Source: Gregg Braden Official
Gregg Braden shares 4 things you can do to thrive and extend your lifespan in this fast-changing world: nutrition, exercise, supplements, and heart-brain coherence.
Source: ewg.org
WASHINGTON – Thirty years after a landmark National Academies of Sciences study warning of the dangers posed to children by pesticides, 75 percent of non-organic fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S. are still riddled with the potentially toxic agricultural chemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group’s 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, released today.
This year, blueberries and green beans join the Dirty Dozen™, the Shopper’s Guide section listing the 12 non-organic, or conventionally grown, fruits and vegetables with the highest amounts of pesticides, based on federal agencies’ tests. Some of the pesticides detected have been banned in the U.S. or Europe because of concerns about how they harm people.
“Despite the abundance of science linking exposure to pesticides with serious health issues, a potentially toxic cocktail of concerning chemicals continues to taint many of the non-organic fruits and vegetables eaten by consumers,” said Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., EWG toxicologist.
The findings underscore the need for stronger regulations around and oversight of how pesticides are used on food crops.
The Shopper’s Guide compiles EWG’s analysis of the latest fruit and vegetable testing data from the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The 2023 edition includes data from 46,569 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables, covering 251 different pesticides.
In addition to the Dirty Dozen, the guide includes the Clean Fifteen™, EWG’s list of the fruits and vegetables with very low or no traces of pesticides. The guide also features a full report on pesticides on produce and more detailed analyses about specific fruits and vegetables and what chemicals were found on them.
“Everyone – adults and kids – should eat more fruits and vegetables, whether organic or not,“ Temkin said. “A produce-rich diet provides many health benefits.
“But in the ongoing absence of meaningful federal oversight, consumers concerned about pesticide exposure can use EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce to navigate the produce aisle in ways that work best for them and their families,” Temkin said.
EWG recommends that consumers buy organic versions of Dirty Dozen produce and choose either conventionally grown or organic versions of Clean Fifteen items..
Both blueberries and green beans – 11th and 12th, respectively, on this year’s Dirty Dozen – had troubling concentrations of organophosphate insecticides, pesticides that can harm the human nervous system. 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. Phosmet was detected on more than 10 percent of blueberry samples and malathion on 9 percent. Both are organophosphates that are toxic to the human nervous system, especially children’s developing brains. In 2015, malathion was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
More than 70 percent of green beans had at least two pesticides, with a combined 84 different pesticides found on the entire crop. Six percent of samples showed residues of acephate, a toxic pesticide the Environmental Protection Agency banned for use on green beans more than 10 years ago. Green beans also had traces of several pesticides banned in the European Union but allowed in the U.S.
Pesticides are toxic by design, created expressly to kill living organisms – insects, plants and fungi considered “pests.” But many pesticides pose health dangers to people, too, including cancer, hormone disruption, and brain and nervous system toxicity. These hazards have been confirmed by independent scientists, physicians, and U.S. and international government agencies.
Most pesticide residues found by the USDA and FDA fall below government limits and are legal. But legal limits don’t always indicate what’s safe for human consumption.
The conventional agriculture industry, and even the EPA, often claim pesticides like chlorpyrifos are safe, right up until the moment they are banned because of overwhelming evidence showing they are toxic to humans.
Children are especially vulnerable to many of the health harms associated with pesticide exposure. Research published by EWG in 2020 found that the EPA, which oversees pesticide safety, fails to adequately consider children in setting legal limits for 90 percent of the most common pesticides.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents concerned about their children’s exposure to pesticides consult EWG’s Shopper’s Guide.
“EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce is a key tool for parents and caregivers concerned about protecting vulnerable children from the potential serious risks of consuming even low levels of pesticides in food,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, renowned public health expert and one of the principal authors of the 1993 National Academies of Sciences study on pesticides in children’s diets.
Also in 1993, EWG released its first report, Pesticides in Children’s Food, which analyzed federal government consumption data and pesticide tests of more than 20,000 samples of food, among other government and industry data. The exhaustive investigation found that millions of U.S. children were receiving up to 35 percent of their entire lifetime dose of some carcinogenic pesticides by age 5.
“The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen provide simple guidelines for how to pursue a diet rich in vital fruits and vegetables, while avoiding the items that might be most contaminated with chemicals,” said Landrigan, director of the Global Public Health Program and Global Observatory on Planetary Health in the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Visit www.ewg.org for more information.
Source: Dr Rangan Chatterjee Clips
In this interview with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, David Sinclair explains the secret to looking younger and feeling healthier.
David Sinclair, a Harvard professor and author of Lifespan: Why We Age – And Why We Don’t Have To, is a revolutionary thinker and ground-breaking scientist who’s on a mission to make you younger. He is one of the world’s leading scientific authorities on longevity, aging, and how to slow its effects.
Watch the FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
Source: Thomas DeLauer
Thomas DeLauer reveals a new fasting study about what fasting window is the best and how it positively affects your body.
Source: Greatness Clips – Lewis Howes
Dr. David Sinclair, a professor of genetics at Harvard University, shares his insightful research into habits that destroy health and decrease lifespan.
By Michael Dehoyos
When talking about exercising, it’s important to remember that a complete approach is always better than simply dwelling in one area. A lot of people will work out physically but not work on the other elements to their body and mind that are so important. Similarly, people might practice meditating but forget that physical exercise gives you a great boost to your mental state. The best approach is to address all three of the elements of exercise and to combine them for an ultimate state of wellbeing. So, with that said, let’s take a look at some exercises that will help create that synergy and to bring you total wellbeing.
Not everyone likes to do serious running, but cardiovascular exercise is proven to give your body, mind, and soul a good workout. If you can run and like it then go for that. If you don’t want to then you could try biking or, failing that, you can even just go on walks. Experiencing the world outside, the fresh air and the sights and sounds can have great help for your mental health as well. “With the blood pumping all around your body and some good physical exercise achieved you should also find that it really benefits the quality of your sleep, particularly the ease with which you get to sleep at the start of the night, which also has concrete positive benefits for mental health and physical health”, explains James Lawton, health writer at BritStudent and WriteMyx. So, get out there!
Yoga is a fantastic option for giving all three of these areas of your life a boost. There are a variety of different directions which you can take yoga, but in general getting into the habit of a regular routine, whether that be daily or weekly, of practicing yoga can have immense benefits across time. Yoga is a perfect blend of spirituality, physical activation, and mindfulness which encapsulates all of the dimensions to a well-rounded wellbeing health plan. People who do yoga tend to be so serious about it that taking it seriously yourself can be a bit daunting. But, if you just give yourself that initial nudge, I’m sure you’ll find that you’ll pick it up in no time and, in all likelihood, to great results!
If you want something with a little more physical involvement than yoga, tai-chi is a meditative, concentrated, disciplined martial art that, when mastered, can unlock strengths, both mental and physical that you were perhaps unaware you were capable of. This one takes real commitment, but it could very well be worth it in the long run. Definitely, something to explore.
