fresh wrote: >>>is algae a human food? i don't think so.

I've read spirulina was eaten hundreds of years ago by ancient Aztecs.

I think humans are adapted to be able to survive on a wide range of foods. Determining our "appropriate" diet is difficult considering how much history blurs, and how many people are of mixed ancestry. Was our diet set in stone at some point in history or has it constantly evolved as humans spread out across the globe?

Instead of focusing on eating what's "appropriate", shouldn't we focus on what is "optimal". I don't think they are one in the same. Our bodies are complex machines that we can manipulate with out thoughts, diet, environment, etc. Exotic superfoods often have unique qualities like being extremely high in minerals or carotenoids, or bioflavonoids. These nutrients taken in whole food form can help improve health through various pathways. Not all of them are as great as the hype they receive, and unfortunately they're often dehydrated and powderized, but I think they still can be beneficial. Of course fresh foods are important too.

rob don't get all defensive, i really liked what fresh had to say. it was an interesting perspective, not an attack on anyone's personal diet.
i realise that i have been feeling hesitant and not quite right about all these super foods. often they make me feel queasy, like wheatgrass even though i know there are benefits to it. when i eat a food there is a definate signal to stop when my body has had enough, like nuts or sweet fruit. same with the magic powders. unless i disguise them in some concotion i can barely stand them at all. goji berries taste like dirt to me, cocoa nibs are unpleasant tasting (like coffee) with a gritty unappealing texture, algae, well, it doesn't taste great.
how much of this is conditioning is the question, i mean children like to eat dirt and bugs, little loved to crunch spirulina. is that because they don't know those things aren't supposed to taste good or because they don't have enough taste buds to recognize that or some other reason.

whoo, excuse my tangent there, i got a little stream of consciousness...

anyhow, i too think whole, fresh, available foods that can be eaten as they are are probably the best "super foods" around.

"goji berries taste like dirt to me"


I like the taste of dirt; it tastes better than goji berries.

I also agree that fresh, whole foods are best; that said, I do consume spirulina and hemp on a daily basis because they feel good to me. Without them I feel spacey and have less energy, I'm not so on the ball. Just kinda sketchy. I take about a teaspoon of spirulina a day, 1-2 scoops of hemp protein powder, and I sprinkle hemp seeds on my salads.

IMO, we should ideally be eating that which is most local because it would agree most with our bodies...does that make sense? Every other animal does it. However, since everyone's heritage/ancestry is different, they'd react differently to certain foods - hence people's varying reactions to tropical superfoods. I say go with your body. If you like superfoods and they work for you, more power to you. If you get nuthin', don't eat 'em!! I'm sick of the judgement and defensiveness that tends to arise on this site!

It's not usually meant to judge another person, so people shouldn't take it personally. It's about food and diet, right?

We can all eat whatever we want to, but because humans have strayed so far from their natural habitat they need to find out from others and from their own experiments just what they should be eating. Other animals are instinctive and probably don't need to consult each other about every food option. This forum is like a giant opinion pool for people trying to regain a more realistic, natural diet.

I would never dislike someone for eating honey or smoking cigs or shooting crack - but I wouldn't like what they put into their body and might argue strongly about it.

If people are too sensitive to hearing opinions, maybe they could read up on things instead of asking for feedback.

coco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> if it were possible for me
> to be responsible for other's feelings i'd make
> them all feel peaceful and terrific, HOWEVER i'm
> just not that powerful

i love it ! suddenly i feel so terrific and peaceful!
coco gots da power!

aaallll riiigghhhttt! woo, i rock!

other coco made a funny, i's laughing! dirt! ha!

hey jono "shouldn't we focus on what is "optimal"? i think there are great arguements for and against that one, including people's individual ideas about what optimal is. for one that may mean the most nurtient dense food, for another it might mean the food that burned the least gas to get to them.
interesting points of view anyhow.

