In fact, a 2016 archeological dig in Israel found evidence that nuts formed a major part of our ancestors’ diet 780,000 years ago.

Dig researchers discovered seven varieties of nuts, along with stone tools to crack them open. These stone tools, called “nutting stones,” are similar to those found in the United States and Europe, and archeologists date them back 4,000 to 8,000 years.

Today, many of us enjoy walnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, cashews, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts, plus honorary peanuts (even though peanuts are technically a legume) with enthusiasm.

Nuts are a popular plant-based protein source and are often used in dairy analogues like nut milk and nut cheese. And a variety of nut butters have emerged, beyond traditional peanut butter. Yet, we’re only beginning to appreciate the enormous nutritional benefits that nuts give us.

So how healthy are nuts? What actually constitutes a nut? Are there any downsides to eating nuts? And what are the best ways to store and eat them?

Types of Nuts

Nuts come in many different shapes and sizes. But most of the different types of nuts fall under the tree nut category. As the name suggests, they grow on trees. But botanically, some of what we know as nuts may technically be fruits, drupes, or seeds.

In general, the word nut is used to describe a hard covering or shell surrounding a kernel or “meat” inside.

Some of the most common types of nuts include:

• Almonds
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Cashews
• Brazil nuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Pistachios
• Pine nuts
• Chestnuts

There are also a few other foods that have “nut” in their name that you may be wondering about. For example, are coconuts nuts? Coconuts are technically drupes because they have three layers: a smooth outer layer, a tough fibrous layer, and the fleshy part surrounding the middle.

Peanuts are also lumped into the nut category but are actually legumes. They’re the edible seeds of the peanut plant and grow underground rather than on a tree. But in terms of culinary usage, they’re very much nutlike.

Additionally, nutmeg does not come from a nut, but from a seed. Water chestnuts are actually roots or tubers. And corn nuts are still corn; they’re just roasted until they’re hard and crunchy like nuts.

Nut Nutrition

Nuts of all sorts have been an important food source for humans for centuries. In fact, it’s theorized that the discovery and inclusion of nuts in our diets may have helped shape our brains and intelligence.

This makes sense when you consider the walnut, especially. Walnuts resemble tiny brains inside a skull. As a result, they were often associated with brain health. But many different nuts have a variety of nutrients beneficial for brain health and beyond.

Nuts are a rich source of complex carbohydrates. Carbs in nuts vary, but cashews and almonds have some of the highest carbohydrate contents at 8.6 and 6.1 grams per one-ounce serving, respectively.

Nuts also contain a good amount of protein, which is why they’re often recommended as a protein source to include in a plant-based diet. Peanuts rank the highest in protein, followed closely by almonds, pistachios, and cashews.

Additionally, nuts contain fiber, contributing to satiety. Hazelnuts and almonds contain the most fiber per ounce at 3 and 4 grams, respectively.

Nuts contain both saturated and unsaturated fats. The high fat content in nuts also contributes to a relatively high amount of calories per serving. If you’re trying to manage weight, you may want to stick to some of the lowest-calorie nuts, such as raw chestnuts or cashews, or limit your portion to no more than one or two ounces per day.

Across the board, nuts also contain significant amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. A one-ounce serving of cashews contains 1.9 milligrams of iron, a vital mineral for transporting oxygen in the blood. And almonds, cashews, and peanuts are all good sources of magnesium. A single Brazil nut can also provide an entire daily value’s worth of selenium.

So with all of that to consider, what is the healthiest nut? Opinions may vary, but walnuts have some of the highest antioxidant levels and are also one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids. And researchers found that walnuts had the greatest health benefits among all the nuts studied in PREDIMED, a landmark randomized clinical trial on the Mediterranean diet.

Health Benefits of Nuts Worth Knowing About

When it comes to the health benefits of nuts, there are many worth knowing about. It seems that, unless you’re allergic to them, all nuts might be good for you in one way or another.

Nuts and Heart Health

Epidemiologic studies have linked eating nuts with reduced rates of heart disease. And that’s extremely good news for everyone since heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.

A review on nuts and cardiovascular disease risk found that higher consumption of nuts worked out to a 19% reduction in disease incidence and a 25% reduction in death from heart disease. Researchers also found a correlation between nuts and lower risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke deaths.

What’s more, a Korean cohort study discovered that even just one 15-gram serving of nuts per week (about half an ounce) was associated with a lowered risk of high blood pressure.

Nuts and Diabetes

Relatedly, recent studies have also indicated that nut consumption may help manage or prevent type 2 diabetes.

Many people with type 2 diabetes also have some form of heart disease due to its metabolic impacts on the body. As a result, researchers used a systematic review to look at the blood lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They found that both peanuts and tree nuts had an impact on total cholesterol and triglycerides in the diets of diabetes patients.

A 2021 meta-analysis of clinical trials also found that tree nut consumption reduced glucose levels and HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nuts and Brain Health

Walnuts do indeed look like little brains and may also help with brain health. A 2022 study in the journal Nutrients showed walnuts have a powerful protective effect against neuroinflammation. This is an important quality to have since neuroinflammation is directly linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Another more recent review also suggests that nuts have a positive impact on cognitive health across the lifespan and may especially help prevent cognitive decline in older adults. In particular, walnuts were noted as the most promising nut in supporting cognition due to their omega-3 fatty acid content.

Nuts and Longevity

Speaking of being protective across your lifespan, a study of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) found that those who ate nuts at least five times per week gained, on average, an extra two years of life expectancy. The nut eaters also experienced a significant reduction in heart disease risk.

And perhaps most dramatically of all, a large-scale, 30-year-long study found that people who regularly ate one ounce of nuts at least seven times per week were 20% less likely to die for any reason, compared to those who avoided nuts in their diet.

Nuts and Cancer

Many nuts have also been linked to lower rates of certain cancers. Studies done on walnuts, in particular, have found that they appear to be particularly protective against breast and prostate cancers. Walnuts and many other nuts contain a number of potent nutrients that may help fight cancer and boost overall health. These nutrients include ellagic acid, a phytochemical, and gamma-tocopherol, an antioxidant and the major form of vitamin E — both of which have strong anti-inflammatory and cancer-protective effects.

Nuts and Erectile Dysfunction

A clinical study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research looked at what happened to men with erectile dysfunction (ED) who ate three to four handfuls of pistachios a day for three weeks. They experienced a significant improvement in blood flow through their private parts. The researchers concluded that three weeks of pistachios “resulted in a significant improvement in erectile function… without any side effects.” That’s pretty impressive, considering the side effects of prescription ED medications.

Results from the FERTINUTS trial, a study examining the impact of nuts on sperm quality, also had positive things to say. The consumption of 60 grams a day of mixed nuts versus no nuts at all showed a significant increase in sexual function and desire among men.

Disadvantages of Nuts

Despite all the impressive health benefits of nuts, there are a few things to consider when adding them to your diet.

Nut Allergies

Perhaps the most obvious downside to nuts is that many children and adults are allergic to them. Tree nut allergies are the most common type of food allergy. And most children with a tree nut allergy are allergic to more than one nut and do not usually outgrow their allergy — as is sometimes the case with other food allergens.

Although peanuts are botanically legumes and not tree nuts, there is also a significant crossover between peanut and tree nut allergies. Around 25–40% of people with a peanut allergy also have a tree nut allergy.

Both peanut and tree nut allergies can have a range of symptoms, from coughing and wheezing to indigestion to hives, and, most severe of all, anaphylaxis. Obviously, if you have a peanut or tree nut allergy, do not consume them.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) suggests that seeds (sesame, sunflower, or pumpkin) are often better tolerated in individuals with tree nut allergies. Coconuts, macadamia nuts, and pine nuts are also considered okay for many people with tree nut allergies since the former is botanically a fruit, and the latter two also fall under the seed category. Individuals should consult with their health care team to confirm these foods’ safety.

