Get the Best from Your Next Meal
Today I wanted to present three big ways you can maximize the benefit from your next homemade meal. I wish I could say these recommendations extend into the dining-out world, but they are strictly for the at-home chef. (Unfortunately, when dining out, we have way less control of our food and, therefore, our health -- which will be covered in a future post!)
I also wanted to add a disclaimer that these suggestions were intentionally placed after the previous posts about eating seasonally, eating organically, and avoiding processed foods. Those big moves should come first.
Either way… here are three solid tips for safe, effective meals at home:
1. Actually cooking.
I realize this seems redundant, but hear me out -- many people, upon reading the word “Paleo” in anything -- automatically assume that piece of information is going to be about #AllTheMeats alongside as many raw fruits and veggies you can possibly stomach.
Sidenote: first of all, Paleo has many approaches -- some are meat-heavy, some aren’t. My own personal approach, because it works best for me, is likely going to be different from what works best for you. Some people take a plant-based approach, where the majority of their plates are taken up by fruits and vegetables. Others take a higher-fat/ketogenic approach, where more then 50% of their daily calories come from fat. Even further, some folks enjoy a carnivorous approach, where the majority of their foods are animal-based. All of this can be Paleo.
The main point I’m trying to make here is that not all of your non-protein options need to be eaten raw. Yes, we get tons of fiber and nutrients from raw vegetables -- but there are a lot of upsides to cooking them, especially in different ways and in different combinations. Consider the following:
Regarding animal proteins, cooking them has been hypothesized to be one of the main reasons our prehistoric brains grew to the size big enough to catalyze rapid evolution.
Cooking in general (but not overdoing it, of course) can make foods easier to digest, causing less inflammation in the process. When foods are digested better, it means we are able to extract, absorb and, hopefully, assimilate more nutrients into our cells. AKA, they become more bioavailable -- especially when paired well. More micronutrient use, more disease prevention.
Not only does cooking allow us to physically extract more out of our food, it can enhance the good polyphenol (and other nutrient) levels available for such extraction -- these compounds are essentially the various ways fruits and vegetables provide us protection from disease while taking our health to the next level.
On the same token, cooking plants also helps neutralize or decrease the phytonutrients (not to be confused with the previous word, polyphenols) that serve as plant defenses -- these are compounds designed to harm the plant’s predators, in order to help secure their survival in the wild. By cooking some (and of course, not all) of these phytonutrients down, we decrease our exposure and risk of any potential side effects.
2. Using high-quality cookware and storage containers.
This doesn’t have to mean buying top-of-the-line products that you’re afraid to use after the initial sticker shock… simply do your best to avoid unfavorable materials when cooking or storing food. Consider the following:
Avoid teflon coatings, aluminum or copper metals, and all forms of plastic. These materials can wreak havoc on the body long-term and have been linked to many diseases.
Buy one solid, sturdy cast iron pan. This thing will last you forever (if you treat it properly) and actually adds some iron to your diet! If you need some cast iron meal ideas, check out this post!
Other pots and pans: aim for ceramic-coated or stainless steel. I’ve found ceramic-coating to be easier to clean.
Food storage: glass or stainless steel are best. This goes for beverage containers, such as water bottles and coffee thermoses, too.
Other high-quality ideas: parchment paper over aluminum foil in the oven, wax paper wrapping over plastic wrap, reusable food bags over plastic baggies.
3. Taking the time to truly be present.
How many times has each and every one of us rushed home from being out and about in the world, threw something (unsure what it was) in the microwave, ate in three minutes, and moved on to something else?
We were probably standing up when we ate it, too.
A big issue in modern society is the propensity to eat on the run, even at home with family. I realize it’s difficult to always get everyone around the table for a meal, especially when one kid has to be carted off to dance lessons while the other has karate a half hour afterward, and there’s three loads of laundry to do and your partner has to work late.
When we’re able, though -- whether alone or in communion with our beloved -- it behooves us to sit down and take about five deep breaths before picking up the fork. While we smell and contemplate our imminent meal, our brain sends signals to our digestive organs (including our salivary glands inside the mouth!) that we are primed and ready to begin digesting, and to expect the food. This is termed getting into the parasympathetic state. More on the significance of this in future posts.
Beyond taking some deep breaths and smelling your food, some other ideas to help get you ready for this state are:
Actually sitting down. You’d be amazed how often you take bites of food -- or consume the entire meal -- standing or otherwise moving. Your body can’t effectively get into the parasympathetic state, and therefore digest your food, if you’re not seated.
Leave phones elsewhere, preferably silenced. You’ll thank yourself later, and Instagram will still be running when you’re done.
Observe the shapes, textures, and colors of the foods on your plate. Consider the balance of foods and if there’s any tweaks you can add to make it more nutrient-dense (i.e., drizzling some olive oil or melted grass-fed butter on your steamed veggies, adding a dollop of organic mustard, throwing together a small side salad with avocado).
Chew slowly. I know, easier said than done. Personally, I chew slower when I’m enjoying conversation with others at the table. Win-win for getting the family involved.
When we don’t give ourselves this time to unwind, our digestive juices don’t work as efficiently and we don’t fully digest the meal.
Taking this time also provides the opportunity for each of us to be thankful that we’re alive, with a roof over our heads, about to partake in a meal that the majority of the world’s population will never taste.
Let us never forget how blessed and lucky we are to have technology at our fingertips, fresh groceries in the working refrigerator, and loved ones to share it all with.
As always, you can reach me here by dropping a comment below or using any of the following platforms:
Instagram: @paleogirlmodernworld_
Twitter: @EliseOnWellness
Facebook: Elise Doppel or at Nutritional Foundations
Email: elisedoppel@gmail.com
Thanks, and see you next time!
#Cooking #RawFoods #CookedFoods #Evolution #Prehistoric #Paleo #Paleolithic #Cookware #SafeCooking #SafeCookware #StainlessSteel #Ceramic #CastIron #Mindfulness #MindfulEating #Gratitude #Parasympathetic #RestAndDigest
