Make America Great Again: American Food
Let's examine the difference between the foods of ancient America and the modern day food of the United States.
What about the Hamburger? Immigrants travel to North America from German-speaking countries brought with them some of their favorite foods. One of them was Hamburg Steak. The Germans simply flavored shredded low-grade beef with spices, and both cooked and raw it became a standard meal among the poorer classes. In the seaport town of Hamburg, it acquired the name Hamburg steak.
The hamburger is considered a "high risk" food because of the poor health standards under which they are manufactured. The time consuming process for making processed meats creates high bacteria counts and putrefaction of the meat which need to be treated with chemicals. Putrefaction causes meat to turn green which is then dyed with red chemicals to appear fresh. Unless marked otherwise, hamburger will always contain red dyes. Because burger parts come from the whole animal, "pure beef" can be used on the label! Most hamburger contain the enhancer, MSG (monosodium glutamate) which causes headaches, allergic reactions and more. MSG is a chemical used to fatten up laboratory animals and evidence suggests it will ultimately make you fat when consumed. The beef industry is the largest user of antibiotics in the world to offset the dangerous bacteria housed in its meats. This has resulted in the growing resistance to antibiotics. Ground beef is more likely to harbour life-threatening E-coli than any other food. Hamburgers are the single biggest food item that inflicts the most damage on the American diet "Billions served" billions spent on doctor visits and hospital bills. The hormones fed to cattle can make you fat through meat consumption. A cheeseburger contains more than 100% of your total daily recommended fat intake! Burger condiments like pickle, lettuce, tomato, etc. are all treated with cancer causing chemical sulfites that are used to maintain a false freshness in the vegetables. Most burgers contain 1090 mg of sodium! (45% of daily recommended Daily Value) and can promote water retention.
What about the Hot Dog? The word frankfurter comes from Frankfurt, Germany, where pork sausages similar to hot dogs originated. These sausages, Frankfurter Würstchen, were known since the 13th century. Wiener refers to Vienna, Austria, whose German name is "Wien", home to a sausage made of a mixture of pork and beef. Johann Georg Lahner, an 18th/19th century butcher from the Franconian city of Coburg, is said to have brought the Frankfurter Würstchen to Vienna, where he added beef to the mixture and simply called it Frankfurter. Nowadays, in German-speaking countries, except Austria, hot dog sausages are called Wiener or Wiener Würstchen (Würstchen means "little sausage"), in differentiation to the original pork-only mixture from Frankfurt.
Hot Dogs like hamburgers, are considered a "high risk" food because the time consuming process for making processed meats creates high bacteria counts and putrefaction in the meat which need to be treated with chemicals. Because hot dog parts all come from the animal, "pure beef" or "100% turkey" can be used on the label! All hot dogs contain the enhancer, MSG. Hot dogs have nitrites which are thought to cause stomach cancer, leukemia, brain tumors, and bladder cancer. Fillers and non-meat binders used to hold hot dog meat together can be anything from cereal, non-fat dry milk, or soy which adds more carbohydrates and processed ingredients) Synthetic collagen casings are used to form the hot dogs. Highly carcinogenic. Contains up to 40% of its content in undisclosed saturated fats.
What about Pizza? In 1522, tomatoes were brought back to Europe from Peru of South America. Originally thought to be poisonous, tomatoes eventually found their way into the diets of poorer people of Naples, as they placed the tomatoes on to their yeast dough, thus creating the first simple pizza we know today. These early pizzas were quite popular because these workingmen usually had only flour, olive oil, lard, cheese, and herbs with which to feed their families. All of Italy proclaimed the Neapolitan pies to be the best. So technically "thanks to the tomato" pizza is an American food with some help from the Italians.