Nutrient Density

Nuts are some of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This makes sense, considering they are a small package that has the potential to grow into a tree! But because they’re loaded with nutrition (and calories), a little can actually go a long way.

So what’s the recommended serving size of nuts? In general, current dietary guidelines recommend a 30-gram serving, or a little over an ounce. However, a handful has also been suggested as a valid (although, admittedly, not very scientific) nut serving size.

The one exception to this is Brazil nuts. Because a single Brazil nut can contain up to 96 micrograms of selenium, which is almost double the recommended amount, it’s probably best to only consume one to two Brazil nuts per day. Brazil nuts also contain barium, which can be toxic in large doses.

Antinutrients in Nuts

Because nuts and seeds contain the building blocks for new life, they also tend to come with protections in place to ensure that life succeeds. Antinutrients are plant chemicals that are meant to make a plant less tasty, to deter predators.

Nuts contain antinutrients like phytates, tannins, lectins, and oxalates. Antinutrients are so named because they interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients. So, is this a reason to avoid eating nuts?

Although antinutrients are controversial in the nutrition world, they aren’t the bad guy they’re often made out to be. As we’ve seen in this article, nuts have amazing benefits. On the other hand, many studies done on antinutrients examine them in isolation, which is not how they’re consumed.

Antinutrients are found in many plant foods, along with a variety of beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other plant compounds. In fact, their very inclusion may actually contribute to some of the health benefits seen in nuts and other plant-based foods.

So there’s no need to fear antinutrients in nuts. But if you do want to lessen your antinutrient consumption for whatever reason, you can do so by soaking nuts in water for 24–48 hours. Cooking, sprouting, or fermenting nuts also has the same effect.

For more on antinutrients, see our article, here.

How to Enjoy Nuts

Based on numerous studies, it appears that eating at least one serving of nuts a week, and potentially up to a serving per day, may lead to tremendous health benefits. But how you get those benefits is up to you.

You can enjoy nuts straight as a snack, with a sprinkling of salt or other seasoning, in trail mix or granola, or added to smoothies. Nuts also go well in a nut loaf or casserole, as a topping for salads, blended into nut milk, or prepared into nut cheeses, nut butters, or even pie crusts.

However, because nuts contain different types of fat, they’re prone to spoilage. Walnuts, in particular, are high in omega-3s and may go bad more quickly than other nuts. Fresh in-shell walnuts are best. If you’re a little adventurous, you can get a nutcracker and crack them yourself.

If you opt for shelled walnuts, store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator to prevent their oils from going rancid. According to the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources, nuts will retain their nutritional and flavor quality for up to one year if stored in the refrigerator or two years in the freezer. You can find out how long each type of nut lasts by viewing this chart on Eat By Date. Throw out (or compost!) any nuts that smell or taste sour or bitter.

And, of course, a food is only as healthy as the company it keeps. When nuts are overly salted or laden with sugar or with artificial additives and flavorings, they lose much of their nutritional value and can become a less healthy choice.

Nut Recipes

Enjoy nuts of all varieties for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert with these outrageously nutty and wonderfully delicious nut recipes!

1. Toasted Pistachio and Cherry Overnight Oats

Toasted Pistachio and Cherry Overnight Oats are a tasty way to get a healthy dose of powerful plant nutrients. Oats, cherries, chia seeds, and pistachios offer a great deal of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Not to mention, cherries and pistachios are packed with nutrients to fight inflammation from their abundant phytonutrients, making this a nourishing breakfast that provides long-lasting energy and health.

2. One Sheet Spicy Almond Tofu and Green Beans

Creamy almond butter breathes new life into protein-packed tofu and crisp green beans. In this recipe, the green beans are brushed with Spicy Almond Sauce before baking alongside the tofu and onions for a sheet pan meal that is efficient and scrumptious. Once everything’s done baking, pile your ingredients on top of rice (or your favorite whole grain), drizzle more nutty almond butter sauce on top, and garnish with additional flavors and textures for a restaurant-worthy nut recipe!

3. Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies

What’s better than a warm fudgy brownie? If you guessed a warm fudgy brownie with walnuts, you’d be correct! These Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies may seem too good to be true, but you certainly can have your (plant-based) cake and eat it, too. Made with fiber-rich oat flour, dairy-free, fair-trade dark chocolate, applesauce, and mashed banana, these brownies will have you coming back again and again. With dense gooey chocolate, crunchy walnuts, and a fudgy texture, these brownies are a naturally sweet treat you’ll be excited to sink your teeth into!

You’d Be Nutty to Ignore Nuts!

No matter what type of nuts you enjoy, you will find beneficial qualities in them. Nuts are nutritional powerhouses providing a potent source of plant-based protein as well as healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Their robust nutritional profiles also explain why they’re so good for you. From protecting your heart health to prolonging your life to even helping you out in the bedroom, nuts have a lot to offer.

And while there are a few downsides of nuts to consider, overall, the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks (unless you’re allergic, of course). From homemade nut butters to salad toppings, nuts offer a versatile and convenient way to elevate both taste and well-being, making them an indispensable addition to a health-conscious diet.

Tell us in the comments:

• What are your favorite types of nuts?
• What health benefits of nuts are you most excited about?
• How do you like to eat nuts?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Mykola Sosiukin

Read Next:

• Walnuts: Understanding Their Benefits, Nutrition, and Sustainability
• Healthy Crunchy Snacks to Beat Those Potato Chip Cravings

The post Nut Health Benefits: You Won’t Believe How Good They Are for You appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Unfortunately, it’s now been over 50 years, and cancer is still very much with us.

But cancer science has indeed made progress. Some cancers, like childhood leukemia, which had a 99% fatality rate in 1955, are largely curable these days. New drugs can add years of life to many people diagnosed with multiple myeloma. And many cancers have morphed from death sentences into manageable chronic conditions. Gene-editing technology also promises many more potential medical treatment advances in the years to come.

That’s the good news.

The less good news is that cancer is still a leading killer worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths every year (that’s nearly one-sixth of all deaths from all causes). And there’s a concerning uptick in cancer cases among people younger than 50, with the largest increases among those aged 30–39.

No matter what age it occurs, cancer can be a devastating disease physically, emotionally, and financially. And those burdens are often shared by friends and families. The financial toll can be especially disastrous if the person and their family lack the financial resources to take time off work or don’t have insurance.

Globally, the cost of cancers diagnosed between 2020–2050 is estimated to reach an almost incomprehensible $25.2 trillion. (To help wrap my head around that amount, I calculated that it would be enough money to provide $3,000 to every human being on Earth — with a trillion dollars to spare.)

Some researchers wonder, then, if the original framing of waging a “war” against cancer was a mistake. Viewing cancer as an external enemy took focus away from the value of prevention, which, in all likelihood, could have kept many cases of cancer from developing in the first place.

A lot of research over the last 50 years has pointed to the pivotal role of dietary and lifestyle choices in influencing cancer risk. In fact, one conservative estimate found that 30–40% of all cancers may be preventable with diet and lifestyle measures alone. (In case you’re keeping track, that could lead to savings of up to $10 trillion, and 120 million lives, over the next 30 years, which doesn’t sound too shabby to me.)

So what are these measures? How can you potentially prevent cancer in yourself or a loved one? In this article, we’ll look at 12 ways to reduce cancer risk.

What Can You Do to Help Prevent Cancer?

While many diet and lifestyle strategies have research behind them showing they can help prevent cancer, there are no guarantees in life. There are many different factors that may contribute to a cancer diagnosis. Everyone is biologically different. And what works for one person may not work for another.

