October 26, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Most people are accustomed to getting in their daily dose of vitamin C to keep their immune system in tip top shape and soaking up some sun (with SPF, of course) to get mood-boosting vitamin D. But once you get down the vitamin alphabet to K…well, its benefits are a bit less headline grabbing than its vitamin counterparts. Despite the PR problem, vitamin K is crucial for good health. “It aids with calcium absorption which is necessary for building strong bones and maintaining bone density,” says celebrity nutritionist and Well+Good Council member Kimberly Snyder, CN. Vitamin K is also essential for creating blood clots, she says, which prevents excessive bleeding from cuts, wounds, and other injuries. “Vitamin K also inhibits calcium from depositing in the arteries, known as vascular calcification, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” says nutritionist Stephanie Paver, MS, RD. There are two forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2. “Vitamin K1 is concentrated in green-colored vegetables,” Paver says. “Vitamin K2 is formed by bacteria in the human intestine and is also found in fermented foods.” “The National Institutes of Health recommends that women consume at least 90 mcg [micrograms] of vitamin K per day and that men consume 120 mcg,” Snyder says. If you eat a healthy diet comprised of lots of fruits and veggies, chances are you’re already hitting that daily recommendation. For example, one cup of raw spinach (145 mcg) or one cup of chopped raw broccoli
Category: Vegetarians
Take your Sweetgreen salad order to the next level with these dietitian-approved picks
October 25, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Trendy salad eatery Sweetgreen is a fast-casual haven for healthy eaters. Whatever location across the country you frequent, when you walk through the door, you’re immediately hit with a faint whiff of kale—and the sight of an out-the-door line if you go during peak hours. Maybe you’ve come to Sweetgreen because you’re an OAHE, aka an Over Achieving Healthy Eater. For you, it’s not enough to order a bowl full of greens; you want your compostable salad bowl to be filled with the most nutrient dense ingredients ever. (Hey, you’re shelling out $15 for this, you might as well get your money’s worth.) Because OAHEs often subscribe to a specific meal plan, I enlisted registered dietitian Karen Collins, RD, for advice on the healthiest salads to order for ketogenic, vegan, and Mediterranean diet eaters. Here, she shares her recs on what to get, whether you want to go with something on the menu as-is, or you want to build your own bowl. Keep reading to see her tips and get ready to walk out the door with the healthiest lunch ever. Ketogenic diet Menu picks: Guacamole greens; kale Caesar What an RD says: According to Collins, both the kale Caesar (a classic salad order if there ever was one) and the guacamole greens are great keto wins because they’re low carb, yet high in fiber and protein. The avocado in the guac greens adds healthy fats, and you can add one to the kale Caesar
Plant-based eaters can’t seem to agree on their stance on honey—so the Well+Good vegans weighed in
October 25, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC If you need proof that veggie-forward eating is on the rise, you don’t have to look very far—a quick Google search for “plant-based diet” will return hundreds of millions (!) of results. People tout the eating plan for being good for your health and the environment, but the “rules” about being a plant-based eater are a little murky (hence all those search results). Is plant-based the same as vegetarian? Or vegan? How much meat can you eat? And what about desserts? Among that litany of questions is one that has been dividing plant-based eaters since long before the diet was trending: honey or no honey? The official vegan stance is that honey is a no-go since it’s an animal product, but some vegans and other plant lovers are down with the sweet stuff. So which side is right? While we weren’t able to settle the debate (sorry), we did ask the vegans in the Well+Good office for their takes on a plant-based alternative. Pyure Organic Harmless Hunny is organic, sugar-free, high-fiber, and satisfies the craving for honey without involving bees since it’s made from plants. Because sometimes you’re just in the mood for something sweet—without a side of debate. Keep reading for these two plant-based Well+Good staffers’ perspective on vegan honey. Photo: Pyure Amanda Copping, account manager Copping was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance three years ago, which is when she switched to a plant-based diet. “Since PCOS is a hormone disorder,
There are more vegan and plant-based products than ever—but don’t assume they’re all healthy
