Best Margarine
It is best to avoid hydrogenated oils, such as margarine, even if it is soy or canola margarine. Adding hydrogen to oils creates trans fats, which are the worst type of fat to eat. You can buy non-hydrogenated versions of margarine in most grocery stores.
Be Prepared to Prepare
So, you¡¯ve opted for a natural food diet and you¡¯ve got your kitchen stocked up. The key to preparing great meals, however, isn't just having the food, it's being prepared. There are some things that a good kitchen just shouldn¡¯t be without and the following list is composed of these things:
- 8" or 10" Chef Knife: A good chef¡¯s knife makes chopping all of those vegetables a cinch.
- Cutting Boards: Aside from providing a place to cut up all those veggies for those vegetarian dishes, a good chopping board can also help to keep your knives sharp.
- Dental Floss: It may sound silly but dental floss is a useful tool to have in the kitchen. You can use floss to cut things that are gooey or that stick to your knives.
- Potato Ricer: This handy tool can help you make perfect mashed potatoes and can help to prepare almost any root vegetable.
- Zip Lock Bags: These can be used to store leftovers or to make a pastry bag in a pinch.
- Scissors: Great for snipping fresh herbs and spices for that special sauce or to open tricky packages.
Natural Health Foods Can Do Wonders for You
Opting to live on natural health food is a decision that you and your body will benefit from. Eating high quality foods will increase energy levels, normalize your weight, and better your overall health. After a while enjoying healthy foods will probably become a passion and you may even find yourself seeking out the best and freshest. And, you¡¯ll probably even find your favorites.
If you discover foods that you like that aren¡¯t carried by your local grocer, it¡¯s a good idea to ask him or her to start carrying some of the them on the shelves. Eating healthy can be addictive and you¡¯re likely to find that natural health foods are more readily available. Local farmers, farmers¡¯ markets, and most health-food coops are great places to find these items and they are probably a lot more expensive that you might imagine.
Basil
Basil is a great herb to add flavor to just about anything you are cooking, but also has many other benefits that may cause you to add it to your diet. It is known to reduce blood pressure and ease the symptoms of emphysema and bronchitis. Basil also makes a good natural insect repellent when rubbed on your skin.
Good for the Body
Here¡¯s a news flash: Natural and organic foods are good for your body. Not convinced? Consider the following facts:
- They are free from pesticides. It¡¯s been proven that more than 400 chemical pesticides are used routinely when farming and there is often a residue left in non-organic food products.
- They are not genetically modified. Genetically modified ingredients and crops aren¡¯t permitted under organic standards.
- Organic and natural foods do not rely on drugs. Organic farming standards prohibit the usage of antibiotic and growth hormones.
- Organic food come from sources that can be trusted. In fact, they are inspected to ensure that they are in complete compliance with organic standards.
- Organic and natural foods are good for the environment. Organic farming causes less pollution from sprays and produces far less carbon dioxide.
- It tastes great!