Why Eat Coconut Butter not Cow Butter?

Chinese Proverb: When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a  moral obligation to share it with  others..

I am passing on to you what has been shared with me!

   

According to Bruce Fife, ND, author of The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil: “Coconut oil is in essence, a natural antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal food.”
Coconut oil becomes a solid below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. In the solid state, coconut oil is called coconut butter. Coconut oil and coconut butter is actually the same thing.

Coconut butter is a raw saturated fat that contains no cholesterol and does not elevate bad (LDL) cholesterol levels.  Unlike other oil/butters, coconut butter is stable up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.  Dr. Peat recommends increasing one’s coconut butter intake for women with hormone imbalances.

Recommended daily intake: 1 to 4 tablespoons.

  • Improves digestion.
  • Provides quick energy.
  • Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
  • Relieves stress on the pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
  • Can be easily absorbed and utilized by those who have trouble digesting fats or who have gallbladder disease.
  • Improves calcium and magnesium absorption for the development of strong bones and teeth.
  • Aids in the absorption of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.
  • Is lower in calories than any other fat.
  • Supports thyroid function.
  • Supports and aids the immune system.
  • Helps protect against disease-causing bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, and parasites.
  • Is heart healthy; does not increase blood cholesterol or platelet stickiness.
  • Does not create free radicals like other vegetable oils and is stable under cooking temperatures.
  • Helps protect the body from free-radical damage.
  • Helps you to look and feel younger.
  • Makes skin smooth and soft.
  • Reduces the need for essential fatty acids.
  • Does not deteriorate like polyunsaturated oils so has a long shelf life.

STORAGE:

Coconut butter should be stored in a cool, dark area. It can be refrigerated after opening, but this is not required to insure freshness and the label usually suggests not to refrigerate. All butters and oils are light-sensitive, they should be sealed in black containers to insure no light penetrates the container and damages the oil.

In a nut shell, no pun intended. These are just a few reasons why you should switch to eating coconut butter and not dairy butter or margarine. Most coconut butters are organic and do not contain remnants of vaccines like those found in milk taken from cows that had been injected with bacteria killing vaccines. The dairy industry at the penning of this blog has no intention to stop these injections or the Bovine Growth Hormone, rBGH.

Source:  Fats and Oils: Formulating and Processing for Applications, Richard D. O’Brien 1998

NOTE: Some margarines are no longer processed with hydrogenation.

Finally, regarding margarine, it was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys.  When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter.  How do you like it?  They have come out with some clever new flavorings.

DO YOU KNOW: The difference between margarine and butter?

  1. Both have approximately the same amount of calories.
  2. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.
  3. Eating margarine can in crease heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent  Harvard  Medical Study.
  4. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
  5. Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and
    only  because  they are added!
  6. Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
  7. Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, back to margarine.

  1. Very High in Trans fatty acids. 
  2. Triples risk of coronary heart disease.
  3. Increases total cholesteroland LDL(this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
  4. Increases  the risk of cancers up to five times..
  5. Lowers quality of breast milk.
  6. Decreases the immune response.
  7. Decreases the insulin response...  And, Margarine is merely ONE  MOLECULE away  from being PLASTIC… and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT

These facts alone should be enough to have you avoid margarine for life  and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is  added,  changing the molecular structure of the  substance).

Do your own Experiment, Here you go!

Purchase  a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded  area.  Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

*  no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it  (that should tell you something)

*  it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow     on it.  Even those teeny-weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.  

    Why?   Because it is nearly plastic.

    Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Give the multi-purpose coconut butter a try~! …

Healthy Never Tasted So Good

Health Disclaimer http://www.mamavega.com

All information in this article is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals and conduct their own independent research on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment and research available to the authors at this time, and readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries.

Recipes for Grillin Healthy

It’s “Grillin Time!”  You ask: What about the carcinogens? How can I tenderize the meats? What will help my system digest the meats and proteins? Are there any good marinade suggestions or recipes?

