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The Best Foods for the Gut

More than ever do we need to eat foods that are beneficial to the gut. Removing the foods that do not sustain gut health (such as refined flour, sugar, and industrial seed oils) is the first step. But we also want to consume on a daily basis (preferably) foods that are beneficial to the gut. Such foods include bone broth, fermentable fibers, and fermented foods. As explained in The Wild Diet, by Abel James, in your gut resides a great number of bacteria that have an extremely important role in the following:

  • Predigesting your food
  • Providing immune protection
  • Releasing neurotransmitters that affect your behavior and your mood 

Feeding the good bacteria in your gut by selecting the right foods that work for you is very important. 

Bone Broth

As stated in a previous post, bone broth has been used for thousands of years as a healing beverage by traditional cultures. A South American saying declares that “bone broth raises the dead.” All you have to do when making bone broth is add the bones (joint bones with the cartilage and marrow bones) of a well-sourced cow, chicken, pig, lamb, fish, etc. to a pot of water. Add a tablespoon or so of vinegar “to help release the minerals from the bones” and let simmer for several hours up to 24 or even 48 hours. You can add some vegetables too. I usually add some onion, garlic, carrots, various herbs, salt, and pepper. And that’s it! Your broth, full of nutrients, is ready to enjoy day after day.

Fermentable Fibers

Two sources of fermentable fiber are soluble fibers and resistant starch. 

  • Soluble fiber (mentioned in my previous post regarding avocados) can be found in fruits, vegetables, starches, nuts, and seeds. Soluble fiber is a food source that the good bacteria in your gut ferment and make short-chain fatty acids with. Vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, beets, winter and summer squash, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, plantains, taro root, and yuca have more soluble fiber than other vegetables, so they are more soothing to the gut. 
  • Resistant starch, as explained at draxe.com, “is a type of starch that isn’t completely broken down and absorbed in the stomach or small intestine. Instead, it passes through to the colon and is converted into short-chain fatty acids, which act as prebiotics to help feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Because it’s processed and metabolized in a similar way as dietary fiber, it also boasts a similar set of health benefits.” You can obtain resistant starch with cooked and then cooled potatoes, green bananas or green plantains, for instance. You can also buy raw, unmodified, gluten-free potato starch and blend it in a smoothie or a dish, for example.

Fermented Foods

As mentioned in my post, What We Can Learn from World Cuisines, if you ferment certain foods, you increase the nutritional quality of these foods. With fermented foods, you’ll get a variety of good bacteria for the gut. As stated in Your Personal Paleo Code, you can consume:

  • Raw (unpasteurized) sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles (examples of fermented vegetables)
  • Yogurt and kefir (examples of fermented dairy)
  • Beet kvass, kombucha, and water kefir (examples of fermented beverages)

This month, I have started making the “DIY Antiaging Yogurt.” You can find the recipe in Boundless, by Ben Greenfield. This recipe is originally from cardiologist Dr. William Davis, whose blog is at wheatbellyblog.com This “L. reuteri yogurt” is fairly easy to make on a regular basis, and definitively worth checking out!

In Summary

Consuming foods that are beneficial to the gut sustains gut health and is a sure way to make us discover new recipes. Bone broth, fermentable fibers, and fermented foods are wonderful options to rediscover the pleasures of home cooking. And renewing our interest in time-tested traditional methods of cooking is probably the best thing we can do for optimal wellness!

Until next time!

References

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, pp. 364-365.

James, Abel. The Wild Diet:  Go Beyond Paleo to Burn Fat, Beat Cravings, and Drop 20 Pounds in 40 Days. New York, Penguin Random House, 19 Jan. 2016, pp. 53–55, 337–338.

Kresser, Chris. Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life. 1st ed., New York, NY, Little, Brown and Company, Dec. 2013, pp. 172-177.

Link, Rachael. “Resistant Starch Foods That Support Blood Sugar & Weight Maintenance.” Dr. Axe, 12 July 2018, draxe.com/nutrition/resistant-starch/. Accessed 21 Apr. 2020.

