Eat, Drink, And Be Healthy

Next to water and air, food is the most important requirement for the maintenance of human life. Unlike plants, we cannot use the energy of the sun to combine simple constituents from the air and soil into the complex substances that make up living matter. We must rely on food to supply us with the nutrients we need: proteins, vitamins, min­erals, fats, and carbohydrates. Good health requires that all these be provided in sufficient quantities and in proper proportions. Many authorities attribute such "modern" diseases as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, ulcers, and heart disease at least partially to dietary abuse eating too much of an unbalanced diet of overprocessed foods. There is more than a little truth in the saying "You are what you eat."

The vegetable world has much to offer for practically every dietary requirement. This section presents an over­view of the nutritive potential (and limitations) of many common and some uncommon food plants. Nutritional data are sadly lacking for most wild edible plants, but books by Euell Gibbons, Alan Hall, Bradford Angier, and others contain much practical information on their uses (see the Bibliography). Data have been published for most of the plants named In this section, but it is important to remember that these are only averages. The amount of a given nutrient in a given plant depends on the conditions under which the plant grew, as well as on methods and time of storage and preparation.

The lists of plants following the nutrient descriptions are of two kinds: quantitative (the first list where two appear) and alphabetical. The quantitative list presents plants and plant products containing significant amounts of the nutri­ent involved, in approximate order from highest to lowest content for a 'given weight. Plants marked with an asterisk (*) contain significantly more of the nutrient than do the unmarked plants. Those marked with a double asterisk (**) contain considerably more than those with a single asterisk. Unless otherwise noted, all items are fresh and unprocessed. Dried fruits are often included without their fresh equivalents because the dried versions weigh con­siderably less and therefore contain more nutrients than the same weight of fresh fruit.

Each alphabetical list includes plants and plant products that contain smaller amounts of the nutrient than do those in the quantitative list, or that have been mentioned as sources of the nutrient but for which no quantitative infor­mation is available.

A note on "greens": The term "plant greens" generally refers to the young, tender leaves of the plant. Some are eaten as cooked vegetables, others as fresh salad greens, and some as both.

PROTEIN

Protein makes up 15 to 20 percent of the human body, about half of it being concentrated in muscles and bone cartilage. The other half is dispersed throughout the body as an essential part of cell and connective tissues, enzymes, hormones, antibodies, hereditary material, and other body elements.

Protein molecules consist of smaller units called amino acids; and for nutritional purposes these are the important items, since the body does not assimilate protein directly. The digestive process breaks down food proteins into their constituent amino acids, which are then absorbed and re­combined into the proteins the body needs. Twenty amino acids are considered necessary for human nutrition. Of these, eight (for infants, nine) "essential" amino acids must be supplied in food; the body can synthesize the rest, assuming the needed materials are provided in the diet.

Since to make protein the body needs to have all theamino adds available at the' same time, the protein value of food is measured in terms of both quantity and quality.
Quality is judged by the content levels of all eight essen­tial amino acids. Protein sources that provide all the essential amino acids in proper proportions and 'adequate amounts to support life and growth are classified as com­plete proteins. Those that contain essential amino acids in unbalanced proportions or in amounts adequate to support life but not growth are classified as partially incomplete proteins. Finally, foods whose essential amino acid content cannot support either life or growth are classified as incontplete proteins.

On the whole, eggs, dairy products, fish, poultry, and meat provide more concentrated, higher quality protein than do vegetable sources. Most plants and plant products, used individually, fall in the partially incomplete protein classification. However, there are innumerable combina­tions of plant foods in which the amino acid deficiencies of one can be supplied by others to make a complete protein meal. This is a desirable alternative to relying on meat for protein, An adequate discussion of this subject is far be­yond the scope of this book; two helpful references are L.appe's Diet for a Small Planet and Altschul's Proteins: Their Chemistry and Politics (see the Bibliography).

The following plants are good sources of protein when properly supplemented to provide complete protein value. In terms of average servings, dried legumes (beans, lentils, peas) have the highest protein content, followed by nuts and seeds, grains, and then vegetables.

