Coffee: Health Boost or Bad Habit?
Few beverages are as quintessentially American as coffee, though its roots stretch far beyond our morning mugs. It’s a daily ritual for many, but the interplay between coffee and health is as complex as the beverage itself—offering a mix of benefits and risks that hinge on consumption, preparation, and personal health goals. Coffee’s “Big Shots” […]
Antioxidants: Ace Your Health!
Antioxidants are like the superheroes of your body. They’re tiny molecules that protect your cells from harm caused by toxins and stress like midterms, air pollution, poor sleep, and even too much exercise. How does this happen? Toxins and stress can produce free radicals, unstable molecules that wreak havoc in the body. But what are these free […]
Blueberries: Nature’s Tiny Health Powerpunch
We’ve all heard blueberries are good for us, but are they really? And if so, why? Here’s the skinny on one of Boulder’s favorite berries. Blueberry’s Health Benefits Heart Health: Blueberries’ antioxidants may reduce the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Brain Boost: Regular consumption has been linked to improved […]
Smoothies: Your One-the-Go Nutrition Health Hack
Smoothies are all the rage these days, but are they really all they’re cracked up to be? From the green vegetable variety to the more-like-milkshake fare, we’ve got the skinny on smoothies here. Do you want to boost your health, energy, and mood with a simple and delicious drink? If so, you might […]
Phytonutrients & Polyphenols: Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Phytonutrients & Polyphenols: Let Food Be Thy Medicine! Phytonutrients and Polyphenols 1. What are Phytonutrients? Phytonutrients are beneficial chemicals/compounds found in plants (including fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, coffee/teas, and veggies). They often have benefits that promote plant health and vitality and can benefit human health and vitality in turn when consumed/used appropriately. Phytonutrients are not […]
Let’s Talk About Antioxidants!
Let’s Talk About Antioxidants! What are Antioxidants? 1. Free Radicals & Antioxidants: 1.1. What are Free Radicals? Free radicals are molecules that easily loose electrons, making them unstable, and causing them to seek out other molecules’ electrons for stability (damaging other molecules and their tissues in the process). Do you remember the kid at lunchtime […]
Let’s Talk About Acai!
Let’s Talk About Açaí! Açaí is an amazing source of healthy plant fats with plant fiber to boot! Just two (2) packets of unsweetened açaí have 10g of fat. Açaí also provides a great source of sustained endurance (energy) without any sugar crashes. It’s also an amazing source of antioxidants with a stellar glycemic profile (similar to blackberries – […]
Let’s Talk About Edamame!
Let’s Talk About Edamame! Edamame is my favorite superfood. Just four ounces (4oz // ~1/2 C) provides ~14 – 21g of complete protein (complete amino acid profile), 8g healthy fat, 14g carbs, great fiber (!). Soy is estrogenic so when consumed in its natural form (e.g., with the fiber), it helps regulate hormones (the fiber […]
Let’s Talk About Flaxseed!
Let’s Talk About Flaxseed! Flaxseed is a surprisingly high source of antioxidants with a variety of health benefits. The flaxseed antioxidant lignin alpha-linolenic acid has been attributed with producing a variety of beneficial actions on the cardiovascular and reproductive systems. For example, flaxseed has shown anti-arrhythmic, anti-atherogenic, anti-hypertensive, and cholesterol-lowering actions in animal and human […]
Let’s Talk About Cocoa!
Let’s Talk About Cocoa! Cocoa contains very high amounts of polyphenols (potent anti-inflammatory antioxidants), including the flavonoids catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin (Katz et al., 2011). A variety of research points to benefits of cocoa’s polyphenols in a variety of different health contexts. The epicatechin can up-regulate nitric oxide production (the active ingredient in Viagra) and […]
