Food 25%+ 15-24% 5-14% Rating
sunflower seed 14 3 2 81
peanut 12 4 3 75
lentils 12 2 6 72
sesame seed 12 3 2 71
pistachio 10 2 9 65
cashew 11 2 4 65
walnut 9 3 6 60
almond 8 5 3 58
spinach 5 3 9 43
chicory greens 4 3 9 38
green peas 2 5 11 36
beet greens 3 4 8 35
swiss chard 3 2 10 31
brussels sprouts 2 4 8 30
kale 4 0 10 30
collards 4 0 8 28
okra 3 1 10 28
parsnips 3 2 7 28
coconut 3 1 10 28
avocado 2 2 11 27
navy beans canned 0 5 11 26
durian 2 3 7 26
watercress 3 0 10 25
romaine lettuce 4 0 5 25
artichoke 0 5 9 24
broccoli 2 1 11 24
chickpeas canned 1 3 10 24
blackberry 3 1 5 23
jalapeno peppers 2 1 9 22
asparagus 1 1 13 21
bell peppers red 2 1 8 21
butternut squash 2 0 10 20
white mushrooms 0 4 7 19
broccoli stalks 1 1 11 19
guava 1 1 10 18
raspberry 3 0 3 18
green beans 1 1 9 17
banana peppers 1 1 9 17
shallot 0 3 8 17
red kidney beans canned 0 1 14 17
loganberry 2 1 4 17
kiwi 2 0 6 16
white potato 1 1 8 16
cabbage 2 0 5 15
radicchio 1 2 4 15
sweet potato 1 0 10 15
papaya 2 0 5 15
pineapple 2 0 5 15
cauliflower 1 1 6 14
rutabaga 1 0 9 14
breadfruit 1 1 6 14
blackcurrant 1 0 9 14
cassava 1 1 6 14
carrot 1 0 8 13
pumpkin 1 1 5 13
mango 1 1 5 13
pomegranate 0 3 4 13
beet root 1 1 4 12
celeriac 1 0 7 12
yellow corn 0 0 12 12
cantaloupe 2 0 2 12
red tomato 2 0 2 12
banana 0 2 6 12
celery 1 0 6 11
bell peppers green 1 0 6 11
blueberry 0 3 2 11
zucchini 1 0 6 11
iceberg lettuce 1 0 5 10
rhubarb 1 0 5 10
apricot 1 1 2 10
green grape 0 2 4 10
orange 1 0 5 10
strawberry 1 1 2 10
clementine 1 0 4 9
cranberry 0 2 3 9
jackfruit 0 0 9 9
red radish 1 0 3 8
turnip 1 0 3 8
mandarin 1 0 3 8
persimmon 1 0 3 8
quince 1 0 3 8
honey dew melon 1 0 2 7
pink grapefruit 1 0 2 7
chicory raw 0 0 7 7
lemon 1 0 1 6
lime 1 0 1 6
red plum 0 1 3 6
onion 0 0 5 5
fig 0 0 5 5
nectarine 0 0 5 5
eggplant 0 0 4 4
cucumbers 0 1 1 4
red cherry 0 0 4 4
peach 0 0 4 4
bosc pear 0 0 3 3
watermelon 0 0 2 2
apple 0 0 1 1

Off The Beaten Path - Ackees!

Native to Africa, the Ackee was brought over to the new world in the late 1700's by Captain William Bligh. It was brought to cheaply sustain the diets of slaves. It is now the national fruit of Jamaica and a staple in most every Jamaican's diet. Although usually associated with the Jamaican National dish of Ackees and Salt Fish, Ackee's are also used in meatless dishes as well.

At times in history, the Ackee has been outlawed in some countries, including the USA. The reason being that the Ackee can be rather toxic, carrying hypoglycin A and hypoglycin B. However, once the fruit has ripened and opened up naturally to reveal the fleshy, edible arils, the toxicity subsides and for the most part disappears, existing only in the seeds that, of course, should not be eaten. When you get sick from eating unripe Ackees, it is considered 'Jamaican vomitting sickness'.

