26 replies to this topic

[EmbraceUnity]

Awhile back the New York Times created a list of the best foods you aren't eating. I heartily agree with the recommendations, but I would like to open this topic up to any food under the sun, including processed foods.

In addition to the NYT list, here are a bunch of foods I have learned to love

Sunflower Seed Butter
This stuff is a great replacement for peanut butter, which is high in arachidonic acid and aflatoxin. I still eat peanut butter, but I like to switch it up.

Chickpeas
Great on salads, or in the form of hummus. Also a component of excellent indian dishes.

Lentils
Always good to eat more variety of beans, and lentils are particularly appetizing.

Couscous
Great substitute for rice

Quinoa
Another great substitute for rice... especially with proper spices

Eggplant
I have added this to all sorts of exotic dishes and even pasta sauce.

Rhubarb
I use it similarly to eggplant, and throw it into virtually any dish that I can. Also great in pie, but that doesn't matter since immortalists don't eat pie, right.

Avocado
I like it on salads. In the form of guacamole it makes a wonderful condiment

Green Onions
Booker T approves

Vegemite
Seems great for all kinds of recipes... haven't actually tried it yet, but I'm excited. Lots of vitamin B! Though, I wonder if the AGEs are high.

Edited by progressive, 20 June 2009 - 09:58 PM.

[tunt01]

good list. i eat about half of those on a regular basis. i made couscous two days ago. ate avocado today. always have sunflower seeds around. but i eat almond butter instead of peanut butter.

I eat lentils every week. I cut up spicy veggies (red peppers, onions) and mix them in with lentils. tastes great.


Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.

[JLL]

And why should everyone be eating these foods?

[EmbraceUnity]

And why should everyone be eating these foods?

Right, I should've been more clear... though I think people can/should investigate for themselves.

The first 5 listed are great sources of protein that don't have many inflammation-promoting agents, compared to most protein sources. The only potential exception is couscous.

Couscous is wheat based, which means it has gluten, but the studies seem mixed on it. Certainly it is bad for people with celiac disease, but that is less than 1 percent of the population. Whether it is bad for the rest of us is debatable, and the same could be said of casein in milk. Soy is another food with studies pointing both ways.

I don't drink milk, but I eat a moderate amount of both soy and wheat (switching it up with an assortment of other grains from buckwheat to oats to barley, for variety). I just happen to really like couscous, and I think rice is worse... even brown rice. I only have rice occasionally, and am always looking for substitutes.

Avocado is a good fat high in oleic acid.

Eggplant is good because it adds variety to the diet. It can be grown locally to me. Not much negative to say about it.

Rhubarb also adds variety. It does have small amounts of oxalic acid, but only the leaves have toxic dosages and they don't even sell them with the leaves. Similar manageable amounts are in a number of very healthy foods... even spinach and tea. As always, the dose makes the toxin.

Green onions can be added to all kinds of dishes... salads, soups, ethnic dishes, whatever. Tastes great. Lots of good phytonutrients, and it is best to have many options available for obtaining phytonutrients. You should always seek out salads with an assortment of ingredients like spinach, arugula, romaine... not just iceberg. Iceberg has lower amounts than some of these other types.

The rationale for vegemite is listed above.

Edited by progressive, 21 June 2009 - 07:46 PM.

[4eva]

Isn't vegemite a local food item, eaten in either UK or Australia. I don't know if its available globally. If its sold in the US I might consider it. But I'm not that familar with it.

I came across something about soy is processed by soaking it in hexane.

Quinoa is actually an alkalizing grain. It isn't really a grain but its thought of as one. Tasty and not as popular as it should be. I read that it has to be refrigeratored if you want to keep it for a couple of months; so may not be something to buy in bulk unless you have fridge space to store it. It contains fatty acids that can go bad or something.

Couscous is convenient because it cooks in no time. The time it takes to boil the liquid and a few minutes to sit in the pot. Does this come in whole grain though? Whole wheat pasta is not hard to find.

Eggplant is often done as breaded and fried. Of course it can be breaded and "oven fried" too. But I think if I knew of more recipes / ways of cooking it then I would eat more of it. It can be bitter and is usually salted to remove some of the bitter moisture/liquid. Any recipes or suggestions would be great.

And rhubarb is similar. I know of rhubarb pie but not many other uses for it.

Dried lentils take less time to cook than other dried beans. I still have not become familiar with the taste of all the different varieties. I think some varieties are better (tastier) than other.

I might have to try some sunflower seed butter. I like sunflower seeds. Peanut butter is convenient for snacking but has some downsides as mention aboved.

[EmbraceUnity]

Isn't vegemite a local food item, eaten in either UK or Australia. I don't know if its available globally. If its sold in the US I might consider it. But I'm not that familar with it.

http://answers.yahoo...03224741AAmEOGi

I came across something about soy is processed by soaking it in hexane.

It seems it is only for soy protein isolate. It does seem like a minor concern. I hope they are able to move away from it quickly. "Hexane-free soy" comes up with a bunch of links for new processes being developed and a company called "Nexsoy" advertising hexane-free soy.

