Wine and Sprouted Grain Bread (March 8, 2010)
Carl writes, “I was wondering about combining wine with a meal. Is it possible to combine wine with a meal and if so are there any exceptions or groups of food that should be avoided when drinking wine?”
Wine is a “safe poison”, which means that while it is certainly acid forming, it is allowable in small quantities. We recognize that it is not health generating, but rather slightly health deteriorating, and use it wisely.
We can get away with wine consumption because it is not a concentrated substance that leaves undigested waste behind in the body, because we are doing everything else right, and because we consume it in such moderation. It is not an ideal substance, but it makes this way of living something that can remain social, pleasurable, and not feel too stringent (ultimately giving this diet its longevity). When the first half of the day is spent concentrating on pulling acidic toxic waste out be flooding it with alkalinity, a small amount of wine will never hinder progress.
Like all of the “safe poisons” that make this lifestyle livable (like dark chocolate or goat milk ice cream), wine is best consumed alone and following an alkaline water-rich meal. Have your big salad with goat cheese, followed by your steamed veggies and marinara sauce, and then join your spouse/roommate/best friend for a relaxing glass of cabernet sauvignon. Sipping your wine along with your dinner is okay, too, just make sure you start with that big raw salad. And both red and white are equally acceptable.
Typically, steering clear of combining large amounts of liquids with your meal is the best course of action. It aids your “quick exit” eating strategy by allowing your undiluted stomach acids and enzymes do their work on your properly combined meal to quickly shuttle things along. But a properly poured glass of wine is only about 4-6oz, and will not work against you. The key is not to overindulge, and not to overindulge in too many “good poisons” at once. You wouldn’t want to follow dinner with a bottle of wine and a pile of chocolate.
Here’s the key: if the rest of your day is filled with delicious green juice and big raw salads, wine is not going to impede even the most advanced detoxer. It’s the processed flours, meats, and badly combined eating that will hold you back.
Liz writes, “I would like to incorporate the Ezekiel bread in my daily diet, and I have a couple of questions about how to do so.
1. Can I toast the Ezekiel bread?
2. Can I spread the raw honey or almond butter on the toasted bread or un-toasted bread?
3. And can I have bread at lunch after eating a large bowl of raw salad or is it better as a snack between meals?”
Thank you for your questions, Liz. Grains are wonderful transitional tools for beginning detoxers, children, and un-yeasted men. Proceed with caution if you are a woman who is dealing with the more finicky weights by eating grain very rarely, and only properly combined.
If you want to included the bread, feel that it’s right for where you are in your transition, and that you are able to eat it in moderation, here are some tips:
First, it is always better to eat sprouted grains in the company of water-rich alkaline veggies (like with or after a salad) to help escort it through the body. I make avocado, sprout, tomato and sea salt sandwiches for my boyfriend. And for children who can get away with less focus on combining principals, you can use the raw goat cheese or nut butters in a sandwich.
Toasting is fine, and a small amount of high quality butter is a nice topping. Adding honey is yummy for kids and gents, but really hard for a yeasty woman. Better to try stevia and cinnamon. And to be clear, goat cheese with bread is a miscombination that really only works for men and children and will have a harder time passing through the body. Nut butters will be an even slower exit.
Sprouted grain bread for women in general isn’t the best course of action, especially because most varieties include nuts and seeds and are in themselves improperly combined. Feel yourself out. If you can have a big salad and then eat only one piece once in a while you’re in good shape. If, instead, you go running for slices 3 and 4 several days in a row, you’ve got to set it aside. Instead, make personal pizzas using toasted thinly sliced eggplant, sauce, and cheese. Or use red pepper halves filled with sauce and cheese. For something comforting and sweet try hot tea with lemon and stevia and a slice of ginger root, or make your (organic, local, free range) omlette sweet instead of savory by dusting it with nutmeg and stevia. And don’t forget Natalia’s cabbage leaf rollups for a great sandwich option! You can roll avocado and salsa, or goat cheese and mustard for a perfect lunch or snack option.
