Nutrition Intelligence - The Sofia Additions
Let’s introduce the Sofia additions.
Sofia refers to a set of often-forgotten, nutrient-dense foods: sprouts and young greens(S), oceanic foods (O), fermented foods (F), innards (I), and antioxidant-rich plants (A). Collectively, they are powerful sources of minerals, vitamins, fibres, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Depending on cultures and personal habits, some categories of Sofia are often overlooked. For example, some families regularly eat fish but rarely consume fermented foods like cheese and kimchi. Others might eat plenty of berries and colourful plants rich in antioxidants, but skip innards like organ meats, leading to deficiencies in certain vitamins or nutrients. To make it easy to remember and straightforward to include more nutrition, the Sofia addition is introduced. I deliberately call it an addition, not a diet, because these five food categories should be seen as extras to meals rather than a complete diet. For example, Sofia’s addition does not include carbohydrates, which are essential for a balanced diet.
Let’s have a look at each category of Sofia’s additions.
Sprouts and young greens. When plants sprout, a group of enzymes forms to activate the stored energy in seeds. These enzymes can convert the seed’s nutrient reserves into vitamins and help release minerals. For example, when a mung bean seed begins to sprout, enzymes such as those involved in ascorbate biosynthesis are activated to transform compounds stored in the seed into vitamin C, which is largely absent in the dry mung bean seed. Enzymes like phytase break down phytic acid, releasing bound minerals like iron and zinc, making them more available for absorption. When we eat sprouts, the enzymes they contain behave similarly in our bodies, helping to release vitamins and minerals. In a simple way, sprouted food acts like a key to good nutrition: even with the same amount of other foods eaten, our body can access more nutrients thanks to sprouts. Besides this key-like effect, sprouted food is also easy to digest. Sprouting begins the breakdown of starches and proteins, reducing digestive effort and lowering the chances of bloating or discomfort. For many, sprouted grains, legumes, and seeds feel gentler on the gut because some of the work has already been done before reaching the digestive system. With these benefits, consider including foods like sprouted chickpeas, sprouted lentils, pea shoots, and broccoli shoots to boost our nutritional profile.
Oceanic food. Ocean food is well known for being nutritious, but why exactly? Firstly, fish and other marine foods supply nutrients that are hard to obtain from land-based foods. These include omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), iodine, selenium, and vitamin D. For example, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel contain EPA and DHA in forms that the human body can use directly. While some land plants contain omega-3 precursors (like ALA in flaxseed), the body only converts a small portion of ALA into EPA and DHA. Eating oily fish bypasses this inefficient conversion process. Another example is iodine. Sea fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables are naturally high in iodine because iodine is concentrated in seawater. In contrast, most land foods contain very little iodine unless the soil is rich in iodine or the food is fortified. Historically, coastal diets supplied iodine naturally, whereas modern inland diets often rely on iodised salt to prevent deficiency. Omega-3s support brain function, cardiovascular health, and inflammation control; iodine is essential for thyroid hormones, so including oceanic foods helps us easily gain these nutritional benefits.
Fermented foods introduce live microbes and their by-products, boosting gut bacteria diversity and activity. These microbes aid in breaking down food, producing short-chain fatty acids, and interacting with the immune system. A diverse microbiome is linked to better digestion, metabolic regulation, and immune resilience — all of which are often compromised by modern diets dominated by ultra-processed foods. Numerous studies support that a greater diversity of gut microbes is connected to a stronger immune system and overall well-being. Besides enhancing gut microbiota diversity, fermented foods also influence the brain-gut connection by affecting gut signals to the brain. They support beneficial bacteria and produce by-products that help regulate appetite, blood sugar levels, and inflammation. Unlike highly palatable processed foods, fermented foods tend to be flavourful but not overly stimulating, promoting nourishment without excessive cravings. So, if your diet doesn’t include miso, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, and cheese, consider adding one or two to enjoy their fermented benefits.
The innards. Although excluded by many diets and cultures, animal innards such as liver and heart contain very high concentrations of vitamins and minerals. As a result of this density, we can have a higher amount of nutrition with a lower intake of overall calories. Liver, for example, is rich in vitamin A, B12, folate, iron, zinc, and copper in highly bioavailable forms. 100 grams of beef liver contains roughly 6,000–9,000 micrograms of vitamin A, compared with about 800 micrograms of beta-carotene from the same amount of carrots, much of which must first be converted into active vitamin A by the body. For vitamin B12, beef liver provides around 70 micrograms per 100 grams, while the same amount of beef steak supplies only 2–3 micrograms, and most plant foods provide none at all. This illustrates how small amounts of innards can restore nutritional depth that would otherwise require large volumes of other foods. In addition to nutritional density, innards also have good nutritional availability. Iron appears as heme iron in liver food, which is absorbed more efficiently than plant-based iron. Vitamin A is present as retinol, not as carotenoid precursors that require conversion. This reduces metabolic effort and increases the reliability of nutrient intake.