NutritionData.com does not recognize Ackee's but food value information from Mexico states that the fruit is high in protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

I put away a can of Ackees today for the first time. I used a recipe from http://www.jamaican-recipes.com/ that was completely vegan and quite delicious. Of course, I bastardized it ever so slightly like I do with every recipe!

This is the original:

Ingredients:

1 can Ackee

2 oz. cooking oil

1 large onion

2 plum tomatoes

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp black pepper

Instructions:

In a frying pan, sauté onions and tomatoes, without burning onions, until onions are soft.

Open the can of Ackees and drain off the brine.

Add Ackees to onions and tomatoes and fold together.

Cook for 2 minutes and add salt to taste.

Here's my version:

Ingredients:

1 can Ackees

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (give or take a tbsp or 2)

1 large onion (yellow, cooking)

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 heaping tbsp black pepper

1 heaping tbsp garlic powder

The instructions are the same as the original. I changed the tomatoes simply because that was what I had in the garden. I subbed the garlic powder for salt because I've never believed in adding salt to anything. Olive oil is most always my choice of cooking oil.

What the fruit comes out of the can looking like is scrambled eggs. In fact, in certain cultures the translated name is somewhat equivalent to egg-fruit. Many other local names refer to the Ackee as brains.

The final product I found to be amazingly like scrambled eggs. I read that in Jamaica, the people almost consider it a meat more than a fruit. With the nutritional makeup and the taste, I can see why. It was great tasting. I had it on top of a few slices of bread and I had two plate fulls. I would have had more but there was none!

Unfortunately, I can't buy Ackees at this time in my town. There is a Caribbean specialty market about a half hour away, at the north end of Brampton, that does carry them, though. I will be stocking up this weekend when I pass through. I may even be able to pawn this recipe off on my carnivorous family if I tell them that it's scrambled eggs!

24-Hour Fasting

I've been doing some reading for some time about fasting. I think I lead too active a life to go the 3+ days that are recommended as an ideal fast. However, a 24-hour fast which has been proven to be beneficial to our health is within my means.
Benefits of a 24-hour, water-only fast include:

• cleansing of the pancreas
• reduction in your desire for sugar
• reduction in blood pressure
• more efficient energy usage
• weight reduction
• digestive system 'vacation'

It is also said that fasting as short a time as 24 hours reduces tiredness, bloating and gas and is good for the brain. It is also said that regular 24-hour fasting, as much as once per week, can significantly extend life expectancy by simply decreasing stress on the organs and creating a more efficient system. Also, it may even be beneficial in avoiding diseases such as cancer.

I plan on experimenting with my first intentional 24-hour fast on Saturday, September 26. I say intentional, because I know there have been times when I have gone that long without eating but it was due to illness or the after-effects of a night of drinking alcohol. I plan to have my last meal on Saturday afternoon at around 2:30 so that I'm ready to start at 3:00. This would give me time to get in a workout and run in the morning and would give me enough time for both Sunday evening before 10pm hockey.

I am going to keep a diary of weight and pulse. I would like to monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels but do not have the equipment. I have concerns about sodium loss and will be doing more research about that but I haven't found anything written, so far, that it is a concern.

I would love to hear from anyone who has tried this or does this on a regular basis and I look forward to my little adventure in less than two weeks.

