Wholey Wheat!
February 27th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
The unstoppable land-based twin-sibling of the mighty tuna. Whole Wheat is – (correction, SHOULD BE) – to America and the UK what potatoes were to Ireland during the great famine. A staple. A healthy lifeline that you can hang on to when you need those carbs.
Whole wheat is everywhere – but beware the watered down versions that constitute most of what are sold. Most of the “wheat” breads, crackers, cereals, etc. are actually have 40% of the original wheat content removed and replaced with “enriched” white flour. This might be acceptable, if the 40% they removed didn’t contain the germ, as well as the bran of the grain – basically, the parts where all the of the delicious nutrients are packed. Thanks, large U.S. food companies for your excellent service here. Bottom line – make sure you get 100% whole wheat product – read the packaging carefully so you are not deceived.
Let’s strip these little grains of goodness down:
NUTRITION – 5 stars
- Fantastic source of maganese, magnesium, and fiber – which helps to keep you regular among other things
- Betaine in whole wheat reduces chronic inflammation by as much as 20%
- Protects against all types of breast cancer (for women) and heart failure/diseases
- Protects children against asthma, especially when combined with fish (we obviously recommend tuna)
- Some people have inflammation issues when they absorb gluten protein contained in wheat – but that’s less than 1% of U.S. population
SIMPLICITY – 5 stars
- Look left, look right. Wheat products are everywhere. Look a little closer and you’ll find 100% whole wheat products
- Wheat is simple. Unless you are a baker, buy 100% whole wheat breads, pastas, etc., and eat them
AFFORDABILITY – 3 stars
- Ah! So difficult to get 5 stars across the board. Figure $2-$3/lb., which is well above where we want to be
- Sadly, there is no getting away from whole wheat – and there are no better alternatives to get the same nutrients for a lower price
Many thanks to WHFoods.com for providing some of the information referenced above. For those scholars among you who find our food overviews archaic at best, I highly suggest you browse your site. If you can retain all that information, someone should provide an award.
So there you have it.
Cave Cook
Tuna by the Ton
February 17th, 2010 § 3 Comments
Remember Michael Johnson? Word has it he has been clocked at over 25 mph. Swimming tuna have been clocked over 30 mph for extended periods of time, and place top 5 speed-wise among ALL fish. Pretty impressive, and we at Cave Chow surmise it is safe to say that tuna fish have some SERIOUS athlete in them.
Perhaps not co-incidentally, tuna, along with some other types of fish, have some SERIOUS benefits for us as humans. The list is long, and almost hard to believe. The benefits they give cover an almost incredibly comprehensive set of nutrients that are critical to our bodies. We’ll talk about albacore tuna below, but many of these facts replicate across other types of fish.
Without further ado:
NUTRITION – 5 stars
- If we could give it 10 stars, we would – WOW
- Astonishing levels of high quality protein – up to 26 grams for 5 oz (very small can)
- One of the largest carriers of Omega 3 acids – essential to the human body for more reasons I can effectively list. Here’s a few:
- Raises HDL cholesterol, lowers LDL cholesterol (the bad kind)
- Reduces risk of blood clotting, reduces inflammation, balances high blood pressure
- Not manufactured by the human body naturally – must come from outside sources
- Can lower hostility and depression, anti-cancers of all kind and Alzheimer prevention hero
- Provider of B1, B3, and B6 vitamins, provides decisive benefits for maintaining a healthy heart
- Linked to 50% reduction in Asthma for children in the U.S., along with whole grains (20MM kids have asthma)
- Helps prevent sunburn, skin cancer, and dry eye syndrome
- Selenium in tuna can help significantly with drug and alcohol detox via the liver
SIMPLICITY – 5 stars
- Canned tuna is a beautiful thing (if it’s wild caught and quality). Open the can and eat it.
- Goes great on bread, with eggs, in noodles, etc., or just house it down by itself
- You really cannot find a better post weight-workout meal
AFFORDABILITY – 2 stars
- Sometimes you have to pay to play. A quality can of tuna can cost up to $2
- Fresh tuna will tend to cost more, but will have all the benefits discussed above magnified
- If you have a little extra room in your food budget, tuna, fresh or canned, is the way to go, don’t even think twice about it
We are lucky enough to have food THIS good available to us. If the Cave Chow List of approved foods was cut from 25ish to 3, this would make the list without any kind of a problem.
NOTE** There has been some negative press about mercury levels in canned tuna, and government organizations have advised pregnant women and children about frequent consumption of tuna when this is an issue. We’re not sure how much stake we’d put in those recommendations, but if you fit that category, do some due-diligence.
Cheers All,
Cave Cook
Bean There Before
February 17th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Ants are known for resilience, hard work, and for being team players. How else is it that such a minascule insects can transport an entire apple and entire mile? Their tireless beasts, and deserving of our applause. If only our economy was that efficient.
Black beans are no different. They are small, black, and tend to hand out in very close proximity to each other. These round little pebbles of healthy love have some powerful benefits to your body that an even an army of ants would have trouble bringing to your table. Let’s investigate these black beauties.