The antioxidant. We are often encouraged by nutritionists to “eat a rainbow,” and this advice is grounded in science. The colours in plants reflect different antioxidant compounds that help protect the body from everyday oxidative stress generated by normal metabolism, activity, and environmental exposure. Daily human metabolism produces reactive by-products as cells generate energy. This process is intensified by physical activity, psychological stress, pollution, and other environmental exposures. These reactive molecules, often referred to as oxidative stress, can damage cell membranes, proteins, and DNA if left unchecked. Antioxidant compounds found in coloured plants — including polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids — help neutralise these molecules and support the body’s natural repair processes. This protective role is particularly important in modern life, where chronic low-grade inflammation has become a common background condition rather than an exception. To use a metaphor, the antioxidants are like “clean-up agents,” in that they travel through our body, finding trouble-making free radicals, and neutralise them, leaving the body in a low oxidative stress environment. Given how many studies prove the positive correlation between aging, inflammation, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, adding antioxidants like berries and colourful vegetables would be a smart choice.
Taken together, the Sofia Additions are not a checklist to perfect, but a reminder to rebalance. They address a problem of modern eating: not that we lack food, but that we forget nourishment. By deliberately adding sprouts, oceanic foods, fermented foods, innards, and antioxidant-rich plants, we restore nutritional depth without increasing complexity or restriction. Sofia does not ask us to eat less, count more, or follow rules more strictly. It simply asks us to remember what modern food systems have trained us to overlook—and to add those foods back into a wiser relationship with food.
Sofia 的补充（The Sofia Additions）
在继续我们的饮食与营养之旅之前，是时候讨论我们应该往饮食中补充什么了。到目前为止，我们更多关注的是在一个致肥环境中如何做减法（这个少吃一点，那个尽量避免），但同样重要的是理解补充——也就是哪些食物值得我们有意识地多纳入日常饮食。做减法，是为了避免伤害；而做补充，则是从内部赋能身体。
现在，让我们正式介绍 Sofia 的补充。
Sofia 指的是一组在现代饮食中经常被忽略、但营养密度极高的食物：芽菜与嫩叶（S）、海洋食物（O）、发酵食物（F）、内脏类食物（I），以及富含抗氧化物的植物（A）。整体来看，它们是矿物质、维生素、膳食纤维、健康脂肪和优质蛋白的重要来源。由于文化背景和个人饮食习惯的不同，Sofia 中的某些类别往往会被忽略。例如，有些家庭经常吃鱼，却很少摄入像奶酪或泡菜这样的发酵食品；也有人经常吃富含抗氧化物的浆果和彩色蔬菜，却刻意回避动物内脏，从而导致某些维生素或微量营养素的不足。为了让营养更容易被记住、也更容易被实践，我引入了 Sofia 的补充这一概念。我刻意称它为“补充”，而不是“饮食法”或“饮食结构”，因为这五类食物并不是一个完整的饮食体系，而是对日常饮食的补充。例如，Sofia 的补充并不包含碳水化合物，而碳水显然是均衡饮食中不可或缺的一部分。