Off The Beaten Path - Star Fruit

Over 20 years ago, I worked as an employee in the produce department at a major grocery store in my hometown of London, Ontario. Often, on the night shift, away from the watchful eye of management, a buffet of exotic fruit was to be had. One of my favourites was the Star Fruit. This yellow, psychedelic delight was too expensive for me at the time but the price was right in the back of the produce cooler.
It took me until now to rediscover the Star Fruit. It's still relatively expensive and sometimes hard to get, but it is still a damn good tasting fruit.
Star Fruit, also called Carambola, is believed to have originated in southeast Asia, specifically Sri Lanka. It has been cultivated in southeast Asia for hundreds of years. The fruit we get in North America is a variation called Golden Star and is grown in Florida, California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
The fruit grows up to 5 inches in length and is generally yellow in colour. There are 5 distinct ribs so that when the fruit is sliced it forms the shape of a star. When picking one from the grocery store to eat, the edges of the ribs should be slightly brown but the fruit should not be spotted brown throughout.
Two taste comparisons I've read are 1. a mix between an apple and a grape and 2. a mix of papaya, orange and grapefruit. I see it simply as having it's own distinct flavour and not really comparable to anything. The best way to find out how one tastes is, of course, to try one out!
A serving (132g) of Star Fruit packs a punch of vitamin C, providing 76% of the normal daily value. It provides 15% of your daily fiber intake and has significant amounts of folate, pantothenic acid, potassium and copper.
There are warnings about Star Fruit, however. If you suffer from kidney failure, eating Star Fruit can prove to be a fatal mistake. Like the grapefruit, it contains oxalic acid which can lead to hiccups, vomiting and nausea in patients.
On the bright side, if you are taking medication for illnesses other than kidney failure, Star Fruit contains enzymes that will actually increase the effectiveness of the dosage inside the body.
Try Star Fruit raw. Try it in juices. Try baking it in pies, if you have that ability. My next experiment with Star Fruit will be as part of a tropical fruit salad with Dragon Fruit, Cantaloupe, Water Melon, Honey Dew, Pineapple, Grapes and Mango.

Radish Seed Pods

Every spring I tell myself that this is the year that I vigilantly maintain my vegetable garden. By early July, it is always obvious that I am one neglectful gardener! This year, my fiance came up with the brilliant idea to lay down cedar mulch between the plants to hold down the weeds. She put it down over half the garden and it worked brilliantly. Now, only the garden plants themselves are fighting for position.
Every year, I plant radishes. They're the red kind you find in your local North American grocery store for a $1 a bag. Every year, my plants don't get thinned out, causing the roots not to grow in beautiful round bulbs. Every year, I allow the plants to grow wild, flower and sprout seed pods. By this point, the radishes that grow into nice bulbs are so strong, if eaten raw it will lead to violent gagging and a numb tongue.
This year, I actually did a lot of reading on cultivating these little fellas. I learned a lot that I hope to put into practice next year... One thing I did learn is that radishes have a built in benefit for terrible gardeners like myself. Edible seed pods.
A specific variety of radish, rat-tail, is grown for its edible pods. However, all radish pods are edible. I was a little apprehensive, after all, the pods aren't sold in any grocery stores as far as I know and nutritiondata.com or any other nutrition value source does not include information on the pods. One day, a couple weeks ago, when I was really hungry, I took the plunge. At first, I tried popping the pods open like a pea and eating just the seeds. They were good, but a lot of effort as the pods and seeds are about 1/4 the size of a pea pod. I am noticing that unlike the peas, the age of the pod doesn't much affect the flavour - yet another benefit for the neglectful gardener.
Eating the whole pod is quite tasty. It's sort of like eating a fresh, crisp snow pea pod but the taste is much tangier, although not nearly as strong as the radish root itself. The one thing I did find about eating them raw and by themselves was that I got drymouth - probably a good idea to have a drink at your side.
I've been jamming these little babies in salads since my discovery and they really add to the flavour. I've yet to cook with them but I've read they have a great affect on cooked food as well, although, the spicy flavour dissipates with cooking.
The one thing I am still unclear on is the nutritional value of the pods. There are recipes and other information galour to be found but not a single word on nutritional value. One assumption is that they are the same as the root which is strong in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium as well as a great source of vitamin b6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper and calcium. However, logic would state that this is probably not true, at least in proportions, because the beet isn't the same as the greens and the broccoli stalk isn't the same as the florets, etc.
I've sent an e-mail to Health Canada to try and find out some more information. Until the time when I do get some hard facts, I'll continue to eat these little treats knowing they're safe, organic and healthy and leave it at that.

Uh Oh! Does The Beer You Drink Contain Animal Products?

It was like a nightmare. It was potentially a deal breaker between me and veganism. Beer containing meat products!? There are only three forms of liquid that enter my system on a regular basis: water, green tea and beer.

