Kale

I've already gone on record as calling kale "the new beef" for its vast array of nutrients, including protein, fiber, essential vitamins (A, C, E & K), minerals, and antioxidants. When in doubt about what vegetable to eat, go to leafy greens like kale (spinach, chard, and collards are excellent choices, too). Green foods help to alkalize our bodies as no other foods can. This can neutralize all the coffee, alcohol, and sugar we consume. If you're not already eating leafy greens daily, try working on them now. They sauté and stir fry easily and can be added to just about anything.

Berries

Like leafy greens are a great go-to for vegetable options, berries are one of the best choices in the fruit department. They're less sweet than most other hybridized fruits like bananas or grapes; and they're a terrific opportunity to up your intake of essential vitamins like beta carotene and vitamin C, as well as powerful antioxidants that have been shown to decrease the risk for certain types of cancer. That's berry delicious!

Broccoli

A cousin of kale (both are members of the brassica cabbage family), broccoli has some of the many benefits found in kale. Vitamins and minerals along with plant compounds that can boost immune function and prevent free radical damage, broccoli is a top food choice. Not only is broccoli healthy, but it's fun to eat (like little trees!) and incredibly versatile. Try it steamed, sautéed, or pureed into a creamy soup (go vegan for the healthiest "creamy" version).

Sweet Potatoes

While we typically only gorge ourselves on these gorge-worthy tubers during the holiday season, you can find sweet potatoes available year-round. And they're absolutely worth every bite: sweet potatoes contain large amounts of beta-carotene, which is excellent for your skin (and can help boost immune function). They're a great source of soluble fiber, protein, vitamin C, calcium, and iron, too.

Spinach

Whether you eat spinach raw or cooked (or somewhere in between), you're doing yourself a huge favor. This delicate leafy green is quite the powerhouse. It's a wonderful source of daily iron, bone-strengthening vitamin K, B vitamins including folate, and it's also an excellent source of plant-based omega fatty acids, which play a crucial role in managing inflammation, healthy brain function, and gorgeous, glowing skin.

Olives

Olives are fruit! And while we don't eat them fresh off the tree, we can eat them pickled, or include them in our diets in their most common form: oil. The olive is a stupendous source of healthy monounsaturated fat, which can help us to maintain a healthy weight (yes, fat can do that!). Olives are also loaded with minerals, like magnesium, that can also help to protect our hearts and cardio functions. You're also getting a wide range of powerful plant polyphenols found in olives that may reduce your risk for certain types of cancer.

Bottom Line

Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods goes a long way for health. Be sure to pick up some of these foods next time you're at the store.

Image: Whole Foods Market

The post The 6 Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables to Eat Today appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

That is all fine and good on paper, but for the many people raised on pasta made with refined flour – also known as white pasta – whole-wheat pasta can be a little jarring to the palate. Although once accustomed to its nutty taste, some find it hard to return to the white stuff; for others, it’s a road just too tough to hoe.

Aversion to whole-wheat pasta is understandable given the earliest commercial incarnations of the product, which could be described as landing somewhere between bitter shoelaces and curls of grainy cardboard. But the pasta industry has really endeavored to revamp their offerings, and many of them are actually … lovely.

For those with traumatic memories of old-school whole-wheat pasta and for others clinging to resistance, there are ways to help. The following tricks can persuade even the most reluctant to succumb to the charms of white pasta’s healthier cousin.

1. Know your brands

Not all whole-wheat pasta is created equal. Good texture is dependent on high-gluten flour, which varies from brand to brand. These brands score well on taste and texture tests: Gia Russa, DeLallo, Garofalo, Barilla, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, and Bionaturae.

To that end, Barilla Plus offers a grain and legume flour blend that includes lentils, chickpeas, egg whites, spelt, barley, flaxseed, oat fiber, and oats. Accompanying a taste found comparable to white pasta, the product boasts boosted protein, soluble fiber, and a nice shot of omega-3s.

