Practical Preparations

Instructions on Disaster Preparedness and Healthy Living

Nutrient Losses in White Flour

Mar 9

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Our family eats only whole grain products. We grind all of grains fresh as we need them. Many people find this to be odd, but have never considered why using whole grains is so beneficial to our health. When a product is not naturally found to be the color white, such as flour and sugar, much refining has gone into that product which results in many nutrient losses and many unhealthy gains for us.

When you buy white flour at the grocery store, what is missing? It is wheat, but the bran and germ of the grain have been taken out. Often they are then sold as cattle feed. The cows get the most nutritious part of the grain and leave us with the residue which is marketed as a food product. When white flour first hit the market, housewives loved it. Their baked goods came out so nice and pretty. They weren’t weighed down by that bran and germ so would rise and become light and fluffy. Soon people became more and more sick. They developed a disease called rickets and children were born with birth defects. This came about because of all of the nutrients that are lost in the milling process to remove the germ and the bran. Instead of stopping the production of white flour, it was mandated that it be enriched with synthetically made B vitamins and iron as well as folic acid. Those were only a fraction of what was lost in the refining process, 50% of all calcium, 70% of phosphorus, 80% iron, 98% magnesium, 75% manganese, 50% potassium, and 65% of copper is destroyed. If that is not bad enough, about 80% of thiamin, 60% of riboflavin, 75% of niacin, 50% of pantothenic acid, and about 50% of Pyridoxine is also lost. Many other diseases develop over time from the lack of nutrients in white flour, but they aren’t attributed to it. Overall, white flour is a poor choice for all of us, due to the lack of nutrients and the fact that it is completely starch.

Bread made with whole wheat

Using whole wheat products made from white wheat will allow many of the same tastes and textures of products made with white flour, but with all of the benefits of whole grains. White wheat has been bred over the years to have a less nutty taste than traditional red wheat. It gives products a golden color and sweeter taste than those made with red wheat.

Make a conscious effort to use only whole grains in your family’s diet and reap the benefits of better health. Many will say their children won’t eat anything but white bread. If they aren’t given an option, they will eat what they are given. I would never allow my children to eat white bread, nor would they choose to. When faced with good quality, healthy products, most children will choose wisely, especially if started at an early age.

If more people knew what has been done to so much of their food, maybe more would make an effort to eat whole grains.

Favorite Recipes Using Rice

Mar 4

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I’ve already mentioned how to cook rice and the proper storage of it, now it’s time for some recipes. I’ve yet to find a way to fix rice that my family does not like. I can simply boil it and add a little butter and salt, and they gobble it up. It’s such a versatile food, that the possibilities are endless. It can be used as a breakfast cereal, a side dish, in a casserole, or a dessert. Following are some of my favorites. Read the rest of this entry »

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Proper Storage of Rice

Mar 1

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In my last post, Cooking with Rice, I mentioned that proper storage of rice is necessary. The whole grain rices especially tend to get rancid fast if not properly stored. Since rice is a common food staple worldwide, most people will have some in their house. Buying it in bulk, 50 or 25 pound bags, is the most economical. When most people start a food storage program, they include rice, along with beans and grains. Rice doesn’t have as long a shelf as beans and grains, so proper storage is very important.

The amount of rice stored in one container depends on the amount of people the food is being stored for. If there are only two people in the family, it would be best to use glass jars for storage. Even a gallon of rice would take a family of two a long time to eat. Canning jars are readily available at garage sales for minimal costs and are ideal for this type of storage. All that is needed is good quality metal lids and 50 cc oxygen absorbers. Fill the jars almost to the top, add an oxygen absorber, and screw on the lid as tightly as you can. They do need to be stored in a room without light getting to them and with a low and steady temperature. Humidity levels need to be low to prevent rusting of the lids. If there is no dark room in your house, place the jars in a closet or in a box under a bed. Keeping at a low and consistent temperature, will lengthen the shelf life.

Oxygen Absorbers

Oxygen Absorber Packets

For larger families, the rice can be packaged in one or five gallon pails. The pail needs to be lined with a metalized mylar bag. These bags are lined on the outside of the bag with a thin aluminum coating which stops the exchange of gasses into the bag. Plain plastic will breathe a bit and the shelf life will not be as long. The mylar bags are placed into the pails, filled with rice, and an oxygen absorber is added. A 300cc absorber is needed for a gallon pail and 1500cc for a 5 gallon pail. It needs to be sealed immediately or the absorber will absorb the oxygen in the surrounding air and won’t be able to absorb what is in the bag. This can be done with a common household iron. The absorber immediately goes to work absorbing the oxygen, leaving a heavy nitrogen environment. Living things need oxygen to breathe, so bugs won’t invade the product, and the rice doesn’t go rancid, as rancidity is caused by oxidation. These pails also need to be stored in a cool, and dry environment to lengthen their shelf life. Once a pail is opened, it needs to be used within three months to guarantee freshness of the product.

