T. Campbell's The China Study does bring one to consider the merits of a plant food diet. I suspect China's economy and way of life is changing so I wonder if the outcomes linked to geographical demographics in the study will be vastly different years from now. Good reason to keep studying China.
I have, however, stopped thinking that a certain diet is a panacea. Every one is different. But I will say I am ever open to challenges with value. And the value is to provide an alternative to vegans - or omnivores who wish for variety.
So this was my quest the past week: To provide a vegan option to the dollar burger.
The solution came in the form of organic mung beans. Yes, organic labels come with a premium on groceries. However, consider eating less as organic groceries have higher nutritive value. [1]
With a higher nutritive value, there is the benefit of eating smaller quantities of food. My grandmother who grew up under Japanese imperialism always spoke about eating 80% of maximum stomach capacity. It has been my observation that Koreans eat way more than their Japanese counterparts. Eating 80% of stomach capacity keeps the mind active and the body with more reserve in energy for other housekeeping matters than digesting food.
How does one gauge the effective point of satiety? I suppose the threshold is reached when one thinks, "Gosh, I want another piece of that pie but I really shouldn't."
George Burns took the 80% rule further to 50%; he only ate half of what was served on his plate. He gave the Okinawans a run for their yen.
Of course longevity has other factors than diet. Following one's dharma and cultivating meaningful connections are essential. I have a feeling George Burns was doing what was in his seed - making people laugh. He's the only centenarian I know who's puffed a lot of cigars.
But back to the quest. I take a cup of dry organic mung beans. Price: $1.00
The germination / sprouting charts make my head spin and I always forget information I can look up. So I soak most things for 24-hours. There is no harm in over-soaking.
Then I filter out the water and place the beans in a mesh cloth bag. Hang it and water the bag morning and night. If you tend to forget, place it in your shower. You'll remember it in the morning.
Once the tail grows the same or twice the length of the bean, take it out and steam in a small pot for a couple of minutes. Keep whatever green coat is left on the mung bean. I steam for a minute or two in boiling water. The green coats stay a vibrant green color. If the green becomes a dull khaki, there are less enzymes - and it just doesn't taste as good.
Take the beans out and place in a bowl. Sprinkle a little salt for taste. It's so simple and satisfying. There's warmth and texture.
And the nutritive value:
* 5 grams of protein. This is complete protein, meaning all 9 essential amino acids are there. What's more, the sprouting enhances proteolytic cleavage of protein. [2] Digestion is less taxing and there are amino acids for maximal uptake into the body. This is efficient protein.
* 9 grams of fiber
* One-third the daily recommended value of Vitamin C
* Significant amounts of Iron, Folate (necessary for mental well-being), Copper and Manganese.
* Polyphenols that help detoxify the body from pesticides and heavy metals
For a dollar a day, less than the price of hipster coffee, it is possible to grab a meal, stay mentally alert, and boost one's immunity.
Oh, and let's clear the air about flatulence and beans. Sprouted legume seeds are not as farty so you (and your office mates) can breathe easy. [3,4] Have a happy and healthy New Year! ~e
REFERENCES
1. Marcin Baranski, Dominika Srednicka-Tober, Nikolaos Volankakis, et al., "Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systemic literature review and meta-analysis," British Journal of Nutrition, 112, no. 5 (2014): 794-811.
2. Dongyan Tang, Yinma Dong, Hankun Ren, et al., "A review of
phytochemistry, metabolite changes, and medicinal uses of the common
food mung bean and its sprouts (Vigna radiata)," Chemistry Central Journal, 8, no. 4 (2014). Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3899625
3. Purintraphiban Sathithon and Xia Yan-bin, "Effect of sprouting the chemical and nutritional qualities and phenolic alkaloid content of lotus seeds," African Journal of Food Science, 6, no. 7 (2012): 204-211.
4. Hugo C. Silva and B.S. Luh, "Changes in oligosaccharides and starch granules in germinating beans," Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Journal, 12, no.3 (1979): 103-107.
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