Anyone who has ever embarked on a journey to lose a few pounds has heard it before; “dieting is 80% food, and 20% exercise.” In other words, go ahead, and exercise ‘til your little heart is content (being physically fit is always in!). However, if you tend to go home and eat a bag of chips fit for an entire family, weight loss won’t be the end result.
Sorghum is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and was first harvested in the Nile River basin approximately 7000 years ago. It became a crop in India around 3000 B.C.E. and found its way east by way of the Silk Road. It was brought to Rome from India in approximately 60 C.E., then to Spain and finally Europe in the 12th Century. Benjamin Franklin introduced the plant to North America and it eventually became a major crop.
The importance of calcium in our bodies cannot be stressed enough. Calcium, along with vitamin D, is what builds and strengthens our bones and basically keeps them knitted together. A deficiency in calcium can lead to smaller, less noticeable symptoms like achy joints, tingling in the arms or legs, brittle nails, insomnia or muscle cramps. A further depleted calcium intake can result in far more severe symptoms such as heart palpitations, hypertension, increased risk of fractures and even osteoporosis.
Although oats look unassuming, this popular staple grain is actually incredibly nutritious. Not only are they packed with fiber, but they're high in vitamins and minerals and give you that full feeling that can lower cholesterol and aid with weight loss. Yup, oats are pretty much where it's at, and if you have a creative streak, oatmeal is an especially great canvas for adding any add ins you can think of (fruit, nuts, coconut, even chocolate!).
Bulgur is processed wheat that is native to the Mediterranean basin region and is one of the earliest processed foods that began being used approximately 4000 years ago. It is made by steaming wheat then drying it and cracking the dried kernels. Bulgur was initially processed by boiling wheat in a huge pot for many days to be sure it was thoroughly cooked; then the contents of the pot were spread out on roofs to dry in the sun.
Archeologists have found that wild barley is native to what is termed the Fertile Crescent, the region that covers modern southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt. It was first gathered in 9000 B.C.E. for a food grain and was reportedly first used by the Egyptians as cereal. For millennia, people depended on barley for food for themselves and for their horses.
Whether you’re sipping your coffee on the couch or spilling it as you rush out the door, some sort of morning fuel is a non-negotiable. For those of us on a plant-based diet, however, many breakfast foods are sadly off the table. Scrambled eggs, French toast, yogurt, sausage, bacon… classic staples, but not vegan-friendly.
Amaranth is a seed that has been part of the Aztec diet for more than 8000 years, when the Aztecs would collect the seeds in the wild. They also used the seeds to make flour for baked images of their gods during festivals and for tributary payments. The plant began to be cultivated in Mexico approximately 4000 B.C.E. and continues to be a native Peruvian crop.
Flaxseeds have been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin as far back as 4000 B.C.E. There is evidence that man has been eating flaxseed as far back as the Neolithic Era. Flaxseed is comprised of flavorful meat which is packed with oil and has many nutritional and healing benefits. The non-food grade flaxseed oil is known as linseed oil, which is used commercially in paints and wood finishes. Flaxseed is used in livestock feed and is grown throughout the world.
Making a baby transition from milk bottles to his/her first solids can be quite a task. Here are some easy, time-proven ideas…