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Throughout much of the year, I enjoy walking some of the same beaches and secluded coves as Anne Morrow Lindberg, author of Gift from the Sea (1955). In doing so, I am touched in many of the same but also different ways by my own connection with the sea. Salt water seems to hold a special magic no matter what our age or in what age we live. Beyond its obvious ability to provide cooling relief from summer’s sweltering heat as well as rhythmic music to soothe away the stresses of urban life, the ocean offers many a special healing balm for body, mind, and spirit.
Apart from its humbling power and majesty, for me its fascination and mystery reaches beyond its expansive beauty. When I walk the ocean’s beaches or bob about in its surf, I feel suspended in time, as if its mineral-rich waters beckon me into a private world where time and space have no meaning.
I have friends who share these feelings—this magic. For it is at the ocean and its shores where we sense a kind of participation with the earliest forms of primordial life, still nourished here by its chilly mineral waters. It is also here that we sense a connection through the soothing salt water to our own beginnings, the saline environment of our mother’s womb. And, another aspect of our affinity for and attunement to the ocean may come from the fact that the blood that feeds and nourishes our every cell is similar in its mineral composition, particularly its sodium/potassium content, to the water of the oceans and seas.
If the ocean seems to suspend time and space, it also serves to unite us in time and space: Through the vast expanse of shared waters, we are joined to distant continents, foreign peoples, and the mineral riches of far-off lands. The ocean is the world’s mineral melting pot and perhaps the largest recycling system anywhere on earth. Eons ago, mineral-rich plates from the ocean floor were heaved through pressure to form the continents that we know today. And, now, through the weathering of rocks, erosion, and water runoff, many minerals and trace minerals from around the globe are continuously returned to the oceans and seas. Here minerals feed the oceans’ unique plant and animal life, while they also bathe our skin in minerals when we swim.
At summer’s end when we may no longer venture to the shores, we can preserve a bit of the oceans’ benefits by consuming mineral-rich sea vegetables. Dried and packaged for a long shelf life, each has its own unique vitamin/mineral profile, woven in harmonious chords to support general health and vitality and offering natural healing balms for a variety of health conditions.
Sun and Salt Water as Warp and Woof for Sea Vegetable Life
When we think of plant life, we generally think of sun and soil and plants rooted in the earth that weave upward against gravity in search of the sun’s heat energy. Sun and earth are the warp and woof of our familiar plant life. We rarely step outside this mindset.
When we limit ourselves in this way, however, we miss the whole world of medicinal, life-nurturing plant life offered by the oceans and the seas. In this world, sun and mineral-rich water together work life into an array of healing ocean plants that thrive in the cold waters of the intertidal zones of our continents. In the words of Rebecca Wood, sea vegetables are “one of the world’s most underutilized foods…[and]…also the world’s most abundant food.”
Growing as they do, weightless, swaying in the currents, and bathed in waters that contain all the one hundred or more minerals and trace minerals in our blood, ocean vegetables have a very different energy (see Signatures of Foods, October 2010), character, and nutritional makeup compared to land-based plants that grow in often-depleted soil and against the force of gravity. Sea vegetables are flexible, yielding, detoxifying, and cleansing—and chocked full of mineral nourishment. When used as modest additions to land-based foods, they enhance the flavor and nutrition of familiar garden fair.
In their unique way, ocean vegetables incorporate minerals into their own plant tissues from their surrounding water environment so that their rich mineral nutrition is easy for the body to assimilate. And, while sea vegetables absorb minerals, they do not absorb toxic metals and pollutants as fish do. They simply do not grow in areas where pollution is high. Moreover, sea vegetables are actually able to transform many toxic metals in their environment into harmless salts that the body is able to excrete with other waste materials.
Ocean Vegetables—An Untapped Resource for Health, Longevity and Healing
Ocean vegetables provide ten to twenty times the minerals of land-based plant foods—the complete panoply of 56-64 essential minerals and trace minerals required by the body for its many important functions—all in chelated, colloidal forms that are easy for the body to utilize, and in the ratios found in our blood. This is significant because while the body requires a host of minerals and trace minerals to support the vast and complex electrical and neurological functions that are the basis of life, the body is not able to make minerals to supply its needs. For minerals the body must rely on food and other outside sources—something that has become more challenging as decades of over-farming have depleted our soil and robbed land-based plant foods of much of their potential nutrition.
While high in protein and fiber and low in fat, seaweeds are a good source of vitamins A, B, C, and E. They are also loaded with minerals, particularly calcium (bones, teeth; heart and muscle regulation); iodine (thyroid function, metabolism, weight loss, and to prevent goiter), phosphorus (bones, teeth, cellular repair; heart; nervous system) , magnesium (bones, teeth; heart, arteries; energy production), sodium (fluid balance; muscle regulation) , iron (blood; stress; immunity), chromium (weight loss, blood sugar regulation), selenium (tissue elasticity), zinc (digestion and metabolism), potassium (high blood pressure and stroke), and fluorine (immunity; strong bones and teeth).
Sea vegetables are also a rich source of alginic acid, a substance that binds toxins and removes heavy metals and radioactive isotopes from the digestive tract, as well as strontium 90 from the bones. Their natural antibiotic properties can act against penicillin-resistant bacteria. Ocean vegetables are also a good source of carrageenan, a stabilizer and emulsifier added to foods, which is used in traditional medicine for respiratory and digestive issues. Because sea vegetables, unlike grains and beans, contain all the essential amino acids, they are a good addition to grains and beans to build plant foods into complete-protein meals. Brown seaweeds like kelp, kombu, and wakame contain natural glutamic acid (its synthetic analog is MSG) that naturally enhances the flavor of foods, tenderizes proteins in beans, and improves their digestibility.
Health Benefits. With sea vegetables’ rich array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, the list of health benefits associated with them is as impressive as it is extensive. In general, sea vegetables are thought to increase longevity; foster glowing skin and thick, shiny hair; and, support the cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, and nervous systems. More specifically, sea vegetables can be used to treat goiter, kidney disease, ulcers, nausea, digestive disorders, obesity, high blood pressure, hypertension, high cholesterol, arteriolosclerosis, hypoglycemia, constipation, bronchitis, metal and radiation toxicity, edema, swollen lymph glands, chronic cough, as well as lumps and tumors and cancer (particularly breast cancer). Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that “there is no swelling that is not relieved by seaweed.” Highly alkalizing due to their high mineral content, sea vegetables help to rebalance the blood from acid-forming foods that characterize the Standard American Diet (SAD). They also dissolve mucous accumulation resulting from the SAD diet centered upon meat, commercial dairy, sugars, refined carbohydrates and vegetable oils, and other rich/ fractured foods. And, as one might expect from their high mineral content, they help us feel centered and grounded.
Using Sea Vegetables. Because they are so very rich in minerals, I like to think of sea vegetables as a supplementary ingredient to add sparingly to foods for color, interest, flavor, and nutrition. Sea vegetables are good complements to add extra nutrition to grains, beans, soups, salads, egg dishes, and sandwiches. I always add kombu or kelp when I cook beans, and I add it to most soups that I make. The glutamic acid in kombu/kelp tenderizes beans, aids in their digestion, and enhances their flavor.
Sea vegetables are whole foods; their minerals synergistically complement each other; and, the body is generally able to excrete excessive minerals should they be over-consumed. While sea vegetables offer many benefits, moderation is important, particularly due to the high iodine levels found in many of them, especially varieties of kelp. Some people with sensitive thyroids and mothers who are breast feeding and postmenopausal women, may react to excess iodine. Consumption of iodine at high levels can actually inhibit thyroid function. Iodine can occasionally cause allergic reactions, mostly in the form of skin rashes in some people, and may also worsen acne.
To cook with sea vegetables, rinse them well before using, especially if you prefer to avoid extra salt. Increase your consumption gradually if you think your digestive system may need time to adapt, and keep in mind that soaking sea vegetables for longer times will make them easier to digest. Finall, use them sparingly; sea vegetables are best used as a condiment or a side dish. If you do not like to cook, try a kelp and/or dulse shaker at the table to boost the mineral nutrition of meals. If you do enjoy cooking, a good rule of thumb is to consume a total of about 2 cups of cooked sea vegetables per week.
