In July, produce of all kinds is at its best! Here are 5 fruits and veggies that shouldn’t be overlooked. Apricots – with all the melons and berries bursting onto the markets, don’t forget about the stone fruits, especially apricots. These diminutive, smooth fruits often get overlooked, and there’s more to do with them aside […]
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‘It’s high time for you to give fermented foods a try.’
A minute had passed but Yasmin was still looking at me with an ‘OMG she’s gone crazy!’ bewildered look on her face.
I had just told her that it was high time for her to introduce fermented foods in her diet.
I get it.
The words ‘fermented food’ usually conjure up images of spoiled foods with maggots oozing out from everywhere. At least that’s what many patients have told me.
But don’t be spooked – fermented foods are absolutely delicious. And if you prepare them properly, you won’t get any maggot infestation.
Now you’re probably thinking ‘Why the heck would I want to eat or make fermented foods?’ Well, because the store-bought versions are super expensive and barely hold any nutritional value. That’s because most commercial fermented foods are pasteurized.
In this article, you’ll learn why fermented foods are your health allies and how to make your own for a few bucks.
Did you know that people have been fermenting foods for centuries?
If you’re into historical facts, the following is just for you:
Granted, back in the days, our ancestors would use fermentation mostly to preserve and prepare foods. However, in 76 C.E., the Romans suggested that consuming more fermented milk could reduce gastrointestinal infections .
Moreover, as from the first century C.E. to the late 18th century, travelers have been relying greatly on fermented cabbage (known as ‘sauerkraut’) to keep intestinal infections at bay. They also used to consume fermented foods to reduce the risks of scurvy, a disease caused by a vitamin C deficiency.
During fermentation, the natural bacteria and certain yeasts present in the food start feeding on the sugar or starch present in that food. During their feast, these microorganisms convert this sugar or starch into lactic acid through a process known as lacto-fermentation.
– You’ve probably experienced vinegar fermentation if you ever left a bottle of wine open for too long. Or if you’ve tried apple cider vinegar, wine vinegars, or coconut vinegar. In a nutshell, when alcohol is exposed to oxygen, a family of bacteria known as Acetobacter convert the alcohol into acetic acid, or vinegar, through a process known as vinegar fermentation.
– During this type of fermentation, yeasts convert the sugars in fruits into alcohol and carbon dioxide in an oxygen-free environment. For instance, fermenting the natural sugars in sugarcane will yield rum.
– Legumes such as soybeans are often exposed to specific bacteria that ‘pre-digest’ the food to produce a product (like tempeh). The fermented product is easier to digest and is often used as a meat substitute.
– This type of fermentation, which originated in Asia, involves soaking, mashing, and cooking certain grains and legumes (like soybeans) before fermenting them to prepare sauces and pastes. Examples include soy sauce, Vietnamese mam, Malaysia belachan, Indonesian trassi, miso, and shoyu.
– These foods typically have a strong smell since the raw ingredients release ammonia when they are fermented. Examples include Japanese natto made from cooked soybeans and ugba from African oil beans.
– Since over 6,000 years ago, naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria known as Lactobacilli were used to ferment grains like wheat ! The fermentation allows the dough to rise and creates a slightly sour dough.
– This type of fermentation, described above, provides the most health benefits. As such, this article will focus mainly on lactic acid fermented foods.
Why would anyone want to ferment foods when we can now easily refrigerate and cook foods?
Simple: fermented foods add flavor to the diet while also preserving the food and detoxifying it. Moreover, unlike pasteurization which kills off beneficial bacteria and enzymes, fermentation enriches the food by increasing these bacteria and enzymes.
Plus, they also have various health benefits which I will briefly describe below.
If you’ve read my previous articles, you’re probably aware that a lack of stomach acid is behind most digestive issues (read heartburn, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, belching, and acid reflux).
Consuming fermented foods can help the stomach produce more acid and digestive enzymes that are crucial for optimal digestion.
What about if you’re one of the very few people who has too much stomach acid? Well, fermented foods could prove to be a great addition to your diet as well.
You see, the beneficial bacteria (known as probiotics) in these foods will help protect your stomach and intestinal lining while toning down inflammation.
