The Basic Natural-
Organic Food Diet
The people who advocate this diet believe
that basic natural foods
provide us with real sustenance. By choosing
food grown on
chemical-free, nutrient-rich soil, as
near as to their natural state
as possible, that we will have
the greatest chance of of healthy diet.
In this manner the body can heal ailments
and protect itself
against invasion from harmful bacteria,
viruses, chemical intoxicants,
and pollutants.
The human body is a complex structure
of billions of cells.
Food nutrients keep these cells in proper
working order; they provide
the essential materials for new cells
to be built, for maintaining
the balance of body fluids, etc.
The amount of nourishment supplied to
the cells determines
our health, and a minor lack of one or
more nutrients can greatly
damage the cell structure.
There are over forty known nutrients known
to be essential to
the human cell;
If any are missing it is evident in a
lack of energy, low spirits
and less than optimum body functioning;
in obesity and
heart disease and low blood sugar; in
frequent colds and viruses,
temporary and permanent debilitating diseases.
Natural food advocates believe food processing
is largely
responsible for the high incidence of
malnutrition and the
overall poor health status of all the
people.
The refining of the basic ingredients
that compose prepared,
packaged foods removes much of the original
food value;
synthetic food enrichment reinstates high
percentages of some
food elements, but ignores the simultaneous
need for others.
Processed foods add too much salt and
sugar. Although not harmful,
they may satisfy our appetites but crowd
out the use of more
substantial foods.
If wholesome foods were obtainable, they
say- meaning fruits
and vegetables and grains grown on naturally
fertilized soil;
untreated milk from animals allowed to
graze on green pastures;
meat and animal products from uncastrated
animals raised on
natural grain, free of hormones, antibiotics
and chemical feed- it
may be possible for our diet to furnish
all the nutrients
our body needs daily in just the right
amount.
The use of poor, chemically treated soil
for growing produce,
the spraying of crops, and raising animals
with drugs and
chemicals, poor food handling-all has
reduced the nutritive
value before processing or cooking begins.
As a result the advocate organic food
eater has to resort to food
supplements such as found in health stores.
The Natural Food Breakfast
The aim of the natural-foods-diet breakfast
is to balance a high-protein
food with some fat and carbohydrates.
This provides a gradual release
of sugar into the bloodstream and maintains
a high lever of energy over the longest period of time.
A minimum of 22 grams of protein is suggested.
Such foods as meat,
fish, fowl, eggs, milk, and cheese, soy
products and yogurt are
promoted as excellent protein sources.
Also protein can be further enhanced by
the use of brewer's yeast,
dry-milk powder, wheat germ, soy flour
and ground nuts and seeds
in food preparation.
The Natural Food Lunch
Again the lunch should consist of protein,
a moderate amount
of carbohydrate and some fat. Although
most people get lots of
fat in their daily diet, the kind of fat
referred to in the natural foods
plan is unsaturated fat,important as a
source of linoleic and linolenic acid,
to provide satiety and a slow release
of sugar into the bloodstream,
and to transport the fat-soluble vitamins
A,D,E, and K.
All hydrogenated fats from processed peanut
butter, processed
cheeses, solid cooking fat, and french
fried foods are avoided.
Animal fat from beef, pork and lamb is
limited, replaced by more
fish and fowl on the menu; highly saturated
coconut oil and palm oil,
found in imitation cream, filled milk,
and infant formulas are rejected.
The highest priority is given to
unrefined nut and vegetable oils.
The Natural Food Dinner
Dinners on the Natural food plan are light,
following the pattern of lunch.
To obtain high levels of vitamins and
minerals, carbohydrates come
in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables.
White flour, white rice,
packaged cereals, and white sugar have
no place in the Natural Food
kitchen...Instead they have whole-wheat
flour,honey and molasses,
brown or converted rice, and other whole-grain
cereals.
These foods are stressed as vital sources
of B vitamins, vitamin E,
calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Fresh produce is rich in
Vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus,
and all trace minerals.
Nuts and beans contribute B vitamins,
iron, magnesium, and trace minerals.
What is the Danger ?
The overzealous follower can resort to
too much pill-popping,
creating the wrong
combinations of food nutrients. They can
become victim to
vitamin toxicity ( rare )
Especially in the A,D and E vitamins.
Many mistake that all foods
sold as health foods will make them
"healthier" and then consume them in huge quantities.
They may also accept these foods on good
faith that if it is labeled
"natural foods" as being wholesome, and
not read the fine print
on the label- they may discover such processed
ingredients as
sugar, hydrogenated vegetable shortening,
MSG, corn syrup, etc.
Summary
The basic teachings of the Natural Foods
Diet deserve high praise.
With nutrition education lacking,this
movement has brought
increased food awareness.
Natural foods are more flavorable than
processed ones.
They can reduce the craving for sweets
and salt, and
because they are more satisfying, often
lead to desired weight control.
By adding more bulk to the diet, natural
foods also facilitate elimination.
Often criticized as a costly diet, a Natural
foods Plan is
often less expensive than most other food
patterns
since no money is wasted on high-calorie
overprocessed
foods with little nutritional value. And
the advocates also say,
that hundreds of dollars are saved each
year on medical and dental bills.