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Three Amazing Vegetables

If there are three vegetables that I eat very regularly, it is artichokes (or more specifically artichoke hearts), asparagus, and avocados. I enjoy putting artichoke hearts in my salads. Asparagus is so easy to roast in the oven (I like to use the bake-steam option of my Cuisinart steam & convection oven). And avocados are a daily must for me, either at lunch or dinner. Artichokes, asparagus, and avocados have in common the fact that they are high in nutrients and fiber, and low in sugar. 

Artichoke Hearts

It was found in a 2006 analysis that canned artichoke hearts are full of antioxidants. I like to buy the Native Forest brand for these as the cans are BPA-free. I also get artichoke hearts in glass jars. In that case, I stick to the ones packed in water, as the marinated ones can have questionable added ingredients. Artichoke hearts are a nice addition to salads, soups, frittatas, and skillets, for example.

Asparagus

In her book, Eating on the Wild Side, Jo Robinson states: “In a nutritional analysis of eighteen vegetables, asparagus was found to have more antioxidants than all but three of those tested – broccoli, green peppers, and burdock, a wild root vegetable. (Artichokes were not tested.)” I like to buy green asparagus either at the farmers’ market or at the supermarket. As mentioned in What to Buy Organic, asparagus does not have to be organic. The fresher the better though, in order to get all the nutrients. Purple asparagus has even more antioxidants than green asparagus. It is recommended to eat asparagus the day you buy it. If you choose to steam asparagus, that method of cooking will raise the asparagus antioxidant value by approximately 30 percent. Asparagus can be made into a wonderful side dish, or you can also make a soup with it.

Avocados

Regarding avocados, Jo Robinson states: “One serving gives you more antioxidants than a serving of broccoli raab, grapes, red bell peppers, or red cabbage. Avocados are also a good source of vitamin E, folate, potassium, and magnesium.” It is also important to highlight that avocados, which are subtropical fruits, contain soluble fiber (“ a type of fiber that has a gel-like consistency”) and oleic acid, the favorable monounsaturated fat that you find in olive oil. Both the soluble fiber and oleic acid allow for better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. Avocados do not have to be organic either. As mentioned in 12 “On-the-go” Healthy Snack Options, avocados are an easy snack option, just like artichoke hearts. Otherwise, you can add them to salads, make guacamole of course, or even fries!

In Summary

Artichokes (or artichoke hearts), asparagus, and avocados are high in nutrients and fiber, low in sugar, and very easy to find year-round. There are tons of recipes out there if you want to incorporate these amazing vegetables into your weekly meals. So experiment and see which one might be your favorite!

References

Gundry, Steven R. The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy : The 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Live Lectin-Free. New York, Ny, Harper Wave, An Imprint Of Harpercollinspublishers, 2019, p. 31.


Robinson, Jo, and Andie Styner. Eating on the Wild Side the Missing Link to Optimum Health. New York Little, Brown, 2013, pp. 195-211.

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Learning from Our Ancestors

The way our ancestors ate over the centuries allowed them to flourish, thrive, and survive (at times) from one generation to the next. In Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon states that “the culinary traditions of our ancestors, and the food choices and preparation techniques of healthy nonindustrialized peoples, should serve as the model for contemporary eating habits, even and especially during this modern technological age.” Indeed, we have drifted more and more away from these authentic cuisines, choosing convenience over the time-tested traditional methods of cooking. Going back to these ancient ways of preparing and consuming whole foods is a sure way to better our health and wellness. As Michael Pollan puts it, “Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”

“Four Pillars of World Cuisine”

In her books Food Rules and Deep Nutrition, Dr. Catherine Shanahan explains that “all authentic world cuisines share the same four categories of food sources and preparative techniques:”

  • Fresh, raw food
  • Sprouted and fermented foods
  • Meat cooked on the bone
  • Organ meats

So along with using traditional cooking methods, we want to pick in-season local ingredients whenever possible, of course. 

