Herbs are rich in antioxidants, phytosterols, vitamins, and other nutrient substances that equip the body to fight against toxins and germs. They help in boosting the immune system as well. In fact, you can call herbs as ‘medicines’ when taken in small doses. I have been making broths out of medicinal herbs along with powerful nutrient-rich vegetables like beets, onions,m celery, carrots, kale, mustard greens, shitake mushroom and red cabbage.

Today I very gently simmered Astragalus Root, Codonopsis Root, Reishi Mushroom, Poria Fungus, Shiitake Mushroom, Jujube Date Fruit and the vegetables I detailed… I simmer for about an hour and then I strain the herbs and the vegetables out of the liquid. I drink the liquid both cold and hot. I may add a freshly squeezed lemon. I also make a clear chickpea miso soup with the broth…

The Herbs

Alfalfa Leaf (Medicago sativa): Naturally high in protein as well as many essential vitamins and minerals, including A, D, E, K, and even the full family of B vitamins. Alfalfa detoxifies the body and purifies the blood.

Astragalus/Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus): Astragalus nourishes and tonifies the blood, builds immunity and resistance to colds and flu, promotes skin generation, strengthens muscle, strengthens chronically weak lungs, improves digestion and metabolism, tonifies spleen Qi, and helps to maintain upright posture and positioning of the organs in the body.

Burdock Root (Arctium lappa): A highly nutritive herb, rich in vitamins A & C, burdock root improves gallbladder function, helps to increase the absorption of fats, and aids in the detoxification of excess wastes. Burdock also helps to control sugar cravings as well as treating alcohol addiction. Burdock relieves lymph congestion and cleanses and nourishes the blood.

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum): Improves circulation, increases metabolism, boosts the immune system, and aids digestion. It breaks up congestion in the body, clearing mucus, moving blood and dispelling cold dampness. With anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, cayenne may be used internally or externally to treat muscle and joint pain, including arthritis. It is a tonic for the heart, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, spleen, and stomach.

Chickweed (Stellaria Media): Loaded in nutrition and best known for its ability to cool and soothe inflammations, both internally and externally, It can be used to treat blood toxicity, inflammation and other “hot” type diseases.

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum): Cilantro­ is rich in micronutrients, high in calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, and has been found to remove heavy metals from the body. There is evidence that consumption of cilantro accelerates the excretion of lead and aluminum deposits from the body

Codonopsis Root/Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula): A supreme tonic supporting digestion and the immune system, it is a primary herb used to tonify Qi, particularly in the spleen and lungs. Codonopsis increases vital energy, strengthens digestion and assimilation, and is given in all diseases associated with weakness, debility after illness, tiredness, lack of strength, poor appetite and anemia. It supports breast milk production and can alleviate diarrhea, vomiting, gas, bloatedness, chronic cough and shortness of breath.

Cordyceps/Dong Chong Xia Cao (Cordyceps sinensis): Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that, in the wild, typically grows on and completely consumes the larvae of certain moths (eg. caterpillars). Cordyceps is a tonic for the kidneys which control sexual function, cognition, structural integrity, and healing ability. It strengthens the skeletal structure; specifically the lower back, knees, and ankles, and is anti­bacterial, anti­viral, and anti­fungal.

Dang GuiDang Gui/Chinese Angelica Root (Angelica sinensis): Alleviates pain, regulates menstruation, and moistens intestines. Dang Gui is used as a blood tonic, vitalizing and improving circulation. It is used for abdominal and menstrual pain, traumatic injuries, arthritis, rheumatism, sores, and abscesses. It normalizes heart contractions and dilates blood vessels increasing peripheral blood flow. It causes red blood cell proliferation and helps treat anemia.

Dioscorea Root/Shan Yao/Chinese Yam (Dioscorea opposita): Best known for regulating female hormones in Western Medicine, Chinese Yam is used as a Spleen Qi tonic and supports both the Yin and the Qi of the spleen, lungs and Kidneys. It is used to treat fatigue, lack of strength, exhaustion, and weakness.

Eleuthero Root/Siberian Ginseng/Ci Wu Jia (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Increases appetite, improves energy and enhances immune system, boosts endurance, stimulates virility and helps the body better withstand stress. Indicated when there is low energy, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and weakness. As such it is popular as an adjunct treatment for cancer patients. Can be helpful in Lyme disease protocols when there is joint pain and fatigue.

Eucommia BarkEucommia Root/Du Zhong (Eucommia ulmoides): Supports the functions of the endocrine and skeletal systems, particularly ligaments and tendons. It is also known for its kidney tonifying effects and supports normal healthy sexual functions.

Fo­ ti Stem/Ye Jiao Teng (Polygonum multiflorum): A Chinese herb used to nourish the heart and calm the spirit. Helps to quiet the mind and calm the nerves.

Galangal Root/Gao Liang Jiang (Alpinia galanga): Has a stimulating effect on the digestive system. Galangal root is antispasmodic and antibacterial.

Garlic (Allium sativum): Garlic contains a substance called Allicin which has antibiotic properties. It is useful in treating everything from a common cold to allergies to tonsillitis. Garlic contains many sulfur compounds which detoxify the body, boost the immune system, lower blood pressure and improve circulation. Garlic has also demonstrated anti­cancer, anti­fungal and anti­oxidant effects.

Ginger RootGinger Rhizome/Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale): Ginger is a wonderful herb for digestion. It helps break down proteins to decrease stomach and intestinal gas. It also aids in the digestion of fatty foods. Ginger’s warming quality improves and stimulates circulation and relaxes the muscles surrounding blood vessels, facilitating the flow of blood throughout the body. Ginger also treats nausea and morning sickness. Studies demonstrate that ginger can lower cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption in the blood and liver.

Berry/Gou Qi Zi (Lycium barbarum): Regular consumption of Goji is traditionally believed to lead to a long and happy life. Goji is also said to brighten the eyes and support vision. It is traditionally said that Goji strengthens the legs and enhances sexual function. Goji fruit contains polysaccharides that have been demonstrated to support the immune system. Goji provides B vitamins and is high in Beta Carotene.

Jujube DatesJujube Date/Da Zao (Ziziphus jujuba): An excellent superfruit that fosters radiant health and provides energy when consumed consistently. Red Jujube Dates nourish the blood, soothe the mind, and build and strengthen muscle. Jujube is considered a mild Shen tonic because it calms the mind ­ without causing drowsiness – while increasing physical energy.

