No one knows your body better than you!  We understand that it is hard to choose fresh vegetables and/or fruit over chips and candy.  Human beings are imperfect.  We have limited willpower.  Perhaps if fresh vegetables tasted like bread and butter (not discouraging butter - more on this later),

we might eat more veggies.... but even so there are bigger fish to fry when we do eat veggies such as spraying food with pesticides.  At the end of the day - you can't help but wonder if accumulated pesticide exposure is killing you just as it is the pests. Dr. Hyman’s book Food What the Heck Should I Eat? is a helpful guide to obtaining optimal health through food.  There is a lot of misinformation out there about food. It is hard to know who is telling the truth and has your best interest when it comes to your health and nutrition.  Perhaps if you grow your own food, you may have a better idea.  The food industry's primary concern is to keep you coming back to buy more.  What does this mean?  It's convenient, has a long shelf life, and tastes good.  This does not mean it is healthy.  If we focus more on eating to live rather than living to eat, we can nourish our bodies in the best possible way. Eating is a necessity and when done right we shall flourish...

Dr. Hyman’s Food Quizzes at the beginning of each chapter were helpful to learn or confirm various statements that have been made about food. We have posted the T/F questions from Dr. Hyman's book here so you can test yourself.  We encourage you to read his book for the explanations. Some of the answers may surprise you! Afterwards we'll leave you with some key points that could be game changers that can revitalize your health.

MEAT

1. Red meat contains high levels of saturated fat, which causes heart disease.

2. If you avoid meat you can easily get all the protein you need from plants.

3. Cattle evolved to eat grass in the wild, not grains and beans like corn and soy.

4. Liver is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.

5. Eating bacon is as strongly linked to cancer as smoking cigarettes.

6. The government strictly regulates what cattle are fed.

7. Grilling meat helps reduce contaminants and chemicals.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 33-34)

POULTRY & EGGS

1. It's better to eat chicken than red meat.

2. You should limit your egg intake because the high cholesterol content increases your risk of heart attack.

3. The best type of chicken you can eat is free-range.

4. It's better to eat egg white omelets than whole egg omelets.

5. You shouldn't eat chicken skin because it's bad for you.

6. Pasteurized eggs are better for you than conventional eggs.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 58-59)

MILK & DAIRY

1. Low-fat milk is better for you than whole milk.

2. Children need to drink milk to build strong bones and teeth.

3. Dairy is a great source of vitamin D.

4. Butter causes heart disease.

5. Yogurt is a health food.

6. Lactose intolerance affects most adults.

7. Butter can help prevent diabetes and has no effect on the risk of heart disease. (Hyman, 2018, p. 76-77)

FISH & SEAFOOD

1. You shouldn't eat shrimp because it contains a lot of cholesterol.

2. Swordfish has the least amount of mercury of any fish.

3. Sushi is a health food.

4. Eating farmed fish is better for you.

5. Sardines are a better source of calcium than milk.

6. White-fleshed fish is more nutritious than dark.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 94-95)

VEGETABLES

1. Alfalfa sprouts are a health food.

2. Potatoes contain complex carbs, which are better for you than simple carbs like sugar.

3. The benefits of organic vegetables are overstated because studies show they're healthier than conventionally grown food.

4. White button mushrooms are relatively low in nutrition.

5. Tomatoes can create inflammation in the body. 

6. Arugula is just another kind of lettuce, like iceberg.

7. Some of the most nutritious vegetables are weird ones, like seaweed.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 111-112)

FRUIT

1. Bananas are the best natural source of potassium.

2. Frozen berries are better for you than fresh.

3. You should eat at least five servings of fruit each day.

4. Juicing is a great way to get plenty of fruit into your diet.

5. Pomegranates are one of the best fruits you can eat.

6. Buying organic is a waste of money.

7. Apples are the most nutritious fruit. One a day keeps the doctor away.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 131-132)

FATS & OILS

1. Vegetable oils are better for your health than animal-based fats.

2. A salad with nonfat dressing or lemon juice is healthier than one drenched in oil.

3. The cholesterol from eggs clogs your arteries and causes heart disease.

4. Vegetable shortening is a better alternative than lard (pork fat) when cooking or baking.

5. Fats and oils make you gain weight because they contain more calories than carbs or protein.

6. The federal government's dietary guidelines now tell us there is no limit of the amount of fat you can eat and be healthy.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 147-148)

BEANS

1. Beans are a good source of protein.

2. Beans are an ultimate health food.

3. Prehistoric humans foraged for legumes, so they're part of the Paleo diet.

4. Beans contain toxins that can't be avoided.

5. You shouldn't eat beans if you have type 2 diabetes.

6. Soybeans are a superfood.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 171-172)

GRAINS

1. Whole wheat bread is a great way to get your whole grains.

2. Oatmeal is the most nutritious thing you can eat for breakfast.

3. Corn is starchy and not nutritious.

4. You should eat at least two to three servings of grains each day.

5. Gluten-free foods are part of a fad that you shouldn't buy into.

6. Of all the grains you can eat, rice is the most nutritious.

7. Grains contain good fiber that helps keep you regular. 

(Hyman, 2018, p. 186-187)

NUTS & SEEDS

1. Nuts are fattening, so you should limit your intake to avoid weight gain.

2. Peanut Butter is a good source of protein.

3. Pistachios can help with erectile dysfunction.

4. Women who eat tree nuts like walnuts and almonds have a lower risk of breast cancer.

5. Almond milk is a great source of protein and fiber.

6. You should eat nuts two to three times a week for maximum benefit.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 205-206)

SUGARS & SWEETENERS

1. The main problem with sugar is that it's just empty calories.

2. Agave syrup is a healthy alternative to high-fructose corn syrup and sugar.

3. Saturated fat from butter or meat causes heart disease, not carbs or sugar.

4. Sugar may be more addictive than cocaine.

5. One of the benefits of eating sugar is that it provides fuel to your brain.

6. High fructose corn syrup is sugar with a different name.

7. If you want to lose weight replace sugary drinks with diet soda.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 218-219)

BEVERAGES

1. Fruit juice is healthier than soda because of the antioxidants

2. After a workout, a sports drink is the best way to restore your electrolytes.

3. Desserts are the main source of added sugar in the American diet.

4. Coffee is the top source of antioxidants for many people.

5. Drinks made with cane sugar are better for you than those made with high-fructose corn syrup.

6. A glass or two of wine a day is good for you.

7. Bottled water is safer than tap.

(Hyman, 2018, p. 237-238)

First and foremost, nutrition (what you eat or drink) is only one contributing factor to health.  You could have the best nutrition ever and still be unhealthy. How is this possible you ask?  Well depriving yourself of sleep and exercise, having a bad attitude, or hanging with the wrong crowd can all be detrimental to your health. We won't talk about diets here because those are a temporary trend.  We will talk about food and drink selection. We will tune you in to some key points from Dr. Hyman's book to help you maximize your nutritional health and let you in on some important information about the food industry. Are you ready? Let's go!

GENERAL

1. Americans devote ~10% of their salary to food. Europeans spend ~20%.  You can make any conclusion you want.  However, people in general spend their money on what is most important to them.

2. Growing your own food has multiple benefits - closeness to your plate, not sprayed with pesticides (unless you spray them) and tastes better than the store.  

3. If growing your own food is not an option, utilize community supported agriculture (CSA) and/or support your local farmer's market.

Find your local farmer's market and/or ways to buy locally grown food right from your farmer here:

http://www.localharvest.org

http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional

4. A directory of restaurants, farmers markets, and other ways to get locally-grown and sustainable food in the US can be found in the Eat Well Guide. They also have a useful glossary including terms such as Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). Check it out here: http://www.eatwellguide.org

5. Eat 10 plant foods every day: 7- 8 veggies and 2-3 fruits.

6. Dr. Hyman's "Emergency Food" recommendations:

Primal Kitchen Bar:

https://www.primalkitchen.com/collections/collagen-nut-and-seed-bar

Tanka Bar:https://tanka-brand.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage

Bullet Proof Bar:https://www.bulletproof.com/collections/bars

MEAT

1. Most people think you are what you eat, but you are what your meat eats.

A directory of pasture-based farms where you can purchase grass-fed meat and dairy can be found here: http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html

2. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) published the Meat Eater's Guide to assist meat eaters in eating meat responsibly.  It also addresses the environmental impact of meat consumption in comparison to other foods.  Click the link to learn more:http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/eat-smart/

3. About 1/2 of farming's greenhouse pollution comes from cattle in the form of intestinal methane gas. Read Josh Tickell's book Kiss the Ground or watch the documentary to discover how to decrease the carbon footprint through regenerative farming.

4. Cattle production uses approximately 1/3 of the earth's water. To put this in perspective - about 1,800 gallons and 576 gallons of water are needed to make 1 pound each of beef and pork respectively.

5. You can purchase grass-fed or organic animal products online at: www.butcherbox.comandwww.waldenlocalmeat.com

You also have the option of sharing a cow with others to lower your food costs (cow shares) sort of like Airbnb or Uber & Lyft, except in this case meat! 

More information on this topic can be found here: https://www.marksdailyapple.com/where-to-buy-grass-fed-beef/

6. The risk of getting colon cancer from eating processed meats EVERYDAY (6%) compared to the average population risk for getting colon cancer is not much different (5%). 

7. Some processed meats contain nitrates which DO NOT cause cancer. However, when those nitrates are charred, cooked at high temperatures (≥266°F), or grilled they convert to nitrosamines which DO cause cancer. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are harmful cancer-causing compounds that result from high temperature cooking. 

8. Adding rosemary extracts to meat before high temperature cooking significantly reduces the number of cancer-causing compounds produced (heterocyclic amines). 

9. Marinating meat - especially with garlic, onion, and lemon juice - prior to cooking it decreases the production of harmful compounds.

10. Grilling, charring, or burning meat produces heterocyclic amines and other cancer-causing compounds.  Avoid overcooking meat.

