Food As Medicine: Natural Nutrients as Old as the Centuries

Why do we say? “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Because consuming natural nutrients in the form of whole foods, instead of supplements or packaged processed foods, is much better for your health.

According to experts, this is mainly because the body can absorb and utilize natural nutrients more easily than artificially-prepared tablets that might not be thoroughly digested in the system.

Using food as medicine to keep away disease and sickness is an idea as old as the centuries.

With apples in plentiful supply most any time of year, it’s easy to eat one small apple during your waking hours to get the natural nutrients from this well-known food as medicine.

Chicken soup – more than just folklore

And how about the natural nutrients in Chicken Soup to cure what ails ye? Scientific studies cite the beneficial effects of using animal bones in food preparation. The gelatin that forms as a result of boiling or roasting chicken and beef bones not only makes food taste better, but helps ease joint stiffness. I don’t know about that so much, but I do know there’s nothing like a warm cheery bowl of chicken soup when one is feeling less than 100%.

Feed the whole body

Some food as medicine enthusiasts think certain foods help with specific parts of the body:

• Fish to improve brain function – or at least help sustain it.
• Carrots for the eyes.
• Garlic for warding off most anything (including vampires).

We all know the positive effects of eating oranges and drinking milk.

A food prescription

So, would it be fair and useful to have a daily “dose” instead of a serving of these foods as a food as medicine prescription for good health? How about:

• 8 ounces of milk
• 6 ounces of orange juice (or one small orange)
• 1 small apple, any variety
• 8 ounces chicken soup with freshly shredded carrot garnish

Doesn’t sound too hard, does it?. Everything mentioned is fairly easy to prepare and get hold of.

I can see it now: “Recipes Rx: The Healthy Cooking Family Cookbook,” containing illness prevention recipes collected by food as medicine practicing family members. Might be good reading.

Back to the lab….

Happy Cookbooking,

Erin