Culture & Travel

Notes from the Ital Grove: November

By Gregor Altman

Welcome back! For starters, I’d like to address the lighter side of the controversial plant we are all are familiar with, cannabis, a.k.a. hemp. The legal status of hemp seed in the United Status is somewhat of a mixed blessing. It is legal to import and sell hemp seed, but only if it has been sterilized, which diminishes its nutritional content. Even so, eating hulled hemp seed, which is readily available in most health food stores, is very good for our bodies. The oil in hemp seed has the highest essential fatty acid content (80% of total oil content) of any plant, and is optimally balanced in two of these, linoleic and linolenic acid. These two acids are involved in the conversion of food to energy, transferring oxygen in the lungs, and the retention of oxygen in the cell membrane. Ingesting the essential acids helps strengthen the immune system, keeps arteries clear, and helps maintain healthy skin and hair. Hemp seed also contains all the amino acids necessary to maintain human health. Finally, its complete protein composition is easily digestible as it is in a form similar to human blood plasma. It is a shame that political and industrial interests keep us from growing and consuming locally grown hemp seed in an uncompromised form. Hemp seed can be ground into a tasty butter, or added to various baked products, but I like it best sprinkled on salads.

One herbal remedy I’ve tried recently, Kava Kava root, may be best to avoid. Kava is normally taken for stress related conditions, and has been highly regarded as effective by some for treating anxiety. Unfortunately, it seems that taking Kava Kava can have serious detrimental effects on your liver, the organ that removes most toxins from the bloodstream. To be on the safe side try to see if Valerian root or St. John’s Wort is effective for you.

For this installment, my ramblings took me up to the north Bronx, to the Jamacian neighborhood along White Plains Road. Up around 210th St., this boulevard with the elevated #2 line subway clattering overhead begins to be populated by an assortment of Caribbean style food businesses. With all of these spread across 20 blocks, and not much else visible off the main drag, the area failed to provide much of a community feel, but there were some interesting spots. Unfortunately, the place that looked most promising for Ital goodness, “Eat Well Caribbean Cuisine,” was closed. There were only a few other places offering somewhat mediocre vegetarian selections, as most places were more meat oriented. The healthy assortment of West Indian grocery stores on the strip made up for this. A choice selection could be found at the Jamacian West Indian Bakery, whose rich coconut bread confections known as “Gizzarda” were a tasty treat.

So, as promised I will now leave you with the ingredients used The Uptown Juice Bar’s supreme “Ital Jockey” concoction: Sea Moss, Spirutein, Baji, Cashews, Ginsing, Banana, Chinese Herbs, Bee Pollen, Soy Milk, Honey, Mollasses, Nutrional Yeast, & Soy Lecithin.

Happy Juicing!

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Gregor Altman is a longtime student and willing participant of explorations in exotic cultures and cuisines. He has gravitated to those which make use of hot spices and medicinal botanicals. Recent involvements include managing a natural food producer in New Mexico, and volunteering at a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm on Long Island, New York. He can be reached at gregornyc@earthlink.net.