Is Heat Destroying Your Food?

   You might eat for pleasure or for comfort, but you also eat because food is the substance of life. 


You need food to give you energy to do ANYTHING.

Food is the fuel that allows you to drive from point A to point B on any given day. This includes your trip from bed to bathroom!

You might be aware of the epidemic that looms over everyone these days called obesity - but did you know that even as you choose to take control of your health and well being you might be sabotaging your success by how you choose to prepare your foods?

WHAT!? 


It's TRUE!

Many essential vitamins are DESTROYED by heat, air, and sunlight. .... let me just say that one more time...heat... air...and sunlight. Yes.

Essential nutrients are those nutrients we need because our body cannot manufacture them on it's own. Examples of these essential nutrients are the B vitamins. These vitamins include: Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), B6, Biotin (B7), Folate, and Cobalamin (B12).

B Vitamins are available in a wide variety of whole natural foods such as Leafy Greens, Beef, Salmon, Whole Wheat, Peas, Rice, Tuna, Black Beans, Mushrooms, and Lentils to name a few. These nutrients are responsible for a whole list of duties in our body; from energy metabolism to supporting and facilitating reactions between cells as a coenzyme.

Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins

If you're not getting enough of your B vitamins, you are at risk for deficiency complications like ariboflavinosis, or cheilosis, or ...pellegra, or...if pregnant, you run the risk of neural tube defects in your newborn. Nope, not good.

To ensure you are eating foods rich in these B Vitamins, eat some of your foods raw, every day.
How much? 
Well, that depends on you, where you live, and your access to fresh food.
In the summer, I like to focus on about 35 - 50% of our meals to include raw foods.
Raw foods - like a salad, tomatoes with a bit of sea salt or dulse, celery with nut butter, or making sure I offer raw options for the burgers at a bar-b-que.

For my little guy, I always try to offer a plate of crudites as a snack at least once a day. Most kids will go for this if you are creative with your presentation. Can you make a picture out of the foods you are using? 

It's actually quite easy, but if you aren't thinking about it, it's just as easy to not do it.

In Vibrant Health and Happiness,
Tammi

www.thenourishedlife.net