Making Simple Food Taste Great

I've been learning that in order for simple, whole foods to taste good in their natural state, two things must happen.

1.  The addiction to foods in the Standard American Diet has to be overcome and the body rid of the toxins from those foods.

2.  Experiencing true hunger prior to eating makes the entire experience more enjoyable.

In Eat for Health and Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, the key to taste is to rid yourself of the toxins that make you addicted to certain foods.  Interestingly, humans as well as other primates are attracted to brightly colored foods, and we have a natural tendency to enjoy sweets (read this article in the Oxford Journal for more detailed information on fruit and primates).  Smart marketers cater their processed food to the public by making it pleasing to the eye and irresistible to the taste buds.
Too much salt can deaden our taste buds and we must add more and more to get the same pleasure from the food.  Here is an excerpt from the Doctor's Medical Library:
"Learn to enjoy the natural flavors of food. Your taste buds have been overstimulated for years with salt, among other items, to the extent that they cannot detect and enjoy subtle tastes. You may use spices in making the transition to the enjoyment of natural flavors. I suggest thyme, tarragon, paprika, sage, basil, dill and oregano. After the transition, you will discover that spices are unnecessary in most cases and the natural food tastes irreplaceable."
If we can curb our desire for additives to our food, we can allow our bodies to recover the ability to really taste our food.  This requires discipline and the willingness to go through withdrawal symptoms as our bodies begin to rid themselves of the toxins we ingest.

After the body goes through its detoxification stage, it's ready to learn what natural, simple food really tastes like.  Have you ever worked out and not been able to eat for awhile?  When you finally ate food, did the flavors seem to burst in your mouth?  When we eat when hungry, food becomes much more satisfying.  Dr. Fuhrman says that there is a difference between true hunger and what we feel when our body is in the detox state.  Read this link for more information on true hunger.

I've been in the process of avoiding salt and refined sugars.  Over time, I have noticed a difference in the way foods taste.  Now, I feel like I can appreciate each food's unique flavor(s).  It is a wonderful experience.  I still love to experiment with a variety of spices and mixing and matching the flavors of whole foods.  I just don't need the added sugar and salt (and who knows what else that I was ingesting from all that processed junk)!

#4, 5, and 6 on the Top 30 Superfoods

Here are the next 3 foods on the top 30 Superfood list by Dr. Fuhrman.

4. Bok Choy:

Bok Choy is one of two sub-groups of Chinese cabbage (Brassica Rapa) known as Chinensis.  Bok Choy is mostly grown in northern China and Europe, as well as in Canada and California year round, excluding July and August.  It is best purchased in the Fall and Winter months and will keep up to three days in the refrigerator.
Bok Choy is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Niacin and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.  Enjoy it cooked or raw for only 13 calories per 100g.


5. Spinach:

Spinach is an edible flowering plant composed of 90% water, most commonly found in central and south-western Asia, but can also be grown in throughout United States during the cool seasons.  Spinach can be grown indoors and out, but should avoid be grown in hot temperatures.  When storing, refrigerate or freeze.  Do not store near apples, melons, or tomatoes; they can yellow the leaves.  
Spinach is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.  This vegetable is extremely versatile and consumed for only 23 calories per 100g.


6. Broccoli Rabe:

Broccoli Rabe (Rabe, Raab or Rapini) is the Italian version of broccoli called Friarielli.  It can be grown year round, but thrives in the Northern Hemisphere during the Fall to Spring season.  It's yellow flowers are also edible.  Refrigerate unwashed Broccoli Rabe to extend its shelf life to a few days after purchasing.
Broccoli Rabe is low in Saturated Fat. It is also a good source of Pantothenic Acid, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Manganese.  This slightly bitter tasting broccoli can be enjoyed for 22 calories per 100g.


Stayed tuned for more Superfoods!


Thanks to Eat Right America for information and photos Copyright 2007, Nutritional Excellence, LLC. All rights reserved