Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and The... (157 page)

In his comprehensive study. . .. Dr. Roberts concluded that a "significant source" of many unexplainable [automobile] accidents is that "millions of American drivers are subject to pathological drowsiness and hypoglycemia due to functional hyperinsulinism." He estimates that there may be as many as ten million drivers like that on the roads of America today. In other words, low glucose levels in the blood gum up brain functioning, perceptions and reactions. What causes this condition? The doctor's answer: "The apparent increased incidence of hyperinsulinism and of narcolepsy [abnormal attacks of drowsiness] during recent decades can be largely attributed to the consequences of an enormous rise in sugar consumption by a vulnerable population." William Dufty
Sugar Blues

SPICE CAKE WITH BUTTER CREAM ICING

Serves 8-10

½ cup whole
yoghurt

½ cup butter, softened

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1½ cup
bulgur flour

¼ cup water

1 cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of sea salt

1 cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup butter, softened

This is a moist cake composed of two thin layers and a rich butter icing. Blend yoghurt, butter, flour, salt and water. Beat in Rapadura, vanilla, spices and baking soda until dough is very smooth. Line two buttered 8-inch cake pans with rounds of parchment paper (See
Sources
). Butter the parchment paper and dust the pans with unbleached white flour. Divide the batter between the two pans, spread to fill the pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour. Loosen the layers immediately, but let layers cool before removing from pans. Carefully trim off any rough edges.

To make the icing, beat butter until smooth and creamy. In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Gradually beat in Rapadura and vanilla. Spoonful by spoonful beat in the butter. Chill well.

Assemble the cake on a decorative plate, applying icing between the layers and to the top and sides.

Food quality is first determined upon the farm by the way we interact with nature and its forces. The profit motivation does not lead to quality food production. This thesis can be proved by looking into the history of modern farming in the last 100 years and into the state of affairs with our processed foods. Farming differs here from the production and marketing of industrial goods. You cannot sell cars that have grave deficiencies for very long, but you can deceive mankind for a long time with deficient food. The consequences of a deficient car show up very rapidly, but the effects of deficient food—nicely colored and flavored with artificial ingredients—are much harder to discern and turn up mainly in the soul life of humanity or in the health problems of old age. Trauger Groh and Steven McFadden
Farms of Tomorrow Revisited

Dr. Yudkin reports another recent experiment which pointed the other way. He persuaded seven young men each to swallow a tube first thing in the morning so that samples could be obtained of their gastric juices at rest; then, at fifteen minute intervals—after they had swallowed a bland test meal consisting mainly of pectin—further samples were taken. Samples were analyzed in the usual way, measuring the degree of acidity and digestive activity. Then the patients were put on a high-sugar diet for two weeks and tested again. Results showed that two weeks of a sugar-rich diet was enough to increase both stomach acidity and digestive activity of the gastric juices, of the kind one finds in people with gastric or duodenal ulcers. The rich diet of sugar increased stomach acidity by 20 percent or so and the enzyme activity was increased almost three times. William Dufty
Sugar Blues

WALNUT TORTE WITH WHIPPED CREAM ICING

Serves 8-10

1 cup crispy walnuts (
crispy pecans
)

¼ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

6 large egg whites, at room temperature

pinch sea salt

½ cup Rapadura

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups good quality cream, not ultrapasteurized

½ cup
piima cream
or
creme fraiche

½ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

grated rind of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh berries, for garnish (optional)

This makes a three-layer rectangular merengue or torte, filled and iced with whipped cream icing.

Draw three 9-inch by 5-inch rectangles on parchment paper. (See
Sources
.) Turn over and place on baking sheets. Butter or oil the paper.

Process walnuts and ¼ cup Rapadura in a food processor. Beat egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until foamy. Gradually add ½ cup Rapadura, beating until stiff and glossy. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Carefully fold in half the ground walnut mixture and then the other half. Spread merengue over the traced rectangles. Bake at 300 degrees for 1½ hours. Turn oven off and leave merengues in the oven for another 1 hour.

