A Healthful Season of Harmony and Light

The winter solstice is almost upon us. I love this time of year. In the past, I was lucky enough to live in a very seasonal place, complete with snow at about this time. There is nothing quite like a brisk day, clear skies and white everywhere. We embrace the winter solstice as a time of quiet harmony, nourishing food, gratefulness, and candlelight. I thought it might be enjoyable to share the history of this festival along with a bit of contemporary inspiration for a delightfully healthy feast and celebration.

The winter solstice provides an opportunity to nurture connection and well-being through gatherings with family and friends. Winter solstice falls on or around the 21 of December in the Northern Hemisphere and represents perseverance, new beginnings, and the return of light-filled days. Traditional festivals of the winter solstice focus on the cycles of nature, specifically the rebirth of the sun god who symbolizes warmth, light, and sustenance of life.

The Mighty Miniature Teff Grain

Teff is an ancient grain, believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 BC and 1000BC. The classic use of teff flour by Ethiopians is injera, a fermented flat bread. Today, teff is widely cultivated and used in South Africa, Ethiopia, India, and Australia. Teff is high in calcium, iron, and protein and has a good mineral profile of phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, boron, and thiamin. The amino acid composition is excellent, including all 8 essential amino acids along with a high lysine level. Due to its small size, teff boasts the highest fiber content of any other grain. 

Sources for this article:

"Chemical composition of teff (Eragrostis tef) compared with that of wheat, barley and grain sorghum", Melak H. Mengesha, Economic Botany, Volume 20, Number 3, 1966, 268-273

"Tef. Lost Crops of Africa", National Academies Press, 2008, 222.

"The orgin and evolution of Eragrostis tef (Poaceae) and related polyploids", American Journal of Botany, 2003, 116-122

www.nutritiondata.com

Nutrition Notes: Incredible Goji Berries

Goji berries, sometimes referred to as wolf berries, are small reddish fruit grown in the Himalayan foothills. They are high in calcium, potassium, and iron. Goji berries are also an excellent source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin, making them one of the richest plant based sources for these nutrients. These powerful berries have been shown to support eye health while reducing cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and cancer. Goji berries have been celebrated for centuries in Asia as a promotor of  anti-aging and longevity due to their high antioxidant content.

Sources for this article:

Gan L, Hua Zhang S, Liang Yang X, Bi Xu H (April 2004). "Immunomodulation and antitumor activity by a polysaccharide-protein complex from Lycium barbarum". Int. Immunopharmacol. 4 (4): 563–9.

Weller P, Breithaupt DE (November 2003). "Identification and quantification of zeaxanthin esters in plants using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry". J. Agric. Food Chem. 51 (24): 7044–9.

Gan L, Hua Zhang S, Liang Yang X, Bi Xu H (April 2004). "Immunomodulation and antitumor activity by a polysaccharide-protein complex from Lycium barbarum". Int. Immunopharmacol. 4 (4): 563–9.

SCW Sze, J. Song, RCC Chang, KY Zhang, RNS Wong, Y Tong (2008). "Research advances on the anti-aging profile of Fructus lycii: an ancient Chinese herbal medicine", Journal of Complementary & Intergrative Medicine, v 5 n. 1