Some Major Types of Sea Vegetables
Agar-Agar (Kanten)
Agar is a delightful way to introduce sea vegetables into your cooking, particularly for savory aspics and dessert gelatins and custards. Agar produces a firmer gel than commercial products and it is less inclined to breakdown. A gelatin made from red algaes, it has no taste, no calories, and no smell so it will not interfere with—it actually enhances—the natural taste of fruits and vegetables. It can be used as a thickening medium in cooking and desserts as a healthier alternative to animal-based gelatins.
Health Profile: High in iodine, calcium, iron, and phosphorus along with vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, and K. It reduces inflammation, aids in digestion and weight loss, is a mild laxative, and bonds with toxic and radioactive wastes to help expel them from the body.
Arame
Arame is soft, mild, and sweet in flavor so it adapts to Western tastes. It can be cooked alone, with vegetables or added to salads for color, minerals, and interest.
Health Profile: A rich source of iodine, calcium, and iron, as well as vitamins A and the B-complex. It can support thyroid function, soften cysts and tumors, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and teeth, support hormonal function and may be helpful with feminine disorders and mouth issues. It also contributes to healthy, wrinkle-free skin and thick, lustrous hair.
Dulse
Dulse is purple-red in color, tender and chewy, with an unusual spicy taste. It goes well with soups, oats and other cooked grains, salads, and vegetables; it also combines well with onions and can be used as a condiment. Rinse dulse well to remove extra salt and the salty flavor.
Health Profile: Of all the sea vegetables, it is the richest in iron, while it also provides iodine, manganese (for enzyme production), phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, and trace minerals. Despite its salty taste, it is relatively low in sodium. With its high iron content, dulse is an excellent blood tonic and is used to strengthen the kidneys and adrenals. It is used to treat herpes, seasickness, and sore teeth and gums.
Kombu
Kombu, a member of the kelp family (kelp can be substituted for kombu), is easy to use as a complementary ingredient in cooking, much as one would use herbs and spices. “Considered the most completely mineralized food,” it significantly boosts the nutritional quality of any dish to which it is added. Kombu enhances the flavor of foods because it is high in glutamic acid, the natural version of synthetic MSG. It adds sweetness, derived both from its glutamic acid and from fucose and mannitol, two simple sugars that do not raise blood sugar, which is a boon for diabetics. The glutamic acid in kombu also softens foods so that they cook more quickly and are easier to digest. Kombu is itself softened when cooked alongside other protein-rich foods.
Health Profile: Kombu is high in natural sugars, as well as potassium, iodine, calcium, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, and trace minerals. Kombu (a diuretic) particularly supports the kidneys, hormonal system, and the thyroid. It reduces cysts and tumors; subdues fungal and candida yeasts; treats coughs and asthma while relieving the lungs and throat; and aids in weight loss. Specifically, kombu is used to treat goiter, arthritis, high blood pressure, edema, prostate and ovarian issues, diabetes, and anemia.
Besides glutamic acid, kombu is also high in alginic acid, the binding medium that holds sea vegetables together and gives them flexibility to withstand strong ocean currents. Its binding ability and indigestible nature act in the intestine to bind toxins in the colon wall for their natural excretion. Kombu is used in Eastern cultures to prevent and cure colitis.
Nori
Due to its mild flavor and multiple uses—especially as the colorful wrap for sushi rolls, nori is the best known and most popular of the sea vegetables. Beyond sushi, nori can be toasted and then torn or crumpled to garnish grains, vegetables, and soup dishes. You do not have to have sushi rice prepared to make a nori roll—anything moist will do. I mix brown rice or quinoa with humus or yogurt; spread it over a nori sheet; add a layer of shredded carrots or other vegetables/fermented vegetables; roll; eat; and enjoy! The combinations are endless; use your imagination with whatever you have on hand.
Health Profile: Nori has the highest protein content (almost 50%) and is the easiest to digest of the sea vegetables. Nori also breaks down fats, so it helps in the digestion of fried, fatty foods. Perhaps most significant, nori is extremely low in iodine. If you want to consume sea vegetables for their many benefits but worry about iodine excess, nori is a wonderful choice. Nori is a good source of calcium, iron, vitamin A, B-complex, C, and D. Like other sea vegetables, nori benefits the kidneys and thyroid, treats goiter, edema, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coughs, and cysts.
Wakame
Wakame, the colorful counterpoint of miso soup, is a favorite in Japan, along with nori and kombu. Wakame is mild in flavor, and after soaking, it mixes well with cooling summer vegetables and citrus fruits. In cooking, it combines nicely with onions, other garden vegetables, and boiled or sauted greens. Alaria, another sea vegetable, can be substituted for wakame in many recipes. Like kombu, wakame softens beans and other fibrous foods, enhancing their digestibility and nutrition.
Health Profile: After hijiki, wakame is highest in calcium of the sea vegetables. It is also rich in iodine, iron, and vitamin A, B-complex, C, and trace minerals. Like kombu and other seaweeds, wakame contains alginic acid to bind and help the body expel toxic metals and radiation; it also dispels mucous and phlegm, while it is thought to dissolve masses and tumors.
Reading Resources:
Peter and Montse Bradford, Cooking with Sea Vegetables.
Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier, Sea Vegetable Celebration.
Jill Gusman, Vegetables from the Sea: Everyday Cooking with Sea Vegetables
Elson Haas, Staying Healthy With Nutrition.
Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods.
Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia.
Recipes: Cooking with Sea Vegetables
Many natural foods cookbooks include recipes using sea vegetables. I have chosen here to use just two sources, Cooking with Sea Vegetables and Sea Vegetable Celebration as a brief introduction to using sea vegetables. Available in simple paperback, these books provide many more interesting and diverse recipes for further cooking adventures.
Agar…
Couscous Apricot Kanten (serves 4-5)
1 ½ cups cooked couscous
2 cups dried apricots (or other dried fruit)
6 cups filtered water
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup agar flakes
1. Spread the cooked couscous evenly in a rinsed shallow dish or mold.
2. Rinse the apricots under cold water to clean, then place in a pot with 5 cups of the water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
3. Soak the agar flakes in the remaining cup of water for 10-15 minutes. Add to the apricots and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the flakes have completely dissolved.
4. Pour the mix gently over the couscous and leave to cool until firm. Cut into desired shapes.
Variation: Substitute other dried fruits or fresh fruits (these may require a longer cooking time). Sprinkle top with roasted nuts if desired.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Strawberry Kanten (serves 4-5)
½ pound fresh strawberries
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup water
3 cups apple juice
½-3/4 cup agar flakes
4 T. barley malt, or to taste
1. Wash the strawberries carefully and cut in half. Place in a bowl, add a pinch of sea salt and leave for ½ hour to bring out their sweetness.
2. In a pot, add the water, apple juice and agar flakes and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, add the barley malt (taste the mix for sweetness and adjust) and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the flakes have completely dissolved.
3. Add the strawberries to the cooked liquid, then place this mixture in a rinsed shallow dish or mold. Allow to cool until firm. Cut into desired shapes and serve, garnished with a fresh berry.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Apple Sesame Custard (serves 4-5)
6 cups organic apple juice
1 cup agar flakes
2 T. natural vanilla extract
3 T. finely grated lemon peel
5 T. tahini
Pinch of sea salt
1. Place the apple juice and agar flakes in a pot and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly until all the flakes have dissolved.
2. With a little hot liquid, mix together the vanilla extract, lemon peel, tahini, and sea salt into a creamy consistency. Add to the hot liquid.
3. Rinse a shallow dish or mold in water and then pour in the hot liquid and leave to cool and firm.
4. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve chilled on its own or as a topping for desserts.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Arame…
Arame Saute (serves 2-3)
½ cup arame
Spring or filtered water
1 t. mirin
1 t. dark sesame oil
2-3 shallots, diced
2 cups button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 cup match-stick sized carrot pieces
2 or 3 stalks broccoli, florets and stems diced
2 T. sunflower seeds, lightly pan-toasted
1. Rinse the arame well and set aside. It will soften without soaking.
2. Place the arame in a small pan with enough water to cover halfway. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Season lightly with soy sauce and mirin and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until wilted. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Finally, stir in broccoli and season lightly with more soy sauce. Cover and cook over low heat until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the arame and sunflower seeds. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm.