2. Cook it correctly

Whole-wheat pasta usually requires more cooking time than regular pasta, but don’t overcook it! Whole-wheat pasta quickly loses its texture if overcooked, so follow package directions carefully. Get your kitchen timer out and use it.

3. Skip the sissy sauces

If you don’t love the nutty taste, don’t use butter sauces or mild cream sauces; the inherent flavor in whole-wheat pasta will wallop delicate accompaniments. But if you must, add some strong-flavored cheese to balance the nuttiness.

4. Go big

That said, whole-wheat pasta loves big flavors. Try using a vibrant tomato sauce, chunky vegetable sauce, or a hearty pesto (a roasted jalapeno added to pesto makes the whole-wheatiness disappear). Think roasted peppers, fennel, capers, anchovies, and olives – strong flavors that can stand their own against the more assertive flavor that’s part and parcel of whole-wheat pasta.

5. Think green(s)

In the same vein, hearty greens – like broccoli rabe, chard, arugula, kale, beet greens, dandelion greens, etc. – work well to balance the nutty flavor. Sauté them with olive oil, salt, pepper, a load of garlic, and a scattering of cheese, and toss with the pasta.

Tip: When shopping, make sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting whole grains. Packages should list “whole [name of grain]” as the first ingredient, or look for the Whole Grain stamp, a yellow postage-size stamp issued by the Whole Grains Council. Be wary of labels that say “made with whole grains,” which can indicate that just a minuscule amount of whole grains were used.

The post 5 Tricks to Fall in Love with Whole-Wheat Pasta appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

You know it’s good advice and you really try to follow it. At the same time, you may be saying to yourself, “Water is boring.” And you know soft drinks and cold-brew coffee are not the way to stay hydrated either. Single-serve bottles of infused water can be a solution, but they’re costly and not environmentally friendly.

Why good hydration is so important

Before we explore a great way to make staying hydrated fun, healthy, and tasty, let’s check into why water is critical.

In general, you need to consume about eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily for overall health. It’s especially important to stay well hydrated in hot and/or humid weather, when exercising or physically active, if you suffer from dry mouth, if you have a fever, or if you are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting.

Read about good for hydration: tea or coffee?

Here are a few benefits of drinking enough water.

• Better brain power. Good hydration is essential for good cognitive function. As little as a 2 percent loss of fluid can impact your mood, concentration, reaction time, and memory. The difference between having brain fog and clear cognition may be two or three more glasses of water per day.
• More energy. When you are dehydrated, your heart has to work harder to send oxygen throughout your body. Energy spent on these tasks robs it from other activities.
• Helps with weight. Drinking calorie-free water helps you feel full and satisfied and less likely to snack or overeat. In a study of 50 overweight women, the participants drank 500 mL of water three times daily before each meal. This water was in addition to their regular intake. After eight weeks, they showed a highly significant change in body weight and body mass.
• Digestive support. Water is essential for optimal digestion, regular bowel movements, avoiding constipation, and easing gas and bloating. It also helps break down soluble fiber.
• Regulates temperature. When your body doesn’t have enough water, it holds onto heat and you are less able to tolerate hot temperatures. Providing your body with water allows you to sweat and cool down.
• Less joint pain. The cartilage in your joints contains about 80 percent water, which keeps them well lubricated. When you don’t get enough water, you increase the friction in your joints and are more likely to experience pain.
• Fewer headaches. When you stay well hydrated, you help maintain a healthy distance between the brain and the skull, which may help keep head pain at bay.
• Heart healthy. Skimping on water consumption can result in an imbalance of electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium) and more stress on your heart function.
• Kidney and urinary tract help. Drinking adequate water helps dilute the concentration of minerals in the urinary tract and thus reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. Water consumption also assists in eliminating harmful bacteria from the bladder and thus can help prevent urinary tract infections.

Read about Bigelow tea stays cool with iced tea

Fun, easy, delicious hydration: cold infusions

What if you could find a fun, easy, delicious, and inexpensive way to stay well-hydrated all day, every day? Would that make it more likely for you to drink more water?

