Asparagus, how do you peel a Zuchini and what is Maca?

Hi everyone,

I'm definitely new to raw - been at it for the past 6 weeks but I'm only around 70-80% raw on a daily basis. I slip up every now and then but thankfully I make slips on fresh whole grain bread w/almond butter or the occasional corn chip and not fried fast food...phew!

Anyways, I have hilarious questions but I just need to ask them.

First, does anyone else have the bowel movement that asparagus creates for me? I swear that if I eat asparagus, I have an immediate bowel movement within 8 hours but no idea why. And it's not a normal bowel movement either, I feel like I just cleaned house if you know what I mean.

Second, how do you peel a zuchini? Are they soft vegetables? Everyone talks about using them as pasta, like fettuccine, but I can't seem to wrap my mind around it.

Finally, what is maca? I've heard of this spoken throughout the threads in smoothies and juice, but I'm just not sure what it is or what it's used for. Your thoughts are appreciated!!

Thanks to all,

Misty

Comments

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    - No issues with asparagus (or anything else for that matter)

    - I don't peel zucchini. The skin is so thin and tender it's not necessary, unless you prefer it peeled for aesthetic reasons. There are a number of ways to make "pasta" - from a simple vegetable peeler, used lengthwise to make thin strips like fettucine noodles, to more complicated spiral slicer gadgets with crank handles and fancy blades.

    - Maca is an Amazonian root that you can find dried and powdered for adding to smoothies or recipes, or in capsules. It has a pleasant taste - almost like a weak chocolate flavor. It has a positive effect on immunity, hormone and energy levels. It's high in amino acids and fiber, and has a good nutritional profile with lots of potassium and calcium. It's very easy to digest and works fast. Good stuff.

    It's considered a "superfood" - foods that are nutritionally dense and even small quantities provide a lot of benefits. Other examples are goji berries, acai berries, chlorella, spirulina, mesquite, and cacao (according to some). If you have trouble eating enough food in a day to supply all your required nutrients, or are very active, superfoods may be helpful. However, they tend to be rare or exotic and therefore pricey. Some people feel they're unnecessary with a balanced diet - others say they're useful because soils are so depleted that even food from nature isn't as nutritious as it used to be.

    Here's a good list of superfoods - http://www.foodmatters.tv/_webapp/Superfoods

  • CaresCares Raw Newbie

    I try not to place much importance on 'superfoods' as it seems that they are based on the fashion of the day.

    I have survived quite well without Maca for the last 38 years so expect I will for the next 38 as well.

    No problems with asparagus here either...but we are all different :-)

  • Thanks so much for this info. I was really confused about the Zuchini... also, the superfoods sound interesting. I'll do more research on those. I wonder about the depleted soil...sounds scary and it does take thousands of years to create a natural soil.

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