Monday, September 15, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Eat Nordic rice!

Published 12 September 2022
– By Editorial Staff
Caption: With only horses and mechanical tools, the Nordic region can once again become self-sufficient in food in times of crisis. The picture shows harvest times in Närke 1913.
4 minute read

Wheat, oats, cereals, mixed groats – the Nordic region’s new rice on the dining table. In fact, it is the grains we have been growing for a long time. The cereals can be cooked and eaten just like rice, but it is more than twice as climate smart as rice. Frebaco Kvarn on Västgötaslätten has made use of this.

There really is nothing strange about it. “Nordic rice” does not need to be processed, it is not a semi-finished product. Anyone can take the grain from the field and cook it for a meal. It is difficult to consume grain more naturally. What Frebaco does on Västgötaslätten is to shorten the cooking time from about 40–50 minutes to 10–15 minutes with a gentle steam preparation. The nutritional loss is minimal.

Grinding grain and baking bread is not wrong. But eating the grain whole is the least labor-intensive way and the most useful because you literally eat the whole grain.

We have delved deeply into the issue of this relatively undiscovered domestic food. Frebaco Kvarn in Lidköping is currently the only producer that delivers whole grains – food groats – to our grocery stores. We have put Staffan Pehrson, product manager at Frebaco Kvarn, on the spot regarding the company’s food groats products.

To begin with, why is it not more common to eat “Nordic rice”?

– Why you do not eat whole grains to a greater extent today is mainly due to the unfamiliarity of consumers. There is also another “ignorance” of the existence of the products, about their rapid cooking, their use and about their positive properties, both from a nutritional, taste and climate point of view.

What are the climatic aspects of the food groats?

– Compared to rice, our Swedish food grains cause significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions. This is confirmed in a report from SIK – the Institute for Food and Biotechnology.

How long have you been offering the food groats?

– We have been producing our organic Food Wheat since the start in 1981. We have been producing Food Barley, Food Oats and Mixed Groats for 2–4 years, depending on the product. We are the only producer that provides Swedish food groats and with a short cooking time.

What kind of grain do you use in cultivation?

– We use “ordinary” Swedish grain. Food wheat is organically grown while the others are conventionally grown. Everything is grown on Västgötaslätten which is unique because the soils naturally have very low levels of cadmium. We also do not allow the fields to be fertilized with sludge from treatment plants, which means that we also do not have any supply of heavy metals and other unwanted substances to the soil.

Are the crops for your products genetically modified? If not, why not print it out on the packaging?

– We do not allow genetically modified grain. That this is not stated on the packaging is due to the fact that the labeling rules do not allow this and that cereals have not been particularly much discussed in this context.

Why are your products not KRAV-labeled?

– Food wheat meets all the criteria for KRAV* labeling, but we have for various reasons opted out of it in favor of the at least equally well–known EU organic labeling. There is a greater relevance in marketing the origin and the climate–smart of buying Swedish food groats.

What happens to the grain when it comes to your mill from the field?

– When the grain comes to us, it is dried. We clean it before a very gentle steam treatment. It is then lightly rolled and then air–dried. In addition to the cleaning, both oats and barley must be peeled (the inedible chaff must be removed) before steam preparation.

Cereal food groats are probably the obvious alternative next to potatoes as a basic food in the Nordic cuisine, as there is no Swedish–grown rice or Swedish pasta. How would you describe the differences between pasta and rice?

– The food grains are by far better from a nutritional point of view than pasta and above all compared to rice. Pasta “should” be made from durum wheat, which is not grown in Sweden. There have previously been smaller cultivations of Swedish durum wheat on the islands of Gotland and Ven, but they are no longer available for large–scale food production. Durum wheat is not suitable for growing in Sweden for climate reasons.

How do you briefly describe the differences between the four cereals in terms of consumption for humans? You do not sell “food trays” especially e.g.

– Food wheat has a full–bodied, rich taste and wonderful chewing resistance. Food barley are a little milder and become a little softer when cooked. Food oats has a mild unique oat taste and is quite soft in themselves because oats naturally contain relatively much (wholesome) fat. Mixed groats consist of all four grains and are juicy and multifaceted in taste. That we do not have “food rye” is because the rye itself has a very strong and slightly “different” taste that does not suit the food. It’s a shame because rye has very good nutritional properties.