Source: Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier
Dulse…
Dulse Oatmeal Soup (serves 3-4)
Dulse goes especially well with oats and onions…
5 cups spring or filtered water
½ medium onion sliced in half moons
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup dulse, soaked in ¾ cup water for 5 minutes and finely sliced
Pinch of sea salt
Parsley, scallions or watercress chopped fine to garnish
1. Bring the water to a boil, add the onions and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
2. Add the rolled oats, dulse, soaking water from the dulse and the sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
3. Garnish with chopped parsley, scallions, watercress, or grated carrots.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Avocado Dulse Dip (serves 2)
1 T. dulse flakes or granules
1 avocado, chopped
3 scallions, diced
1 T. lemon juice
1/8 t. cayenne
Blend all the ingredients and serve with crudités or toasted whole grain pita crisps.
Source: Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier
Dulse Tahini Dressing (serves 4-6)
An excellent dressing for lettuce-based salads…
½ cup spring or filtered water
2 T. tahini
1 T. umeboshi plum paste
½ cup finely sliced dulse, soaked in water for 10 minutes and drained
3 scallions, finely chopped
1. Warm the water, add the tahini, and stir until creamy.
2. Stir or blend in thoroughly the umeboshi paste.
3. Stir in the dulse and scallions and/or parsley or watercress.
Source: Montse Bradford
Dulse DLT (Dulse, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich)
Small handful of dry dulse, rinsed and dried, or pan fried, or baked at 300 degrees 3-4 minutes until crisp
2 slices whole grain bread; Lettuce; Tomato; Mayonaise
Dulse can also be added to any sandwich for crunch, color, tang, and a mineral infusion.
Kombu/Kelp…
Basic Sea Vegetable Stock (yield 6 cups)
4 to 5 cups spring or filtered water
4- to 5-inch strip kelp or kombu
1/3 cup dried shitake or other mushrooms
1 t. minced fresh ginger
1 T. miso
3 scallions, chopped, for garnish
1. Bring the water to a boil in a 2-quart soup pot.
2. Add the kelp, dried mushrooms, and simmer them for 1 hour.
3. Remove the sea vegetable and mushrooms, dice, and return them to the pot.
4. Add the ginger and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the miso and garnish with scallions. Serve or use as stock.
Source: Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier
Lentil Stew (serves 4-5)
Cooking beans and legumes reduces the cooking time, softens them, and makes them more digestible.
1 cup lentils
1 6-inch strip kombu
3 ¾ cups spring or filtered water
1 cup onions, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
¼ t. sea salt
Scallions, chopped to garnish
1. Sort and wash lentils
2. Place in a pot with the kombu on the bottom and add the water.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about one hour or until lentils are almost soft.
4. Add onions and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the carrots, celery and sea salt, cover and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Check water to be sure it is sufficient, adding more if necessary.
6. Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium and boil off the excess water.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford.
Covered Casserole (4 servings)
8 cups of assorted bite-size chunks of 3-7 vegetables…winter squash; carrots; turnip; parsnip; onion; leeks; cabbage; sweet potato; fresh or dried mushrooms
3 or 4 cloves garlic, diced (optional)
One 5- or 6-inch piece of kelp or kombu
One 1- or 2-inch knob ginger, sliced (optional)
One cup filtered water
Scallions, parsley, or edible flowers for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the cut vegetables and garlic in a large mixing bowl, and mix them together to evenly distribute the garlic.
3. Cut the kelp/kombu with scissors into 1-inch by 2-inch strips and put it at the bottom of the casserole dish.
4. Add the vegetables, ginger, and water.
5. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the vegetables are tender and sweet.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Nori…
Nori Rolls
2 cups cooked rice, hot
2 T. rice or umeboshi vinegar
½ t. kelp powder
4 sheets nori, toasted
Filling:
¼ cup grated cucumber
Dash soy sauce
1 t. sesame seeds, toasted
1. Mix filling and set aside.
2. Mix vinegar and kelp with rice.
3. Place a sheet of nori on a small bamboo mat or heavy cloth napkin.
4. Spread ½ cup of rice over the sheet, leaving a 2-inch edge uncovered at the end of the sheet.
5. Arrange ¼ of the filling in a line across the middle on the rice. Roll the nori in the mat.
6. Place the roll with the seam down to seal.
7. Slice 1-inch thick.
Variations: Use any grain or cooked vegetable combination. Mix umeboshi plum pulp or paste or miso with the grain. Umeboshi plum and vinegar both help preserve the grain, making nori rolls containing either of these an excellent travel food.
Source: Paul Pitchford
Wakame…
Miso Soup (serves 2-3)
½ cup wakame
3 ¾ cups spring or filtered water
1 small onion, sliced into half moons
½ cup broccoli, cut into small florets
1 ½ t. barley miso
Scallion, chopped to garnish
1. Wash the wakame quickly under cold water and soak in a very small amount of water for 3 minutes. Slice in pieces.
2. Bring the water to a boil, add the onions and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the wakame with its soaking water and broccoli and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
4. Puree the miso with a little of the soup liquid in a mortar and pestle.
5. Add to the soup. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 2 more minutes.
6. Serve, garnishing each bowl of soup with the chopped spring onions.
Source: Montse Bradford
Split Pea Soup (serves 3-4)
1 cup split peas
6 cups spring or filtered water
½ cup wakame, soaked 3 minutes and sliced into small pieces
1 medium onion, diced
¼ t. sea salt
Whole wheat bread, cut into small cubes and baked, to garnish
1. Wash the split peas and put in a heavy pot with the water and wakame
2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (check often, stirring, to ensure that the peas do not stick to the bottom.)
3. Add the diced onions and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes
4. Add the sea salt and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes
5. Serve garnished with the baked bread croutons. The soup can also be garnished with grated carrot of chopped scallions.
Source: Peter and Montse Bradford
Copyright 2011 Pathways4Health.org
To Defuse or to Use Phytic Acid?
What is phytic acid? Most of the phosphorus of plant foods is stored in the outer husk of grains, beans and legumes, nuts, and seeds in the form of phytic acid. Phytic acid protects the life force (the endosperm) of a seed from germinating until it is planted in soil and watered. Phytic acid, then, like biological transmutation, is a rather miraculous gift of nature to support our survival: Phytic acid allows us to store grains and legumes for years and be assured that the inner life force of a seed food will be preserved. Then, whenever a seed is planted, all that is required are soil and water to break down the phytic acid to allow the endosperm, fed by the starch stored in the seed, to unfold into new plant life.
Phytate as a nutrient and enzyme inhibitor. Phytic acid (phytate) blocks the absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc as well as the digestive enzymes pepsin and amylase. Because some phytate is water soluble, we usually try to diminish its effects by soaking beans and grains before cooking. Soaking grains and legumes is especially appropriate for modern vegetarians and people in Third World countries where an over-reliance upon phytate-rich grains, beans and seeds can lead to serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Curbing phytic acid for people who rely upon beans, legumes, and grains for protein can prevent serious mineral deficiencies that include folate (birth defects); iodine (neurological development and growth); iron (brain development and child mortality); vitamin A (immune function); zinc (growth, healing); and vitamin B-12 (neurological development).
Phytate as an antioxidant, a moderator of metabolic stress, and a chelator of heavy metals. Phytic acid’s positive role is not just as the protector of plant life. While phytic acid presents a problem for mineral absorption and can lead to deficiency, it also performs several positive functions in the body—working as an antioxidant to offset free-radical damage; lowering the glycemic index of carbohydrates; and binding toxic metals such as uranium and nickel.
Using phytic acid to personal advantage. An understanding of phytic acid and its tradeoffs means we can use or diminish it to fit our own personal health conditions. If the digestion and absorption of food generally and minerals specifically is an issue, then you will want to soak grains and beans before cooking.