Moreover, consuming fermented foods can help your body produce more acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter or brain chemical). This acetylcholine can help make things move better in your bowel and thus alleviate constipation.
Lab studies indicate that Lactobacillus acidophilus, probiotics found in certain fermented foods can help reduce formation of polyps, adenomas (benign tumors), and colon cancer.
Lactobacillus salivarius, another probiotic, has been found to suppress AND eradicate Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria behind many incidences of stomach ulcers and cancer.
Besides improving the function of the pancreas, probiotics can boost immune function which often declines when blood sugar levels are uncontrolled.
And the weaker your immune system is, the more likely your blood sugar levels will be out of whack.
Moreover, the sugars and starches in fermented foods are ‘pre-digested’. As such, they do not put extra burden on the pancreas.
An increasing number of studies are showing that probiotics can:
As mentioned earlier, fermentation improves enzyme function. This can, in turn, make it easier for your body to extract and use nutrients in the food you consume.
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“Ugly produce” — that is, recovered fruits and vegetables deemed too imperfect enough for market — could be a key to fighting hunger. Especially now that organizations like Hungry Harvest are taking this intransigent yet solvable problem into their hands. Did you know that 6 billion pounds of produce goes to waste each year in the […]
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You may have heard that certain teas, especially green teas, may have what can only be described as magical powers. It comes from a plant, so it’s extremely healthy. It has the potential to discourage you from snacking on sweets you shouldn’t even be thinking about. However, adding cream and sugar to your tea all but totally cancels out all its benefits. That’s why you need to try matcha. This green tea is unlike any other green tea you’ve tried before.
Matcha tea is made from the leaves of tea plants. These leaves are finely ground and added to hot water. Whisking this mixture together creates a creamy, slightly foamy drink you won’t believe is made up of only leaves and water.
But it isn’t just simple to make: it’s extremely beneficial to drink. Here are eight benefits of your new favorite drink.
When you eat certain foods, various materials end up in your bloodstream. Your blood then transports these materials to cells that need them. Sugar, for example, needs to go to cells in your body to give them energy. So does fat. Cholesterol is also present in the bloodstream, as it is necessary in your body to make certain hormones.
When you have too much fat and/or cholesterol in your bloodstream, it can gradually begin to accumulate in your arteries, forming a hard substance called plaque.
Your heart’s arteries are responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood to your organs and tissues. Think of them as your body’s “pipes” that carry blood from the heart to where it needs to go, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now imagine what would happen if, over time, the sides of those pipes started to collect gunk left over from whatever has been passing through them. It would become harder for those pipes to transport materials from one place to another. They would become much narrower, slowing down transport significantly. They might even become clogged.
That’s what happens when your arteries fill with plaque — and it can have terrible consequences, like heart attack and stroke.
Matcha could help prevent plaque buildup in your arteries. Drinking matcha regularly can help keep your arteries clear to make sure they can distribute your blood to your body’s various systems without delay. Clear arteries significantly lower your risk of developing certain types of heart disease.
Let’s clear something up before we go any further. Drinking tea alone will not magically cause sudden weight loss. Green tea can play a role in a healthy weight loss plan (more on that in a second). But drinking matcha, and making no other lifestyle changes, is not going to get you the results you want. Incorporating matcha into your day can, however, contribute to much bigger, positive things going on inside your body over a period of many months.
Matcha contains an antioxidant called EGCG, which could convince your body to break down fat over time. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that drinking more matcha tea will cause you to burn more fat. It doesn’t really work like that. But depending on how much weight you have to lose, a single cup of matcha per day could eventually start to make a difference.
This tea is also made strictly from the leaves of a plant. Plants are naturally high in fiber, which is one reason why this is definitely the tea to drink if you want to lose weight. Fiber is a slow releasing carbohydrate. This just means that it releases sugar into your bloodstream slowly. Without any sudden spikes or drops in blood sugar, you are much less likely to feel intense cravings toward certain foods, especially junk foods. Eating less than you normally do — especially when you are cutting out junk food — becomes an almost effortless endeavor.
