A Superfood Summer, Ethically

A Superfood

Summer, Ethically

“Superfood”: a word so overused it makes many of us groan. Cynically believing the term to be just another clever marketing ploy, those of us who utter groans of frustration at the inclusion of the word in conversations with friends most likely determinedly wave a dismissive hand and close any discussion that cares to promote such things. But, truth is, many “mainstream” foods are just as worthy of superfood status. Exceptionally nutrient-rich wholefoods that are mostly consumed raw, what makes them so beneficial to our health is the bioavailability of what they contain, oftentimes anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, detoxifying and immunosupportive and energy promoting – a superfood is a food which makes us feel, well, pretty super.

From nuts and seeds to humdrumseeming broccoli and kale, as well as those widely lauded berries (the Hollywood starlets of the fruit world) – generally, fruits and vegetables offer awesome beneficial properties for our overall wellbeing. However, when it comes to the more exotic (and more expensive) superfoods, the question of ethics these days is a valid one, not just in terms of environmental cost in harvesting and exporting/importing (pandemic problems with such aside), but as pertains to cultural appropriation (a valid concern in the twenty-first century, and a debate which concerned yoga in the West not too long ago, as well). For instance, cacao is commonplace in shops today (“duh”, we hear you guffaw): from grocery stores to cafés worldwide, its history was nonetheless located in Mesoamerica, specifically Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Originally harvested in approximately 1900 BCE, the ancient Mayans believed it heaven-sent by the feathered serpent god, Kukulkan. The beans were used as currency and victorious soldiers were honoured with it. Now, we know that its popularity is fundamentally due to the anandamide it contains, a neurotransmitter also referred to as the “bliss molecule”: it reduces fear and anxiety and offers a momentary euphoric feeling.

However, these days – because we like our chocolate bars cheap and readily available; because of the state of the Amazon rainforest now – 75% of global cocoa production happens in West Africa (Ghana, Cameroon, and Côte D’Ivoire). And the forests there are suffering too. Indeed, in the last half century, 80% of forests on the Côte D’Ivoire have been lost to cocoa farming. But it’s the human cost which rises up cobra-like to strike at our hunger that matters: the cocoa industry might be a lucrative one, but farmers themselves are often subsisting on under £1 per day. While buying chocolate aligned with the Rainforest Alliance helps to replant the forests, ensuring your cocoa is only Fairtrade helps to make sure the labour that brings such a delicacy to your household is paid for, well, fairly.

Food Facts: Fonio

Fonio: never heard of it? Well, that soon will change. A protein-rich grain (one might even say “supergrain”), fonio is being lauded as the next big thing in skin, sleep, and gut health. Intrigued? Read on.

For those who like their grains less carbohydrate dense and more protein providing, fonio joins the ranks of farro, barley, and quinoa. A naturally glutenfree grain that has been harvested in West Africa for thousands of years, fonio has been compared to millet, while its nutty taste and earthy texture is said to be similar to cornmeal.

The Dogon people of Mali deemed it “the grain at the root of all existence” and it has even been found in tombs in the pyramids of Egypt. Some powerful historic marketing. But why is it so revered?

Well, as a wholegrain, it is beneficial for the cardiovascular system and also provides fibre (far better a portion of fonio than white rice or couscous). Rich in iron, zinc, B vitamins, and the amino acids methionine and cysteine, fonio supports healthy growth and repair of tissues, while its magnesium content aids sleep cycle maintenance.

Sounds good to us – and who can argue with the wisdom of the Ancient Egyptians?

What, then, of açai? Remember when those dark purple berries became the latest craze? You still can’t go too far without coming across an açai-inclusive smoothie bowl or two (notably on photoheavy social media platforms), but should we really have appropriated this native species of the Amazon into the West? Their distinctive purple hue come the compound anthocyanin, açai berries are powerpacked with fibre, calcium, even healthy fats. And they’re deemed a superfood as they’re thought to be anticarcinogenic and help lower bad cholesterol. Furthermore, studies have shown their antioxidant properties can assist in bettering postexercise muscle recovery. Nonetheless, their original consumers were Brazil’s Ribeirinhos (or “river people”), the berries most accessible to them and western tastes for açai threaten local biodiversity as more wild forest is cultivated for açai production in homogenising fashion. As with cacao, buying only from those companies aligned with forest conservation is one way to ameliorate the state of affairs somewhat, but the essential question remains: do we really need these berries in our diet? After all, in this era of critical climate warnings, what of the logic of eating seasonally and locally..?

The colonialist-begun mentality of “universal entitlement” needs to stop. If these products are harming local people through alteration of the natural environment and unfair and oftentimes dangerous working conditions, it goes without saying that it is unethical to be deriving pleasure from such things. Of course, this notion could be compared to vegans’ perspective on eating animalsourced foods. On which point, it is worth including – for the sake of a balanced presentation on the topic – informative mention of non-plant-based “superfoods”, also.

