Chapter 1 What's Nourishing Traditions
"Nourishing Traditions" is a cookbook and nutritional philosophy book written by Sally Fallon Morell, published in 1999. It is part of the Weston A. Price Foundation's advocacy for traditional diets based on the work of Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist and nutrition researcher who studied the diets of various cultures around the world in the early 20th century.
The book emphasizes the importance of whole, unprocessed foods, traditional food preparation methods, and the benefits of consuming foods that are nutrient-dense. Key themes and principles from "Nourishing Traditions" include:
1. Real Foods: The book promotes eating whole foods like organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, raw dairy, fermented foods, and healthy fats while avoiding processed and refined foods.
2. Fermentation: Fallon advocates for the consumption of fermented foods, such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and sourdough bread, to enhance digestion and improve gut health.
3. Animal Fats: The book defends the use of healthy animal fats (such as butter, coconut oil, and animal lard) as essential to a balanced diet, contrary to mainstream dietary guidelines that often promote low-fat diets.
4. Nutrient Density: It emphasizes eating nutrient-dense foods to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals important for overall health.
5. Cooking Methods: Traditional cooking methods, such as soaking grains and legumes, are recommended to improve nutrient absorption and reduce anti-nutrients in foods.
6. Cultural Wisdom: The book advocates learning from traditional diets of various cultures that have thrived on whole foods and passed down their culinary practices through generations.
Overall, "Nourishing Traditions" serves both as a cookbook with a variety of traditional recipes and a guide to understanding the nutritional philosophy grounded in ancestral wisdom. It has garnered a following among those interested in holistic health, traditional diets, and natural food preparation.
Chapter 2 The Background of Nourishing Traditions
"Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats," written by Sally Fallon Morell and published in 1999, emerges from a broader cultural and social context that reflects a growing awareness and critique of modern dietary practices, as well as a renewed interest in traditional food preparation methods based on whole, natural ingredients.
Historical Context
1. Health Trends in the Late 20th Century: The late 20th century witnessed a shift towards processed foods, low-fat diets, and convenience eating, often at the expense of traditional cooking and dietary practices. The popularity of the food pyramid in the 1970s and 80s emphasized low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets, which many health enthusiasts began to question as they observed rising rates of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases.
2. Return to Tradition: There was a burgeoning movement advocating for a return to traditional, nutrient-dense foods, especially within the realms of holistic health and natural living. This time period saw a counter-culture rise in organic farming, biodynamic agriculture, and local food movements.
3. The Weston A. Price Foundation: Fallon Morell’s work is significantly influenced by the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist and nutrition researcher who traveled the world in the 1930s studying the diets of various cultures. He advocated for the benefits of traditional diets rich in whole, unprocessed foods, fats from animal sources, and fermented products. In 1999, following Price’s principles, the Weston A. Price Foundation was founded to promote these dietary philosophies.
Author's Original Intention
1. Nutritio
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