Eating for Wellness

Milk/White Bread

White bread is created when the wheat is heated to such a point, that the germ and the bran come off. The only thing left is the white starch which is the undesirable part.

In Bay Area, one of the few places you can still get milk bread is in Indian stores Ref

Whole Wheat/Multi-Grain Bread

Available at:

Safeway, Whole Foods, Bakeries, Milk Pail Ref Made of whole grains, rich in anti-oxidants like magnesium, iron, Vitamin B and Vitamin E, selenium etc. Rich fiber content acts as a bowel stimulant and prevents digestive problems and constipation.

Presence of fiber reduces the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer and also helps in reducing blood pressure. Fewer calories than white bread, higher in protein.

More details .

Compare Whole Wheat Bread , White Bread , Multi-grain bread (best)

The Milk Story

The common belief (or myth) is that milk is the body’s reliable source of calcium. Sure, technically, cow’s milk does have calcium. What remains in question is whether or not it is the best source of calcium and is it a source of absorbable calcium. Many researchers have proven that no, milk is not a source of absorbable calcium for humans. Matter of fact, it’s not even the richest source of calcium. Ref 1 , Ref 2 Cows are mistreated and injected with hormones to get more milk out of them. If you’re not careful, you are probably consuming these hormones. In India, the milk usually contains oxytocin . Here it is rBST.

If you want calcium..

Available at Japanese stores like Nijiya market, next to Chaat Paradise. Also available at Whole Foods.

Get Hijiki seaweed (yes, the sea is a great source of calcium). It is vegetarian and has eight times more calcium than milk, and unlike milk, the calcium is absorbable by the human body.

If you cannot give up on milk..

Consider switching to Strauss Milk , available at Milk Pail and Whole Foods. This is organic and sustainable , from free-range cows (not imprisoned ones) without hormonal treatment. The cows are also vegetarian (not fed meat). You might be surprised by the taste of pure milk, pasteurized carefully . For other milk providers, make sure they have the hormone-free stamp and check their website to see how they raise their cows. Milk Pail usually keeps good quality milk.

White Rice

Ref Initially, rice is naturally brown. To make it white, the germ and the inner husk (bran) is removed, the grain is then polished, usually using glucose or talc. These added steps remove nutrients that are sometimes then introduced back in via synthetic sources - this is called fortified white rice. The loss of nutrients is broad and substantial. Plain white rice has far less Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folacin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and over dozen other nutrients. The dietary fiber contained in white rice is around a quarter of brown rice.

Brown Rice

Available in most Indian stores like India Cash N Carry and Bharat Bazaar Rice with all its natural nutrients in it. Developing a taste for it does not take long. It is difficult to overeat with brown rice as you need to chew it well. Brain wired with natural brown rice over millenia cannot accurately deal with white rice, and we end up eating much more than we need. White rice is bad for people with sugar problems.

Invest in your health. Switch to brown rice.

Other Whole Foods..

But, if you really want to eat healthy, you can move from wheat to jowar or bajra (called millet here). Bajra rotis are much healthier.

Whole-wheat chapatis, available in Indian stores Lakshmi brand whole wheat atta Bajra Roti

Kale: The Super Veggie

Nutrition Info This is a vegetable that is not found in India. In the vegetable kingdom, this is an excellent source of protein and calcium (more calcium than milk). Make sure you include this in your diet. Has cancer-preventing properties. Check the Nutrition Info.

You can get Kale from Whole Foods and Farmer’s Market

Get your veggies fresh

• • The Stanford Produce Stand , every Fri, 11 am – 3 pm, Tresidder • Farmers Market: California Avenue , Sun 9 AM – 1 PM Whole Foods , Milk Pail produce, usually fresh : Have locally grown Farmers come with their produce directly and sell it to the public. The veggies are not frozen for months – this is a good way to get your groceries. It is also a good outing.

Quick cooking • Shop at Whole Foods

AyurFoods markets ayurvedic meals that are quick and easy to make – available at Whole Foods. Try other grains like couscous and quinoa.

On campus

• If ordering sandwich (or burrito), ask for whole wheat • Nexus Café (in Clark Center) has good food options, including a macrobiotic platter (vegan and with whole grains) • Sports Café has cheap and good dining options, like burritos and smoothies (yes, you can substitute a smoothie for a regular meal) • All dining options • If ordering food from Bhavna Patel (TiffinDinner.com), make a request for brown rice. If enough people request, she will provide this.

More resources • Watch the Sarvodaya Healthy Eating Blog

– Dr. Binal Shah, an MD Naturopath doctor, blogs about healthy food choices

• Meet Vaden Nutritionist consultation to get a