If you have any questions about storing rice or any food, just send us an email at info@homestylemercanile.com or give us a call at 479-997-8673.

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Cooking with Rice

Feb 26

Posted by admin in Whole Foods Cooking | 2 Comments

Rice is one of our family’s favorite foods. It is loaded with nutrition and quite easy to prepare. Brown rice contains manganese, selenium, magnesium, and four times the fiber of white rice. White rice is brown rice that has had the bran and germ removed, so it is not considered a whole grain. Removing the outer layer, which is also known as the bran layer, alters the nutritional value of the rice. It is in this bran layer where most of the nutrients are stored. The white rice that many of us eat is comprised of mostly carbohydrates, with the nutrients stripped off in the milling process. It is similar to using only white flour instead of whole grain flour.

About the only benefit of white rice is that when uncooked, white rice will keep almost indefinitely, if properly stored in an airtight container. Uncooked brown rice cannot be stored for as long because the natural oils in the bran and germ tend to cause rancidity.

Besides the long grain rices, there are short grain and medium grain rices.  These are used more for dessert types of dishes.  Other specialty rices are also great additions to your meals.  These are not as easy to acquire, but are worth checking in to.  Basmati and Jasmine rices have a nutty or popcorn type of flavor.  They tend to be aromatic when cooking. Sweet rice, like Sweet Black Thai rice is slightly sweet when cooked and when served with just a bit of butter and salt and will be satisfying, without the addition of any other seasonings.  This one turns your plate purple, so children find it fun to eat. Read the rest of this entry »

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Cooking with Dried Beans

Feb 24

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I am reminded of the story of the lady who was receiving free food from the government, but was still going hungry. She commented that she had 4 large bags of beans, but didn’t know how to cook them. Is this how people are with the food they have in their long-term storage? Will many think they are prepared, only to go hungry because they don’t know how to use it? Today I’m going to run through the basics of how to cook with dried beans.

The first thing to do is to soak your beans overnight. I put them in a pot and add water to cover them, plus at least an inch more. They will soak up this water and swell quite a bit. I also add some salt to the water for them to absorb. The next morning, I drain what is left of the water, and add more for cooking. Today, let’s assume we are making homemade baked beans. We have soaked our navy beans and they are ready for cooking. If I am serving the beans for the evening meal, I would put them on low heat and let them cook much of the day. If they are needed sooner, turn up the heat or use a pressure cooker. I toss in some onion and garlic if I have it. I wait and add the majority of the seasoning once they are fully cooked. You test this by eating one or two to see if they are tender. Once tender, place them in a baking dish and add the rest of the ingredients.

To about 4 c. cooked beans add:

1/2 c. molasses or brown sugar
Celery salt
Onion salt
1 tbsp. mustard
1/2 c. catsup
1 c. water

These same basic steps can be used for all dried beans. We often will have a bean soup. When I am cooking them, I just add several seasonings and some broth. Later I add some ground turkey or turkey sausage. You can also add some tomatoes or barbeque sauce. The possibilities are endless when it comes to beans.

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Baking Bread with Whole Wheat Flour

Feb 6

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Several times each week I am asked to give bread baking classes. It seems to be something people consider a lost art, but it really is very simple to make an inexpensive loaf of nutritious whole wheat bread for your family. You don’t need to have any fancy or expensive kitchen utensils, or any special abilities.

Since I am a busy mom, I don’t always have time to make enough bread to keep up with what we sell in our store and what the family will eat. I decided about a month ago to teach some of the children to do the baking for me. The first guinea pig was our 13 year old son. Over the phone, I talked him through baking five loaves. He also managed to make a batch of cinnamon rolls on his own that same day. Within a week his 11 year old sister was making bread like a pro too!

For me, the whole trick to baking good bread is in the kneading. Most people won’t knead it enough. In my Bread Baking Basics, I have included pictures that show the changes that the dough has to go through before it is kneaded enough. The gluten strands need to be active which takes a lot of kneading. Once that smooth texture has been achieved, the bread can rise and hold its form because the gluten is holding the air bubbles together to make a nice light texture. Download my free Bread Baking Basics today and start making your perfect loaf of bread!  Don’t get scared by the grain mill or mixer doing the work.  You can just begin with whole wheat or bread flour and knead it by hand.  Directions for this are found at the end of the file.  We carry all of the ingredients needed at Homestyle Mercantile.  Stop in and see us!