Artichoke, asparagus, barley, black walnuts, Brazil nuts, brewer's yeast, broad beans (dried), broccoli, brussels sprouts, cashews, cauliflower, chard, collards, cottonseed, garbanzo beans (dried), Indian corn, kale, kidney beans (dried, all kinds), lentils (dried), lima beans (dried or cooked fresh), millet, mushrooms, mustard greens, oats, okra, peanuts, peas (dried or fresh), pistachio nuts, rice, rye (whole), sesame seeds, soybeans (dried), soybean sprouts, spinach, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, wheat (whole), wheat germ.

Vegetable sources of protein are best to avoid the high uric acid residue found in the blood composition of heavy meat-eaters.

VITAMINS

Vitamins are organic compounds that are necessary in small quantities to prevent disease and to participate in regulating the biochemical processes of the body. Some vitamins dissolve in water; these are easily lost when cooking water is discarded. Some are destroyed or im­paired by heat; cooking times for foods containing these should be as short as possible. Some are affected by light or oxygen; these must be protected during storage. Pro­longed excessive doses of three vitamins-A. D, and K­can have toxic effects. Overdoses are unlikely to occur if you rely upon natural sources of these vitamins.

In addition to the vitamins listed here, four vitamins of the B complex are considered essential nutrients for man; biotin, choline, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. At least two others-inositol and para aminobenzoic acid (PABA) --are also known to be important. Foods containing the other B vitamins also contain these.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A as such is not found in plants: it is manufactured by the human and animal body from pigment sub­stances called carotenes, which are quite common in plants. Carrots and apricots advertise their carotene content by their colour, but green plants can be just as rich in these vital pigments.

Vitamin A is essential for night vision, and it promotes healthy skin and mucous membrane. It is important for good bones and teeth, for growth and proper digestion, for the production of red and white corpuscles in the blood, and for lactation. Vitamin A is fat-soluble and is sensitive to oxygen, especially with heat.

1. 'Dandelion greens, 'yellow dock, 'carrots, 'lamb's­ afters, 'apricots (dried), 'turnip greens, pokeweed (young shoots), spearmint, parsley, blue violet (leaves), spinach, sweet potatoes, collards, kale, mustard greens, nettle (young leaves), chard, green amaranth, beet tops, winter cress, watercress, chicory greens; broccoli, elderberries, apricots (fresh), winter cress (buds), papaya, cantaloupe.

2. Alfalfa, Alpine cranberry, artichoke, bilberries, brier hips, buckwheat, catlendula, cannabis, cowslip (flowers), elecampane (flowers), garlic, Iceland moss, Indian corn, lettuce, My of the valley (fruit), okra, red currants, rowan (fruit), saffron

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin Bl occurs in both plant and animal tissues. It is a vital element in the body's production of energy through the breakdown of carbohydrates, and it takes part in other metabolic reactions. It also appears to be necessary for normal functioning of the nervous system and is involved in the action of the heart. Beriberi is a thiamine deficiency disease. Vitamin Bs is water-soluble and is sensitive to heat.

1. **Brewer's yeast, *sunflower seeds, *wheat germ, *rice polish, English walnuts, rice (brown), peas, almonds (dried), black walnuts, soybeans, lima beans, kale, turnip greens, collards, barley, dandelion greens, avo­cados, raisins, figs (dried), potatoes (baked), watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, dates (dried), pineapple, sweet potatoes (baked), mustard greens, oats, lamb's-quarters, oranges, parsnips, spinach, green beans, leaf, lettuce.

2. Most plants contains trace amounts of vitamin B1.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B2 occurs generally in the same foods as vitamin B1 Riboflavin is essential for cell growth and for enzymatic reactions by which the body metabolizes proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It also helps to maintain healthy skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Vitamin B2 is water-soluble and is sensitive to light: but not heat.

1. *Brewer's yeast, *almonds (dried), *wheat germ, *rice polish, *sunflower seeds, lamb's-quarters, turnip greens, watercress, avocados, broccoli, collards, kale, dandelion. greens, apricots (dried), mustard greens, spinach, English walnuts, black walnuts, peas, beet tops, dates (dried), figs (dried), lima beans, green beans, raspberries, barley, cauliflower, leaf lettuce, parsnips, raisins, chard, prunes, rice (brown), sweet pota­ toes (baked), soybeans.

