Why Fresh is Better: Eating for Better Health

So, today we talked about "Why Fresh is Better" as part of our 8 part series at the Galena Territory Homeowners Club (located in Galena, IL) about 2.5 hours west of Chicago.  Our talks are on select Tuesdays at 11:30am.  Let me know if you need the schedule of topics.  Meanwhile, get your FREE PDF of Why Eating Fresh is Better as my way of saying "thank you" for attending and reading my blog.

We had a couple of questions, so I wanted to address those here:

Why is Greek yogurt higher in protein than regular yogurt?

Most Greek yogurts contain between 15 g and 20 g of protein per 6-oz. serving.  Most regular yogurt contains 4.5 g to 7 g of protein per serving.  Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt because the straining process leaves a more concentrated product.  The resulting product is concentrated casein, a milk protein that contains all nine of the essential amino acids needed to build protein.

Is there a grain that has higher protein % than quinoa?

Quinoa is actually not a grain, but a seed from a plant related to spinach.  Quinoa is higher in protein than other whole grains, but it provides complete protein--meaning all 9 of the essential amino acids we must obtain through our diet, are present. This is especially helpful to those who are avoiding meat products and need an alternative source of protein. Of the amino acids, quinoa has higher amounts of lysine, cystine, and methionine than other grains. Lysine is important to tissue growth and repair.  Quinoa is a better source of iron than other whole grains, having 4 times the iron as brown rice and is also high in calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, E, and B vitamins.

Millet:  Millet is also known as sorghum and has been used mostly as bird seed in America until recently.  Millet is gluten-free and highly alkaline.  Millet is especially regarded for the treatment of candida yeast overgrowth. Yeast thrive on all the refined sugars we consume and can actually create sugar cravings within us. Millet contains approximately 15% protein and is high in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Buckwheat Groats:  Not a wheat or a true grain, buckwheat is actually the seeds from an herb related to rhubarb.  Organic buckwheat provides a complete protein, having all 9 of the essential amino acids, and is high in the amino acid lysine (see above).  Buckwheat is also rich in calcium, iron, vitamin E, and B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper.  Buckwheat is gluten-free and contains health-promoting flavonoids. It is believed to help to lower bad cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure.  Buckwheat enables a slower breakdown and absorption of its particular carbohydrates raising blood sugar levels more evenly.  It is especially good for those suffering with adult-onset diabetes, helping to control blood sugar.

I welcome any comments you might have!

Kathy

---