However, if you are worried about blood sugar issues, you might decide not to soak grains and beans in recognition of the inverse relationship between phytic acid and the glycemic index (GI) of foods—lowering phytic acid raises the GI of carbohydrates. The same non-soaking strategy could be used if you are concerned about heavy metal toxicity.
Interestingly, using probiotics is a way to consume foods high in phytic acid while still benefiting from much of a food’s mineral nutrition. This is because probiotics are rich in lactobacilli, a major source of phytase. Phytase is the enzyme that releases phosphate from phytic acid, thereby altering the structure of micronutrients to enhance mineral absorption.
In contrast to conditions in the less-developed world, most Americans have access to a wide variety of high-quality organic fruits, vegetables, and animal products that can supply rich mineral nutrition. Today, for many people, more pressing considerations than mineral deficiency may be metabolic stress, insulin resistance, and metal toxicity. Modern science, by outlining the tradeoffs and choices surrounding phytic acid, enables us to use or to defuse phytic acid in ways that are in keeping with our own unique personal profile to support our health and vitality.
Copyright Pathways4Health.org
Housebound in the frigid, snowy days of winter, I often think of starting up a long-simmering bone stock to fill the house with welcoming aromas. Winter is the perfect season to awaken the senses and nourish the body by making bone stocks. Hearty stocks can be sipped alone to boost the immune system and as an antidote to colds and the flu, or they can be used in cooking to add depth, flavor, and nutrition to your favorite recipes. Making stocks, especially time-consuming bone stocks, is a bit of a lost art in modern times, and yet it is one of the very best health investments we can make.
I confess that I did not always feel this way. For years, the pages of the “stock-broth” chapter of my cookbooks stayed pristine and unexplored. Why bother? Stocks seemed like such a time-consuming, needless step in meal preparation.
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Despite my love of cooking, perhaps I can blame my “Show Me” Missouri roots for why it took so many years…decades really!…for me to get excited about stocks. What ultimately convinced me to begin to make bone stocks was my interest in supporting the bone health of myself and my family. I came to realize that bone stocks are one of the best natural ways to build bone since they are loaded with minerals…calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorous, and trace minerals that make bones dense. They also contain collagen to keep bones strong and flexible. As they say, “You are what you eat.” So, I began to make bone stocks and to use them as the liquid in cooking, especially when preparing soups and grain dishes. Subsequent reading and research on the medicinal value of bone stocks helped me further appreciate stocks’ incredible and natural healing power for other health issues, as well.
Our forebears seemed intuitively to appreciate so much of this. In traditional cultures, bone marrow preparations were often used, especially for children, both as a calcium-rich substitute for milk and as a special dietary supplement. And, bone stocks were relied upon by cultures around the globe for nutrition and health. Animals were valued members of a family’s economic system and often slaughtered reluctantly. Bone stocks were a way to convert the tough meat and carcass into something hearty and nourishing and assured that no part of the animal went to waste. Stocks were valued for their tonic, digestive, assimilation powers. They were also used to bolster the immune system and to nourish people with wasting diseases, since the protein-sparing nature of the gelatin in stocks helped to preserve the muscle mass of people who were chronically ill.
It is easy to understand why, over the course of the last century, we have forgotten the ecological and medicinal reasons for making stocks: We have lost much of our connection with farm animals as more and more are now raised far away on isolated commercial factory farms and then sold in conveniently- wrapped supermarket plastic or transformed into fast food innovations. Meanwhile, wonder drugs of the pharmaceutical companies have devalued such preventive, natural remedies.
Interestingly, it seems that some ingredients of our modern 21st century economy and culture point to a budding revival of the homemaking arts, as well as a movement back toward the kitchen. The same seems true for investing time in making stocks…Environmental concerns mean conservation and ecological responsibility are de rigueur as we grow more mindful of waste in all forms, including animals. Disenchantment with the drug industry, combined with an aging population and widespread chronic disease, are leading many back to traditional, natural therapies. Also, as technology, electronic screens, and a “distracted” lifestyle seem to rule so much of our life, investing time to start a 24-hour bone stock in a slow cooker can be an easy, helpful, grounding counter-cultural experience. It sends a “slow-down” message to our family and friends and one that says cooking at home is worthwhile. Stocks allow us to add more intense and pleasurable taste to a dish and to know and control the ingredients in our food. In addition, when we take the time to make stocks, we avoid commercial food additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG) that are so often found in commercial stocks. Perhaps we also gain a greater appreciation for the animal that feeds and nourishes us, as well as for the food chain in general. Lastly, knowing and appreciating as I do now the diverse medicinal powers of bone stocks, I find the experience of preparing them to be one of the most valuable, natural ways that I can support my health and the health of my family.
Why Bother? Bone Stocks for Health
The nutritional value of bone stocks varies with the type of animal used, and whether you add vegetables, herbs, or other ingredients to the pot. Bone contributes minerals and collagen (with its healing gelatin) to a stock without adding taste; meat adds taste but supplies little medicinal value. For this reason, using both flesh and bones together results in a hearty and delicious bone stock—to be enjoyed on its own or used in cooking. Chicken is a favorite choice of many because it has a rather neutral flavor, but other stocks made from beef, fish, seafood, and vegetables deliver more mineral nutrition (see Table, below). When scanning the Table, pay less attention to numbers and more to appreciating the nutrition offered by different cooking ingredients. Also, precise numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt since the nutritional value of any stock will vary, of course, with the quality of ingredients, as well as your own digestive/absorptive capacity. An implicit message from the table is that any bone stock becomes more nutritious and more mineral-rich with the addition of vegetables…or herbs, and/or kelp.
Mineral Nutritional Value of Stocks
(milligrams per 100 grams)
| Type | Calcium | Magnesium | Potassium | Sodium | ZInc |
| Vegetable | 5.33 | 5.18 | 112 | 16.2 | 0.165 |
| Fish | 8.07 | 4.46 | 82.6 | 28.1 | 0.207 |
| Shrimp | 10.4 | 3.13 | 51.9 | 22.8 | 0.207 |
| Chicken | 6.08 | 1.88 | 47.7 | 8.64 | 0.191 |
| Beef | 10.8 | 3.76 | | 18.2 | 0.086 |
Source: Food and Our Bones, Annemarie Colbin, PhD
This newsletter cannot cover all these stock types. Bone stocks is a topic that fits perfectly this cold winter season and is more than enough for one newsletter. So, here we will focus on stocks made with bones and the medicinal reasons that make them worth the time and effort that is needed to prepare them. In an upcoming issue, we can turn our attention to fish and vegetable stocks, which require an hour or less to prepare and are more in keeping with the longer days and more outdoor time that comes with spring. Fish stocks are natural medicinal aids for people with thyroid problems (an issue that affects some 40 percent of the population). Vegetable stocks are adaptable to what is available throughout all four major seasons. Vegetable stocks add flavor and minerals to any dish and are a wonderful way, used as liquids in your favorite recipes, to add nutrition and to supplement the diets of picky eaters. But for now…let’s focus on bone stocks…
Bone Stocks for Bones. As noted, bone stocks are one of the best natural ways to grow bone and support bone health. Fortunately, at whatever age, there is much we can do to rebuild bone. Bones are hardly the rigid, static objects they appear. They are constantly in the process of remodeling—this is a combination of the catabolic/breaking down process called resorption, and the anabolic/building up process called deposition. The important thing to grasp is that bones are dynamic and that they act as storage “closets” where the body hangs extra protein and the minerals calcium, magnesium, sodium, and phosphorus to be readily available, like a winter coat, to meet the body’s needs when called upon. The human body stores in the bones 99 percent of its calcium, roughly 85 percent of is phosphorus, and between 40 and 60 percent of its total sodium and magnesium. These minerals give bones density, while the collagen matrix, which provides the matrix structure for the deposition of minerals, gives bones strength and flexibility. Bone stocks are an easy source of collagen, to foster strong, flexible bones. To build dense bones requires many factors, but one of the most important is the mineral magnesium, which is found in whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. Magnesium is needed for the absorption of calcium into bones—which might otherwise be deposited into joints and organs like the kidney and gallbladder. The magnesium levels of bone stocks, many of which are already high (third column, Table, above), can be enhanced by the addition of vegetables.