We are talking about cold infusions. Cold infusions are made by adding cold water to botanicals in a glass, stainless steel, or ceramic container and allowing the water to infuse with flavors for a refreshing naturally flavored way to enjoy more water.

Make cold infusions a habit

If you want to drink more water but need a little incentive, this may be the answer: Bigelow Botanicals Cold Water Infusion. Choose from a wide variety of flavors and enjoy cold infusions wherever you go: keep a pitcher in the refrigerator at home, bring some in your eco-friendly water bottle when you’re driving, keep cold infusion bags at work in your desk or breakroom, and stash a few in your purse or briefcase so you’ll have them handy. Going camping? Pack cold-infusion bags and keep the container in your ice chest or cold stream. Going to a potluck or house party? Make a pitcher a few hours before the event and bring it along.

Whether you enjoy pineapple, blood orange, strawberry, acai, blueberry, mango, watermelon, peach, hibiscus, or more, the smooth mouth feel of these cold infusions can make drinking water a more pleasurable experience.

Bottom line

Most of us need to drink more water than we are right now. You can help make drinking water a pleasurable experience by incorporating cold infusions into your daily lifestyle. They are free of chemicals, packed with nutrients, and easy to prepare.

Sources

10 reasons why hydration is important. National Council on Aging 2021 Sep 23

Cold brew tea: a complete guide. Sipsby

Masento NA et al. Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood. British Journal of Nutrition 2014 May 28; 111(10):1841-52.

Vij VA, Joshi AS. Effect of 'water induced thermogenesis' on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 2013 Sep; 7(9):1894-96.

The post Cold Infusions: Staying Hydrated Is Fun and Delicious appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

A reason for the ban, according to supporters of the Bill, is that the Food and Drug Administration has not adequately evaluated the safety of these ingredients and that there exists a loophole that is allowing “thousands of chemicals to enter the U.S. food system without proper safety reviews.” The Bill was introduced by Assembly members Jesse Gabriel and Buffy Wicks, and co-sponsored by the Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports.

Read about 7 scary food additives to avoid

Although the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 418 in May 2023, it must still pass the California Senate, and opposition to the bill has been heavy from many food industry groups, including the California Grocers Association, American Bakers Association, and the International Association of Color Manufacturers. However, dozens of health and consumer safety groups are supporting the bill, and if all the advocates are successful, the ingredients will be banned by 2025. In the meantime, proponents of the Bill hope other states will follow suit. Already, lawmakers in New York and Illinois have taken steps to reevaluate food additives.

The five additives to be banned

Assembly Bill AB 418 prohibits anyone or any entity from “manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing, holding, or offering for sale” food products for human consumption that contain any of the following five substances:

• Red dye No. 3: also known as E127 or RF7C Red No. 3. It has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals when used in high doses. The Food and Drug Administration has known since the 1980’s that red dye No. 3 causes thyroid cancer in animals, which lead to the organization banning the dye from cosmetics in 1990. Yet the dye is still used in food, especially candies, and has been linked to hyperactivity in children.
• Titanium dioxide: used to make some foods whiter, such as cottage cheese, coffee creamer, white sauces, chewing gum, and cake frostings. It contains nanoparticles, which makes it easy for them to damage cells. A recent study has linked titanium dioxide to a greater risk of colon cancer.
• Potassium bromate: strengthens dough and is commonly used in bread and other baked goods. It has already been banned in the European Union, Canada, and many other countries. A 2023 research article notes that prolonged regular consumption of breads containing this additive is associated with an increased risk of cancer.
• Brominated vegetable oil: a plant-derived triglyceride mixture that helps prevent separation of ingredients in some beverages, especially those containing citrus. Animal studies suggest it can cause reproductive and behavioral problems when consumed at high doses. It’s been shown to cause rash, acne, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and cardiac arrhythmias.
• Propyl paraben: a preservative that has shown in a recent study published in Endocrinology to disrupt hormones. The Environmental Working Group notes that propylparaben, which can be found in various baked desserts and tortillas, can alter gene expression and affect fertility.