In times of crisis and difficulties in importing food to the Nordic countries, consumption of whole grains would be a good solution as it only requires cooking or soaking to be able to be eaten. As in the past, grain can be grown using only horses and mechanical tools. Cereals can be stored for several years, although the nutritional value naturally decreases gradually.

Food groats, just like potatoes, can be used as a basic food with both meat, fish, poultry and in vegetarian meals.

By choosing food groats for your kitchen instead of rice and pasta, you do not only benefit Swedish farmers and support our self–sufficiency, you also contribute to a significantly longer environmental impact. “Nordic rice” is simply smart food!

* KRAV is a label for organic food, produced without artificial chemical pesticides. KRAV was founded in 1985 in order to create a credible and broadly-based regulatory framework with associated certification and labelling of organic products.

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Thousands of Swedes unaware of their high blood pressure

Published yesterday 8:29
– By Editorial Staff
Nine out of ten Swedes are expected to be affected by hypertension at some point during their lifetime.
2 minute read

Every other person with high blood pressure lacks knowledge of their diagnosis. Therefore, new national guidelines are now being developed.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is very common and it is estimated that nine out of ten Swedes will be affected by it at some point during their lifetime. Having high blood pressure means a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, among other conditions.

Today, approximately three million Swedes are estimated to suffer from it, but half don’t know about it. Women run a higher risk of being affected by cardiovascular diseases linked to lower blood pressure levels compared to men, yet despite this, 40 percent of women aged 35 to 49 are unaware of their blood pressure values, according to a report from the Swedish Heart-Lung Association earlier this year.

One in three Swedes don’t know their values, something that Mattias Brunström, associate professor of epidemiology at Umeå University in northern Sweden and chairman of the national working group for hypertension, believes needs to change.

If we could catch more people, we would avoid 30,000 cases of heart attack, stroke and heart failure in Sweden annually, he tells TT.

New guidelines

New guidelines will be presented in Sweden during the autumn. Today, the so-called blood pressure target is 140/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury), but will be lowered to 130/80.

It’s important to clarify that we’re not changing the threshold for what constitutes high blood pressure. What’s changing is that blood pressure should be treated to lower levels than today, says Brunström, who has been involved in developing the new guidelines.

Furthermore, doctors will also be recommended to prescribe two medications directly to be able to lower blood pressure faster.

High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms, which is why many people walk around with it without knowing about it. However, one can experience symptoms such as headaches and fatigue, but the only way to be sure is to regularly check your blood pressure.

The Swedish Heart-Lung Association recommends that people under 40 check their blood pressure at least every three years, and thereafter should do so annually.

Through regular check-ups, one can detect early the need for support for lifestyle changes, medical treatment, or both, says Anders Åkesson, chairman of the Swedish Heart-Lung Association, in a press release.

Study: Ultra-processed food impacts men’s reproductive ability

Published 13 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
In just three weeks, the health of young Danish men deteriorated markedly, a new study shows.
2 minute read

Just three weeks of ultra-processed food is enough to worsen young men’s sperm quality and testosterone levels, shows a new study from the University of Copenhagen. The men also gained weight compared to when they ate regular food – despite identical calorie intake.

Ultra-processed food is, in short, food that is industrially manufactured and contains a range of different ingredients, and is often a large part of especially Western diets today. Everything from bread, cereals, protein powder to candy, chips and ready meals can be classified as ultra-processed food. Previous studies have linked ultra-processed food to cardiovascular disease, depression, weight gain as well as nutritional deficiency.

Three weeks is enough

In the study, which was published in Cell Metabolism, 43 Danish men between 25 and 30 years old participated. First, the men ate only ultra-processed food for three weeks, then followed three weeks with minimally processed food. Both diets contained the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories – the only difference was the degree of processing. Some of the men received a calorie intake adapted to their weight, while others received a surplus of about 500 calories. Between the two diets, the men had a 12-week break where they ate their usual diet.

The results show clear health deteriorations after the period with ultra-processed food, compared to when they ate less processed food. The men gained about one kilogram in body fat and their cardiovascular health deteriorated – regardless of which calorie intake they had. Additionally, the men had worse sperm quality and their testosterone levels dropped.

We are shocked by the results, says one of the researchers behind the study, Romain Barrés, professor at the University of Copenhagen at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research to forskning.no and continues:

It’s really alarming to think about what happens if you eat such food year after year. The consequences can be serious and chronic.

