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Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Pros and Cons of Raw Pollinated Honey

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Up until now, the discussion has been about herbs, spices and sweeteners on the Superhuman Food Pyramid that are fully recommended. Now we’ve come to the section where the next series of food types are suggested to be taken only in moderation.

First in line and today’s topic is raw pollinated honey.

Did you know that there’s an 8000 year old cave painting of a person gathering honey? That just goes to show how long humans have been eating this food. That really isn’t surprising as honey on its own can provide your body’s daily energy requirement.

The description “raw” and “pollinated” is used to differentiate this type of honey from the processed kind which is what most commercially available honey is. This means raw honey is not heated or pasteurized. Most of the time, it is only strained so that some debris is removed but most of the pollen remains.

Heat can destroy the beneficial enzymes and other substances that are found in raw honey. But this can also carry some risks.

Take a look at how moderate use of raw pollinated honey can help you achieve Superhuman performance and recovery. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Ginger

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Ginger is widely used around the world. In Western cooking, it is more frequently added as the main ingredient in sweet desserts such as gingerbread or ginger snaps. Other cultures meanwhile more typically apply it in vegetable, meat and fish dishes, although the Chinese are also known to make candied ginger.

From treating upset stomachs to certain types of cancer, this quite common spice delivers a wide range of therapeutic benefits. This is why ginger is a wholly recommended part of the Superhuman Food Pyramid.

Jump right in and see how ginger can help you achieve Superhuman health. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Garlic

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Today’s protagonist on the Superhuman Food Pyramid is that ordinary little bulb called garlic.

The fact that garlic and its medicinal uses have been described by Hippocrates, generally recognized as the father of Western medicine, says a lot about the spice’s healing qualities. From ancient Egypt to ancient China, garlic and its various beneficial effects have been recorded. This common spice has been part of human medical and culinary history for almost 7,000 years.

Some people are put off by garlic because of its strong smell and equally powerful taste. But once you get past that, it will be easy to see how this spice can provide numerous advantages in your quest to become Superhuman.

Just what is it in garlic that makes it so special? Take a look and find out. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Star Anise

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Star anise is aptly named. Part of the tree that is used as spice is its eight-pointed star-shaped pod. These pods or fruits are harvested before they ripen and are usually dried.

It shares a name with anise which is a flowering herb. But star anise is a completely different plant that is native in China and Vietnam while anise is found more often in the Mediterranean region. Naturally the former is mainly a part of Asian cuisine while the latter is typically an ingredient in European cooking. It has been reported however that because star anise is less expensive to produce but provides comparable flavor, it may gradually replace anise in its culinary uses.

Star anise rightly belongs in the Superhuman Food Pyramid because of the wonderful therapeutic effects it can provide as well as its dense nutritional profile.

Keep reading to take a look at how star anise can help you become Superhuman… Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Fennel

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Fennel takes center stage in today’s Superhuman Food Pyramid topic. The herb originally grew in the coastal regions around the Mediterranean. But being quite an aggressive species it was able to thrive in the other locations where it’s been propagated. Fennel can now also be found in Asia, Australia, and the US.

The herb is so hardy and prolific that it wouldn’t be surprising to see them growing on the side of a road along with some weeds. Perhaps because of its threadlike leaves, its English name is derived from the Latin word for “hay”.

For an herb deemed to be quite common and having an unassuming appearance, fennel actually packs quite a punch. You’ll easily understand this when you take a look at its health benefits and uses.

Jump right in and see how to use fennel in your quest for Superhuman health. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Cumin

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Cumin has been present in people’s diets for a very long time and has made its way around the world.

The spice is mentioned in the Bible and some records show that it was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for seasoning. Although it may be more associated with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine, cumin was also frequently used in Europe. It was a cheaper alternative to black pepper.

Cumin was introduced in the American continents during the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of that part of the world. Today the spice is very much a part of Mexican and Brazilian cooking.

Along with the other spices and herbs in the top section of the Superhuman Food Pyramid, cumin offers a lot of therapeutic benefits while raising the mouth-watering factor of some of your dishes.

Let’s take a look at how cumin can help us achieve Superhuman health… Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Curry

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

The Superhuman Food Pyramid spotlight is now on curry.

Curry doesn’t point to any one spice but rather to a mixture of them. The name is said to come from the word kari which is Tamil for “sauce”. The British first encountered this South Indian spice blend in the 17th century and supposedly adopted and helped disseminate it to other parts of the world.

While curry-based dishes are more commonly known as part of Indian cuisine, various Asian nations actually have their own spice mixtures which are also called curries. There are Pakistani, Thai, and Chinese curries for example. In fact, the blend is as varied as the cultures that have it. The recipe can be as simple as to involve only five different spices or be complex enough to use as much as twenty. Curry dishes can vary in color and come in yellow, red or green, depending on the spice ingredients.

Curry powder is the more popular and commercially available form of the spice blend in the Western world. To make production practical, its ingredients are more standardized in comparison to how curry is traditionally prepared in Asia.

We know how one healthy spice or herb can already impart some benefits. Imagine mixing a couple of them in one potent package. This is the essential Superhuman quality of curry.

Here are some benefits and practical uses of curry…

Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Turmeric

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Today we’re moving back to spices and are going to discuss a particularly potent one known as turmeric. We’re going to see how this spice’s many health benefits and practical uses make it a major component of the “herbs, spices and sweeteners” section of the Superhuman Food Pyramid.

Turmeric is a rhizome. That means the part of the plant we mainly consume are its rootstocks. It’s really a type of ginger. The roots though are more elongated and the color can range from yellow to deep yellow-orange. The plant is native to the South Asian region and thrives only in tropical climates with a lot of rainfall.

Those who like curry have unavoidably tasted this spice as it is a main ingredient in most curry mixes. It also has significant medicinal value as turmeric has long been utilized in Ayurvdedic and traditional Chinese medicine.

Let’s jump right in and take a look at the Superhuman benefits of turmeric. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Maltitol

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Healthy sweeteners are part of the top section of the Superhuman Food Pyramid along with other recommended herbs and spices. The previous post was about a sugar alcohol called xylitol. Now we’re moving on to another example of this particular class of sugar substitutes known as maltitol.

Maltitol is typically produced from starch, specifically that of corn, wheat and other cereals. The process starts with maltose or malt sugar. This simple sugar is then hydrogenated, a chemical process where hydrogen is added to a compound, and turned into a sugar alcohol.

A lot of food manufacturers use maltitol in candies, chocolates, ice cream and various baked goods marketed as sugarless or low-fat. Here are some of its Superhuman benefits that make it a good and healthy substitute for sugar. Continue reading →

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: How To Use Xylitol

Posted on by Ben Greenfield

Last time we started on the topic of sweeteners and discussed the Superhuman benefits and practical uses of stevia. Still at the top section of the Superhuman Food Pyramid, we are going to continue our quest for knowledge and health (and indulge our sweet tooth) by talking about another excellent sugar substitute called xylitol.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, which is to say that its molecular structure resembles both sugar and alcohol. Sugar alcohols in general are the end result of certain extraction and chemical processes. They are found in most fruit and vegetable fibers.

This particular sweetener is more frequently produced from corncobs. But it is possible to derive xylitol from berries, mushrooms, the fibrous remains of sugar cane after it’s been squeezed, and even from a hardwood tree like birch.

There are advantages in replacing ordinary sugar or sucrose with xylitol which can help us achieve Superhuman health. Let’s learn how to use xylitol and look at some of its benefits… Continue reading →