But if you want to give yourself the best chance of preventing a cancer diagnosis, there are a few strategies that may help eliminate exposure to harmful cancer-causing chemicals and dietary compounds, along with preventing oxidative stress — a known contributor to carcinogenesis — in the body.

1. Don’t Smoke or Vape Tobacco

Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of cancer in the US and accounts for 25% of all cancer deaths globally (including the majority of lung cancers). Cigarette smoke contains numerous carcinogens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitrosamines, aromatic amines, 1,3-butadiene, benzene, aldehydes, and ethylene oxide.

And while smokers’ risk of lung cancer can be a whopping 22 times higher than that of nonsmokers, smoking increases the risk of many other types of cancer as well. Associations also exist between smoking and skin cancer, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, endometrial carcinoma, and breast cancer

While the long-term effects of vaping and e-cigarettes are as of yet unknown, preliminary research suggests that they may also increase cancer risk. Similarly, vaping can expose you to nasty-sounding carcinogens such as nicotine derivatives (nitrosonornicotine and nitrosamine ketone), PAHs, heavy metals, and complex organic compounds such as formaldehyde.

While quitting smoking at any age can improve your health, doing so at a young age can significantly lower cancer incidence and increase life expectancy.

2. Avoid Plastics

Plastics are another environmental toxin linked to an elevated risk of cancer. This is most clearly seen where plastic exposure is the greatest such as in occupational exposure during manufacturing.

But as industrially-produced plastics continue to grow and infiltrate our lives, it’s harder and harder to find water, food, or soil that doesn’t contain microplastics. Even more concerning is their ability to find their way into living tissue due to their tiny size. While researchers first noticed microplastics in the flesh of marine creatures, now studies show they’re increasingly prevalent in human bodies as well.

Even if you avoid seafood and don’t work in a factory that produces or uses plastic, you still risk exposure to potentially carcinogenic chemicals from plastics found in everyday items.

Plastic packaging for food products can leach harmful chemicals into that food, especially if the contents are heated or acidic (like tomato sauce). Two of the most frequently implicated plastic chemicals are BPA and phthalates.

BPA may cause metabolic disease, obesity, infertility, and ADHD; while phthalates, as endocrine disruptors, can compromise pregnancy, child growth, and reproductive system development. Both chemicals have links to cancer.

BPA has a role in promoting several hormone-dependent cancers (breast, ovarian, and prostate). Exposure to phthalates during childhood is associated with an increased incidence of childhood osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and lymphoma (blood and lymph cancers).

BPA and phthalates aren’t limited to food packaging, however. They’re also in toys, medications, and beauty and personal care products.

The plastics industry has responded to growing concern by using plastics touted as “BPA-free” and “phthalate-free.” But the problem is, other chemicals found in plastics — nearly every type of plastic — turn out to be toxic as well.

It’s not clear whether swapping one type of plastic for another will pay health dividends, at least not nearly as much as finding ways to reduce overall exposure to plastic. Reducing your plastic footprint benefits not just you, but the wider environment.

You can replace plastic food containers with safer ones that have the added benefit of being long-lasting. And for both health and environmental reasons, you can eliminate, as much as possible, highly wasteful and polluting single-use plastics from your life.

Here are nine tips to help you live without plastic (yes, it really is possible!).

3. Avoid Processed Foods and Meats

Now it’s time to talk about food. Many processed foods contain harmful cancer-causing ingredients. While many countries have banned these ingredients, they’re still very much a part of the ultra-processed US food system.

A 2023 study found that eating large amounts of ultra-processed food is associated with a higher risk of developing cancers of the upper digestive tract, such as mouth, throat, and esophageal cancer.

Processed meat, in particular, has been associated with increased cancer risk. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified it as a class 1 carcinogen back in 2015. Specifically, a comprehensive 2021 meta-analysis found that processed meat consumption was associated with “a 6% greater breast cancer risk, an 18% greater colorectal cancer risk, a 21% greater colon cancer risk, a 22% greater rectal cancer risk, and a 12% greater lung cancer risk.”

Fortunately, it’s possible to replicate a lot of the taste and texture of processed meats with plant-based alternatives. Some are definitely kinder to your health than others. And the healthiest will generally be the ones you make yourself. You can even make bacon out of plants!

4. Filter Your Water

Multiple carcinogens exist in drinking water, too. Some, like arsenic, occur naturally, while others are the result of contamination from industry or agriculture. Still others are created when chlorine, used to disinfect tap water, comes into contact with organic material.

The 2000 movie Erin Brockovich told the true story of a town’s contaminated water supply. Unfortunately, a 2022 survey of US federal and state water testing found that the tap water of more than 250 million Americans still has dangerously high levels of this contaminant (chromium-6).

A 2023 study found that the tap water consumed by half of all households in the US is contaminated with cancer-causing PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” so named because they’re extremely resistant to breaking down, either in the environment or the body.

Microplastics are also increasingly concentrated in drinking water.

For tips on how you can treat your drinking water to reduce health risks, check out this comprehensive article on drinking water treatment.

Editor’s Note: Having a good home water filter is a great way to protect your family (and to save money over buying bottled water, which typically comes in plastic). One option that FRN likes is the AquaTru — a countertop RO unit that includes excellent carbon filter technology, delivers high-quality water and flavor, slashes the purchase cost, requires no installation fees, is remarkably water-efficient, and has extremely minimal maintenance costs. The manufacturer, AquaTru, states that their system removes chromium-6, arsenic, PFAS, and a great many other contaminants. It’s available for a $100 discount for FRN members. If you’re interested, you can find out more here.

5. Filter Your Air

While many people think that lung cancer only happens to smokers, up to 29% of all lung cancer deaths are attributable to poor air quality. Some of this comes from outdoor pollution, including car exhaust, factory and power plant emissions, and wildfire smoke, which can travel indoors, where the carcinogenic particles can become even more concentrated.

Your home is also a potential source of airborne cancer-causing chemicals. Cooking with a gas stove, it turns out, can be more of a contributor to carcinogenic air than even second-hand cigarette smoke. Gas stoves can raise indoor levels of benzene, a carcinogen linked to leukemia and other blood cell cancers.

VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemicals that can off-gas from cleaning supplies, paints, insecticides, lacquers and stains, and many other products. Some of these are suspected human carcinogens, as well as having multiple other health effects.

Another chemical that can build up in the home and raise the risk of cancer is radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. You can get your home tested, and if levels are high, you can either increase the rate of airflow, get a suitable home air filter, or install an underground ventilation system to divert the gas before it enters your living spaces.

To find out more on the top sources and stunning health effects of indoor air pollution, and what you can do about it, see our article, here.

6. Reduce Your Stress

There are also internal contributors to cancer development: how we process stressors. While the stress response is a crucial system that has evolved to keep us safe in the presence of a threat, many people experience a chronic stress response that remains active even in the absence of an external threat.

Animal studies (our view on the use of animals in medical research is here) and lab-grown human cancer cells have provided evidence that chronic stress may cause cancer to get worse and spread. That’s because prolonged stress triggers inflammation, suppresses immunity, and promotes tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis.

There’s also evidence that persistent and chronic stress exposure might also contribute to tumor initiation in specific cancers.

While you can’t avoid all of life’s stressors, there are some proven strategies that can help you manage stress more effectively. Certain foods can help (here are seven of them.) And adaptogens are plants and herbs that could be especially useful in helping your body deal with stressors and come back into balance.

Exercising and spending time in nature are also documented ways of lowering stress levels. For an added boost of calm, you can do both at the same time, an approach known as green fitness.

7. Use (Natural) Sunscreen

Skin cancer accounts for almost one-third of all diagnosed cancers, and the incidence of both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers has been increasing over the past decades.

