 "Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food" (Hippocrates 400BC) |
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Hi again. Hi everyone, hope you've all had a great summer. I've enjoyed planting loads of veggies in my garden and have enjoyed cooking and eating all the proceeds even more as they have been fantastically tasty. It's been great just going outside my back door to pick a few baby leaves for a salad and having loads of fresh veggies for soups and juices. My aim is to grow even more next year as you just can't beat the flavour of home grown produce and you've got the peace of mind of knowing that no nasty chemicals have been anywhere near them. I've also been trying to grow more sprouted seeds and beans which are ideal as a quick snack, added to salads, sandwiches or stir fries, so I thought this might be a good topic for today. Sprouted seeds I have mentioned sprouted seeds and beans before but have decided to talk about them again in a bit more depth as they are just so fantastic both in their versatility, taste and their nutritional value. Weight for weight they contain more nutrients than any other natural food that we know and are well worth adding to your diet if you don't already do so. Sprouted seeds are basically just the in – between stage of a seed becoming a plant. They are known as ‘little powerhouses' containing high concentrations of valuable enzymes, mineral substances, trace elements and natural vitamins. They are a really good source of protein especially for vegetarians and have an excellent fibre content that is beneficial to your intestines and regulating the digestive process. Adding a few sprouted seeds to a salad will increase the protein content of your meal, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable as they slow down the conversion of food into blood glucose. The high concentration of live enzymes will help you to digest the rest of your meal really well. These live enzymes are totally lacking in any processed foods as they are destroyed in the processing which means your body has to work harder and produce these for you instead. As we get older we aren't as efficient at making The reason these sprouts are so highly nutritious is because they possess all the energy, goodness and power that enables it to be transformed from a small seed into a big strong plant. It contains all the nutrients that the baby plant needs to be able to grow for the first few days before it can feed itself. Therefore this is the best stage to eat these plants because their nutrient content is at its highest. The best thing about them is that you can grow them yourself at home giving yourself a quick convenient healthy snack (on tap as it were) and you don't even have to have a garden! All you need are the seedsor beans for sprouting, water and air and something to germinate them in. I have a three tier germinator that I find works really well but you can use a simple jam jar if you don't want to go out and buy one from your local health store, although they are fairly inexpensive. Sprouting seeds and beans
If you have never sprouted seeds before start off with seeds that germinate easily like alfalfa, mung beans or radish. I am in the process of adding a couple of recipes containing sprouted seeds and beans on my website so keep checking for these = Sprouted seed coleslaw and warm millet salad. Whats On I was in Carmarthen last week having a break in between seeing clients when I met Tina who was promoting her new Zumba classes coming to Carmarthen soon. I had heard of Zumba as some friends of mine had told me to watch out for it coming to my locality as it is the latest craze to hit the UK . It is based on Latin American dancing and has become so popular because it is so much fun which makes it very enjoyable so I'm told. It sounds like a great way of keeping fit to me so I'm thinking of trying it out. I'll let you know how I get on :) If any of you live near Carmarthen Tina will be doing a free introductory class in October so check out her website for more details. If you would like to find a Zumba class closer to where you live, then go to the official website and do a search for classes in your area. Have fun! Workshop at The Malindi Centre near Carmarthen To book a place phone Stephanie - 01559 371511 If you have any events with a holistic connection happening near you, that you would like me to include in my next newsletter then e-mail me with the details and I will happily include it. may@seekingbalance.co.uk If you would like to subscribe to my free newsletter then click on the subscribe button on the home page of my website and enter you e- mail address. Health and happiness May Lauder |
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