October 24, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC From lentil- and chickpea-pastas and cauliflower-based everything to alternative milks (so. many. alt. milks.), it’s clear that plant-based eating is more than just a trend; it’s here for good. After a long-held belief that meat should be the focus of their meals, Americans are leaning in to the scientific research that repeatedly finds that a plant-forward diet is the healthiest way to eat and giving veggies more real estate on their plates. Of course brands have taken notice and for the most part, that’s awesome. There are more vegan products on the market than ever, making it easier for consumers to up their plant-consumption, even if they don’t want to (or can’t) eat all vegan all the time. However, dietitians have a PSA to healthy eaters: not all foods marketed as “vegan” or “plant-based” are legitimately healthy. “Companies often use terms that cast a health halo around their product,” registered dietitian Debbie Petitpain, RDN says. When it comes to food confusion, you could say using “vegan” and “plant-based” is the new “natural.” Why not all vegan and plant-based foods are healthy While the term vegan is pretty straightforward (indicating that animals weren’t used to make the product at all), registered dietitian Amy Kimberlain, RD, CDE, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics media spokesperson, says that “plant-based” is more nebulous, which adds to the confusion when shopping for healthy foods. “[Different people] have different definitions of what it means,” she says, adding that it’s
What you should know about sugar—according to a doctor
October 24, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC intro Today, the average American consumes almost 60 pounds of added sugar per year, which translates to about 17 teaspoons a day. Despite this mass overconsumption of sugar by Americans, it is well understood that eating too much sugar is bad for your health. It contributes to weight gain, cavities, acne and long-term health problems like type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver disease, heart disease, dementia, mood disorders, and metabolic issues. While most people know that sugar is not doing them any favors, the reality is much more serious than that: Sugar directly impacts your biology in addictive ways. Research presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual conference shows that sugar actually activates the reward center of your brain—the same one that lights up from cocaine and heroin. The stimulation of these neural pathways is reinforced every time we eat sweets and causes the brain to become increasingly hard-wired to crave sugar on a regular basis. Sugar directly impacts your biology in addictive ways. Even if you don’t think you eat a lot of added sugar, after you start to look at your diet, I bet you’ll find sugar is hiding in more places than you thought—like the smoothie you grabbed from the juice bar, the dressing at your go-to salad spot, the tomato sauce with your favorite dinner, and let’s not forget that after-dinner chocolate. If you just read that and thought, “Crap!” you’re not alone. It’s not your fault. We’ve all been
This naturally sweet 2-ingredient spread makes everything taste so much better
October 23, 2019 at 06:09PM by CWC We all know that apples, toast, chocolate, celery, and bananas are just a few foods made better when smothered in the silky-smooth goodness that is peanut butter. But not in my wildest dreams had I considered carrot peanut butter as a spread to make everything more delicious. Carrot peanut butter is a delightfully weird combination. Trust me, everyone absolutely loves the signature recipe from Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa. The hype is strong not just because it’s a lighter that but also because it’s even better for your body. Peanut butter alone gives you a hefty dose of plant-based protein at 7 grams per two tablespoon serving, as well as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other important nutrients. And when you blend in carrots, you’ll get some natural sweetness and extra health benefits to boot. “Carrots are terrific for you. For one, they help your vision: A cup of chopped carrots lands at more than the daily value for vitamin A, which is an important nutrient for your eyes,” says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “The orange gems also help keep you fuller for longer. In that one cup of carrots, you get a good amount of fiber—which, in addition to helping to keep you satiated, can be beneficial for your cholesterol.” Making this famous Carrot Peanut Butter recipe is simple. You just need carrots, peanut butter, and a food processor or blender. Then
A functional medicine doctor’s favorite healthy dinner recipe for easy weeknight eating
October 22, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Photo: Little Brown Spark Functional medicine practitioner Mark Hyman, MD, has become the go-to doc for demystifying what it means to eat healthy. His plant-forward food philosophy, which he dubbed pegan, isn’t anything complicated. At its core, it’s a combination of Paleo and vegan eating: “A pegan diet is low-glycemic, high in plant foods, low in sugar, and includes adequate protein for appetite control and muscle synthesis,” Dr. Hyman previously told Well+Good. With his new book, Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? ($23), Dr. Hyman aims to make healthy eating a bit easier (and less intimidating). Out today, the book has science-backed tips on how to eat—and cook—to reduce inflammation, and dozens of recipes for every meal, including snacks and dessert. When it comes to grocery shopping, Dr. Hyman says his first stop is the produce section. “Every single time I’m at the market I’m grabbing veggies,” he says. “I always recommend making 75 percent of your plate colorful non-starchy veggies, and this is the way I eat myself. I like to see what’s in season and what looks fresh, but some of my favorites right now are red kale, arugula, fennel, and wild mushrooms. This is a great time of year to get a variety of tasty winter squash and pomegranate, too, which I’ve really been enjoying.” Once he gets cooking, Dr. Hyman says extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sea salt, and all sorts of herbs are his most-used pantry items.