Carcinogens

When meats are grilled, carcinogens are created. Unlike meat, vegetables don’t create carcinogens when they char.  Scientists have come up with ways you can dramatically reduce the hazard of carcinogens in grilled meat.  according to Fitness and Freebies, scientists have come up with ways to reduce carcinogens in grilled foods. the following are a few of those suggestions:

  • Flip your burgers often. By turning burgers once a minute and cooking them over a low heat you reduce HCAs and kill potentially deadly E. Coli bacteria. In addition, use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat reaches 160 degrees. This is the temperature needed to deactivate E. coli. The appearance of the meat being brown does not mean it is thoroughly cooked.
  • Use the right marinade. Marinate raw meat in a thin, liquid sauce for at least ten minutes. When thick commercial sauces are used, the HCAs triple. Dilute thick sauces.
  • Microwave first. Partially cook burgers, poultry, ribs and fish in a microwave oven for at least ten minutes before grilling. Be sure you discard juices when done. By practicing this procedure, you eliminate 90-percent of HCAs.
  • Add anti-cancer soy. Mix 1/2-cup of textured soy protein into a pound of ground meat before grilling. This cuts 95-percent of the expected HCAs in burgers without affecting taste.
  • Enhance with vitamin E . Add vitamin E to raw meat grinders. 120 milligrams of vitamin E powder mixed into or sprinkled on 3.5-ounce patties can reduce HCA formation as much as 72-percent. You can use a capsule of vitamin and crack it open for contents.
  • Try a fruit burger. This will not be for everyone but the fact is if you mix a pound of ground meat with a cup of tart, ground cherries before grilling, you suppress 90-percent of HCA formation. Other deep -colored fruits rich in antioxidants work as well. These include grapes, blueberries, and plums.
  • Add garlic and herbs. Garlic, rosemary and sage reduce HCAs when mixed into burgers. In addition, use them in marinades or just eat them in a meal with grilled meat. Antioxidants in citrus fruits also block HCAs.
  • Do not order meat very well-done. The longer you cook meat at high temperatures the more HCAs you produce. This applies in grilling, broiling and frying. If you cook a steak well done as opposed to medium-well, you double HCAs.
  • Drink tea with your barbecue. Chemicals in black and green tea help detoxify HCAs. Hot or iced tea from bags or loose tea is what you want to drink. Bottled teas or powdered, instant teas are not beneficial. If you wish, you can also marinate meat, poultry and fish in concentrated tea. Let the tea bag steep in 1/4-cup of hot water for five minutes.
  • Skip meat entirely and grill greens. Fruits and vegetables do not contain creatine, the animal protein needed to make HCAs. Pineapple and peppers are very good when grilled. In addition, eating fruits, vegetables and green salads along with barbecued meat lessens the cancer hazard.

Tenderize:

Below are a few natural ingredients to tenderize meats:

  1. fresh raw unripened papaya contains an enzyme, papain, which breaks down the meat’s connective tissue when it comes in contact with the meat; red meat is the preferred meat to tenderize this way
  2. fresh pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that is  anti-inflammatory and aids digestion
  3. Asian pears – when cooked used to tenderize meats
  4. fig – has the enzyme called ficin which breaks down both muscle fiber protein and both types of connective tissue fibers.
  5. kiwi – contains a sulfhydryl protease enzyme,  acitinidin which mildly tenderizes when over ripe kiwi is used
  6. kachri melon – contains the enzyme called  cucumin, tenderize spent hen meat, tough sheep and buffalo meat successfully,
  7. ginger – contains a protease enzyme, zingibain, acts on the collagen and actomyosin of meat which contributes to the tenderness of meat.

    Papain Characteristics

    If you score the skin of a raw Papaya with knife, the fruit will exude a milky white substance known as the latex that contains Papain.  The Papain enzyme activity depends on two factors: pH factor, and the temperature.

    Effect of the pH factor

    pH for optimal Papain activity: 6.0-7.0

    The enzyme is active when the pH factor is neutral (pH = 7) to slightly acid (pH = 6). The pH of most of the meats is neutral to slightly acid.

    Effect of temperature

    Temperature for optimal Papain activity: 149 °F
    Inactive Papain: 170°F to 185 °F
    Active Papain Range: 140 °F to 160 °F

    If you just store the meat with the papaya paste in the refrigerator, it will do nothing to tenderize meat. It starts to become active at 140 °F, slows down at 170 °F, and dies at 185 °F.

  8. yogurt –  this is the preferred ingredient to tenderize chicken,

Preparing Yogurt Marinate

The live culture, fat, and lactic acid are the key components of yogurt that help with tenderizing.

In Punjab, Tandoori spices are added to yogurt to enhance flavor.