The study supports previous research that points to ultra-processed food potentially being harmful to health, but also strengthens the hypothesis that this type of food contains calories that are more fat-forming compared to home-cooked food. The researchers now hope that the study will influence politicians when they make decisions about diet and health for Danes.

These products, which harm our health, are everywhere in our supermarkets, says Barrés.

Study: More health problems at higher radiation levels

Published 12 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The most common symptoms were fatigue, headaches, increased irritability, sleep problems and anxiety.
2 minute read

People exposed to higher levels of microwave radiation report more health symptoms, shows a new Indian study. The correlation was particularly clear for fatigue, headaches and sleep problems.

The study, which was published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, examined 183 people between 18 and 80 years old who had lived in the same home for at least one year in the city of Shillong in northeastern India. Researchers from Mizoram University in India measured microwave radiation in each residence and then divided participants into three groups based on the measured values.

The first group had the lowest levels (0–3,000 μW/m²) and included 43 participants. The second group had medium levels (3,000–5,000 μW/m²) with 49 participants, while the third and largest group had the highest levels (5,000–8,000 μW/m²) with 91 participants.

All participants answered a questionnaire about over 20 different symptoms.

The results showed that people in the highest exposure group reported significantly more health problems than the other groups. Even the medium group reported more symptoms than the lowest group. The researchers also discovered that people under 40 years old reported more inflammation-related symptoms.

Clearer symptoms among heavy phone users

The most common symptoms in the most exposed group were fatigue, headaches, increased irritability, sleep problems and anxiety. The symptoms were also more pronounced among people who used mobile phones more than five hours per day or lived within 50 meters of a base station.

To put the results in perspective: the Swedish reference value from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is 10 million μW/m², which means that all levels in the study were at least 1,250 times below this value.

The researchers concluded that exposure level was the only factor that affected the number of symptoms for all four examined health categories. The study confirms previous research that has linked health effects to radiation from mobile base stations. According to the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation, fatigue, headaches and sleep problems are particularly common symptoms among people who live near 5G towers.

British cardiologist links royal family cancer cases to covid vaccine

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 8 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
According to Aseem Malhotra, it is "highly likely that the COVID vaccines have been a significant factor in the cancer cases among members of the royal family".
3 minute read

The vaccine-skeptical cardiologist Aseem Malhotra caused major controversy when he assessed during Reform UK’s conference that experimental covid vaccines were “highly likely” to have been a significant factor behind cancer diagnoses among members of the British royal family.

During his speech at the party conference in Birmingham on Saturday, Dr. Aseem Malhotra delivered extensive criticism of mRNA vaccines. The British cardiologist, who is a close friend and advisor to the US vaccine-skeptical health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., spoke to delegates on the conference’s final day.

Malhotra argued that hundreds of studies have shown harm from mRNA vaccines and that these affect people’s genes in a damaging way.

— It may be a risk factor for cancer. Many other doctors feel the same way, he said from the stage at the conference venue, linking the same vaccines to illness cases within the royal family.

— It’s highly likely that the Covid vaccines have been a factor, a significant factor, in the cancer of members of the royal family, he continued.

“No one should have been injected”

During the 15-minute speech, the doctor also argued that the covid vaccine was significantly more likely to cause serious harm than the virus itself.

— What does that mean? It is highly likely that not a single person should have been injected with this.

Malhotra also directed criticism at the World Health Organization WHO, which he claimed had been “captured” by Microsoft founder and vaccine lobbyist Bill Gates. He called for the organization to be replaced by a better and more functional system.

— Nobody is immune to medical misinformation, he proclaimed during the speech.

“Dangerous extremism”

Several British cancer organizations have distanced themselves from Malhotra’s comments, including Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK, which state that there are no controlled studies showing increased cancer risk after covid-19 vaccination.

Britain’s health secretary Wes Streeting has also reacted very strongly to the statements and demands that Reform’s party leader Nigel Farage distance himself from the speaker.

— When we are seeing falling numbers of parents getting their children vaccinated, and a resurgence of disease we had previously eradicated, it is shockingly irresponsible for Nigel Farage to give a platform to these poisonous lies, Streeting thundered.

The minister urges Farage to apologize and “sever all ties with this dangerous extremism”.

A spokesperson for Reform UK notes, however, that Malhotra was invited as a guest speaker and has the right to his own opinions – even if the party does not share them.

— Dr Aseem Malhotra is a guest speaker with his own opinions who has an advisory role in the US government. Reform UK does not endorse what he said but does believe in free speech, the spokesperson explains.

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