Biodynamic regenerative farmers will assert that, in addition to healing the soil, their organic and holistic farming practices provide not just top-quality muscle flesh from their grass-fed free-range animals, but prime offal, too. And liver is one such organ considered to offer superfood benefits. Within a 100g portion, you’ll find 3,460% of the RDA of vitamin B12, vital for red blood cell formation, healthy brain function, and our very DNA. You’ll also find up to 1,100% of the RDA of vitamin A – as written previously in this issue, vitamin A is in the spotlight at the moment in its possible assistance in recovery of smell post-Covid infection. There’s also around 260% of the RDA of riboflavin (vitamin B2), 65% of the RDA of folate (vitamin B9), and 80% of the RDA of iron, as well as 1,620% of the RDA of copper (crucial for activation of numerous enzymes and regulation of energy production).

Liver, though, was once a valued indigenous community foodstuff, reserved for chiefs and women and children. West Nile tribes discovered by one Dr Weston Price in the 1930s (such as the Nuer people of Sudan) apparently had amazing dental health and were of impressive stature – and they deemed liver sacred, never held in the hand, but eaten raw or cooked on a spear, sabre, or forked stick. This is because it was believed the soul of a person lives in the liver and can be best fortified with the livers of other animals. Similarly, the children of Comanche Native American Indians are said to have run up to returned hunters and begged for the raw liver from a freshly killed animal.

However, raw liver out of a fresh carcass aside, the very thought of shop-bought offal makes a fair few people squeamish. A term which encompasses not only liver, but also the tongue, heart, kidneys, and other such parts of an animal, when “superfood” is applied to offal, it is – like plant-based superfoods – in respect of the nutrient density. By eating offal from only organic, grass-fed animals, you can be sure it is “clean” offal. Additionally, offal is affordable due to diminished popularity, and it is by-and-large a lean protein that leaves a person feeling fuller for longer (meaning less likelihood of fatty/sugary snacking after a meal). Importantly, though, offal consumption fulfils “nose-to-tail” eating, the wholecarcass philosophy of ethical omnivorism which doesn’t waste an animal’s life just for a prime cut of muscle meat.

An interesting comparative point to bear in mind, at least, as we step forward into summery salad day plans…

Jackfruit Snapshot

For those who are plant-based, jackfruit is a boon. A delightfully palatable alternative to meat, these days Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit’s official name) permits vegans and plant-based experimenters alike the “fleshy texture” of meat products which they might miss. Able to grow up to 40kg, a fourteenth-century traveller once compared its large size to “a lamb and a three-year-old child” (in fact, the Bengali word for jackfruit means “tree mutton”).

However, it really isn’t a new thing: in South Asia, jackfruit has been a staple foodstuff for quite literally centuries. And, according to JSTOR, British imperialists fed it to those they enslaved and had labour for them, as it was “cheap nutrition”. They even cultivated it in the Caribbean for this purpose. Makes that mock pulled pork roll slightly less palatable, doesn’t it?

Nevertheless, today’s researchers have found that jackfruit it beneficial not just as a meat substitute (low and behold), but holistically too, its leaves and bark able to be utilised for “traditional medicines” as an anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal. Redemption from its tainted history? Perhaps.

Organic Kitchen Young Jackfruit is subtle in flavour and a perfect meat alternative for sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and salads. Just add your favourite spices or seasonings.

Our jackfruit is processed and tinned right on the plantation in Sri Lanka before being shipped to your local retailer.

Recipe Idea: Pulled BBQ Jackfruit. Drain and rinse the jackfruit, add to a roasting tin with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes at 200C. Pull apart the jackfruit with a fork and add BBQ sauce. For more recipe ideas, visit organickitchen.co.uk

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Why Not to Overlook Okra

Okra is one of those vegetables which divides opinion: you either love it or hate it. However, it could be that you just don’t particularly enjoy it when it’s cooked in such a way as to be too “slimy”. It’s certainly worth giving these green “ladies’ fingers” the benefit of the doubt, though, due to the quite simply brilliant health properties they offer.

Another cultural appropriation, they were originally grown in Ethiopia and Egypt, before okra cultivation spread through North Africa and the Middle East and found its way to North America with settlers and slaves.

Fibre-rich, okra are a boon for the gut: with 3g of fibre per cup, it is actually the slimy or slippery texture of okra that helps our intestinal lining most. Further, that fibre isn’t fermentable or FODMAPs fibre, and so okra are suitable for those with IBS and similar digestive issues. That same cupful will provide almost an entire day’s worth (RDA) of vitamin A, necessary for both our immune system entire and our ocular health, as well as roughly 23mg vitamin C and about 82mg of calcium.

With a variety of cooking methods, culturally determined, out there and with knowledge of just how good okra are for us, it’s no waste of time to turn to a recipe book and find the perfect style of okra for you. Who knows, you might even come to like that slightly different slippery texture…