Quinoa is actually an alkalizing grain. It isn't really a grain but its thought of as one. Tasty and not as popular as it should be. I read that it has to be refrigeratored if you want to keep it for a couple of months; so may not be something to buy in bulk unless you have fridge space to store it. It contains fatty acids that can go bad or something.

This seems untrue

"As optimum antioxidant activity of the alpha- and gamma-isomers of tocopherol has been reported at 100 to 200 ppm (Hudson and Ghavami 1984) quinoa oil would be expected to show a stability towards oxidative rancidity similar to that of maize oil"
http://www.hort.purd...993/V2-328.html

Couscous is convenient because it cooks in no time. The time it takes to boil the liquid and a few minutes to sit in the pot. Does this come in whole grain though? Whole wheat pasta is not hard to find.

Yep. I buy the whole grain kind!

http://www.hodgsonmi...Wheat-Couscous/

Eggplant is often done as breaded and fried. Of course it can be breaded and "oven fried" too. But I think if I knew of more recipes / ways of cooking it then I would eat more of it. It can be bitter and is usually salted to remove some of the bitter moisture/liquid. Any recipes or suggestions would be great.

I made a homebrew version of this:


It tasted pretty good when after it was refrigerated, but kinda odd hot. There are hundreds of non-fried recipes though. Youtube has a bunch.

And rhubarb is similar. I know of rhubarb pie but not many other uses for it.

Throw it in pasta sauce. Throw it in a salad. Throw it in ethnic dishes, nevermind what the recipe says.

This muffin looks particularly good:

Recipe Here

Edited by progressive, 22 June 2009 - 04:28 AM.

[Llama Chris]

I've never been able to find whole-grain couscous in any supermarkets or speciality stores around here. I have mostly cut out couscous from my diet for this reason. I'll have to have another search around.

I eat at least an avocado and one tin of lentils a day. Sunflowerseed-butter is nice, but I thought sunflower seeds were too high in omega 6's?

[senseix]

Awhile back the New York Times created a list of the best foods you aren't eating. I heartily agree with the recommendations, but I would like to open this topic up to any food under the sun, including processed foods.

In addition to the NYT list, here are a bunch of foods I have learned to love

Sunflower Seed Butter
This stuff is a great replacement for peanut butter, which is high in arachidonic acid and aflatoxin. I still eat peanut butter, but I like to switch it up.

Chickpeas
Great on salads, or in the form of hummus. Also a component of excellent indian dishes.

Lentils
Always good to eat more variety of beans, and lentils are particularly appetizing.

Couscous
Great substitute for rice

Quinoa
Another great substitute for rice... especially with proper spices

Eggplant
I have added this to all sorts of exotic dishes and even pasta sauce.

Rhubarb
I use it similarly to eggplant, and throw it into virtually any dish that I can. Also great in pie, but that doesn't matter since immortalists don't eat pie, right.

Avocado
I like it on salads. In the form of guacamole it makes a wonderful condiment

Green Onions
Booker T approves

Vegemite
Seems great for all kinds of recipes... haven't actually tried it yet, but I'm excited. Lots of vitamin B! Though, I wonder if the AGEs are high.

Hey i do eat all these foods, but i am a practicing raw foodist:P

[EmbraceUnity]

I eat at least an avocado and one tin of lentils a day. Sunflowerseed-butter is nice, but I thought sunflower seeds were too high in omega 6's?

Sunflower seed butter should be eaten in moderation. Same with peanut butter. Both have their flaws, but some people absolutely love their peanut butter (like me), and I think it is better to alternate between different types of nut/seed butters.

I mentioned sunflower seed butter specifically since it is the least well known. It has an assortment of different fats, so it isn't as lopsided as other things. Furthermore, Omega 6 is actually an essential fatty acid. You will die without it. So any immortalist who supplements with omega 3 and has eliminated PUFA cooking oils, margarine, etc, will probably have a perfectly fine ratio of omega 3 to 6.

[waldemar]

Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.

CustomCapsule has: Bitter Melon Ext. (10% Charantin)

Might be interesting, does anyone have any ideas about the dosage?

[immortali457]

I just started adding 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds daily. Iherb.com and vitacost.com have some great deals.

[Athanasios]

Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.

I ate it first at a chinese restaurant in a saute with those little chinese black beans. I know the chef personally and he is an amazing cook. He said it is how they ate it for medicine or during the hot summer. It was so bitter that it would make your tongue curl and 30 minutes later it gave crazy endorphin like effects to the point it was almost psychedelic (much like but stronger than when you eat very hot peppers).

I have had it stewed in a tomato base as well. It was not nearly as bitter but also did not release the endorphins.

[Brinksbury]

Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.
[/quote]

I bought some from the local asian market. Its been sitting in my fridge because I'm not sure how to cook it. Guess I'll get on that..

[becomingwiser]

Coconut!!!

I'm not too sure on the nutrition of it, but it sure tastes delicious... and that's as good a reason as any once it's a natural, unprocessed food!!!!

[niner]

Coconut!!!