The main factors that predict the development of melanoma appear to be a combination of a history of sunburn from ultraviolet radiation and continued recreational exposure to the sun.

One way to keep the sun from damaging your skin is by using sunscreen. Studies have shown that it does reduce the risk of skin cancers. Unfortunately, not all sunscreens are benign. Some contain benzophenone, a suspected carcinogen that also can interfere with key hormones and reproductive organs.

It’s ironic that many people who seek to avoid one type of cancer end up doing so with products that promote other cancers, as well as additional health problems. To avoid this “from-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire” scenario, look for natural sunscreens or other forms of natural sun protection. There are even foods that can protect your skin from harmful UV radiation.

For advice on what to look for in a natural sunscreen, see our article, here.

8. Wash Produce to Remove Pesticides

The greatest cancer risk associated with pesticides is occupational, affecting farm workers who apply pesticides. However, there may also be a risk from dietary sources. Estimates put more than 90% of the US population with detectable concentrations of pesticide biomarkers in their urine or blood.

While many fruits and vegetables are potent cancer-fighters, some of the pesticides used to grow them promote tumor growth, as well as cause harmful gene expression and DNA modification. For example, a 2021 study found a correlation between dietary exposure to pesticides and increased breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women.

But there are several things you can do to minimize your exposure to these potentially carcinogenic compounds. If you can access and afford organic produce, that’s a great way to keep some of the worst pesticide offenders off your plate.

If a 100% organic shopping cart is out of your reach, you can get the most pesticide-free bang for your buck by going organic with the most pesticide-contaminated produce aka “the Dirty Dozen.”

And while you can’t remove all pesticide residue by washing your produce, a water and baking soda mixture can get rid of some pesticides.

For more on how to wash produce to remove the vast majority of pesticide residues, see our article here.

9. Use Nontoxic Cookware

Even after buying organic and washing off as much pesticide residue as you can, you may still be cooking your produce in ways that increase cancer risk. That’s because some nonstick cookware has a coating of carcinogenic chemicals.

The two biggest culprits are poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOA is widely used in the manufacture of a bunch of industrial and commercial products, including Teflon coating on cookware. It’s associated with several cancers, including those of the testicles and kidneys, as well as pancreatic cancer.

To avoid these chemicals, check out some of our suggestions on healthy cookware options.

10. Drink Less (or No) Alcohol

While the media and wellness influencers debate the pros and cons of red wine for heart health, the evidence is clear and increasingly compelling that alcoholic beverages qualify as group 1 carcinogens. This doesn’t mean they get to board airplanes first. Rather, “group 1” is used by the WHO to indicate that there’s “convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer” in humans.

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of several cancer types, including cancers of the upper digestive tract, liver, colorectum, and breast. Worldwide, about 4% of cancers have a correlation with alcohol consumption.

But how much alcohol do you need to drink before your risk of cancer increases? According to the WHO, there’s no safe level of alcohol consumption. While the risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol you consume, even light or moderate consumption raises your odds of developing cancer.

Find out more on how alcohol affects your health here, and get some suggestions on nonalcoholic or mocktail recipes here.

11. Get Regular Cancer Screenings

Although no substitute for prevention, it’s often true that early detection can be a lifesaver. Getting regular cancer screenings can enable your health care provider to find precancerous cells as well as cancerous tumors.

Specifically, medical societies recommend screening for cancers that are easier to treat and cure when found early. For example, screenings can prevent colorectal and cervical cancers by identifying and removing precancerous lesions before they become cancerous.

Recent studies are also showing that mammography screenings decrease women’s risk of dying from breast cancer. A large-scale 2020 study out of Sweden found that women who participated in mammograms reduced their risk of dying of breast cancer within 10 years by a whopping 41%.

Another screening success has been the Pap smear, which I just learned was named after Dr. Georgios Papanikolaou, the Greek pathologist who discovered the test and publicized it in 1943. Over the past three decades, its widespread use has been credited with decreasing cervical cancer incidence and mortality by over 50%.

Colonoscopies that look for colorectal cancer may also be beneficial once people have reached a certain age. (According to the American Cancer Society, that age is 45 for folks with “average risk”).

Keep in mind, however, that there are also risks involved in all cancer screenings, including false positives that can lead to invasive treatments, as well as aggressively treating tumors that may be so slow-growing as to represent little threat to health.

Additionally, certain cancer screening tests may only be suggested for people who are high-risk. Others are routine tests done regularly after a certain age. To find out what cancer screenings are recommended by the American Cancer Society, here’s a resource they put together.

And remember the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For most of us, the best prevention is a healthy diet and lifestyle. Starting with choosing to…

12. Eat Cancer-Fighting Foods

While most of the items on this list are things to avoid — tobacco smoke, plastics, processed foods, etc. — there are also things you can add more of to help prevent cancer.

Vegetable and fruit consumption is associated with a lower risk of many cancers, including those of the stomach, esophagus, lung, oral cavity and pharynx, endometrium, pancreas, colon, and others. The effects are likely due to the many positive qualities of whole plant-based foods. But two of the best studied are phytonutrients and fiber.

Phytonutrients and phytochemicals found in colorful plant foods, in particular, have been shown to possess anticancer effects. These and other antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in your cells and fight oxidative stress in your body.

Oxidative stress plays a major role in cancer cell metabolism. Cancer patients frequently have low antioxidant stores, and experience increased oxidative stress, leading researchers to seek ways to increase antioxidant activity as a cancer prevention strategy.

Fiber is another key nutrient for cancer prevention. There’s a clear link between fiber and colorectal health. You can think of fiber as the “broom” that sweeps your colon clean. Studies show that people who consumed just 10 more grams of fiber per day had a 10% reduction in their risk of developing colorectal cancer.

But fiber’s benefit doesn’t stop there. Multiple studies have found that the more fiber you eat, the lower your risk of breast and other hormonal cancers.

For more on why fiber is good for you, including a beautifully designed graphic showing 33 of the best high-fiber foods and a bunch of delicious fiber-rich recipes, check out this article.

And for more on anticancer foods, check out 7 Ways to Eat to Defeat Cancer Today and Every Day by Dr. William Li.

Cancer-Fighting Recipes

While some of the strategies shared in this article may take time and even a bit of expense to implement (changing cookware and sunscreen, replacing plastic containers with glass ones, getting a home air purifier, and so on), you can quickly make a dent in your cancer risk through the food you prepare and eat today.

Here are a few of our favorite anticancer recipes that taste so good, you’ll be forgiven for forgetting how good they are for you.

1. Smashed Edamame Avocado Toast

This easy toast recipe delivers a hefty dose of fiber, which is essential for digestive health and reducing the risk of certain types of cancer. Avocado is a nutrient powerhouse, rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, and is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. The star ingredient, however, is edamame, which adds a substantial dose of plant-based protein and isoflavones. These phytonutrients may protect cells from damage and reduce the risk of cancer development. Enjoy the flavors, textures, and nutritional attributes of this craveable breakfast.

2. Strawberry Spinach Salad

Delight in a vibrant salad bursting with flavor and packed with cancer-fighting nutrients. This colorful ensemble features nutrient-rich spinach, known for its abundance of antioxidant cancer fighters like vitamin C and beta-carotene. It’s also complemented by sweet and succulent strawberries, offering a dose of ellagic acid — a phytonutrient that helps scavenge free radicals. The Strawberry Spinach Salad also provides quercetin — a plant compound with anticancer properties. Topped with a tangy beet balsamic dressing, this salad is a mouthwatering treat and a potential ally in your journey toward cancer prevention.

