Bi-Weekly Tarot Reading: 4-19-15 through 5-2-15
AND
Blog #41: Why You Should Beware of "Raw" Almonds
Legacy of the Divine Tarot
6 OF COINS: It will be important to recognize the value of give and take during the next two weeks. Do not let yourself get out of balance by giving too much of your time and effort to others. Make sure that there is an even exchange of energy so that you do not feel depleted and worn out. Balance in our lives is so important, and many of us fail to remember this in our desire to help those around us. Stay true to yourself, give special time to yourself at least once a day--even for a few minutes--and see how much better you feel.
JUSTICE: Once again we see balance entering the picture. The Justice card is telling us to be fair to ourselves by making sure that there is equilibrium in all aspects of our lives. It is important to work hard, but it is equally important to take time to socialize, play, have fun, and recharge your emotional and spiritual bodies. Do something to stimulate your mind, too, for that is one thing that keeps us interested and engaged in our lives
QUEEN OF CUPS: Spread love and light wherever you go, letting others feel good just being around you. Keep a positive frame of mind, provide support to those going through troubling times, and offer encouraging words to those who are complaining and are in a negative space. At the same time, show nurturing and love to yourself, for that is what will keep you in balance.
BI-WEEKLY THEME: The overriding theme for this time period is staying in balance and taking time for yourself. Those who are caring and giving often find themselves doing so much for others that they end up being exhausted at the end of the day. Recognize the importance of carving out a little bit of time for yourself each day, to do whatever you choose and whatever makes you feel relaxed and calm. Our #1 priority should be to ourselves, and this is not being selfish. It is just seeing our own value and acknowledging that that we love ourselves.
Blog #41: Why You Should Beware
of “Raw” Almonds
Retrieved from www.mynetdiary.com
If you like almonds, chances are you have been eating ones
that are labeled “raw”, because presumably they are more nutritious than ones
that are roasted. Truly raw almonds have more calcium, iron, potassium, fiber,
manganese, and vitamin E than ones that are cooked.
If you have believed this, as many of us have, then it is
time to be enlightened about what is really going on with almonds grown in
California—the ones that we think are truly raw and good for us.
Here are some
facts to be aware of:
Ø
In 2007 a “pasteurization” rule was put into
effect because of some outbreaks of salmonella in 2001 and 2004 that were linked
to processing plants. No one died, but
33 people became sick. So, the
California Almond Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided
that one of five methods must be used to pasteurize all almonds grown in the
U.S. (most of which come from California):
(1) Oil
roasting
(2) Dry
roasting
(3) Blanching
(4) Steam
processing
(5) Use
of propylene oxide (PPO)
Ø
The first three methods cook the nuts, so
almonds pasteurized in these ways cannot be considered raw.
Ø
The fourth method, steam processing, results in
a marked reduction of the nutrient content and partly cooks the nuts.
Ø
The fifth method involves use of PPO, which is a very volatile liquid
chemical used to make plastics. It was
formerly used as a racing fuel, but was prohibited from use by the National Hot
Rod and American Motorcycle Racing Associations for being too dangerous. Countries such as Mexico, Canada, and the
entire European Union have banned use of PPO because of its known
cancer-causing properties in humans.
Ø
This leaves us with only two ways to get raw
nuts—to steam them, which basically cooks them, or to make them potentially
toxic by using PPO.
Ø
Because it is more expensive to treat almonds
using steam, over 68% of almonds grown in the U.S. are treated with PPO.
These are non-organic.
Ø
The USDA did not allow the normal, open public
hearing and comment process to be followed when issuing the almond rule. Only 115 select almond growers and handlers
were invited to comment, and only 18 public comments were received from the
entire country.
Ø
The truth is that pasteurized, “raw” almonds are
not safe and they are not raw. Raw foods
are living organisms that have enzymes and a high nutrient content with the
ability to sprout. Pasteurized almonds
are dead. They have practically no
enzyme activity, poor nutrient content, and are unable to sprout.
Ø
PPO is the pasteurization method used for
non-organic almonds. So if you don’t want dangerous chemicals in your body, it
is important to get organic almonds if you get ones grown in the U.S., with the
understanding that they are not raw even if labeled as such.
Ø
A better option is to get raw almonds grown in
Italy or another foreign country, because they are not subject to the
pasteurization rule. That way, you will know that you are getting almonds that
are truly raw (and therefore truly nutritious) and organic.
Ø
True raw, organic almonds can be purchased in
some health food stores or can be ordered online.
Summary
Since almonds are labeled as raw even if they are
pasteurized (which means they are cooked), and since no labeling is required to
let us know if PPO was used in the pasteurization process (similar to the
non-labeling of GMOs—genetically modified organisms), the best thing to do is
to accept the fact that those labeled as “raw” are not really living organisms,
but are dead. And because of this, they
are not as nutritious as they are purported to be.
If you don’t want to order true raw almonds online or go
looking for them in a health food store, the best option is to simply get ones
that are labeled organic. At least you
will know that they have not been treated with a dangerous chemical.
Sources
No comments:
Post a Comment