It turns out that beer can contain any of the following:

• albumin - derived from eggs or dried blood
• casein/caseinate - derived from milk
• charcoal - sometimes derived from bone
• colourings - sometimes derived from insects
• glyceryl monostearate - an anti-foaming agent that sometimes is an animal derivative
• isinglass - swim bladders from fish
• lactose and lactobacillus (lactic acid)
• gelatin - made from bones, skins and tendons
• pepsin - a heading agent sometimes derived from pork
• sugar - white sugar is often whitened using bone charcoal

Before you panic about not being able to enjoy a cold one on a hot summer day or after the hockey game in the winter, all is not lost. It seems few beers actually use these products. Basically, they are used as clearing agents to take the blur out of beer and give it clarity. They are mostly used on stout beer. There are two websites that I have found that contain extensive lists of vegan friendly beers and breweries.

Vegan Vanguard.com and Barnivore.com appear to be the leaders in providing vegan/beer information to the world.

Fear not you Canadians who drink from either of the two domestic giants, Labatt and Molson, unless it is a stout beer, all their products are vegan. I prefer Polish, German and Czech beers that can be purchased from LCBO stores in Ontario. These too, are pretty much 99% vegan. An interesting fact, though, is that Reinheitsgebot, the German purity act of 1516 actually does not forbid these meat products because it is assumed that they are not part of the finished product.

So, yes, one more thing we have to be on the look out for in our quest to survive in a savage world. Be aware, as well, that wine may use the same items for the same reasons. Once again, search the web and you will easily find out if your favourite winery is vegan or not.

Cheers!

Recipe: Cauliflower Indo-Roman

This is actually an original Tom Samworth recipe. I needed a way to cook up a head of cauliflower that had pretty much outstayed its welcome in my fridge and I came up with a combination that shocked the heck out of me because it tasted pretty darn good! This is a simple recipe that won't take up too much stove space and will be on the plate in a short period of time. It can be served as a side for omnivorous guests or as the main deal for those like you and me. As for the name, I'm afraid I wasn't very creative. Indo because of the curry powder, Roman because of the tomato and garlic powder and Cauliflower because of, well, the Cauliflower! The great thing about Cauliflower is it really soaks up the seasoning and juices that you cook it with so each bite is savoury.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow or cooking onion, chopped or sliced
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped, skin left on
• 1" jalapeno pepper, diced
• 3-5 TBSP of olive oil
• 1 TBSP curry powder
• 1 TBSP black pepper
• 1 TBSP garlic powder
• soy sauce to taste

Directions

• In a large frying pan, saute the onion and jalapeno in olive oil over medium-low heat until onion is soft, yellow and opaque.
• Add cauliflower pieces, mix and cover for 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and seasoning, mix and cover until cauliflower is soft but not mushy (15-20 min).
• Serve in a bowl or on a plate and add desired amount of soy sauce to enhance flavour.

Options

• Serve over rice, pasta or sliced Italian bread.
• Mix in lentils or chick peas to power up the protein.

Off The Beaten Path - Kohlrabi

It's always available in most grocery stores year round. Yet, ask anyone if they eat Kohlrabi and chances are you'll get a strange look and a 'No'. I worked in a produce department of a major grocery chain in my youth and I must confess, I may have put these little gems on the counter but never once held any curiosity as to what they might taste like. I assumed, as with so many other products in that department, it was food for 'foreigners' and probably was crap!

So, last week, I'm in my local grocery store and Kohlrabi catches my eye. It's not very expensive so I decide to give it a try and buy a bunch. After I get home I jump on the computer and do a little research. I'm assuming that there's going to be some complicated cooking technique to make this stuff taste good. How wrong I was. Apprently, Kohlrabi is enjoyed raw! I soon found out that this was right. I cut up one of the bulbs and added it to a salad and it was delicious.

Tasting like Broccoli stems but with the texture of say, raw new potatoes, it certainly was a pleasant surprise and I became an instant fan. I have yet to try the greens, but they are edible too - in the way that beet greens or swiss chard are.

It can be cooked as well. In fact, the larger the bulb, the better off you are cooking it because it gets tougher with size. Check out this site for some great Kohrabi recipes.