11. Dr. Hyman's recommendations on buying meat:  

*BUY American Grassfed Association (AGA) certified beef, bison, goat, lamb, & sheep.

AGA-approved producers can be found here: http://www.americangrassfed.org/producer-profiles/

*BUY meat with the following labels: 

Animal Welfare Approved

Certified Humane

Global Animal Partnership 

Food Alliance Certified

to help confirm the meat is produced humanely and is sustainable.

*If grass-fed beef is unavailable, USDA certified organic is 2nd best - both are better than conventional

*AVOID conventionally raised beef, lamb, or pork, conventionally made bison and salami, conventional sausage, processed meats, and hot dogs (if not 100% beef/pork)

*If you can't live without deli meat, look for organic or minimally processed varieties that are uncured, without artificial ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, and added sugar such as Applegate or Niman Ranch.

 12. Although published research shows carnivores had worse health than vegetarians, a study of 245,000 people showed no difference in the death rate among vegetarians, those who eat seafood, and meat-eaters.  Meat-eaters commonly have worse health habits (weigh more, smoke, drink, eat less vegetables, and exercise less) which contribute to poorer health than solely eating meat.

POULTRY AND EGGS

Let's get egg-u-cated! Here's a handy, no-nonsense guide to your egg-buying:

1.  Eating egg yolks (or the whole egg) is NOT linked to higher cholesterol levels or heart disease. In fact, in 2015, the USDA admitted that there was no scientific evidence to support eggs raising dietary cholesterol and that it should be removed from the guidelines. 

2. Egg yolks have nutrients you can't get from eating egg whites alone.  Egg yolks have minerals: calcium, phosphorous, and zinc, vitamins: A, D, E, and K, antioxidants: glutathione (among others), and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Research is emerging about a possible link between a choline metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and the hardening of the arteries.  The principal is that bacteria in our digestive tract break down choline (found in egg yolks, animal foods, and especially fish like cod) into TMAO. This does not mean you avoid foods with choline - as the health benefits (good for nerve and brain function, energy levels, and maintaining a healthy liver) may outweigh the risks.

4.  The pasture-raised chickens of the past are nutritionally superior to the conventional chickens today which are raised on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and fed antibiotics, corn, lots of grains, and soy. Raising chickens in a confined space and feeding them a poor diet takes its toll on the chickens, the environment and you (if you eat chicken). Conventionally raised chickens have more omega-6 fatty acids which promote inflammation and significantly less nutrients, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Food is dirty, but chicken may top the list when it comes to bacteria. Consumer Reports tested raw chicken breasts from a variety of brands (including Perdue, Sanderson Farms, Tyson, and smaller companies) and stores throughout the US for bad bacteria.  97% of the raw chicken breast sample tested positive for damaging bacteria such as Enterococcus, E. coli, and Salmonella. Even more shocking was that half of the raw chicken sample contained at least one multi-antibiotic - resistant bacteria (meaning they were resistant to more than 2 categories of antibiotics). Avoid eating antibiotic infested chicken by buying organic.  Also fully cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F- to kill microbes and avoid consuming them.

5. McDonald's chicken nuggets ingredient list (fromhttps://www.mcdonalds.com):

McDonald's proudly states on their website that their chicken nuggets are 100% white meat and without artificial preservatives.  One has to wonder if the above high-lighted chemical preservatives and vegetable oil are anything but healthy. 

MILK AND DAIRY

Oh Yes! Non-dairy Sources of Calcium:

Food

Quantity

Calcium amount (mg)

sesame seeds

1/4 cup

351 

sardines

3.75 oz can

351

tofu

3.5 oz

350

yogurt

1 cup

296

collard greens

1 cup

268

spinach

1 cup

245

cheese

1 oz

204

turnip greens

1 cup

197

canned sockeye salmon (with bones)

3 oz

188

blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon

180

mustard greens

1 cup

165

beet greens

1 cup

164

bok choy

1 cup

158

almonds, dry roasted

2 oz

150

Recommended Dairy*

Dairy to Avoid

Grass-fed whole milk (small quantities)

Conventional dairy products

Grass-fed, full fat, unsweetened yogurt with milk and live cultures alone (preferably goat or sheep yogurt)

2%, 1%, or skim milk

Kefir (fermented cows' milk)

Low-fat or non-fat yogurt

Whole milk, grass-fed cheese (without additives)

Yogurt containing fruit, sweetener, additives, or extra ingredients

Grass-fed butter/ghee

Cheese made with low-fat or skim milk

All the above made with goat or sheep milk (small quantities)**

Processed cheese containing preservatives, additives, flavorings, or anything that sounds unnatural 

*Consume only if you do not have allergies or sensitivities to dairy

Cheese in a spray can

**Goats milk has only the non-inflammatory A2 casein protein which does not cause GI distress, has high levels of medium chain triglycerides which enhance metabolism and brain function, and contain higher levels of vitamin A (unlike modern cows’ milk which have high levels of the inflammatory A1 casein protein in addition to the A2 casein protein).

1. Roughly 70% of the world's people experience gastrointestinal distress from lactose intolerance. 

2. Lactase - the enzyme used to break down dairy - drops around 2 years of age.

3. There is NO evidence that milk makes our bones stronger.  The lowest amounts of osteoporosis and bone fractures were found among people from countries who drank little to no milk. Those who consumed the most milk and calcium actually had the highest rates of fractures (aka calcium paradox).

4. There is evidence that vitamin D does strengthen bones.  Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium.

5. Big dairy influenced the USDA dietary guidelines big time. The dairy industry was disturbed when the 1977 Dietary Goals for the US did not include/recommend dairy. As a result, the dairy industry lobbied Congress to include dairy in their upcoming recommendations. Congress accommodated them - starting a board to promote dairy and created the "check off program" which subsidized studies on dairy, funded "Got Milk" ads and other milk advertisements. The dairy industry coerced the USDA to change its viewpoint on milk. In 1992, the USDA changed its view on milk - recommending adults to consume 2 cups of milk daily (Food Guide Pyramid) and in 2011 upped its recommendation to 3 cups per day (MyPlate) in its guidelines. The dairy industry makes close to 50 billion a year and is considered among the most powerful food lobbies in Washington DC. To sum it up - Big Dairy will pay politicians, scientists, or public schools to promote milk, produce papers naming all the health benefits of milk, and why every child gets milk at school lunch; whereas researchers not funded by the dairy industry are not as inclined to do these sorts of things.

6. Milk fat is not the problem. Nor is saturated fat! Grass-fed whole milk is much better than 2%, low-fat, or skim, but in small quantities like in coffee/tea. Removing fat from milk also removes vitamins A and D which is why low-fat and skim milk are fortified with these vitamins. Fortifying milk does not help though because vitamins A and D are fat soluble vitamins and require fat to digest them.

7. Ludwig and Willet, both nutrition scientists from Harvard, published an article in JAMA pediatrics in 2013 stating the government's milk recommendation - to drink 3 cups per day - is ill-advice, not backed by evidence, and potentially harmful (could cause cancer).  People who follows the government's recommendation and drink more milk have been found to have higher IGF-1 levels.  Those with higher levels of IGF-1 have a greater risk of cancer compared to those who had lower levels of IGF-1.

8. A standard glass of milk contains around 60 dissimilar hormones - many which make cells grow (anabolic). This is good for calves, but not for you. 

9. The calcium your body holds onto is more important your intake. The government's recommendation of 1,000 mg of calcium per day probably exceeds what we truly need.  Our bodies eliminate more calcium particularly when we smoke, consume sugar, soda, and/or caffeine, as well as when under stress.

10. 8 oz of cow's milk contains 276 mg of calcium.

FISH AND SEAFOOD

1. For the majority of people, dietary cholesterol - such as from eating shrimp or eggs - DOES NOT elevate the cholesterol in your blood or greater your chances of having a heart attack.  The government, most nutritionists and physicians falsely thought that if blood cholesterol was bad, so was dietary cholesterol, but there is no data to support this and it is incorrect.  As a result, the 2015 US Dietary Guidelines removed the recommendation to restrict dietary cholesterol. 

2. Omega-3-fats are found in different quantities in different seafood - some are sustainable and contain less toxins - some not.

3. Smaller fish - especially wild salmon and smaller, toxin-free types including mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring (Dr. Hyman calls them SMASH) are rich in good omega-3 fats and are best to eat.

4. Fish is brain food and there IS evidence to support it. 

Here's what some researchers found:

-Yale Child Study Center: ADHD symptoms improved in children that ate the omega-3 fats in fish

-National Institute of Health (NIH): US military men and women with the lowest omega-3 fats (found in seafood) had the highest rate a suicide

5. Be careful purchasing fish - it may not be the fish you thought you were buying.  1 in 5 fish samples were purposely labeled incorrectly according to the 2016 nonprofit conservation group Oceana who published the report of 200 published studies done on fish from 55 countries. The percentage of mislabeled fishin the US by itself could be up to 28%.  The Oceana report discovered that over 85% of the snapper sampled nationally were incorrectly labeled.  To avoid fish fraud, look for Marine Stewardship Councilor Gulf Wind certifications.  If purchasing salmon, look out for the Wild Alaska Pure logo (only present on Alaskan salmon).  When in doubt - buy fish from a local fish seller whom you know and trust.

6.  Sushi is not as healthy as it sounds.  The high levels of mercury in tuna and the sugar and starches in rice are a problem. Compared to the finest sushi restaurants whose tuna was more expensive and had the most mercury, the cheaper tuna in regular grocery store had lower amounts of mercury.

The FDA's Guide to Mercury in Fish

Fish with 

least 

mercury contamination

Fish with 

most 

mercury contamination

scallops

tilefish

canned salmon

swordfish

clams

shark

shrimp

king mackerel

oysters

bigeye tuna

sardines

orange roughy

tilapia

marlin

anchovies

Spanish mackerel

wild salmon

grouper

squid

tuna

7. Stay away from farm-raised fish. Mercury contamination occurs in fish because the coal burned in the electricity-generating power plants pollute the lakes, river, and ocean where fish swim. 

