I'll take a side of jicama please...

Jicama is a semi-sweet, root vegetable often found in Mexico. It's becoming more popular in the US- When Whole Foods has organic jicama, you know it's mainstream. Often, it's used as a replacement for potato dishes. That makes sense because it looks a lot like white potatoes!

Why not potatoes though? Although they have some nutritional value—Vitamin C (if you eat the skin), some minerals and a tiny bit of protein, white potatoes are mostly starch. Moreover, the glycemic load for potatoes is 29 out of 250 and the inflammation factor is -179 out of 50. Although, these are just numbers, essentially- potatoes spike your blood sugar and increase inflammation in the body.

Compare that to jicama with a GL of 2 and inflammation factor of 1. This means jicama doesn’t spike your blood sugar and it’s actually mildly anti-inflammatory. Not to mention, it tastes great and has all the minerals that potatoes have!

Glycemic load has recently been recognized as a more accurate factor for determining blood sugar effects, more than glycemic index.So, it's a key factor to look at if you're trying to lose weight, treat/prevent diabetes, or get on a healthier track. Jicama makes for a great replacement for white potatoes...it gives you a similar taste, texture, and nutrient value without the starchy bonus.

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What's the ideal diet?

There is always a debate about what's the best diet for large populations? Or what's the ideal? What would be healthiest for everyone? I say that it varies from person to person. There are several general guidelines which I think are beneficial for most:

1) Eat LOTS of vegetables (about 6-8 servings) and small amounts of fruits (1-2 servings).
This may come as a surprise to some, but grouping the fruits and vegetables together in one category has done quite a dis-service. Vegetables and fruits are NOT equal in the value that they offer to our bodies. Both have antioxidants, but living on 6-8 servings of fruit a day would pose quite a detriment because of the amount of sugar intake (even though it's 'natural' sugar!).

2) Stay away from processed foods.
If it comes in a bag, a box, or a can, its probably not meant for consumption! I always ask myself the question, did it come out of the earth this way? If not, how much did it have to go through before it appeared on this shelf?

3) Eat small amounts of animal products- that means meat and dairy.
Of course, not all animal products are created equal. Red meat poses a higher cost than benefit. Fish on the other hand may be beneficial (with reservation about the origin of the fish). Research has repeatedly shown that animal products have oxidants which make the body age quicker. The costs of eating these foods in general are higher than the benefit. However, there are people out there that benefit from the consumption of these foods. Each individual has to figure out what works for his/her body- and may benefit from the guidance of a nutritional specialist.

4) Eat a variety of foods.
Don't you get bored eating the same thing day after day? Of course! That's your body telling you it's time to switch it up. If your body is not giving you that signal, just know that we weren't meant to eat the same thing everyday-- for example, bread, cheese and pasta. Rotate your grains, beans, vegetables, and meats if you choose to eat them. This will ensure that you intake a broad range of nutrients and prevent your body from becoming sensitive to any one food.

5) Eat less.
We really consume a lot more food than we really need. If you eat 6 times a day, eat 5. If you eat 5 times per day, eat 4. Simplify! Most other citizens of the world do not have the opportunity to eat as much as we do, and yet they are doing quite well. Again, eating alone speeds up the aging process. Because your body has to expend energy to digest, it takes a little bit of the vital force. This is why rishis back in the day, ate but once a day- if that! And, they lived way beyond 100 yrs.

6) Drink lots of water.
I need not say much about this... everyone knows. The general guidelines are 1/2 your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 100 lbs, you need at least 50 oz of water daily.

7) Eat consciously and slowly.
Ideally, we want to in a quite space. We chew our food 60-75 times, take an hour to eat, and don't do it in front of the TV or engaged in conversations on the phone or internet!

I think there are so many diets that promote themselves as the best "new" diet, getting very detailed about exact portions, how many times to eat, etc etc. In general, I would say that most diets have the above guidelines underlying the exactness. So, my view is that the 'exactness' varies from person to person but these underlying principles are applicable to all. And here they are... enjoy your way to healthy eating!

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Milk, does a body... ???

