October 19, 2017
Good Fats: Poached Wild Alaskan Cod in Spicy Miso Broth
Writen by Naomi Whittel |
Published on: October 19, 2017
I recently spent time with the Inuit people on a trip to the wild, and amazingly pristine Alaska.
I learned how sacred the land and for that part, the water is to them. Traditional foods consist of what’s right outside their front door – seal, salmon, walrus, cod, reindeer, ducks, moose, tubers and berries like wild blueberries and salmonberries. Since the weather up there doesn’t permit for the sort of agriculture we enjoy in the lower 49 states, their diet is naturally lower in carbohydrates and higher in fats, especially omega – 3 fatty acids.
I learned of something called the “Inuit Paradox” which is a phenomena celebrating high nutrient status among very low levels of phytonutrients from plant-based foods. The Inuit diet is rich in organ meat like liver and brain as well as ample pure unprocessed animal fat. Not only is fat necessary to absorb vitamins but when fat from 100% clean, pure, unadulterated organ meat is consumed, you get a serving of micronutrients and even phytonutrients too!
One way of food preparation which is especially helpful at preserving the delicate omega 3 fats is fermentation. The Inuit people refer to this as “stinkfish” since the fish is buried in the tundra and left to ferment.
While you may not be leaping out of your seat to taste stinkfish, you can still enjoy the key nutritional elements of the Inuit peoples native diet with this dish: an abundance of healthy fats, low carbohydrate intake, sea vegetables, fermented miso and coconut, and wild, pure fish (cod).