Kaffir Lime Leaf (Citrus hystrix): Aids in digestion and purifies the blood. It is believed to have a positive effect on the mind and the body and leaves one with positive thoughts. The leaves can also be rubbed on to gums and teeth for total dental health.

Kelp/Kun Du (Ascophyllum nodosum): Seaweed draws an extraordinary wealth of mineral elements from the sea including sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus. Kelp is rich in natural iodine which benefits proper functioning of the thyroid glands.

Kombu SeaweedKombu/Hai Dai (Laminaria japonica): Kombu is very high in organic iodine, and has been used to treat thyroid disease in China for centuries. It also is very high in calcium and potassium, and contains a number of other minerals and trace elements. The algin in kombu has been found to fix and remove radioactive particles and heavy metals from the body, have a strong blood anticoagulant activity, and reduce blood pressure.

Ligusticum Root/Chinese Lovage Root/Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum wallichii): Ligusticum treats conditions such as upper respiratory infection, helps to promote healthy blood flow and relieves pain. Liguisticum has been known to treat all types of headaches and relieve menstrual symptoms. Because it warms the uterus and decongests blood in the pelvic region, it is especially popular for menstrual cramps.

Lily Bulb/Bai He (Lilium brownii): Lily bulbs are used to relieve coughs, dry throats and other respiratory conditions, to clear away heat, and to treat insomnia and heart palpitations. Its tonic properties make it a good herb for promoting restful sleep and treating restlessness and irritability.

Lotus Seed/Lian Zi (Nelumbo nucifera): Beneficial for the heart, tones the spleen and kidneys, prevents insomnia, and calms the nerves. Lotus seeds have astringent properties, which make them helpful in relieving the symptoms of diarrhea while also improving appetite. The seeds are used to treat weak sexual function in men and leukorrhea in women. The seed also has calming properties that alleviate restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia.

Maitake Mushroom/Hui Shu Hua (Grifola frondosa): A highly nutritious food, traditionally eaten throughout the world. It has a positive effect on the immune system and anti-cancer properties and has been effective in the treatment of diabetes.

NettlesNettles (Urtica dioica): Is a nutritive herb that gently cleanses the body of wastes. Nettles are especially important for women’s health. Through pregnancy, it helps in guarding against excessive bleeding as well as strengthening the fetus. It eases labor pains and increases milk production. Stinging nettle contains natural antihistamines and anti­-inflammatories that open up constricted bronchial and nasal passages, helping to ease hay fever, and nose & sinus type allergic reactions. Nettles is extremely high in essential vitamins and nutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and even protein!

Peony RootPeony Root/Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora): One of the most highly prized women’s herbs used traditionally to help regulate the female hormonal cycle and to tonify and purify the blood. It is also used as a pain reducing agent and as an emotional stabilizer by women. It is said to relieve cramps and spasms anywhere in the body. Peony root is also believed to extend life and to promote beauty. Men should use Peony as well since it has an anti-aging effect without affecting hormones.

PoriaPoria Fungus/Fu Ling (Sclerotium Poriae cocos): One of the main benefits of poria is it’s anti­-cancer properties. It is widely used in Chinese medicine to treat malignant tumors. Furthermore, poria stimulates the immune system and helps enhance the positive effects of cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy while negating some of their side effects. Poria is well known for correcting problems related to the digestive system such as diarrhea, constipation, acidity, and other gastrointestinal issues and promotes the secretion of digestive fluids.

Reishi Mushroom/Ling Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum): Considered both the “elixir of life” and the “mushroom of immortality,” Reishi has long been a fundamental ingredient in the attainment of a long happy life and even spiritual enlightenment. It is believed to help calm the mind, ease tension, strengthen the nerves, strengthen memory, sharpen concentration, improve focus, build willpower and as a result, helps build wisdom. Its effect is cumulative; gradually strengthening the nerves and a sense of peace. It is safe to take on a daily basis by most everyone and other benefits include: Supports immune system, antibacterial, adaptogenic qualities protect against stress, tonifies blood and qi and strengthens major organs including lungs, heart, bone marrow and liver.

Rehmannia/Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia Glutinosa): Frequently used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to nourish the kidneys. It is considered the food of the kidneys and is used for loss of blood, yin deficiency, lower back pain with deficiency from overwork. It can also treat cough, diabetes, urinary incontinence, deafness, uterine bleeding, vertigo, tinnitus, and regulate menstrual flow. It helps to protect and support the liver and adrenal glands and is often found in energy tonic formulas used to combat chronic fatigue.

Schizandra/Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra chinensis): Promotes soft, radiant, clear skin and is known to increase sexual fluids, endurance and strengthen the whole body. For this, it is considered “anti-aging.” Used in Chinese medicine as an adaptogenic herb to improve mental function, reduce tiredness and improve endurance. Schisandra is also a recognized lung tonic. It enhances immune response, regenerates liver tissue, and has been proven to treat hepatitis. The Chinese name, wu-wei-zi, means five taste fruits and refers to the fact that sweet, salt, bitter, sour and warmth can all be tasted when it is consumed, distinguishing it as a uniquely balanced herb.

ShiitakeShiitake/Xiang Gu (Lentinus edodes): Shiitake mushrooms have deep immune system healing properties, have been proven to stop or slow down tumor growth and are used in treating a variety of cancers. It is credited with lowering serum cholesterol and contains protein, potassium, niacin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Recent studies have shown the ability of shiitake mushrooms to help protect against cardiovascular diseases. They are also strongly anti-viral.

Spirit Poria Fungus/Fu Shen (Sclerotium Poriae cocos Circum Radicem Pini): The poria fungus grows underground in conjunction with pine roots. This is the center of the fungus, containing a portion of the root. It is considered a shen tonic and is sought by many spiritual seekers for its ability to calm emotions and raise shen (spirit). It also strengthens the immune system and fortifies heart, kidney, and spleen function.

Teasel Root/Xu Duan (Dipsacus Japonicus): Known in Chinese as “Repair what is Broken,” Teasel fortifies the lower back, knees and bones as well and sinews and joints. It is used for pain and stiffness due to decreased Kidney energy or traumatic injury and promotes the movement of blood to repair damaged tissues. Used in Lyme Disease treatment, as an analgesic for pain relief, an anti­-inflammatory, and a stimulant for the nervous system.