2. Most plants contain trace amounts of vitamin B2.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Although small amounts occur In most plant and animaltissues, vitamin B6 is still a relatively little-known vitamin,
perhaps because recognized deficiency problems are rare. Vitamin B6 takes part in many enzyme reactions and is particularly important for brain and nervous system functions. Vitamin B6 is water-soluble and is sensitive to oxygen and ultraviolet light.

1. Yeast, blackstrap molasses, wheat bran, wheat germ, soybeans, Indian corn, barley, rice, peanuts. peas (dry), cabbage, potatoes, carrots.

2. Many other foods contain vitamin B6, but definitive information is not yet available.

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
There is little or no vitamin B12 in plants. That's why strict vegetarians sometimes suffer from pernicious anemia, a dis­ease associated with a deficiency of this vitamin. Vitamin B12 Is necessary for proper functioning of body cells, particularly in the nervous system, the bone marrow, and the gastrointestinal tract. It is also involved in the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates Vitamin B12 is water­soluble and is sensitive to light, acids, and alkalis.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Vitamin C is a plant vitamin, occurring to some degree in almost all plants. The body neither makes nor stores vitamin C; a continuous supply must be provided in the food we eat. Normal body cell functioninrequires ascorbic acid, as does the formation of healthy-collagen (the basic protein of connective tissue), bones, teeth, cartilage, skin, and capillary walls. Vitamin C also promotes the body's effective use of other nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins, vitamins A and E, calcium, and certain amino acids. By promoting the formation of strong connective tissue, it helps to heal wounds and burns. Stress, fever, and infec­tion increase the body's need for vitamin C. Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency disease. Ascorbic acid is water-soluble and is sensitive to air, heat, light, alkalis, and copperware.

1. **Acerola (fruit), *rose hips, *wild strawberry (leaves), 'blue violet (leaves), 'parsley, winter cress (buds), winter cress (leaves), blue violet (flowers), pokeweed
(young shoots), green pepper,. yellow dock catnip, green amaranth, lamb's-quarters, watercress, nettle (young leaves), broccoli, spearmint, boneset, wild per­simmons, turnip greens, kohlrabi, papaya, ground ivy, kale, collards, mustard green, oranges, strawberries, lemons.

2. Alfalfa, Alpine cranberries, barberries, beams garlic (leaves), bilberries (also leaves), blackberry (leaves), black currants, elderberries, brooklime, cantaloupe, carrot, cayenne, celery, chickweed, coltsfoot, common buekthorn (fruit), coriander, English walnuts, garlic, garden raspberries, horseradish, knotgrass, lance-leaf plantain, lettuce, nasturtium (leaves), onions, oregano, primrose (leaves), radishes, rowan (fruit), scurvy grass, sorrel, spinach, spruce (young tips), sundew, wormwood.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D does not occur in plants, but some plants do contain compounds called sterols, which can be irradiated with ultraviolet light to make vitamin D. Yeast and fungi, for example, are major sources of ergosterol, which is irradiated artificially to make commercial vitamin D. The human skin contains another sterol, which is converted to vitamin D by the ultraviolet part of sunlight; unfortunately, modem life means relatively little exposure to sun­light for most people, besides daily bathing with soap which removes the skin's oil. Other natural sources are fish liver oils, milk, and egg yolk. Processed milk is generally fortified with additional vitamin D.

Vitamin D is necessary for healthy bones and teeth, for proper assimilation and body balances of calcium and phosphorus, and for preventing rickets. It is fat-soluble and is not sensitive to beat, light, or oxygen.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
Vitamin E occurs in both plant and animal tissue, more abundantly in the former. As an antioxidant, it acts in the body to protect red blood cells, vitamin A, and unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation damage. It also appears to help maintain healthy membrane tissue. In experiments with rats, vitamin E was found necessary for fertility.

VitaminE is fat-soluble and is sensitive to oxygen, alkalis, and ultraviolet light.

1. Sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, wheat germ oil, walnuts, Corn and, wheat germ, peanuts, olive oil, Brazil nuts, soyboan oil, broccoli, spinach. asparagus, dandelion greens, oatmealh pecans, apples.

2. Much research is needed to determine the vitamin E content of plants other than the usual foods. Generally, it is found in whole grains and their oils, green leaves, and seeds,

Vitamin K
Vitamin K occurs primarily in plants; it is also synthesized by intestinal bacteria in the small intestine. Vitamin K is necessary for the synthesis by the liver of the blood­clotting enzyme prothrombin. It is fat-soluble and is sensi­tive to light, oxygen, strong acids, and alcoholic alkalis.

1. Alfalfa, green leafy vegetables, soybean oil, cauliflower, tomatoes.

Niacin (Nicotinic Acid)
Niacin, a vitamin of the B complex, occurs in both plant and animal tissue, but in different forms. The body changes the niacin from plant foods to niacinamide for use; animal foods contain niacinamide ready-made. Niacin takes part in enzyme reactions involved in the production of body energy and in tissue respiration. Pellagra is a niacin deficiency disease. Niacin is water-soluble and is not sensitive to heat, acids, or alkalis,

1. **Torula or primary yeast; *brewer's yeast, *rice polish, 'sunflower seeds, *peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat germ, rice (brown), wheat (whole), rice (converted), apricots (dried), almonds (dried), parsley, peas, dates (wed), figs (dried), cashews, avocados, Brazil nuts, potatoes (baked), chard, Indian corn.

2. Alfalfa, artichoke, asparagus, barley, beans (green), broccoli, burdock (seed), carrots, cauliflower, celery, dandelion greens, fenugreek (seed), kale, lamb's­quarters, lentils, lima beans, mustard greens, oats, okra, peaches, prunes, raisins, rutabagas, sage, soybeans, sticklewort, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnip greens,
watercress.

MINERALS

In nutrition, the term "minerals" refers to chemical elements that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Our supply of minerals comes almost exclusively through the food chain - plants take them from the ground and incorporate them into organic compounds that we consume by eating either the plants or the animals that ate the plants. The main exception is table salt, which provides sodium and chlorine (and iodine if iodized) in inorganic form. Minerals arc grouped into two types: macrominerals are found in relatively large amounts in the body; micro­minerals are found in smaller amounts (less than .005 per­cent of body weight). The minerals in this list are known to be necessary in human nutrition, as are three other microminerals: cobalt, molybdenum, and selenium. Trace amounts of other minerals also appear in the body, but their functions have not been determined.

MACROMINERALS

Calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral element in the body. It occurs primarily in plants, products, and seafoods. Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth, for clotting of the blood, for the functioning of nerve tissue and muscles (including the heart), for enzymatic processes, and for controlling the movement of fluids through cell walls. It also acts to balance the amounts of other minerals and promotes better use of iron by the body. Calcium dissolves in add but is not affected by heat or light.

1. **Kelp (edible), **Irish moss, **blackstrap molasses, *lamb's-quarters, *dulse, *green amaranth,*turnip greens, *almonds (dried), *mustard greens, *parsley, figs (dried), collards, dandelion greens, watercress, broccoli, beet tops, kale, purslane, maple syrup, chard4 spinach, chicory greens, elderberries, endive, yellow dock, pokeweed (young shoots).

2. Cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chives, cleavers, coltsfoot, kidney beans (dried), lance-leaf plantain, leeks, lentils, lettuce, nettle (young leaves), okra, oranges, peas, radishes, restharrow, rose hips, shave grass, shepherd's purse, silverweed, turnips, Yellow toadflax.

Chlorine
Chlorine is a poisonous gas, but in the form of chloride compounds it is an essential mineral nutrient. Chloride acts with sodium to maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside cells. Gastric Juice Contains hydrochloric acid, the production of which requires chloride. Table salt (sodium chloride) is our main source, but generally used to scows with harmful results.