On another note, matcha is extremely low in calories. You’re basically just drinking tea leaves. As long as you aren’t adding anything else to it, you are not drinking anywhere near the amount of calories you might find in, say, a Starbucks Frappuccino. This tea does not contain any added sugars, syrups, or any type of milk. It’s literally just ground leaves whisked into water to create a delicious, seemingly miraculous green formula of wonder.
What is your natural reaction when you are stressed to the point of no return? Do you lay your head down on your keyboard and count to 100? Reach for the nearest bag of chips after a particularly unproductive conference call? Make a steaming hot cup of matcha tea before bed? If you are already doing that last one to combat stress, props to you. Whether you knew it already or not, matcha actually has a natural calming effect on some people. There are actually chemical compounds in it that can relieve your stress — even though we’re not exactly sure yet how that happens.
Matcha contains an amino acid called L-theanine. According to research, the combination of caffeine and L-theanine in matcha could actually have a legitimate calming effect on you. Scientists still are not entirely sure what causes this effect. Especially since caffeine is best known for its stimulating effects. It would normally have the opposite effect on your mind and body. Self-reported results aren’t always the most reliable, so more future research may or may not confirm the possible science here.
Still, what we do know for sure is that opting for a cup of matcha instead of a candy bar or a glass of wine acts as a much healthier alternative. You can de-stress and unwind without having to completely ruin your diet or your inhibition.
Over time, your body breaks down. This is simply part of the aging process. The longer you spend on the planet, the more subtle damage your body suffers just due to existing. While you can’t prevent this, you can take small steps — like drinking green tea — to protect yourself from its potentially harmful effects.
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Despite being part Irish, my family never really did anything to celebrate St. Patty’s day while growing up. There was no Irish soda bread, no corned beef and cabbage, no colcannon. Since it’s turned into a bit of a foodie holiday, I wanted to make something to celebrate my Irish heritage a few years ago, […]
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Have you heard? The National Cancer Institute, a member of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, recommends consuming 5 portions of fresh fruits and vegetables everyday. And they recommend sprouts as a good way to help you achieve that goal. We’ll explore the many healthy benefits of sprouts here; they’re also easy to grow at […]
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Sweet-and-sour soba noodles embellished with with asparagus and fresh tomatoes makes a lovely spring or early summer dinner dish. Serve with a simple tofu dish such as Sweet and Savory Sautéd Tofu, and a platter of raw veggies. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. Serves: 4 to 6 8-ounce package soba (buckwheat) noodles 1 tablespoon safflower or […]
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Cold Asian noodles filled with crisp veggies and flavored with a gently pungent sauce — could anything be better for a summer evening’s meal? We think not. Okay, there could be some other contenders, like cold soups and leafy wraps, but if you’re craving Asian flavors without too much cooking and without doing take-out — yet […]
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The types and amounts of food you eat every day doesn’t just affect your health in the long-term. Everything you eat has an immediate effect on your blood sugar. How your body responds to a hormone called insulin often determines how healthy you are. Insulin sensitivity — or lack thereof — can destroy your health over time. It can give you diabetes, elevate your blood pressure, and raise levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. Let’s look at what insulin sensitivity it, and everything you can do to improve it.
The purpose of eating food is to give your cells energy. Your body uses and stores energy in the form of glucose. After a meal, your body converts what you’ve eaten into usable energy. When glucose (sugar) enters your bloodstream as your food digests, your blood sugar rises. This signals to your pancreas that it’s time to make insulin.
Insulin is the hormone your pancreas produces to take sugar out of your blood and transport it to your cells where it’s needed. Once sugar leaves your bloodstream, your blood sugar drops back down to a normal level — approximately less than 140 mg/dl two hours after eating.
How much insulin your body needs to make in order to control your blood sugar depends on your level of insulin sensitivity, or how readily your cells accept the sugar insulin has to offer. High insulin sensitivity requires smaller amounts of insulin; low insulin sensitivity requires more. Low insulin sensitivity, unfortunately, can cause a number of other problems down the line.