According to independent consultant and food additives researcher Maricel Maffini, none of the chemicals named in the California bill are necessary for food uses. Food manufacturers can still produce any of the products they make that now use these chemicals as long as they don’t include the substances. In European Union countries, Skittles and Sour Patch Kids are free of the banned substances.

Read about 5 gnarly food preservatives to avoid

Food companies stepping up

Some food manufacturers and industry leaders have already eliminated harmful substances from their products and menus. Dunkin Donuts reported in 2015 that it was dropping titanium dioxide from its products. In 2017, Panera Bread said it would no longer use artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives from artificial sources. In addition, there are many food manufacturers who do not and/or have never used artificial ingredients in their products and/or provide all organic foods. And there are more than those listed here!

Bottom line

The California Skittles Bill is an attempt to eliminate five harmful food additives from the food supply in that state. Beyond helping to improve food safety in one state, it is hoped that lawmakers at both the state and federal levels, as well as food producers, will step up and initiate measures to remove other harmful food additives from the marketplace.   

Sources

11 natural food companies you can feel safe buying just about anything from. AllWomensTalk

The best organic food companies. The Honest Consumer 2023 Mar 29

Brominated vegetable oil side effects. Health Research Funding

California Bill AB 418 Food Safety Bill. TrackBill

Geng C. Is there a link between red dye 40 and ADHD? Medical News Today 2022 Feb 25

Mogus JP et al. Exposure to propylparaben during pregnancy and lactation induces long-term alterations to the mammary gland in mice. Endocrinology 2021; 162(6): 

Ncheuveu Nkwatoh T et al. Potassium bromate in bread, health risks to bread consumers and toxicity symptoms amongst bakers in Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon. Heliyon 2023 Jan 21; 9(2):e13146.

The New Lede. “Skittles Bill.” California to ban 5 food additives linked to cancer, hormone disruption. Children’s Health Defense 2023 Jun 29

Propyl paraben. Environmental Working Group 2015 Apr 8

Schakowsky, DeLauro reintroduce legislation to ensure our food is safe. Press release. Jan Schakowsky 2023 Jun 7

Senate Bill S6055A. The New York State Senate

The post California “Skittles Bill” Is Step Toward Safer Foods appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

What is Splenda?

Splenda is the brand name of the artificial sweetener sucralose, which is a chemically altered form of sugar. This chemical modification makes sucralose 600 times sweeter than real sugar with no aftertaste and virtually no calories. To give sucralose this nearly zero calorie count, parts of the sugar molecule called hydroxyl are exchanged for chlorine.

Splenda is often used by people with diabetes because it doesn’t cause their blood sugar levels to spike. However, scientists at the Francis Crick Institute in London have found evidence that Splenda may suppress immune system function when consumed at high doses.

Read about Does sucralose help you lose weight?

The Splenda study

The study, which appeared in Nature, was conducted on mice who had either a bacterial infection or a tumor. Researchers fed the mice amounts of sucralose that were “equivalent to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) recommended by the European and American food safety authorities.” The use of sucralose impacted the animals by lowering the activation of T cells, which are essential for immune function. The mice were less able to fight off infection and cancer. When the mice were no longer given sucralose, their T cells returned to normal function.

Sucralose is not inert

Scientists have long debated whether sucralose is inert (chemically inactive). However, the Nature study findings have caused researchers to conclude that “sucralose is not an inert molecule and may affect human health,” adding to findings of an earlier animal study in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. In that study, the authors reported that sucralose is metabolized. Although traces of sucralose were not seen in urine and feces two weeks after the animals were given the sweetener, it was found in fat tissue. This raises further questions about the safety of the sweetener.

Read about a new study that finds sucralose does affect blood sugar and insulin

Sucralose and other health issues

Sucralose has demonstrated other health risks based on previous studies. In a study published in BJM, for example, this artificial sweetener was associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease. At the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting on April 2-5, 2022, researchers reported that sucralose disrupts the function of a protein critical in liver detoxification and the breakdown of certain drugs.