Commercial pizzas are made exclusively of 5 genetically modified foods: Cheese "food" (Contains only 10% cheese - it cannot even be called real cheese) Hormones put into cows to increase milk production will slow your metabolism, and can cause breast and ovarian tumors, cysts and cancer. Enriched white flour which has been bleached of natural vitamins and minerals but has been "enriched" by adding back a minuscule amount of synthetic vitamins. Tomato sauce made from tomato-like substances that produce their own pesticides, IN YOU. Wheat in the pizza crust is genetically modified. Contains cottonseed oil. Cotton is not a "food", therefore it can be sprayed with anything farmers want. The seed carries most of the poison of the cotton plant. Pizza is baked at such a high temperature; the crust will form acrylimides which is a known cancer causing agent that can also cause nerve damage. Pepperoni & sausage toppings are "high risk" processed meats which add lots of nitrites, chemicals, preservatives, and saturated fats.
What about the Potato? The modern potato has been altered and raped of its nutrients. The purple potato is native to Peru and has 28 times more cancer-fighting anthocyanins than the common russet potatoes. Russet potato is the main potato used today in North America. In order to make "French" fries, they must be cooked at high temperatures which cause the chemical, acrylimide to be released. Acrylimides are a known cancer causing agent that also causes nerve damage. Potatoes are grown in the ground and have a higher pesticide absorption level than almost any other food product. Potatoes have a very high glycemic index meaning it turns to sugar very quickly in the body. North Americans of the U.S.A today consume more potato chips than any other people in the world. It takes 4 pounds of potatoes to make 1 pound of potato chips. Very calorie dense where a small 2 oz. bag has over 300 calories. So technically the Peru potato is native to America, but the starchy russet potato contain three times more starch than other veggies, according to University of Idaho. Consuming too much starch at one time causes an unhealthy surge of sugar into your bloodstream. Russet potatoes can cause a spike in blood sugar equal to the impact of pure sugar. One medium, baked russet potato has 168 fat-free calories and 37 grams of total carbohydrates, or almost one-third of the recommended daily intake of carbs.
What about Chicken Nuggets? You’ve heard about genetically modified soy and corn, but genetically hybrid chickens? In the United States of America, virtually all the chickens and turkeys raised for meat or eggs including those labeled natural, organic, and free-range are from hybridized birds. Hybrid breeding refers to a different logic and method than traditional breeding.
It is accomplished through a complicated process of crossbreeding (breeding genetically dissimilar birds) that involves maintaining multiple specialty “breeder” lines often animals that previously would have been considered mutants.These special inbred lines carry specifically identified genetic mutations, for example, genes that promote fast growth, laying larger numbers of eggs, or obesity. The different lines are then crossbred in pre-determined sequences there may be ten or twenty crosses to produce the eggs that then become the hybrid meat birds (broilers) or laying hens that hatch the eggs we eat (layers).Unsurprisingly given the narrow purpose they serve as carriers of a genetic trait, many of these specialized lines have severe welfare problems. For example, chronic hunger is endemic in the lines that produce today’s fast-growing meat birds. These welfare problems arise because, unlike in traditional breeding, hybrid breeding techniques ignore the overall health of the parent birds in order to preserve a particular “desirable” genetic mutation, like fast growth. Unfortunately, the “end” birds inherit many of the problems bred into the parent stock. The result is a very different, less healthy animal than the traditional chicken or turkey.
Chicken Nuggets are made from unusable chicken parts, rarely made from whole white meat. A typical 340 calorie serving is typically 50% fat. Heavily breaded for substance.Very high carbohydrate content. Carcinogenic acrylimides are released in the high temperature frying. Can cause nerve damage and cancer. Contains the flavor enhancer, MSG (monosodium glutamate) which you already know about! Contains phosphates which make the body acidic, making it impossible to burn fat properly. You will store fat and not lose weight. Some chicken nuggets contain aluminum which is toxic to the brain and poisons the metabolism.
What about Soda Pop? The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
On the pH scale, it is very acidic and can dissolve a nail in about 4 days. High acid content in the body makes it very difficult to lose weight. Soda will leach the calcium out of your bones and promote osteoporosis.
