Course 4

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THE AMAZING WORLD OF VEGETABLES - PART TWO
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Excerpt from, God's Banquet Table, which can be read for free online here!

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PARSLEY.
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Parsley is the pretty little garnish that restaurants use to
compliment the esthetic beauty of a slab of cooked greasy
cow.

Unfortunately people throw away the wrong thing. Instead
of throwing away the steak and eating the parsley, they throw
away the parsley and eat the steak.

This garnish is considered one of the most nutritious foods in
the world. Ancient civilizations have used parsley in
medications, on wounds, poultices, boils, cysts and to draw
the pus out of an infected cut. Parsley is one of the highest
sources of life-giving chlorophyll which acts like iron to
oxidize the blood. Chlorophyll will help neutralize the strong
odor of garlic and is used in chewing gum to sweeten breath.
It is a cleanser of the kidneys, liver and urinary tract.

Parsley is effective for upset stomachs by stimulating
digestive enzymes. Excellent for the colon by encouraging
the peristaltic wave in the intestines.

Parsley juice, added to vegetable juices, will enter directly
into the bloodstream immediately impacting your body.

Both flat and curly parsley have the same nutritional value.
Look for healthy, dark green leaves. Parsley can be grown
inside and outside the house. Will store in the refrigerator for
a week.

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PEPPERS.
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Peppers can come in many different colors. The most
common is the green pepper which is an unripe red pepper.
Red peppers are more expensive but sweeter and higher in
vitamin C. Great for the skin and swelling due to arthritis
because of the high silicon content. Excellent addition to any
vegetable juice. Juice seeds, stem and all.

Look for smooth firm nonwaxed peppers. Will keep in
refrigerator for one week.

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POTATO.
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North Americans love to eat potatoes. This tubular root has
supported entire nations of people in times of shortage
because of war or famine. They are in the same family as
tomatoes and peppers.

An excellent source of vitamin C and high in carbohydrates,
potassium, calcium and iron. The most nutritious part of the
potato is the skin.

During World War I, a group of German soldiers, near
starvation, were forced to live on raw potatoes. The soldiers
with gastric disorders were relieved and cured. After the
war, Dr. J. F. Magerl began treating gastric patients with raw
potato juice. After 10 days of the treatment, most of the
patients showed no symptoms.

Potato juice is a wonderful addition to any vegetable juice.
When potatoes are juiced, a white silky paste will form on
the bottom of the glass. This is potato starch and is mucus-
forming with little nutritional value.

Of all the vegetables, potatoes are slightly mucus-forming,
but are still a valuable food, especially when juiced.

Red potatoes are less starchy and lower in calories than white
potatoes, making them less mucus-forming. Look for
potatoes with eyes, revealing the fact that they are alive with
enzymes, ready to sprout, given the opportunity.

Potatoes without eyes are mutants and are not desirable.
They should be firm without black spots and with no green
color which can cause a slightly toxic effect. Never
eat a green potato.

Will keep well in a cool dry place for a number
of months.

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RADISHES.
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Radish added to vegetable juice will help clear sinus cavities
and calm a sore throat.

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SPINACH.
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Never cook spinach. Oxalic acid is destroyed when heat
transforms it into oxalic acid crystals that are harmful to the
kidneys. It also binds to iron making it unabsorbable.

Spinach makes a great salad. It is higher in protein than tofu,
49% of calories. Green juices are important due to their
chlorophyll content. They also supply an abundance of
nutrients such as oxalic acid, beneficial in the cleansing and
healing of the intestinal tract.

Spinach juice mixed with other vegetable juices turns the
mixture brown. Although it may look unsightly, it is a
beautiful sight to the cells of the body.

Finding good spinach can sometimes be difficult. Look for
crisp, dark green leaves. Rinse spinach well, removing sand
and grit. Will store in refrigerator only for a few days, easily
becoming slimy.

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SWEET POTATO (YAM).
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The darker the color the higher in vitamin content. They are
one of the greatest sources of beta carotene. They are
plenteous in vitamin C, potassium, carbohydrates, calcium,
and a good source of fiber.

History has shown that people can live exclusively on
sweet potatoes and remain healthy and strong. Carrot and
sweet potato juice is tasty and outstanding for complexion.

Look for firm, not too large yams that are tapered at both
ends. Skin should be smooth without brown spots.

Will store in the refrigerator for two weeks.

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SWISS CHARD.
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Chard is in the beet family and grown for its greenery. Use it
as you would a green for salads or juicing.

A good source of vitamin C, A and iron. The juice from
chard can be mixed with carrot and apple. A good source of
chlorophyll.

Look for leaves that are crisp with no yellow or brown spots.
Smaller heads will be more tender.

Will store in the refrigerator for three to four days.

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TOMATO.
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Tomatoes are feeling a little out of place in this list because
they are a fruit. But we assumed anyone looking for
tomatoes would go to the Vegetable Section, so here they are.

Providing tomatoes are vine ripened, they are a high source
of vitamin C, in fact, one tomato is equal to more than 50%
of the recommended daily allowance. Good source of
organic sodium phosphorus, calcium, potassium, mag-
nesium, malic and oxalic acid and sulfur.

The problem is that most tomatoes found in the supermarkets
during the off season have the quality, taste and vitamin C
content of a baseball. Vine ripened tomatoes may cost you a
little more because of the difficulty in shipping, but it is well
worth the money in nutritional value.

It is an absolute must to grow your own succulent sweet
tomatoes. Even if you live in an apartment there are hybrids
that have been created especially for growing in pots. We
have tomato plants growing in every possible corner around
our home. Our children love to go out in the morning and
graze on these freshly ripened ruby red treats.

Tomato juice has a wonderful taste that is quite different
from store-bought juice which is boiled and stored in cans for
months.

The health-giving acids in tomatoes are beneficial to the
body unless heated or canned.

Look for brightly red soft sweet smelling tomatoes. They
ought to be plump, heavy and filled with juice. Always buy
from your local farmer, when in season. Do not eat green
tomatoes which may irritate the kidneys.

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WATERCRESS.
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If you are blessed to live by a creek free from chemical
pollutants, you will probably find this wonderful green
growing along the banks.

Watercress is excellent for spicing up a raw salad and
makes a nutritious addition to any juice. One of the richest
sources of sulfur, high in potassium, calcium, sodium,
magnesium, phosphorus, and chlorines, which makes this
green a powerful cleanser. It has been used to dissolve
coagulated fibrin in the blood vessels which is a common
cause of hemorrhoids and other tumorous formations.

Watercress juice has a very strong flavor, so it must be mixed
with carrot and apple. Look for fresh springy leaves absent
from yellowing or wilting. Will keep in the refrigerator for
three to four days.

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Go to Course 5: Learn How to Make Your Own Healthy Drinks.

Go to previous Course 3: The Amazing World of Vegetables, Part 1 .