Tandoori Marinate Chicken / Seafood

– As a minimum, the marinate should include salt

– Add tomatoes to increase the acid

– Add Ginger for enzymes

– Add oil to increase the fat

How long to marinate meat?

It depends on pH factor, temperature, fats, type of meat. Marinating also infuses the flavors in the meat. I use the following table.

Seafood: 30 minutes at room temperature

Chicken/ lamb :  8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator

Chicken/ lamb :  4 to six hours at room temperature

Digestion of meats:

Ingredients that assist with the digestion of meats as well as they have other health benefits:

  1. garlic – antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic,
  2. pineapple – contains bromelain, an enzyme that is  anti-inflammatory and aids digestion
  3. ginger – ease digestive complaints and nausea
  4. turmeric – combined with parsley aids digestion, cancer preventative, stimulates the gall bladder to release bile, a substance that helps fat digestion
  5. peppermint – causes the muscles of the stomach to relax, allowing food to move into the intestines faster and digestive gases to be passed,
  6. anise – member of the parsley family, aids digestion, reduces gas, naturally promote breast milk,
  7. basil – has flavonoids (which provide protection at the cellular level), anti-bacterial properties that inhibit several species of pathogenic bacteria – which have been shown to be resistant to commonly used antibiotics.
  8. black pepper – increase circulation, regulate blood pressure, reduces pain during joint movement, during digestion,  helps reduce free radicals and prevents the useless breakdown of vitamin A,
  9. cinnamon – mild energy boost, relieves abdominal spasms and gas,
  10. fennel – works well with cinnamon. Fennel is a also a good source of niacin, calcium. vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper.
  11. lemon peel
  12. parsley –  combined with turmeric aids digestion, three times as much vitamin-C as oranges, double the calcium as broccoli,
  13. cardamom – aid to digestion, stimulates metabolism and  has aphrodisiac properties.
  14. coriander – vitamin C, coriander is also believed to help reduce swelling and cholesterol levels, and eliminate mouth ulcers, anemia and menstrual disorders.
  15. dill – rich in minerals, vitamin C and flavonoids; one tablespoon has more calcium than 1/3 cup of milk.
  16. bay (laurel) leaf –  also beneficial in treating migraines and diabetes,
  17. oregano – antibacterial  inhibit the growth of many kinds of bacteria, including those that can cause food borne illnesses.
  18. rosemary – improve memory, treat colds, headaches, nervous tension and as an antispasmodic

Marinades and Recipes:

Teriyaki Sauce

One garlic of clove
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
Mix all. Pour over meat, fish or poultry. Marinate at least ten minutes. 1-cup


Turmeric Garlic Marinade

2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup orange juice
Mix all. Pour over meat, fish or poultry and marinate at least ten minutes. 1/2 cup.


Rosemary Tea Marinade

1/2 cup concentrated tea (two bags brewed in 1/2 cup hot water for five minutes)
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Add rosemary, garlic, honey and soy sauce to hot tea. Cool slightly. Pour over steaks, ribs, burgers, chicken or fish. Marinate at least ten minutes. 1/2 cup.

Preparing Papaya or Pineapple Tenderizer Paste

Raw Papaya

1. Peel green skin up about 1/8th to ¼” deep off the raw papaya or pineapple or combination of both.

2. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt per two Tablespoons of Papaya.

3. Grind to a paste. You need 2 Tablespoon of Papaya paste for one pound of meat.

Preparing Yogurt Marinate

The live culture, fat, and lactic acid are the key components of yogurt that help with tenderizing.

In Punjab, Tandoori spices are added to yogurt to enhance flavor.

Tandoori Marinate Chicken / Seafood

– As a minimum, the marinate should include salt

– Add tomatoes to increase the acid

– Add Ginger for enzymes

– Add oil to increase the fat

How long to marinate meat?

It depends on pH factor, temperature, fats, type of meat. Marinating also infuses the flavors in the meat. I use the following table.

Seafood: 30 minutes at room temperature

Chicken/ lamb :  8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator

Chicken/ lamb :  4 to six hours at room temperature

Health Disclaimer http://www.mamavega.com

All information in this article is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals and conduct their own independent research on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment and research available to the authors at this time, and readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries.

Your Heart Beats for You…protect it!

Celebrating with Food and Loved Ones:

We visualize the month of February with pictures of hearts, roses and people displaying love and affection for one another. We go out to dinner eating various foods and most definitely chocolate, but how many of us stop to think that February is National Heart Healthy Month.