Swimming is an underrated form of exercise which, when you really break it down, has everything. “Swimming is such a complete form of exercise that it’s a wonder it isn’t adopted by more people. It works out every muscle in your body, without posing any risk of serious injury, it’s relaxing, meditative, not to mention fun. It can be done with a friend or friends or it can be done alone and it can be done by almost anyone, even people with disabilities that restrict their ability to exercise normally”, says Charlotte Prince, health blogger at Australia2Write and NextCoursework. Finding a pool is the central challenge to this otherwise easy and enjoyable exercise. Once you have it could unlock something special.
Straying from the more traditional physical exercises, we have meditation. Meditating involves relaxing your body which is a form of exercise, and one that involves a lot of care and discipline. But alongside these benefits, you have the primary benefit of a really thorough way to exercise your mind and soul as you rid yourself of all your daily struggles and replace them with a sense of calm and peace.
There are so many different ways that you can achieve a complete exercise routine where you address all of the different areas of your life. You can find mental benefits in physical activities and physical ones in mental activities. Ultimately, it’s what works for you, so get out there and see for yourself.
Michael Dehoyos is a web developer at the Ph.D. Kingdom and Academic Brits. He assists companies in digitalizing their marketing strategy, as well as sharing his knowledge by contributing to numerous sites and publications, the academic service Coursework Help, amongst them.
By Julian Rose | Waking Times
Independent small and medium-sized farms have been handed a death sentence by Klaus Schwab head of The World Economic Forum. Schwab, and fellow architects of top-down control, have officially let it be known that under the policy known as ‘Green Deal’ traditional family farms are no longer wanted and the foods they produce are to be replaced by laboratory and genetically engineered synthetic lookalikes. This policy is spelled out in the pages of Klaus Schwab’s book ‘The Great Reset’ which is part of the envisaged ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’.
The British government and the European Commission are committed to adopting this insane agenda in which working farmers are to be replaced by digitalized precision robots, as part of a so-called Global Warming mitigation crusade. When properly analyzed, this is revealed as a totalitarian program for complete corporate and banking control of the food chain. A program that is designed to eliminate the independent farmer.
What Are We Going to Do About It?
There is a very straightforward answer to this question. We are going to come together at the local level and launch a mutually supportive initiative that will guarantee both the farmer and the purchaser of the farmer’s food a fair and mutually beneficial exchange.
How does it work?
Very simple. The purchaser (consumer) approaches his or her local responsible farmer and asks to buy some fresh produce. The farmer considers this proposition. Some may decline, but this will be because it has not occurred to them that the future of their current dependency on a corporate-controlled marketing regime is completely untenable under the program proposed by Mr. Schwab.
Any good farmer will not turn down an opportunity to do business with near neighbors who are in search of positive and value-for-money farm-raised foods. Especially once the farming community realizes that their future income will depend more and more upon establishing a marketplace amongst those in the immediate vicinity of his/her farm. Those who do not wish – or cannot any longer – purchase their staple food requirements from corporate-owned super and hypermarket food chains.
The Savvy Farmer…
The savvy farmer can see the writing on the wall. Can see that slavery to a system of national and global manipulation – totally out of his/her hands – is a recipe for disaster. Such a farmer will be on the lookout for a secure local market; one where purchasers want to buy direct from the farm with no middle-man taking a cut. This must be the way forward if a secure future on the land is the desired outcome. Any intelligent farmer will recognize this and will take seriously a bonafide
request to supply farm-raised produce to those eager to buy it.
The Savvy Consumer…
The savvy consumer will be looking for fresh, healthy, flavourful good quality foods upon which to raise their family, or simply to feed themselves. They will recognize that the chance to acquire such food ‘direct from the farm’ represents the best possible outcome. A bond built-up with a local farmer, via regular purchasing of their farm-raised products, provides a powerful ally for times ahead when the commercial food chain is subjected to the brutal intervention of the architects of global control and shortages become the norm. Such times are no longer speculative. They are on our doorstep.
The Savvy Farmer and the Savvy Consumer – Getting Together
Either the consumer or the farmer can take the initiative of bringing both parties together.
How?
By calling a ‘round table’ meeting in the local village/town hall or simply in your home. Invite one or two farmers to sit around that table with some individuals eager to obtain food directly from the farm. Some might even be ready to discuss contracting a farmer to grow the staple foods they require. Good quality food is grown without recourse to chemical pesticides.
Farmers need a secure income and the buyers a secure local source of nutritious food. Fair prices for both parties and delivery or ‘pick-up from the farm’ can be negotiated in a friendly and informal manner. This is not purely ‘business’ in the old sense of the term; it is forming a common bond in a time when such bonds have been tragically neglected and supermarket convenience cultures have destroyed the links that hold communities together.
New trading, bartering, and sharing practice will be built around the adoption of this ‘proximity principle’. This is the one sure way of effectively resisting the Klaus Schwab farm killer and the New World Order plan for global domination of the food chain.
Other ways of supporting local trading include farm shops, farmers markets, box schemes, food cooperatives. Get onto the front foot and regenerate your community – from the ground up!
For further details of the Proximity Principle and community, regeneration sees ‘Creative Solutions to a World in Crisis’ by Julian Rose.
Julian Rose is an early pioneer and practitioner of UK organic farming; an entrepreneur and leader of projects to create self-sufficient communities based on local supply and demand; a teacher of holistic life approaches and the author of four books – one of which ‘Creative Solutions to a World in Crisis’ lays-out detailed guidelines for the transformation of society into caring communities built upon ecological and spiritual awareness, justice and cooperation. See Julian’s website for more information www.julianrose.info
By Dr. Joseph Mercola | mercola.com
It needn’t be difficult or expensive to eat healthily.
Ease into it by eliminating three bad foods and adding a few good foods to your diet. This will help maintain your weight while lowering your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Eating the right amount of certain foods may help cut your risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes by almost half.
Don’t know where to begin? Let’s start with what to pitch; here are three things to get rid of:
Sugary beverages are Bad with a capital b. Most are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, which studies show can increase risk factors for heart disease within two weeks! There is also a strong link between processed foods and depression.
Consuming high-carb, refined grains also can lead to allergies, asthma, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, heart disease, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, and obesity.
Now that you’ve dumped some unhealthy foods, what’s to eat? Plenty! Try these simple food changes:
Eating plenty of organic, raw vegetables and whole fruits daily can lower your blood pressure and cut your prescription costs in half. And no, fruit juices are not a substitute for whole fruits.
Regarding fruits, they offer many vitamins, enzymes, and minerals, but limit how much fruit you eat as the fructose content can upset your metabolism. It’s best to limit fructose to 25 grams per day from all sources, and as little as 15 grams a day if you’re diabetic or have chronic health issues (including the fructose from whole fruits).
A handful of raw nuts or seeds is a satisfying — and tasty! — a snack that contains healthy fats, fiber, protein, antioxidants and minerals, all the while helping to maintain your weight, boost your immune system and benefit your heart. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, as well as pecans, macadamia nuts, and walnuts, are excellent choices.
Avoid grain-fed meats and go for organic, pastured beef — not beef from animals raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The same applies to other animal meats and animal products such as pork, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Choose wild-caught seafood that is good for you and the planet. Smaller fish like sardines, anchovies, and herring tend to be low in contaminants and high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Salmon is also an excellent source of omega-3; just make sure it’s wild-caught Alaskan salmon (either fresh or canned) to reap the benefits.
And yes, there are ways to adopt a keto-style diet to eat healthily and not break the bank.