Here are some fast facts about Kohlrabi:

• also know as German Turnip



• meaning in German: Kohl=cabbage, rabi=turnip



• it is of the cabbage family



• 1 cup raw contains 140% of RDA of vitamin C!



• very low in calories at 36 per 1 cup



• minor source of protein with 2g in 1 cup



• also a significant source of fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, copper and manganese

Off The Beaten Path - Dragon Fruit

I've always been adventurous when it comes to food. In my meat-eating days, my favourite place to go was Louisiana, USA because if there was something that lived, you could eat it there - most often deep-fried.



Being Vegan has opened up an amazingly large new world of food that I never even would have noticed before. I often get the same line from friends, family and total strangers: don't you get sick of eating the same thing everyday? What!?!? Well, you have only two choices, a salad or a stir-fry...



Let's see... pork, beef and chicken. There's three choices. Oh right, you cut them different ways and it's a whole different dead flesh experience. There are thousands of different types of fruits and vegetables in this world - there are 7500 variations of the tomato alone!



When I visited Chinatown in Toronto for the first time since changing my lifestyle, I was overwhelmed, as you can imagine. The markets along Spadina and into Kensington are full of fruits, vegetables, roots and herbs that I'd never heard of before in my life. Funny thing is, I'd walked by them many, many times before and didn't give them a second glance. I was probably more interested in the animal carcasses hanging inside the front windows.



One fruit that really caught my eye was Dragon Fruit. It is commonly know throughout the world as Pitaya or Pitahaya. I didn't buy any that day because we had come down on the subway and I didn't feel like carrying groceries around for the rest of the day. However, I asked the folks at my favourite Thai/Vietnamese restaurant, 7 Stars, in town and they were more than happy to pick one up on their next shopping run. Of course, they thought I was crazy. In Vietnam, where they come from, Dragon Fruit is just a cactus that grows wild and no one eats the fruit despite its abundance.




I took it anyway. I ate it and it was great! The taste is sweet but not to any extreme - some would even say it was close to bland. The fruit is white fleshed with a texture that I would say is a mix between watermelon and kiwi fruit. It is very high in water content like the watermelon and would be a great 'hydrater' on a hot summer day. It also would be a great addition to a fruit salad, mixed in with watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, etc.




Here are some fast facts about Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya:

• Grows in dry, tropical or sub-tropical locations
• Red flesh variety from Costa Rica can cause pseudohematuria - colours urine in the same way that beets do! Always a great trick to pull on unsuspecting guests...
• Native to Central America but grown throughout southeast Asia, Mexico, South American and Northern Australia and pretty much anywhere tropical
• Called 'thanh long' in Vietnam - translates to Dragon Fruit. The cactus will grow up the side of tree and make the shape of a dragon
• Latin name is Hylocereus undatus
• Flower is 35 cm long and 25 cm in diameter (30 cm = 1 foot)
• Flower blooms at night and lasts only one night - sometimes called a moon flower
• Contains laxative properties! Careful how much you eat at your rain forest resort!

The fruit is highly nutritious and is a substantial source of Vitamin C. It is also a great way to control type 2 diabetes. For more information, check out this site.

Challenge Update - Weight Loss Goal Achieved!

On July 7, 2009, I tipped the scales at 175 pounds. As I stated in my post on June 7, 2009, I would drop 10 lbs. from 185. As a result of not only losing the 10 lbs, but also as a result of consistently doing the things I needed to do to achieve this goal, I feel great physically, I feel great mentally and I look fantastic!

In my original post, I stated 10 things that would help me to achieve this goal. I utilized all these ten 'tools', however some carried much more value than others.

• I refrained from sugar drinks. I believe this is one of the biggest problems with society today. Carbonated drinks are nothing but poison (just read the label! You need a degree in chemistry to understand what you're drinking.) and one of the major causes of obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• No eating between dinner and bedtime. This one is huge for me because if I decide to have a 'deserved' salad after working out, running and playing hockey - it awakens a monster within that cannot be controlled without several trips to the kitchen! Besides, I'm able to stay awake longer without the full stomach and it is much easier to get up in the morning when you have something immediate to look forward to (breakfast!).
• EXERCISE!!! Running, working out and 3 weekly nights of hockey - It's gotta help! Throw in a bit of cycling and a new focus on the abs for good measure.
• Commitment. By putting my goals on this blog and pretending that a huge crowd is reading it actually got me through some days where I felt like breaking down and sitting in front of the TV all night with a bag of chips and a jar of salsa.
• Portion control. Yes, being a vegan means being able to eat a little more than a omnivore, but it still does you no good to stuff yourself. It makes you feel like shit and takes away from the time you could be exercising. Instead of two plate loads of food, I reduced my intake down to one moderate plate or bowl.

