We are what we Eat. So here is some “food For thought”: Is Your Food As Nutritious As You Think It Is?

All machines require the right fuel source. Our body is no different. We consume food to ensure the proper functioning of the body. And yet, most of what we consume today, cannot qualify as food. What does that mean? No, I’m not saying the food we eat isn’t real or is plastic (well some of it actually is!). What I want to talk to you about today is how we are not able to fully extract the nutritional value of the food we eat.?

I had the pleasure to have a chat with Dr Bonnie Kaplan for an episode of The EDGE. She is an author, a research psychologist and a semi-retired Professor. She is passionate about nutrition above the neck: aka what we eat and the impact it has on our brain and mental health. During our conversation, we talked alot about micronutrients. Micronutrients are the minerals and vitamins your body requires, in smaller quantities. We often miss out on our micronutrient needs. To learn about what micros you need in your daily diet, click here to have a chat with me.?

Another topic we spoke about during the episode is the condition of the food we consume these days. This is what we’ll look into today (prepare to be shocked)!

"In North America, more than 50% of what people are putting in their mouths does not actually qualify as food!"

-Bonnie Kaplan

The overall nutrient density in the food we consume is reducing. This is attributed to the soil profile. Dr Kaplan highlights that about 97% of arable soil in North America is saturated by glyphosate which binds the minerals from the soil so that soil cannot grab and use them to synthesise the vitamins we need. While glyphosate is currently the most commonly used herbicide, globally, in 2018, the government of Punjab (in India) banned its usage. However it continues to be used illegally.?

Another environmental factor that we must know about is eCO2. While CO2 has been a widely used gas fertiliser at greenhouse cultivation sites, most of the environmental CO2 comes from industrial waste generators. This elevated atmospheric CO2 (eCO2) is bad news for the nutritional density of the food. eCO2 has been found to have the following effect:

• increase the concentration of fructose (14.2%), total soluble sugar, glucose (13.2%), ascorbic acid (9.5%), calcium (8.2%) and total flavonoids (45.5%) in the edible part of vegetables?
• decrease the concentration of protein (by 9.5%), magnesium (9.2%), iron (16%), nitrate (18%) and zinc (9.4%)

It is important to keep the soil quality intact because our bodies cannot produce any sort of vitamins and minerals, except some trace amounts of vitamin B. Healthy soil must have at least 15 minerals. Only then will we get around 30 vitamins and minerals from the produce.?

“It's not just the addition of something in food. It is the absence of other co-factors -? vitamins and minerals - that lead to problems''?

— Doc M

What should we do?

What we are getting is already not its best, and if we don’t make healthier choices for ourselves, we’re in a worse state than we think.?

Something we need to pay attention to are micronutrients!

These are some of the recommendations, when it comes to your micronutrient planing:

1. Magnesium?

400mg per day, taken with dinner?

1. Omega 3 and 6

1500mg per day, taken in the evening?

1. Vitamin B Complex

Check your levels with your doctor and ensure you are optimised through orals and injectables as needed??

1. Vitamin D?

Check your levels with your doctor and ensure you are optimised through orals and injectables as needed??

1. Calcium?

1000mg per day, taken with food?

Some of my other biohacks to keep in mind when it comes to your micros:?

• Enhance energy, keeping glucose spikes at bay, by consuming one full fruit (with its skin) for a snack in the afternoon?
• Improve immune cell function by squeezing the juice of two medium sized fresh lemons into a glass of warm water and drinking it first thing this morning
• Improve immune cell function by soaking in the sun for 30mins each morning, with appropriate sunscreen coverage, to get the natural dose of Vitamin D that you need each day

If you found this topic of interest, then check out the podcast episode I hosted on my podcast, The EDGE, with Dr Bonnie Kaplan on food and mental health.

You can watch the full episode here, or stream it on your preferred podcast streaming platform here.

And meanwhile, if you wish to begin your journey towards longevity by working on your food habits would be to talk to a physician.?

Book a session with me, and let me help you figure out the best way forward.??

This newsletter is a part of our ongoing series The Longevity Hack. Our aim is to help you understand the science, learn to recognise the markers of ageing and to develop biohacks for each of these.?

You can read the previous editions here.?

Curious to know more about longevity, ageing and how you can cultivate a lifestyle that will help you live longer, healthier and happier???

Click here to set up a 1-on-1 conversation.

See you next week!