Nutrition notes: Whole Foods Encyclopedia

So in the three weeks I was without a computer, I had plenty of time to read. I'm typing up my notes (yes, I take notes when I read nutrition books.) so I don't forget things!
I spent the first weekend evening sans ordinateur reading "The Whole Foods Encyclopedia" by Rebecca Wood. It's not about the grocery store.
Rebecca Wood is a macrobiotic and whole foods expert who originally wrote this book as a handbook for health-store workers. This version was a bit old, 1999, but it was brimming with useful information:

• She's not a fan of processed soy products, and it really opened my eyes to the inferior products I was using as protein. Soy isolate, for example, is part of TVP. (Texturized vegetable protein) It's made from soybean oil meal. To eliminate the carbs, it's bathed in chemicals!
• Soy milk has the same protein as milk, a third of the fat, fewer calories. It's high in B vitamins and has 15 times the iron. But milk has more calcium unless soymilk is fortified.
• Tempeh is 19.5% protein; more than 50% more protein than beef! It's high in omega-3s. (Tempeh is an Indonesian food made from split, cooked, fermented soybeans.)
• Tofu is a high-quality protein, a good souce of calcium. It's a great source of iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium.
• Toxins accumulate in fatty acids. Therefore, if you're going to buy organic, focus on (in descending order): meat, dairy, oils, nuts, seeds, grains.
• Chickpeas are unlike a legume. They're wrinkly, with only one seed and pod. They are higher in vitamin C and iron.
• Flax seed rocks! It's less than 40% oil. Flax strengthens immunity, help prevent cancer, clear the heart and arteries. Flax is a superior source of lignan, which helps regulate menstrual cycles. Lignan has anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-viral and antifungal properties.
• 3T flax seeds and 1/2 c water=2 eggs
• Macrobiotic cure-all: 1 1/2 T kudzu powder; 1 1/2 c H20; 1 t umeboshi powder; 1 t soy sauce; 1/2 t ginger juice. Boil, stirring constantly and simmer until it goes from milky to opaque.
• Quinoa is 16% protein. It contains all the amino acids. The UN WHO says it's nutritionally equal or superior to milk. It's at least as good as milk when it comes to protein quality. It has more calcium; is high in lycine, iron, phosphorus, B vitamins and vitamin E. Wash quinoa well to rid it of the bitter covering.
• With seeds such as quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, presoaking and light toasting enhances flavor and digestability.