Visit farmers markets or connect with local, organic farmers when shopping for meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruits. Grow your own vegetables, sprouts, and fruits and try fermenting any excess raw veggies. Fermented vegetables are easy to make and supply your body with essential enzymes and beneficial bacteria needed for good gut health and digestion.
So, go ahead, hit the Healthy Road: Throw out the junk foods, consume real food and, in the long run, you’ll feel great and could save thousands of dollars on chronic disease-related medical expenses.
You’ve got nothing to lose but weight, depression, and illness.
By Rush University Medical Center | Science Daily
Aging takes a toll on the body and on the mind. For example, the tissue of aging human brains sometimes develops abnormal clumps of proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. How can you protect your brain from these effects?
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have found that older adults may benefit from a specific diet called the MIND diet even when they develop these protein deposits, known as amyloid plaques and tangles. Plaques and tangles are a pathology found in the brain that builds up in between nerve cells and typically interferes with thinking and problem-solving skills.
Developed by the late Martha Clare Morris, ScD, who was a Rush nutritional epidemiologist, and her colleagues, the MIND diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets. Previous research studies have found that the MIND diet may reduce a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease dementia.
Now a study has shown that participants in the study who followed the MIND diet moderately later in life did not have cognition problems, according to a paper published on Sept. 14 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Some people have enough plaques and tangles in their brains to have a postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but they do not develop clinical dementia in their lifetime,” said Klodian Dhana, MD, Ph.D., lead author of the paper and an assistant professor in the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College.
“Some have the ability to maintain cognitive function despite the accumulation of these pathologies in the brain, and our study suggests that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functions independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer’s disease.
In this study, the researchers examined the associations of diet — from the start of the study until death — brain pathologies and cognitive functioning in older adults who participated in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center’s ongoing Memory and Aging Project, which began in 1997 and includes people living in greater Chicago. The participants were mostly white without known dementia, and all of them agreed to undergo annual clinical evaluations while alive and brain autopsy after their death.
The researchers followed 569 participants, who were asked to complete annual evaluations and cognitive tests to see if they had developed memory and thinking problems. Beginning in 2004, participants were given an annual food frequency questionnaire about how often they ate 144 food items in the previous year.
Using the questionnaire answers, the researchers gave each participant a MIND diet score based on how often the participants ate specific foods. The MIND diet has 15 dietary components, including 10 “brain-healthy food groups” and five unhealthy groups — red meat, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food.
To adhere to and benefit from the MIND diet, a person would need to eat at least three servings of whole grains, a green leafy vegetable, and one other vegetable every day — along with a glass of wine — snack most days on nuts, have beans every other day or so, eat poultry and berries at least twice a week and fish at least once a week. A person also must limit intake of the designated unhealthy foods, limiting butter to less than 1 1/2 teaspoons a day and eating less than a serving a week of sweets and pastries, whole fat cheese, and fried or fast food.
Based on the frequency of intake reported for the healthy and unhealthy food groups, the researchers calculated the MIND diet score for each participant across the study period. An average of the MIND diet score from the start of the study until the participant’s death was used in the analysis to limit measurement error. Seven sensitivity measures were calculated to confirm the accuracy of the findings.
“We found that a higher MIND diet score was associated with better memory and thinking skills independently of Alzheimer’s disease pathology and other common age-related brain pathologies. The diet seemed to have a protective capacity and may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly.” Dhana said.
“Diet changes can impact cognitive functioning and risk of dementia, for better or worse,” he continued. “There are fairly simple diet and lifestyle changes a person could make that may help to slow cognitive decline with aging and contribute to brain health.”
Story Source:
Materials provided by Rush University Medical Center. Originally written by Nancy Di Fiore. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Article originally published on www.rootandsprout.com
Source: Green Med Info
Most of us have seen the Top 10 lists of why we should be drinking lemon water. But do we really know the added vitality and cleansing effects on the body lemon water provides?
Lemon water sounds like a good idea, and you’ve probably seen pictures on Pinterest of large pitchers of water with vibrant lemons and the top 10 reasons why you should be drinking it.
It’s easy to take these images and lists at face value, and most won’t end up actually drinking lemon water regularly, rather be able to tell their friends the top 10 reasons lemon water is good for you.
We’re interested in the part that adds vitality and incredible cleansing effects on the body. If you’re just getting started on a path of feeling better through diet change then making a replacement of lemon water for a morning coffee is a great first step. I truly believe that we have the power to heal our bodies by adapting what we consume every day. Our challenge is to:
Most of us have seen the Top 10 lists of why we should be drinking lemon water. But do we really know the added vitality and cleansing effects on the body lemon water provides?
Lemon water sounds like a good idea, and you’ve probably seen pictures on Pinterest of large pitchers of water with vibrant lemons and the top 10 reasons why you should be drinking it.
It’s easy to take these images and lists at face value, and most won’t end up actually drinking lemon water regularly, rather be able to tell their friends the top 10 reasons lemon water is good for you.
We’re interested in the part that adds vitality and incredible cleansing effects on the body. If you’re just getting started on a path of feeling better through diet change then making a replacement of lemon water for a morning coffee is a great first step. I truly believe that we have the power to heal our bodies by adapting what we consume every day. Our challenge is to:
What We Know About Lemons
Botanically, it is a citrus fruit in the Rutaceae family (scientifically known as Citrus Limon), and while being the smallest in its family has more comprehensive health benefits than its family members (1).
They are likely to have originated in India around the Himalayan foothills and spread from there. The two main types of lemons are Lisbon and Eureka. There are others that have come into vogue such as the sweeter Meyer Lemons.
The fruit is lower in calories about 29 per 100 grams, which makes it one of the lower in its family.
Lemons as a Source of Vitamin-C
We know lemons are high in vitamin C which is essential for normal growth and development (2). A single lemon contains around 30-40 mg of vitamin C (3) (in comparison an orange contains around 80-90 mg of vitamin C).
Vitamin C has been studied extensively and shown to have a myriad of health benefits from protecting against prenatal problems, cardiovascular disease, eye diseases, skin wrinkles, and immune system deficiencies (4).
It acts as an antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals (5).
If you’d like to go down the rabbit hole of vitamin c start with this fact sheet, as we’ll be focusing on some of the more unique properties of lemon water.
Unique Health Benefits of Lemons
1. Lemon Water as Detox and Cleanse
This is the first benefit that comes to mind when it comes to lemon water and is usually the most overstated. We’ve cited a few scientific sources that give a true insight into the potential for lemon water as a natural detox.
Not surprisingly, the amount of urine is increased when drinking lemon water however lemon water brings with it the primary compound known as Citrate.
This is a naturally-occurring inhibitor of toxins (which can build up in the form of crystals in the body). Citric acid enhances your body’s ability to naturally flush out these unwanted toxins.
Toxins come into our systems through various sources from the air we breathe to some of the foods we eat. Two of the more well-known studies shed some light on the use of lemon as a cleanse:
Our liver is where we filter everything we consume and neutralize many toxins. We’ve covered the various methods of cleansing with related products like apple cider vinegar.
These studies shed light on the lemon’s ability to enhance the liver’s function of filtering out unwanted toxins.