I'm not too sure on the nutrition of it, but it sure tastes delicious... and that's as good a reason as any once it's a natural, unprocessed food!!!!

Krispy Kremes are delicious... I'm not too sure on the nutrition though.

[Sillewater]

Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.


I bought some from the local asian market. Its been sitting in my fridge because I'm not sure how to cook it. Guess I'll get on that..

My family eats it like 1 or 2 a week. In Chinese tradition it helps with digestion. Its really bitter so its an acquired taste, I like it now but my brothers don't. My mother always stir fries it with beef or pork, gives it a very unique texture, because the fat somehow sticks to the melon.

I don't know what AMPK triggering feels like but now that I think about it, when I eat it I feel hotter than usual, like my body is producing more heat.

[Arc]

You might have some difficulty eating vegemite, its somewhat of an acquired taste. I've eaten it my whole life but its been described to me as salty black tar by a few people I know. The major drawback to it is its high salt content, so you wont really be eating much of it, its generally used as a spread for bread like peanut butter is.

Brewers yeast is somewhat similar packed full of vitamin b, and isn't full of stacks of salt like vegemite (which is derived from yeast as well).

[becomingwiser]

Coconut!!!

I'm not too sure on the nutrition of it, but it sure tastes delicious... and that's as good a reason as any once it's a natural, unprocessed food!!!!

Did you know that krispy kremes aren't a natural, unprocessed food???

Edit: okay I toned down the sarcasm as I'm not sure if you're trying to mock my thinking or not.

Edited by becomingwiser, 23 July 2009 - 12:09 AM.

[Daniscience]

Good thread.

 

Pomegranates

This red fruit contains punicic acid, a rare fatty acid that brings lots of health benefits.

 

Hazelnuts

Probably one of the best nuts. Lots of oleic acid and the right amount of protein and fiber.

 

Red wine

Not that you "need" alcohol to live a good life, but if you want, red wine is certainly a great bet.

 

 

 

 

[m55m]

Chinese Bitter Melon - triggers AMPK per our past thread discussion on AMPK activators. I still can't even find this damn thing around my neighborhood. if someone here eats it, pls let me know what you think of it.
[/quote]

I bought some from the local asian market. Its been sitting in my fridge because I'm not sure how to cook it. Guess I'll get on that..

 

In the summer, we Chinese usually eat raw bitter melon to calm down "internal heat". (inflammation)

Boiling and cooking removes much of the bitterness, but I guess it also reduces the medicinal effect at the same time.

Dried bitter melon is one ingrediant in the Traditional Chinese Medicine.

[Astreon]

Nice topic! I would like to add ginger to the list.

I started using freshly cut ginger 2-3 times per week in my dishes for its health benefits but also simply for its flavor. If you like things a bit spicy, you should give it a try.

Here is an interesting paper:

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC4106649/

 

Active ingredients of ginger as potential candidates in the prevention and treatment of diseases via modulation of biological activities

 

Abstract

The current mode of treatment based on synthetic drugs is expensive and also causes genetic and metabolic alterations. However, safe and sound mode of treatment is needed to control the diseases development and progression. In this regards, medicinal plant and its constituents play an important role in diseases management via modulation of biological activities. Ginger, the rhizome of the Zingiber officinale, has shown therapeutic role in the health management since ancient time and considered as potential chemopreventive agent. Numerous studies based on clinical trials and animal model has shown that ginger and its constituents shows significant role in the prevention of diseases via modulation of genetic and metabolic activities. In this review, we focused on the therapeutics effects of ginger and its constituents in the diseases management, and its impact on genetic and metabolic activities.

 

 

 

 

[shifter]

Aged cheeses like Gouda or Natto. How many of us being truly honest, have a diet that incorporates a decent quantity of Vitamin K2.

 

I think Seaweed would be good for minerals

[nightmare]

Sunflower Seed Butter

Lentils

Eggplant

Rhubarb

Green Onions

 

those ones are commonly used in russia... never heard that they are extremely healthy)

I guess It`s just one more marketing trick)

[ketogeniclongevity]

Whey protein

Increases glutathione.

[Never_Ending]

 

My family eats it like 1 or 2 a week. In Chinese tradition it helps with digestion. Its really bitter so its an acquired taste, I like it now but my brothers don't. My mother always stir fries it with beef or pork, gives it a very unique texture, because the fat somehow sticks to the melon.

I don't know what AMPK triggering feels like but now that I think about it, when I eat it I feel hotter than usual, like my body is producing more heat.

 

 

It should have the opposite effect,  perhaps you feel heat due to other components of the food or the meal. Bitter melon is slightly cooling.

[Never_Ending]

I think raw salmon (fresh within a couple days from the store) is good because it's high in omega 3 and also doesn't have as much mercury as fish like tuna.

 

Also I agree about alternating between different nut butters, it makes more sense that way.

 

 

 

[ketogeniclongevity]

I think raw salmon (fresh within a couple days from the store) is good because it's high in omega 3 and also doesn't have as much mercury as fish like tuna.

 

Also I agree about alternating between different nut butters, it makes more sense that way.

I eat sashimi once a month.