Fresh, Raw Food

Fresh food implies in-season picks. Examples of fresh foods are:

Sprouted and Fermented Foods

If you sprout or ferment certain foods you increase the nutritional quality of these foods. With fermented foods, you get a variety of good bacteria for the gut. Examples of fermented and sprouted foods are:

  • Yogurt
  • Kombucha
  • Sauerkraut
  • Kimchi
  • Sprouted almonds

Meat Cooked on the Bone

The most common ways to cook meat on the bone are either by slow-simmering meats, like in stews, or roasting them. By cooking meat for a long time that way, gently, you to preserve the nutrients and collagen in your meal. A personal favorite of mine is bone broth.

Sidenote: Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, found in muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, digestive system, and tendons. Consuming collagen can benefit your body in multiple ways.

Examples of meat on the bone are:

  • Roast turkey
  • Chicken soup
  • Barbequed spare ribs
  • Braised lamb shanks
  • Greens braised in chicken stock

Organ Meats

As mentioned in my previous post, organ meats are full of beneficial nutrients that can be easily absorbed by the body. Examples of organ meats are:

  • Pan fried lamb kidneys in butter
  • Beef tongue stew
  • Roasted bone marrow
  • Duck liver pate
  • Liverwurst (US wellness Meats offers this)

In Summary

Taking the time to prepare well-sourced whole foods by using traditional methods of cooking is an ideal way to nourish our body properly. Consuming fresh, raw food, sprouted and fermented foods, meats cooked on the bone, and organ meats should be part of our daily lives. Fueling our body with the right nutrient-dense foods is what can give us the strength and resilience needed to face whatever life may bring.

References

Dr. Axe. “What Is Collagen?” Dr. Axe, 5 Feb. 2019, draxe.com/nutrition/what-is-collagen/. Accessed 7 Apr. 2020.

Fallon, Sally, et al. Nourishing Traditions : The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Brandywine, Md, Newtrends Pub, 2001, p. xi.

Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food : An Eater’s Manifesto. Turtleback Books, 2009, p. 148.

Shanahan, Catherine. Food Rules : A Doctor’s Guide to Healthy Eating. Bedford, Nh, Big Box Books, 2010, p. 54-56.

Shanahan, Catherine, and Luke Shanahan. Deep Nutrition : Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. New York, Flatiron Books, 2017, pp. 328–333.

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Why Organ Meats Are Good to Eat

In a previous article on How to Source Beef, I briefly mentioned liver, one of my favorite superfoods, and said that organ meats should never be thrown away! Why so, you might ask? Organ meats in general do not seem that appealing. The short answer is that “organ meats are the most nutrient-dense foods by far,” states Chris Kresser in Your Personal Paleo Code. Not only are organ meats full of nutrients, but these nutrients can also be easily absorbed by the body. Dr. Anthony Gustin and Chris Irvin add, in Keto Answers, that “this makes organ meat like a natural meat version of a multivitamin.”

Organ Meats that You Can Buy

Organ meats can be from animals like cows, pigs, lambs, bisons, goats, chickens, and ducks, as long as they are well-sourced. Here’s a short list of organs you can eat:

  • Liver
  • Tongue
  • Heart
  • Kidneys
  • Brain
  • Sweetbreads
  • Tripe

You can find these at some local farms (to find local farms, you can visit EatWild.com) or online sites like US Wellness Meats. There are recipes everywhere online on how to prepare these. For instance, this page on Mark’s Daily Apple.

You can also consume organ meats in capsule form. Every day, I take liver and bone marrow capsules sold by Ancestral Supplements. To take capsules is fairly convenient, and if you don’t like the taste of certain organ meats, or don’t have the time to prepare them, you still can get most of the nutrients they contain (vitamins, minerals, healthy fat, and essential amino acids).

In Summary

Including organ meats into our diet provides such an array of beneficial nutrients! Even just once a week can be sufficient, especially when it comes to a superfood like liver. (And consuming liver is okay, as most of the toxins are stored in the fat of the animal, and not the liver). Most ancestral diets included organ meats, alongside bones, cartilage and skin, fats, seafood, and wild plants.  For example, in the traditional Okinawan diet where food is considered medicine, a pig is eaten entirely, internal organs included. Going back to these ancient ways of feeding ourselves as much as possible makes perfect sense if we want to harness the health and wellness benefits of consuming truly nutrient-dense foods.

