Category Archives: Diet And Food

Its Halloween! Time to dress up in your scariest outfits, carve emblems into members of the squash family, and get your fill of pumpkin-spiced everything. Last week, everyones favourite Skywalker, Mark Hamill, tweeted some images of his favourite, and indeed surprising, autumnal themed treats, from pumpkin spice Twinkies to pumpkin spice Pepto Bismol

Pumpkin spice consists of the flavors you would most closely associate with a seasonal pumpkin pie; cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and all spice. It is well documented that the reason people go wild for all things pumpkin spice (with some even acquiring their own modern day abbreviation - looking at you, PSL) is the sense of nostalgia that these flavours invoke. However, it is also pleasing to know that the chemicals in these spice mixes can actually do us some good too.

If the pumpkin spice is being used to actually flavor something pumpkin-related, great! Youre probably consuming at least one of your recommended five-a-day of fruits and vegetables. Pumpkins get their color from the beta-carotene packed in their cells. This is a precursor of vitamin A, which helps keep your immune defenses strong, and your eyes healthy, especially in the darkness of All Hallows Eve. Beta-carotene is also one of many antioxidants found in a pumpkin, which can neutralize the charged particles that can lead to cells becoming cancerous. Pumpkins are packed with potassium, and I personally believe they make for a far more palatable source of this vital vitamin than a banana. If you have ever carved a pumpkin and scooped the insides out, you will know how fibrous a pumpkin can be. This fibre is beneficial for your tummy and for your overall health. The vitamin C found in pumpkins can help heal wounds and repair tissues. It is also a chemical vital for the production of certain neurotransmitters in the body. You can collect the seeds from inside your pumpkin, dry and roast them with a little seasoning and enjoy a healthy snack full of protein and friendly fats such as omega-3 that are good for your heart. All these amazing benefits, and this is before we have even got to talking about the chemistry of the flavors in the pumpkin spice.

Though they contain absolutely no pumpkin, it turns out that your pumpkin spicy latte may have some ... [+] beneficial properties in those spices after all - though sadly these are probably outweighed by the high levels of sugar.

The spices used in this flavor combination are enhanced by the act of baking, as they undergo transformations into other chemicals. The chemical reaction that brings out the most delicious of flavors and scents is once again our trusty Maillard reaction, responsible for the yum-factor in all the best foodstuffs, including coffee, chocolate and steak. Nevertheless, as demonstrated by Hamills tweet, pumpkin spice's versatile flavor can, and indeed will, be added to all manner of foods. If youre a fan of this flavor, youre further in luck, as the chemicals in the spices themselves possess beneficial properties. If we consider an average pumpkin spice mix, just one teaspoon of this comforting concoction can contain 12 percent of an adults recommended daily intake of manganese, which we need for healthy digestion and use of ammonia acids, and the metabolization of carbohydrates and cholesterol.

Cinnamaldehyde is both antibacterial and antioxidant in its activity, but there is also evidence that it can play a role in better regulating blood glucose levels and improving insulin regulation in diabetics. Nutmeg, ginger and clove all aid digestion, which is perfect if you, like me, are planning on overindulging in pumpkinpalooza.Though it would be nice to say that pumpkin spice could be the key to a healthy and balanced diet, unfortunately many of thesefall time treats also contain huge amounts of sugar; there are a whopping 50g of sugar in one single Starbucks grande pumpkin spice latte, but are they are worth every delicious sip? It depends. If youre having several a day, probably not, but if consumed in moderation, and given many of the benefits of both pumpkin and the spices used to flavor it, perhaps they balance out after all.Happy Halloween!

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The Scientific Benefits Of A Pumpkin Spice Diet - Forbes

On October 10, the C40 Good Food Cities Declaration was adopted by 14 cities. Under this commitment, C40 mayors will lead cities in developing a Planetary Health Diet, by 2030. C40 is a group of cities working to reduce effects of climate change.

This diet includes nutritious food thats healthful to the cities and residents. The pledge was made at the C40 Summit in October 2019. City signatories include Toronto, Stockholm, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, Quezon City, Los Angeles, Milan, Oslo, London, Guadalajara, Lima, Barcelona and Copenhagen.