Is sucralose good for your gut? A 2022 study in Microorganisms showed that consuming sucralose for 10 weeks caused gut dysbiosis and changed insulin and sugar levels in healthy adults.

An animal study showed that consuming sucralose during pregnancy inhibits the development of the intestinal system and causes gut dysbiosis in infants while promoting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adulthood.

Bottom line

Splenda (sucralose) is associated with numerous health hazards. In addition to the health warnings already discussed, heating foods that contain sucralose at high temperatures may create toxic compounds, which increases the risk of carcinogenicity. The use of sucralose and foods containing is best avoided. Instead use natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup and sugar in moderation.

Sources

Researchers uncover how sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners) disrupt liver detoxification. SciTechDaily 2023

Bornemann V et al. Intestinal metabolism and bioaccumulation of sucralose in adipose tissue in the rat. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 2018; 81:913-23

Dai X et al. Maternal sucralose intake alters gut microbiota of offspring and exacerbates hepatic steatosis in adulthood. Gut Microbes 2020 Jul 3; 11(4):1043-63.

Debras C et al. Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort. British Journal of Medicine 2022; 387:e071204

Eisenreich A et al. Heating of food containing sucralose might result in the generation of potentially toxic chlorinated compounds. Food Chemistry 2020 Aug 15; 321:126700.

Hrncir T. Gut microbiota dysbiosis: triggers, consequences, diagnostic and therapeutic options. Microorganisms 2022 Mar 7; 10(3):578

Mendez-Garcia LA et al. Ten-week sucralose consumption induces gut dysbiosis and altered glucose and insulin levels in healthy young adults. Microorganisms 2022; 10(2):434

Zani F et al. The dietary sweetener sucralose is a negative modulator of T cell-mediated responses. Nature 2023 Mar 15; 615:705-11

The post Splenda Not So Splendid for Your Health appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Dirty or clean, fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients and fiber and are a must on anyone’s daily menu. But it helps to know which of your produce purchases may be packing more pesticides than others, especially if you cannot find organic options.

The EWG’s analysis is based on data provided by the US Department of Agriculture and included samples of conventionally grown fruits and veggies for 2023. Before the produce was tested, it was washed and peeled. Overall, the analysis found many different pesticides on produce that were sold in the United States.

Read about 8 ways to save money on fruits and vegetables

If you are a regular follower of the EWG lists, you will see two ol’ timers topping the 2023 Dirty Dozen list: strawberries and spinach. However, this year blueberries and green beans are on the list. Blueberries were found to have fifty-four pesticides and green beans had eight-four. The most commonly detected pesticides have been classified as possible human carcinogens or even banned by the Environmental Protection Agency but somehow they are still out there being used on farms.

Overall, the EWG noted that nearly 70 percent of the fruits and vegetables sold in the United States have pesticide residues.

The 2023 Dirty Dozen list

Here are a few other things you should know about the Dirty Dozen for 2023:

• 75 percent of non-organic fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S. still have toxic pesticides on them.
• Some of the pesticides detected have been banned in the U.S. because of concerns about how they harm people.
• Nine out of 10 samples of each of the popular foods had residues of pesticides – with some showing traces of up to 17 different pesticides.
• Nearly 80 percent of blueberry samples had two or more pesticides.
• More than 70 percent of green beans had at least two pesticides, with a combined 84 different pesticides found on the entire crop.

Read about 13 foods to avoid that are not on the Dirty Dozen list

Clean 15 list for 2023

The fruits and veggies that are the least contaminated with pesticides are included in the Clean 15 list. Here are the winners:

Bottom line

The EWG’s 2023 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists can help you make decisions about your fruit and vegetable purchases. However, generally, it is best to choose organic produce whenever possible. When it is unavailable or not feasible, thoroughly wash and/or peel conventionally grown fruits and vegetables to help ensure minimal exposure to pesticides.