3. Pink Cauliflower Soup

Indulge in a flavorful blend of cauliflower, beets, garlic, tofu, and aromatic spices designed with potential cancer-fighting properties in mind. Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable rich in sulforaphane, may assist in reducing the risk of certain cancers by aiding in the body’s natural detoxification processes. Vibrant beets contribute betalains known for their anti-inflammatory properties. And garlic adds allicin, believed to possess powerful anticancer effects. With the addition of delicate microgreens, you’ll also get an extra boost of essential vitamins and minerals.

4. Plant-Powered Lunch Bowl

This Plant-Powered Lunch Bowl is a vibrant mix of nutrient-dense kale, antioxidant-packed turmeric, and carotenoid-rich sweet potatoes. Complemented by a vibrant matcha turmeric dressing, this bowl is more than just a delicious meal — it’s a cancer-fighting recipe. The abundance of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals from all of the ingredients creates a bowl bursting with health benefits.

5. Rainbow Smoothie

Indulge in a vibrant Rainbow Smoothie, a flavorful concoction blending the goodness of banana, apple, mixed berries, nutrient-rich spinach, and chia seeds, all with potentially cancer-preventive properties. This colorful smoothie offers a wealth of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. Both berries, particularly rich in anthocyanins and vitamin C, and spinach, abundant in folate and antioxidants, are believed to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, potentially reducing cancer risk. Combined with the fiber and omega-3 fatty acids from chia seeds, this refreshing smoothie is a nourishing and delightful treat!

Take Control of Your Health with These Cancer Prevention Strategies

Cancer can be devastating. And while medical advances have been largely modest and limited to certain families of cancer, there’s a lot of hope in the form of evidence-based strategies for lifestyle-based cancer prevention.

From steering clear of harmful substances like tobacco and plastics to embracing stress reduction techniques and consuming cancer-fighting foods, there are many steps you can take toward a healthier lifestyle.

While no approach guarantees immunity from cancer, the combination of these measures can significantly reduce your risk. And the collective impact of these lifestyle changes holds promise not just for individual well-being but also for a future in which the devastating impact of cancer is diminished.

Tell us in the comments:

• Which of the 12 cancer-fighting strategies above do you already engage in?
• What’s one thing you can do right now to reduce the risk of cancer for yourself and your loved ones?
• Which cancer-fighting recipe will you make next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/FatCamera

Read Next:

• The Top 10 Vegetables You Can Eat to Prevent and Reverse Cancer
• IGF-1: The Growth Hormone That Can Fuel Cancer

The post 12 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk Using Diet & Lifestyle appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Those are all well and good, but what would seriously make my day is an Olympic event highlighting the foods that do the most to support health and longevity.

If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on the benefits of turmeric to win the gold. And that would be fitting since turmeric is known in India as “haldi,” the Golden Spice. It earned its nickname not just from its bold yellow-gold color but its associations with prosperity, purity, and good fortune.

In India, powdered turmeric features prominently in a traditional pre-wedding ceremony. Turned into a yellow paste, it’s applied liberally to the bride and groom’s bodies to bring them good fortune and ward off the evil eye. Unmarried friends and family members may also benefit, as whoever gets touched by the paste will supposedly find an attractive partner soon.

In addition to its ritual uses, turmeric has been revered in India for its powerful medicinal properties for over 4,000 years. A mainstay of Ayurveda, the Indian healing tradition, as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine, turmeric is now being extensively studied by modern science for its potential health benefits.

In fact, it’s thought that turmeric may be one of the most potent anti-inflammatory compounds ever examined. And preliminary evidence suggests it may reduce the risk of just about every major chronic condition.

As a result, turmeric has achieved virtual superfood status in the industrialized world, bottled into a variety of supplements. But is it effective in supplemental form? And if you get it through food, how much is enough? Can you get too much? And should you be concerned about lead exposure?

Let’s dive into the world of turmeric and explore the evidence about the health benefits and risks of the Golden Spice.

What Is Turmeric?

Turmeric, or Curcuma longa to botanists, is a plant in the ginger family (called Zingiberaceaea, which would get me knocked out of a spelling bee if I didn’t have it written out in front of me). Other members of that family include galangal and cardamom.

Turmeric is native to Southeast Asia, where it’s now grown commercially (primarily in India) and used as a cooking spice.

There are over 50 different cultivars of turmeric, with the most common being the Madras and Alleppey varieties.

The culinary part of the plant is its rhizome (underground stem). Think gingerroot, just a bit skinnier and a whole lot yellower. As a spice, turmeric has a slightly bitter, pungent, and nutty taste. And its intense hue can range from yellow to gold to orange. It’s the main spice in many curry powders and the one that gives them their distinctive color.

Turmeric has both culinary and medicinal uses. Around the world, almost one billion people use it daily as a cooking spice. You can eat the rhizomes whole, either cooked or raw. And you can also use them dried and ground into a spice powder. In addition to its culinary uses, turmeric is also used as a preservative for food and as a coloring agent for mustards.

Turmeric and extracts made from it are also consumed as a supplement, orally in capsule or liquid form, or even as a paste.

Turmeric Nutrition

Like a lot of other spices, turmeric is a rich source of many essential minerals. These include iron (the nonheme variety that doesn’t build up in blood), copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Fresh turmeric also delivers a small amount of fiber.

Turmeric’s big claim to fame, though, is its curcuminoids — the compounds that give the root not just its yellow color but also many of its health benefits. The main curcuminoid is curcumin, which, despite its name, doesn’t come from cumin. Curcumin is a polyphenol, a plant compound that acts as an antioxidant in our diets and has disease-fighting properties.

For more on polyphenols, check out our full article here.

The Benefits of Turmeric

At the top of this article, I said that turmeric could win a gold medal at the Nutrition Olympics. Let’s look at the evidence that leads me to give the spice a 10 out of 10.

Turmeric Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Curcumin is often used as an anti-inflammatory agent in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. And many studies have put this application to the test.

A 2019 article reviewed test-tube and animal studies where curcumin showed protective effects against several gastrointestinal problems that were caused or worsened by inflammation (our view on the use of animals in medical research is here). These included acid reflux, Barrett’s esophagus (where the esophageal lining experiences damage from acid reflux), and H. pylori infection of the stomach.

Curcumin has also shown promise in reducing the effects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It seems to work by helping to calm cells that are involved in inflammation. As a result, it’s theorized that curcumin could be a treatment option for reducing IBD flare-ups.

A 2021 meta-analysis also found curcumin to be effective in lessening the pains of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reducing inflammation, swelling, and pain. Included among the results was a 1980 study out of Iran that found curcumin supplementation helped reduce morning stiffness and joint swelling in human patients with RA.

Turmeric and Blood Sugar

Curcumin also shows great promise in treating and perhaps even preventing type 2 diabetes. A 2021 meta-analysis provided evidence that the compound may achieve these results by reducing inflammation and blood sugar levels.

And a 2023 meta-analysis of human trials found that turmeric can help lower blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Unlike many diabetes drugs, however, the side effects of turmeric were positive. They included lowering total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, insulin resistance, and markers of inflammation. The results appeared to be dose-dependent — that is, the more turmeric people consumed, the greater the effects.

Turmeric and Brain Health

Because of curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and other beneficial properties, it’s being studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The challenge is to deliver the curcumin in a way that enables it to easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Researchers are trying to make the compound more bioavailable by binding it to “carrier molecules.”

A 2022 review article reports that curcumin may also help people with early-onset Alzheimer’s lessen the sleep disturbances that often accompany the disease. This is important because your body requires quality sleep to “do maintenance” on the brain and clean out harmful substances — so Alzheimer’s and poor sleep make for a vicious cycle of increasing brain damage.