The main premise behind lemon water as a detox revolves around its ability to enhance your body’s enzyme function and stimulate the liver.
Studies indicate that in cases where toxins have built up in the body, the lemon juice and peel have cleansing properties. Using lemon water, especially after meals may help you lower the number of toxins in your body.
2. Improve Digestion with Lemon Water
Citrus flavonoids are the primary cause of improved digestion when drinking warm lemon water. They aid in the assimilation of food, help prevent fatty liver, decrease chances of cardiovascular disease, fat-lowering, and reduced insulin sensitivity. This has to do with its ability to inhibit certain syntheses of fat in the body (7).
Citrus flavonoids act as a great digestive tonic, with appetite suppressing abilities (8). It has also been shown to calm an upset stomach or mild indigestion. This has to do with the hydrochloric acid in your stomach that starts the process of breaking down your food. It is believed the citrus flavonoids in lemon water support the hydrochloric acid in the stomach in breaking down food (9).
The best way to utilize lemon water as a digestion aid is to also include the zest of the lemon which will improve the good bacteria in your gut.
3. Alkalize with Lemon Water
If you’re new to the concept of alkalinity, it’s the process of neutralizing acid in the body. The basic idea is your body has certain acids that can build up causing negative side effects such as acid reflux, upset stomach, acidosis, and beyond (10).
There are various ways to check the pH levels of your body to find out if you are too acidic.
An ideal range to fall between is 4.6-8.0 and can be tested with pH strips using saliva or urine (11).
If you plan to use lemon water or alkaline drinking water to manage your body’s acid levels we recommend speaking with your doctor first and identifying your pH levels.
If you identify a need to alkalize, then we recommend getting some home pH strips that will allow you to stay within the recommended ranges.
Lemon water is a safe and effective way to manage your pH levels and achieving healthy alkalinity may benefit bone health, reduced muscle wasting, decrease chances of hypertension and strokes, improve cardiovascular health, and improve memory (12).
4. Weight loss/Appetite Suppressant
We’re approaching this claim with caution since any new health fad that becomes popular can get turned into a “fat-burning miracle”.
There is a lack of scientific research that supports the claim of weight loss fully, however, this doesn’t mean the claims are false, simply that additional research is needed (13).
One of the studies that do exist was not a human trial but did show significantly reduced weight gain when a diet high in fat was being consumed (14). Most people whether they want to admit it or not fall in the high-fat diet category.
Pectin and polyphenols are the main substances found in lemons that have more research available showing weight loss and appetite suppressing qualities.
Pectin gives a feeling of fullness much like other soluble dietary fibers, that may help reduce caloric intake.
In one study these two substances increased fat metabolism, increased HDL (good) cholesterol & lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol, and decreased the production of inflammation (15).
The main study was carried out by Drs. Sheau C. Chai, Shirin Hooshmand, Raz L. Saadat, and Bahram Arjmandi, of Florida State University.
“It’s a Slow Process Don’t Make it Slower by Quitting.”
Every “body” will respond differently to lemon water, which is why we recommend adding this to your diet without any other major changes to isolate the effects.
This will allow you to better attribute any changes you experience and not be confused if it was the new multivitamin you started taking.
While additional research is needed regarding the weight loss benefits of lemon water, positive benefits are achieved by replacing sugary drinks with lemon water.
We recommend replacing your morning coffee with lemon water for at least 2 weeks. Keep a journal of your mood, energy, and cravings for the 2 weeks to see what positive benefits you experience.
5. Reduced Wrinkles and Improved Skin
This claim states benefits from both drinking lemon water and applying topically. Lemons have been found to be high in antioxidants (16) which are linked to anti-aging properties.
The primary cause of aging comes from free radicals that cause the breakdown of various tissues in the body, namely skin.
Research showed that plant-derived antioxidants were able to reverse the breakdown of collagen fibers in the skin (17).
Collagen gives skin its strength, structure, and plumpness while protecting the skin from absorbing toxins (18).
Now the next time you see your friend with great skin you can tell her you’re jealous of her collagen.
Free radicals in small amounts are not damaging to the body, but you should be aware of practices that increase your exposure to free radicals.
The most common and most dangerous forms of exposure can come from drugs, radiation, pesticides, air pollutants, solvents, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pollution, and even foods we eat (19).
Most healthy people who do not smoke should not be overly concerned with too many free radicals in their system.
If you are concerned or curious you can take a urine test to get an idea of where you’re at (20).
If you want to apply lemon juice topically there are various ways depending on preference. The simplest way is to dilute in water and pat on the face with a damp cloth avoiding the eyes.
Other methods range from creating sugar scrubs to combining with Greek yogurt. In all cases, the antioxidants in the lemon will be the active ingredient.
6. Benefits of Essential Oils in Lemons
Essential oils as a whole is a topic we will cover in greater detail since there is a lot of debate on their effectiveness, especially when you look at the claims.
There are however plenty of benefits that come from essential oil use, but we’ll stick to those that have been researched and tested.
At the time of this writing, we found 14000+ articles that had essential oils being studied and researched (25), and lemon oil had over 500 alone.
If you’re looking to get the oils into your lemon water simply take the peel and squeeze or twist the outer zest portion.
If you watch closely you’ll be able to see the lemon oils coming out of the zest.
One of the most interesting benefits that have been linked to lemon oil is its moderate antimicrobial activities against bad bacteria, yeast, and fungi such as Candida albicans more commonly known to cause yeast infection (26).
These antimicrobial effects have a range of benefits when ingested and used topically, and are the core of where the benefits are derived.
A study was published that took a look at how lemon oil would affect pregnant women dealing with vomiting and nausea. Around 100 women participated and after just 2 days reports of dramatically decreased symptoms were reported as compared to the placebo group.
After 4 days a decrease of nausea and vomiting was seen on average of 33% (27).
While this study was specific to pregnant women, it may suggest that those dealing with similar issues who are not pregnant would see similar benefits.
Another study performed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute looked at how geraniol, a phytonutrient found in lemon, aided in reversing diabetic neuropathy.
The study showed that sciatic nerve damage was reduced through lemon oil (geraniol) use. In the full 8-week study cellular function was restored, suggesting that the use of lemon oil regularly can assist in regulating energy stores, and as previously mentioned help prevent disease (28).
Lemon oil is perhaps the most researched part of the lemon and also the part no one seems to include when making their lemon water.
Consider using the zest of the lemon in your drink or extracting the oils to include in your drink for maximum benefit.
Lemon Water Safety Measures
Safety measures for lemon water?!? I know what you’re thinking but there are a few things to keep in mind:
First off you really shouldn’t be eating the seeds of the lemon. A few here and there aren’t going to be terrible for you, but if you plan to drink lemon water regularly then make sure you’re avoiding the seeds.
They contain small amounts of salicylic acid which is the main ingredient in aspirin, along with the bitter/astringent coating on the outside of the seed which gives it a bitter taste.
The easiest way I’ve found to get rid of them is to use a small strainer or a lemon press.
If you’re used to sweeten your tea or coffee then your taste buds are going to want a spike of sugar in your lemon water.
Try and avoid adding sweeteners other than raw honey as it will negate many of the benefits I mentioned.
If you can start to cut more and more sugar out of your diet, you will find your taste buds resetting, and your cravings for sugar drop dramatically.