References

Gustin, Anthony, and Chris Irvin. Keto Answers : Simplifying Everything You Need to Know about the World’s Most Confusing Diet. Middletown, De, Four Pillar Health, 2019, pp. 150-151, 302-303.

Kresser, Chris. Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life. 1st ed., New York, NY, Little, Brown and Company, Dec. 2013, pp. 43-44, 70-72, 151-152, 155-156.

Wikipedia Contributors. “Okinawa Diet.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa_diet. Accessed 3 Apr. 2020.

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Nuts and seeds: an awesome whole food

In a previous post, 12 “On-the-go” Healthy Snack Options, I had mentioned nuts and nut butters as one of those easy snack options to have on hand. Nuts and seeds are a great way to curb any hunger throughout the day. They can make great salad toppings, and their flour can be used instead of the traditional refined flours or breadcrumbs, just like in An Italian Meatball Recipe, Paleo-Style.

Fun Fact: Peanuts are not nuts, but legumes.

Nuts and seeds: why they are good for you

Nuts and seeds provide:

  • Protein
  • Fatty acids
  • Enzymes 
  • Antioxidants
  • Vitamins
  • Minerals

Nut butters

Nut butters pair well with cut-up raw vegetables, dark chocolate squares, or say, a slice of bread made with almond flour. The best nut butters are raw and cold-processed, with no added ingredients besides salt. I usually go to Thrive Market to buy nut butters.

Sidenote: Buying raw nuts and seeds is best. Next would be dry roasted. Make sure there are no vegetable/seed oils or added sugar.

Storage

It is recommended to keep nut butters in the fridge. The same goes for nuts and seeds and their flours: put them in the fridge or even the freezer for long-term storage. Nuts and seeds can be kept for approximately six months, and up to a year if they are still in their shell. If you detect any “rancid, oily smell or discoloration,” do not eat them. As nuts and seeds have a hard protective shell, buying organic is not a must with these.


In summary

When eating primal or paleo, nuts and seeds are great nutrient-dense options. They are delicious on their own and when paired with other healthy foods. My personal favorites are pistachios and walnuts. Just make sure not to overconsume them. We want to watch our consumption of healthy omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (like in raw nuts and seeds), as we want to strive to have an omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio under 4:1, as mentioned in my post about Why We Must Consume Omega-3 Fats. To buy a variety of nuts, Nuts.com is a great site to check out.

So head to your favorite online store and enjoy one of the best snacks ever!

References

Sisson, Mark. The New Primal Blueprint : Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2017, pp. 220-23.

—. The Primal Blueprint : 21-Day Total Body Transformation. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2016, p. 116.

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Is it okay to consume dairy if you decide to go primal?

A couple of weeks ago, I went to an Amish farm to buy more goat cheese, one of my favorites! Have you ever tried goat cheese? It is perfect as a snack when you are in a rush. I like to put goat cheese in my salads. It pairs so well with the green lettuces. 

In The New Primal Blueprint, Mark Sisson states, “The Primal Blueprint stance is that certain forms of dairy can provide excellent nutrition and enjoyment for those who can tolerate dairy consumption without digestive distress.”

Which dairy is okay to consume?

According to The New Primal Blueprint, when you want to buy dairy products, you want to get pasture-raised/grass-fed or organic dairy. And the best picks are:

  • Raw
  • Fermented
  • Unpasteurized
  • Unsweetened
  • High-fat

This means you can buy things like:

  • Ghee
  • Butter
  • Full cream
  • Aged cheese
  • Cottage cheese
  • Cream cheese 
  • Greek-style full-fat yogurt
  • Half and half
  • Kefir
  • Raw whole milk

Buying pasture-raised/grass-fed or organic dairy products means that you bypass the conventional dairy filled with hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics. In Food Fix, Dr. Mark Hyman specifies, “Find dairy from heirloom cows that contain A2 casein, which doesn’t cause the same digestive or inflammatory problems as modern cow products.” A2 casein is a protein in milk, “perfectly safe,” as opposed to A1 casein (a lectin-like protein). You also get A2 casein with goat and sheep dairy.