According to C40 data, a sustainable diet with reduced food waste can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food by more than 60%. This plant-based diet has reduced meat and dairy consumption and leans heavily on unprocessed plants. The diet is also focused on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

To achieve this the cities have committed to the following: support plant-based food consumption, reduce food loss and waste compared to 2015 numbers work with stakeholders to develop a joint strategy, and align procurement with Planetary Health Diet. All of these cities will use power to influence diets in hospitals, businesses and governments. 14 cities combined will get sustainable food for 64 million people.

The meat industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based diets are shown to be better for the environment. Food waste is also a growing problem for landfills and emissions.

Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti said of the citys food commitments, Delivering a Global Green New Deal means taking a real stand against food waste so that we feed people, not landfills.Were committing to do our part to make healthy food more accessible, reduce waste, and save our planet.

To learn more about the health benefits of a plant-based diet, check out these One Green Planet articles:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, dont forget to download the Food Monster App on iTunes with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy!

Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!

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These 14 Cities are Committed to Developing Planetary Health Diet Programs to Combat Climate Change - One Green Planet

Now that Diwali is over (and you have packed away those boxes of mithai, sweets and fried snacks), it is time to make those much-needed alterations in your diet.Here's whySince festival time means that you eat a lot of junk and calorie-laden goodies one after the other, it takes a toll on your blood sugar levels, which is not good for your health. What it also does is ruin the body's inflammation, which, then makes you more stressed and prone to chronic infections as well. Hence, you need to recharge the body with the right kind of nutrients so that it restores the ability to fight back and avoid infections in time.

Most of us think about going on a crash diet post the festivals, thinking that it can reverse the damage of binge eating. According to nutritionist Kavita Devgan, detoxing post festivals should not have to be this difficult. Without depending on detox drinks and juices, you should instead be relying on a fuss-free detox diet this November which is very healthy. The best part, all of these are easily in the kitchen.

Your body will thank you later! Here are some detox food options you should definitely be stocking up on to clean the system:1. Black pepperIf you though black pepper was just something you can season your food with, think again. The humble pepper is loaded with super antioxidants that fight back inflammation and excess problems. The spice is loaded with a chemical compound known as 'piperine', which is effective in kickstarting the acute inflammatory process in the body and get rid of toxins. Some other spices you should be having more of include turmeric and cinnamon, which again are loaded with potent benefits.

Add them to your teas, your salads or with your regular curries and subzis but make sure to have all of these spices regularly.

2. BarleyFoods like oats, barley and quinoa are excellent whole grains that are loaded with high fiber, working actively to fight inflammation from the source. It is also a hypoglycemic grain that keeps insulin levels in check and maintains blood sugar levels on track, helping you prevent sugar problems. Replacing your regular flour (atta) with barley or having barley water can also prove to be an excellent hack to fight the festive weight gain!

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Diwali detox: Five food items you should definitely include in your diet - Times of India

From a baguette fresh from the bakery to white bread and dense health food store loaves, bread is a staple in most households. But is bread vegan? And which ingredients should you watch out for?

In a perfect world, all bread would be vegan. The good news is: most of it is! Sometimes the presence of animal products is obvious in the name, like milk bread. But for others, it might not be so apparent. Pain de mie, a type of soft white bread, contains milk. Challah is made with eggs. The odd loaf in the grocery store might be made with honey. But, the majority of bread sandwich bread, baguettes, focaccia, bagels (the exception being shops, where an egg white glaze may be used), pita, rolls, English muffins, and sourdough. This also goes for the artisan loaves you might find at your local farmers market just be sure to ask the vendor about how its made.

Old world-style European bread requires only four ingredients: water, flour, yeast, and salt. Yeast, a single-cell organism that helps bread rise, is classified as a fungus and suitable for vegans. Bread is usually made with a wheat flour cultured with yeast, which adds air pockets as it ferments carbohydrates and sugar. Once risen, bread is shaped and baked, but thats not always the case. Sometimes its steamed or fried and not all bread is leavened. Traditional bread might also include ingredients such as molasses or sugar.

The commercial bread of today is different from traditional four-ingredient loaves, according to the Independent. A product of mass-production, modern bread is enriched with nutrients and other ingredients to help it stay fluffy, white, and soft for months think Wonder Bread.

