keto vegetable salad in bowls
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Eating Healthy

Eating healthy this year by watching the amount of sugar you consume on a daily basis has never been easier. You can start by eating a primal/paleo diet as summed up in the Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid. And if sugar is really to limit, eating keto or borderline keto, like I do most of the time, is probably the best next step. Check with your doctor and give it a try! Dr. Frank Lipman said in a recent tweet, “If you make only one change this year, let it be cutting sugar and starches from your diet. Sugar is extra harmful as we age. It weakens the immune system and feeds diseases we all fear: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, to name a few.”

What to Buy When Eating Keto (as outlined at Mark’s Daily Apple)

  • Leafy Greens: spinach, Swiss chard, romaine, red/green lettuces, purslane, dandelion greens, watercress, beet greens, endive.
  • Cruciferous Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (red and green), kale, arugula, brussels sprouts, collard greens, bok choy, broccoli sprouts, etc.
  • Other Veggies: mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, green beans, fiddlehead ferns, broccolini, cucumbers, leeks, spaghetti squash, onions (red, white, yellow), okra, eggplant, artichokes, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, rhubarb.
  • Lower Carb Fruits: avocados, lemons, limes, berries, apricots (fresh, not dried).
  • Dairy (pastured or organic): Emmental, cheddar, gouda, Swiss, parmesan, brie, feta, blue, queso, goat cheese, cream cheese, creme fraiche, full-fat cottage cheese, full-fat plain Greek or regular yogurt, heavy whipping cream, half & half.
  • Seafood: sardines, wild trout, sockeye salmon, bivalves (oysters, mussels, clams, scallops), wild-caught shrimp, summer flounder, Petrale sole, wild tilapia, Haddock, Mahi Mahi, bass, and anchovies, to name a few. Find out about the best picks each year at seafoodwatch.org.
  • Packaged Fish: wild sardines, anchovies, canned herring, wild salmon.
  • Meats & Poultry: chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, grass-fed beef, pastured pork, pastured and organic organ meats. ButcherBox and US Wellness Meats make finding good-quality meat easier.
  • Cured Meats (sugar-free): sausage, bacon, prosciutto, ham, beef jerky, salami.
  • Eggs (pastured and organic if possible): chicken eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs, goose eggs.
  • Nuts and Nut Products: coconut butter, no-sugar cashew or almond butter, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, hazelnuts.
  • Other Packaged Foods: salsa, broths, olives, refrigerated fermented foods like sauerkraut.
  • Healthy Fats and Oils: butter (if possible pastured and organic), ghee, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed, dark bottled varieties), macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, duck fat, pastured and organic lard and tallow.
  • Herbs and Spices: Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cayenne, cumin, cilantro, basil, thyme, sage, bay leaf, oregano, dill, rosemary, parsley, chives, chili powder, saffron, cardamom, paprika.
  • Cooking/Baking Supplies: coconut flour, almond flour, hazelnut flour, shredded and/or shaved unsweetened coconut, flax seeds, chia seeds, cocoa powder, stevia, monk fruit extract, 85-100% dark chocolate. I like to shop at Thrive Market for some of these.
  • Beverages: unsweetened nut milks (like almond milk or cashew milk), unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, unsweetened tea and coffee, broths.

Happy shopping!!

Until next time!

Reference

“Keto Shopping List.” Mark’s Daily Apple, http://www.marksdailyapple.com/keto/shopping-list/. Accessed 7 Jan. 2023.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Grow your own sprouts to consume more sulforaphane!

Sulforaphane in Cruciferous Vegetables

As outlined in the Primal Blueprint food pyramid, the bulk of any meal should be vegetables – lots of fresh, organic, or farmers’ market vegetables ideally. The non-starchy ones might be the best picks if you have to watch your blood sugar levels closely. And along with leafy greens, cruciferous/Brassica vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts) probably give you “the most nutritional bang for your buck.” 

Cruciferous vegetables are high in a sulfur-based phytochemical compound called sulforaphane or SFN. SFN is created when the cruciferous plant’s enzyme myrosinase and the plant’s compound glucoraphanin combine by chewing, chopping, or cutting the given plant. Because of its substantial bioavailability, SFN is found to have many protective benefits.

Sulforaphane’s Health Benefits

SFN has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-like effects and aids in fighting oxidative stress. Here’s a brief list of sulforaphane’s health benefits:

  • Aids by lowering inflammation and strengthening the immune system
  • Can aid in staving off diabetes
  • Can aid with treating certain cancers
  • Assists liver function and detoxification
  • Enhances synthesis of glutathione (a “Master Antioxidant”)
  • Protects against lung damage
  • Helps with gastrointestinal function
  • May shield the brain from damage, in some instances 

Vegetables Rich in Sulforaphane

  • Arugula
  • Bok choy
  • Broccoli
  • Broccoli sprouts
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Collard greens
  • Kale
  • Mustard greens
  • Parsnips
  • Radishes
  • Rutabaga
  • Turnips
  • Wasabi
  • Watercress

On a Final Note

As you can see, there are plenty of vegetables to choose from to get a little bit of sulforaphane into your diet every day if you wish. Last winter, as vegetables are definitely more scarce then, I decided to grow my own sprouts for the first time. I got a basic sprouting kit and some seeds, after purchasing The Sprout Book, by Doug Evans. Of course, you don’t have to wait for winter to grow your own sprouts. And no need to have a green thumb for that either. Give it a try!

Until next time!

References

Levy, Jillian. “Sulforaphane Benefits: The Secret to Broccoli’s Superfood Status.” Dr. Axe, 16 July 2022, draxe.com/nutrition/sulforaphane-benefits/. Accessed 31 July 2022.

Lipman, Dr Frank. “Protect Your Heart, Brain and Life with Sulforaphane.” Frank Lipman MD, 5 Apr. 2021, drfranklipman.com/2021/04/05/protect-your-heart-brain-and-life-with-sulforaphane/. Accessed 31 July 2022.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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