Sidenote:  Lectins are natural plant toxins that can damage the thin lining of the small intestine.

Whey is the other protein you find in milk. And lactose is a carbohydrate you find in milk.

In summary

Buying high-quality products is a must with dairy. If there are no farms near you, there are some online sites you can check. In a previous post, I mentioned US Wellness Meats. There is also an online site called Organic Pastures that you could check out. Consuming dairy is okay, provided the dairy you buy is pasture-raised/grass-fed or organic. See how your body reacts to your food picks and adjust accordingly. Dairy is an awesome treat that I am happy to still be able to enjoy whenever I feel like it!

References

Gundry, Steven R. The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy : The 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Live Lectin-Free. New York, Ny, Harper Wave, An Imprint Of Harpercollinspublishers, 2019, p. 257.

Hyman, Mark. Food Fix : How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet-One Bite at a Time. New York, Little, Brown Spark, An Imprint Of Little, Brown And Company, 2020, pp. 54–55.

Sisson, Mark. The New Primal Blueprint : Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2017, pp. 237–240.

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Why the right type of fat matters

While most people may believe that all fats are not healthy for you, fats that we consume on a daily basis can actually be quite healthy.

Well-sourced fats (saturated, monounsaturated, and some polyunsaturated) can be a prime source of energy and keep us satiated for long periods of time. As our cell membranes are mostly made out of fats, eating the right fats is a top priority that you shouldn’t skip out on. Saturated fat (found in coconut oil, butter, lamb and beef tallow, for instance) is important to cellular function and to a large number of hormonal and metabolic activities. Chemically-altered fats are the fats to avoid. Also, we want to watch our consumption of healthy omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (like in raw nuts and seeds), as we want to strive to have an omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio under 4:1, as mentioned in my post about Why We Must Consume Omega-3 Fats. So what are the fats and oils to consume?

Sidenote: Oils are composed of fats. When you think of cooking oils, think fats.

The 10 “Primal-approved fats and oils”

These are fats and oils listed in The New Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson.

  • Animal fats: Chicken, duck, or goose fat; lard (pork fat); beef or lamb tallow; recycled bacon grease; and other animal fats. All these are great for cooking as they don’t oxidize at high temperatures.
  • Avocado oil: a mostly monounsaturated fat like olive oil, but with a high smoke point of 400 degrees (204 degrees C), so we can cook with it, which is what I buy avocado oil for.
  • Butter: great for cooking with too.
  • Coconut oil: another awesome choice to cook with.
  • Dark roasted sesame oil: because of its strong flavor, it works great in wok recipes.
  • High-omega-3 oils: these would be borage, cod liver, krill, salmon, and hemp seed oils. Great on cold dishes like salads. You can learn more about omega-3 fats in the following post: Why We Must Consume Omega-3 Fats.
  • Macadamia nut oil: this is another oil with a high smoke point (413 degrees F or 210 degrees C), great for cooking (or drizzle over food).
  • Marine oils: these refer to the high-quality fish and krill oils that we consume as supplements usually. For instance, every day I take Carlson fish oil.
  • Olive oil: extra virgin (and first cold press) only. It can be used for cooking, but only at low temperatures. Otherwise, it is great for dressings and to drizzle over food. You can learn more about olive oil’s health benefits in the following post: Olive Oil: a Daily Wellness Must.
  • Palm oil: unprocessed palm oil only can be used for cooking with too.

In summary


All the above oils are primal-approved, provided they are high-quality, well-sourced oils (the recommended animal fats have to be from pasture-raised animals). Knowing the above, it is easier to bypass the traditional vegetable/seed oils (canola, corn, soy, safflower, sunflower). These vegetable/seed oils are easily damaged by exposure to light, heat, oxygen, without even mentioning cooking itself.

Among the primal-approved fats, certain fats will probably work better for you than others, so always stay tuned to how your body reacts to what you are consuming. Now to your favorite fat(s) and happy cooking!

Reference

Sisson, Mark. The New Primal Blueprint : Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2017, pp. 241–43.