Why regenerative agriculture is the future of sustainable food
October 22, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Today’s agricultural practices—the cultivation of crops and livestock as well as deforestation to make room for more farmland—are responsible for an estimated one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The effects of industrial agriculture are quite visible, from the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico to the horrific (and government sanctioned) wildfires in the Amazon rainforest to make room for cattle ranchers. While organic farming has had an undeniably positive impact on the planet, we can do even more to reduce our carbon footprint by embracing organic’s offspring: regenerative agriculture. The transition has been a long time coming and is the result of a lot of hard work started many years ago, says Danielle Treadwell, PhD, an associate professor of agricultural sciences at the University of Florida who trains local farmers. “The visibility, attention, and interest in the term regenerative agriculture is widespread and gaining a lot of momentum,” says Jeffrey Mitchell, PhD, a cooperative extension specialist with the University of California at Davis Department of Plant Sciences. Here’s what’s behind the buzzword—and what it can potentially do for the planet. The history of the regenerative agriculture movement Organic farming laid the groundwork for the American regenerative agriculture movement, say experts. Organic farming is commonly attributed to J.I. Rodale, who came up with the term in the 1940s and founded the Rodale Institute. Most organic farming practices are also commonly used in regenerative agriculture, including reduced
7 delicious vegetarian slow cooker recipes that practically do the cooking for you
October 21, 2019 at 09:15PM by CWC Having a slow cooker is basically like having a private chef. You do the prepping in the morning by putting all the ingredients into the Crock-Pot or Instant Pot, and when you return home after work, there’s a healthy and delicious meal waiting for you—one you hardly remember putting together. Instead of trying to find the energy to cook yourself something after a long day, dinner is served. Vegetarian slow cooker recipes are the easiest way to add more plant-based dishes into your routine. When you load it up with veggies and spices and let those flavors get to know each other throughout the day, you’ll be left with a final product that’s just as healthy as it is satisfying. And these cozy meals are a great place to start. Vegetarian slow cooker recipes that are just as easy as they are healthy Photo: Two Peas & Their Pod 1. Slow cooker black bean tortilla soup Vegetarian tortilla soup? Count me in. This version contains a wide variety of healthy veggies, including onion, bell peppers, black beans, tomatoes, and corn. Photo: Inspiralized 2. Crockpot cauliflower bolognese with zucchini noodles Pro tip: You can make a hearty bolognese sauce using cauliflower. And when you pour it over zucchini noodles, game over. Photo: Gimme Some Oven 3. Lemony lentil soup Loaded with flavor, this lentil soup gets an energizing zest from the addition of lemon for a unique—and a mouth-watering!—twist on the classic. Photo: Jessica
4 signs it’s time to get rid of old faithful—your beloved, falling-apart bra
October 21, 2019 at 08:44PM by CWC I remember the very first time I retired a bra. Purchased in the the tween section of Target, what was once a beautiful neon-pink number with gold stars had degraded into a faded, stretched out shadow of its former self. Even though the garment brought me heaps of discomfort (boo you, underwire), it was hard to say goodbye. The bra had loved me faithfully; now, I had to let go. The circle of (undergarment) life should repeat itself every six to eight months, according to Jessica Pfister, vice president of lingerie brand Le Mystere. “When your bra is worn out, you are not getting the support or shape you need to give your clothes a good foundation to rest on,” she says. In other words, a bra kept for too long ultimately defeats its one, true purpose. So if you’ve been holding onto Old Faithful for quite some time, Pfister says that a few signs indicate that it’s time to recycle the closet staple and move on in life and lingerie. 4 signs that you should replace an old bra, according to a lingerie expert 1. Your cups are bulging or gaping “If it’s bulging, the cup is too small or your straps are too tight,” says Pfister. Gaping, on the other hand, indicates that the cups are too big. 2. The underwire doesn’t lay flat against your chest Pfister says that the underwire in your bra should cup the breast tissue and