Foods for Your HEALTHY Heart:

Magnesium has been shown to be one of the most important minerals for your heart as it affects the ability of blood vessels to dilate and relax. Potassium is another mineral that can positively assist your heart in maintaining its health.

Did You Know?

“Heart disease and strokes are among the top 5 leading causes of death for women”, AV Hospital

A Quick Reference for you:

Bottom Line! Potassium and Magnesium are two of the most important minerals for your heart. Combining them together seems to have a synergistic additive effect on controlling blood pressure.

One caveat – before increasing the amount of these minerals especially if you have a history of kidney problems, consult your physician.

Potassium cantaloupe (2x the amount in bananas), squashes, avocados, tomatoes, figs, oatmeal, blueberries, red bell pepper, oranges, salmon, tuna, crab, DARK chocolate, cocoa, fresh raw coconut meat, sweet potato, cherries, pistachio, plums, eggs, macadamia, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, Pumpkin seeds, beet greens, broccoli, Blackstrap molasses, Halibut, chicken breast, apricots, raisin, dried uncooked peaches,
   
Magnesium lentils, cashews, almonds, spinach, Swiss chard, oatmeal, wheat germ, brown rice, blueberries, papaya, DARK chocolate, cocoa, carrots, sweet potato, pistachio, dark green vegetables, eggs, macadamia, Brazil nuts, Pumpkin seeds,

Suggested Recipe Ingredients by Date

Show your family some love all month long with heart healthy dishes! The amount of potassium and magnesium varies by ingredient and how prepared which may require combining several ingredients to get the maximum mineral amount as well as maximum absorption. 

DATE NATIONAL DAY OF HEART HEALTHY INGREDIETS
1 Baked Alaska Dark chocolate, cocoa chips, eggs, coconut
3 Carrot Cake Carrots, walnuts, coconut meat shredded, eggs
4 Homemade soup Tomatoes, red bell peppers, lentils, dark green vegetables
7 Fettuccine Alfredo Vegetable pasta, shredded carrots, dark green vegetables
9 Cream Cheese Brownie Dark chocolate, cocoa, pistachio,
10 Peppermint Patty Dark chocolate
11 Plum Pudding Plum, brown rice, almond milk, coconut meat
14 Valentine Day Dark chocolate, cocoa,
16 Almond Almond, spinach
18 Crab Stuffed Flounder

& Drink Wine

Crab, spinach, red wine
19 Chocolate Mint Dark chocolate
20 Cherry Pie Cherry, egg
22 Cook a Sweet Potato Sweet potato, walnut
23 Banana Bread Banana, oatmeal
24 Tortilla Chip Vegetable chips
26 Pistachio Pistachio, coconut, papaya
27 Kahlua

Strawberry

Cream, strawberries, Kahlua
28 Chocolate Soufflé Dark chocolate,


LIKE Facebook.com/MamaVegaFoods February 4 – February 10 to receive:                                              

YOUR FREE Heart Healthy Recipe

 About Dr. (Hon.) Charmène M. Vega aka Mama Vega

Dr. (Hon.) Charmene M. Vega is Founder, President and CEO of Mama Vega Enterprises (www.MamaVega.com).  She is also a philanthropist, published author, Medical Nutrition Therapist, holder of a Master of Science degree in Special Education and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities.

Dr. Vega believes in giving back to the communities where Mama Vega products are sold. For every Mama Vega product purchased, a percentage of each sale is donated to those communities’ non-profit organizations.

Legal Disclaimer

While Mama Vega Enterprises strives to make the information as timely and accurate as possible, all information is subject to change without notice. Mama Vega does not warrant or assume any legal liability and makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, usefulness or adequacy of the contents presented, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions herein. You are responsible for your own actions should you use any information found in this article.

If you suspect you may have an ailment or illness that may require medical attention, you are encouraged to consult with a licensed physician without delay. As a functional nutritionist, Mama Vega primarily educates and motivates clients to assume more personal responsibility for their health by adopting a healthy attitude, lifestyle, and diet

Your Body Knows the Difference Between Sugars


Recent television commercials promoting cornsugar.com states, “sugar is sugar and your body doesn’t know the difference”. It is my contention that your body knows the difference between sugars and it is easy to show evidence supporting my supposition.

