Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/2252/-1/126/
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Eating My Words by Chef Daniel Orr
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A weekly column by Chef Daniel Orr
Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum bar at CuisinArt Resort and Spa and is working on A Chef’s Diet Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.
Eating raw food – food in its glorious, natural, unprocessed, unrefined state – is vital to good health and long life.
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Chef Daniel Orr
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Over 60 years ago Dr. Edward Howell raised the issue of the role of food enzymes in human nutrition. In his book Enzyme Nutrition, he points out that consuming processed and cooked food on a continual basis can lead to a depletion of our natural enzymes, which may in turn make us susceptible to many of the degenerative diseases we are inflicted with today.
Our bodies naturally produce enzymes, the substances that help break down food into smaller particles for digestion. In fact, enzymes are responsible for every chemical reaction occurring in the human body; they power all our organs, tissues and cells. Since most raw foods contain their own enzymes, they assist in the digestion of foods before our own enzymes are called upon. This is especially important because as we age our native ability to produce digestive enzymes begins to wane. Using enzymes found naturally in uncooked foods such as fresh fruits or vegetables, or those found in predigested foods such as fermented or aged foods, can help keep us from digestive dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, and some food allergies.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, we can derive a great deal of pleasure from simple foods, simply prepared – by shopping at farmers’ markets, savoring the freshness of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, and avoiding overprocessed, mass-produced food. Juice drinks are a fun and easy way to put raw foods in your diet – all you need is a vegetable juicer. Try the recipe I’ve included here for “Feel the Burn” juice drink. Petal Rogers and I created a lot of juice recipes for Petal’s Potions at Cuisinart Resort and Spa, and this is one of my favorites. It wakes you up and keeps you going. With juices you can be as creative as you like – use what you have on hand – don’t forget herbs like mint and basil from your garden – and always be willing to try something new.
Treating yourself to a program of good dietary practice is something you can do every day – it’s a prescription for enjoyment and good health. Remember – eating an apple a day may in fact keep the doctor away!
Feel the Burn Juice Drink
Ginger is a natural antibiotic, it’s great for seasickness, and
soothes sore throats.
1 half-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
a handful of fresh, cleaned spinach
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 red apple, peeled DO: need to peel apple?]
˝ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Put the ginger, spinach, carrot and apple through the juicer
and mix with the orange juice.
Serve over ice.