I had never experienced this until I cut out most of the sugars in my diet, but I can honestly say my cravings for sugary foods dropped dramatically.
Another common concern is what effects lemon juice has on the enamel of your teeth. As long as you’re not using it like mouthwash your teeth will be safe.
With the amount of soda that people drink in our time, substituting lemon water will actually save your teeth. If you’re super concerned about it then try using a straw
Drinking lemon water is one of these little things that we can do on a regular basis that can have long-term benefits.
The people who will have the most dramatic effects, in the beginning, will be those who can replace a morning coffee or soda with lemon water.
As with any new addition to your diet, I recommend giving it a minimum of 2 weeks to see what positive benefits you’re getting.
We’re so used to instant gratification in almost everything we do, so when it comes to a healthy diet and exercise it can be easy to get discouraged if we don’t see results in a few days.
Bryn Carden
Let’s face it; no one actually wants to substitute celery for a cupcake. The thought of having to restrain from the urge to indulge in delicious, unhealthy foods makes dieting not only miserable but tough to stick to in the long run. There are countless dieting books with hundreds of different methods for a reason: because dieting is not a sustainable option to get healthy and stay healthy.
Previously awarded Miss Kemah Teen USA, Bryn Carden makes promoting health, wellness, and body positivity one of her missions in life. She agrees that the concept of dieting and its initial restricting mindset is step one in the wrong direction. That is why Carden says that the best diet is an anti-diet or an approach to health and dieting that revolves around choosing more nutrient-dense foods. Here are five reasons why the best diet ironically is an anti-diet.
Though the term anti-diet seems to equate to anti-health, it is far from such a comparison. An anti-diet promotes pursuing well-being without revolving around the idea of weight loss. It helps those who want to get healthy to do so in the direction opposing the dangers and harms of dieting. Dieting restrictions lead people to experience more discomfort, which spirals into more eating, ultimately falling into a destructive cycle of going on a diet and failing. The ideals backing up an anti-diet are evidence-based, diet-culture-free interventions such as the paradigm called Health At Every Size.
According to Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN, author of Anti-Diet, there is something called “diet-culture” that promotes unhealthy Western ideals that essentially put thinness on a pedestal and regards such a figure as identical to the best shape of health. She points out that no person ever starts on a diet thinking that they are beautiful and perfect. In fact, the mindset surrounding beginning a diet is entirely negative and does not promote body positivity outlooks, which is another factor in the many reasons dieting is not sustainable.
As most marketing involves manipulation, it is no different with diet trends and fads. Companies looking to make money from people suffering under diet-culture stigmatization promote dieting products as simple ways to finally reach the desired Western-loved thin look to achieve a healthy state. At the end of trying one diet, when people fail at that program or meal plan they just invested into, they look to the next solution another company might offer, spending money once again just to end up in the same place.
Why does dieting increase hunger and cravings so drastically? Dieting is a type of starvation, which means people go through a calorie deficit. The human body responds to calorie deprivation by decreasing the satiety hormone leptin and increasing the hormone that sparks hunger called ghrelin. The body reacts in this way because it is programmed to survive, and when a body senses it is not getting the proper amount of fuel through food, metabolic rates will decrease, making weight loss harder.
Diets, in general, are not beneficial for mental health. The repercussions the mind goes through when restricting what foods to choose that fit with a diet’s demands can cause anxiety in social settings and or depression behind closed doors.
Bryn Carden is a versatile young entrepreneur with a deep sense of compassion and the desire to help make the world a better place. Carden leads other women by example with a kind, compassionate and authentic approach, promoting health and wellness, strong ambition, and generosity. She is a proud Miss Kemah Teen USA, inspiring others with her beauty, positive attitude, and love for people. When she has free time, Bryn can be found modeling, traveling, skiing, paddle boarding, exercising, and spending time with her friends and family.
By Tyler Durden | ZeroHedge
Overwhelmed supply chains and truck driver shortages worsened when Canada imposed new border mandates prohibiting unvaccinated American truckers. With low vaccination rates among US drivers, Canadian supermarkets are already reporting rising food inflation and shortages of certain products, according to Bloomberg.
Canada’s vaccine mandate for truckers came into effect on Saturday. The new rule requires US truckers to be vaccinated to cross the border. We warned earlier this week such a mandate would have “consequences.”
The vaccine mandate has exacerbated the shortage of truck drivers and made wait times at border crossings even longer. Eighty percent of trade between the US and Canada is transited by truck. America exports about 90% of Canada’s fruits and vegetables during the winter season. As shipments decline because only about half of US truck drivers are vaccinated, grocery stores report shortages.
“We’re seeing shortages,” said Gary Sands, senior vice president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. “We’re hearing from members they’re going into some stores where there’s no oranges or bananas.’”
The main concern is the mandate could create a domino effect and ripple through the already stressed supply chain. Logistical disruptions have been a significant source of soaring inflation. According to North American Produce Buyers, the cost of sending a truckload of fresh produce from Southern California to Canada is now $9,500, up from $7,000. That means companies are paying more for freight and will pass on costs to consumers.
Given the drop in eligible truckers, products bound for Canada will build in US warehouses with no place to go until new drivers are seen.
The situation will only worsen on Jan. 22 when the US begins imposing its vaccine mandate on Canadian truckers. The Canadian Trucking Association warned the mandate would sideline up to 16,000 truckers.
Canadian truck drivers are furious with the US decision and have blocked the highway near the US-Manitoba international border to protest the new mandates. Videos posted on social media show the chaos playing out on the other side of the border.
https://twitter.com/Based__UK/status/1483403560129904641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1483403560129904641%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.activistpost.com%2F2022%2F01%2Fsupermarkets-report-food-shortages-after-canada-imposes-trucker-vax-mandate.html
Here is another. pic.twitter.com/HEzKK0V8SF
— Amy (@zestydeplorable) January 18, 2022
Cross-border vaccine mandates will only make the supply chain more stressed to the point where it might break.
Source: Mercola.com
Researchers from Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan, recently released data1 after studying the gut microbiome of centenarians living in Japan. What they discovered was a unique bacterium that produced a type of bile acid, which seemed to be common to most of the study participants.
People have been searching for the proverbial Fountain of Youth for centuries.2 Alexander the Great was said to have discovered a river of paradise in the fourth century BC. Similar legends have been told in England, Japan and Polynesia. But likely one of the most famous is that of Ponce de Leon, who received a contract from the King of England to settle an island called Bimini.
In 1513, he set sail with three ships and anchored off the eastern coast of Florida. Not long after his death, he was linked with the Fountain of Youth. In his later years, author Mark Twain noted that “life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.”3
Through the ages, there have always been hopes that a cure would be discovered for aging, whether it was the magical waters of the Fountain of Youth or stem cell research. Yet, as I’ve written in the past years, this magical fountain is likely closer than you think.
Data from the research team in Japan were published in the journal Nature.4 They noted that the centenarians displayed a decreased susceptibility to illnesses associated with the elderly, namely illnesses, chronic inflammation, and infectious diseases.5
The researchers analyzed fecal samples from 160 centenarians living across Japan. The average age of the individuals was 107 years. They compared the gut microbiome found in the fecal samples to that of another 112 people in their 80s and to another 47 participants who were younger.
