There are TONS of seemingly harmless foods out there that has made me become the detective we all need to be. Our health depends on it. When I ask clients about their food diary, some say "a salad" for lunch, BUT when we dive into what is on that salad that is when some real things come up. Even if you consume a salad of organic greens, farm fresh hard boiled eggs, "salad toppers" and homemade olive oil dressing...I'll say "stop!"... check out the ingredients on the "salad toppers!":
Sunflower Seeds, Soybeans, Onion, Rice, Textured Soy Flour, Rice, Carrots, Red Bell Peppers, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Sugar, Spinach, Barley Malt Extract, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Hydrogenated Soy Protein, Corn Gluten and Wheat Protein, Fd&C Red 3, and Autolyzed Yeast.
Those "toppers" have the caramel food coloring (banned in other countries), sugar, TRANS-FAT and soy. Soybeans have a couple of issues (not to mention that non organic varieties are grown by MANSANTO and contain Round Up...I'm not putting that in my body). One problem is phytic acid, also called phytates. This is an organic acid (found in the hulls of all wheat) which block the body's ability to absorb minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc (Magnesium deficiency = LOTS of issues like chocolate cravings, sleep issues, restless leg syndrome, headaches...Iron deficiency = lack of energy and the fastest deficiency for weight gain...zinc deficiency = acne/"back"ne and cravings). Soybeans also contain enzyme inhibitors called trypsin which block absorption of enzymes that the body needs for protein digestion and can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake (causing depression and other mood disorders AND a decrease in muscle tone). Soybeans also contain a clot promoting substance called hemagglutinin, that causes red blood cells to clump together. These blood cells are unable to absorb oxygen for distribution to the cell's mitochondria (this is how we burn fat when we exercise) and is detrimental for cardiac health. The trypsin and hemagglutinin are "growth depressants." Which is why soy formula is so bad for babies. Only after a long period of fermentation (as in the creation of miso or tempeh) are the phytate and "antinutrient" levels of soybeans reduced which is why I use organic Tamari sauce...a truly fermented soy sauce. Try this recipe instead: (inspired by Oh She Glows Blog)
Base recipe:
1 cup raw sunflower kernels
2/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup almond flour
2 TBS chia seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 egg
Preheat oven to 300°. In a shallow baking pan, toss the nuts, seeds, almond flour and salt with the egg. Now add in your desired spice by selecting one of the options below or by creating your own flavor.
Garlic Herb:
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Italian herbs
Sweet Coconut Cinnamon:
3 TBS erythritol
2 TBS unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)
Once you add in your spice, spread the mixture as thin as possible onto your prepared baking sheet (I wet my hands and used my fingers to spread it). If you want a deeper flavor, you can sprinkle on additional spices or sweetener. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Break up the pieces with a spatula, flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 3 TBS serving)
McCormick's = 70 calories, 4 carbs, 1.9g fiber
"Healthified" Toppers = 65 calories, 3.8 carbs, 2.3g fiber (AND NO Trans-FAT!)