8. Dioxins and other cancer-causing compounds from modern manufacturing and pesticide use also contaminate fish. Research has tied these contaminants to metabolic syndrome and diabetes type 2.  Dioxins - linger in the environment and one can be exposed to them from dairy, eggs, and meat in addition to fish.  One can reduce his/her exposure to dioxins by cooking fish and removing part of the skin.

9. Omega-3s are golden - they are great for our brain, heart, and nerves among many other health benefits.  Fish oil is a great alternative to getting omega-3 fats from eating salmon all the time IF you buy it from the right source. It's hard to know which fish oils are safe to consume - but know this - if the fish contains toxins and other contaminants, so does the oil.  Krill oil is another alternative to eating salmon or taking fish oil supplements. Krill oil is made from small crustaceans that consume plankton and contains equal amounts of DHA and EPA (omega-3 fats) as fish oil.  One sustainably sourced and tested fish oil supplement can be found here at Dr. Hyman's store:https://store.drhyman.com/omegagenics-epa-dha-720-60-ct.html

Additional info about omega-3 fats can be found here:

https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/07/01/the-missing-fat-you-need-to-survive-and-thrive/

10. The best source of omega-3 fats for vegetarians or vegans is algae!  (Walnuts and flaxseed oil are not very good plant-based sources of omega-3 fats.) 

11. The following are excellent resources for seafood:

www.localcatch.org- find fresh, local, low-impact seafood in your area

http://www.nrdc.org/stories/smart-seafood-buying-guide- guide to buying fish that are healthy for you and safe for the environment

https://www.seafoodwatch.org- learn recommendations for, locate and buy sustainable seafood brought to you by Monterey Bay Aquarium 

http://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/our-app- the app version of Seafood Watch brought to you by Monterey Bay Aquarium

http://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-good-seafood-guide/executive-summary- consumer friendly guide to making healthy seafood selections

12. Dr. Hyman's recommendations on buying seafood when wild salmon or other healthy seafood is unavailable or not within your budget: Look for Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Practice symbol - the Global Aquaculture Alliance organization supports trustworthy practices in aquaculture and prohibits the misuse of antibiotics in farmed fish

Check out these sites:

cleanfish.com- no antibiotics or hormones, low in mercury, high in omega-3s 

fishwise.org- retailers working hard to ensure seafood is sustainable and traceable

www.seafoodwatch.org- has a list of eco-certification organizations for seafood (both farm-raised and wild); Dr. Hyman recommends looking for:

Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)

Best Aquaculture Practices

Naturland

Friend of Sea

Canada Organic

Certified Sustainable Seafood

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

13.  Recommendations for eating seafood while pregnant: 

*Eat 2-3 servings (~12 oz) per week of fish rich in omega-3s - remember SMASH (salmon (wild), mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring)

*Avoid big fish or farmed-raised fish

VEGETABLES

1. Vegetables provide our only source of phytonutrients - plant compounds - that defend against cancer, heart disease, inflammation, and other illnesses.

2. If you eat enough healthy vegetables, you will not be hungry for unhealthy, processed junk.

3. We all know to eat vegetables - but nobody ever mentioned anything about which type and why.  

4. The USDA reported that the most frequently consumed vegetable in the US - which is actually a tuber - is the potato.  Potatoes are known to spike blood sugar and insulin which can be particularly bad for certain individuals.  Many Americans eat potatoes in the form of French fries that have been cooked in unhealthy oil.  

5.   The top 5 vegetables that Americans consume the most (not most nutritious):

            1. potatoes

            2. tomatoes

            3. sweet corn

            4. onions*

            5. iceberg lettuce

            *the most nutritious one from this list

6. Most nutritious vegetables, yet unpopular and on the bottom of USDA's veggie list are:

            1. kale

            2. Brussel sprouts

            3. radishes

            4. artichokes

            5. collard greens  

7. Eat the rainbow - the more color - the more nutrients - here's a brief breakdown

Red- thinklycopene - in tomatoes, bell peppers, & carrots; benefits: anti-heart disease and anti-cancer

Orange- thinkalpha-caroteneandbeta-carotene - in carrots, pumpkin, acorn and       winter squash, and sweet potatoes;benefits:alpha-carotene is anti-cancer and helps with skin and vision

Yellow-Green- thinkcarotenoids, luteinandzeaxanthin - in avocados, collards, mustards, peas, spinach, turnip greens, & yellow corn;benefits:prevent hardening of the arteries and good for vision [veggies from this group may not look yellow to the human eye]

Blue-Purple - thinkanthocyanins- in beets, eggplants, purple potatoes, and red cabbage; benefits:prevents blood clotting, slows cell aging, and delays start of Alzheimer's 

Green - thinkphytochemicals, sulforaphane, isocyanates,andindolesin arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and others (brassicas); benefits: enhance detoxification and hinder cancer-causing agents

Pale green-White- think allicinsand theflavonoids quercetin and kaempferol- in garlic, leeks, onions, and other veggies and alliums;benefits:anti-cancer, anti-tumor, boosts the immune system and protect against infection

8. Eat organic when possible to reduce your pesticide exposure. Research funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2015 discovered that those who mostly ate organic produce had drastically lower quantities of pesticides in their urine despite consuming about 70% more produce than those who exclusively bought conventional produce.

Here is some history on pesticide use in agriculture:

After WWII, businesses that made chemical weapons for the war began selling chemicals to agriculturalists to kill bugs and pests. By 1950 US famers were routinely using DDT on their produce. It was not known until the 1970s with the help of Rachel Carson's bookSilent Spring - that DDT - a cancer causing agent and endocrine disturber - was blamed for its ill effects in people and wildlife. As a result of a public uproar, the use of DDT on agriculture was prohibited countrywide.  Unfortunately, DDT was replaced with another class of pesticides that is used to spray on vegetables today. Every year >5 billion pounds of chemicals are sprayed on farmland- the US by itself uses 1/4 of that.  Researchers reported in the Journal Neurotoxicology that long-term exposure to pesticides was linked to a higher probability of Parkinson's disease - which is one reason farming is a hazardous occupation.  Studies done on human - both young and old - have associated pesticide exposure to many cancers including breast, kidney, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach cancer as well as breathing and mental health problems. Exposure to pesticides is not limited to consumers and farmers as breeze and runoff transport these chemicals to other locations where even non-consumers or non-farmers may be affected.  Pesticides remain in the body and in the environment for many years after exposure - an example of this was seen in a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that found DDT on umbilical cords of babies while still in the womb.

9. The Environmental Working Group's (EWG) "Dirty 12" and "Clean 15" are guides to help you buy produce.  EWG recommends organic produce for the "Dirty 12," while conventional produce is ok for the "Clean 15." Please refer to the guide below:

In addition to the "Dirty 12" veggies above, buy the following vegetables organic to reduce your pesticide exposure:

-kale

-collard greens

-other leafy greens

-hot peppers

-cherry tomatoes

-cucumbers

10. Veggie prep is super important! Refer to the table below to get the most nutrients out of your vegetables:

Food

Prep/Cooking

Benefit

Note:

Garlic

crush/chop then 

let sit for a few minutes

prevents clogging of the coronary arteries by releasing anti-platelet enzymes

There is no heart benefit after garlic cloves are cooked whole or if garlic is microwaved

Broccoli*

chop and 

let sit for 40 minutes 

before cooking

releases sulforaphane - an anti-cancer compound

The compound that protects against cancer would be destroyed if broccoli is cooked immediately after chopping. 

*Eating raw form is best way to get all the nutrients

Tomatoes

chop and cook in a fat such as olive oil or coconut oil

anti-cancer

lycopene - the anti-cancer compound in tomatoes is only released after cooking

Most veggies

when cooking veggies, steaming ≤4 minutes is the best method

Veggies should still be colorful and crunchy  

Veggies containing fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E, and K need to be cooked in fat for your body to absorb them 

Avoid boiling and microwaving veggies (microwaving creates advanced glycation end products [AGEs] -  molecules that cause inflammation and oxidative stress) 

Do not deep fry veggies - as doing so creates harmful compounds such as acrylamide

11. All veggies aren't created equal - some can raise blood sugar - others not so much.  Here's one caveat though - you have to eat massive amounts of starchy veggies to cause the spike.  We don't typically find people eating 5 lbs of carrots!

Let's talk about glycemic index and glycemic load. Most people pay more attention to the glycemic index and see that for carrots it's higher than you would expect for a vegetable at 47.  The problem with this is that the serving size in not taken into consideration. With that said, eating a serving of carrots with your meal will NOT spike your blood sugar all that much (glycemic load = 2).

glycemic index: the amount a specific food increases your blood sugar

glycemic load = glycemic index x grams of carbs available in food

                                                                          100

Glycemic load accounts for the quantity of carbohydrates in a food and how much each gram of carbohydrate will raise your blood sugar

Here are some official guidelines: *

Glycemic Index (GI)

Glycemic Load (GL)

HIGH >70

HIGH >20

MEDIUM 56-70

MEDIUM 11-20

LOW <56

LOW <11

*Please be aware of inconsistencies and misleading information from using the above guideline.  

Some health experts believe the guide below is easier and healthier:

Net Carbohydrates*

Glycemic Load

Healthy

~70 carbs/day 

<20 GL

Insulin-resistant

~20-50 carbs/day or less 

4-10 GL

Net Carbohydrates: Total Carbohydrates - Fiber

Food

Glycemic Index

Carbohydrate (g)

Glycemic Load

Glucose

100

10

10

Wheat bread

53

15

11 [per 30g/ 1 slice]

Whole, Wheat Spaghetti Cooked

37

37.2

16 per 180g/1 cup

Beef

0

0

0 per 120g serving

Carrots

47

8

2 [per 80 g/~9'' large carrot]

Watermelon

72

9

4 [per 120g/~10 watermelon balls]

The glycemic indices for all types of foods can be found here:

http://carbs-information.com/glycemic-index.htm

The glycemic load for all types of foods can be found here: 

http://carbs-information.com/glycemic-load.htm

12.  Nightshade vegetables can cause havoc in those with chronic inflammatory conditions, arthritis, or autoimmune disorders. For some people, a trial off nightshades or eliminating these from the diet can really help.  Click here for more info on nightshade vegetables: https://eathealthyandbehealthier.wordpress.com/2018/12/24/nightshade-vegetables/

13. Seaweed is among the most nutrient dense foods you can eat.  It contains manganese, iodine, vitamin C, and iron as well as antioxidants and nutrients that vegetables grown on land do not provide.  Enjoy the following varieties available in the US in stew, soup, sushi, or as a snack: wakame, kombu, and nori. Avoid hijiki as it contains larger amounts of arsenic.  

