The Whole Food and Nothing BUT the Whole Food.....

I was reading an article in the waiting room the other day which gave today's little blog inspiration. The article in gist was talking about the nutritional values of food and the antioxidant effect of that super food. For instance, the carrot, loaded with beta carotene. Back in the 80's, the carrot was all the hype for being a cancer fighting tool. So, the wonderful food scientist decided that it was because of the beta carotene in the carrot and then created a supplement of just the beta carotene and it was being consumed everywhere. The problem, cancer rates actually increased in those taking the supplement! The problem....the great Creator himself did not design such a perfect little food to be stripped and sold into a little pill. The cancer fighting properties of this food was not solely dependent of the Beta Carotene, it was the whole package. There is so much more to the carrot than what gives in the orange color and the scientist just didn't get it. They did the same thing with the fiber pill. What we should be eating to get fiber is so much more than just the fiber itself sold in little pill forms. You see, it is all about the whole food, not the stripped down processed food. You cannot live on a diet of "fortified" foods and think you are getting your nutrients. For instance, a calcium pill alone is not effective unless balanced with magnesium and so on and so on. I get asked ALL the time about what protein supplements to take. My answer, NONE. That protein is taken, stripped and mass produced. The result, lost nutrition and in most cases , harm to the body. What should you be doing that is better and less expensive? I come home from the gym, eat a banana with a little raw peanut butter and a handful of raw almonds. Perfect nutrition and protein. Tastes great, no chalky aftertaste and no big inflated costs. Likewise, our children should be getting used to eating a good raw food, not just popping the Flinstones vitamins to supplement. It is not the same and never will be. Once again, we have what we need right there in the farmers market for all of our needs. Go stock up today and grab a good banana.