In some people, the cells don’t respond as well to insulin as they’re supposed to. The more sensitive you are to insulin, the less insulin your body needs to make in order to metabolize glucose and keep your blood sugar within a safe range. When your cells don’t allow the proper delivery of insulin, sugar stays in your blood — which can raise your blood sugar to very high, sometimes dangerous levels. This is known as insulin resistance.
Low insulin sensitivity triggers a vicious cycle that can wear your pancreas out. When cells become insulin resistant, they no longer absorb the sugar in your blood. Thus, sugar starts to build up in your blood, raising your blood sugar.
High blood sugar forces your pancreas to make extra insulin to compensate for the sugar overload. But insulin-resistant cells still won’t use insulin properly regardless of how much insulin your pancreas tries to make. If you consistently consume high amounts of sugar, eventually, your pancreas just won’t be able to keep up with such a high demand for more insulin hormone. It might just stop producing insulin altogether.
Insulin resistance can eventually lead to diabetes, as well as organ and nerve damage. It can affect your blood pressure and cholesterol as well. Whether you have pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or you’re not in the danger zone yet, improving your insulin resistance can change your life. Here are a few things you can do to treat poor insulin resistance before it causes long-lasting damage.
Fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate. This basically means that, unlike straight sugar, fiber moves through your digestive system slowly. Fiber keeps you fuller for longer periods of time because when it does break down into a simpler sugar, that sugar enters your bloodstream slowly. This causes a much slower release of insulin, and doesn’t cause a drastic blood sugar spike. Keeping your blood sugar under control will help your cells readily absorb the sugar in your blood.
To get more fiber in your diet, eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of whole grains. Beans, nuts, and seeds — plant-based protein foods — are also excellent sources of dietary fiber.
Produce is one of the best sources of fiber you can find. Fruits and vegetables are also plant foods. Diets largely made up of plant-based sources of nutrition tend to lead to better insulin sensitivity. For a number of reasons, people who eat more fruits and vegetables are more likely to have consistent blood sugar readings within normal range.
If you can, eat the skin on all your fruits and vegetables, too. The peels of certain fruits, like avocados, bananas, and oranges, you obviously aren’t going to eat. But avoid peeling your apples, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. The skin contains most, but not all, produce’s fiber, and a large percentage of their vitamins and minerals. This is one reason why eating whole fruits and vegetables is still important, even though you can remove the skin when adding them to a smoothie. Consuming all the edible portions of a food ensures you’re getting all the nutrition, especially the fiber that keeps your blood sugar under control.
About 50 percent of your daily calories should come from carbs. For a large number of people, these don’t turn out to be good carbs. White bread, sugary beverages and cereals, candy, potato chips, and desserts are all high in sugar. Remember, eating a lot of sugar makes your pancreas work overtime. Fewer carbs, spread evenly throughout the day, helps insulin do its job without overwhelming the rest of your body.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should replace carbs with high-fat, high-calorie foods. You should first try to incorporate more protein and healthy fats into your diet, to balance out your macronutrient intake. Eating fewer simple-carbohydrate foods, like candy and other junk foods, will really help maintain your blood sugar and improve your insulin sensitivity.
Added sugars — the kind of sugar added to foods during processing — are a major contributor to poor insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes risk factors. The problem is, many junk foods that have added sugars in them are much higher in sugar per serving than a piece of fruit or a bowl of whole grain cereal. Just a serving or two of potato chips can send your blood sugar through the roof. Cutting back on your added sugar intake can make a huge difference.