14. There is evidence that fermented veggies such as fermented cabbage makes the anti-cancer and detoxifying compounds in cabbage more active. Researchers discovered that Polish women who emigrated to the US had a 3-fold increase in breast cancer.  They were not sure why the dramatic increase, but suspected it was diet-related as women in Poland ate sauerkraut daily and as much as 30 lbs per year. However, after coming to the US their sauerkraut consumption dropped drastically.  Kimchi, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and other fermented foods are great for keeping your gut healthy - especially if you have irritable bowel syndrome.  If you are deciding between probiotic supplements or fermented foods to keep your gut healthy, eating fermented foods is the better option.  When making fermented foods, do not use vinegar as it will kill all the good live bacteria you want to keep your gut happy.  If buying fermented foods, choose ones without vinegar.

15.  Click the links below to help you locate the farmer's market closest to you: 

Local Harvest:http://www.localharvest.org/csa

USDA: National Farmer's Market Directory:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets

16. You can find low cost, imperfect produce that delivers to your door here: http://www.imperfectproduce.com/ - ugly-produce-delivered

17. Find discounted produce from Hungry Harvest - a community supported agriculture (CSA) program that recovers surplus produce and delivers in the WA DC, Maryland, Virginia, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, Northern Delaware, South Florida, the Triangle area in North Carolina, and the Detroit Metro area: http://www.hungryharvest.net/#how-it-works

*Congress once acknowledged that tomato paste was a vegetable - and with force from the Schwan Food Company - the biggest pizza maker for schools, pizza was considered a health food for school lunch. 

FRUIT

1. Eating fruits with a glycemic load of ≤11 is best.  Here is a general guide:

Fruit

Glycemic Load

Apricots

3

Oranges

3

Watermelon

4

Nectarines

4

Wild Blueberries

5

Golden Delicious Apples

6

Pineapples

6

Kiwis

7

Mangoes

8

Cherries

9

Black Grapes

11

Bananas

16

Dried Figs

16

Raisins

28

2. Berries top the list when it comes to antioxidant content.  Indian gooseberry or alma berry contains the largest measured quantity of antioxidants. It's commonly found in powdered form, but you probably won't find it in the produce section of your grocery store.  Other more commonly sold berries you will find in your produce section with antioxidant content in ascending order include:

Cultivated blueberries

Strawberries

Cranberries

Elderberries

Raspberries

Blackberries

Wild blueberries

Black raspberries

Golgi berries

Other types of fruits that are not berries with antioxidant content in ascending order include:

Pears

Granny Smith apples

Figs

Red Delicious apples 

Cherries

Plums

3. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported that fruits and vegetables may contain 146 different pesticides - some even after the produce has been washed and peeled.  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) claims that each of the chemicals used on produce has been tested and has determined them to be safe (not damaging to our health). However, the EWG disagrees with the USDA.  The EWG reported the top 3 chemicals sprayed on our fruit are:

1. The insecticide Bifenthrin which the state of California considers a potential cancer-causing agent

2. The fungicide Carbendazim which harms the reproductive system in males; the European Union forbids its use

3. Malathion - a potential cancer-causing agent that is damaging to the nerves.

The best way to reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals such as those listed above is to buy organic.  If buying everything organic gets too costly, you can use the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" guides (see above in Vegetable section) to help you decide what to buy organic and what to buy conventional in order to minimize your exposure to pesticides. 

The EWG's List of Fruits with Chemical Contamination in Descending Order

Strawberries (most contamination)

Apples

Nectarines

Peaches

Grapes

Cherries

Domestic blueberries

Imported blueberries

Plums

Pears

Raspberries

Tangerines

Bananas

Oranges

Watermelons

Cantaloupes

Grapefruit

Honeydew melons

Kiwis

Papayas

Mangoes

Pineapples

Avocados (minimal to no contamination)

4. Research has shown that frozen berries are more nutritious than fresh because they are flash frozen at the time their nutrient content is at its highest and the nutrients remain when you thaw them to eat them. Fresh berries in your local grocery store are frequently picked prematurely and the nutrients do not get the opportunity to mature because they were picked too soon off the plant.

5. Eating fruit (vs. drinking it) provides more nutrients, less sugar, and is more satisfying. If you are craving a fruit drink, aim for making it yourself with berries or other fruits low in sugar or advise the juice maker not to add any sugar (including honey and syrup).  Keep in mind some store-bought juices can contain more sugar than a soda!  

6. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that approximately 1/2 the fresh fruit eaten in the United States comes from other countries. Take a look at this list:

*The demand for avocados globally caused problems in Mexico as there was not enough land to meet the need.  Some farmers cut down forests in Mexico (which was against the law) in order to make space to grow avocados.  Mexico lost many acres of land every year from 2001-2010 as a result of the increased demand for producing avocados. In addition, some gangs demanded a portion of the farmer's revenue and if they were not paid, violence broke out.  

7. Some more ethical considerations regarding fruit and what you can do about it:

-In 2007, Chiquita was charged for giving money to an infamous terrorist organization for safety. 

-In 2009, Dole was busted for financing armed forces that also killed union leaders and used fear strategies to deter workers from unifying.  

-In an effort to discourage violence and poor treatment of workers, you can buy produce with "Equal Exchange" stickers on them. This sticker indicates the food was safely produced by workers who were treated fairly. Click on the Equal Exchange website here to learn more: http://equalexchange.coop/about

8. When you eat locally grown produce that is in season, you can decrease its carbon footprint.

9. Avocados have more potassium than bananas.  They also contain a lot of monounsaturated fat and enough fiber to keep your heart healthy.  Buying avocados grown in California is recommended as those grown in Mexico (blood avocados) are associated with drug cartels.

10. Coconuts contain abundant quantities of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) - a special type of fat which our body breaks down and absorbs differently and more effectively than other fats. MCTs help with cognition and enhance metabolism.

11. Olives are super nutritious and a great source of fiber, vitamin E, and antioxidants. We ferment and cure them to make them edible and cut their bitter taste. Olive oil is among the healthiest foods for your heart. 

12. If you are diabetic, overweight (or have metabolic syndrome - meaning 3 or more of the following: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased fat around the waistline, abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels), or have blood sugar problems, it's recommended you limit your fruit intake to one serving per day. 

13. Fructose is fruit sugar.  It is broken down by the liver and turned into fat. Research has shown that eating fructose significantly raises triglyceride levels.  Increased triglycerides can cause problems for your heart and is associated with metabolic syndrome. Fructose in fresh/frozen fruits does not have the same effect as fructose found in packaged foods. The fiber in fresh fruit slows the absorption of fructose giving your body more time to break it down. However, observational studies have shown there is no proof that eating lots of fruits increases your chances of getting heart disease. A larger meta-analysis report found the opposite to be true - that people who consistently ate fruit decreased their risk of heart disease by 17%.  Eating fruit in moderation is part of a healthy diet and is recommended. It is best to avoid fructose (especially high fructose corn syrup) in processed foods as these lead to poor health, diabetes, obesity, and other health problems.

14. Refer to the table to learn which fruits are recommended to eat and which ones you ought to avoid:

FATS AND OILS

1. Eating fat will not make you fat nor cause heart disease.  We were misguided.  It was not until the Advisory Committee for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines removed the recommendation to restrict dietary fat and cholesterol. We know now that dietary fat and body fat are not the same and that body fat does not come from the fat we eat. We also know that consuming more carbohydrates and less fat was not good for our waistlines.  The reason we thought eating more carbohydrates was better than eating more fat was based on the following: 

It turns out that this simplistic interpretation of human metabolism and weight management was wrong. Actually, Harvard published a study in 2012 showing that eating a high fat diet burned 300 more calories a day than eating a diet low in fat.  Lastly, we now know that saturated fat and cholesterol are not the bad guys we once thought they were. It took 40 years for health specialists and nutritionists to admit that recommending a low fat, high carbohydrate diet was wrong - not because they misunderstood the discipline, rather there was no good scientific research from the start.  In the 1980s, when saturated fats were considered bad, the government decided to replace saturated fat (butter and lard) with trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils). A Harvard nutrition department chair approximated that as many as 228,000 heart attacks occurred annually when we changed to consuming trans fats. As we aim to eliminate trans fats in our food today, we now know that trans fats such as those found in margarine or vegetable shortening are actually harmful for our bodies. They can also cause inflammation, weight gain, an altered mental state, diabetes, and increase your cancer risk.  The take home message here is that trans fats have never been good, saturated fat can be good (butter, coconut oil, and ghee are great for cooking because their strong bonds prevent them from breaking down and oxidizing unlike extra-virgin olive oil), and monounsaturated fat (such as that found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil or cooking with butter, beef tallow, chicken and/or duck fat) are good for our health.

2. Here's the scoop on olive oil:

-Heat and light damage it (that's why you find in dark containers!)

-The smoke point for extra virgin is 350°- meaning when cooking with this delicate oil at or above this temperature, the fats are broken down and free radicals are released (harmful substances)

-The smoke point for light olive oil is 465°, but it's hardly healthy

-It's recommended to use it straight from the bottle (not with cooking) to get the most health benefit

-It is a great source of antioxidants, polyphenols, and healthy fats

-Be careful on which type you buy as it could be counterfeit.  Approximately 70% of the olive oil labeled as extra-virgin that is marketed in the US has been tainted with nut, soybean, or other lower quality oils. This has been happening for eons and is a key source of revenue for criminal establishments in Italy. Counterfeit olive oil trade generates 3x more income than the smuggling of cocaine.