The goal was to look for differences in the gut microbiome that may help explain the differences in inflammation and chronic disease noted between the groups. The researchers began with an understanding that the gut microbiomes of centenarians likely have a higher diversity of core microbiota as found in a study of residents in Sardinia, Italy, who had lived more than 100 years.6
Functional analysis of the gut microbiota in the study from Italy showed a high capacity for central metabolism and gut microbiota that was “low in genes encoding enzymes involved in the degradation of carbohydrates.”7
The recent study from Japan looked at the differences in the bacterial species present in the gut microbiomes of each group and analyzed the type of compounds the gut microbiome produced.
The researchers hope that by identifying the bacterial communities that support longevity and health, it may be possible to correct imbalances that would prevent disease and improve health in other people.
However, it’s also important to remember that the gut microbiome is complex and sensitive. Past research has shown that changes in what you eat can rapidly alter the composition of your gut microbiome.8,9 However, as you may imagine, reaching an age over 100 is not common, so the data collected from these individuals may help identify health practices that reduce disease.
While some of the participants exhibited low levels of inflammation, ScienceAlert reports the researchers wrote that “the majority of centenarians were free of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension [high blood pressure], and cancer.”10
Over the course of two years, as the fecal samples were collected, the type of bacterial community in the centenarians remained stable. However, the study did not look at other lifestyle factors, such as diet. On further analysis, the researchers found that the centenarians had a group of bacteria (Odoribacteraceae) that reliably produced a bile acid called isoallo-lithocholic acid (isoalloLCA).
The research team did further experiments which showed that the bile acid produced by Odoribacteraceae could inhibit the growth of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) in a lab culture. Using an animal study, they also found the same bile-producing strain of bacteria could reduce the amount of C. difficile infected mice shed below detectable levels.
This suggested to the researchers that this strain of bacteria could help ward off infection with C. difficile. Scientists are finding the bile acids may be a new class of intestinal hormones that do more than aid in digestion.
Research physiologist Kim Barrett from UC San Diego was not involved in the study. She believes that this work revealed more correlation than causality but also said:11 “It is certainly conceivable that manipulating concentrations of specific bile acids, whether microbial or by giving them directly, could exert health benefits.”
Inflammation is at the core of many negative health conditions. This includes atherosclerosis,12 cardiovascular diseases, multimorbidity, and frailty.13 Researchers now call it inflammaging, which is “a condition characterized by elevated levels of blood inflammatory markers that carry high susceptibility to chronic morbidity, disability, frailty, and premature death.”14
Inflammation affects people of all ages. For example, adults with obesity and children with skin and respiratory allergies all struggle with high degrees of inflammation in the body. Researchers understand that aging is complex and chronic information is a pervasive feature in the elderly.15
Inflammaging represents a significant mortality and morbidity risk factor and even low-grade inflammation observed in aging can result in dysregulation of the innate immune system and cell death.
Inflammation is also related to your mental health. In one study, researchers connected depressive symptoms and behavioral disorders strongly with chronic inflammation.16 For example, in melancholic depression, bipolar disorder and postpartum depression, white blood cells called monocytes express pro-inflammatory genes that provoke secretion of cytokines.17
At the same time, cortisol sensitivity goes down, which is important as it is a stress hormone that buffers against inflammation. Together, these inflammatory agents transfer information to your nervous system, typically by stimulating your vagus nerve, which connects your gut and brain.18
Prebiotic foods are the nutrients beneficial bacteria need to thrive. They are found primarily in fiber-rich foods, which is perfect because your gut bacteria thrive on indigestible fiber. In animal research,19 data showed dietary prebiotics had a significant effect on rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (nonREM) sleep cycles.
This may positively affect your sleep quality. Researchers studying the effect of probiotics on gut health and REM sleep found that the animals who ate the prebiotics had an increase in beneficial gut bacteria20 and excreted metabolites beneficial to brain health.21
Prebiotic foods include those high in indigestible fiber, such as asparagus, cashews, a fennel bulb, leeks, and snow peas.22,23 Although I highly recommend getting most of your nutrients from real food, probiotic supplements can be helpful when you’re unable to eat fermented foods.
For probiotics to do their job, you also need to optimize the conditions where they flourish, which means eating plenty of prebiotic foods. In other words, if you take a probiotic supplement and continue to eat a highly-processed diet with added sugars, you’re only feeding the potentially pathogenic bacteria in your gut since they love sugar.
On the other hand, pathogenic microbes do not thrive in the presence of fiber-rich foods or those with healthy fats, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. When the gut microbiome is unbalanced, it can affect the immune system, mental health, mood, and even brain function. In other words, it can raise the level of chronic inflammation in your body and speed the aging process.
Following are several key dietary components that will help you nourish your gut microbiome, thereby protecting yourself against a whole host of chronic diseases:
| Eliminate sugars and processed foods from your diet, as sugar feeds microbes known to have a negative influence on your health. |
| Implement a cyclical ketogenic diet. While nutritional ketosis will initially improve your gut microbiome, thanks to the elimination of excess sugars, in the long term, continuous ketosis may be problematic. To optimize your gut health, be sure to eat lots of fiber-rich vegetables and implement a cyclical ketogenic diet, where once or twice a week you increase the amount of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber). |
| Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods/prebiotics. There are two main types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Ideally, you need both on a regular basis. Soluble fiber, found in cucumbers, blueberries, beans, and nuts, dissolves into a gel-like texture, helping to slow down your digestion. |
| Insoluble fiber, found in foods like dark green leafy vegetables, green beans, celery, and carrots, does not dissolve and stays basically intact as it moves through your colon. By adding bulk to your stool, it helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. |
| Prebiotics are found primarily in fiber-rich foods, which is perfect because your good gut bacteria thrive on indigestible fiber. Inulin is one type of water-soluble fiber found in asparagus, garlic, leeks, and onions that helps nourish your beneficial gut bacteria. |
| Regularly consume traditionally fermented and cultured foods, which are loaded with a wide variety of healthy live bacteria. Healthy choices include lassi, kefir, natto, and various pickled fermentations of cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash, and carrots. |
| Consider a spore-based probiotic supplement, especially when taking a course of antibiotics. Sporebiotics are part of a group of derivatives of the microbe called bacillus. This genus has hundreds of subspecies, the most important of which is Bacillus subtilis.
Essentially, sporebiotics consist of the cell wall of bacillus spores, and they are a primary tool to boost your immune tolerance. Because sporebiotics do not contain any live Bacillus strains, only its spores — the protective shell around the DNA and the working mechanism of that DNA — are unaffected by antibiotics. |
| Antibiotics indiscriminately kill your gut bacteria, both good and bad, which is why secondary infections and lowered immune function are common side effects of taking antibiotics.
Chronic low-dose exposure to antibiotics through your food also takes a toll on your gut microbiome, which can result in chronic ill health and increased risk of drug resistance. Since they’re not destroyed by antibiotics, sporebiotics can more effectively help re-establish your gut microbiome. |
In this interview with David Sinclair, Ph.D., professor of genetics, and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, we discussed another important strategy to slow the aging process. Sinclair is the author of “Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To.”