Turkey Tail Mushroom/Yun Zhi (Trametes versicolor): Common throughout the world, growing on and decomposing logs and stumps, it is used to strengthen the immune system and fight chronic diseases such as hepatitis and cancer. Traditionally, it has also been used for asthma and cough, invigorating digestion in cases of weakness and poor appetite, and clearing dampness associated with arthritis.

Turmeric/Jiang Huang (Curcuma longa): Powerfully anti-inflammatory, healing to the liver, and pain-relieving. Excellent source for beta-carotene. Improves circulation. Treats liver congestion, jaundice, and Hepatitis.

Wakame Seaweed/Qun Dai Cai (Undaria pinnatifida): Aides in weight loss by inhibiting the accumulation of fat in the cells and by stimulating fat oxidation. Also helps our body transfer energy efficiently, regulate hormones throughout the body, and helps our body produce and utilize protein. Wakame balances hormone levels and promotes bone growth and repair. High in trace minerals.

Zao Ren (Ziziphus jujuba): Ziziphus seed is the most commonly used herb in sedative formulas designed to help relax the mind. It is categorized as a heart­ blood tonic in traditional Chinese medicine, therefore it is calming to the heart, which is the Seat of Shen and which determines our emotional stability.

Fiber is a powerful nutrient to achieve a healthy approach to digestion, weight loss, cancer prevention, heart disease prevention and increase your lifespan! The only source of fiber comes from plants. Natural fiber is found only in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, and legumes. Fill your plate with whole plant-based foods as if your life depends on it…. because it does, trust me on this!

There are two types of fiber: -soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans and other legumes, and some fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, and bran and acts like a broom, cleaning your digestive tract.

Both types of fiber are only found in plant foods. Meat and dairy products contain no natural fiber at all – not an ounce! When people ask me “where do you get your protein?” I ask them, “Where do you get your fiber?” Meat and dairy are loaded with saturated fat that clogs your arteries with the blockage that ultimately causes a stroke or a heart attack. Because there is no fiber in meat and dairy, your colon is clogged as well and that leads to diseases and deadly illnesses.

Let me be perfectly crystal clear – there is only one way to acquire fiber and that is from plants – beans, legumes, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, seeds, and nuts. There is no pill or additive or super packaged food to achieve healthy fiber. Just eat lots of plant-based foods, in fact – eat nothing else but plant-based foods. Think of eating plant-based foods as your medicine for life. It is that simple!

Combine exercise with a 100% vegan plant-based diet and you will live a long healthy disease free life. Those that eat meat and dairy do four damaging things – (1) they slowly kill themselves, (2) they participate in the senseless and brutal slaughter of a once thriving animal, (3) they contribute to global warming, mass pollution and devastating the planet’s natural resources, and (4) they make doctors, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and mortuaries rich.

I eat whole grains, beans, lentils, vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts every day. I combine all of these foods so I am insured to overindulge in fiber. I always add hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds to all of my whole grains. I combine whole grains like hulless barley, brown rice, farro, spelt, quinoa, millet, amaranth, and other high fiber nutrients grains with lentils, split peas and lots of beans.

I make a raw hummus that I eat every day. I soak the garbanzo beans (also goes by the name of chickpeas) for 24 hours., rinse well after the soaking process, add them to a high-speed blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix (I suppose a food processor will work well too), add lots of lemon juice and garlic and a little water to achieve a smooth consistency – It is that simple! No oils or fat – just hardcore garbanzo beans, lemon, and garlic. I also dry roast garbanzo beans after the 24 hours of soaking and eat those with the hummus… I am obsessed with this amazingly healthy food. It is cheap and very easy to prepare.

Garbanzo beans are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are a very good source of folic acid, fiber, and manganese. They are also a good source of protein, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Being high in fiber, garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. Garbanzo beans are extremely-low-fat and complete protein food.

Never use canned beans or for that matter, never eat anything out of a can, jar, box, bag, bottle or any food that has been processed in a factory. Buy all of your food from the farmer. I even buy my beans, lentils, seeds, whole grains and nuts from farmers and sources that I know do not compromise their product. They are out there, you just have to search for them.

This morning I am having two sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, antioxidants, and other powerful life-saving nutrients. I simmer ther potatoes in chickpea miso. with a roughly chopped onion, celery, carrots, and chopped kale. I season with fresh lemon juice and add chia, hemp and flax seeds. This is my favorite breakfast. The fiber fills me up so I am not hungry during the day.

For an early dinner, I may have a bowl of quinoa, millet, and amaranth. These three seeds contain all the essential protein, calcium, vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients, minerals and lots and lots of fiber. They take fifteen minutes to prepare. I have a huge glass jar of combined millet, quinoa, and amaranth. When the quinoa, millet, and amaranth are done simmering, I let stand for ten minutes with the lid on top of the pot. Then I place in a bowl and add chia, hemp and flax seeds and season with fres

lemon juice.

I do not eat past 4:00 p,m, Once a week I fast. The most efficient form of anti-aging is a low-calorie die. I chew my food well, I never juice or make smoothies as that compromises the fiber and all of the liquid loaded with sugar goes straight to your liver. I believe that eating the food naturally is the most beneficial way to absorb all of the valuable nutrients whole plant-based food has to offer.


What is left is just fat. Eat olives, coconut, nuts, and avocados to acquire the powerfully nutritious healthy fats. But eat them intact with the fiber as your body will absorb the fats that benefit your health.

Do I eat dessert? Of course!!! My favorite dessert is a mashed banana with loads of raw oats, chia, hemp, flax, pumpkin, sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts on top. I then puree berries and pour that over the banana oats and seeds… You will never see me eat cake or bread or any form of baked goods at all… I also love just fruit like papayas, dragon fruit, pineapples, mangoes, apples, pears, melons, etc…

Thank you Doug for your help ric

Chlorophyll is plant blood almost identical to our own red blood cells. Chlorophyll cleanses our blood and binds with heavy metals to remove them from our body. Chlorophyll cleanses our bowels, increases our red blood count, oxygenates and alkalizes our blood, helps fight disease, strengthens immunity anti-inflammatory, provides powerful antioxidants and if that isn’t enough, Chlorophyll fights cancer.

Chlorophyll is most certainly beneficial to our anti-aging regime of healing, building a strong health base and fighting diseases that are now so common in our society. I would go as far as to say that Chlorophyll is the most valuable medicine and healing factor on the planet. You will not find it in a bottle or a powder or is it expensive. Chlorophyll is simply found in dark leafy vegetables like kale, mustard greens, chard, parsley, spinach, broccoli, beet tops, wheat grass, and dark lettuce.