There are 10-12 teaspoons of empty calorie sugar in one can of soda. Diet sodas with artificial sweeteners will promote sugar cravings because sweeteners are "sweeter" than sugar. Coloring used in sodas are cancer-causing. Soda is called "liquid candy" because of the high sugar content. Like drinking a candy bar! High fructose corn syrup, a major ingredient: Is stored in the body as fat. Learn more.
What do the European Union, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and China have in common? They all require GMO labeling. The United States, on the other hand, does not. In fact, there’s a strong lobbying effort in the United States to keep this information secret. This is only the beginning of the ways that America’s food laws grossly (pun intended) favor the interests of GMO Big Food over those of consumers. Below we have listed some of the indigenous foods of America that we know will help, not only make America great, but the entire world.
Agava Nectar comes from the Blue Agave Plants in Mexico.
It's very similar to a cactus, but is called a Dragon Lily. Blue Agave is a desert succulent, not a cactus as some have been led to believe. It is a species native to Mexico. There are many kinds of agave throughout Mexico; however the Blue Agave flourishes in volcanic soil in Guadalajara. Although Tequila and Mezcal and its other variants are made all over Mexico and throughout the world, the mountainous state of Jalisco, Mexico is its birthplace.Volcanic Agave Nectar doesn't have any added Sucrose, Maltose, Mannitol or any other fillers like other mislabeled brands of Agave. Because of this, our Volcanic Nectar has the Lowest Glycemic Index which means when you use our Volcanic Nectar to sweeten recipes your blood sugar level won't sky rocket like other sweeteners.Amaranth Resistant to drought, heat and cold, this ancient desert plant has been growing in the Andean region for over 4,000 years. It was a staple for many indigenous communities in the Americas, until it was banned by conquistadors, which resulted in its decline in rural diets. Learn more
Allspice Christopher Columbus first encountered an intriguing and aromatic spice later known as “allspice” on the island of Jamaica during his second voyage to America. It is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. Rather, it is the dried fruit of the pimenta dioica, a tree native to the West Indies and tropical Central America. The spice was imported to Europe soon after the discovery of the "new world". There were several attempts made to transplant it to spice producing regions of the east, but these trees produced little fruit. Despite its rich fragrance and a strong flavor resembling other more coveted spices, allspice never had the same caché in Europe as cinnamon or pepper. The English started making regular shipments to England in 1737, but by that time the lust for spices been eclipsed by other products like sugar and coffee.It was quite popular in England though, where it came to be known as 'English Spice". In the Napoleonic war of 1812, Russian soldiers put allspice in their boots to keep their feet warm and the resultant improvement in odours is carried into today's cosmetic industries, where pimento oil is usually associated with men's toiletries (especially products with the word 'spice' on the label).
Avocado The word “avocado” is believed to be derived from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl, which means “testicle” and obviously describes the shape of the fruit. It also likely refers to the fact that the believed the avocado to be an aphrodisiac. Avocados have long been a part of the Mexican diet.
Archaeologists have found evidence of avocado consumption going back almost 10,000 years in central Mexico. Back then, humans were simply gathering and eating wild avocados. Researchers believe that humans began cultivating avocados about 5,000 years ago. Mesoamerican tribes like the Olmec, the Inca, and the Maya grew domesticated avocado trees.Bell Pepper Bell peppers are native to Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. Picture (Tri-color Quinoa with Avocado, Red Bell Peppers, Zucchini and herbs)
Black Cherry Black cherry trees are often prized for their wood, but the fruit have a rich, wine-like taste. Most of the cherries we eat in America come from Europe and Asia, but native
varieties are worth seeking out! The tart fruit of the black cherry tree is an important source of nutrition for people and many animals, including deer, rabbits, foxes and squirrels. The fruit also provides sustenance for a large variety of birds, including sparrows, mockingbirds, chickadees, woodpeckers, robins, bluebirds, cardinals and blue jays. The leaves provide food for the caterpillars of butterflies such as red spotted purple, painted lady and viceroy butterflies.Cacao
The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It originated in Central America as well as parts of Mexico. Originally over 5,000 years ago, consumed by pre-Columbian cultures along the Yucatán including the Mayans, and as far back as Olmec civilization in spiritual ceremonies. Cocoa is now a major cultivated food crop. Because chocolate is in such high demand throughout the world today, it is important that cacao trees be grown and harvested sustainably- in a way that is safe for wildlife, people and the environment.Camu Camu
The camu camu bush (Myrcaria dubia) grows in the Amazon rainforests, mainly in Brazil and Peru. The bush produces a dark red berry, which is known by the same name as the bush. The leaves of this bush are also used for medicinal purposes. It’s a thirsty shrub, which is why it’s often found next to rivers or lakes. The berry is the size of a grape but is more similar to the American cherry. Unlike the American cherry, the camu camu berry is not very sweet. In fact, many would describe the fruit’s taste as sour or acidic. Due to its awkward taste, it is almost never eaten simply as a fruit.