In the interview, he talks about calorie restriction and intermittent fasting that affect two of the scientifically demonstrated strategies to suppress mammalian targets of rapamycin (mTOR)24 and the activation of autophagy.25 Fasting is not a revolutionary concept as it’s been practiced for more than 5,000 years.
However, researchers have only recently discovered the biochemical pathways affected by fasting. Another factor is limiting food to at least three hours before bedtime. This is because late-night eating increases your nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels that are important for a variety of bodily functions.26
As explained in the video, it also reduces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), which is the cellular battery of your cells and has the potential to recharge your antioxidants. When you eat close to bedtime you won’t be able to use the NADPH to burn calories and instead it is stored. However, to store them, you have to create fat.
Another strategy we discuss in the video is that the ideal time to do your strength training is in a fasted state, just before your first meal after a 16- or 18-hour fast. This helps boost your growth hormone that is already activated from fasting and increases the maximum benefit of exercise.
As you may surmise, you cannot simply take a supplement or two and live a long life while eating junk food and being inactive. While researchers from the study in Japan demonstrated centenarians have a unique gut microbiome, it is simply impossible to use just one strategy to lead a long and healthy life.
By | Need To Know
The FDA has allowed nanoparticles into the food supply under the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) provision, claiming that they are no more dangerous than their larger counterparts. Human trials for consumable nanotechnology are currently happening and are hidden in the public food supply. Animal studies show nanoparticles change the way our bodies absorb certain minerals.
Twenty states allow alkaline hydrolysis, known as ‘water cremation’ that is achieved by submerging a body in a solution of heated water and lye. After a matter of hours, everything but the bones dissolves into a liquid made up of water, salt, and other components that go down the drain. It is mixed with the sewer water and the bio-sludge is used for fertilizer in factory farms, gardens, schoolyards, and lawns to save the government money for toxic waste disposal.
Link for video: https://www.bitchute.com/video/OGVe3yfRWzfI/
Sources:
https://grist.org/food/nanoparticles-in-your-food-youre-already-eating-them/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/05/biosolids-toxic-chemicals-pollution
Purple veggies are delicious and pretty — and packed with nutrition. See why they should be on your plate.
Purple vegetables may be pretty, but they also have powerful health benefits. See why and get mouthwatering recipes for 10 purple vegetables.
The color purple often symbolizes royalty and magic. And lately, purple vegetables have been popping up in more places.
You might have seen shades of purple in your grocery store or local farmers’ market — from vibrant purple cauliflower to the darker skins of purple potatoes.
But are these colorful veggies really worth seeking out and including in your regular meals? Should you become passionate about naturally hued purple foods?
Let’s Take A Look At Why Some Vegetables Are Purple
Purple foods are nothing new. In fact, you’ve likely been eating some purple vegetables since childhood.
And purple veggies have been around for a long time. Some vegetables are naturally purple, like eggplant.
And some are purple because farmers bred them to be colorful, like purple cauliflower. For thousands of years, humans have been tweaking the genetics of foods — naturally!
The process is called selective breeding. Unlike genetically modifying foods, it’s a slower process. Farmers select and grow crops with desired traits over time.
Should You Eat More Purple Vegetables?
The deep purple color of fruits and veggies is usually a sign these foods have a good dose of antioxidants.
A particular type of antioxidant called anthocyanins gives plants (including flowers) their vivid violet colors. (They also give red foods, like tomatoes, and blue foods, like blueberries, their colors.)
Anthocyanins protect purple vegetables from sunlight damage, cold temperatures, and other stressors. And they attract pollinators, like bees and butterflies.
They also can help protect and heal your cells from damage and protect you from many lifestyle diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
For centuries, people have used anthocyanins in herbal medicines (from dried leaves, berries, roots, and seeds).
And mixtures and extracts with anthocyanins have been used for a wide range of health conditions. Including everything from hypertension and liver disorders to kidney stones and urinary tract infections — and the common cold.
4 More Reasons to Eat More Purple Foods
Anthocyanins have a wide range of health-promoting benefits.
Science is showing that they are:
Researchers haven’t focused on anthocyanins as much as other flavonoids, so even more benefits could be found.
Are Purple Vegetables Healthier?
Some purple vegetables have more health benefits compared to the same veggies in other colors — at least for some nutrients.
For example:
Of course, you shouldn’t switch to only eating purple foods.
Eating a variety of colorful foods every day is best. But do include purple ones! And here’s how…
10 Purple Vegetables and How to Eat Them
Are you ready to play with more purple on your plate?
Even picky eaters might be tempted to try some of these colorful veggies.
1. Purple Cabbage — Also Known As Red Cabbage
You should be able to find purple cabbage fairly easily. And it’s one of the best healthy food bargains because it has the highest level of antioxidants per dollar.
Purple cabbage is also a cruciferous vegetable, so it gives you all the excellent health benefits of the brassica family — including fighting cancer, relief from depression, and more.
The leaves are thicker than green cabbage, but the taste is similar. You can easily substitute purple cabbage for green cabbage in recipes. You can even use purple cabbage to make visually appealing cabbage rolls with your favorite filling.
Purple cabbage goes well in salads. Try this Loaded Veggie Chopped Salad from Veggie Inspired.
This beautiful chopped salad is a perfect way to eat the rainbow. Almost every color of the spectrum is represented, including a heap of beautiful purple cabbage.
If you want to avoid sweeteners, you can leave the maple syrup out of the dressing. Or for an alternative, you can replace it with a soaked date and puree the dressing rather than whisk it together.
Or try this Red Cabbage Salad from Responsible Eating and Living. The homemade prune butter is easy to prepare and makes this salad extra special and delicious.
2. Purple Onion — You’ll Find Them Labeled As Red Onion
Next to purple cabbage, this is probably the most affordable and easiest-to-find purple vegetable out there.
A 2017 study published in Food Research International found that the combination of quercetin and anthocyanin makes purple (also known as red) onions powerful cancer-fighters.
You can use these onions in most recipes that call for sweet onions. The red onion may add color to your foods. For example, it will turn pickle brine hot pink.
Try this recipe for Easiest Quick Pickled Onions from What Great Grandma Ate.
Make some pickled onions and keep them in your fridge — they might even become one of the healthy staple foods you keep on hand all the time.
They add depth and flavor to many savory dishes. Add them to sandwiches in place of raw onions. Spoon them over chili. Or use them in your next Buddha bowl.
Fruit salsas are a versatile condiment. And they’re a great way to bring an abundance of flavor to any dish. You can scoop this pineapple salsa onto tacos, burgers, and salads.
3. Purple Carrots — Now Available in More Stores and Markets
You might be surprised to learn that carrots weren’t always orange.
They were domesticated in the Afghanistan region about a thousand years ago, at which time they were purple and yellow. Orange carrots didn’t arrive until the 1500s.
Purple carrots became available again because scientists discovered that purple carrots have special genes that orange carrots don’t. These genes make them more resistant to diseases and pests.
Purple carrots, ranging from dark violet to reddish-purple, can have an intensely sweet and sometimes peppery flavor.
They are a beautiful addition to salads and veggie plates — they have bright orange, yellow, or white cores when you cut them. But you can also cook them and use them in a variety of recipes without having a big impact on the flavor.
