Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) is a grass originally found in North America (in particular Minnesota) and the Boreal forests of Alberta and Saskachewan,Canada. It was a staple winter grain for native Indians. They harvested the seeds from canoes by sweeping sticks called knockers over them. Lost seeds became next year’s harvest. The grains are cured to loosen the husk and develop flavour and colour. They are parched and hulled to dry them for storing. You can buy a dark,almost black hulled grain or a scarified lighter coloured grain. Together with hunted and preserved meat,fish,nuts and berries they would enabled native Indians to survive the harsh winters.
For our modern diets the flavour is strong,personally I like it mixed with basmati rice. Wild rice takes longer to cook so soak it for a few hours first.
The grains and bran coat contain 75g/100gm carbohydrate including all the B vitamins,17 amino acids (the basis for proteins) including the essential amino acids that we cannot manufacture,including 4.7% of lysine. Protein levels are about 13%,higher than most wheat,corn and brown or white rice. The fat content is low at 0.7g/100 gm and contains 30% linolenic acid,again an essential fatty acid that we do not manufacture. The minerals iron,magnesium,potassium,phosphorus and zinc are all present in higher levels than rice. Wild rice makes a colourful and nutritious,gluten free contribution to your diet.
Glucosamine sulphate does not absorb as well as glucosamine hydrochloride. Hydrochloride matches
our stomach acid. Some caution should be exercised with chondroitin sulphate as some studies show
that it can cause prostrate cancer cells to multiply. Personally I cook up a chicken carcass once
a week and make soup with it. You can do the same with a fish stock if you are not allergic to shellfish.
Cashew Nuts Did you notice that Dame Kelly Holmes was carrying around a packet of cashew nuts during the 2008 Olympics?
Cashews provide a high ratio of carbohydrate,at least 13.5g/100gm,compared to other nuts.
They provide 7 out of 10 essential amino acids. Amino acids are essential