Turmeric and Cancer

Research shows that curcumin can help prevent the initiation of cancers and slow their development once they’ve occurred. How does it do this? Researchers believe that its anticancer mechanisms include inhibiting cellular growth, reducing the invasion and migration capabilities of cancer cells, enhancing programmed cell death, reducing inflammation, and favorably altering the intestinal microbiome.

Based on studies of which molecules curcumin targets in cancer cells, it may be that curcumin could be particularly effective in combating prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and head and neck squamous cell cancer.

And according to a 2020 review article, several studies suggest that adding curcumin to chemotherapy treatment regimens enhances the efficacy of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This combination may extend the survival times of patients, boost the levels of proteins that prevent the spread of cancerous tumors, and alleviate adverse effects.

Turmeric and Heart Health

A 2017 meta-analysis found that the curcumin in turmeric might help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. It seems particularly effective in reducing cholesterol levels in people with metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease. While much research has focused on curcumin, some studies also suggest that whole turmeric may be even more effective at lowering cholesterol than supplemental curcumin alone.

There are several conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. And these conditions all share several underlying factors: oxidative stress, impaired mitochondrial function, metabolic irregularities such as changes in lipid levels and glucose processing, as well as inflammatory responses. Curcumin demonstrates a wide range of effects that target these particular factors, suggesting that it could reduce the risk of heart disease in some of the most vulnerable populations, including elderly people as well as those who are obese and/or have type 2 diabetes.

Curcumin Bioavailability

To recap, science has recognized what many cultures have known for centuries: Turmeric has powerful medicinal properties that can help treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions. But much of the data and recorded health benefits of turmeric have been based on studies that used supplements and extracts of curcumin rather than whole turmeric root or turmeric powder.

This creates a challenge because we know that human bodies aren’t great at absorbing curcumin, either from food or in supplemental form. That’s because curcumin is what’s known as hydrophobic, which doesn’t mean it’s afraid of swimming pools. Rather, it’s very poorly absorbed in water, which makes it hard for your body to get the compound into your cells where it can do good. That means the underlying science is unavoidably muddy since it’s hard to know what dose of curcumin a patient has absorbed. You can only tell the amount given.

Fortunately, researchers have begun finding proven ways to increase curcumin’s bioavailability.

1. Turmeric and Black Pepper

When you eat dishes that contain turmeric, you can absorb more curcumin if you add black pepper. This gives you the synergistic compound piperine, which significantly enhances the serum concentration, absorption, and bioavailability of curcumin. One study found that people who ate piperine along with curcumin absorbed 20 times more of the curcumin than people who didn’t receive black pepper. (If you’re looking to make this sound impressive, you can also say that black pepper increases curcumin bioavailability by 2,000% — which is just a fancy way of adding two zeros and a percent sign.)

You can take advantage of this finding by following Dr. Greger’s advice: Every day, consume a quarter teaspoon of dried turmeric with a pinch of black pepper.

2. Eat Turmeric with a Healthy Fat

Another way to increase the bioavailability of curcumin is to eat a healthy fat along with your turmeric. That’s because, while curcumin isn’t very soluble in water, it gets along really well with fat. Traditional Indian cuisine reflects this insight, as Indian dishes that include turmeric are often cooked with coconut milk, vegetable oil, or ghee.

If you want to stick to whole plant foods, remember that nuts, seeds, and avocados are generally good sources of healthy fat that can increase curcumin bioavailability as well.

Here are some of our favorite turmeric-containing recipes to help you get more of the Golden Spice into the cells of your body.

3. Curcumin Supplements

Researchers have also found ways to increase the bioavailability of supplemental curcumin.

Nanoparticle Curcumin

One is by encapsulating the curcumin in nanoparticles, which are just like regular particles, but a lot more nano.

Okay, okay. I’ll look it up for you: Nanoparticles are very (very, very) small particles measured in nanometers, and a nanometer is one-millionth of a millimeter. The thing about nanoparticles is that at that size, they behave differently than larger particles, both on a physical and chemical level. And one of those differences is in the way they can dissolve in water while protecting the curcumin they’re surrounding.

Micellar Curcumin

A second technique for increasing the bioavailability of supplemental curcumin is to chemically change it to a micellar form. Micelles are very small lipid molecules that act as a carrier for fat-soluble curcumin and make it water-soluble, which allows the curcumin to sneak in, so to speak.

But does that actually work? Well, to put it to the test, researchers conducted a study, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research in 2014. They gave participants a 500-mg dose of curcuminoids in either a native curcumin powder, micronized powder, or liquid micelles, and then measured blood levels of curcuminoids in the 24 hours that followed. The researchers found that, compared to the native curcumin, the micronized powder conferred a 9-fold increase in absorption. That sounds pretty impressive until you hear about the winner — the liquid micelle format, which led to a 185-fold increase.

In their discussion, the researchers also compared their bioavailability results with those found in other studies on bioavailable curcumin forms, including the use of the piperine found in black pepper (which led to a 20-fold increase in bioavailability), turmeric essential oils (which had a 7-fold higher bioavailability), and curcumin incorporated into lecithin (which conferred a 4-fold better absorption). They called micellar curcumin’s 185-fold result “unrivaled.”

Liposomal Curcumin

A third method of increasing bioavailability is to create liposomal conjugated curcumin. Liposomes are tiny spherical structures made up of lipid bilayers that can carry therapeutic agents like drugs or natural compounds. Like micellar curcumin, liposomal curcumin has an outer membrane that bonds with water, which allows the fat-loving curcumin inside to enter human cells more readily.

Downsides & Risks of Turmeric

The way curcumin is vying for that nutritional gold medal, you might think that the more of it you get, the better. But there are several reasons to be cautious about overconsumption of the Golden Spice.

Human studies on the effects of turmeric as a food have looked at doses ranging from less than 1/16th of a teaspoon a day up to about 2 tablespoons a day. And participants have taken these amounts sometimes for more than a month.

And while traditional Indian diets may include as much as a teaspoon of turmeric per day (or about an inch of fresh turmeric root), supplemental forms of curcumin with enhanced bioavailability could deliver the equivalent to cups of turmeric — definitely not a dose that you could achieve by eating real food.

According to the European Food Safety Authority and the World Health Organization, the acceptable daily intake value of curcumin is 0–3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. So someone weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms) is advised to limit their consumption to 204 milligrams of curcumin per day, or approximately 1 tablespoon. Although curcumin has been found to be safe at doses of 8 grams per day in both phase I and phase II clinical trials, there is some concern that very high doses, perhaps especially when combined with enhanced bioavailability, could lead to some side effects.

Turmeric Side Effects

Too much turmeric might possibly be able to cause DNA damage — at least, that’s what researchers have found in test-tube studies. So people who are pregnant, in particular, may want to moderate their turmeric consumption. High-dose curcumin also appears to thin the endometrial lining, which can interfere with in vitro fertilization.

Turmeric helps the gallbladder pump more vigorously, which is one way it can protect the liver and even prevent gallstones. But if there’s already an obstruction in the bile duct, those additional gallbladder contractions can cause a lot of pain.

Moderating turmeric consumption may also be a good idea for people with a predisposition to forming kidney stones. That’s because turmeric is high in oxalates, which can bind to calcium to form calcium oxalate, the key ingredient in about 75% of all kidney stones. (Some curcumin products, however, contain little to no oxalate.)

And in some people, high doses of turmeric may also cause gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and nausea.

Turmeric can also act as a blood thinner, which means it may interact with several classes of medications, including blood thinners, aspirin, and diabetes drugs.

Lead in Turmeric

There’s one more issue with turmeric that isn’t about the plant itself, but its preparation.

Turmeric powder from Bangladesh and India sometimes contains lead chromate, which enhances the spice’s appearance by making it a brighter shade of yellow. Which is to say, some turmeric powder is contaminated with lead.

