This is our first in a series of upcoming articles on the importance of eating whole grains and some essentials which are missing in the western diet.
A Japanese proverb says: “Eating grains without their skin (e.g. white rice, white flour, white bread) causes people to become poor (in body and spirit) and to have no clothes (protection against coldness and disease).”
We’ll be focusing the “stars” we love to cook with and rely on a lot in the kitchen. They give your body better nutrition & energy and really are nature’s heritage gifts, that have been around a lot longer than us!
Did you know?
"When we eat a better variety of foods, however small the difference, a pinch of salt, a better meal; it gently changes our cells within… and so improves our brain, blood and nervous system." (source unknown)
Health Matters proudly offers simple whole food ingredients with authentic aromas, flavours and nutrients. We grind, mix & pack these products for your ease and convenience, providing a selection of ingredients that would otherwise be hard to gather. You can order specific products online or request for us to make up a monthly supply of basics to top up your stash of these precious foods. We deliver nationwide across South Africa and are stocked in a number of stores, and growing!
What is it we aim to do?
It’s simple – we aim to provide you with:
“Better food. Better health and better ‘Food as Medicine’.” (Hippocrates 350 BC)
Essential Product # 1: SUPA DUPA PORRIDGE
A grinding of nutrient loaded ancient whole grains centered around the soothing properties of sorghum (millet grass of Africa), teff (the tiny staple grain of Ethiopia), groats (oats with its bran intact), rye and selected seeds.
This porridge offers a bounty of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, anti-oxidants, phyto-chemicals, nature’s oils & proteins, and complex carbohydrates so essential to our everyday life.
It carries a rich source of soluble and insoluble fibres. This is critical in controlling blood sugar levels and so alleviating diabetes, whilst also flushing “unhealthy” cholesterol (LDL) with no known medical side effects.
When milled, the bran, endosperm and germ are retained in our Supa Dupa Porridge. Of major benefit is the growth of healthy gut flora/ bacteria, whilst also stimulating the immune system – so critical to fighting “dis-eases “ – such as allergies, worsening eyesight/hearing, strokes, brain malfunctions, calcium deposits, circulation, constipation, mucous, stagnation, tumours, cancer, obesity, heart disease, A.D.D., A.D.H.D., autism, acidity, asthma, arthritis, alzheimers, failing memory, skin problems, stress, depression, colds and coughs, dependency on medicinal drugs, alcoholism, anorexia, athletes foot, candida, mouth ulcers, cellulite, infertility, diverticulitis, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, fever blisters, fibrocystic breast disease, fibromyalgia, fluid retention, food allergies, pet allergies, fractures, gall bladder disease, gingivitis, glandular fever, gout, hair loss, heart disease, high cholesterol, hiv/aids, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, hysterectomy, hormonal imbalances, weakened immune system, lung cancer, lupus, menopause, metabolic syndrome, migraine, mood swings, multiple sclerosis, nail problems, nausea, obesity, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, spleen imbalance, parkinson’s disease, peptic ulcers, periodontal disease, pneumonia, pms, prostrate problems, psoriasis, raynaud’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea, schizophrenia, scoliosis, shingles, sinusitis, stress, ulceratic colitis, underweight, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, worms, addictions & obsessions, social phobia, difficulty in making decisions, being shy & embarrassed for no reason, and low energy.
The Supa Dupa Porridge carries nature’s B vitamins, a water-soluble group of vitamins that need to be replenished on a daily basis. Each of these must interact closely so as to ensure the full functioning of almost every action of the body especially your nervous system, and for proper digestion.
It’s important to note that nature’s magnesium is also abundant in our porridge, assisting with liver imbalance, calming and relaxing of nerve function, and harmonizing of various mental and emotional imbalances including irritability, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, PMS, relaxing functioning of the muscles (including the heart muscle), soothing erratic changes such as migraines, sudden infant death syndrome, cramps & spasms anywhere in the body. It helps create better flows in digestion, relieves constipation, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, arthritis & osteoporosis and “pushes” calcium excess in the soft tissue into the bones.
It provides nature’s own calcium, potassium (regulates heart beat), selenium melatonin, sulphur (assists in the production of collagen), manganese, fluorine, phosphorus, choline, chlorine, oxygen, copper, iron, lime, folic acid, folinic acid, alpha lipoic acid, Co-enzyme 10 , lecithin (improves memory), proanthocyanidins, glutathione peroxide GPx, superoxide dismutase (an alkalizing agent in bran), gamma oryzanol, polysaccharide, IP6, vitamins A,E,C,K, B12 iodine and PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) which naturally protects the skin against ultraviolet radiation and thus prevents skin cancer.