By consuming dark leafy greens you are living a superior LIFE – spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally – If I could bottle this stuff, I would be rich beyond imagination… But, Chlorophyll, in its purest form, is found right in organic farmer’s garden… A simple bunch of parsley for $2.99, for example, is more powerfully nutritional than a $60 bottle of powdered green juice.

Green juice powders sound like a miracle fountain of youth Godsend, but it is all hype. Juicing all those vegetables instead of eating them looks amazing and to a layman like myself made a lot of sense… But more is not necessarily healthier… I used to juice tons of vegetables and buy every superfood powder on the market along with gulping down handfuls of vitamins and supplements. I got sick from it all which spirited me to research and talk to doctors and scientist that actually knew what they were talking about. Those so-called health gurus are motivated to sell expensive appliances, bottles of worthless powder and books… I embraced the concept of “Less is More” and I never felt better as well as saving a lot of money by avoiding superfoods and juicing unnecessary vegetables.

Don’t be fooled by green powders that claim concentrated chlorophyll. Don’t buy spirulina, concentrated green vegetable powders or juice the dark leafy greens or blend them into smoothies. Your body does a pretty efficient job of breaking down the nutrients from the actual vegetable. When you eat dark leafy greens like kale, mustard greens, chard, parsley, spinach, broccoli, beet tops, and dark lettuce. you are naturally digesting the nutrients as your body intended – chewing, mixing the vegetables with saliva and absorbing them into your body directly along with fiber and all the vitamins, antioxidants and minerals in the vegetable. The juicer and blender compromise the vegetables and fruits and they lose valuable nutrients. Your body is the best way to absorb health.

When you juice and blend vegetables and fruit, you are reducing the fiber and the nutrients to a liquid as well as bypassing your body’s natural process to digest, distribute and absorb valuable nutrients. Juice and smoothies go straight to your liver much like if you drank a coke.

Don’t be tricked by clever marketing that says there and 500 times more nutrients in juicing than eating vegetables. First of all, your body only absorbs what it needs. What it doesn’t need your body flushes out through a very complicated process through your liver. So, by thinking you are absorbing a powerful dosage of nutrients you are actually burdening your liver causing havoc.

The healthiest people in the world live in Blue Zones – Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica Ikaria, Greece – They do not have fancy blenders or juicers or superfoods or Whole Foods stores or do they consume vitamins and expensive supplements. These extraordinary healthy people eat what they grow and what they need, nothing more. The people in the Blue Zones live into their 90’s and 100’s and they thrive like they were in their 40’s…

Live as close to nature as you possibly can. Be active, get to know your organic farmers and eat what they grow in season. Don’t eat too much and share what you have with people less fortunate.

Enjoy the rest of your week and be safe… Doug

Chlorophyll is plant blood almost identical to our own red blood cells. Chlorophyll cleanses our blood and binds with heavy metals to remove them from our body. Chlorophyll cleanses our bowels, increases our red blood count, oxygenates and alkalizes our blood, helps fight disease, strengthens immunity anti-inflammatory, provides powerful antioxidants and if that isn’t enough, Chlorophyll fights cancer.

Chlorophyll is most certainly beneficial to our anti-aging regime of healing, building a strong health base and fighting diseases that are now so common in our society. I would go as far as to say that Chlorophyll is the most valuable medicine and healing factor on the planet. You will not find it in a bottle or a powder or is it expensive. Chlorophyll is simply found in dark leafy vegetables like kale, mustard greens, chard, parsley, spinach, broccoli, beet tops, wheat grass, and dark lettuce.

By consuming dark leafy greens you are living a superior LIFE – spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally – If I could bottle this stuff, I would be rich beyond imagination… But, Chlorophyll, in its purest form, is found right in organic farmer’s garden… A simple bunch of parsley for $2.99, for example, is more powerfully nutritional than a $60 bottle of powdered green juice.

Green juice powders sound like a miracle fountain of youth Godsend, but it is all hype. Juicing all those vegetables instead of eating them looks amazing and to a layman like myself made a lot of sense… But more is not necessarily healthier… I used to juice tons of vegetables and buy every superfood powder on the market along with gulping down handfuls of vitamins and supplements. I got sick from it all which spirited me to research and talk to doctors and scientist that actually knew what they were talking about. Those so-called health gurus are motivated to sell expensive appliances, bottles of worthless powder and books… I embraced the concept of “Less is More” and I never felt better as well as saving a lot of money by avoiding superfoods and juicing unnecessary vegetables.

Don’t be fooled by green powders that claim concentrated chlorophyll. Don’t buy spirulina, concentrated green vegetable powders or juice the dark leafy greens or blend them into smoothies. Your body does a pretty efficient job of breaking down the nutrients from the actual vegetable. When you eat dark leafy greens like kale, mustard greens, chard, parsley, spinach, broccoli, beet tops, and dark lettuce. you are naturally digesting the nutrients as your body intended – chewing, mixing the vegetables with saliva and absorbing them into your body directly along with fiber and all the vitamins, antioxidants and minerals in the vegetable. The juicer and blender compromise the vegetables and fruits and they lose valuable nutrients. Your body is the best way to absorb health.

When you juice and blend vegetables and fruit, you are reducing the fiber and the nutrients to a liquid as well as bypassing your body’s natural process to digest, distribute and absorb valuable nutrients. Juice and smoothies go straight to your liver much like if you drank a coke.

Don’t be tricked by clever marketing that says there and 500 times more nutrients in juicing than eating vegetables. First of all, your body only absorbs what it needs. What it doesn’t need your body flushes out through a very complicated process through your liver. So, by thinking you are absorbing a powerful dosage of nutrients you are actually burdening your liver causing havoc.

The healthiest people in the world live in Blue Zones – Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda, California, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica Ikaria, Greece – They do not have fancy blenders or juicers or superfoods or Whole Foods stores or do they consume vitamins and expensive supplements. These extraordinary healthy people eat what they grow and what they need, nothing more. The people in the Blue Zones live into their 90’s and 100’s and they thrive like they were in their 40’s…

Live as close to nature as you possibly can. Be active, get to know your organic farmers and eat what they grow in season. Don’t eat too much and share what you have with people less fortunate.

Enjoy the rest of your week and be safe… thank you Doug .