Read This Next: Children’s Pesticide Exposure Highlighted in Terrible Twenty Campaign

Sources

Environmental Working Group. Dirty Dozen 2023

Environmental Working Group. Clean 15 2023

Environmental Working Group. Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

The post Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 EWG Lists Are Out! appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

For clarity, nuts can be classified as seeds, since they’re the seeds of certain trees. Peanuts often get added to this food type, and while they are seeds, they come from legumes, not trees. Also, strictly speaking, nuts such as almonds and cashews are actually drupes—seeds found inside fleshy fruit.

No matter the exact origin, there are high levels of nutrients in nuts and seeds across the board. Finding recipes to easily include in your diet can be key to improving your overall health and well-being. Here’s why.

5 Reasons to Eat Nuts and Seeds Daily

Part of the attraction of this food type is the many health benefits of nuts and seeds. They’re easy to add to a diet no matter your current health challenges or your health goals.

High in Healthy Fats

Some people balk at the thought of eating food with such a high-fat content but not all fats are bad. Also, your body actually needs fat for processes such as vitamin absorption and creating hormones. However, if you consume healthy unsaturated fats, rather than the fat found in most meat, it’s much better.

For example, many nuts provide Omega-3 fatty acids that have been known to help with the following:

• Reduce inflammation
• Blood cell nourishment
• Brain function
• Lowering bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol

With an ounce of certain nuts—like walnuts—provides more than the suggested daily Omega-3 requirement, it becomes much more effortless to regulate various important processes in the body.

Good Source of Dietary Fiber

High fiber content forms part of the benefits of nuts and seeds as well.

By increasing fiber intake, you can improve digestion and prevent constipation or watery stools. You’ll enjoy better bowel health, by slowing down the digestion of food which helps you increase the number of nutrients you absorb from your food and lets the good bacteria populate your gut. The outcome is having more energy because your body maintains satiety and blood sugar levels are less likely to spike.

Fiber can help you manage weight easier by impacting calorie absorption and also becoming short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) after fermentation in your digestive tract. SCFAs carry health benefits like helping to prevent inflammatory diseases.

High in Antioxidants

It’s always smart upping your antioxidant intake and nut mixes contain a lot of these molecules that fight damaging free radicals. These atoms disrupt homeostasis and damage cells, which can result in illness but also cause your body to age faster. Thanks to an increase in nuts in your diet, you’ll have more antioxidants that have the capability to ‘switch off’ these atoms harming your cells.

You also don’t have to wait long to start benefiting from changing your diet, because the effects of high antioxidant levels can be noted within hours of consuming food like nuts and seeds. For example, studies have shown a drop in bad cholesterol, simply after eating some pecan nuts.

Disease Prevention

Considering what nuts bring into the human body, it becomes clear why health practitioners encourage eating nuts and seeds. The body’s ability to fight off certain conditions gets boosted when there are more antioxidants, healthy digestion, and better-balanced cholesterol. As a result, instead of waiting to treat a disease down the line, take control of scenarios before they escalate, such as:

• Maintaining heart health
• Fighting inflammation that can develop into bigger problems
• Manage weight to prevent strain on joints and other health concerns related to obesity
• Reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

By simply eating more nuts and seeds, a person may be more in control and prevent unnecessary health issues down the road.

Helps to Manage Weight

While it’s always important to incorporate exercise and healthy eating habits, nuts and seeds can make it a bit easier to lose weight or at least maintain it. For one thing, many people’s bodies don’t absorb all the calories nuts contain. So, enjoy a filling snack without needing to work off all the calories in the gym.

In many cases, you don’t have to eat less to manage weight, but simply change what you’re eating. High-fiber food tends to help you feel full for longer than some other meals. Your nutty snack will be welcome when you need some energy, without negatively impacting your weight. It will also prevent hunger pangs and cravings, so there’s less chance of you reaching for other unhealthy food items throughout the day.

How to Include Nuts and Seeds in Your Diet

As mentioned, you don’t need a lot of nuts to make a health difference and even just 5 servings—1/2 ounce per serving—each week will suffice. For those who don’t like nuts, it’s easy to incorporate them into other dishes or find creative ways to make them tastier.