-Real extra virgin olive oil appears dark green, tastes a lot like olives, and is somewhat bitter.  The University of California at Davis did a report that discovered olive oil made and bottled in California was more likely to be real than the olive oil made in other countries and sold in the US.

3. See the chart below for the impact of palm, olive, and coconut oil:

4. Join Thrive Market to purchase healthy fats and oils (as well as many other items) at a lower cost:www.thrivemarket.com

5. Enjoy grass-fed butter.  Look for the American Grassfed logo when you shop.

6. Organic extra virgin coconut oil is the best type.  You can support the better treatment of workers by purchasing coconut oil with certified Fair Trade organic labels.  More information about Fair Trade certified coconuts can be found here: https://globalexchange.org/2015/04/13/fair-trade-usa-launches-fair-trade-certified-coconuts/

7. Genuine olive oils include: Bariani Olive Oil, California Olive Ranch, Cobram Estate, Corto Olive, Kirkland Organic and McEvoy Ranch Organic.

8. If you are interested in learning more about the history of olive oil and the commonness of olive oil fraud, pick up Tom Mueller’s book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil published by W.W. Norton & Company in December 2011.  You can also check out his website here: http://www.extravirginity.com

9. The type of fat is more important than the quantity. Most of your fat consumption should come from healthy meats, fish, eggs, grass-fed dairy products, avocados, nuts, and extra-virgin olive and/or virgin coconut oil.  Good fats provide better nutrients, increase your metabolism, and keep you satisfied longer than bad fats - refined vegetable oils, seed oils, and omega-6 fats - which promote illness and inflammation.

10. Avoid combining fats with starch or sugar - such as bread and butter, ice cream, or pasta alfredo - these encourage weight gain

BEANS (LEGUMES)

1. Beans have a good side and bad side.  Starting with the good: nutrition-wise, they are high in fiber, contain vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and protein; otherwise, they are inexpensive and an environmentally friendly food.  The bad news is that beans are high in carbohydrates (chains of sugar) which could be a problem for diabetics, contain lectins and phytates which may contribute to leaky gut (damage the intestinal lining causing contents to leak out), and packaged in cans lined with bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), or bisphenol F (BPF) - all which disturb normal hormone function.  

2.  The 2 strikes against canned beans are:

-Bisphenol A (BPA) (mentioned above) 

-the excessive salt content

Here is more info on BPA: A clinical trial showed increased BPA in the urine and an increase in blood pressure from individuals who recently drank from a can. When these individuals drank the same beverage in a glass container, there was no increase in BPA in their urine, nor a significant change in their blood pressure. People may not know that BPA has been replaced with BPS or BPF in BPA-free cans which may be even more of a health hazard than BPA. BPA is also used to make plastics. The FDA says that our exposure to BPA is minimal to cause damage to our health, but that is what they used to say about trans fats. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?

3. Beans alone will not fulfill our protein requirements especially when we age.  They contain insufficient amounts of the essential amino acid leucine (an amino acid we can only obtain through diet) which is important for making and maintaining skeletal muscle.  If we increase our bean consumption in an effort to increase our protein intake, we end up eating excess carbohydrates (sugars). A better option would be to eat animal protein in normal amounts and get sufficient, more bioavailable protein without any carbohydrates at all.  With age, we lose muscle mass because our body makes smaller amounts of growth hormone and testosterone (hormones that support muscle) and is unable to use protein the same way it did when we were younger.  Although many individuals would benefit more from 15-30% of their caloric intake being protein, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 10% (0.36 g protein/1-pound of body weight for an inactive person).  The important thing to note here is that aging adults need regular exercise and sufficient protein to maintain healthy muscles.  Also, those individuals that are physically active will require more protein than those who are sedentary.  

4. Beans contain resistant starch - a type of starch that travels directly to the intestines circumventing the blood to a large extent.  This is important because resistant starches do not get metabolized the same way as other starches.  Resistant starches behave more like fiber and nourish our gut bacteria (the ones that make short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and keep our colon happy).  Other starches (such as those found in bread and other grains) are metabolized and stored as fat and cause a more drastic increase in blood sugar.  The resistant starch in beans prevent your sugar from spiking after eating them.  If you have type 2 diabetes, it is best to eat  animal protein over beans; however, eating beans is still better than eating grains for these individuals.  Some beans like garbanzo and lentils are healthier than other beans, and overall, they are a healthier source of carbohydrates than grains.  This does not mean you should indulge on beans if you have diabetes, insulin resistance, or are above a healthy weight. In order to maximize the resistant starch content, let the beans cool off after you cook them and before you did in.

5. Many associate eating beans with flatulence.  However, after studies comparing individuals eating a variety of beans having minimal increases in subjects having gas, examiners decided that society's unease about eating beans and being a gas bomber afterwards may be inflated.  The truth is humans do not create gas, rather, the bacteria munching on the food in your gut and fermenting it do.  If your gut is healthy and you do not suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, or bacterial overgrowth, consider yourself protected from bad gas-producing bacteria. Unfortunately, most folks are not immune to gut issues and therefore suffer from some form of GI distress. It's best to avoid legumes if you have any gut issues at least until you can determine that they were not the root of the problem.

6. A small group of people predominately from the Mediterranean should not eat fava beans.  Their genes make it lethal for them to eat such beans.  The condition is called favism.  Shortly after eating fava beans such individuals may experience acute onset fever, an abnormally fast heart rate, become comatose, and die.

7.  Let's talk about lectins and phytates - those chemicals we mentioned in #1 a little bit more. The science is still emerging and fortunately there may be some health benefit to these often thought of toxic plant compounds. Here is what we know at the moment: beans contain both lectins and phytates.  Lectins can damage the lining of your intestine causing the contents to leak out and cause inflammation throughout the body (leaky gut).  The inflammation caused by leaky gut has been tied to the development of multiple health problems including autoimmune conditions, depression, diabetes type 2, and obesity.  Phytates (aka phytic acid) are a kind of phosphorus that humans cannot metabolize. Phytates are not limited to beans - in fact spinach and chard contain phytates in greater amounts. Some scientists believe lectins and phytates can protect against cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. This means you should continue to eat leafy greens because the health benefits out way the potential for harm from lectins and phytates.

8. Green peas and green beans have similar nutritional benefit.  Both are low in starch and comparable in protein to other beans, and a 1 cup serving provides about 40% vitamin K and 35% manganese of the daily recommended value. While green peas and green beans are categorized as beans, they are more like vegetables.

9. Peanuts are legumes. They are neither pea nor nut.  The downside to peanuts is that they contain a lot of omega-6 fats (which increases inflammation).  Also, the fungus aflatoxin - a poison and cancer-causing agent grows on peanuts that are inadequately stored in hot, humid environments.  If deciding between peanut oil and a handful of peanuts - the handful of peanuts would be the better option.  When it comes to peanut butter, many commercial brands contain trans fats (soybean oil) and high fructose corn syrup (or other sugars) that are not good for health. You are better off making your own peanut butter to ensure it is made with clean ingredients and just peanuts and a hint of salt. A healthier alternative to peanut butter could be almond or cashew butter.

10. The good and the bad on soybeans: soybeans are often categorized with health foods, but this does not mean everything about them is healthy. Take previously frozen, now steamed and salted ready to eat edamame for example - it's high in starch and contains enzyme inhibitors that stop our body from taking in the nutrients of the food. How do we fix the problem? We ferment them.  The healthiest foods made with fermented soybeans are:

-tempeh (cooked and fermented soybeans)

-miso (fermented paste found in soups)

-natto (soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var natto; it's difficult to find and foul-smelling, yet a blood thinner and anti-inflammatory)

-gluten-free soy sauce (brewed and fermented from whole beans)

Tofu is soybean curd.  It is not fermented which means it too contains harmful toxic substances that can be damaging to our health like other nonfermented soybean foods.  When buying soybean products, it is in your best interest to buy organic. The majority of US grown soy is genetically modified and covered in pesticides that could be quite damaging to your body.

11. Soybean oil is a huge health hazard - it's the oil that is found in the majority of processed foods, used the least, yet consumed the most. Most of the soybean oil is hydrogenated, contains trans fats, and omega-6 fats that promote heart disease, cancer, alter cognition, and ill health.  After the oil is isolated from soybeans, what remains is also used in our food in the form of soy protein isolates.  The processing of soy protein changes the chemical nature of the food transforming it into a product that causes cancer.  This means you ought to avoid soy shakes, soy protein bars, soy burgers, and soy products as best you can.  Unfortunately, soy protein is not limited to alternative meat products, but instead can be found in baby formula and bread.

12. Please refer to the chart below for general recommendations on beans:

Quantity

Prep

Avoid if

Average individual:

1/2 cup per day max

soak overnight, then dispose of the water

you have type 2 diabetes or are insulin-resistant 

Larger individual:

1 cup per day

cook with kombu for easier digestion

you're susceptible to food allergies/sensitivities

Active individual:

same as average individual, but may be able to tolerate more

use organic, BPA-free canned beans

you have a lot of stomach fat or issues with weight

you have IBS or difficulty with digestion

you have an autoimmune condition such as lupus

you're male who desires fatherhood (soy foods significantly lower sperm count)

You have breast cancer (although 

traditional soy foods 

- not processed soy meat alternatives - 

a 

few times per week may be protective

)

GRAINS

Part of Grain

Benefits

Adverse Effects

Outer layer (bran)

High in fiber - which means

-regular bowel movements

-toxins are frequently eliminated

-digestion is slowed thereby helping stabilize blood sugar

-linked to good cholesterol and blood pressure numbers

-may protect the heart

-may protect against cancer

-gut bacteria thrive off high fiber foods

Reproductive part (germ): yields a new plant

All the grains' nutrients are essentially found here including:

vitamins B, E, and tocopherols

magnesium

potassium

proteins

some fats

Energy stores

(endosperm)

Needed to make another plant

It's starchy - which means when you eat it, it's immediately broken down into glucose triggering the release of the hormone insulin (a hormone that likes to store fat) -> high starch and sugar consumption causes high levels of insulin - which is bad news for your waistline and leads to chronic illnesses

1. Oat bran, rather than oatmeal is what decreases cholesterol

2. GMO-corn is sprayed with the pesticide atrazine which disturbs the endocrine system. This chemical is banned in Europe for this reason. The majority of seeds in US cornfields are sprayed with neonicotinoids - a chemical known to kill bees.