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An easy way to start eating primal/paleo

Do you ever wonder how easy or difficult it is to make the switch and start eating healthier? Does eating paleo or primal entail buying a whole set of new cookbooks or recipes to download? Not at all. Of course, there are many paleo/primal websites now that can help you discover the advantages of ancestral eating, such as Mark’s Daily Apple. But know that you can also simply start by picking your favorite recipes and change a few things only to make these recipes paleo/primal-friendly. The recipe below is an Italian meatball recipe that I have been making for more than two decades. And as I am now eating primal/paleo, I keep making it by just tweaking a few things.

How to change an old family recipe into a paleo-friendly goodness

So my original meatball recipe calls for:

  • 3 lb ground round
  • 1 lb bulk sausage
  • 1 handful of parsley
  • ¼-½ lb parmesan cheese
  • 1 big chopped onion
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • I tablespoon of salt
  • Pepper

Now to make this recipe primal/paleo-friendly, first I want to make sure that the meat is well-sourced (How to Source Beef has different links to websites you can purchase your meat from). The parsley has to be organic. The cheese becomes optional, but if you still want to add some cheese, it has to be well-sourced too, from a local farm or sites like US Wellness Meats. The onion can be organic or not, it doesn’t matter as much for onions, as mentioned in What to Buy Organic. Instead of using bread crumbs, I add ½ cup of a paleo nut flour blend that works just as well. The eggs have to be well-sourced (no eggs from CAFO chickens). Celtic or Himalayan salts work best, along with freshly ground organic pepper. So now we have:

  • 3 lb well-sourced ground round
  • 1 lb well-sourced bulk sausage
  • 1 handful of organic parsley
  • ¼-½ lb well-sourced cheese
  • 1 big chopped onion (organic or not)
  • ½ cup paleo nut flour blend
  • 2 well-sourced eggs
  • 1 tablespoon Celtic or Himalayan salt
  • Freshly ground organic pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and shape meatballs out of the mixture. Next, you add the meatballs to your favorite organic paleo-friendly tomato sauce and let simmer 3 to 4 hours. The tomato sauce can be made from scratch of course, or if you are in a rush, there are different paleo-friendly options too at Thrive Market, for instance.

In summary

Remember that taking it one step at a time is probably the best approach for most to make any change long-lasting, as mentioned in a previous post: What foods to Get Rid of First. With that in mind, picking an old favorite recipe and changing just a few things to make it a healthy ancestral option is an awesome incentive. It is a small step that can make you feel good about how effortlessly you can eat better in no time!

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Why green tea?

I have recently gotten into the habit of drinking green tea in the afternoon and thoroughly enjoy it! As we all know, green tea is a very healthy beverage to drink. Green tea has been consumed for approximately 5,000 years, first in China. Last year, I purchased the book, The Kaufmann Protocol: Why We Age and How to Stop it, which has a section on EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), the main component in green tea. What differentiates green tea from black tea and oolong tea is that green tea is not fermented. The plant’s (Camellia sinensis) leaves and buds are simply brewed. Dr. Sandra Kaufmann states: “Let’s answer the big question first. Can EGCG actually help you live longer? The answer is a resounding yes….”

Green tea’s health benefits

The above book mentions green tea’s known health benefits. Among others, it has: 

  • Antioxidant qualities
  • Anti-inflammatory properties
  • Anti-tumorigenic effects
  • Weight loss effects (over time)

Also, green tea may help strengthen bones: “EGCG has an osteo-inductive effect on stem cells, meaning the cells are steered into making bone cells versus any other cell.”

And when it comes to the brain, consuming green tea helps with “learning and other brain activities…EGCG exerts protective effects against seemingly eventual age-related cognitive declines and neurodegenerative diseases.”

In summary


This is a precious beverage indeed! With all these health benefits no wonder people have been drinking green tea for centuries! A cup of tea has between 70 and 90 mg of EGCG. Right now, I consume an organic sencha green tea, but there are numerous other organic options. Matcha, a green tea in powder form, is one of them. And to get more of the benefits green tea has to offer, I also take one capsule of Thorne Green Tea Phytosome each day. (Of course, you want to check with your physician first if you decide to do the same). Maybe it’s a cup of green tea a day that keeps the doctor away. Who knows?