1. Blackstrap molasses, coconut (dried), parsley, celery, bananas, coconut (fresh), kale, watercress, leaf cab­bage, barley (pearled), dandelion greens, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, leaf lettuce, endive, hazelnuts, spinach, head lettuce, beets, Brazil nuts, carrots, rhubarb, kohl­rabi, turnips (white), pecans, wheat (whole).

2. Other plants contain trace amounts, but many have not been analyzed.

Magnesium
Magnesium occurs in both plant and animal tissue. It is essential as an enzyme activator and is probably involved in the formation and maintenance of body protein.

1. *Cashews, *soybeans (dried), *almonds, *Brazil- nuts, lima beans (dried), barley (whole), peanuts, kidney beans (dried), rye (whole), pecans, wheat (whole), oats, hazelnuts, peas (dried), English walnuts, Indian corn, beet tops, rice (brown), figs (dried), coconut (dried), apricots (dried), dates, collards, chard, spinach, prunes (dried), okra (without seeds), chestnuts, avocados, parsley.

2. Apples, asparagus, bananas, beets, blackberries, black pepper, black willow (bark), buckwheat, cabbage, carrots, cayenne, celery, cherries, cocoa, coffee, cucumbers, dandelion greens, dulse, grapes, kelp (edible), lemons, lettuce, limes, oranges, parsnips, peaches, peppermint, potatoes, primrose (leaves), radishes, raspberries, rest­harrow, sflverweed, tea, tomatoes, watercress, winter­green, yellow toadflax,

Phosphorus
Phosphorus occurs widely in both plant and animal tissue. It takes part in the production of energy for the body, and it is second only to calcium as a constituent of bones and teeth. Phosphorus is necessary for metabolic functions re­lating to the brain and the nerves, as well as for muscle action and enzyme formation.

1. **Rice polish, **wheat germ, *sunflower seeds, *sesame seeds, *almonds (dried), English walnuts. rice (brown), dulse, kelp (edible), wheat (whole), soybeans, Irish moss, raisins, figs (dried). peas, lima beans, Indian corn, lentils, radishes, apricots (dried), parsley, parse nips, dates (dried), lamb's-quarters, blackstrap mo­lasses, cauliflower, artichokes, green amaranth, broccoli, dandelion greens, potatoes (baked), okra, oats, elder­berries, endive, watercress, sweet potatoes (baked), kale, spinach, collards, asparagus, beet tops, celery, turnip greens, pokeweed (young shoots), mustard greens, onions, yellow dock, chicory greens, chard, purslane, avocados, prunes.

2. Apple, barley (whole), buckwheat, cabbage, calendula, caraway, chickweed, cucumbers, garlic, kidney beans (dry), lemons, lettuce, licorice, nuts, oranges, pumpkins, rose hips, rye (whole), sweet flag, tomatoes.

Potassium
Potassium is abundant in both plant and animal tissue. It promotes certain enzyme reactions in the body, and it acts with sodium to maintain normal pH levels and balance between fluids inside and outside cells.

1. **Dulse, **kelp (edible), **blackstrap molasses, **Irish moss, *parsley, *apricots (dried), *figs (dried), *sun­flower seeds, *wheat germ, *almonds (dried), *dates (dried), *raisins, *rice polish, bananas, soybeans, avocados, chard, potatoes (baked), spinach, English wal­nuts, chicory greens, green amaranth, dandelion greens, carrots, kohlrabi, okra, parsnips, mustard greens, celery, beet tops, wild persimmons, artichokes, Indian corn, prunes, elderberries, endive, watercress, broccoli, leaf lettuce, collards, sweet potatoes (baked), radishes, lentils, apricots (fresh), cantaloupe, tomatoes, cherries, papaya.

2. American centaury, American sanicle, beans, bilberries, birch, blackberries, borage, cauliflower, coltsfoot, comfrey, eggplant, fennel, German camomile, lance-leaf plantain, milfoil, mullein, nettle (young leaves), nuts, oats, onions, peaches, peppermint, primrose (leaves), red eyebright, rhubarb, rye, savory, shepherd's purse, sweet flag, turnips, watermelon, wintergreen.