This is what happens to your body when you eat Pink Himalayan Salt

Pink Himalayans crystal salt has gained fame in the past few years, so there is definitely a good chance that you have already heard of it.

If you do not know what we are talking about, this article will surely help you. We will tell you why this salt is excellent for you in comparison to regular and sea salt.

Pink Himalayan salt originates in Asia and it is very exceptional. People believe that over 200 million years ago, beds of crystallized salt were covered with layers of lava. As time passed by, the salt was conserved from the natural elements by the lava and then curved into rocks.

Benefits

This salt is filled with trace minerals. It encloses the exact same 84 trace minerals that the human body possesses. In addition, you should be acquainted with that you are ingesting a lot less sodium when eating pink Himalayan salt, since it is less refined.

You can anticipate the following benefits if you make a decision to eat pink Himalayan salt:

  • Enhanced lung and respiratory functions
  • Improved vascular health
  • It fights aging effects
  • Stable pH balance in your body
  • Strengthens the bones
  • It can improve sleep habits
  • Lowers the blood pressure
  • It perks up the circulation of the blood
  • Removes the heavy metals and detoxifies the body
  • It can improve the libido
  • Reduces the muscle cramps
  • It improves the hydration

Other salts

In order to realize how much better this salt is, we have to compare it with other salts.

This is what happens to your body when you eat Pink Himalayan Salt

The second best alternative after the pink Himalayan salt is sea salt. But in time, sea salt is becoming more and more processed and the seas are polluted to a level that is close to a point of no return. The reason why pink Himalayan salt is better is for the reason that it has been sealed in near perfect condition.

Table salt is the worst choice. This salt is bleached with chemicals and it is then baked at high temperatures. The human body as well has troubles with absorbing the iodine in this salt, since it is often times synthetic.

Sprouts truly are the best locally-grown food, yet not enough people eat or grow them. Considering their many health and environmental benefits, it’s time to consider adding sprouts to your diet.

10 Reasons To Eat More Sprouts:

1. Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than uncooked fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are special types of proteins that act as catalysts for all your body’s functions. Extracting more vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids from the foods you eat to ensure that your body has the nutritional building blocks of life to ensure every process works more effectively.

in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when it is sprouted. Proteins change during the soaking and sprouting process, improving its nutritional value. The amino acid lysine, for example, which is needed to prevent cold sores and to maintain a healthy immune system increases significantly during the sprouting process.

3. The fiber content of the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains increases substantially. Fiber is critical to weight loss. It not only binds to fats and toxins in our body to escort them out, it ensures that any fat our body breaks down is moved quickly out of the body before it can resorb through the walls of the intestines (which is the main place for nutrient absorption into the blood).

4. Vitamin content increases dramatically. This is especially true of vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E. The vitamin content of some seeds, grains, beans, or nuts increases by up to 20 times the original value within only a few days of sprouting. Research shows that during the sprouting process mung beansprouts (or just beansprouts, as they are often called) increase in vitamin B1 by up to 285 percent, vitamin B2 by up to 515 percent, and niacin by up to 256 percent.

5. Essential fatty acid content increases during the sprouting process. Most of us are deficient in these fat-burning essential fats because they are not common in our diet. Eating more sprouts is an excellent way to get more of these important nutrients.

6. During sprouting, minerals bind to protein in the seed, grain, nut, or bean, making them more useable in the body. This is true of alkaline minerals like calcium, magnesium, and others than help us to balance our body chemistry for weight loss and better health.

7. Sprouts are the ultimate locally-grown food. When you grow them yourself you are helping the environment and ensuring that you are not getting unwanted pesticides, food additives, and other harmful fat-bolstering chemicals that thwart your weight loss efforts.

8. The energy contained in the seed, grain, nut, or legume is ignited through soaking and sprouting.

9. Sprouts are alkalizing to your body. Many illnesses including cancer have been linked to excess acidity in the body.

10. Sprouts are inexpensive. People frequently use the cost of healthy foods as an excuse for not eating healthy. But, with sprouts being so chea

Growing your own is a great way to have a supply of gourmet varieties, ensure access to high-quality fresh foods year-round if you live in a colder climate, or simply to become more aware of the food you are eating.
I prefer the jar method which involves using a wide-mouth mason jar and either sprout lids from a health food store or cheesecloth and a rubber band.

You’ll need only a few basic supplies to get started sprouting. They include: organic sprouting seeds, nuts, legumes, or grains (such as mung beans, alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, broccoli seeds, and garbanzo beans.)

Avoid sprouting kidney beans as they are poisonous if eaten raw or sprouted. Make sure the seeds you choose are from a reputable supplier that can guarantee they haven’t been heated during processing, which prevents them from sprouting.

What You’ll Need:

1. Large wide mouth mason jar

2. Sprouting lids for jars (Sprouting lids are typically available in most health food stores but you can use cheesecloth and rubber bands over the top of the jars if you prefer)

Now you’re ready to get sprouting!


For hygiene’s sake, wash your hands before handling seeds. Use seeds, grains, nuts, or legumes. For simplicity, I’ll be referring to any of these items as seeds throughout the instructions.

Remove any broken or discolored seeds, stones, twigs, or hulls that may have found their way into your sprouting seeds.

Place one type of seed in the jar. Use about a teaspoon of seeds or one-third cup of beans. Remember they will grow in size during the soaking

Cover the seeds with pure water. If you are using a few tablespoons of seeds, cover with at least one cup of water. If you are using beans, nuts, or grains, use at least three times the water of the amount of seed. In other words, one cup of water for one-third cup of mung beans, for example.

Allow the seeds to soak for about 6 to 12 hours. I find it easiest to start them before going to bed. They absorb the water while I’m sleeping and are ready to start sprouting in the morning.

Cover the jar with the sprouting lids or cheesecloth. If you’re using cheesecloth, secure over the top of the jar with a rubber band. Drain off the water.

Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and drain off the water again. Set upside down in a clean, cool spot in your kitchen area, preferably on a slight angle to allow excess water to drain off. Alternatively, use a stainless steel dish drying rack which gives the sprout jars the perf angle for draining.

Rinse the sprouts a few times a day. Be sure to drain them well each time.

Once the sprouts are ready to be harvested (this amount of time differs for each variety; alfalfa or mung bean sprouts are ready in about a week), place them in a large bowl of cool water and stir them around to loosen hulls and skins from the seeds (this is an optional step). They’ll usually come to the top so you can remove them. Don’t worry about removing every hull. Doing so helps prevent spoilage so the sprouts will last longer. Drain sprouts well and store in the refrigerator covered for a week to 10 days, depending on the sprout type.