Using scientific evidence of glycemic index, I submit the glycemic index for various sugars:

Artificial Sweeteners n/a [chemicals]
Stevia 0
Xylitol 7
Agave Nectar 15-30
Fructose 17-22
Brown Rice Syrup 25
Raw Honey 30
Coconut Palm Sugar 35
Barley Malt Syrup 42
Amasake 43
Sugar Cane Juice 43
Lactose 46
Organic Sugar 47
_____________________<50 = Low Glycemic Index (GI)
Maple Syrup 54
Blackstrap Molasses 55 (not considered a sugar, sugar cooked off)
Evaporate Cane Juice 55
High Fructose Corn Syrup 62
Sucrose 64
Brown Sugar 64
Turbinado 65
Raw Sugar 65
_____________________ 56 – 69 = Moderate Glycemic Index (GI)
Cola 70
Corn Syrup 75
Table Sugar 80
High Fructose Corn Syrup 87
Glucose/Dextrose 96-100
__________________________ 70 and greater High Glycemic Index (GI)
Date Sugar 103
Maltodextrin 150 a common sweet food additive derived from starch

The glycemic index is determined by how the particular sugar raises the blood sugar level in the body over a 2-3 hour period. If, as the television commercials state, sugar is sugar and your body doesn’t know the difference then, your body would respond exactly the same when introduced to each of the sugars. Given the fact that the GI is scientifically determined and your body responds differently to each then, scientifically speaking, your body know the difference and thus responds differently to each ingredient categorized as a sugar.

Another note to consider is cancer patients are advised to avoid sugar because the sugars feed the cancer. Sugars encourage cancer growth, inflammation, arthritis and a host of other diseases. If it is true that we all carry cancer cells and depending upon what is going on in our lives and what we eat, activation of these cells may happen; our body’s response indicates it knows the difference between sugars.

Finally, the lower the GI the slower the sugar is released into our body and acts as energy. The higher the GI the more rapid the sugar is released into our body and is eventually stored ad fat. The body chooses to use as energy or store. Making a choice to use as energy or store means the body knows the difference.

In order to choose and react differently means your body KNOWS the difference.

Health Disclaimer

All information in this recipe is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals and conduct their own independent research on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

The information and opinions expressed here are believed to be accurate, based on the best judgment and research available to the authors at this time, and readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries.

Curry Stuffed Sweet Bell Peppers

  • 2 cups great northern dry beans
  • 1 lb fresh yams
  • 1 lb sweet potatoes
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 3 Tbsp currry
  • 1/2 t crushed chili peppers
  • 1 large onion minced
  • 2 t garlic salt
  • 4 cups of cooked mixed greens (cabbage, kale etc)
  • sweet mini bell peppers

Soak beans over night covered.

Rinse thoroughly draining all excess water. Add fresh water making sure to cover at least 2-3 inches above the beans in the pot. Add the bay leaves, curry and crushed chili peppers. Cook until tender.

While the beans are cooking, rinse the yams and sweet potatoes. Put the potatoes in a roasting pan with approximately 1 inch of water and cover. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately one hour. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for approximately another hour covered.

Remove pan from the oven. The skin on the potatoes should slip immediately off the potatoes. Discard the skin, whip the potatoes and set aside.

After the beans have cooked approximately 1 hour, add the onions. When the beans are completely done (tender and easy to smash). use a potato smasher and smash the beans so some are finely smashed and others are not. Add the garlic salt and mix well.

Add the cooked vegetables to the smashed beans making sure completely mixed well. Blend in the whipped potatoes.

Cut the sweet bell peppers lengthwise removing all the seeds. Discard the seeds or save for planting. Stuff each half of the sweet bell peppers with the bean mixture.

Place the stuffed sweet bell peppers with the bean and potato mixture and place on a baking sheet. once the stuffed sweet bell peppers are on the the baking sheet, add approximately 1/2 inch of water.

Place the baking sheet with the stuffed sweet bell peppers in the oven and bake for approximately 30 -45 minutes at 350 degrees. Be careful not to burn the peppers.

Serve topping with hummus or coconut curry cashew sauce.

Paleo Turmeric Nuts N Cream

An amazingly delicious Golden coconut recipe that is an excellent Paleo brain food, inflammation reducer, heart healthy, weight management assisting and age rejuvenation that will have everyone desiring it as a staple. Continue reading