Try this recipe for Za’atar Spiced Rainbow Carrots from Plants-Rule.
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend of zingy sumac, protein-packed sesame seeds, and earthy thyme. You can find za’atar spice mix at most grocery stores in the spice section, make your own blend, or order it online.
4. Purple Cauliflower — Bright and Beautiful
This purple vegetable is showing up on more and more store shelves, as consumer demand for purple foods has increased. (You might also see lime green and orange-colored cauliflower.)
Purple cauliflower has 15% more antioxidants than the world-famous antioxidant-superstar, kale.
Purple cauliflower retains its color after cooking, and it’s said to have a milder flavor than white cauliflower, with a slightly sweeter, nuttier taste.
Cut it up and add it to salads for a delicious crunch.
Try this recipe for Ginger Raw Slaw with Beet and Cauliflower from Trinity’s Kitchen.
This salad has an irresistible red wine color. You can even turn this slaw into a main dish by serving it over quinoa or your favorite whole grain.
If you want to avoid sweeteners, you can leave out the raisins and the coconut nectar in the dressing. And be sure to choose organic or non-GMO versions of tamari or shoyu.
5. Purple Kale — More Intense Flavor Than Green or Black Kale
You may have seen purple kale, with its green leaves and purple stems. This veggie is grown for eating but also for ornamental purposes (many people find it stunningly beautiful).
Young, tender purple kale can be used in salads. And the more mature leaves are best when cooked (steaming works well).
Try this gorgeous Purple Kale and Pansy Salad from The View from Great Island.
When making this kale salad, be sure to remove the entire stem and spine from the leaves because they can be a little tough to chew. You can also massage the kale with the dressing with your hands to make it easier to chew.
If you want, you can use another sweetener in place of the honey, or leave it out. And to make it oil-free, leave out the oil.
6. Purple Potatoes — Purple Majesty, Purple Viking, and Purple Peruvian
Are purple potatoes healthy?
Substituting purple potatoes for white or yellow potatoes can also give you some anti-inflammatory benefits.
See more about the purple potato effect in this video from Michael Greger, MD:
Purple potatoes can also be heart-healthy. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that they can help lower blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Purple potatoes are usually smaller than regular potatoes. And you should keep the skin on the get the most benefits.
Try this Purple Potato Salad from Kimberly Snyder.
This bright purple potato salad has a creamy avocado dressing. Plus, even more, purple power from the red (purple) onions.
And don’t worry about leaving this on the counter or table for a few hours. The acid from the mustard and the lemon juice will keep the dressing green as it sits.
7. Purple Sweet Potatoes — A Spectacularly Healthy Choice
Vibrant on the inside, purple potatoes are a dietary staple food in Okinawa— an island off the coast of Japan that is a blue zone (one of the regions where people live the longest and healthiest lives).
Okinawans’ long lives are credited primarily to their whole-foods, plant-based diet. But purple sweet potatoes are part of what makes them so healthy. In fact, traditionally, Okinawans derived up to 60% of their total calories from sweet potatoes.
Purple sweet potatoes have a similar taste to orange sweet potatoes, but they’re a bit less sweet. They have a lower glycemic rating, which is particularly good for diabetics and pre-diabetics.
And here’s a cool fact: Food chemists are using purple potatoes as a natural food dye and an alternative to toxic, synthetic food dyes.
Try these Purple Sweet Potato Patties from Green Evi.
These versatile purple veggie burgers can be eaten hot or cold.
Or try this Slow Cooker Purple Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew from Lucy at Baking Queen 74.
This cozy stew is easy to make and could be a perfect dinner. The recipe calls for a particular vegetable bouillon powder, but you can substitute your preferred bouillon or vegetable broth.
8. Purple Asparagus — Sweeter And A Beautiful Violet Color
The purple variety is less bitter and slighter sweeter than green asparagus. Enjoy it raw in salads (sprinkle with lemon juice or vinegar to boost the color) or cooked (though it loses most of its purple color when heated.)
Try this Shaved Purple Asparagus Salad from Strength and Sunshine.
Strips of purple asparagus are perfect alongside buckwheat noodles (which can be found gluten-free) in an Asian-inspired vinaigrette.
If you want, you can replace the oil in the dressing with an extra teaspoon of brown rice vinegar. Also, be sure to choose organic or non-GMO corn when shopping for this salad.
9. Purple Brussels Sprouts — Fun If You Can Find Them
While they are hard to grow and can be difficult to find, purple Brussels sprouts have an almost-broccoli-like sweetness.
The purple color won’t be lost during cooking (though it will fade). But be careful not to overcook because the leaves aren’t as tightly packed so this variety won’t take as long as the green ones.
Try roasting or steaming them.
10. Eggplant — A Glossy, Purple Food
A more exciting vegetable than you probably think, eggplant can add toothsome texture and flavor to your meals.
The anthocyanins and other nutrients are in the skin. So be sure to keep the skin on when using eggplant. Also, make sure it’s ripe. The ripe eggplant is a bit soft to the touch and white (not green) on the inside.
Try this Eggplant “Parmesan” Made with Pecans from Katie Mae at Plantz St.
Instead of breading and deep-frying eggplant slices, this plant-based eggplant “parmesan” gets its crunch from broiled potatoes.
Or try this Quick & Easy Ratatouille from A Virtual Vegan.
Ratatouille is a comfort food and a great way to enjoy eggplant and other delicious veggies. Use it as a sauce, serve it as a side dish, or spoon it over a baked potato or sweet potato.
When shopping for this recipe, keep an eye out for organic or non-GMO zucchini because conventional zucchini can sometimes be genetically modified.
How to Find Purple Foods
Look for purple vegetables at grocery stores, natural foods stores, and your local farmers’ market.
In addition to the veggies above, you might see others, like purple spinach, purple artichoke, and purple kohlrabi — or even purple snow peas.
But if you want to avoid GMOs, consider that some purple tomatoes are genetically modified. (However, not all purple tomatoes are GMO. For example, one type, Indigo Rose tomatoes, is naturally bred to be purple. So they aren’t genetically modified.)
To avoid purple GMO tomatoes, be sure to choose organic or organic seeds if you want to grow them — (although many growers aren’t impressed with growing the Indigo Rose tomatoes).
And if you have a hard time finding purple foods, don’t panic.
Many of the purple vegetables on this list have non-purple counterparts that also offer wonderful health benefits. If you only have veggies of other colors, you can still make recipes that call for the blue-violet varieties.
Even without that pop of purple, you’ll end up with a delicious, healthy, plant-powered dish. Eating more veggies of any color is always a win!
More Reason to Eat Them — Purple Vegetables Support Biodiversity
Eating purple also supports biodiversity.
Industrial agriculture tends to favor single varieties of vegetables like orange carrots, russet potatoes, or white cauliflower. Vegetables are bred for uniformity using monocropping, rather than for diversity.
This practice puts our food security at risk. A particular pest or disease could come along that wipes out a particular variety. And if that variety is all there is, it could have a damaging impact on food supplies.
Seed diversity contributes to a more resilient food system for all.
Purple Power!
Purple isn’t only the color for royalty. Now you can see why everyone can benefit from eating more purple foods.
If you love purple as much as I do — or you just want to liven up your plate — how will you add more purple foods to your meals?