接下来，我们逐一看看 Sofia 的每一类补充。
芽菜与嫩叶。当植物开始发芽时，一整套酶系统会被激活，用来唤醒种子中储存的能量。这些酶不仅能将种子中的营养储备转化为维生素，还能帮助释放被“锁住”的矿物质。以绿豆为例，干燥的绿豆几乎不含维生素 C；但当绿豆开始发芽，与抗坏血酸（维生素 C）合成相关的酶被激活，储存在种子中的物质会被转化为维生素 C。与此同时，像植酸酶这样的酶会分解植酸，释放原本被结合的铁和锌，使它们更容易被人体吸收。当我们食用芽菜时，这些在发芽过程中产生的变化会在体内产生类似的效果，帮助释放更多可利用的维生素和矿物质。简单来说，芽菜就像一把“营养钥匙”：即使在摄入相同数量食物的情况下，身体也能通过芽菜获取更多营养。除此之外，芽菜通常也更容易消化。发芽过程已经开始分解淀粉和蛋白质，从而降低消化负担，减少腹胀或不适的可能。对许多人来说，发芽的谷物、豆类和种子对肠胃更加温和，因为部分消化工作已经在进入消化系统之前完成了。基于这些优势，可以考虑在饮食中加入发芽鹰嘴豆、发芽扁豆、豌豆苗或西兰花芽，以提升整体营养水平。
海洋食物。海洋食物以营养丰富而闻名，但究竟好在哪里？首先，鱼类和其他海洋食物能提供一些陆地食物中很难获得的营养素，包括 Omega-3 脂肪酸（EPA 和 DHA）、碘、硒以及维生素 D。以三文鱼、沙丁鱼和鲭鱼为例，它们富含 EPA 和 DHA，而且是人体可以直接利用的形式。虽然某些植物（如亚麻籽）含有 Omega-3 的前体（ALA），但人体将 ALA 转化为 EPA 和 DHA 的效率非常低，食用富脂鱼类可以直接绕过这一低效的转化过程。再以碘为例，海鱼、贝类和海藻天然富含碘，因为碘在海水中高度集中；相比之下，除非土壤本身富含碘或食物经过强化处理，大多数陆地食物的碘含量都很低。历史上，沿海地区的饮食能够自然提供足够的碘，而现代内陆饮食往往需要依赖加碘盐来预防缺乏。Omega-3 脂肪酸有助于大脑功能、心血管健康和炎症调节；碘则是甲状腺激素合成的关键原料，因此，将海洋食物纳入饮食是一种高效而自然的营养补充方式。
发酵食物。发酵食物通过引入活性微生物及其代谢产物，显著提升肠道菌群的多样性和活跃度。这些微生物帮助分解食物、产生短链脂肪酸，并与免疫系统发生互动。研究表明，肠道微生物多样性与更好的消化功能、代谢调节和免疫韧性密切相关，而这些能力往往在以超加工食品为主的现代饮食中受到削弱。大量研究支持这样一个结论：肠道菌群越多样，整体健康水平往往越好。除了改善肠道环境，发酵食物还会通过影响肠—脑信号通路，对食欲、血糖调节和炎症状态产生影响。与高度刺激食欲的加工食品不同，发酵食物通常风味丰富，却不过度刺激，让身体获得滋养而不引发强烈渴求。因此，如果你的日常饮食中还缺少味噌、开菲尔、酸奶、康普茶或奶酪，不妨尝试加入一两种，体验发酵带来的益处。
内脏类食物。尽管在许多文化和饮食体系中被排除在外，动物内脏（如肝脏和心脏）却是维生素和矿物质密度极高的食物。正因为这种高密度，我们可以在摄入较少总热量的情况下获得大量营养。以牛肝为例，它富含维生素 A、维生素 B12、叶酸、铁、锌和铜，而且多以高度可吸收的形式存在。每 100 克牛肝大约含有 6,000–9,000 微克的维生素 A，而同样重量的胡萝卜仅含约 800 微克 β-胡萝卜素，且还需要在体内转化为活性维生素 A。在维生素 B12 方面，100 克牛肝可提供约 70 微克，而同样重量的牛排仅有 2–3 微克，植物性食物则几乎不含 B12。这说明，少量内脏就能恢复饮食的营养深度，而如果依赖其他食物，往往需要摄入更大的体积。除了营养密度高，内脏的营养可利用度也非常出色，其中的铁多以血红素铁形式存在，吸收率远高于植物性铁；维生素 A 直接以视黄醇形式存在，而不是需要转化的前体，这降低了身体的代谢负担，也提高了营养摄入的可靠性。
抗氧化食物。营养学家常常建议我们“吃彩虹”，这并不是一句空话，而是有明确科学依据的。植物的颜色反映了不同类型的抗氧化物质，它们帮助身体应对日常代谢、活动和环境暴露所产生的氧化压力。在能量代谢过程中，细胞会不断产生反应性副产物；运动、心理压力、污染等因素会进一步加剧这一过程。如果这些活性分子得不到控制，就可能损伤细胞膜、蛋白质和 DNA。这种状态被称为氧化应激。彩色植物中的多酚、黄酮类和类胡萝卜素等抗氧化物，能够中和这些活性分子，并支持身体的修复机制。在现代生活中，这一点尤为重要——慢性低度炎症已不再是例外，而成了许多人的背景状态。如果用一个比喻，抗氧化物就像体内的“清洁工”，在身体各处巡逻，寻找并中和捣乱的自由基，让整体环境维持在较低的氧化压力水平。大量研究表明，衰老、炎症、神经发育异常和神经退行性疾病之间存在明显关联，因此，增加浆果和多彩蔬菜等富含抗氧化物的食物，是一个非常明智的选择。
综合来看，Sofia 的补充并不是一张需要完美执行的清单，而是一种重新找回平衡的提醒。它所回应的，是现代饮食中的一个核心问题：我们并不缺食物，而是遗忘了滋养。通过有意识地补充芽菜、海洋食物、发酵食物、内脏类和富含抗氧化物的植物，我们可以在不增加复杂度、也不增加限制的前提下，恢复饮食的营养深度。Sofia 并不要求我们吃得更少、算得更精，或遵循更严格的规则。它只是提醒我们，把被现代食物体系训练我们忽略的东西，补充回到与食物更智慧的关系中来。
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