3. California basmati rice contains the least arsenic. Brown rice has the most.

4. Quinoa and amaranth are healthy grains and it's recommended you eat them.

5. 2 slices of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar more than 2 T of table sugar

6. Some of the worst nutritional advice we have been told is that carbohydrates are healthier than fats. Those that followed the 1992 Food Pyramid which recommended grains be consumed 6-11x/day or the medical community's advising to replace fats with carbohydrates with the goal of being healthier - achieved just the opposite - they got fatter, sicker, and were more susceptible to disease.

7. Carbs are not a dietary requirement and we can function well without them. The nutrients and fiber found in grains can be found in other healthier foods including fruits and vegetables or nuts and seeds and without the additional starch (sugar).

8. Starch is basically sugar. Keep this is mind when you eat anything with flour.

9. Gluten is wheat, rye, barley, and triticale (mix of wheat and rye). Oats in their natural state do not contain gluten, but often are contaminated with gluten.

Seitan, a meat alternative, is the Japanese term for wheat gluten. A small percentage of the population has celiac disease (an autoimmune disease where your body reacts to gluten), whereas most of us - whether we know it or not - have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.  Gluten can damage the intestinal lining and cause inflammation even in those without celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.  Research shows that not one person can properly digest gluten. Recent research from the University of Maryland showed that when we eat gluten, our bodies produce zonulin - a protein that opens tight junctions between the cells in our intestines where bacteria and food can get out - and this contributes to leaky gut.

1. Modern wheat (dwarf wheat) contains amylopectin A (a starch that promotes insulin resistance), more gluten, and is sprayed with the herbicide Roundup, aka glyphosate (a chemical that could increase your risk of cancer and lymphoma).

2. Be careful with gluten-free products. Often gluten is exchanged with unhealthy ingredients such as sugar, refined vegetable oils, or artificial flavorings.

3. The majority of breakfast cereals are processed sugar bombs. Avoid them.

4. Whole grains and whole grain flour are not the same thing. Whole grains are unprocessed and unaltered grains. Whole grain flour is processed and may contain bran, germ, and endosperm (all 3 parts of the kernel), but the kernel is no longer intact (whole).

5. Refer to the following websites for buying grains that are healthy for you and the environment:

Bluebird Grain Farms:http://www.bluebirdgrainfarms.com/

Agrilicious*:https://www.facebook.com/agrilicious/

*The www.agrilicious.org website does not currently work

Bob's Red Mill: http://www.bobsredmill.com/

The Teff Company: https://teffco.com/

Thrive Market:http://thrivemarket.com/

General Recommendations on Grains

Quantity/Type

Avoid Altogether if:

How do I know if I have a gluten sensitivity?

1 grain/day

you have type 2 diabetes

Try eliminating all gluten-containing foods (wheat, rye, barley, and triticale [mix of wheat and rye]) for 3 weeks; Next, slowly reintroduce these foods one at a time and note any adverse effects you may have

1/2 cup serving per day

you cannot control your cravings/weight

If the above is inconclusive, request the following tests from your physician:

Eat odd grains:

buckwheat

millet

teff

sorghum

black/brown/red/wild rice

quinoa

you have food sensitivities (most are linked to gluten/other ingredients in grains)

1. Cyrex 3 testing

(tests for 20 different gluten and wheat proteins)

you have IBS, acid reflux, or difficulty with digestion

2. Anti-gliadin antibodies IgG & IgA,

Tissue transglutaminase IgG & IgA (TTG), and Genetic HLA DQ2 & DQ8 testing

(conventional lab testing for celiac disease)

you have an autoimmune disease

you experience bloating after eating

your inflammatory markers are elevated on blood tests

Recommendations on Grains

Say YES to:

Say NO to (if gluten-sensitive)

buckwheat (although wheat is in the name, it is not wheat; rather, it's in the rhubarb family)

wheat (try einkorn or ancient instead)

whole-kernel rye (if not gluten sensitive)

barley

amaranth

rye

millet

spelt

teff

kamut

sorghum

farro

black rice

GMO wheat

brown rice

bulgar

red rice

oats

wild rice (actually a seed)

semolina

quinoa (actually a pseudograin -it's not a grain, but cooks and looks similar to a grain; it's related to beetroots and tumbleweeds)

couscous

non-GMO whole corn

all refined grains

white rice*

*white rice (and white potatoes) that are cooked and cooled are healthier because they create resistant starch - which resist digestion (a benefit), support a healthy gut and helps boost metabolism

NUTS AND SEEDS

1. Nuts are a nutritious food. However, nut consumption plummeted starting in the 1980s, when low-fat diets were advised, and again in 1992 when the Food Guide Pyramid recommended we eat them sparingly. Again, bad nutritional advice.

2. Nuts contain polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and omega-3 healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals including zinc and magnesium, and other beneficial nutrients.

3. Today, nuts have made a comeback. The latest research shows that nuts assist in losing weight, are healthy for your heart, decrease your risk of cancer, prevent type 2 diabetes, and may promote longevity.

4. The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) originally published a randomized control trial PREDIMED (PrevenciÓn con Dieta Mediterránea) in 2013. In the trial ~7,500 individuals (ages 55-80 and about 60% women) from Spain at increased risk for heart disease followed a Mediterranean diet along with either nuts (a huge handful of almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts everyday) or olive oil (1 liter per week). Both groups were compared to a control group that was told to eat a low-fat diet.

The trial was intended to last several years, but ended after 5 years because the benefit of consuming nuts and olive oil were so apparent, that it would be wrong for the control group to have to continue eating low-fat food. The results were favorable for the nut group who reduced their heart attack risk by 30%. When researchers reanalyzed the information from PREDIMED years later, they discovered that compared to individuals who ate a low-fat diet, those who regularly consumed nuts lost more weight - particularly around the stomach, had more significant decreases in blood pressure, improvements in their cholesterol, and less inflammation.

1. A research team published a meta-analysis of 29 studies on nut intake in the peer-reviewed journal BMC in 2016. Based on these studies, they determined that a handful of nuts consumed daily was linked to a 30% decreased risk of heart disease, a 15% decreased risk of cancer, and a 40% decreased risk of diabetes.

2. Dr. Hyman compares eating an Oreo to eating 3-4 macadamia nuts to teach us a lesson about calories - that a calorie is not just a calorie. Both the cookie and the mac nuts contain about 50 calories each, but this is not the point. The point is that the way your body metabolizes the cookie is drastically different from the way it metabolizes the nuts. Here's what happens when you eat the Oreo - your blood sugar shoots up causing the release of insulin (the fat storing hormone), your triglycerides and stress hormones increase (making you less likely to control your cravings), your good cholesterol goes down, and you could ultimately be on the path to weight gain and fatty liver. Eating macadamia nuts have a much different effect. The healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in nuts have a positive effect on your cholesterol, balance your blood sugar, curb your cravings, and satisfy your hunger - making you less likely to overeat.

3. Pecans have the most antioxidants, followed by walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, and almonds.

4. The following list explains the benefits of eating a particular nut:

6. Almonds:

7. they reduce cholesterol and heart disease risk

8. their magnesium reduces risk of unexpected heart attack

9. they balance blood sugar, thereby preventing diabetes

10. they are a good source of copper, manganese, and vitamin E

12. Brazil nuts:

13. they are known for their high selenium content

14. selenium is vital to digestion and metabolism, detoxification, thyroid function, and arthritis prevention

15. they also help with cholesterol and heart health

16. you only need to eat 2 nuts per day to get the benefits

18. Hazelnuts:

19. they are great for arterial function (like walnuts)

20. they prevent oxidation of bad cholesterol

21. they contain >2x the antioxidant amount of almonds

23. Macadamias:

24. they contain monounsaturated fats (same as olive oil)

25. eating them can improve total cholesterol

27. Pecans:

28. they are rich in minerals like manganese and copper

29. they contain powerful anti-cancer antioxidants (like walnuts)

30. eating them is linked to healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels

32. Pistachios:

33. they are rich in arginine (the amino acid found in meat and fish)

34. nitric oxide (via arginine) dilates arteries and increases blow flow

35. men who ate 4 handfuls/day x 3 weeks had better penile circulation and firmer erections

37. Walnuts:

38. their primary benefit is improvement of arterial function

39. they help the bones, maintain blood sugar, and prevent cancer

40. they are a good source of omega-3-fats (alpha-linoleic acid or ALA)

1. You can get more polyphenols from eating hazelnut skins alone than from eating whole almonds! It's recommended you eat the skin along with the nut.

2. Seeds offer lots of nutrition just like nuts. Flaxseed in particular has numerous health benefits such as decreasing inflammation and keeping your heart healthy - thanks to their omega-3-fats, keeping you regular - thanks to their fiber content, and protecting against hormone-related cancers of the breast and prostate - thanks to lignans.

3. Buy nut butters without sugar, oil, or other additives. Check the label - they should only contain 1 ingredient. Stores that grind nuts into butter are a good option. Eat them in small quantities and store them in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent them from spoiling (going rancid). Storing both whole nuts and nut butters in the refrigerator is recommended.

4. Nut flours such as those made from almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, coconuts, or hemp seeds are better for you than those made from wheat; however, this is not an invitation to go overboard with them. Dr. Hyman says, "A cookie made from almond flour is still a cookie." Also, when we eat nuts that are ground up into flour, our body digests it differently than if we were to eat the nuts whole.