I just want to go on a little tangent and comment on the statement that cows eat a limited diet. I read "The Omnivores Dilemma" - great book! In one part he pointed out that what we think is a limited diet that cows eat, really isn't. We think grass. They think buffet - because of the variety of weeds and grasses available to them on a good open range. They have their favorites too, that they eat first. Then they resort to their less favorites once those are gone. It was very eye opening to me when I read that.

interesting, karen.

I can barely afford raw/vegan food. Super food tends to be super expensive. I might be more excited about them if I could afford them. I bought some dried goji berries once and they were ok, I guess. Kind of dry and chewy and very expensive. I'm not sure what it did for me besides super use up my food money that week.

When all I could afford this week was just bananas one day and then just apples the next day, I felt pretty good.

Karennd.. you are so right cows look at plants as a virtual smorgasboard and consume many different types of plants depending on availability and palatability. Additionally, as lignin contant increases in plants and protein levels decline cattle have been known to switch to shrubs to obtain their needed nutrients. Also some cattle will even develop a liking for plants that prove very poisonous to them and will consume large enough quantities to kill the animal.. and this is even when other healthy vegetation is readily available. Tall larkspur is once such example.

more on cows and sheep and goats.... domestic animals learn what to eat from a variety of experiences. They learn from their mothers, from their peers and from visceral reactions. When they come upon a new "novel"food they will watch to see if others eat it.. Then they will try small bites and wait to see what kind of gut (literally) reaction they receive. If there is no adverse affect and the plant is palatable to them they will add that plant into their diet. On the converse side, an animal can be taught to advert a particular food, a food that was at one time a favorite on their list. They can even be taught to eat food that typically would not be consumed as a first choose food by manipulating their gut reactions and palatability.

One last thing... studies have also shown animals can consume plants that are toxic to them if given enough other vegetation to help dilute the toxic effects. So, it can be surmised that probably several varieties of plants that livestock find "yummy" are actually toxic but they will eat it knowing how to match other vegetation consumption to cut down on the toxic effects.

Just my two cents on the matter and probably a bit off track...but a subject I find fascinating

Elayne

this was interesting seems to be saying the opposite
i'm not sure how long a species could last if it were going to develop a liking for plants that kill them.


"In many cases, only one or more parts of the
plant are poisonous -- perhaps only at certain seasons of the year or
under certain conditions. "

***

"The greatest danger to livestock occurs In
early spring or in late summer and fall when pastures are scanty and
the animals are tempted to eat weeds or leaves they otherwise avoid
when tastier forage is plentiful."

Fresh..

you're right certain plants develop toxicity due to climatic conditions and seasonal changes.. For example oat hay, russian thistle and other forages can develop nitrate toxicity levels. This generally occurs in drought conditions when the plant uptakes too much nitrates. but once again, if the cow is able to supplement their diet and eat other forage to offset the high levels of nitrates they probably will not die from it.

I am not sure about wild animals developing a liking for poisonous plants. But I don't suppose it would cause extinction, because those animals within that certain species would not be able to pass on the tract (genetic or otherwise) to it's offspring. Because they would be dead in a rather short order. And they're offspring may also die depending on the condition or time they consume the poisonous plant... Many toxic plants cause death or development problems that result in death of the fetus or newborn.

You're also right the greatest danger to livestock in consuming poisonous plants is early spring and late summer when choice of other more desirable plants is limited.

elayne

Very interesting, elayne!

<<if the cow is able to supplement their diet and eat other forage to offset the high levels of nitrates they probably will not die from it.>>

I think this backs up what Victoria Boutenko says here:

"Once in a while I read in the news or receive an e-mail about kale or spinach or parsley or any other green having a toxic ingredient and therefore being dangerous for human consumption. This is all true but not to such a degree as to exclude any particular green from our diet. Let us learn to increase the variety of greens in our diet and to constantly rotate them for better nutritional results."

Karennd.... That is very interesting what Victoria B has to say about toxins and variety being the key....

Elayne

I found it interesting too, Elayne. Here is the entire article and she includes a list of the greens that her family rotates through [www.rawbc.org] .