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Summer is officially here. Did you know that animal agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to a warming planet? That’s why we’re presenting these early summer vegan dinner ideas — eating this way is better for the earth and better for you! This PSA aside, our menus this week require not a single burner to […]
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If you have yet to discover banana ice cream, you’re in for a treat. Here are VegKitchen’s favorite frozen banana ice cream recipes — creamy and luscious with that can be like soft serve or served in scoops, just like any other ice cream. They’re vegan and have no added sugar. All in all, a […]
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Have you discovered banana ice cream? If not, it’s high time you did! Vegan frozen banana strawberry ice cream is made entirely with fruit — no dairy, no added sugar. Enjoy like soft serve or in scoops — a guilt-free treat for kids of all ages! For this, you don’t need an ice cream machine; […]
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Banana ice cream is amazing. It’s hard to believe that this frozen treat is based almost entirely on banana. In this vegan banana ice cream recipe, peanut butter and a touch of chocolate add up to the classic combo of flavors you enjoy just as much in other desserts. Enjoy this in a bowl or […]
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If you’re a new vegan (or an aspiring one) you might be missing the heartiness of chicken salad, tuna salad, shrimp salad, and the like. Don’t give in to temptation — try this delectable tempeh sandwich spread or salad. Spiked with apples, celery, and pecans, this has all that umami and none of the animal […]
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Chia seed pudding has become a very popular dessert and breakfast option in the last few years. Here we have gotten together some of our favorite Chia seed pudding recipes for you to try.
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Is it true that a diet consisting mostly of cheeseburgers and fried chicken will significantly increase your risk of dying early? Well, technically, yes. While saturated fats aren’t the only reason, they’re a big contributor. Especially if you’re not eating enough healthy fats — found in a variety of foods, like nuts, fish, and plants.
Healthy fats are everywhere, and that’s a good thing. The more fatty foods you eat, the better your health will be. People who follow the Mediterranean diet are often healthier long-term because of its focus on plant-based foods, fish, and healthy oils. In reality, fat isn’t bad for you at all. It’s the type of fat, and how much fat you consume, that matters the most.
So what are the differences between the two main types of fat? What makes healthy fats so healthy, and which foods are the most beneficial sources? Learn all this, plus how to balance your fat intake. Not all fat is bad. A mix of different foods is your best bet at living a long, healthy life. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know.
You’ve probably heard plenty of times before not to eat fat, especially something called saturated fat. Are all types of fat as dangerous and bad for your health as people say? There’s a lot of confusion surrounding dietary fat, and a lot of misinformation, too. This is likely because people mostly talk about saturated fat — the “bad” type of fat. They don’t talk quite as much about unsaturated fats — the “good” types of fat.
There are major differences between the different types of fat. One comes from animals, while the other comes from plants. One can raise your blood cholesterol, while the other can lower it. Their properties have different effects on your health. To understand why healthy fats are so good for you, you need to understand why unhealthy fats, well … aren’t.
This type of fat, called saturated fat, comes from animal sources, coconut, and palm oils. Saturated fat, solid at room temperature, raise total blood cholesterol as well as the amount of “bad” cholesterol, which is why too much can harm your health. As we will discuss later in this article, unsaturated fats can be harmful if eaten regularly in large amounts, but they’re not the sole cause of heart disease.
Unlike saturated fat, unsaturated fats come primarily from plant sources, such as seeds or nuts, and are liquid at room temperature. These fats are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, which is what you will often see listed among a food label’s ingredients if they’re present. They lower total blood cholesterol levels, sometimes raising the amount of “good” cholesterol.
There is technically a third type of fat, called trans fat. Thankfully, more and more food manufacturers have begun removing trans fat from their products. The FDA no longer recognizes artificial trans fats as safe for human consumption. Though it can’t hurt to check your food labels just in case, you won’t find harmful trans fats in most of your go-to foods.
The differences between the different types of fat aren’t as simple as: “Saturated fat is bad, unsaturated fat is good. Eat less fat and you’ll be fine.” You can’t just stop eating fat altogether and expect to be able to maintain your health for very long. Your body needs fat for energy, for metabolism, for keeping you alive. It’s not just about eating less saturated fat. You also have to eat more unsaturated fat, to take advantage of all its many health benefits.
High-density lipoproteins, or HDL, has a very specific job inside your body. You have two types of cholesterol in your blood, LDL and HDL. LDLs, if there are too many of them, can cause heart problems. That’s where HDL comes in. Think of HDLs as microscopic garbage trucks. They find excess LDLs in your blood, pick them up, and carry them to your liver for disposal. Therefore, HDLs lower the amount of potentially harmful LDLs in your system, lowering your cholesterol. And what’s the benefit of that, you might ask?