Reference

Kaufmann, Sandra, et al. The Kaufmann Protocol : Why We Age and How to Stop It. Kaufmann Anti-Aging Institute, 2018, p. 249-57.

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Why olive oil?

How about a big colorful salad of mixed lettuces and greens with a diced avocado and a few other in-season picks? Then add a couple of sliced hard-boiled eggs, a can of fish, a few pieces of cut-up roasted chicken, or any other protein for that matter. And for the homemade vinaigrette, use extra-virgin olive oil only. Did you know “that we cannot absorb some of the most important nutrients in salad greens unless the dressing or the meal it’s eaten with contains some type of fat”? To this statement, Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side, adds that according to a 2012 study, olive oil turns out to be the best oil to use in order to get those nutrients.

The composition of olive oil

We usually consider olive oil to be a monounsaturated fat because it contains 77% monounsaturated fatty acids, but it also has 13.5% saturated fatty acids, and 8.4% polyunsaturated fatty acids. The book Superfuel emphasizes that “[o]live oil, particularly high-quality extra virgin olive oil, contains oleic acid and polyphenol, which can dramatically reduce the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation and promote healthy lipid content.” So the higher the polyphenol content, the better. And a recent Ben Greenfield podcast highlights the fact that oleic acid, as well as DHA found in fish/fish oil, are the two fats most beneficial to the brain. Furthermore, Fat for Fuel, by Dr. Joseph Mercola, lists the following health benefits regarding olive oil:

  • Antioxidant powerhouse
  • Heart protection
  • Anticancer activity
  • Anti-aging benefits
  • Bone health

How to shop for olive oil

Shopping for olive oil requires a bit of vigilance as “[e]ven ‘extra-virgin’ olive oil is often diluted with other less expensive oils, including hazelnut, soybean, corn, sunflower, palm, sesame, grape seed and/or walnut. These added oils will not be listed on the label, so most people will not be able to discern that their olive oil is not 100 percent pure,” state Dr. James DiNicolantonio and Dr. Joseph Mercola in Superfuel. The “use by” or “sell by” date for olive oil is not the best indicator of freshness. It’s the “harvest” date” or “pressed on” date that is to look for on a bottle, and it should be under six months old. In the same way, you want to consume olive oil within six months. Also, it is best to only buy “extra-virgin” olive oil because when the label mentions “pure” or “light” oil, “olive oil” or “olive pomace oil,” this means that the oil has gone through “chemical processing.” I like to use the unfiltered Bragg organic extra virgin olive oil.

How to use olive oil

As olive oil is sensitive to air, light, and heat, you want to keep your bottle(s) in a cool area away from light and right away put the cap back on the bottle after each use to minimize oxidation of the oil. If you have a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil with a high polyphenol content, it can be used for cooking at moderate temperatures. Otherwise, it is best to use olive oil for dressings and to drizzle over your food, as mentioned in my article about The Primal Blueprint Food Pyramid. If the olive oil tastes rancid, has a fusty, moldy, wine, or vinegar flavor, you should discard it. These are the basics to know about olive oil. As a final note, I would highly recommend the above podcast which goes further into details about What Olive Oil Should Taste Like, The Scary Truth About Olive Oil, Can You Cook With Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Much More! To your daily dose of olive oil!

References

Dinicolantonio, James, and Joseph Mercola. Superfuel : Ketogenic Keys to Unlock the Secrets of Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Great Health. Carlsbad, California, Hay House Inc, 2018, pp. 88-93.

“Extra Virgin Olive Oil: What It Should Taste Like & What To Look Out For.” Ben Greenfield Fitness – Diet, Fat Loss and Performance Advice, 8 Feb. 2020, bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/nutrition-podcasts/extra-virgin-olive-oil/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020.

Mercola, Joseph. Fat for Fuel : A Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power, and Increase Your Energy. Carlsbad, California, Hay House, Inc, 2017, pp. 90–92.

Robinson, Jo, and Andie Styner. Eating on the Wild Side the Missing Link to Optimum Health. New York Little, Brown, 2013, pp. 37-38.

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