The common belief (or myth) is that milk is the body’s reliable source of calcium. Sure, technically, cow’s milk does have calcium. What remains in question is whether or not it is the best source of calcium and is it a source of absorbable calcium. Many researchers have proven that no, milk is not a source of absorbable calcium. Matter of fact, it’s not even the richest source of calcium.

What makes calcium from milk less absorbable than other sources? The many overlooked ‘co-factors’ of calcium absorption are magnesium, Vitamin D, and phosphorus—a key factor in delivering calcium to bones.

To be fair, milk does have small amounts of these necessary co-factors. However, not nearly as much as some other foods naturally high in calcium. Not surprisingly, some of the best vegetable kingdom sources of calcium are also the best sources of magnesium!

Source per 100 mg edible portion	Amount of calcium in mg
Seaweeds (Hijiki being the highest)	800-1400
Brick cheese	682
Wheat/barley grass	514
Tahini*	680
Sardines	443
Agar-agar	400
Nori	260
Dried figs	250
Almonds	233
Amaranth grain	222
Hazelnuts	209
Parsley	203
Turnip greens	191
Brazil nuts	186
Sunflower seeds	174
Watercress	151
Garbanzo beans	150
Quinoa	141
Black beans	135
Pistachios	135
Pinto beans	135
Kale	134
Spirulina	131
Yogurt	121
Milk	119
Collard greens	117
Sesame seeds	110
Chinese cabbage	106
Tofu	100
Walnuts	99
Okra	98
Salmon	79
Cottage cheese	60
Eggs	56
Brown rice	33
Blue fish	23
Halibut	13
Chicken	11
Ground beef	10
Mackerel	5

*Please note: 100g of tahini is almost 20 teaspoons– an awful lot to consume in one sitting.

What are things that block calcium absorption?

1. Coffee, soft drinks, and diuretics
2. Excess protein (high amounts of meat will actually induce loss of calcium from the bones)
3. Refined sugars
4. Alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and other intoxicants
5. Too much or too little exercise

There’s another common myth regarding milk. I often hear milk is a good source of protein. This is not really based in any concrete evidence. Milk is more fat than protein. 1 cup of whole milk is 66 calories, 3.9 g fat and ONLY 3.2 g protein! So, this may be reason for some to argue in favor of ‘skim milk’. I could probably write at least two pages on why skim milk is a bad idea… but in general, just think of it this way- if skim milk was better for you, don’t you think the cows would have adopted that by now?

There have been questions about raw milk and goat’s milk. They’re both okay if you feel like you have to drink milk. I would caution in that case – know where your milk comes from, go visit the farm, make sure the animals are free range and hormone free (don’t believe the labels because some of the biggest organic milk companies in the U.S. claims this and the reality is quite different from their label). All in all, milk is really unnecessary. As you can see above, there are at least 15 common foods that have way more calcium than milk. And, its more absorbable! However, if you must, be wise about your pick.

Non-dairy alternatives:

Almond milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk, oat milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, soy milk (soy is a topic for further debate; at this time I will just state that this is not a highly recommended replacement of dairy milk). Also, you may want to try coconut oil as a spread, instead of butter.

I would like to end with some food for thought: How many grown animals drink ANOTHER animal’s milk?

A small challenge: completely abstain from milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, and any other dairy products/ingredients for 3 weeks. On day 22, have all the dairy your heart desires. Then, abstain for another three days and observe changes in your body. This is a food challenge (you can test your body in this way with any food you are curious about) to allow your body to tell you how it feels when you eat certain things. I would love to hear some of the results!

Resources:

Pitchford, Paul. “Healing with whole foods.” North Atlantic Books. Berkeley, CA. 2002

“Milk not best for strong bones, reports find.” MSNBC. 2005

Health without milk.

Calcium: why is it not absorbable in the human body?

Fairweather-Tait, Susan, et al. Studies on calcium absorption from milk using a double-label

stable isotope technique. British Journal of Nutrition. 1989

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Greetings

Peace Stanford Community,

It's an honor to be able to serve as a writer for this incredible blog. I hope to hear from you readers, and interact directly-- answering some of YOUR main questions on health and nutrition.

Peace!
Binal

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