There’s no safe level of lead; it can seriously damage reproductive, neurological, and cardiovascular systems — especially in children. If you want to protect yourself and your family from possible lead contamination, the best option is to buy fresh turmeric root or to buy organic turmeric and curcumin products.

To be extra safe, you can contact manufacturers to ask if they test for lead and other metals. California’s Proposition 65 seeks to protect, or at least inform, consumers by providing warnings about lead in foods like ground turmeric.

Use Turmeric in Good Health — Thoughtfully

Turmeric, the Golden Spice, has long been venerated in India and other Asian countries for its vibrant hue, culinary appeal, and medicinal qualities. Rich in curcuminoids, turmeric boasts antioxidants and disease-fighting polyphenols, making it a superfood of immense value. And modern scientific studies are confirming and highlighting its anti-inflammatory properties, brain-boosting effects, and potential for managing conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Despite all those beneficial properties, turmeric comes with some concerns. While supplements promise convenience, their proper usage and dosage require consideration. And potential lead contamination concerns may lead some people to make sure their turmeric is grown organically or comes in a tested supplement, rather than dried and powdered. As with many medicinal spices, moderation and informed sourcing is key.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you cook with turmeric? What are your favorite ways to use it?
• Have you ever seen fresh turmeric root at a market or grocery store?
• Do you take curcumin supplements?

Featured Image: iStock.com/ollo

Read Next:

• How Curcumin Can Help You Hack Your Genes And Avoid Disease
• Fresh vs Dried: A Guide to Herbs and Spices

The post The Golden Spice: Understanding the Health Benefits and Risks of Turmeric appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

In the “at least things haven’t gotten worse” department, the price of food and other essentials stabilized somewhat but remains well above what it was pre-pandemic. Factors maintaining high prices include the continuing effects of the pandemic on the food chain and the impact of the Russia/Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, climate chaos (a phrase that’s much more accurate than the anodyne “climate change” or “global warming”) is already causing havoc, contributing to higher food prices by bringing droughts to some places and floods to others, leading to crop failures and economic hardship.

In many parts of the world, climate chaos will continue to hamper food production, particularly in areas suffering from prolonged drought and relying more and more on groundwater — leading to accelerated aquifer depletion. This threatens to create massive disruptions when wells run dry — something that’s already happening in many places and is likely to intensify dramatically in the years ahead.

I was stunned by a recent opinion piece in the New York Times about Uzbekistan’s disappearing Aral Sea. A photo accompanying the article shows rusted boats stranded in a lifeless desert that used to be a thriving port — now 75 miles from the nearest body of water.

All these developments highlight the critical importance of eating lower on the food chain. Doing so can save massive amounts of land, water, and other natural resources — and can significantly reduce the food system’s contribution to climate chaos.

And, as we frequently discuss on this site, eating more plants, fewer animals, and less processed food can also be a great move for your health.

In short, the mission of the Food Revolution Network is more important than ever.

A Couple of the Many Lives Changed by the Food Revolution

At FRN, we’re privileged to hear, almost every day, from people whose lives have been touched by our message. Some of the stories we hear make us cry! And all of them fill us with determination to carry on and to spread the word.

Here are just a few of the memorable member stories from 2023:

WHOLE Life Club member Diane M. from Saugerties, NY, USA, wrote:

“With WHOLE Life Club, I sought support and information to help me on my journey to a…  whole food, plant-based diet. It has done that and a whole lot more! I have lost over 120 pounds since September 2022. My A1c dropped from 10.4 to 4.5, my triglycerides are now in a normal range, my LDL cholesterol has dropped tremendously, and my HDL cholesterol is in a healthy range and creeping higher. I feel so much better, with more energy, motivation, and a healthier mindset. Thank you to WLC and all its members! I enjoy how positive everyone is, and the nonjudgmental way the leaders include everyone as they teach, no matter what phase students are in on their journey.”

Plant-Based Coaching Certification graduate Terry Baker from Oro Valley, AZ, USA, wrote:

“Food Revolution Network’s Plant-Based Coaching Certification was truly the answer to my prayers, and I am so eternally grateful. I value the PBCC so highly because not only did I learn about the vast intricacies of the human body and exactly what it needs to be truly healthy at any age, but also I gained the knowledge and confidence to successfully share this vital information with others, hoping to end unnecessary suffering and disease. Do not hesitate in taking this course! You have no idea what a beautiful, powerful, and positive impact you could have in this world! Thank you to EVERYBODY in the Food Revolution Network for making this course possible.”

The Future of Plant-Based Eating

More and more people around the world are showing an interest in moving toward a more plant-based diet, and the number of people who make the shift is also increasing.

Veganuary — a fun portmanteau of vegan and January — broke all previous records with more registered participants than ever, from nearly every country in the world. And many of those folks maintained a more plant-based diet after the 31 days of the event.

More and more restaurants, businesses, and other organizations are responding to an increased demand for plant-based options — and sometimes leading it — by cutting down on animal products or eliminating them altogether. NYC Health + Hospitals, which operates 11 public hospitals in New York City, now serves plant-based meals to inpatients by default. Not only are the meals healthier than before, but they’re also changing perceptions of how “hospital food” tastes — with chefs creating dishes inspired by Latin American, Asian, and other cuisines representing the populations served by these institutions.

In a move that might have seemed unbelievable just a few years ago, the US Conference of Mayors (a nonpartisan organization that includes the mayors of all 1,400 US cities with populations of 30,000 or more) ratified a resolution supporting a plant-based approach to fighting the epidemic of chronic disease, mitigating climate chaos, and saving money desperately needed by the municipalities.

The number of restaurants offering plant-based menu options is also increasing. According to research by the Plant Based Foods Association, 95% of restaurants that offer plant-based selections expect sales of those items to remain steady or increase. And four times as many foodservice operators were planning to add plant-based options as the number that were planning to remove them.

A student-led campaign in the UK, Plant-Based Universities, is working to get all university catering facilities to transition 100% of their menus to plant-based. Begun in late 2021, the campaign has given a voice to students who are voting to remove animal products from university food halls specifically to address the climate crisis.

And in the US, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts won our “best acronym” award by introducing the Peas, Legumes, and Nuts Today (PLANT) Act in the House of Representatives on July 28, 2023. If passed, the act would establish an Office of Plant-Based Foods and Innovative Production at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and help fund farmers who produce ingredients specifically for plant-based foods, like legumes and mushrooms. It would also create a research program to further the development of plant-based proteins that could replace meat and offer technical and financial assistance to businesses that move the food industry in a more plant-forward direction.

Plant-Based Diets Continue to be Better for Your Wallet, Health, and the Planet

One of the nice things about advocating for more plant-based eating is that it tends to make people’s lives better right away — starting with their wallets. A study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine found that adopting a low-fat vegan diet led to a 16% reduction in grocery bills, for an average savings of $500 per person per year.

If you’d like to avail yourself of the economic advantages of a plant-based diet, a good place to start is our article 7 Healthy Recipes for Eating Plant-Based on a Budget.

While the benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet to your pocketbook can be felt immediately, it might take a few days, weeks, or months to notice health improvements. But scientific research continues to find more and more evidence that such improvements are likely.

A 2023 study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine followed 59 patients with type 2 diabetes as they were placed on a low-fat, plant-predominant diet for six months, along with receiving standard medical treatment. By the end of the study, 37% of the patients, whose average age was 71, had their diabetes in remission.

A 2023 study published in the journal Nutrients looked at how diet, genes, and lifestyle factors contribute to obesity by analyzing body fat in adults. Researchers discovered that a plant-based diet helped reduce the risk of obesity, even for those with a genetic predisposition to higher body fat.