Vitamin E and magnesium are not found in meat.
Kindly note: Do be careful with isolated synthetic vitamins and supplements. These may produce serious side effects.
“It should be noted that a single mineral does not work well in isolation. Each mineral works best in association with all other minerals and trace minerals, the way they are found in nature’s unrefined whole foods.” (source unknown)
Whole foods are more effective over time for slowly and deeply building and rebalancing the immune foundation and thus tackling the root cause of the ‘dis-ease.’
Did you know?
Most people feel calmer within half an hour of eating a complex carb if foods concentrated in meat protein and animal fats are not eaten with it.
Eating complex carbohydrates maximizes the concentration in the bloodstream of the amino acid L-tryptophan, which is manufactured in the brain into the calming chemical serotonin.
Food Preparation Suggestions
"We should treat every tiny grain, every piece of vegetable, as a spiritual manifestation, and should never waste them in the process of choosing, preparation, cooking and eating." (source unknown)
Option 1:
Simmer 1 cup porridge with 3 cups water & salt to taste, on medium heat for 20 minutes. Serve with your choice of milk, fruit, WAM (Wonderful & Marvellous) Seeds and Raw Peanuts or almonds.
There is a difference between processed store bought cereals (sweet and sugared) and whole grain porridges. You will get used to nature’s finer things, but do give it two or three days for your taste buds to change.
Did you know that porridges and their tasty sprinkles have made a big come back to the daily breakfast diet in the UK and Europe, with ready-made take-away porridge shops opening on many main commuter routes?
Option 2:
Add a spoonful or two of Supa Dupa Porridge to your cooked food, e.g. stir fries, soups, casseroles, veggies, pastas, rice, barley, potato, gratins, etc, by folding in once the cooking process is complete.
Option 3:
Enrich by adding cooked or uncooked Supa Dupa Porridge to your juices and smoothies.
Option 4:
Boost the sick and elderly’s diet: add one heaped spoon to a cup of boiling water. Steep (soak) for 15 minutes and drink five times a day.
"If a nutrient starved nation can rediscover the potent value of these grains… a land of excess should soon become a land of moderation and abundant health." (source unknown)
FAQs
May I include yoghurt when I eat as Option 1 or 3?
Only organic natural yoghurt is recommended, in moderation. Yoghurt is not a flora replacer and most usually do not contain the two types of bacteria needed. If fresh, and not containing fruit or sugar, it may supply a few flora that may perform some of the functions of flora, but they cannot fix onto the colon/bowel wall. Generally speaking, large factory produced yoghurt is mechanically processed and refined, and may cause mucous build-up and contribute to constipation and bladder/kidney/liver/lung/spleen congestion, due to the refined chemicals & hormones, resulting in an inability to digest dairy.
Can I give my baby Supa Dupa Porridge?
Supa Dupa Porridge is a crucial food for pregnant and breast-feeding moms. And yes, when your baby is ready to be introduced to solid foods (from three to four months) it is encouraged that you include Option 1 with mashed fruit and veggies in their diets. The results will be a calmer, healthier and more alert child. Babies’ gut flora will thrive, so fewer allergies, colds and flu and illness will develop. Kindly note we also do prepare specific Best Baby Porridge with selected herbs and seeds - to give variety, stimulate taste buds, strengthen immunity and promote sound sleep.
Will I gain weight when I eat grain porridges?
Remember that whole grains are complex carbohydrates with the bran intact. Due to the higher fibre content and full array of natural minerals, there is a slower rise in sugar levels which is what your body needs - you’ll also become satisfied quicker because of the higher food value. But do not add sugar - sweeten with bananas, apples and berries, and preferably avoid honey watermelon and green grapes.
Simple carbohydrates are the refined white stuff - like sugar, white flour, white rice, white pasta and white break – these peak over the glycaemic index, causing sugar highs, cuddle bumps and love handles!
Gamma oryzanol is a formidable anti-oxidant found in the bran of whole grains converting fat to lean body mass and Co-enzyme Q10 in bran burns fat and therefore reduces obesity.
Is this banting friendly?
See the previous question – remember that as this is a complex carbohydrate, banting does in fact allow for eating whole grains in moderation, with moderation being defined as small amounts daily or full servings every few days. It is essential you still get a small amount of carbohydrate in your diet if you are banting – just ensure it is the right kind of complex carbohydrate, and that’s exactly what Supa Dupa is.
“We as humans are composed of a chemical messenger soup that is changing with each passing moment.” (Candice Pert)
Kindly note: The ingredients of our Supa Dupa Porridge may vary from time-to-time due to availability and our seasons, but the quality and dedication remains the same. We are constantly searching for organic foods to add to our storehouse.
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