Commercial bread may list ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides, which are included to help water and oil blend together. They can be sourced from an animal, vegetable, or they can be synthetically made. Enzymes, an ingredient that makes dough stretchier, can be extracted from plant, animal, fungal, or bacterial sources. Other additives may include fats, L-ascorbic acid as a flour treatment agent, L-cysteine hydrochloride to make stretchier dough, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

Because the origin of mono- and diglycerides and other ingredients can be tricky to source, many vegans dont worry about them. According to the Vegan Society, its about excluding animal products as far as is possible and practicable.

Sprouted bread is a type of bread made with whole grains that have germinated aka sprouted before being milled into flour.

Because sprouted grain isnt regulated, the amount of sprouted grain flour actually used in a commercially produced loaf can vary. Some brands might mix sprouted flour with white or whole wheat flour in order to give it a fluffier texture. Bread made entirely from sprouted grains like Ezekiel tends to have a dense, earthy health food flavor. You can typically find it in the refrigerated section, as its made without preservatives to help it last longer at room temperature. Some stores, like Trader Joes and Meijer, sell their own sprouted bread.

There are a few benefits to sprouted grains. According to Kristina Secinaro, a registered dietitian at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, germinating grains breaks down the starch, which makes the percentage of nutrients higher. This can make it easier for people who are sensitive to grains to digest.

It also breaks down phytate, a form of phytic acid that normally decreases absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. So sprouted grains have more available nutrients than mature grains, Secinaro told Harvard Health. Nutrients include folate, iron, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and protein.

Still not sure which bread to try? Here are a few vegan-friendly bread brands that you can find almost everywhere.

Milwaukee-based brand Daves Killer Bread makes organic whole wheat bread, bagels, and English muffins. The company fosters sustainable agricultural practices and organic farming through seed tests, apprentice programs, and farm sponsorships. This socially-minded brand is also committed to removing the stigma from hiring employees with criminal backgrounds. Its Second Chances Project is for employees who are ready to change their lives for the better.Try anything from Daves Killer Bread the only non-vegan product is the Honey Oats & Flax bread.

Natures Own offers a couple of vegan options, like the 100 % Whole Wheat Sandwich Rolls (which double as hamburger buns) and the 100% Whole Grain bread. Its made without artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors and is free from high fructose corn syrup.

Trader Joes sells a wide variety of vegan bread under its private label, including fresh-baked, ciabatta, rolls, sandwich bread, pizza crust, pita, and bagels. Just remember to check the nutrition label.

Canadian brand Little Northern Bakehouse has a wide selection of vegan and gluten-free bread, including sandwich bread, hot dog rolls, bagels, and pizza crust. All products are made in a certified gluten-free facility, so its suitable for coeliacs. Only one sprouted loaf contains honey, which is clearly marked.

Looking for vegan bread at Whole Foods? Try the Classic White Bread, Classic White Bread Whole Grain, or the Organic Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps from its more affordable 365 brand.

Food for Lifes Ezekial bread is all-vegan and made with sprouted grains, refined sugar, and artificial preservatives. Its also a flour-free brand, relying on a blend of sprouted wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt.

BFree products are free from gluten, soy, and all animal products. The company offers a wide range of gluten-free vegan bread, including baguettes, rolls, wraps, pita, sandwich loaves, and pizza crust.

According to the website, all Mission tortillas are made without animal products, making them suitable for vegans. The brand makes flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and wraps.

Thomas is available in most grocery stores across the country and while the English Muffins arent vegan (they contain whey), the plain bagels, bagel thins, pita, and Sahara tortilla wraps are. Try a bagel with some vegan cream cheese.

Premade bread is convenient, but if youve ever thought about baking your own, here are a few recipes to get you started.

This no-knead bread recipe requires only one hour of active prep time (but remember to give it 18 hours to rise). It takes only four ingredients and has a nice, crusty texture perfect for pairing alongside pasta with a pat of dairy-free butter.

Get the recipe here.

The pressures off with this easy sourdough bread recipe. There is no kneading and you need only four ingredients: sourdough starter, flour, water, and salt. Once youve made your own sourdough, you may never want storebought again.

Get the recipe here.

Simple focaccia, best served warm and finished off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt. Youll finish it off in no time.

Get the recipe here.

Summary

Article Name

Is Bread Vegan? Everything You Need to Know

Description

Is all bread vegan? Learn how bread is traditionally made, which bread ingredients are vegan, what sprouted bread is, and how to make sourdough.