Collagen/Gelatin and Health. The potential link between gelatin (derived by simmering bone collagen) and health is fascinating. Gelatin was a popular remedy, especially for digestive issues, before the advent of synthetic drugs. While many of the early studies concerning the health benefits of gelatin have been lost, research by Francis Pottenger (“The Hydrophilic Colloidal Diet,” in Pottenger’s Cats, 1937) and N.R. Gotthoffer (Gelatin in Nutrition and Medicine, 1945) survive to this day and have much to offer us. Both research documents contain evidence of the potential health benefits of gelatin and draw more attention to gelatin’s potential healing power for many ills: digestive issues like Crohn’s, irritable bowel disease, and hyperacidity; bone health; immune issues; wound healing and skin diseases; rheumatoid arthritis and other joint diseases that involve collagen; detoxification; and even cancer. Research on gelatin seems to be reawakening; it is exciting and could fill a whole newsletter. If you enjoy science and are interested in reading further, I highly recommend “Why Broth is Beautiful—‘Essential Roles for Proline, Glycine and Gelatin’” by Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD. It is available on line through the Weston A. Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/brothisbeautiful.html. In addition, while Gotthoffer’s book is out of print and therefore expensive to obtain, a variety of findings from the book–about gelatin’s role in health–are quoted in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions. This book is not only readily available but also an asset for any cookbook shelf, particularly if you are interested in making stocks.
Our quick overview of gelatin and health would not be complete without saying a few words about the work of Francis Pottenger. Above all, gelatin is acknowledged for the important role it can play in healing digestive issues. For this affirmation, we owe much to the pioneering work of Pottenger. Pottenger realized that, unlike raw food which is “hydrophilic” and attracts digestive juices, cooked food is “hydrophobic,” and repels digestive juices. This causes food to become layered in the stomach, rather than being digested in a uniform mass, creating greater stomach acidity and digestive distress. Pottenger’s experiments showed that by adding gelatin to a cooked meal, foods were better able to absorb digestive juices (think how Jello works to draw in liquids), thus leading to smoother digestion and reduced stomach acidity. Based on this research, Pottenger successfully used gelatin-rich meat stocks both to treat disease and to support general health.
A Few Background Concepts Related to Bone Stocks, Health, and Cooking Preferences
Collagen. Connective tissue like animal skin, cartilage and bones are rich sources of collagen. In contrast to meat, which is just one percent collagen by weight, bones are about 20 percent collagen, pig skin around 30 percent, and animal knuckles up to 40 percent pure collagen. And, collagen– tough, resilient, and flexible—is really just gelatin molecules tightly bonded and intertwined as cross-linked triple helixes. Temperatures that create a gentle simmer efficiently break collagen’s triple helix bonds to release gelatin. The older the animal the longer it takes to break these bonds. At the same time, prolonged periods of heat weaken the gelatin molecules that have already been freed, rendering them less able to hold body and thicken liquids…so for jelling, prolonged simmering is not always better. Timing will be a function of your objectives: you can create a firm, gelatinous stock that simmers for less time (2-6 hours), or you can extract every bit of nutrition from the meat and bones and be able to consume the bones and marrow if you simmer your stock for 24 hours. Many professional chefs would advocate that meats should be tasted and stocks strained once meats have lost their flavor.
Gelatin. Gelatin has been criticized because it is not a complete protein and cannot sustain life on its own. This is true. A gelatin molecule is composed of close to 1,000 amino acids, but of the “essential” aminos, it has no tryptophan and lacks adequate amounts of methionine, histidine and tyrosine. Gelatin is really a rich source of only glycine and proline (along with hydroxyproline, its active form). And, to be health-supportive, gelatin, like all amino acids, requires the fat-soluble vitamins A and D in sufficient quantity. Still, with adequate supplemental nutrients, gelatin does deserve a place in health and healing: for digestive conditions; for those who cannot obtain or digest adequate protein (due to its protein-sparing role), and for those with wasting diseases (due to its ability to preserve muscle mass that might otherwise be dismantled in conditions of disease or malnutrition). Finally, as it relates to cooking, gelatin is the easiest, most flexible and most forgiving of all protein thickeners used in the kitchen. It can be heated and cooled numerous times, liquefying and re-jelling again and again.
Commercial Gelatin versus Bone Stocks, For Healing See Rebecca Wood ‘s thoughts, below.
Animal skin. Animal skin is made up largely of fat and connective tissue. Skin and fat add flavor to any stock, as well as extra collagen. Important to recall, too, is that fats are essential to allow us to absorb the mineral nutrients in foods. So you may want to cook a chicken, for example, with the skin.
But, some stock recipes call for skinning before beginning to cook… Lost in this process is not only the time required to skin but also the value that fat can add to a stock. So why bother? One reason is that at high temperatures, fat, which might normally remain floating at the top of a simmering pot, can begin at a prolonged boil to be dispersed throughout the liquid, producing a greasy tasting stock. Since you always begin a bone stock with cold water and heat it slowly to allow the flesh to gradually release nutrients into the water, it can be hard to control the heat if you are not watching carefully. What you want is to have the water move slowly to a simmer but without boiling. Obviously, a watchful eye is not always easy with life’s distractions and/or with family about. Also, if you are like me and prepare multiple foods when in the kitchen, it can be hard to devote the attention required to catch the simmer before it breaks into a boil. For this reason, skinning may help you avoid the risk of a greasy stock.
Stock pot or slow cooker? Stock pots are wonderful, especially for vegetable and fish stocks that have a short cooking time. But, considering the long time that bone stocks require and that we may not want to leave our pot on the stove unattended for the long hours of cooking, you may prefer, as I often do, the convenience and security of an effortless slow cooker.
Acidic additives…vinegar or wine? Bone stocks do very well without the addition of vinegar or wine. The result will likely be a more gelatinous stock, since acids can weaken gelatin. At the same time, you may not extract as much nutrition without the addition of an acid. It really depends upon what you are trying to achieve. Should you opt for an acid component to extract more nutrients, a good rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of vinegar or a half a cup of wine for every two quarts of liquid.
Making Bone Stocks… Equipment and Materials
There are a host of wonderful cookbooks describing how to make bone stocks. Many suggest a large stock pot and organic meats, which you bring to just a boil, reduce the heat, skim off foam that floats to the surface, add vegetables, and keep at a slow simmer for some hours depending on the meat…beef for at least 8 hours so it has time to surrender all its minerals and flavor, and chicken for about half that time. I truly enjoy reading the author/chefs who describe this process and, much like cooking shows on television, I can live the dream along with them–down to imagining the wonderful aromas as well as the delicious tastings from frequent sampling of the stock as it gathers richness and body.
But if you have never cooked stocks, I want to be realistic. I want you to be successful. And, I want it to be easy. I usually use a slow cooker for bone stocks because I cannot stay in the kitchen hour after hour, and I am also not comfortable leaving the house with a pot on the stove. So, for now, since bone stocks cook for very long periods and because our modern world is full of distractions and commitments that pull us out of the kitchen, I recommend a slow cooker, especially if you are just starting out to with bone stocks. A slow cooker is easy, safe, effortless, and rather fail-proof.
Special equipment you will need:
- A slow cooker large enough for your needs (or stock pot, if you choose)Strainers and sieves; perhaps cheese cloth if you desire a clearer stock
- A cooking thermometer is helpful to monitor temperatures with a stock pot
A few guidelines:
- Water should barely cover ingredients. Add more if needed
- Never salt a stock. Bones have sodium and flavors concentrate
- Start with cold water and bring just to a simmer, with bubbles barely breaking the surface of the water. Never boil a stock. High temperatures can integrate the fat with the liquid, resulting in a “greasy” rather than a clean tasting stock. A slow cooker is perfect for a slow simmer: Even“High” is calibrated to be below the boiling point.
- Skim the impurities that rise to the top…most foam will rise in the first hour of cooking
- Taste the meat when you suspect it has surrendered its essence. When tasteless, stop cooking and strain the stock, unless you are making a 24-hour stock and intend to eat the bones
- Cool the stock and allow the fat to rise to the top. Skim off the fat when it congeals
Stocks keep in the refrigerator for about a week, but should be boiled about every three days to kill bacteria. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Always bring a thawed stock back to the boil to restore its life.