Use these tips during menu planning to keep it interesting:

• Use nuts along with chocolate chips in your usual baked goods.
• Red meat dishes can make way for stir fry that includes nuts.
• Give salad texture by adding nuts instead of croutons.
• Use nuts as a dish topping rather than traditional breadcrumbs.
• Roasted nuts are more flavorful, crunchier, easily digestible, and easy to make from raw nuts at home.
• Try a new bread recipe that's gluten-free and made with almond butter.

Popular Nuts You Can Eat Every Day

Even with healthy food, too much of it isn’t always wise. Luckily, you can enjoy a handful of the following nuts every day without any side effects:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Pistachios

Use the tips above to incorporate them in creative ways.

Popular Seeds You Can Eat Every Day

Get the benefits of seeds by adding them to smoothies or baked goods. The following ones are beneficial, even if consumed daily:

• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Poppy seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Psyllium seeds

Bottom Line

The benefits of nuts and seeds are clear. From heart health to staying regular, they have a lot of what your body needs. Taking responsibility for your health now helps prevent health issues down the line and nuts make it easy to implement changes.

Now, pick wisely when you pick your next snack.

The post 5 Reasons to Add Nuts & Seeds to Your Diet appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Here are our top five teas to cook out oatmeal in:

Benefits Radiate Beauty Blueberry and Aloe Herbal Tea

Bigelow Salted Caramel Black Tea

Bigelow Perfect Peach® Herbal Tea

Steep by Bigelow organic chai black tea

Bigelow Toasted Coconut Almond Bark Black Tea

It's so easy to make. First, boil your water, then add your tea bag of choice. Steep for the recommended amount of time. Add your oats and cook according to the instructions on the oats. Cooking times may vary depending on if you are using instant oats or steel-cut oats. As it simmers the flavor will infuse the oats. Then, add other ingredients to your oats or drizzle on some pure maple syrup.

The post Oa "tea" meal: Cooking Your Oatmeal with Tea appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

How to Participate

The first step to participating in Dry January is to make a commitment. You can make it a public commitment by sharing it with family, friends, or colleagues, or you can keep it to yourself. It helps if you have a friend to commit to it with to provide some accountability. Additionally, you can join the official Dry January movement and download the app to log your progress.

Once you have made your commitment, it’s time to set boundaries. You can decide if you want to abstain from alcohol completely or if you want to reduce your intake. Consider what your personal goals are for the challenge and how to stick with them.

Finally, it is important to have strategies for dealing with cravings and temptations. Remind yourself why you are doing the challenge and find creative ways to distract yourself. Try switching your focus to a new hobby or activity or reach out to your support system for help.

Learn why you should choose organic wine

Why Alcohol Can Harm Your Health

Alcohol can have a damaging effect on your health, as it can increase your risk for a variety of health problems. For example, regular alcohol consumption can cause liver damage and high blood pressure and increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Drinking alcohol can also impair your judgment, making it more likely that you will engage in risky behaviors. Additionally, alcohol can worsen existing mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

Overall, it is important to practice moderation when it does come to drinking alcohol and to be aware of the health risks associated with it.

Learn about cleansing your liver for good health

Ideas for Drinks to Enjoy

Just because you’re participating in Dry January doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy flavorful drinks. Here are some ideas for drinks to make during the month that are both tasty and alcohol-free:

• Sparkling mocktails: Mix sparkling water with sweet and tart juices, such as grapefruit and cranberry.
• Fruit smoothies: Blend frozen or fresh fruit with milk or a non-dairy beverage and a sweetener of your choice, such as honey or maple syrup. You can also add nut butter or protein powder for a thicker consistency. We like to add a splash of aloe vera juice (see Lily of the Desert) to our smoothies because it helps us better absorb nutrients which can help support our immune system and our overall health.
• Herbal tea: Steep fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint in hot water. You can also add a splash of ginger or lemon juice for a refreshing flavor. Bigelow Tea has over 100 tea flavors to choose from. Here are some recipes to inspire you:
  • Bigelow Red Raspberry Tea Mocktail
  • Wild Berry Gin Fizz
  • Blueberry Bourbon Smash
  • Sparkling Cranberry, Ginger & Aloe Mocktail
• Hot chocolate: Make a delicious mug of hot chocolate by melting dark chocolate and adding milk or a non-dairy beverage, plus your favorite spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bottom Line