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Kat Smith

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LIVEKINDLY

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Yes, You Can Eat All the Bread You Want on a Vegan Diet - LIVEKINDLY

Around 7, I go and grab breakfast. I try to have a bigger breakfast, because Ive usually burned so much from the night before. After breakfast, Ill come back and handle anything thats needed at home, which puts me around 9:30. At that point, I'll start getting ready for the game itself. Ill look at any kind of NBA memos that came out from the previous night, and Im also looking at different rules, interesting plays that may have happened in any of those games.

Around 11, we have a day-of-game meeting, and thats typical in both the G League and the NBA, where we get together, talk about what we need to do, go over our fundamentals, and begin bonding as a crew. Well typically all go out and get something to eat for lunch, and Ill have something lightmaybe a caesar salad. Then Ill go back to my room, iron my clothes for the arena, and take a nap. I also like to meditate to get my mind calm and ready for what I have to undertake in the evening for the game. Around 5, we leave for the arena as a crew, and when we get to the locker room, its just business as usual. Stretching, doing our check-ins, going over what we went over earlier in the day.

Theres a lot going on there, starting with you waking up at 4:45 in the morning. How long has that early wakeup time been part of your routine?

Ive always been a morning person. When we did two-a-days in college, they started at 5 or 5:30. Ive just kept that going. I wanted to add more hours to the day. By getting up that early, Ive added, on average, another two or three hours for things I need to get done. And I like having the gym as the first thing I knock out.

Also, a lot of times when Im going city to city, I usually catch the first flight out of the city Im in. What that usually means is a 6 a.m. flight, which puts me up super early anyway. Its a combination of both of those things, but its definitely the norm now.

What about the days when youre not working a game?

It differs a little, but I still get up at 4:45 and hit the gym pretty soon after that. The rest of the daily preparation is pretty similar too. You never know what may have occurred the night before in a game, any kind of memos that may have come out, and you want to stay sharp with that stuff. Youre always learning in this profession. If youre not trying to get better and learn, the game will get so far ahead of you.

Im curious how the rigors of playing basketball compare to reffing it. What are you doing during the game to stay physically and mentally sharp, and whats your post-game plan?

Youre pretty tired during the game. I try to drink at least one bottle of water in the first and third quarters, as well as halftime. In the second and fourth quarters, Ill usually mix it half-and-half with Gatorade. After the game, I continue to hydrate and watch tape in the locker room. Sometimes, the crew will go and have dinner together; I try to have a pretty heavy meal at that point, because I ate light earlier in the day and want to replenish what Ive expended, since we usually run around for 2-4 miles per game. After that, I head back to the room, watch a little more tape, and get ready for the next city.

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NBA Referee: The Real-Life Diet of Phenizee Ransom - GQ

Consider the almond.

Almonds and other nuts are often touted as healthy snacks, because they can help you maintain a healthy weight and are linked to a lower risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

But almonds are grown in drought-stricken California, and the amount of water required to produce them has come under intense scrutiny in recent years. So if you're an environmentally minded eater who also wants to embrace a healthy diet, are almonds a responsibly green snack?

Relatively speaking, yes, says ecologist David Tilman of the University of Minnesota.

In a vast new analysis published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Tilman and his co-authors looked at the health and environmental impacts of 15 different food groups, including nuts, fruits, vegetables, red meat, dairy, eggs, fish, olive oil, legumes and sugar-sweetened beverages.

The foods were ranked relative to one another based on how they influence the risk of disease and the toll they take on the planet in terms of water and land use, greenhouse gas emissions and how they impact pollution of water and soil.

Most of the time, the researchers found that foods that promote good health also tended to be better for the planet and vice versa. While nuts require lots of water to produce, Tilman says, water was just one factor that affected their environmental ranking.

"If water is going to be used to irrigate crops, it would seem better for it to be used to grow healthy crops," he says. Producing a serving of nuts has about five times the negative effects on the environment compared with producing a serving of vegetables, according to the study.

That may sound like a lot, until you compare that to red meat; both processed and unprocessed, it's "uniformly bad," Tilman says. Producing a serving of processed red meat, the researchers found, has about 40 times the negative environmental impact of producing a serving of vegetables and eating an extra daily serving raises the relative risk of overall mortality by 40 percent.

"That doesn't mean you're going to die with a 40 percent chance in a given year," Tilman notes. "It just means whatever your chance was of dying that year for your age, [the relative risk is] about 40 percent larger."