Chayote The Chayote squash is the edible fruit of a tropical perennial vine plant which is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. Although the most commercially known varieties are lime green and pear shaped, Chayote squashes have many different guises. There are varieties with different colors, shapes and textures, though their shared common denominator is their flesh's color and the fruit's flavor. As the Chayote squash is utilized in so many cultures it has adopted many other common names, including vegetable pear and mirliton in North America, sayote and green gold in the Philippines, christophene in the Caribbean, pipinella in Italy, pipinola in Hawaii and originally chayotli by the Aztecs.Chayote squash is native to the cultural and regional areas of Mesoamerica, specifically central Mexico.It is one of the earliest cultivated plants within the New World, though there is no definitive archaeological evidence to prove just how long Chayote squash has been in existence. The Chayote squash's global presence now places it on nearly every continent throughout the world besides Antarctica. Central America continues to be the leader in Chayote production with fruit coming out of Mexico, Costa Rica and Guatemala. As its semi-tropical origins suggest, though, it prefers warm climates, ample soil moisture and long summer days (at least 6 hours of full sunlight are needed for the plant's to flower). Its roots can run deep and wide and its vines can grow up to 50 feet in length, which has placed the plant on some regions' invasive plant lists, including Hawaii, where the plant is primarily grown in home gardens.
Cherimoya This fruit named by the Inca people, is an edible fruit-bearing species of the genus Annona from the family Annonaceae, which generally is thought to be native to Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, then transported to the Andes and Central America. Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to men". The creamy texture of the flesh gives the fruit its secondary name, custard apple.
Chili Peppers are both hot and sweet, are a common ingredient in almost every major cuisine worldwide. It's hard to image a time when there were no peppers in Asia or Europe, but it all began over 10,000 years ago in the Americas. Peppers were clearly one of the first crops grown by the Americans. From Peru, up to New Mexico, these prehistoric people grew chili peppers for both their culinary and medicinal benefits. Christopher Columbus is credited with naming them "peppers" because he thought they tasted like Asian spice (the peppercorn variety). After being brought back to Europe they quickly spread around the globe, especially thriving in the tropics.
Guava is an evergreen, tropical shrub or low-growing small tree probably originated in the central Americas. Tropical guava fruit grows best in the warm climates of coastal Southern California, Hawaii and Florida, and they can be pear-, ovoid- or round-shaped. The flesh of the guava can be red, yellow, pink or white, depending on its variety, and it generally contains a number of small seeds that are actually edible. Some guava can have more than 500 seeds per fruit.
Maple syrup and Maple sugar was first collected and used by the indigenous peoples of North America, and the practice was adopted by European immigrants, who gradually refined production methods. Many years ago, before the 1980's, there were a few sugar makers who placed formaldehyde pellets into tap holes in trees to prolong the sugaring season and increase sap yields. This practice is both harmful to the tree and can contaminate the syrup. The use of formaldehyde pellets is illegal and there is no indication that anyone is currently using them.