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Storing Food For Small Families

Aug 6

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When we think of storing food, often grains, rice, and legumes come in a 5-gallon pail. What if you are single or there are only two of you? It will take a long time to use 5-gallons of pinto beans and you might just get sick of them before they are gone. One solution is to use one gallon pails with a 300cc oxygen absorber but if you would like even smaller containers, round up those old canning jars sitting in the basement or attic and give them a good cleaning. They are great for storing small amounts and are bug and rodent proof. We have 50cc oxygen absorbers to put in each one of them so they will store for many years if kept in a cool, dry, and dark environment. Since they are clear, light can easily get to the food. If you don’t have a dark room, put them in a box under the bed. This is one way for someone to begin their storage program without much investment. If you don’t have jars hidden away somewhere, chances are someone in your neighborhood does and will be having a garage sale soon. Head on out looking for them and often pay only pennies for each.

Canning

Jul 15

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For those who are blessing with the ability to have a garden, this time of year can be a busy time.  Canning your produce is just as much a part of your food storage program as buying some grains, beans, and rice.  Even if you don’t have a garden, you can go to a you-pick farm and buy the quantity you desire.  I guarantee it will be better quality and more fresh than anything you will buy in the grocery store.  This is the type of food to can.

If you have never canned before, buy a “Ball Blue Book”.  It will give you more than enough information to get started.  Just a few years ago, it was the norm to can your foods for the next year.  Most couldn’t afford to just go to the store to buy each week and it would a pretty bleak winter without some canned fruit and vegetables.

This year we are canning many beans, peaches, and pickles.  I have made some jams and jellies as well as sauces for pancakes and ice cream.  We froze corn today and will be making peach butter tomorrow.  Soon the tomatoes will be in abundance and we can make salsa as well as stew some tomatoes for sauces.  Why buy these things loaded with preservatives when you can make them yourselves and know what ingredients are in them.  They will make your pantry look beautiful with all of the different colored items lined up. And it will give you a little more peace that your family has some food put away.

If anyone would like any recipes, or canning tips, just put it in the comments section.

Check out our canning supplies at http://www.homesteadsupply.net

What is a Canola?

Jul 2

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Everyone knows where olive oil comes from. The same for coconut oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and and other common types of oil. There is one exception to this. Do you know where canola oil comes from?

The canola isn’t a real thing. The name comes from “Canada oil” because it was first made there. Rape seed oil sounded too horrible so they called it canola. People never question where it comes from, they just eat it. We are all told of its health benefits as a non-hydrogenated oil but are never told how it is made. All food grade Canola, including the varieties sold in health food stores, are deodorized from its natural terrible stink with 300 degree F. high-temperature refining. You cannot cook a vegetable oil at that temperature and leave behind anything much edible.

Rapeseed is easy to grow as insects won’t eat it.  This makes it inexpensive to produce.  Most rapeseed is toxic to humans so it is genetically modified to make it not so toxic.  Now we are all consuming a genetically modified food that is only moderately toxic.  Who knows what the cumulative effects will be now that it has been added to so many of our “healthy” foods.

It is reported that Canada paid the FDA $50 million to label it “safe”.  Now we all trust the FDA, don’t we??

Remember to read your labels.

Food Additives to Avoid

Jun 24

Posted by admin in Food Quality Information | 3 Comments

Take a few minutes and review the article below [my comments in brackets]. If you can follow this advice it could very well save you from a life of expensive medical problems and an early exit.
Learn how to eat real whole foods, obtained in natural or Organic form, and avoid all commercially processed foods as much as possible.  There is no more nutritious and satisfying food and source of nutrients than that freshly prepared from unadulterated whole grains, beans, rice, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Your body will thank you.

12 Food Additives to Avoid www.mercola.com

Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:

(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness.   My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)

1. Sodium Nitrate (also similar to Sodium Nitrite)

This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

2. BHA and BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

3. Propyl Gallate

Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.

4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG, also commonly labeled as Natural Flavorings, Autolyzed Yeast, etc.)

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. [It is addictive as it causes your brain to want to eat the item again and again.]  It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.

5. Trans Fats

Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.  [The worst of these are Cottonseed oil,  Canola oil, and Soybean oil.  Avoid all products with this as a major ingredient.  I am not sure which product causes more massive weight gain, the trans fats or the high fructose corn syrup, but over half the american population is now extremely obese, and unfit to be seen in public.]

6. Aspartame

Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and nearly all soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.  [It is addictive to your brain, causing you to re-purchase the product.  Despite their claims, this ingredient also causes tremendous weight gain.]

7. Acesulfame-K

This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.

8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6

Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.  [Ingestion of products with these ingredients can cause instant allergic reactions in some individuals with already compromised digestive systems.]

9. Olestra

Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.

10. Potassium Bromate

Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.

11. White Sugar

Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.  [See Dr. Mercola's comments below, processed white sugar is indeed harmful for our bodies in significant quantities, but HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) is extremely harmful after daily usage. This product is a major ingredient in most processed foods at the grocery store, and all products containing this major ingredient should be avoided.  HFCS causes tremendous weight gain and is one of the leading causes of diabetes in the american population.  It is also one of the leading causes of uncontrollable hyper-activity in children.]