5. Make nut milks yourself and/or read nut milk labels carefully to avoid consuming additives like carrageenan and xanthan gum. Carrageenan and xanthan gum can damage your gut. Click here to learn how to make your own almond milk:https://eathealthyandbehealthier.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/pure-almond-milk/

6. For more information on nuts, click here:

https://eathealthyandbehealthier.wordpress.com/2018/06/30/nut-confusion/

1. Soaking nuts overnight significantly reduces their lectin and phytate content (plant compounds that can be damaging to you, but protective to the plant). You could also purchase sprouted nuts. Eating a lot of lectins can damage the lining of your intestine and could lead to leaky gut. Phytates have been blamed for impairing the absorption of iron and other nutrients in food, but they also have been shown to have some health benefits. Don't let lectins stop you from eating nuts and seeds because their nutritional benefits outweigh the risk from a small plant toxin.

2. Shop for organic nuts and seeds at your local store or click the following sites to shop online:

Thrive Market:https://thrivemarket.com/nuts-seeds-trail-mixes

Tierra Farm:https://tierrafarm.com/product-collection/nuts/

https://tierrafarm.com/product-collection/seeds/

Recommendations on Nuts and Seeds

Say YES to:

Say NO to:

almonds

chocolate- and/or sugar-covered nuts

walnuts

nut candy

pecans

nut butters with added oil, salt, or sugar

hazelnuts (aka filberts)

peanuts* (ok in small quantities)

brazil nuts

pistachios

macadamia nuts

cashews

pumpkin seeds

chia seeds

ground flaxseed

hemp seeds

sesame seeds

 *not nuts, but often grouped with them

SUGAR AND SWEETENERS

1. Americans can certainly cut back on sugar. Government surveys approximate the typical American eats 152 pounds of sugar and 133 pounds of flour every year. Taken together - this means each person consumes >3/4 pound of sugar and flour daily. This excessive amount is damaging to health. This is not all your fault as the food industry hides sugar in pasta sauces, soups, dressings, and other foods that you would think do not contain it. You can protect yourself from consuming excessive sugar by learning about hidden sugars and knowing where to find them and reading food labels before you buy.

2. The consequences of excessive sugar intake overtime include weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, inflammation, and cancer.

3. In the past, type 2 diabetes was referred to as "sugar diabetes" because doctors would taste the urine of the patient and if it tasted like sugar, it was a sign he/she had diabetes.

4. The governments' 1980 dietary guidelines were overly concerned about fat and cholesterol that they hardly addressed sugar. They erroneously stated that excessive sugar intake was not liked to diabetes and heart disease. They also encouraged us to eat sugar rather than fat because it contained less calories. This was wrong. During a time when fat was the enemy and sugar was not recognized as being bad - the government essentially gave the food industry permission to put sugar in all our food. Americans eliminated fat from their diet and became addicted to sugar. Again, we were misguided.

5. Big Sugar used the same tactics the tobacco industry did to cover up the ill effects of sugar. A lead executive for the sugar industry persuaded a couple Harvard scientists to write and publish an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), a respected medical journal that disregarded the association between sugar and heart disease and put the blame on saturated fat instead. Big Sugar paid the Harvard scientists a large amount of money for their work which was published in 1967. The bad decisions by the sugar industry resulted in several years of poor nutrition polices. It was almost 50 years later when a conflict of interest between the Harvard scientists and Big Sugar was uncovered and identified. Researchers published this discovery in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2016.

6. John Yukin, British scientist and author of Pure, White, and Deadly was among the first to prove that sugar was detrimental to health in 1972, but unfortunately, he was disregarded by the medical community and criticized by the food industry. This is a prime example of how power and money override honest research good health. Click here if you are interested in buying the book or learning more:https://www.amazon.com/Pure-White-Deadly-John-Yudkin/dp/0241965284

7. Why is it when we eat sugar, we keep coming back for more? The science is that the nucleus accumbens in our brain lights up whenever we eat sugar. The nucleus accumbens controls cravings and addictive behavior. It is a reward center. Whenever a stimulus lights up this area in your brain - it strengthens the desire for that stimulus - ultimately leading to cravings which play a part in the development of an addict.

8. Just 10 days without any sugar can improve your health significantly. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a study published in Obesity which included 43 teenagers who were overweight and had one or more of the following: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and/or unhealthy cholesterol levels. On average each person consumed 27% of their total daily calories in sugar. After replacing candy, doughnuts, pastries, chicken teriyaki, and sugary foods with starches and keeping calories the same, researchers discovered significant improvements in the health of these teenagers. While there was no weight loss (calories did not change), there was on average a 5 point decrease in diastolic blood pressure, a 5 point decrease in LDL cholesterol, and a 33 point decrease in triglycerides. They also had improvements in blood sugar and insulin levels. All these positive changes occurred after 10 days! In another document, researchers further analyzed the cardiovascular profiles of these individuals. They noted a 49% decrease in the level of the protein APOC3, a protein linked to heart disease. In addition, the small, dense heart disease causing LDL particles nearly disappeared. The results of this study demonstrated that although eating starches in large quantities can be damaging to health - fructose (in sugar, but not starches) - is worse and more likely to cause heart disease by promoting increased levels of APOC3, small, dense LDL, and triglycerides.

9. Refer to table to learn the synonyms for sugar:

Just Another Way of Saying the Food Contains Sugar

agave

high fructose corn syrup

anything with "corn"except whole corn

any rice derivative except vinegar such as

brown rice syrup

anything that begins with "cane" such as 

cane sugar

cane syrup

cane juice

fruit concentrate

anything ending in "-ose"

fructose

dextrose

maltose

sucrose

trehalose

anything with "malt"

malt syrup

flo-malt

maltodextrin

anything that begins with "iso"

isoglucose

isomaltulose

anything with "syrup" such as:

corn syrup

maple syrup*

sorghum syrup

*note: maple syrup and pancake syrup are not the same, pancake syrup is typically pure fructose

molasses

obviously, anything with the word "sugar" attached such as:

beet sugar

brown sugar

coconut sugar

granulated sugar

powdered sugar

Here is the New York Times reference that Dr. Hyman referred to in the "Sugar and Sweeteners" section of his book:

1. There is no easy way out for eliminating sugar from your diet. When we tried replacing butter with margarine and fats with low fats, we did more damage than good. Artificial sweeteners are no different when it comes to replacing sugar. The FDA approved Sweet'N Low (saccharin), Sunett or Sweet One (acesulfame), NutraSweet and Equal (aspartame), Splenda (sucralose), and neotame - which are all bad for your health. Here's what the research showed:

-daily diet soda intake is linked to increased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome (heart disease study)

-artificial sweeteners increased appetite, hindered metabolism, and raised body fat by 14% while increasing food intake in just a couple weeks

-artificial sweeteners promote cancer (animal studies)

-they kill the good bacteria in the gut and cause glucose intolerance

-they contain excitotoxins which damage the nervous system

1. Normally when you eat something sweet, it is rich in calories. This is not the case for 0 calorie artificial sweeteners. You confuse the brain when you eat or drink fake sugar because there are no calories around to satisfy your hunger. In an effort to fix the problem, you keep eating more food because you are hungrier. The moral of this story is that eliminating calories by using artificial sweeteners will make you gain weight, rather than lose it. An example of this was the discovery that consuming yogurt sweetened with saccharin or aspartame caused weight gain compared to consuming yogurt with table sugar.

2. Sugar alcohols are easily identifiable on packaging because they end in "-ol." Some examples include malitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. They are less sweet and less calorie dense than sugar, but we don't absorb them well. They may cause gas and bloating which means you ought to restrict your intake. In addition, they disturb your gut bacteria and can cause bacterial overgrowth. Erythritol may be the exception to sugar alcohols having side effects. Unlike other sugar alcohols which go to the colon where they are fermented and cause problems, erythritol is absorbed by the body. Erythritol is nearly calorie free and is approximately 60% as sweet as sugar. Although erythritol overall is looked favorably upon when it comes to sugar alcohols, one downside is that it may cause weight gain.

3. Sugar is toxic in large amounts. It's best if you limit your sugar intake to 5 teaspoons or less. Most adults and children consume way more than that - in fact the average adult consumes 22 teaspoons and the average child consumes 35 teaspoons of sugar every day. Yikes! Natural sugars such as date sugar and blackstrap or dark molasses are healthy alternatives to refined sugar because they contain a comparable antioxidant content to a helping of blueberries. Maple syrup and raw honey are second best when it comes to choosing a natural sweetener. Some less healthy natural sweeteners include agave, brown rice syrup, and corn syrup - all of which are rich in calories, but poor in antioxidant content. The sugar that is added to our food by the sugar industry is our worst enemy. Did you know a 20 oz. soda contains about 16 teaspoons of sugar? This amount is more than 3x the daily recommended limit of 5 teaspoons per day.

4. Making sugar is harmful to the environment. Sugar mills contaminate water channels which end up poisoning marine life. This was seen in Bolivia when the cleaning of sugar mills in 1995 polluted the local rivers there and killed masses of fish. Spraying pesticides - such as glyphosate - on conventionally grown sugar cane and sugar beets was damaging to the workers who produced it, wild animals, and anyone who ate the crop. Just as cultivating corn drains the dirt of nutrients, the making of high fructose corn syrup from corn is an energy consuming practice. More chemicals are used in the making of corn than other produce. These chemicals contaminate water channels and create places where no life can exist. To make matters worse chlor-alkali - which contains mercury is used when high fructose corn syrup is refined. Splenda is another offender when it comes to polluting our waterways. Only 10% the of sucralose we consume is absorbed by the body, while the rest is eliminated. This means the 90% of sucralose we don't absorb goes into our lakes, rivers, and ocean. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate sucralose; therefore, the effect of its' accumulation in our waterways is unknown. However, they do list it as a "contaminant of emerging concern." Researchers at the University of North Carolina who studied sucralose contamination discovered this sweetener in water sampled from Cape Fear River as well as from water sampled from more than 75 miles beyond the Carolina coastline. Lastly, let's talk about honey. Commercial beekeepers are guilty of cruel practices such as removing the wings of queen bees so they will not fly away. Modern beekeeping has become factory farming for insects with the increased use of pesticides. Sublethal neonicotinoids in particular are known to be deadly to bees. This is bad news not just for bees, but for humans also who depend on them.

