Hi Susun,
I am a homebirth midwifery student and Massage Therapist (prenatal, labor support, and postpartum massage), and I came across a study that shows folic acid counteracts some of the effects of BPA that might be transferred from a pregnant woman to her unborn child. (http://www.pnas.org/content/104/32/13056.long). On facebook, someone had mentioned that they believed they had read that you advised boiling kale in order to access its nutrients properly. Others said the proper way to do this is by steaming for 5 minutes. Would you be able to confirm what the proper way to get the most benefit out of kale? I would really appreciate it.
By the way, I enjoyed and relied heavily on your book, Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, during my two pregnancies. It was there when my ob-gyn completely failed us during my first pregnancy.(Second pregnancy, I went to a midwifery practice.)
Hello,
Plant cell walls are extremely tough to break down, cooking along with some other processes such as dehydration will help with the process. Susun recommends long, slow cooking for plants such as kale. Steaming for 5 minutes is not enough to do the job - usually I put them in a pot with just enough liquid to cover them and let them simmer for around an hour, periodically adding liquid so they don't burn.
From Susun: "To extract minerals from fruits and vegetables, I cook them for long periods of time, or until there is color and texture change, evidence that the cell walls have been broken. Kale cooked for an hour delivers far more mineral to your bones than lightly steamed kale. Fresh juices contain virtually no minerals. Cooking maximizes the nutrients available to us, especially the minerals."
Here are some more thoughts by Susun in regards to nutrition and cooked foods...
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/april04/healingwise.htm
http://www.healing-wise.com/Diet-Nutrition.htm
Hope that helps in clearing things up.
blessings,
Kim
Wise Woman Team
You can get your health questions answered by Susun on blogtalkradio, Tuesday nights 7:30-9:30 pm EST. Call in with your questions 1-646-929-2463. Visit the link for more info: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/susunweed. You can also join the free women's health forum where hundreds of wise woman can help you. Sign up for the free herbal healing ezine, filled with wise woman wit and wisdom. Visit the Wise Woman Bookshop for online university, gift shop, bookshop, digital downloads, and more. Go to www.susunweed.com for a complete list of offerings including radio show and free videos.
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