Dry January is a great way to practice mindful drinking and reset your habits. Remember to set boundaries and have strategies in place to help you stay on track. Plus, there are plenty of tasty drinks that you can make during the month to help you stay motivated. Happy Dry January!

The post Dry January: Why You Should Try It appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Read about the dangers of aspartame poisoning

The aspartame and anxiety study

In the study, which appeared in the December 2, 2022 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the researchers gave drinking water that contained aspartame to mice daily. The dose used was approximately 15 percent of what the Food and Drug Administration has determined to be the approved maximum daily for humans to consume. According to the FDA, the acceptable daily intake of aspartame for adults and children in the United States is 50 milligrams per kilogram (50 mg/kg) of body weight daily. Since 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds, a person weighing 110 pounds could safely consume 2,500 mg (or 2.5 gm) of aspartame daily, according to the FDA.

In this study, which lasted 12 weeks and was conducted over four years, the dosage was equal to six to eight 8-ounce cans of diet soda daily for humans. The length of the study allowed the researchers to track the impact of aspartame use over several generations of mice.

The researchers noted what was called “such a robust anxiety-like trait” that was much more significant than they had anticipated. They also noticed that anxiety was passed along to several generations of male and female offspring by the aspartame-exposed males. When the mice were given the commonly used human antianxiety drug diazepam, the mice in all generations were relieved of their anxiety.

The passage of anxiety to succeeding generations is an example of epigenetic (temporary) change. Unlike genetic changes (i.e., mutations), epigenetic changes do not alter DNA, but they do change how the body interprets DNA sequences. They are also reversible. According to co-author Pradeep Bhide, the results of this study show that “we need to look back at the environmental factors because what we see today is not only what’s happening today, but what happened two generations ago and maybe even longer.”

Read about aspartame, the artificial sweetener made from…poop!?

Aspartame 101

Aspartame was approved by the FDA in 1981 as an artificial sweetener and is about 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. It can be found in nearly 6,000 food and beverage items around the world, and as a tabletop sweetener as well.

Once you consume aspartame, it transforms into aspartic acid, methanol, and phenylalanine. All of these metabolites can have significant effects on the function of the central nervous system. For example, the metabolites have an impact on the brain and neurotransmitter levels and have thus been associated with depression, headache, and convulsions.

Another example is methanol, which affects the liver. Methanol is oxidized in the liver to formaldehyde and then formic acid, both of which can damage liver cells. A recent report also noted that aspartame “could have carcinogenic properties” and that “exposure to aspartame from prenatal age increases the incidence of lymphomas/leukemias in females.”

Bottom line

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener—one of the scary 7—that should be avoided at all costs by people of all ages. Artificial sweeteners have been linked to a number of serious health problems, and this latest study adds the possibility of anxiety to the list. Protect yourself and your family by always choosing whole foods and naturally sweet fruits, and avoiding the chemicals that can damage your health.

Sources

Calorie Control Council. Aspartame

Common sweetener linked to anxiety. Neuroscience News 2022 Dec 8

Czarnecka K et al. Aspartame-true or false? Narrative review of safety analysis of general use in products. Nutrients 2021 Jun 7; 13(6):1957.

Jones SK et al. Transgenerational transmission of aspartame-induced anxiety and changes in glutamate-GABA signaling and gene expression in the amygdala. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2022 Dec 2; 119(49):e2213120119

Roberts HJ. Preclinical AD. Neurology 1997 Feb; 48(2):549-50.

The post Aspartame and Anxiety: Cruel Connection appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.