A great addition to the raw food diet to consider is Tocotrienols or Rice Bran Solubles. Have you heard of them? Many people on a raw vegan plan add “tocos” to their list of nutritional support foods.
A tocotrienol supplement is actually stabilized rice bran that has been pre-digested and separated from the insoluble fiber. There are at least 100 known antioxidants in tocotrienols including selenium, CoQ10, ALA and others.
Tocotrienols are a whole food source of vitamin E, fatty acids and protein. They are truly amazing for skin and hair health. Tocotrienols are natural vitamin E that are a very powerful anti-inflammatory, and studies show they can:
1. Protect against brain cell damage
2. Help prevent cancer
3. Reduce cholesterol.
But a quick check in the health food store can leave you confused. There are so many brands, and then there are tocopherols, also in the Vitamin E family. The benefits listed above do not apply with tocopherols. Tocopherol molecules have a long tail with no double bonds. This inhibits the effects of the vitamin within the body, giving it a much lower antioxidant power than tocotrienols. Tocotrienol molecules on the other hand, have a short tail with 3 double bonds. This unique structure enables them to provide a much stronger antioxidant effect.
Tocotrienols have a nutty, tasty flavor that make a great addition to shakes, smoothies and raw granolas. Try some next time you are adding to your raw food pantry!
See:
Sen CK, Khanna S, Roy S (March 2006). “Tocotrienols: Vitamin E Beyond Tocopherols”. Life Sciences 78 (18): 2088–98.doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2005.12.001. PMC 1790869.PMID 16458936.
Nesaretnam K (October 2008). “Multitargeted therapy of cancer by tocotrienols”. Cancer Letters 269 (2): 388–95.doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2008.03.063. PMID 18504069.