5. Refer to the link below to learn more about Fair Trade (ethically producedproducts):https://fairtradeusa.org/products-partners/sugar

6. Click the link below to learn more about the Rainforest Alliance certification forstevia:http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified/stevia-one

7. Refer to the Ethical Consumer Guide to find the best honey:

8. https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/shopping-guide/honey

Recommendations on Sugar and Sweeteners

Say YES to:

Say NO to:

coconut sugar

all artificial sweeteners

date sugar

acesulfame potassium (found in Equal)

fresh, pureed fruit or fruit juice

aspartame (aka NutraSweet or Equal)

honey

brown sugar

molasses

refined white sugar

monk fruit

saccharin (found in Sweet'N Low)

organic maple syrup

sucralose (aka Splenda)

organic palm sugar

sugary drinks

stevia* certified by Rainforest Alliance

processed food or food with added sugar and/or sweeteners** such as bread, candy, cereal, dressings, granola, and soups

erythritol* (may cause weight gain)

foods that claim to have "all natural" sweeteners - watch out for agave, brown rice, and/or corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, and sugarcane and avoid them

*sparingly

**if the ingredient list is long or has a word ending in -ose, it often means there is sugar in it

BEVERAGES

1. The healthiest beverage to drink is plain water. The cleanest, most uncontaminated drinking water has been filtered by reverse-osmosis - a 3 stage filtration process. Let's talk about bottled water:

-Many brands of bottle water are sourced from community water.

-We may have arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium-6 in our drinking water.

-The Environmental Working Group (EWG) forbids the use of more than 90 contaminants in water, but even so they found >35 contaminants in many brands of bottled water.

-The National Resources Defense Council did a 4-year study which showed that there was no guarantee that bottled water was cleaner than tap water.

Our bodies are approximately 60% water and it's important we replenish water that is lost through breathing, sweating, toileting, and other bodily functions.

1. Here is the lowdown on coffee: *

The good- it contains vitamin C, catechins, chlorogenic acids, flavonoids, magnesium, polyphenols, as well as antioxidants

The bad- it promotes the production of insulin in pre-diabetics and in type 2 diabetics, may drain the adrenal gland (coffee is a stimulant that increases stress hormones and adrenaline), lead to heart palpitations, and can cause headaches or withdrawal symptoms in regular consumers who skip a dose

The in between- genetics play a huge role in your response to coffee (some thrive on just 1 cup; others can hardly get through the day drinking several cups in a day)

*Coffee refers to roasted coffee beans and water alone - not the sugary lattes, mochas, or sugar-laden coffee drinks at your local coffee shop!

1. Homemade alternative beverages such as soy-, almond-, cashew-, and rice milk, or other plant-based milks are healthier than most store bought. Store bought alternative milks often contain unhealthy thickeners, flavorings, and additives to make it look like real milk. Watch out for the thickening agent carrageenan made from seaweed found in organic, unsweetened alternative milks as well as cottage cheese, ice cream, and other dairy items. Carrageenan causes cancer in rats. It has been tied to ulcers and leaky gut in humans. Carrageenan has no nutritional value and it's recommended you avoid it along with other thickeners such as guar gum, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum. Most alternative milks have been stripped of their nutrients and some of these nutrients are added back, but are not really beneficial (remember in the dairy section how removing the fat from milk and fortifying it with vitamin D was not helpful because vitamin D - a fat-soluble vitamin - requires fat to be absorbed). When it comes to protein and alternative milks - soymilk tops the list. The downside to soymilk is that it acts like estrogen in out body and many are made from overly processed soy protein isolates. Making plant-based milks at home does not need to be cumbersome. All you need to do is soften the nuts (almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts) through soaking (this helps with absorption) and then blend them with water. Click here to learn how to make almond milk yourself:https://eathealthyandbehealthier.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/pure-almond-milk/

Coconut milk is a fantastic choice when it comes to alternative milk because it contains a fat unique to coconuts - medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Research has shown that the body utilizes MCTs better than other fats - making them helpful for losing weight. Trader Joe's makes a coconut milk and coconut cream that is free of gums and other additives.  It makes a great base for smoothies or curries and we love it! Check the labels on other store brands before you buy to make sure they do not contain gums or other additives.

1. Fruits are stripped of their fiber content when they are juiced which means drinking fruit juices will spike your blood sugar. Many fruit juices you find in the store contain excessive amounts of sugar. Even an 8 oz cup of self-squeezed orange juice contains about 21 grams of sugar - about the same amount in a similar size Coke! Juices made from vegetables can be healthier because they contain phytochemicals and a lot less sugar; however, like fruit, vegetables are stripped of their fiber content after juicing. If you make fruit or vegetable juices at home, limit the vegetables (beets and carrots) and fruits (grapes and pineapple) that are higher in sugar. The leftover pulp from juicing can be used in baked goods, popsicles, and other dishes.

2. Alcohol is both good and bad. Let's start with the good. The experts agree that 1 drink for women and 1-2 drink(s) for men is more beneficial than abstaining. One drink is equivalent to a 12 oz beer (5% alcohol), 8-9 oz of malt liquor (7% alcohol), 5 oz of wine (12% alcohol), or 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof spirits (40% alcohol). The Archives of Internal Medicine published a large meta-analysis (included 34 prospective studies) that showed men and women who drank 1-2 drink(s) per day have somewhat greater longevity than those who did not drink at all. These are correlation studies though, meaning they do not determine cause and effect. Another meta-analysis published in the Journal of Cardiology indicated little to moderate alcohol protects against damage to your heart. Again, this study does not prove cause and effect. The benefit of drinking alcohol is lost when one drinks more than 1-2 servings per day. Red wine contains quercetin, resveratrol, and other antioxidants and flavonoids that are good for our heart, decrease inflammation, and shield our mitochondria from damage (the part of our cells that produce energy).

4. Now let's talk about the bad. As you would probably guess, those who drink the most alcohol have the shortest life expectancy among the 3 possible groups - those that drink no more than 1-2 drinks per day, those that abstain, and those that drink in excess. Beer is rich in carbohydrates and gluten which is especially bad for the gluten intolerant. Wine and hard liquor in limited amounts are better options than beer if you choose to drink alcohol.

1. Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade were intended to replace electrolytes in those individuals working hard and sweating under the sun. While replacing electrolytes is important, those who participating in light or moderate intensity exercise probably be alright drinking plain water. Energy drinks like Red Bull are chock full of caffeine, sugar, and chemical additives that best be avoided.

2. Let's talk about tea.

-Green tea has multiple health benefits including helping with weight loss, protecting the heart and liver against damage, and making the immune system stronger.  It also contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and flavonoids which are anti-cancer phytonutrients that help with detoxification.

-Hibiscus tea has been used by the Chinese for years.  They have used it to treat hypertension and inflammation.

-Organic black, green, or white tea (with the exception of licorice tea) overall is healthy in small quantities.  Increased consumption can cause hypertension.

1. How does your coffee, tea, juice, soda, or other beverage intake affect the environment?

-Coffee: The World Wildlife Fund reported coffee farming has destroyed >2 million acres of forests in Central America.  The manufacturing of coffee includes the use of large quantities of chemicals and fertilizers that damage the earth.

-Tea: The fact that tea is grown by itself (as a monocrop) is inviting to pests - which means more pesticides are used to get rid of these pests.  The use of pesticides is damaging to animals that roam the land and the laborers who spray the crop and stays in the soil for long periods of time.

-Orange Juice: Research on the orange juice brand Tropicana showed that irrigating, fertilizing, and pesticide use is responsible for 60% of its' carbon emissions.  The remaining 40% is due to the transporting and packaging of the orange juice. Mass-produced, conventionally grown oranges uses massive amounts of pesticides and natural resources - both which are damaging to the environment. You can reduce your pesticide exposure by purchasing organic.

-Soda: As you already know, sugar contains a lot of sugar. Producing sugar creates wastes that contaminate our water channels and create dead zones where no life can exist.  Soda pollutes our drinking water.  Making 1 liter of soda requires approximately 66 gallons of water. A major soda plant in India was blamed for extracting excessive amounts of water from the ground leaving community farmers without sufficient water. The moral of the story is that soda is unhealthy for both people and the environment.

1. Refer to the links below to find ethically produced, chemical-free, and/or environmentally friendly beverages:

http://ethicalconsumer.org/buyersguides/drink/tea.aspx

www.dryfarmwines.com

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2010/12/carbon-footprint-beer-whiskey-tequila/

1. Squeezed by Alissa Hamilton gives you an inside look to the history of orange juice

Recommendations on Beverages

Say YES to:

Say NO to:

water (clean and filtered if possible)

bottled water (plastics harm the earth)

tea (particularly green tea, made at home)

vitamin water or "enhanced" waters

coffee (not in large quantities)

flavored, colored, or sweetened water

wine (5 oz per day/1 glass)

store bought fruit juices

spirits (1 oz per day/1 drink)

store bought fruit or vegetable smoothies or shakes (most have unhealthy additives)

green juices, shakes, or smoothies (made at home and without sugary fruits)

sweet tea and flavored iced tea

coconut or watermelon water (check out WTRMLN WTR brand)

milk

soda (or any sugar-sweetened drink)

We shall leave you with this....

Too much of a good thing is nota good thing.  When making decisions about your nutritional health include a variety of clean, wholesome foods, eat the rainbow, and eat to live.

Stay tuned for future posts!

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Glycemic Load for Beef. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://carbs-information.com/glycemic-load/beef.htm

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