Nopal Also known as Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia), called nopal in Spanish, is a plant native to Mexico and the American southwest. The nutritional and medicinal properties of the nopal make it the “king of cactuses” —and it is 100% Mexican.
Historians and anthropologists confirm that it has existed in Mexico for some 25,000 years. And today, science is proving all the hidden wonders underneath the spines of the fleshy leaves of the nopal, the most Mexican of all our foods. Contrary to the popular saying, there is something “more Mexican than mole”: the nopal,the cactus that officially represents Mexico on its coat of arms. Give or take a metaphor or two, ancient Mexico was founded verily “upon a nopal” … but not just any old one but a very special specimen: a nopal on which an eagle and a snake were engaged in mortal combat.
Papaya belong to the Caricaceae, a small family of only four genera and 27 to 30 species. Linnaeus gave the papaya the Latin name of ‘Carica papaya’ in 1753. The Mexican Indians named the papaya ambapaya. The papaya most probably originated along the Caribbean coast of Central America. The species was probably widely cultivated by the natives in Mexico and Central America prior to 1492.
Passion Fruit The purple passion fruit is native from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. History shows that Catholic missionaries in 16th-century Brazil named the native fruit after the appearance of the flower from which it comes. The passion flower’s individual features were found to be symbolic of the crucifixion of Christ, or as known in biblical history, the Passion of the Christ. The flower has spikes protruding from the center, symbolizing the crown of thorns. There are 10 petals, for the 10 faithful apostles. Three stigmata symbolize the three nails and five anthers represent the five wounds. The flower’s trailing tendrils were likened to whips.
Both the juicy white flesh and the tiny black seeds distributed across the flesh of the dragon fruit are edible and nutritious. The plant is a climbing cactus vine that grows well in dry areas. Because of its epiphytic nature, it grows best in soil with a high level of organic materials. The flowers are white and large, measuring 30 cm long or more. They are ornate and produce a sweet fragrance when in bloom. The flowers bloom for one night only.Purple Peruvian Potato More than 4,000 varieties of native potatoes grow in the Andean highlands of Peru, Boliva, and Ecuador. Selected over centuries for their taste, texture, shape and color, these potato varieties are very well adapted to the harsh conditions that prevail in the high Andes, at altitudes ranging from 3,500 to 4,200 meters.
Potatoes have been cultivated in Peru and Bolivia for over 6000 years. They were a major food source for the Inca people and still are for the local population.
Purple Maize Modern day corn is almost unrecognizable from its ancestor, teosinte—though its genetic structure proves to be quite similar. Research has shown that regulatory genes were responsible for the appearance and size of the cob, and that it was a random mutation in one of these regulatory genes that gave rise to corn.Purple Maize has been a staple food for humans in Central and South America and an important fodder plant for animals. Purple Maize is a highly important crop native to America, where it was one of the most important foods of the ancient American inhabitants several centuries before the Europeans arrived to the New World. In the Tehuacán Valley, in Southern Mexico, Purple Maize was cultivated since approximately 4 600 years, according to concluding evidences supplied by archaeological and paleobotanical findings.When European colonists first arrived in North America, they came upon what they called “Indian corn.” John Winthrop Jr., governor of the colony of Connecticut in the mid-1600s, observed that American Indians grew “corne with great variety of colours,” citing “red, yellow, blew, olive colour, and greenish, and some very black and some of intermediate degrees.” A few centuries later, we would learn that black, red and blue corn is rich in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have the potential to fight cancer, calm inflammation, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, protect the aging brain, and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Quinoa Over 5,000 years ago, high in the Andes mountains, the Incas began to cultivate quinoa as one of their staple crops, believing that it gave power and stamina to their warriors. Quinoa was also used in their ceremonial rituals. When Spanish conquistadors arrived in South America in the sixteenth century, they burned and destroyed the quinoa fields as part of the effort to annihilate Inca culture. But quinoa survived by growing wild in the mountains or by being cultivated in secret in small quantities. In the 1980's, two North Americans stumbled upon this ancient, super-nutritious food and began