Sodium
Sodium is a common mineral In both plant and animal tin sues, the latter gaeraily having a higher content. The use of salt in treating foods and preparing meals adds con­siderable sodium (as sodium chloride) to our diet. Sodium regulates the volume of body fluids and, balanced with potassium, maintains pressure equilibrium between fluids outside cells and those inside. Sodium Is also necessary for nerve and muscle functioning. The results of almost 40 years of research by Dr. Walter Kempner Indicate that it is unnatural and harmful to use the amount of salt to which we have become accustomed. Man Is the only animal to salt his food. The ideal amount is obtained through our diet when we include the vegetables listed below.

1. **Kelp (edible), **Irish moss, **dulse, blackstrap molasses, chard, celery, spinach, dandelion greens, kale, turnips, watercress, mustard greens, carrots.

2. Plant foods especially low In sodium (all unsalted) apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, cherries, coco­ nut, dates, eggplant, green peppers, Indian corn, lima beans, okra, oranges, peas, pecans, pineapple, plums, raspberries, rice polish, watermelon, wheat (whole).

Sulfur
The body's supply of sulfur comes from sulfur-containing amino acids and from the B vitamins thiamine and biotin. The main sources are dairy products, meats, nuts, legumes, and grains. Sulfur is involved in bone growth, blood clot­ting, and muscle metabolism. It also helps to counteract toxic substances In the body by combining with them to form harmless compounds.

1. Soybeans (dried), kidney beans (dried), peanuts, oats, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, peas (dried), parsley, lima beans (dried), wheat (whole), Indian corn, almonds, water­cress, black walnuts, English walnuts, rye (whole), barley (whole), broccoli, chard, kale, barley (pearled), pecans, rice (white), cauliflower, coconut (dried), figs (dried), onions, cabbage, dates, turnips, turnip greens, peas (fresh), chestnuts, asparagus, avocados. (See also the plants listed for vitamin B1.)

2. Asafetida, cabbage, chervil, coltsfoot, dill, endive, fen­nel, garlic, Irish moss, lance-leaf plantain, mullein, nasturtlum (leaves), nettle (young leaves), okra, onions, radishes, red eyebright, restharrow, sage, sesame seeds, shave grass, shepherd's purse, silverweed, sunflower seeds, sweet flag, thyme.

MICROMINERALS

Copper
Copper occurs In both plant and animal tissue it is essential (with iron) for the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells; and it Is important for protein and enzyme formation, as well as for the nervous and reproductive systems, bones, hair, and pigmentation.

1. The richest plant sources are; currants, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, raisins.

Iodine
Iodine occurs dependably only in seafood and seaweeds. Plants contain Iodine if they are grown on iodine-rich soil; dairy products contain it if the cows were fed with such plants. Iodine is necessary for normal physical and manta) growth and development, as well as for lactation and re­production. An Iodine deficiency causes goiter.

1. Dulse, Irish moss, kelp (edible), laver. The ashes of burned inedible kelp can also be used as a source of iodine.

Iron
Iron occurs in both plant and animal tissue. Because the body tends to retain iron very effectively, only trace amounts are needed in the diet. But iron is essential to form the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells,and it is also involved in muscle functioning and in enzyme reactions for producing energy.

1. **Rice polish, **blackstrap molasses, *kelp (edible), wheat germ, *sunflower seeds, *parsley, *black walnuts, *apricots (dried), almonds (dried), figs (dried), green amaranth, cashews (roasted), purslane, raisins, Brazil nuts, beet tops, chard, dates (dried), dandelion greens, spinach, English walnuts, mustard greens, soy­ beans, wild persimmons, pecans. turnip greens. peanuts (roasted), barley, lentils, leaf lettuce, peas, rice (brown), olives (canned), elderberries, asparagus, endive, poke­weed (young shoots), prunes, watercress, lima, beans, yellow dock, maple syrup, broccoli, artichokes, kale, lamb's-quarters, cauliflower, radishes, blackberries, chicory greens.

2. Apples, beans, beets, blueberries, burdock (root), cabbage, carrots, celery, cherries, collards, cucumbers, currants, grapes, leeks, mullein, nettle (young leaves), oats, onions, oranges, parsnips, pears, potatoes, restharrow, rhubarb, rose hips, shave grass, silverweed, sorrel, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips, wheat (whole), witch grass (rootstock), yellow toadflax.