We aren't so different from cows after all... ;-)

Karennd... I would beg to differ on the reference to us not being so different from cows... since they have an entirely different digestive system then we do... I would say we are more like the horse..or the pig... which has a more closely related digestive track... if we are going to compare ourselves to livestock animals anyway....

and thanks for the weblink...

elayne

well i'm a pig. in chinese astrology anyhow

I would rather be a horse.

I have a little wild mustang and when we first got her she ate various plants that the domestic horses did not touch. She knew what was good for her and what was'nt. She ate the bitter dock leaves and cammomille plants and a lot of other different plants in the yard She wouldnt eat a carrot or grain. over the years she had become more and more domesticated and she relies on the hay and grain we provide for her. She still has the instincts of a wild horse yet it is easier to get the food that we give her.
In my opinion we would eat algae if that was a source available to us. If we were liveing in a different situation. But we take what is easier for us.

This has been a very interesting thread.

elayne, I was kidding when I said we are similar to cows. You know, when I posted it I thought about how different our digestive tracks are. Great minds think alike...

We couldn't be more different from a cow, which is a ruminant. Except for the variety in our diet and toxins balanced by rotating our food thing, which we may have in common.

I am a goat in Chinese astrology. I guess that means I'll eat anything, or least used to. ;-)

For the person that started this thread. I'm sorry we hijacked it. I don't think a lot of people here use the superfoods, so we just don't have much advice to offer in that area. But if you feel drawn to them, then go for it and let us know how you like them!

does anyone know anything about red algae? Has anyone tried it before?

I eat fresh, whole, living plant foods. The ignorant, violent, malicious, sick aztecs consumed their drug macca before going into war to murder and sexually abuse their fellow humans; and now the americans and british, citizens of modern empires concurrently committing genocide in the middle east pay large amounts of money to consume this substance to feel powerful and further them from their emotions and detox. It isn't "super."



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2007 05:55AM by dream earth.

if you go on youtube.com and look up david wolfe smoothies there are a couple of short videos where you see him make smoothies. he used goji berries, cocoa, spirulina and macca and other things in his smoothies. he only used about a table spoon of macca i think. his smoothies look and sound delicious!!

ima monkey ..go figure lol

*runs off to eat a banana*

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

I usually eat some goji berries every day. I take some to work and have them as a snack whenever the urge hits. IMO they are a better snack than anything else, plus they are hassle free!

There have been a few days when I haven't felt like taking them along, I just wasn't in the mood for them. Then I'll be at my desk and all of a sudden I'll be thinking, jeez louise, I sure wish I had some goji berries to munch on!

I go in spurts with the spirulina. There are some weeks when I feel the need to have some in my water every day and then there are times when I go weeks without any.

In other words, I let my body tell me when to indulge!

However, I have plenty of wheatgrass juice every day. It's like I have to have it. I think I would go crazy if I couldn't have my wheatgrass juice one day!
I am definitely addicted to the wheatgrass juice!!!

I would try the different super foods and if your body wants more, have at it!!!


Wheatgrass, it does a body good!!!

. although I think there probably is a case for eating mineral rich foods in certain circumstances. most of the stuff..its just like..dried fruit from another country...its like drying pears and sending them to Africa

. plus no one can ever rationalize to me how..if extracted juice is 'dead' in 15 minutes or whatever...how can E3Live or any kind of powder or oil or whatever..sit on a shelf and still be living food

. use the 'squeeze' test. ha!

I think that spirulina is great, I have it every day in my smoothies. Usually about a tablespoon of a green foods mixture that contains spirulina, wheat grass powder, etc.
I also have maca in my smoothies sometimes, about a teaspoon.
I think the point may be that superfoods are not a replacement for eating whole veggies and fruits, which is what they are commonly used for in our society. They are packaged and designed to appeal to people on SAD diets who want to increase their green intake without actually eating more greens.
But I think that for those of us who eat whole and raw anyway, we're not using as a replacement, but truly as a "supplement" to our already good diet. So if it makes ya feel good, then go for it!!