However, just because a food is bad for us doesn't always mean it's bad for the planet. Sugary beverages, for instance, have been linked to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, but the study found their environmental impact isn't much more than that of growing vegetables. On the flip side, fish consumption is associated with a lower risk of several diseases, but it's not as great for the planet as a plant-based diet.

That said, Tilman notes that how a fish is caught or grown matters a lot. Fish caught by trawlers in the open ocean have a much higher environmental impact because these boats use "lots of diesel fuel for not a lot of fish," he says in an email. "Fish such as tuna and salmon caught on lines or with seine nets near the surface, and aquaculture fish such as salmon, steelhead, catfish and tilapia grown in ponds, lochs, fjords and ocean cages have moderate greenhouse gas emissions per serving that are about 6 times those of the typical plant-based foods."

To reach their conclusions on diet and health, the researchers looked at 19 previous meta-analyses that followed millions of people over time, mostly in Western nations. They used that data to calculate how eating an extra serving of a given food each day affected the relative risk of colorectal cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, as well as overall mortality. Data on the environmental impact of food was derived from life cycle analyses, which looked at the land, equipment and other resources required to grow or raise a food.

"This is a useful study because it aims to compare, using similar and consistent methods, how different foods influence the joint health of humans and the planet," says Dariush Mozaffarian, the dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University.

Despite recent controversy over the science on red meat and health, these findings are in line with the overall body of evidence that suggests that cutting back on processed red meat is a healthy choice, he says. And if you do eat red meat, he says, how the cattle was raised matters.

Jessica Fanzo, a professor of global food and agriculture policy at Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the current research, says that the big takeaway message for consumers is this. "If you want to care about the environment and your own health, eating less red and processed meat is key." And, she says, if you substitute something like fish, "think a little bit more about how those are sourced and how they're raised."

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Is A Diet That's Healthy For Us Also Better For The Planet? Most Of The Time, Yes - NPR

Theres not a universal diet that is going to work for everyone. Try as many fad diets as you can from Keto to vitamin IV drips these diets, often covered by the media as the next secret to weight loss and healthier living, dont always work.

In fact, these diets have actually harmed half of Americans whove tried them, according to new research.

Fifty percent of Americans who had a diet go wrong said it was due to a vitamin or supplement that harmed them more than they benefit from them. A study commissioned by Advanced Orthomolecular Research with OnePoll found that only a third (32%) of 2,000 responses said a trend diet often helps them achieve their goal.

The survey looked at nutrition trends Americans and trying and researchers wanted to see how theyre finding these so-called diets.

More than half of the respondents found their trend diet by swiping on social media, according to the survey.

Fifty-one percent of participants said they were likely to find out about a new nutrition trend through Twitter, Instagram, and other social media outlets. Surprisingly, that number was the same for people who took dietary advice from their doctor or health care professional.

However, the most popular way for Americans to find their next diet was on the internet (53%.)

Nutritional trends are like a flavor of the month, some pop-up out of nowhere only to disappear and become less popular once something else is being dubbed the next weight-loss solution.

Respondents said the most popular nutrition trends were drinking celery juice (79%), clean eating (78%), and weight-loss team (78%).

Gummy vitamins and weight-loss supplements were also popular responses by participants. Personalized vitamins and CBD products were also tried, too.

Top nutrition trends tried by respondents

1. Drinking celery juice: 79%2. Clean eating: 78%3. Weight-loss tea: 78%4. Gummy vitamins: 76%5. Weight-loss supplements: 76%6. Personalized vitamins: 75%7. CBD products: 75%8. Vitamin IV drips: 70%9. Blood-type diet: 69%10. Personalized/DNA-based nutrition: 68%

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This is where the majority of Americans find their next diet idea - Ladders

BANGOR, Maine Diets...diets..diets! We hear about them all the time and might have even tried some ourselves in the quest to lose weight and stay fit but experts say just because something is working for you, doesn't mean it will work for your pet.

"You need to see something that actually makes you feel good about what you are doing... good about what you are eating," said Jackie Conn, the manager of Weight Watchers Maine.

Pet owners sometimes think buying grain-free products or giving your furry friend a vegan or vegetarian products or raw foods will help them but actually this trend can cause health problems for many pets.

"There are so many ways that people are choosing for themselves to eat, and often times trying to choose something unique for their pet," said Dr. David Cloutier, veterinarian and owner of theVeazie Veterinary Clinic.