12. Sodium Chloride

A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as table salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.  [Avoid refined common table salt and use unrefined sea salt to receive its healthy benefits.]

Sources:MSN Health and Fitness

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Americans spend about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, which contain a staggering number of artificial food additives, preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers. That your health suffers as a consequence of this assault should come as no surprise.

To review each of the mere dozen mentioned here could fill several books, and would still only be the tip of the iceberg. As you may already know, I wrote an entire book just on artificial sweeteners, called Sweet Deception.  The book is currently out of print as we sold out of the last edition, but we hope to have it back in print by the fall.

However, when it comes to food additives, perhaps one of the most important aspects is the health ramifications they have on your children.

New Study Confirms What Astute Parents Have Known for Years

The issue of whether or not food additives such as artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. Fortunately, this may soon change.

A carefully designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet last year may have finally shifted the tide (for a free PDF of the full study see this link).

It concluded that a variety of common food dyes, and the preservative sodium benzoate – found in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings – do cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.

The seven ingredients tested in the study included:

  • Sodium benzoate (E211)
  • Sunset yellow (E110)
  • Quinoline yellow (E104)
  • Carmoisine (E122)
  • Tartrazine (E102)
  • Ponceau 4R (E124)
  • Allura red AC (E129)

The results of this study have already prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children’s intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.

The worst behavioral responses from the additives were seen in the three-year-olds, compared to the older children in the study. But even within each age group, some children responded very strongly, and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.

Still, I believe that food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners and colorings should be avoided as much as possible, regardless of whether they have a marked effect or not as they clearly have no redeeming nutritional value, and can carry major long-term health risks.
[Avoid  all products containing  'Natural' and 'Artificial ' Flavorings and Colorings.]

Food Colorings May be as Damaging as Lead in Gasoline on Children’s Brains

Another recent article, published in the British magazine The Independent on April 5 2008, reported that artificial food colorings (but not the preservative sodium benzoate) are now set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK because the results of the study mentioned above also indicate that the E-numbers do as much damage to children’s brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ. [ Of course there are massive amounts of food colorings in all foods targeted to children.]

The lead author, Professor Stevenson, and his three colleagues have stated:

“The position in relation to AFCs [Artificial Food Colors] is analogous to the state of knowledge about lead and IQ that was being evaluated in the early 1980s … Needleman [a researcher] found the difference in IQ between high and low lead groups was 5.5 IQ points … This is very close to the sizes obtained in our study of food additives.”

Officials at the British FSA are advising the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study by the end of 2009, and replace them with natural alternatives if possible.

True to form, the food industry claims the additives are used in a mere “handful” of products, but the website ActionOnAdditives.com has already identified more than 1,000 food products that contain them – most of which are targeted at children.

BEWARE — Already Banned Food Additives Still Found in Children’s Medicines

Another thing you need to be aware of, as a parent, is that when an ingredient is banned for use in food, it is not automatically banned for use in other areas such as medicine.

According to an expose’ by the British Food Commission last year, food additives that have already been banned for use in food and beverages are still used in a majority of pediatric over-the-counter medicines.

Their survey found that ALL BUT ONE medicine out of 41 contained an additive that had been banned.

The additives found in these drugs included:

The justification for using these toxic compounds is what you’d typically expect from an over-the-counter pharmaceutical trade group: Unlike foods, additives in medicines are used in small quantities and are only taken for a short time.

Does that make you feel any better?

This is just one more reason why it’s so important to question what your doctor or any other health professional may prescribe or recommend for your child, no matter what side of the counter it comes from, as many pediatric drugs can certainly be harmful, if not downright toxic to your child’s health.

Sugar and Salt

White sugar is named in the list above but I would have to disagree and identify high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as far more problematic than white cane sugar.  HFCS is the number one source of calories in the U.S. and causes far more damage than white sugar.

Salt is another challenge, as it can and is a health food for many, but it needs to be the right type of salt. Nearly all commercial salt is highly processed and heated to very high temperatures and has many additives added, which are also potentially toxic. So it would be wise to avoid processed foods with conventional salt added.

However, unprocessed salts, like unrefined sea salts and Himalayan salt [or unrefined real salt] can be an important part of a healthy diet. Personally, it is uncommon for a day to go by in which I don’t use Himalayan salt.  I am a protein nutritional type and tend to do better with high quality salt.

For more information about the hazards of other food additives mentioned in the article above, please see my list of Related Articles


Related Articles:

Should Salt No Longer Be Generally Recognized as Safe?

One Woman’s Astonishing Experiment With Aspartame

The Shocking Dangers of MSG You Don’t Know