Excess LDL cholesterol in your blood — and not enough HDL — can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries. This, of course, can cause heart disease, heart attack, and stroke in some people. Your heart depends on your arteries to be able to pump blood easily throughout your body. When your arteries are coated in plaque, your heart has to work harder to get its job done. This stresses and tires it out, which might even eventually cause it to fail completely.
Foods high in unsaturated fats aren’t just good for your heart. Mayo Clinic suggests a diet that includes healthy fats might reduce your type 2 diabetes risk. This may in part be because many foods containing healthy fats are also often high in fiber, which can prevent your blood sugar from spiking. Processed foods, often high in saturated fats, often contain sugars that cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. Eating more foods with healthy fats in them, few of which are processed, is better for your blood sugar, and lowering your diabetes risk.
You likely already know the most prominent sources of saturated fats. Red meat, fried foods, and foods that come in bright, colorful packages are usually the food industry’s worst offenders. It’s easy to say you’re going to try to avoid those and go about your life as usual. What you probably didn’t know, though, is that many of the foods you’re already familiar with already contain healthy fats.
You know the benefits of healthy fats, and why it is important to do all you can to incorporate more of them into your diet. So here are some of the foods that are most commonly associated with higher amounts of healthy fats — plus their additional health benefits.
With each handful of nuts and/or seeds comes a healthy dose of fiber, protein, and of course, healthy fats. Fiber and protein both play similar roles in your body — helping you feel full before you have the chance to overeat. Fiber is a slow-digesting carbohydrate, which just means the sugar releases more slowly into your blood, giving you more long-lasting energy. Protein has an effect on certain hormones, which regulate your satiety (feelings of fullness). Protein, of course, is also an essential source of energy, and also helps athletes repair and build muscle after working out.
Dark chocolate provides a healthy source of healthy fats in small amounts. It is also packed with antioxidants, fiber, and flavanols, which can raise the level of good cholesterol in your blood. Dark chocolate will also give you antioxidants. Antioxidants can protect your body from the oxidative stress that comes with aging.
Fish are some of the best sources of healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids in particular, you can find. Wild salmon and tuna are especially good choices. Tuna in particular is good for your heart in a number of ways, helping to lower your blood pressure and reducing the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood.
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Creamy, rich kale pesto pasta perfection gets a pop of flavor from fresh cherry tomatoes. This easy recipe is sure to become a regular, ideal for a quick weeknight dinner — it only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. For a splurge, use walnuts instead of sunflower seeds. Recipe from Frugal Vegan: Affordable, Easy & Delicious […]
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When summer delivers ice cream weather, we turn to this brilliant three-ingredient recipe: chocolate banana ice cream — naturally vegan and low-fat. Just cut up the bananas, freeze and swirl with your favorite flavors. We have some real chocoholics under our roof, but you could use anything—frozen strawberries, blueberries or a little vanilla extract. Bonus […]
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This curried potato salad is a luscious combination of potatoes, lentils, and tomatoes — an offbeat change-of-pace from the standard varieties, and gets a nice protein boost from the lentils. It’s hearty enough to serve as a summer main dish with fresh corn on the cob. Add a cold summer soup for a larger meal. […]
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It may not quite be summer on the calendar today, but it’s just about here. With heat settling all over, the weather takes no notice of the date. A cool meal is most welcome at times like this. The only heat needed for this light and tasty dinner featuring our almost-famous chickpea sandwich spread is a […]
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It’s time to build a better bean salad! It’s a perfect dish for parties and picnics, as well as for providing extra protein for your everyday plant-based meals. To make a tasty and healthy bean salad, you don’t so much need a recipe but a blueprint, and that’s just what we’re going to give you […]
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Prepared polenta offers great ways to add variety to the dinner repertoire. One of our long-time faves is pan-grilled polenta topped with a simple combination of black beans and spinach. In addition to being the main dish of a light yet satisfying dinner, this can also be a hearty warm appetizer. There are a number […]
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The number of vegan kids has increased exponentially in recent years. Well-planned vegan diets are safe and offer health advantages, even for growing children. Talk to your practitioner and read up on the subject. Here are some practical tips for parents for dealing with everyday situations. Make sure to see the companion to this article by PCRM, […]
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