Manganese
Plants are the best sources of manganese. Traces of this metal are necessary in the body for healthy bones and for enzyme reactions involved in the production of energy.

1. The plant foods highest in manganese content are: bran, whole grains, nuts, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ.

Zinc
Zinc occurs in animal tissue, and in plants when they grow on good soil. It is important for various enzyme reactions, for the reproduction system, and for the manufacture of body protein.

1. The plant foods highest in zinc content are: bran, nuts, green leafy vegetables.

FATS AND CARBOHYDRATES

Fats and carbohydrates share the primary function of being energy sources for the body, but they also perform various other functions. (Fats, for example, are needed for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.) Fats consist of fatty acids and glycerol, the fatty acids being either "saturated" or "unsaturated." Unsaturated fatty acids are more readily "burned" for energy than saturated ones, and they appear also to be connected with lower blood cholesterol levels. Animal fats are generally high in saturated fatty acids, and vegetable fats in unsaturated fatty acids.

Carbohydrates - which comprise the bulk of most of the . world's diet-are sugars or compounds that leak down into sugars in the digestive process. Starch is a common form of carbohydrate found in grains, bulbs, roots, and tubers; the various sugars are common especially in fruits, sugar cane, sugar beets, and milk. (The structural plant material cellulose is also a carbohydrate, but we can't eat trees because our bodies have no digestive enzymes to break cellulose down into usable sugars.) Meats may provide small amounts of stored carbohydrates in a form called glycogen.

Sources of Vegetable Fats: avocados, nuts, olives, seeds, soybeans, vegetable oils (e.g., corn, cottonseed, peanut, soybean, safflower seed, sunflower seed, walnut), wheat germ

Sources of Carbohydrates: apples, apricots, bananas, beets, blackberries, blaekstrap molasses, blueberries, brus­sels sprouts, carrots, cherries, dates, figs, grapes, Indian corn, lddney beans (dried, all kinds), lentils, lima beans, nuts, oats, parsnips, peas, potatoes, prunes, raisins, rasp­berries, rice, sesame seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, wheat, yams, yeasts (edible) .

ENZYMES

All living tissue contains enzymes-special protein molecules that act as biological catalysts to promote the in­numerable chemical reactions necessary for life. Basically, the enzymes speed up these chemical reactions to the rates necessary for the body's metabolism. The body produces its own enzymes, and they function everywhere in it, each - enzyme performing a highly specialized task Digestive enzymes act in the mouth, stomach, and intestines to break down food into simpler compounds usable for producing energy or for building various body substances. In case of enzyme deficiency, digestive enzymes, unlike other kinds, can readily be used by the body when provided by an external source.

The following plants contain enzymes, many of them useful in the digestive process:
Alfalfa, apple, artichoke (leaves and root), barley (malt), carline thistle, cascara sagrada (bark), castor bean (oil), dandelion (root), papaya, peppermint, soybeans, wood sorrel, yellow bedstraw,

HORMONES

Hormones are substances manufactured by the glands of the body. They stimulate the body's metabolic processes, each hormone having a specific effect on the functioning of a particular organ. Plants contain "phytohormones" that regulate their own growth processes, but some plants contain also steroid substances that form the basis of hormones found in the human body. Among the hormones derivable from plant steroids are cortisone (used for rheumatoid arthritis), corticosterone (used in carbohydrate and protien metabolism, also for Addison's disease), and several sex hormones (used in oral contraceptives, also to treat Irregularities in menstruation and pregnancy).

The following plants contain steroid substances (usually in the roots or rootstocks) or exhibit hormone-like activity:
Agave (juice), black cohosh, chaste tree (fruit), ginseng, hops, licorice, Mexican yam, purple trillium, sage, sarsaparilla, star grass, stoneseed.

NOTES:
1. The collard plant is a type of kale, hence the same botanical name.
2. Mustard greens (referred to in these sections) are the basal leaves of various wild mustards.
3. Elderberries (referred to in these sections) are the fruit of American alder (Sanebuscus caned antis).