BAD Foods Gone Good? Coffee...Chocolate...Fat... Oh My!

By Cal Orey

Healing Powers series

Savors "bad" foods in moderation
for good health 

Collection of Bad Foods Gone Good

A few years ago, I was interviewed by someone whom is AWOL but here is part of our exchange that I just found on the Internet... Fun interview, fun foods... 

SF– Coffee can heal me? I’m sold. What inspired you to write about healing foods?

Every a.m. with a splash
of organic chocolate milk

Cal Orey– One snowy winter morning, while sipping java juice, I got an idea. (It’s true. Coffee boosts brainpower and the creative process.) I e-mailed my book editor with words that were short and sweet. “Just thinking a tea book to go with the honey book seems like it would work well.” He quickly responded,” I was thinking of a coffee book since coffee gets a bad rap. Is that a crazy idea?” I typed a one-liner answer, “Not at all. It was my second choice.” After all, during the creation of The Healing Powers of Chocolate, I included a chapter titled: “A Cuppa Coffee and Chocolat.” So, I wasn’t a stranger to coffee and its virtues.

SF– How did you come to find out that these foods have healing properties?

No wine for author but EVVO
paired with real butter

CO– I went to the go-to super food people—the folks percolating with information about the world’s favorite “new” health foods. I’ve conducted hundreds of exclusive interviews with medical doctors, researchers, and people in the industry: vinegar, olive oil, chocolate, honey, and coffee. It isn’t rocket science. I discovered quickly that Mother Nature’s folk medicine is today’s modern miracle!

SF– I had a teacher once who made us drink apple cider vinegar if we coughed in her class. Was she trying to save us from the common cold, or keep us quiet? Care to comment?

CO– She was from the old school of natural remedies. Apple cider vinegar may help in speeding recovery from a cold. Apple cider vinegar may help boost immunity and provide relief from cold and cough symptoms. The Vinegar Remedy to Use: Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 4 teaspoons of honey. Take 1 tablespoon when your cough starts up. Take another at bedtime. Voila!

SF–  Olive oil has a million uses, doesn’t it?  Plus it’s one of those staples for so many cultures. It really is amazing stuff (and makes such a nice garlic sauce)!  What is your favorite use?

Real butter, real scones

CO– While olive oil has been used for everything from health ailments to beauty and home, it’s the  fat I use in my heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. So, it’s sautéing vegetables in a bit of extra virgin olive oil (it’s chock-full of disease-fighting antioxidants) and teaming it with a bit of real butter topped on whole grain rice or pasta that helps energize me, and keep me lean. Combining the two fats dishes flavor and good-for-you satiety so it curbs cookie monster cravings.

SF– I was amazed to find out the benefits of fresh ground verses pre-ground coffee beans!

CO– Coffee, especially freshly ground coffee from whole beans, boasts of an amazing antioxidant power. Two mighty antioxidants—chlorogenic acids and caffeic acid—are given credit for health benefits. Java boasts of other health-boosting antioxidants, including benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins. Stacks of studies show that regular coffee drinkers may help lower their risk of developing cancers (female types, too), heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments. No doubt, coffee is healthy in a variety of ways, and credit is due to the variety of disease fighting antioxidants--and caffeine which can do a body good! and keep it regular. But note to pass on sugar, cream, extra flavorings, and the whip. Go for a cup of black coffee and/or with a splash of low-fat milk.

SF– What is your favorite healing food?  Of course, on the other end, what about your favorite NOT healing food?

Tea with treats

CO– Tea. I absolutely am a devout tea drinker. True, a 12-ounce cup of coffee is on my morning schedule. But tea—black, green, chamomile—spiked with a taste of a super honey varietal like wildflower or tupelo makes my day and night complete. Not to forget a home-baked fresh fruit scone. I only eat super foods. If you look in my fridge, it’s stuffed with fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, and Greek yogurt (high in fat but still has some good stuff in it). In my pantry, you’ll find fatty nuts, eggs, and cheese, too. Moderation for all. P.S. I forgot to mention the ice cream in the freezer (but it’s the premium, all-natural kind).

SF– You are a foodie warrior! Mine is chocolate. Speaking of which, thanks for telling me how great it is for me.

Chocolate Gelato? Oh yeah

CO – Yes, chocolate known as Mother Natures’ “food of the gods” can help boost the immune system, lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes—even obesity! Chocolate is chock-full of mood enhancing ingredients, including phenylethylamine (the “love drug”) and feel-good serotonin. I like dark chocolate (if it's the gourmet kind). I do turn to white and milk types, too, if paired with fruits, herbs, and spices.