cultivating it near Boulder, Colorado. Since then, quinoa's popularity has exploded worldwide Although it is known as the "Mother Grain", quinoa is technically a seed. It grows best in mountainous regions, 10 thousand feet or more above sea level, and thrives in poor soil, thin air and extreme weather. Quinoa stalks are 3 to 6 feet tall, and each plant can produce up to a cup of seeds! Learn moreSquash Summer/Winter Squash "The apple of God," an expression of the Ancient Americans, tells us that as far back as 3,000 BCE squash was elevated to the highest status. The belief was that the squash seeds would increase fertility if they were planted close by, and indeed those with large squash fields did produce large families. With such strong faith in the powers of squash, the early Americans made this vegetable an important staple in their diet. The early colonists didn't take to squash with the same reverence as their native neighbors. In fact, it took them a while to acquire a taste for squashes such as pumpkins that they considered a rather bland vegetable. In l816 a young bride, named Elisabeth Skinner, discovered another use for certain squashes. She would pound the seeds into a meal, rub the mixture into her skin, and sit in the sun. She found that "it taketh away freckles and al spottes."The name "squash" is an abbreviation of the word "askutasquash" from the Narragansett Native language, a tongue the Pilgrims found challenging. Other tribes in the area had similar words that all meant "something that is eaten raw." The Iroquois called it "isquoutersquash." The Algonquins' word, taken from the second syllable, was "askoot."
Soursop This fruit goes by the funny name – Soursop; it is also what is scientifically known as annona muricata. But studies have revealed that this somewhat strange looking exotic fruit is indeed a miracle fruit that is loaded with multifarious health benefits. The health benefits and healing properties embedded in this wonder (plant) fruit are immense and varied; they are found in almost every part of the soursop plant – the fruit, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, etc. The plant which is native to tropical Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, is also native to Sub-Saharan Africa, including Eastern Nigeria.
Tomato The tomato is native to western South America and Central America.
Native versions were small, like cherry tomatoes, and most likely yellow rather than red.
A member of the deadly nightshade family, tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous by Europeans who were suspicious of their bright, shiny fruit. The leaves are in fact poisonous, although the fruit is not. peoples in Mesoamerica used the fruit in their cooking. The exact date of domestication is unknown: by 500 BC, it was already being cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas. The tomatillo is part of the nightshade family also.The Pueblo people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination. The large, lumpy variety of tomato, a mutation from a smoother, smaller fruit, originated in Mesoamerica, and may be the direct ancestor of some modern cultivated tomatoes.Vanilla Three major species of vanilla currently are grown globally,
all of which derive from a species originally found in Mesoamerica, including parts of modern-day Mexico. The three species of vanilla, all of which grow from a perennial climbing orchid, vanilla planifolia, vanilla tahitensis, and vanilla pompona. All three species originate from the orchid v. planifolia, which is native to Mesoamerica and was used by the Aztecs. In the 1520s Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés attempted to bring vanilla back to Europe, but failed because the orchid could only be pollinated by a bee that is native to Mexico. It wasn't until 1819 that a method of hand pollination was discovered, which is the method that is still used today.
Wild Rice The Native tribes used wild rice as an important staple in their diets and considered it the centerpiece of their "Megwetch Manomin Feast" that followed the first harvest. They called it manomin or mahnomen, (it means "Wild Rice People" in Ojibwe) The Menominee tribe referred to the grains as "Good Berry". Real wild rice requires just the right conditions to grow and only grows naturally in North America.Wild rice is really an annual aquatic seed found mostly in upper freshwater lakes of Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
We can make America great again by embracing the original foods of America. Eating quinoa burgers, homemade veggie dogs, butternut squash fries, mushroom tenders and alkaline beverages is not only better for your health, but also better for the planet. Start paying homage to the land you live on by creating a demand; contact the local farmers, health food stores, grocery stores, and ask them to carrying more ancient foods of America or start growing them yourself!
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