To make the icing, place whipping cream, cultured cream, Rapadura, lemon rind and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the torte, carefully trim any rough edges off the merengues. Assemble on a decorative plate, applying icing between the layers and over the top and sides. Decorate with optional berries. Chill well and serve.

The finding that an increased intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, also called PUFA, can lower the serum cholesterol concentration in laboratory experiments has led to the belief that they would lower the risk of coronary heart disease also. Consequently, an increased intake of PUFA has been advised as an important part of the prudent diet. Initially, no limit was put to such intake, but by the years the limit has been lowered successively. Most recently, an upper limit of only 7 cal% was recommended because a high intake of PUFA has induced cancer, infections and testicular damage in rats.

There is little evidence that an increased intake of PUFA protects against heart attacks. In "Seven Countries," intake of PUFA was not associated with heart mortality, and studies of patients with coronary heart disease have shown that if anything, they eat more PUFA than do healthy individuals. Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD
The Cholesterol Myths

The American Dietetic Association, which trains registered dieticians to direct the preparation of hospital and institutional food, has been soundly criticized for its association with the Sugar Association and companies like Coca Cola and M&M Mars. Such groups supply about 15 percent of the ADA's annual budget. A recent ADA nutrition fact sheet, which stated that people were not more likely to respond to MSG than to a placebo, was financed by an MSG manufacturer. The ADA has also actively promoted the use of margarine and polyunsaturated oils.
PPNF Health Journal

FLOURLESS CAROB CAKE

Serves 8

¾ cup carob powder

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon chocolate extract (optional)

5 egg yolks, at room temperature

½ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

5 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of sea salt

1 cup
carob sauce

This is a delicious, moist and rich cake—indistinguishable from chocolate. (Well, almost.)

Butter and flour two easy-remove 9-inch cake pans. Place butter, carob powder, water and extracts in a glass container set in a pan of water over a low flame. Melt and blend well. Beat egg yolks with Rapadura for about 5 minutes with electric beater. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with pinch of salt until stiff. Mix carob mixture with egg yolk mixture and then fold into egg whites. Divide batter between two pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pans. Remove one layer to a serving dish and place other layer on top. Frost top with carob sauce and let it dribble over the sides.

"No cask of sugar arrives in Europe to which blood is not sticking. In view of the misery of these slaves, anyone with feelings should renounce these wares and refuse the enjoyment of what is only to be bought with tears and death of countless unhappy creatures."

Thus wrote French philosopher Claude Adrien Helvetius in the middle of the eighteenth century when France had moved into the front ranks of the sugar trade. The Sorbonne condemned him. Priests persuaded the court he was full of dangerous ideas; he recanted—in part to save his skin—and his book was burned by hangmen. The virulence of his attacks on slavery brought his ideas to the attention of all Europe. He said in public what many people thought in secret.

The stigma of slavery was on sugar everywhere but most particularly in Britain. Everywhere sugar had become a source of public wealth and national importance. Through taxes and tariffs on sugar, government had remained a partner in organized crime. Fabulous fortunes were being amassed by plantation owners, planters, traders and shippers; and the sole concern of European royalty was how they were to take their cut. William Dufty
Sugar Blues

FLOURLESS ALMOND CAKE

Serves 8-12

4 egg yolks, at room temperature

½ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

grated rind of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup finely grated carrots

1 cup
Crispy Almonds
, processed into a coarse meal

1 tablespoon arrowroot

½ teaspoon sea salt

4 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons
crispy pine nuts

Butter and flour a 9-inch easy-remove cake pan. Beat egg yolks with Rapadura for about 5 minutes. Blend in lemon rind, almond extract, carrots, almonds, arrowroot and sea salt. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with pinch of sea salt until stiff. Fold egg yolk mixture into egg whites and pour into cake pan. Sprinkle pine nuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pan.