Sorghum is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and was first harvested in the Nile River basin approximately 7000 years ago. It became a crop in India around 3000 B.C.E. and found its way east by way of the Silk Road. It was brought to Rome from India in approximately 60 C.E., then to Spain and finally Europe in the 12th Century. Benjamin Franklin introduced the plant to North America and it eventually became a major crop.
Although oats look unassuming, this popular staple grain is actually incredibly nutritious. Not only are they packed with fiber, but they're high in vitamins and minerals and give you that full feeling that can lower cholesterol and aid with weight loss. Yup, oats are pretty much where it's at, and if you have a creative streak, oatmeal is an especially great canvas for adding any add ins you can think of (fruit, nuts, coconut, even chocolate!).
Bulgur is processed wheat that is native to the Mediterranean basin region and is one of the earliest processed foods that began being used approximately 4000 years ago. It is made by steaming wheat then drying it and cracking the dried kernels. Bulgur was initially processed by boiling wheat in a huge pot for many days to be sure it was thoroughly cooked; then the contents of the pot were spread out on roofs to dry in the sun.
Cassava, manioc, yuca, manihot, tapioca…maybe you’ve seen this long, dense tuber in the [exotic] produce section of your local market. The staple starch goes by the scientific name Manihot esculenta, but its common name differs depending on the region. Native to South America, Africa and parts of Asia, cassava has been a staple carbohydrate in the diets of those living in such sun-drenched, tropical regions. In the U.S., we most commonly find cassava or manioc in the form of tapioca balls, which are made from the pulp of the starchy tuber.
Archeologists have found that wild barley is native to what is termed the Fertile Crescent, the region that covers modern southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt. It was first gathered in 9000 B.C.E. for a food grain and was reportedly first used by the Egyptians as cereal. For millennia, people depended on barley for food for themselves and for their horses.
Amaranth is a seed that has been part of the Aztec diet for more than 8000 years, when the Aztecs would collect the seeds in the wild. They also used the seeds to make flour for baked images of their gods during festivals and for tributary payments. The plant began to be cultivated in Mexico approximately 4000 B.C.E. and continues to be a native Peruvian crop.
Although conventional electrolyte drinks, otherwise known as sports drinks, seem innocent enough, their ingredients are not. Most of them contain a lot of unnecessary chemicals like food coloring, artificial flavors, and processed sugars. The main purpose of electrolyte dinks is hydration, replenishing electrolytes, and energizing the body. These drinks are great to have with you during sweaty workouts.
Flaxseeds have been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin as far back as 4000 B.C.E. There is evidence that man has been eating flaxseed as far back as the Neolithic Era. Flaxseed is comprised of flavorful meat which is packed with oil and has many nutritional and healing benefits. The non-food grade flaxseed oil is known as linseed oil, which is used commercially in paints and wood finishes. Flaxseed is used in livestock feed and is grown throughout the world.
I envy the women who are lucky enough to experience a pain-free menstrual cycle each month and essentially go about their daily lives with little to no interruption as their monthly moon waxes and wanes.
My experience has been quite the opposite for as long as I can remember.
Magnesium is a trending supplement, and for more reasons than you might think. While stress and anxiety are at all-time highs due to our fast-paced lifestyles, our food is becoming less nutrient-dense due to the depletion of our soil. The widespread use of pesticides and the pressure to maintain a high crop turnover has left little room for our soil to replenish its nutrients through fallow fields or crop rotation.