That's it. That's all it takes. It can be argued day and night whether my addiction to green tea helped as well, but the above five items were what powered me through. It wasn't too long ago that I was hopelessly stuck at 207 lbs. I almost believed that that was just the way it went when you aged and I would have to live with it and start getting my collection of daily pills from my doctor. So, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I'm now 32 lbs. lighter than I was in 2005. I could still stand to lose maybe 5 more pounds, but I'm pretty much where I want to be and believe me, I'm going to keep it that way.

9 Benefits of Green Tea

My love of Green Tea came shortly after becoming vegan but not because of it. I've always had issues with caffeine to the point of having palpitations and panic attacks but, I also love the wakening jolt that caffeine gives.
It's been several years since I've had any soft drinks containing caffeine and a few years since my coffee addiction ended. I was having a meal at what is now my favourite Thai restaurant, 7 Stars in Orangeville, and with each meal comes a pot of green tea. When told that it contained much less caffeine than coffee, half as much actually, and that it was good for you in many ways, I decided to give it a try. From that point forward, I haven't been able to put it down.
Here's a list of 9 reasons why drinking green tea is awesome for you:

1. It lowers cholesterol levels.
2. It improves HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio (this is good!).
3. Inhibits growth of cancer cells.
4. Is rich in polyphenols, specifically epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which are powerful anti-oxidants.
5. Prevents tooth decay by killing bacteria (same principle prevents food poisoning by killing bacteria in the stomach).
6. Helps burn calories.
7. Just enough caffeine for the caffeine-intolerant (like me) to get 'high'! (40mg in a cup of GT compared to 85mg in a cup of coffee)
8. Excess is good! This is not something that should be consumed in moderation. The more you drink, the more you benefit.
9. Helps in balancing blood sugar levels.

If you haven't tried the stuff, pour yourself a mug today. You'll soon get past the bitterish taste and fall in love with this magic potion. Afterall, the stuff's been used for 4000 years in China and they are still the most populous people on the face of the earth!

Vitamin B12 - Just Not That Big Of A Problem

B12. The vegan's nemesis (or so they want us to think). The information is out there on the net in abundance but it can't hurt to have it here as well. After all, the more myths about veganism that are busted, the healthier the planet will be.

Yes - according to the hard facts, you can only get vitamin B12 naturally from animal flesh. There is speculation that there may be other ways of getting it from plant material but the sources are unreliable and when you're messing with the possibility of irreversible damage, unreliable is no good.

The numbers range but the most agreed upon Recommended Daily Intake of B12 in an adult is 2.4 micrograms. The simplest way to achieve this RDI is by taking a daily multi-vitamin (which you should be doing anyway). Check the list of 'ingredients' on the side of your vitamin bottle. Daily, you should be getting 10-100 micrograms of B12. Mine have always contained 100 micrograms, which I believe is pretty much a standard. Another option is to take a B12 supplement of 2000 micrograms once per week, but you're taking the multi-vitamin anyway, right?

Why do you need such a high intake if you only need 2.4 per day? Like anything else you ingest into your system, only so much is actually absorbed into the body before becoming waste product.

What does B12 do? It is needed for cell division and blood formation. Without it, anemia and nerve damage will eventually result. Humans that have switched to a vegan diet in their adult years, and have not fortified their diet with B12, have been know to go 20 years before showing the effects of B12 deficiency. This in an experiment you should not try!

You can get B12 from other sources as well, such as fortified breads, fortified cereals, and fortified soy or rice milk. But, as I'll say a million times over, and believe me I don't get paid to say it a million times over, take a multi-vitamin daily!