HANDY TIP:
To increase the mineral content of your sprouts, add a piece of kelp or other type of seaweed to the water while the seeds are soaking.

Traditional Jamu, Indonesian traditional herbal drink, is one of the most prominent alternative medicines in Indonesia. It originated some 1,300 years ago in the Mataram Kingdom in Central Java, and it is heavily influenced by Ayurveda, a system of Hindu traditional medicine.
Many Jamu come in bright orange in color, while others are green or even black, depending on the ingredients. A Jamu blend may be prepared from any combination of herbs used, giving it hundreds of variations. With centuries of practices, specific kind of Jamu can be made for specific purpose, from common health issue like Masuk angin to serious illness like diabetes and cholesterol.
Until today, most traditional Jamu drinks are made with traditional techniques by smashing the ingredients and pestle-pummeling, with the recipes passed down generations upon generations. Generally, Jamu ingredients are roots and spices like turmeric, ginger, or tamarind that you can easily find in the traditional market as bumbu dapur. However, there are also specific ingredients used in certain types of Jamu such as noni (mengkudu), cabe puyang (long pepper), temulawak (curcuma), and many more. These ingredients are excellent sources of enzymes, coupled with strong anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and antiseptic properties.

We at Thalassa Nutrition make 8 Jamu good for all of us and children for cholesterol food craving lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, increase appetite warms the body maintaining stamina and immunity. Lower back pain, sore muscles, cramps, and improve the production of red blood cells. Young ladies and women to heal yeast infection, relieve menstrual pain, and alleviate cold and fever. Some Jamu can be very bitter!

A Complete Guide

Japanese cuisine makes heavy use of rice, noodles, vegetables, seaweed, soy products, and mushrooms. But as a nation comprised of several large islands in the Pacific, no cuisine is more rooted in seafood than Japan’s. Not only is seafood a primary ingredient in many Japanese dishes, fish-derived seasonings are so widespread as to be almost inescapable. All of this gives Japanese food the distinction of being one of the most plant-based of all cuisines, yet simultaneously one of the least vegan-friendly. In fact, it’s so difficult to reliably order a vegan meal at a typical Japanese restaurant that you probably shouldn’t even make the attempt. In many cases the food comes infuriatingly close to being entirely vegan while still missing the mark.

Fish is easy enough to avoid, but fish-based seasonings are not. That’s mostly because of a seasoning powder called dashi, which is usually made primarily of fish flakes. Dashi shows up everywhere in Japanese cooking. They put it into soups, sushi rice, dipping sauces, dressings, and many other savory dishes. Dashi provides the umami flavor that can’t easily be replicated with other common Japanese ingredients. Of course, there are vegan versions of dashi, but you’re likely only going to find that in vegan restaurants and cookbooks.

Pork is not a traditional part of the Japanese diet, but it has become a popular Japanese food in recent decades thanks to Japan’s proximity to China. It’s commonly put into gyoza dumplings (a Chinese favorite that has become a popular appetizer and bar menu item in Japan), and Japanese vegetable dishes often contain tiny amounts of pork seasoning. A great many Japanese chefs habitually put fish or pork seasoning in all of their dishes.

Japanese Recipes

While obtaining vegan food from Japanese restaurants is tricky to say the least, making vegan Japanese food yourself is easy enough.

You won’t find Japanese-style recipes in most general-interest vegan cookbooks. So if you’re interested in learning to cook Japanese food you should get ahold of a vegan cookbook specifically devoted to the cuisine. There are only a few vegan and vegetarian Japanese cookbooks in print, and the most popular vegan title dates all the way back to 1999: Japanese Cooking: Contemporary & Traditional, by Miyoko Schinner. At just 174 pages it’s relatively short, but Schinner is a superstar chef in the vegan world who covers a lot of ground without wasting words. Her cookbook does a superb job of introducing you to Japanese cooking techniques, and will enable you to prepare authentic versions of many classic dishes. That said, the vegan cookbook market is long overdue for a comprehensive book on the topic featuring extensive full-color food photography and high-end production values.

Vegan Japanese Staples

Getting started cooking Japanese food involves gaining familiarity with the key ingredients. Here are some of the main vegan staples of Japanese cooking.

Miso

Miso is one of the key ingredients of both Japanese and Chinese cooking. It’s a fermented salted soy paste that delivers an a earthy, savory, umami flavor to a variety of soups and broths. When made through traditional means, miso is quite expensive since it ferments for years at a time. There are numerous varieties of miso, from blond to red to rich dark brown. Brown misos are by far the most common. You never want to boil miso or expose it to high heat. It’s usually stirred into broths just before serving.

Tofu

Tofu is as popular in Japan as it is in China, and appears in a wide variety of dishes. Here’s our brief guide to tofu if you want to learn the basics.

Soba and Udon Noodles

These are dried straight noodles packaged like spaghetti. Authentic soba is 100 percent buckwheat, and costs at least quadruple the price of Italian pasta. Cheaper sobas are 90 percent wheat and only 10 percent buckwheat. If you’re going to eat soba, get the good stuff. Udon noodles are 100 percent wheat, are thicker than soba, and resemble a flattened spaghetti noodle.

Both Soba and Udon are traditionally served in a tsuyu broth, which is typically made from soy sauce, ginger, wasabi, and dashi.

You can also use these noodles in a variety of non-traditional ways, such as topping them with peanut sauce, mixing them together with sautéed vegetables, or as the base of a seaweed salad.

Gomacio

One of the the most popular Japanese seasonings, it’s made from roasted black sesame and salt. Gomacio adds a nice texture, saltiness, and a bit of protein. It’s terrific when shaken just before serving onto soups, noodles, or rice dishes.

Since it’s just two ingredients, you can save a lot of money by making gomacio yourself. Even if you rarely serve Japanese food, gomacio is well worth keeping on hand as it’s a wonderful seasoning for almost any dish.

Tamari and Shoyu

In a bottle, these two black liquids are impossible to tell apart, but they’re made very differently.

Tamari is a byproduct of miso-making—it’s the liquid decanted as the soy paste ferments. So tamari has just three ingredients: water, fermented soy, and salt. Owing to its expensive production process, it’s pricey and much sought after.

Shoyu is made from a mixture of mashed soy and meat. It’s usually cheaper than tamari, but still significantly more expensive than mass market soy sauces.