Many give leftovers including meat and chicken scraps to pets but Cloutier says theses can cause harm in the long run and cause animals to gain weight.

"That becomes the go-to for everyone, I am going to give them meat scraps, I am going to give them chicken, I am giving them an egg. People always tend to think protein. We see a lot of dogs that are overweight. We are constantly battling overweight dogs," says Cloutier.

Cloutier says dogs should NOT regularly be fed the things you typically eat. Fruits and vegetables are fine, with the exception of grapes and raisins.

Cats, on the other hand, are meat-eaters. The smartest move for them is to buy a nutritionally complete cat food.

In just the last few months Cloutier has seen five cases of cardiomyopathy or heart failure in dogs. He thinks it may well have been an issue of diet, especially owners that only give grain-free products to their dogs.

NCM

"All of those owners were unaware that this was a potential risk and most of them, actually all of them, unfortunately, were led to believe that they were feeding their dog a more healthy diet," said Cloutier.

Cloutier says it is important that pet owners stick to the standard diet for cats and dogs.

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Pet diet trends can have negative health consequences according to experts - NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ

Our overall health is linked to the gut and diet is the most powerful tool for shaping your gut microbiota, states Liping Zhao, who we interviewed at the 8th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit, in Miami.

In his lab, at the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at Rutgers University in New Jersey (USA), Professor Zhao and his team design pioneering dietary interventions, applying genomic tools to understand the impact of food on gut microbiota and how that can be used to improve human metabolic health. As part of their work, they have discovered how a high fiber diet can change the gut microbiome and thus benefit patients with type 2 diabetes.

According to Zhao, our gut works like a fermenter. Bacteria live in our gut and take nutrients from our diet every day. Any non-digestible or undigested dietary components will escape digestion through absorption and then become available to gut bacteria. That is why diet is so powerful, because it feeds nutrients to our gut microbiota.

Of all the dietary components, fiber is crucial. But, as Professor Zhao points out, it is not just any fiber; rather, its the fiber that is part of your traditional diet. In other words, the diet with which we have co-evolved for thousands of years.

If you are born in a Mediterranean country, better to keep your Mediterranean diet, he says. Over generations, your family has been eating a traditional local diet, so the bacteria you take from your parents, and particularly from your mother, have been feeding on that same diet. Thats why our bacteria are most likely using the same nutrients.

The reason behind Professor Zhaos assertion is that he has found there is a core group of bacteria that act like the foundation guild of gut health. And if we provide enough nutrients for this core group of bacteriaand avoid letting pathogenic bacteria growthey will protect us and keep us healthy.

That is also why Zhao advises that if you move to a different country, for instance, youd better watch out. If the new diet doesnt have the necessary fiber to support your original foundation guild, this could cause a change in the core bacteria that provide the basis of gut health, leaving room for the gradual proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. And even remaining in the same country but enjoying everyday foods from other parts of the world can cause similar effects.

Moreover, it is not just what you eat, but also how you cook it. The way pasta and risotto are cooked al dente in the Mediterranean diet means the starch is less digestible and becomes a dietary fiber that promotes beneficial bacteria. As a result, explains Professor Zhao, The way you cook will decide whether the nutrients are available to you or to your gut bacteria.

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Why the fiber in your traditional diet could be the most beneficial for your gut microbiota - Gut Microbiota for Health

If youre like me, you cant help but snack every now and then (or always!).

If youre also like me, you also dont buy them so that you arent tempted to ruin your diet. The good news? Just because you find yourself munching, however, doesnt mean it has to ruin your diet.

Eating snacks is actually a good thing. When you snack throughout the day, youre actually curbing your hunger to prevent overeating and overindulging when you actually do sit down to eat your meal. If snacking is done right, there can also be some nutritional benefits. Though, you may not always want to pick up some grapes or nuts when youre in the mood for a fix.

For those who have a sweet tooth every now and then, and need to step outside of traditional clean eating, here are a few great on-the-go snack options.

My:Mo Mochi Cashew Cream Frozen Dessert

Munk Pack

RSP Nutrition Protein Brownie

Simply Delish Pudding

Truth Bar

Oats Overnight

SmartSweets

ICONIC Protein

Smartfood Smart50

Raw Generation

Beanfields

Love Good Fats

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12 Healthy Snacks To Keep Your Diet On Track - Essence