NUTRITION – 5 stars
- Great source of fiber – lowers bad cholesterol and balances blood sugar by slowing post-meal increases
- Decent source of protein – 15 grams to one 1 cup of beans
- As rich in antioxidants as grapes and cranberries (the darker the skin, the better). Most black beans have about 10x more antioxidants than oranges.
- Reduces cancerous cells and is linked to an 82% reduction in heart disease
- Phenomenal provider of iron and magnesium – which improves blood flow, allowing nutrients and oxygen to travel in your body more efficiently
SIMPLICITY – 2 stars
- Sadly, unless you’re used to eating nails for breakfast, black beans take a bit of soaking and prepping before they are ready to eat, unless you go with a good canned option
- On the upside, you can mix black beans with everything from chicken to eggs – a great way to boost meal density
AFFORDABILITY – 4 stars
- Shop smart, and you will find these babies for less than the recommended Cave Chow $1 / pound pricing
- Beware cans of cheap beans – if you buy them canned make sure they are reputable, natural, not full of preservatives
As you can see, when it comes to value, black beans pack a serious punch. And for guys that are wondering, no, these do not generate gaseous situations like their fat white cousins, the pinto bean. Get some bean in you and you will be feeling strong.
Cheers,
Cave Cook
Oranges – Worth the Squeeze.
February 3rd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
When you think refreshment, you think orange juice. And this may have been forgotten, but orange juice comes from it’s native parent – the actual orange. A small ball of juicy little sacks of orange juice, bound together by who knows what power of nature. If you’re cave-chow enough to take the time to peel it’s protective layer back, you’ll certainly find that THIS healthy food is worth the squeeze (meaning your time, yes).
So lets prepare our bodies for the amazing burst of Vitamin-C rich juice so aptly advertised on television by American branded companies that now get most of their oranges from China. Tragic, tragic. Sun Harvest is holding firm though.
Let’s peel back these natural balls of juice.
NUTRITION – 5 stars
- Talk about healthy fruit, oranges are loaded with vitamin C which is necessary for a healthy immune system. Oranges have 14 times the amount of Vitamin C than most apples. Eat that, Motts.
- Oranges are loaded with antioxidants and fiber which helps regulate the digestive system
- A great defensive move against cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and even kidney stones, and if you’re taking statin drugs, stop, and start eating orange peels - compounds on the peel lower cholesterol just as effectively.
SIMPLICITY – 3 stars
- Alas, oranges are not as easy to bite into as an apple or a carrot
- Alternatively, if you demand your orange juice, it is quite easy to enjoy. Stay away from Tropicana and any other cartons that do not say “Florida Orange Juice” labeled clearly. Unless you think Chinese oranges are better.
AFFORDABILITY – 4 stars
- Less than a dollar a pound (that’s about 3 oranges)
- Not as good per – pound as apples, as most people discard the peel, which tends to be a little hefty sometimes
You say, “Orange ya going to talk about how to use oranges to cook with?” We say, no, because we like it fast, simple, and healthy around here. And oranges fit that bill naturally. Eat em off the tree!
Cave Cook
Milk me Gently
February 3rd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Milk me gently, Milk me sweetly….
While the cows are most likely not humming this beloved Neil Diamond song during harvesting hours, we can certainly feel the same warmth this song gives us when we have a glass of this milky white deliciousness. A warm glass of milk is like a soothing massage to the body after a good days work. Shunned by many, it’s white, gentle, appearance is assumed to be a deceiving canvas hiding all the negative effects of such a mass produced, highly marketed substance.
So is milk a deceiver? We at Cave Chow hate mass consumer advertising more than most things in life, and if milk IS bad for you, we will not be happy. Let’s go swimming with milk and find out.
NUTRITION – 5 stars
- One of the best sources of food that delivers calcium. One glass of milk accounts for 1/3 your daily recommended calcium intake. Calcium also helps build strength and protection in bones, teeth, and soft tissue.
- Milk is also a source of the vitamins A, K, B12, and is fortified with plenty of vitamin D which not only helps the body absorb calcium, but regulates up to 2,000 of our genes. Milk provides great nutrition for kids.
- One glass of milk has 8.2 grams of protein which is comparable to a serving of the high protein food peanut butter.
- Helps combat coronary heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
- Along with bananas milk is a good source of potassium.
SIMPLICITY – 5 stars
- Unscrew cap, tilt jug 30 degrees or more, and stop the white splashing waterfall before it goes over the top of your cold cereal
- Bake with it, make a latte with it, use it on cereal, use it for hot chocolate, and for protein shakes
- Then there’s always the method of drinking a good ol’ glass of milk.
AFFORDABILITY – 4 stars
- One can purchase a gallon of 2% milk for less than three dollars in most regions of the U.S.
- A gallon of milk can last someone a whole week if consuming two servings(cups) a day. Cheap healthy meals are a thing of the future when you are talking milk.
GOT MILK? Our banes about corporate advertising aside, maybe you, should have some?
Cave Cook