Mushrooms

There is no culture that embraces mushrooms as much as Japan. Any grocery will have five or ten types of mushrooms—and not a single one of those horrible American-style button mushrooms in sight.

Sprouts

The Japanese love of mushrooms is nearly matched by their love for sprouts. Unlike the United States, you won’t find alfalfa or clover sprouts in stores. Every Japanese grocery will feature mung bean sprouts as well as two or three bright-green sprouts, most commonly daikon radish and soy.

Wasabi

Wasabi is a ridiculously hot radish paste. The wasabi radish is one of the most difficult foods in the world to grow and is right up there with saffron and truffles in terms of being obscenely expensive. Here’s a moving and beautifully filmed seven minute documentary profiling an eighth-generation wasabi farmer in Japan.

Unless you’re dining at an extremely expensive sushi restaurant the “wasabi” you’re being served is almost invariably horseradish. You can buy tubes of this phony wasabi for about a dollar. The fake stuff is still delicious. Squirt a couple centimeters’ worth into a couple tablespoons of tamari, mix it up, and you’ve got a superb dipping sauce for vegan sushi.

Seaweed

Japanese meals frequently include a small side dish of seaweed. Most often it’s either wakame (broad, bright green strands), or hijiki (jet black, thin curly strands). Seaweed is incredibly nutritious and is one of the rare foods that’s rich in iodine.

Rice

Rice is so popular in Japan that rice cookers are found in most kitchens. Sadly, the Japanese eat a lot more white rice than brown. Sushi rice is merely short-grained white rice that’s rinsed thoroughly and cooked with a bit less water than usual. This causes the rice to bind up together, which makes it perfect for nori rolls. It’s also possible to prepare short-grain brown rice this way. The rice won’t stick together was well as if it were white, but your nori rolls will be much more healthful.

Pickled Ginger

Thinly-sliced pickled ginger is often served alongside sushi. It’ll clear the palette between pieces of vegan nori. It’s my unshakable belief that vegan nori rolls, pickled ginger, and Asahi Prime Rich beer constitute the holy trinity of Japanese cuisine.

Umeboshi

The idea of eating a dried salted pickled plum might sound off-putting, but it’s well worth trying since it’s one of the signature meal accompaniments of Japanese cuisine. You can also eat fresh (not dried) plums called umezuke, which are prepared the same way. Both umeboshi and umezuke plums are thought to promote better digestion and enhance longevity.

Maybe the best way to experience umeboshi is to serve it like the mango pickle garnish that’s beloved in Indian cuisine. That is, finely chop a couple umeboshi up (removing and discarding the pits!) and serve it a little alongside your favorite rice dish. Both umeboshi and mango pickle are sour, salted fruits with that pack a big hit of umami.

Popular Vegan Japanese Dishes

Here are some of the most common dishes in Japan that are either always vegan or easy to prepare that way:

Edamame

Edamame (pronounced Ehdah-mah-may, with the accent on the first syllable) is the Japanese word for soybeans. It’s probably the most popular side-dish or appetizer in Japan. Nearly every bar in the country offers edamame. Just like English peas, soybeans grow in an inedible pod, each typically containing three to five beans. A soybean is two or three times bigger than an English pea. Because soybeans contain some fat, they’ve got a richer, deeper flavor than peas. In restaurants, soybeans are sometimes steamed and served in the pod, which you’d pop open like peanuts in the shell. Other times the pod is removed and they’re served in a small dish, alongside dipping sauce, and eaten with chopsticks.

Seasoned Cucumber

Seasoned cucumber runs neck-and-neck with edamame as Japan’s most popular appetizer or bar food. And like edamame, it’s one of the few items you can get while eating out that’s all but guaranteed to be vegan. This dish is always made fresh. The chef cuts a piece of cucumber into strips, roughs up the skin so it’ll absorb the seasoning, and then adds tamari and sesame oil. That’s all there is to it. It’s a cheap and easy appetizer or beer accompaniment that’s remarkably healthy.

Ramen

Ramen is to modern-day Japan what hamburgers were to 1970s America. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cheap or mid-priced lunch spot in Japan that doesn’t offer steaming bowls of ramen.

Traditional ramen caught on because it’s satisfying, filling, and made from the cheapest ingredients: fried noodles, meat stock, a few vegetables, and lots of salt. It has become a ubiquitous food for impoverished American college students because it’s filling, can be prepared in minutes, and you can find three cups for a dollar in many discount stores.

But ramen doesn’t have to be cheap and made from inferior ingredients. It can be both nutritious and gourmet. The fried noodles can be upgraded to whole grain, and a quality vegetable broth can be used in place of scary dehydrated meat powder. Any vegetarian Japanese cookbook will feature at least one vegan ramen recipe.

Sweet Potato

One of the most popular vegetables in Japan, sweet potatoes make a perfect side dish. They’re typically baked whole at relatively low heat for about an hour, then peeled prior to serving. They are a terrific accompaniment to rice, and are loaded with beta carotene and other nutrients.

Nori Rolls

Sushi is one of the fussiest cuisines imaginable, and as the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi memorably recounts, novice Japanese chefs spend years apprenticing to sushi masters. But the simplest sushi dish, the nori roll, is something anyone can master in minutes. You simply put a sheet of nori on a sushi mat, spread on some sushi rice, put a line of chopped vegetables running across the center of the sheet, and then use the mat to roll the thing up (sealing things up by moistening where the two ends of nori join together). Once you’ve got your roll, you use a serrated knife to slice off pieces about two centimeters wide. The most common vegan fillings include avocado, cucumber, roasted pumpkin, and pickled radish.

You can buy vegan sushi at most natural food stores. Any sushi restaurant will be happy to make it for you as well (although their rice may be seasoned with dashi.) The trouble with vegan sushi sold by non-vegan restaurants is it’s almost invariably overpriced. Almost no food is cheaper to make than vegan sushi but restaurants generally charge nearly the same price that they do for sushi made with expensive cuts of fish.

Nato (Rhymes with Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto)

Fermented chopped soybeans with a little tamari or shoyu mixed in. These are sold in every Japanese grocery. The seasoning packs of pre-made nato may contain fish ingredients, but vegan tamari or shoyu can be used instead. The nato itself is always vegan.

