Archive for category Nuts and Seeds
Soap Nuts
Posted by in Nuts and Seeds on July 13, 2011
The natural way to wash your clothes!
SoapNuts laundry soap nuts are the pods (or nut shells) from the soapnut tree – a natural, organic cleaning product which comes from an entirely renewable source that grows in tropical climates, like India. They are 100% natural.
The soapnut tree is a large deciduous tree with fleshy fruit like a berry. The skin of the berry (the soapnut) contains 12-15% saponin which is similar to soap and is the active natural cleaning agent.
Soap nuts are natural, organic cleaning and are ideal for sensitive skin. They are extremely easy to use – see instructions below.
Soapnut shells contain saponin (a natural detergent) and when they come in contact with water they make mild suds. Soapnuts are a natural, organic, environmentally friendly alternative to soap, detergent and shampoo.
Benefits:
• Soapnut shells contain saponin (a natural detergent) and when they come in contact with water they make mild suds. Soapnuts are a natural, organic, environmentally friendly alternative to soap, detergent and shampoo.
• Pure, natural washing detergent that leaves your laundry fresh and clean.
• Keeps colours bright.
• Allergy free especially good for babies, eczema and sensitive skin.
• Environmentally friendly, chemical free and biodegradable
• Any remains after use can go in the composter.
• Ecological and economical compared to other brands of detergent. Read the rest of this entry »
Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet
Posted by in Nuts and Seeds on July 13, 2011
Nuts and seeds are rammed full of dietary essentials and easy to add into your diet, they can be hard to digest so mill them in the blender or grind them up in your single auger juicer to help your body get the best from them. Milling or grinding will break the seed or nut down a little and make them easier for your body to digest. Nuts contain protein, fiber, vitamin E and a good selection of minerals. They are potent and calorie rich though so you only need a few.
Nutty butters: some juicers excel at making nut butters, the single auger machines are the best for this, they double up as pestle and mortar style homogenizing machines that allow you to make pastes, nut butters, baby foods and other goodies.
Nutty hint: common sense this one but always buy non salted nuts, salt is everywhere in our diets, you don’t need to add any salt in the form of salty nuts, that’s for sure! Also salt makes things very moreish, so you’ll find it hard to stop eating them!
Nuts and seeds go great in smoothies and mill into dust in a decent blender. Mill them up before you put the fruit and vegetable ingredients in so they are ultra easy for your body to use. This is a super way of introducing vegetable protein to your diet as well as essential fatty acids, my favored seeds are Hemp or Flax seed.
Nutty warning when you make a smoothie for someone, make sure the do not have a nut allergy! Take extra care when making drinks for children as they may be completely unaware of their allergies and intolerance.
Nut storage nuts are easy to store, you just need some screw top or lever seal containers, like any food they do need to be in air tight containers! They will then last 2-6 months quite easily, put a few grains of rice in with them to absorb moisture.
Seeds
Seeds again are natural powerhouses of nutrition we like linseeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp, sesame seeds and pine nuts which are the seed of the pine tree, expensive I know but great tasting and a fine source of vitamin E. We think the reason they are expensive is the cost of extracting them from such a spiky tree! Read the rest of this entry »