Lunchbox Remake of the Peanut Butter Sandwich

Yes, I know!! This was suppose to be up yesterday. Life won!

I am a believer in quality ingredients. I believe you can take a meal notorious for being unhealthy or not so healthy and make it better. I also believe that you can do the opposite, take a normally healthy meal and turn it into junk purely on the quality of ingredients chosen. ​

For example: M1's Sandwich
For me this is a great example of the two edged sword. One is nutritious the other not. 

Option 1: 
White Bread
Peanut Butter made with hydrogenated oils, and added sugar
Ultra-filtered Pasteurized Honey

Option 2:
Sprouted Grain, whole grain bread
Natural Almond Butter (just ground almonds)
Raw, Unfiltered Local Honey

Sounds pretty much the same: bread, nut butter, honey. So, what's the big difference?

Option 1: 

• The bread has only the enriched vitamins that are added to the white flour (which are removed and bleached out, so must be added back in). The white flour has no fiber, no bran, and the carbohydrate is instantly ingested as quick absorbing sugar. Not to mention all the preservatives that are probably added to it, and it is most likely made with overly processed oils, and more sugar. An example is Sara Lee White Bread: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, BARLEY MALTED FLOUR, NIACIN, B3, IRON REDUCED, B1, B2, B9) WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, YEAST, SALTED BUTTER, 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING; SALT, WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEY, BETA CAROTENE, BUTTER FLAVOR, VINEGAR, SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL, HONEY, SOY LECITHIN, YEAST NUTRIENTS (MONOCALCIUM PHOSPATE, CALCIUM SULPHATE, AMMONIUM SULFATE), CORN STARCH, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES), GUAR GUM, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (PRESERVATIVE)
• Cheap peanut butter, is just that, cheap. It is often made with excessive amounts of sugar and hydrogenated oils. Yeah, more sugar. Hydrogenated oils are associated with a number of health problems (most of which of been wrongly applied to natural saturated fats.), such as heart disease and cancer. Here are the ingredients of one popular brand: ROASTED PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN, SALT, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (COTTONSEED, SOYBEAN, OR RAPESEED) TO PREVENT SEPARATION, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, ADDED MINERALS (MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ZINC OXIDE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, COPPER SULFATE), VITAMINS (NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE, HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID) YUMMY!!!!!
• Honey is a natural sweetener, and I use it a lot! But, when it is filtered you lose the medicinal propolis, and when it is heated for pasteurization, the enzyme and beneficial bacteria that aid in immune health are lost and destroyed. You are essentially just consuming more sugar, without the nutritional and health benefits attached.

Option 2:

• By switching to a sprouted, whole grain bread, we are increasing our natural vitamin and mineral profile (which is easier to digest). The sprouting process makes the mineral more available as well, and increases the protien slightly. We also have an increase in fiber, which is good for the digestive and cardiovascular systems. It also feeds the good bacteria in our intestines. Here are the ingredients from the bread in M1's sandwich. Alpine Valley Sprouted Honey Wheat with Flax: ORGANIC WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC SPROUTED WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE SYRUP, ORGANIC HONEY, ORGANIC SPROUTED WHEAT BERRIES, ORGANIC OATS, ORGANIC FLAX, ORGANIC WHEAT BRAN, ORGANIC CULTURED WHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR, SEA SALT, YEAST, WHEAT ENZYMES.
• Any natural nut butter is full of natural minerals (magnesium, zinc, etc..) as well as other nutrition such as proteins and fats. The refined the nuts, the more of the nutrition stays intact. Look for brands with simple ingredients; nuts...that's all it should say...seriously. Kirkland, costco brand is simply "roasted almonds." MaraNathas has a Raw Almond Butter that is just "Raw Almonds' even better. Be careful though, even some of the organic and natural brands add Palm Oil or Sugar. Here are the ingredients from M1's almond butter. Kirkland Almond Butter: 100% NON GMO ROASTED ALMONDS
• Oh Honey, how I love you. Honey is a wonderful, natural, and healthy sweetener, if kept in it's natural form. Raw, unfiltered honey. When left this way, it is full of propolis. What is propolis? Propolis consists of at least 300 different compounds, it is the glue of the hive. It is more than just glue, it is used to protect the hive from microscopic invasions. It is a anti-microbial powerhouse. Honey is also rich in enzymes. Some of these enzymes are anti-microbial others aid in digestion, all are sensitive to and destroyed by UV light and heat. So, they are destroyed in either the radiation or heating pasteurization. Honey also contains an array of vitamins and minerals: all the B vitamins, A, D, E, K, and Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Iodine, Sodium, Copper, and Manganese. 

Now that you see the difference, maybe it will help you in the decision making at the grocery store, which is the first step in eating healthy. If you don't buy it, it's not an option.

Main Lunch:

• Almond Butter and Raw Honey Sandwich
• Carrots/Celery and Hummus

Snack Time:

• Beef Bar
• Apple
• Seaweed Snacks