Many bone stocks use both meat and bones. Bones provide collagen and gelatin for health; meat, which has only 1 % collagen, provides taste. Rich, delicious stocks are the result of using both.
Bone Stock Recipes…From the Simple to the More Complex
With no recollection of my own bone stock beginning, I suspect that I started making bone stocks because of Timothy Aitken, L.Ac., a kind and wise healer whom I first met years ago as a teacher at the Natural Gourmet Institute. His recipe for a 24-hour bone stock is below. It uses a slow cooker and is easy and effortless. Next is my own favorite version based on Tim’s, using organic chicken legs–because legs are succulent and economical and because the abundant joint tissue gives a high collagen/gelatin yield. The next recipe is for a very rich bone stock from my good friend Ellen Arian, a professional whole foods chef. This recipe, by adding vegetables, is rich in magnesium and potassium. Last you will find a beef stock recipe from Annemarie Colbin that explains some of the merits of marrow. This recipe could be made richer with the addition of 1-2 pounds of beef short rib.
Eight Branches Organic Chicken Bone Soup
4 pound organic chicken, well-washed and skinned
4 skinned chicken breasts, or other chicken pieces, if there is room in the pot
1-2 large onions, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
3-5 ribs of celery
Place chicken in large crock pot with enough water to cover plus 2 inches extra and begin cooking on high. When simmering well, turn to low and cook for about 20 hours, adding more water to keep covered, if needed. Add chopped vegetables about 2 hours before you plan to finish. Broth may be strained and used as a tonic when recovering from colds or the flu; it may also be used in soups, bean dishes, or to cook grains (my favorite…I freeze this in 2 cup batches and cook with grains in my rice cooker) Chicken may be eaten, bones and all…alone, in salads, as additions to soups, etc.
Source: Tim Aitken, L.Ac.,Eight Branches Healing Arts
Pathways4Health Chicken/Bone Stock
Three pounds (about 12 legs) of organic chicken, or whatever fits well in your slow cooker
2 Bay leaves
Sprig of Fresh rosemary, or 1 t. dried, if desired (it is a good anti-inflammatory); 1 t. dried thyme
4 quarts boiling water
¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar or ½ cup white wine (to be added later).
Combine all ingredients but the vinegar in a 4-5 quart slow cooker, turned to high. Skim off foam, if it exists. Let legs cook for about 4 hours until meat begins to fall off the bone. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large bowl. When cooled a bit, remove the meat from the bones and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for another use. [Since meat is just 1% collagen, saving it to eat and cooking the bones for gelatin is my preference to avoid waste, unless your goal is to maximize taste.]
Return bones to slow cooker along with all the knuckle, gristle, and skin. Add the apple cider vinegar. Turn slow cooker to low, cover with lid, and let simmer for up to 20 more hours.
Strain the stock, reserving the bones and discarding the other solids. Store the bones in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Cool the stock overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator, then remove the fat from the top and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you chose to try eating the bones, the sensation is a bit like eating shoe-string potatoes…slightly crunchy, rich, and satisfying. Marrow is full of bone-building minerals, of course, as well as fat to help with their absorption.
Very, Very Rich Chicken Bone Stock… A bowl or two can make a meal.
3-4 pound chicken, whole or in parts
12 cups cold water
3 or 4 large carrots
2 or 3 celery stalks, with leaves
1 parsnip
1 onion, peeled
½ head garlic
1 leek
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Handful fresh parsley leaves and stems
8 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Other vegetable scraps, like fennel fronds, chard stems or squash ends
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Fine sea salt to taste
Into a large stock pot, place cleaned chicken and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that appears.
Meanwhile, clean the vegetables and herbs, and cut the vegetables into large pieces so that they will fit inside the pot. Add all the ingredients, except the sea salt, to the soup pot. Bring the soup to a boil again, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer uncovered. After the first hour of simmering, remove the chicken, take the meat off the bone, and set it aside to be added back to the soup when it’s finished cooking (boiled meat is rather spent after 6 hours in a pot). Simmer the soup uncovered for another five hours. Then remove it from the heat, strain, skim the fat if there is an abundance, and serve with the reserved chicken pieces. This serves a family of five, so it can be cut down.
Source: Ellen Arian, www.ellensfoodandsoul.com
Beef Stock
Once you’ve made this stock, don’t be so quick to discard the bones. The marrow that remains within is a rich source of calcium, fat, iron, and zinc. In fact, it has three times more calcium than milk, ounce for ounce. Although it’s fallen out of favor as a food, marrow was an esteemed source of nutrients in the past. If you’d like to give it a try, blow or scrape it out of the bones after the stock is cooked, spread it on whole grain toast, and top with a little
salt and white pepper.
Makes 3 quarts.
2 pounds beef marrow bones
4 quarts cold water
1 large carrot, top ½ inch discarded, chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup parsley stems (no leaves, which add green color)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red or white wine, or 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
Place the bones in a stockpot with the water, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Skim off as much of the foam as possible.
Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, parsley stem, oil, and wine, lower the heat to maintain a very low simmer and cook for 6 to 8 hours with the lid ajar, skimming occasionally.
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve without pressing on the solids. Cool the stock before storing in the refrigerator overnight, then remove the fat from the top. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Source: Annemarie Colbin
Reading Resources:
Rebecca Wood, Award-Winning Julia Child Chef, on… Traditional Bone Stock (Gelatin)
Here’s how the classic energy tonic, bone stock, deliciously soothes whatever ails you. It increases endurance and strengthens the gastro intestinal tract and the immune system. Plus it sublimely increases the flavor and texture of savory dishes.
How does purchased stock compare to home-made? Like cut glass to a diamond. It is stock that ultimately determines the success of a dish. Thus cooks world-wide and through the centuries have regarded silky, gelatinous, marrow bone stock as an essential ingredient for soups, sauces and pilafs.
Because gelatin is concentrated protein, you may regard it as the original–and healthful–protein isolate. These long chained protein molecules may be extracted from animal skins or bones.
Today’s commercial gelatin, however, is derived only from animal skins, it is a protein source, but that’s all. It is not an energy tonic. Whereas, gelatin extracted from bones is a nutritious source of protein as well as collagen, calcium, minerals and the amino acids proline and glycine. Bone stock is a remarkable and healing food.
Thus a traditional chicken stock made of the carcass is fondly dubbed “grandma’s penicillin” for its effectiveness in combating the flu. Stock made from poultry or other bones increases endurance and strengthens the immune system and veins, arteries, muscles, tendons, skin and bones. It also soothes and heals the gastro-intestinal tract and is thus a potent medicine for people suffering from food sensitivities and digestive or bowel problems.
Even vegetarians use this gelatinous tonic medicinally because bones, like leather, are a by-product. Thus, no matter your dietary preferences, health or age, you’ll benefit from bone stock.
The secret to a bone energy tonic is long cooking with a little solvent such as vinegar or wine to extract nutrients. Because bones are dense it takes a long time to draw out all their nutrients. Excessive cooking will break-up the earliest-released gelatin molecule chains and produce (when chilled) a thin—instead of a thickly quivering—gelatin. Therefore, for thick gelatin, you may extract three different batches of stock from one pot of bones.
Stock is a forgiving recipe that easily accommodates your schedule and a little under- or over-cooking. Do try it and soon you’ll gain a sense of mastery and your own stock rhythm.
I make a week’s supply of bone stock and use it liberally in any savory dish that calls for liquid. Or, for a quick pick-me-up, I season it to taste and drink this consommé as an on-the-spot restorative.
A Final Comment…
In doing research for this newsletter, I was fortunate to have a conversation with scientist and practitioner Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, who wrote the “Broths are Beautiful” article referred to on above. I called her to ask where to find a reliable, organic source of dried gelatin for use in cooking. This question turned into a broader discussion about gelatin, bone stocks, and health. My conversation with Kaayla made me aware that many who are interested in stocks for the health benefits they can provide are not comfortable using animal bones. In response to my question about how to improve the gelatinous quality of my own stocks, Kaayla reminded me that one of the very best ways to derive gelatin from bones is to use shanks, knuckles, and marrow bones. Of course this would be the case since they contain up to twice as much collagen as regular bones (page 5). These are delicious slow-simmered with beans for a hearty and nutritious meal. This traditional way of cooking makes so much sense since the gelatin in knuckle-type bones would act as a protein-sparing agent for meals relying simply on the protein of beans. In our next newsletter we plan to expand upon this concept while offering recipes for shank soups, hocks and beans, bone marrow spreads…the perfect antidote to the March damp chill and biting winds.