Mochi

Vegan Japanese meals may be tough to find, but desserts couldn’t be easier. That’s because the most beloved sweet in Japan is a rice dough and red bean concoction called mochi (pronounced: moehchee, with neither syllable accented). Mochi is nearly always vegan, and most varieties of mochi have a lot less sugar than typical western desserts. Serving sizes are saner too, since the typical piece of mochi can be eaten in one to three bites.

Macrobiotics and Shojin-Ryori

Whether you’re in or outside of Japan, vegan Japanese food is tough to find. So vegan dining enthusiasts will want to know about macrobiotic and shojin-ryori meals.

Macrobiotics is a style of eating invented in the 1930s by George Oshawa and subsequently popularized in the 1960s by Michio Kushi. As both Oshawa and Kushi were Japanese, the sensibilities of macrobiotic cuisine is Japanese as well. While macrobiotic meals usually feature fish, if that’s omitted pretty much everything else is vegan, since macrobiotic principles shun meat, eggs, and dairy products.

One virtue of macrobiotics is that its meals invariably feature brown rice, as opposed to white rice that is the default choice in Japan. Macrobiotic meals are often served in bento boxes, which usually have five or six compartments. A typical vegan macrobiotic meal might include some grilled tofu as an entree, plus sides of sweet potato, hijiki seaweed, pickled vegetables, adzuki beans, and some squash. Eaten once a week, I think it’s one of the healthiest and tastiest change-of-pace lunches you could have.

In addition to macrobiotics, there is one other vegan-friendly style of Japanese cuisine. It was developed by Japan’s Zen Buddhist monks and is called shojin-ryori. The trouble is that, despite the Buddha’s precept against killing, the extent to which Buddhist monks practice vegetarianism and veganism varies widely between sects. But it’s a safe bet that if someone is proclaiming their food to be shojin-ryori, it’s almost certainly vegetarian and very likely vegan. Zen Buddhism may be the most ascetic of the world’s major religions, so it’s no surprise that shojin-ryori food tends to be minimalist and plain by Western standards. But while it can fairly be called bland (since, after all, observant Buddhists eschew strong spices as well as onions and garlic) it can also be some of the most healthful food you’ll ever encounter. shojin-ryori dishes typically favor staples like rice, sweet potatoes, sprouts, beans, steamed vegetables, and broths.

Gourmet all-vegan Japanese restaurants are rare, but there might be one near you. Some well-known ones include: Kajitsu in New York City, Shojin in Los Angeles, Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, and Zen Japan in Australia.

Eating Vegan in Japan

Being vegan is incredibly easy in Japan—if you’ve got access to a kitchen. If you don’t, you’re going to be a very hungry vegan. Outside of Tokyo, vegan-friendly restaurants are uncommon. Some large cities in Japan still don’t have a single vegan-friendly restaurant. So if you’re going to Japan, spend the extra money to get a hotel or AirBNB with a kitchen or kitchenette. It’ll make the difference between being happy and well-fed, and having to make due with extremely limited prepared options.

As long as you do your own cooking, you can eat wonderfully. Japan is full of mid-sized supermarkets offering outstanding produce sections. Vegetables are reasonably priced and of superb quality. It’s fair to say that few countries can compare to Japan when it comes to high quality produce at low cost. There are a few exceptions here. Melons of various forms tend to be quite expensive. And mangoes are exorbitant. I’ve seen mangoes in the supermarket costing more than $25 apiece. That’s not a typo. Now granted, they were very nice looking mangoes but at that price a dozen mangoes could buy you airfare to Hawaii where you can often buy them for next to nothing.

As you would expect, tofu is widely available in Japan, and since it’s such a popular food prices are much lower than in non-Asian countries. You can find non-GMO tofu that costs one-third as much as brands in the United States. In addition to the sort of firm tofu you could find in most countries, fresh silken tofu is widely available. Soy milk is sold in every grocery, often in paper quart-sized milk cartons sold right next to cheap cartons of pre-made coffee. When I’m in Japan, my mornings always begin with a glass that’s two-thirds cold coffee and one-third soy milk, with a tablespoon of chia stirred in.

If you love mushrooms, you’ll adore Japan. You’ll find all sorts of wonderful varieties at very low prices. Ditto for sprouts. Fresh seaweed is widely available. You can nearly always find inexpensive fresh hijiki or wakame seaweed in your grocery’s refrigerated section. Many markets also carry vegan nori rolls.

If you can’t read Japanese, the Google Translate app is a godsend. As I mentioned earlier, most Japanese food seems to gratuitously contain tiny amounts of fish or pork. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pointed my phone’s camera at the ingredients list of what appeared to be a Level 5 Vegan dish, and had Google Translate reveal bonito flakes or chopped pork.

As you might expect, Japanese groceries carry a huge assortment of soy sauces, sometimes an entire aisle’s worth. Unfortunately, about half of it contains some sort of fish ingredient, so this is one area where you’ll always want to use your Google Translate app. Kikkoman makes an “ECOCERT” non-GMO soy sauce for the Japanese market that’s excellent, albeit more than twice the price of commodity brands.

You won’t be impressed by the availability of vegan dark chocolate. But apart from that, the snack offerings in Japan are excellent. There are a great many vegan potato chip options that seem like a step up from what you can find in other countries. You can also find excellent rice crackers.

In contrast to China and especially Thailand, Japan’s top breweries know what they’re doing. Get yourself some Asahi Prime Rich Beer. It’s cheap and as good as any US microbrew, and it’s a big step up from Asahi’s silver-canned flagship product, while costing about 40 percent less.

The most common alcoholic beverage in Japan prior to Westernization was sake, which is a wine made from rice rather than grapes. Alcohol content is similar to wine (around 13 percent, which is about as high as alcohol gets before most yeasts are killed off. Distillation is necessary to make beverages higher in alcohol than wine or sake.) Sake is traditionally served heated, but younger Japanese people today now favor drinking it refrigerated.

Japan has lower tariffs on hard liquor than just about any other country, and you can buy excellent bourbon and scotch for less than what you’d pay in the United States or Scotland.

Finally, I must mention one of the most innovative grocery offerings I’ve ever come across, and one I’ve found only in Japan. Many supermarkets have a special oven contraption that perfectly roasts sweet potatoes. When they’re ready, the staff puts them in paper bags atop heated rocks. You can buy a roasted sweet potato in a paper bag for just a dollar or two. If your hotel has a rice cooker (and many Japanese hotels do), then you can probably live fairly happily for a few days on freshly-cooked brown rice and sweet potatoes.

Article from vegan.com