Kaayla helped me recognize that some of you may not want to cook with bones. Also, organic knuckle- and shank-type bones maybe hard to find. So, I decided to add one last resource section to this newsletter… to provide sources where you can order homemade organic stocks. Some of the providers listed below also sell organic shank, marrow, and knuckle bones. For a more complete listing, see the Weston A. Price Foundation shopping guide, www.westonaprice.org.
Sources for Organic Bone Stocks:
- Bonewerks stocks (800-542-3032)
- Chesapeake Gardens beef, chicken and fish stocks (800-886-0272)
- Grazin’Acres beef and chicken stock (608-727-2904)
- Green Acres Farm beef and chicken stock (717-661-5293)
- Miller’s Organic Farm beef, chicken and fish stock (717-556-0672)
- Perfect Addition frozen stocks (949-640-0220)
- Stock Options stocks and demi glace (503-236-7810)
- US Wellness Meats beef stock (877-383-0051)
As always, readers are invited to join the discussion in our comment section below and share this month’s newsletter with a friend by clicking on the green “ShareThis” link at the top of this page.
Copyright 2010 Pathways4Health.org
Summer Culture and the Summer Kitchen
Traditionally at this time of the year, our forebears gladly left behind the warm hearth of the “keeping room” and moved to the “summer kitchen.” The summer kitchen was an addition added to the back of the house for hot-weather meal preparation and dining. Facing north, this segment was positioned to escape the intense rays of the summer sun. The summer kitchen provided an informal lifestyle, with meals centered upon food picked fresh from the garden, using minimal application of heat for cooking.
Today, the warmer, extended days of summer invite us also to shift to a less-formal way of living. Summer can encourage us to change the pace, to lighten up, to adventure, and to try out new experiences. In view of the glorious fresh produce that summer gifts to us, I cannot think of a better concept to fit these seasonal themes than to ferment fruits and vegetables from our own backyards, orchards, or our local farmers’ market.
Fermenting invites exploration, experimentation and innovation because any fruit or vegetable can be fermented. It is an age-old technique that relies on the natural abundance of lactobacillus and other beneficial bacteria (that are associated with all plant foods and raw milk), as well as their ability to convert carbohydrates into lactic acid, other organic acids, and carbon dioxide. It is a different process from alcoholic fermentation, which involves yeast working on carbohydrates to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide, so fermented foods can be enjoyed by people who are yeast-sensitive.
Fermenting fits the spirit of the summer kitchen because it requires no heat source and no fancy equipment. It is a living, dynamic process. Results will vary with temperature, humidity, and the ingredients used. Even with the same ingredients, every fermenting experiment can be unique, since fruits and vegetables vary in their degree of ripeness and nutrient density. And, ferments will also be unique because they incorporate on any given occasion a kaleidoscope of fermenting microorganisms from within your local environment. Of the millions of microbial cultures, no exact set will ever be replicated again in quite the same way. It is an endlessly interesting experience.
Why Ferment?
In the modern world of refrigeration/freezing we no longer must rely upon fermentation to preserve our food. But with the convenience of cooling appliances, have we lost sight of the health-enhancing qualities inherent in fermented foods? These were benefits that our ancestors seemed to appreciate so well. In the past, fermentation helped make foods more digestible and more nutritious and served to boost their immunity in times before antibiotics.
Because the lactobacillus is so prevalent, it quickly destroys toxins and makes foods more digestible and nutritious as it creates new vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. It enhances the taste of fruits and vegetables, especially as a condiment, and as you gradually acclimatize to the refreshing “zip.” And, fermenting foods is another way to “eat local” since preparing foods in this way helps incorporate beneficial local microbial organisms into meals.
Fermented Foods and Immunity…Probiotics. Fermented foods are “pro-biotics.” Unlike “anti-biotics” which kill off good intestinal flora, fermented foods are a natural source of “friendly” bacteria for the digestive system. They help to preserve and restore the balance of good bacteria in the intestinal tract to keep harmful bacteria and yeast in check. Establishing good intestinal flora is like providing and supporting the proper soil nutrients in an organic garden. A commercially-raised carrot will not have the same nutrient density as one grown organically. And, similarly, an organic carrot will not be digested and absorbed unless the “soil” of the digestive system is enriched by adequate friendly bacteria to allow for its proper assimilation. As fermentation guru Sandor Katz suggests:
By eating a variety of live fermented foods, you promote diversity among microbial cultures in your body…Your body is an ecosystem that can function most effectively when populated by diverse species of microorganisms.
Our digestive system is the seat of our immunity. Having a healthy intestinal environment is the cornerstone of a strong immune system because it is here that the lymphoid tissue of the intestine creates lymphocytes and immunoglobulins. Friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract are also essential for the proper functioning of disease/cancer fighters like neutropils, macrophages, interferons, and cytokines. It is for these reasons that more than 80 percent of our immune system resides in the “gut.”
Prebiotics. As mentioned above, almost anything can be fermented, and in infinite combinations. Fermentation can help put diversity back into our diet. Our Palaeolithic ancestors ate from an estimated 500 plant species, which provided a wide array of “prebiotic” foods. Prebiotics are non-digestible foods that foster the growth of friendly bacteria. Key prebiotics are foods with soluble-fiber such as tempeh (fermented soybeans), raw oats, whole wheat and barley, as well as inulin-containing foods like onions, garlic, chicory, jicama, and Jerusalem artichokes. Manufactured and prepared foods in the modern diet leave many people deficient both with respect to probiotics and prebiotics:
It may or may not be a coincidence that increases in inflammatory conditions in general, allergic conditions, obesity, coronary heart disease, and cancers in the western world have paralleled the decreased consumption of probiotics and prebiotics, but also a reduced variation in the prebiotics consumed.
Fermentation Opens the Door to Possibility, To the Wonders of the “Whole” Beyond the Analysis of the Microscope. In the “magical” process of fermentation, microflora working on foods produce alcohol, lactic acid, and acetic acid. These substances work as “bio-preservatives” to retain nutrients, prevent spoilage, and make food more digestible. Sandor Katz defines fermentation as “the action of life upon death” whereby living organisms consume food matter and transform it, freeing nutrients for the further sustenance of life. Indeed, fermentation brings a bit of alchemy right into our own homes. It can open any kitchen to the worlds of innovation, exploration, and experimentation, and it can awaken the imagination:
The deeper we go into the facts of life, the more mysteries we encounter. Analyzing living systems, we often have to pull them to pieces, decompose complex biological happening into simple reactions. The smaller and simpler the system we study, the more it will satisfy the rules of physics and chemistry, the more we will understand it, but also the less ‘alive’ it will be. So when we have broken down living systems to molecules and analyzed their behavior, we may kid ourselves into believing that we know what life is, forgetting that molecules have no life at all.(( Nobel laureate Albert Von Szent-Gyorgyi.))
Fermenting Foods…A Simple Beginning Using Quality Vegetables and Salt
This newsletter is meant to simply whet your appetite for fermenting foods. Reading Sandor Katz’ and Nancy Lee Bentley’s books (see resource list, page 5) may inspire you to think of fermenting some of your favorite foods, particularly since this process is so closely tied to digestive-immune health and a mainstay defense against chronic disease.
Fermenting Basics
How Does It Work?
The lactobacilli culture is on the surface of all plants—grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. As mentioned above, lactobacilli work on carbohydrates in fresh produce, producing lactic-acid. As long as you have a preponderance of lactobacilli to start, they will destroy the pathogenic bacteria and dominate a fermenting culture. Salt is needed in the first several days to check putrefying bacteria until sufficient lactic acid builds up to take on the preservation role. Lactic acid increases the vitamin and enzyme content of foods, while it also supports good gut flora, neutralizes anti-nutrients, and improves digestibility.
What Do You Need?
All that is required… fresh organic vegetables, a sharp knife and vegetable grater, sea salt, filtered water, wide-mouth jars or glass/ceramic nesting bowls, and a tamper.
Containers: Glass jars or ceramic bowls work best. Avoid metal since fermenting acids and salt will corrode metal.
If using a bowl, a cylindrical shape is best because this shape is easiest to cover and weight ingredients to extract juices and to assure that all food is submerged. A round bowl requires only a plate to cover and then a weight placed on top. The weight can simply be a jar filled with water, or anything you have on hand. Once ingredients are weighted, the salt will continue to extract liquids from the foods, which usually results in ingredients that are submerged in their own juices by the following day.
If using wide-mouthed jars, be sure to pack ingredients tightly, using a tamper or your hands. If necessary, weight by nesting another jar filled with water on top of salted ingredients until enough liquid has been extracted to cover ingredients. You may need to add a bit of brine. Allow an inch or two at the top of the jar since foods and juices will expand during fermentation.
Salt: Salt not only pulls water from foods, but it also discourages the growth of “bad” bacteria, while allowing lactobacilli (which can survive in a salty environment) to set to work. After 2-3 days of fermentation, vegetables begin to soften and acidify. If you prefer to ferment without salt, you might try celery juice as a substitute. A good rule of thumb is to use 2-3 tablespoons of salt for every 5 pounds of vegetables. Use only a quality sea salt, since supermarket salts have added aluminum and anti-caking agents.
Brine: Brine, which is simply sea salt diluted in filtered water, helps to protect against the growth of undesirable microorganisms, and it also helps enhance the flavor of the fermentation. How much salt you use is a matter of taste. The saltier the brine, the slower your foods will ferment, and the more sour (acidic) the final product. Ultimately, with too much salt, no microbacteria can survive.
Fresh and Pure Produce: Make sure that your foods, utensils, and jars are cleaned well. Fresh, local, organic foods not only are the most nutrient-dense, but also will have the most water, which is something that aids fermenting when the goal is to assure that all ingredients are submerged. Vegetables lose water with time and do not ferment as easily.
Steps to Follow:
Preparing foods for fermentation: Fresh vegetables are usually chopped or grated. I find grating works best if you are using wide-mouthed quart jars, where food is a little trickier to pack and to weight since the jar is not a perfect cylinder. Grating allows you to pack foods like shredded cabbage or carrots tightly into a wide-mouthed jar, which can be done with your hands or a tamper
Grating or finely chopping foods creates more surface area for the salt to work. Salt pulls out juices and pectins from vegetables, giving them more “crunch.” Pounding, packing, and weighting foods breaks down cellular walls and helps draw liquids. (You may want to chop rather than to grate beets, since beet sugar can ferment rapidly, favoring alcohol over lactobacilli…unless, of course, this is your intention!)
Fermenting whole vegetables: To ferment whole vegetables, such as cucumbers, zucchini, string beans, green onions, garlic, etc, mix a brine to taste and be sure vegetables are completely submerged.
Submerging ingredients: The key principle to assuring a good fermentation is to have all ingredients submerged in liquid so they are not exposed to air. Fermentation is a biochemical anaerobic (without air) process that involves the oxidation of sugars and starches. Should there not be enough liquid to submerge ingredients, simply mix a bit of filtered water with sea salt to create a brine and cover to insure that all ingredients are submerged. If ingredients are allowed to come in contact with air, they may mold. This mold is harmless…just scrape it off since all the foods below are perfectly fine. You may want to add a bit more brine to insure in the future that liquid is sufficient to block oxygen.
Time and Temperature: At a room temperature of 70-75 degrees, foods should ferment in two to four days. They should then be moved to the refrigerator or a cool, dark place.
Reading Resources:
Sandor Katz, Wild Fermentation
Nancy Lee Bentley, Truly Cultured
Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions
Simple Fermenting in Your Summer Kitchen:
Starter Recipe: Master Vegetable Ferment in a Quart Jar:
One wide-mouth quart jar
Grated clean, fresh, organic vegetables
Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of sea salt
Pack firmly into the jar, in layers as you go, either with your hands or a tamper
Use filtered water to fill to the cover ingredients, leaving an inch at the top because both ingredients and liquid will expand during fermenting.
Cover with a lid and leave at room temperature for three days, assuming a room temperature around 70 degrees. Warmer temperatures require less time, and cooler will require more.
Vegetables that work well when grated: Cabbage, carrots, turnips, daikon radish, zucchini, garlic.
Pickled Zucchini
Young zucchini with tender skin, grated
2 teaspoons of sea salt for every 2 pounds of zucchini
Filtered water
Pack grated zucchini into a quart jar. Mix sea salt with filtered water and add. Place on counter top for 3 days and then move the jar to the refrigerator. This is good with a salad of fresh tomatoes, onion, and zucchini.
Of all the vegetables man can conserve through lacto-fermentation, cabbage has been man’s preferred choice”…Annelies Schoneck.
Simple Sauerkraut
One head of organic fresh cabbage, shredded
2 Tablespoons Celtic or sea salt
Filtered water
Mix cabbage and salt. Pound cabbage with a rubber or wooden mallet or a meat tenderizer to bruise cabbage to help release juices. Pack cabbage into a quart jar with a tamper or your hands, leaving about 2” of space at the top. Add filtered water until cabbage is fully submerged. Cover the jar with a lid and leave at room temperature for 3-7 days. Taste everyday after the third day and place in the refrigerator when you are satisfied with the taste. The kraut will keep in the refrigerator for two to three months.
Variations: I like to mix in some grated apple or carrot, or try some seasonings like caraway seed or juniper berries.
Ginger Carrots (yield: 1 quart)
4 cups grated carrots, tightly packed
1 T. freshly grated ginger
1 T. sea salt
In a bowl, mix all ingredients and pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer to release juices. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down firmly with a pounder until juices cover the carrots. The top of the carrots should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.
Source: Sally Fallon
A Final Comment…The Art of Fermenting Varies With the Lens of the Artist…Just as in our June 2009 newsletter discussion of natural sweeteners, it seems even the experts do not agree. Fermenting is truly an art and you are welcome to indulge in your own “writer’s license.” It seems that fermenting is generally more predictable when you seal off oxygen and when you add whey for the acidity that it adds, but neither is essential. You can see what fits best for you and how much experimentation and variation you are willing to tolerate. There are many workable variations…
Is whey necessary to ferment fruit?
• “Whey is essential in the recipes calling for fruit.”…Sally Fallon
• “We ferment with a mix of vegetables and fruits, but you can ferment fruit alone…If you have extra whey, use it, but it is not necessary.”…Richard Pooley, M.D.
• Sandor Katz also ferments fruits without whey (See recipe below).
Recognizing that produce needs to be submerged in brine, must you also cover with a lid thought the fementing process?
• “Ferment “until ripe. Taste your ferments as often as you like for the taste that you find most pleasing to you.”…Sandor Katz
• “Leave a 1 inch space at the top of the jar…and close the lid tightly…the presence of oxygen, once fermentation has begun, will ruin the final product.”…Sally Fallon
Fruit Kimchi
¼ pineapple 1 small bunch of grapes, stemmed
2 pitted plums ½ cup cashews, or other nuts
2 cored pears 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cored apple 1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt 1-2 hot chilies or red hot pepper in any form, fresh or dried
Juice of one lemon 1 leek or onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped 3 T. grated ginger
Chop fruit into bite-sized pieces. Leave grapes whole. Add in any other fruit you want to try. Add nuts and mix together. Add salt, lemon juice, and spices and mix well. Stuff kimchi mixture into a clean quart-size jar. Pack tightly into the jar, pressing down until the brine rises. If necessary, add a little water. Weight down with a smaller jar, filled with water, nested at the top. As this sweet kimchi ages, it will develop an increasingly alcoholic flavor. Let age on the countertop about a week. Shift it to the refrigerator.
Source: Sandor Katz, Wild Fermentation
Copyright 2009 Pathways4Health