Another article published in the past year collected data from 55 recent human trials on the effects of a plant-based diet on cardiovascular disease. The authors wrote that the preponderance of evidence showed that incorporating more plant foods into the diet can protect against heart disease and may also help prevent other chronic conditions.

Plant-based eating, especially a diet rich in whole foods, was also found to be predictive of mental health. A 2023 study found that a high-quality plant-based diet may offer protection against depressive symptoms and should be considered as a lifestyle-based treatment for people suffering from the condition.

And in November 2023, the results of a carefully conceived and remarkable randomized controlled trial involving 22 pairs of identical twins were published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Network Open. The study authors concluded: “The findings from this trial suggest that a healthy plant-based diet offers a significant protective cardiometabolic advantage compared with a healthy omnivorous diet.”

What About the Earth?

One of the major drivers of the trend toward more plant-based eating is increased awareness of the scope of the chaos wrought by human-made climate change. While switching to electric vehicles and replacing energy-guzzling appliances with more efficient ones are steps in the right direction, the impact of these actions pales in comparison with the effects of adopting a plant-based diet.

Research published in the prestigious journal Nature in 2023 found that, on average, vegans produce 75% fewer food-related greenhouse gas emissions than meat-eaters. And plant-based dietary patterns also reduce harm to land, water, and biodiversity.

Becoming a B Corp

Speaking of impacts on the world around us, we wanted to share some exciting company news about FRN. In 2023, FRN submitted an application for B Corp status with high hopes that the submission will be approved in 2024 (our Owners and Board members are Ocean Robbins and John Robbins, as you might guess).

A B Corp, or benefit corporation, is a type of company that’s recognized for meeting higher standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. B Corps are committed to generating positive impacts on society and the environment.

The application process includes an extensive review of the company’s mission and where its impact is and is not aligned with that mission. The review looks at things like donation of money, products, or services to social causes and at-risk communities; decreasing pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and production of waste; use of renewable energy and resources; support of tree planting and other forms of carbon sequestration; equitable compensation of team members; integration of mission-related responsibilities into employee performance evaluations and job descriptions; and providing employment and advancement opportunities for women, people of color, and other traditionally marginalized groups.

Since we started FRN in 2012, our mission has been front and center. We’re committed to healthy, ethical, sustainable food for all! So becoming a certified B Corp seems to be a natural next step to formalize our values.

Our 2023 Contributions to the Food Revolution

In 2023, thanks to you, our million+ community members, and 25+ FRN staff, we accomplished an amazing amount.

• We published 106 articles on nutrition, health, and sustainability topics and more than 148 new plant-based recipes. Our content reached more than six million unique readers, and our website was accessed over 13 million times.
• Through customer purchases of our digital products, we supported the planting of over 75,000 organic fruit or nut trees that will sequester more than 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide while providing food to low-income communities with Trees for the Future.
• In terms of non-digital products, Food Revolution Network put out its first physical cookbook this year. Real Superfoods: Everyday Ingredients to Elevate Your Health was published by Hay House on October 31, 2023. Over 9,800 people took part in the Real Superfoods Challenge leading up to its publication. And the book was an Amazon bestseller in its first week!
• Ocean delivered a captivating and inspiring TEDx Talk at the prestigious TEDx Alexander Park this year, and the excitement is contagious! His presentation, entitled “Eating Your Way to Happiness,” has already racked up more than a million views.
• Ocean was a featured speaker at Holistic Holiday at Sea, a plant-based cruise to the Caribbean, where he presented two keynotes. More than 150 FRN members and hundreds of other wellness enthusiasts participated in the cruise. To find out more about the cruise and get a $50 onboard credit for the next one, visit the Holistic Holiday at Sea website.
• Across our social media pages, Food Revolution Network had a combined reach of 5.6 million people, over 6.2 million impressions, and over 560,000 followers. Video content was the preferred medium on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
• The 2023 Food Revolution Summit was a special one, debuting as a full docuseries for the very first time. This year’s Summit reached 437,302 participants who viewed over 209,800 hours of empowering and groundbreaking content.
• We debuted FRN’s first foray into the coaching world with our Plant-Based Coaching Certification (PBCC). New and experienced coaches learned unique skills to help them empower their clients to transform their lives through a plant-based lifestyle. In the first cohort, PBCC welcomed 244 students. Graduation timing is flexible, but by the end of 2023, more than half of the inaugural cohort had already graduated. After completing a brief exam administered by the Lifestyle Prescriptions University in partnership with the nonprofit Lifestyle Medicine University Foundation, graduates received 24 CE/CPD credits from the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching and 24 CE/CPD credits from the CPD Standards Office. Additionally, for RDs/RDNs, all activities offered by the Food Revolution Network’s Plant-Based Coaching Certification were eligible to receive CPEUs by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• FRN helped over 10,468 people improve their blood sugar balance and metabolic health with our Tackling Type 2 Masterclass and course with Brenda Davis, RD.
• Over 46,990 people received transformative guidance on implementing a healthy diet with our Food for Health Masterclass, and nearly 2,900 went on to enroll in the Plant-Powered & Thriving course it introduces.
• We shared The Need To GROW — an award-winning, solutions-based environmental documentary — with more than 181,300 audience members.
• We gave an awe-inspiring look into the mushroom kingdom to more than 61,600 people with the film Fantastic Fungi.
• The groundbreaking health film From Food to Freedom debuted to over 81,300 viewers.
• Our Healthy Heart Masterclass reached over 23,500 people, with 1,500 enrollments in the Healthy Heart course with holistic integrative cardiologist Mimi Guarneri, MD.
• FRN relaunched our Brain Breakthroughs Masterclass, taught by husband and wife neurologist team Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, to over 31,700 people, and shared their Healthy Brain course with over 1,750 people.
• More than 19,850 people participated in our first-ever Eat the Rainbow Challenge with the reopening of WHOLE Life Club registration.
• We helped over 3,300 people take small steps every day for two weeks with our 14-Day Plant-Powered Accelerator. Participants received healthy eating secrets straight to their inboxes to support lasting changes to their diets.
• And within WHOLE Life Club, we provided 53 Action of the Week videos, 12 expert interviews, 312 recipes, and monthly live member events (In the Kitchen Live Calls, Culinary and Coaching Q&As, and Community Connection Calls) with our WLC community, which has grown to more than 10,000 active members.

The Most Popular Food Revolution Network Blog Posts Published in 2023

These were FRN’s most popular new posts of 2023.

• Is Bone Broth Good for You? (88,432 views)
• Plant-Based Lysine: Do You Need Meat To Get Enough Lysine? (87, 715 views)
• The Importance of Fiber in Gut Health and Hormonal Balance (64,881 views)
• Goitrogens: Should You Worry About Their Effect on Your Thyroid? (58,403 views)
• The Zesty Truth About Limes: Exploring Their Health Benefits and Potential Risks (50,054 views)

The Most Popular Food Revolution Network Recipes of 2023

Snacks dominated the top-viewed recipes list this year, along with a couple of tasty and legume-filled curries. Unsurprisingly, our Super Simple Homemade Date Paste made the top ten again but has been dethroned as the most popular recipe.

Our most popular recipes for 2023 were:

• Easy Cheesy Herbed Crackers (18, 474 views)
• The Best Creamy and Crunchy Snack! (14,486 views)
• Thai Almond Chickpea Curry (13,409 views)
• Super Simple Homemade Date Paste (13,403 views)
• Sweet Red Lentil Curry (13,214 views)
• Creamy Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Pudding (13,206 views)
• Cherry Cheesecake Smoothie (12,376 views)
• Super Seedy Granola (9,794 views)
• Oatmeal Banana Bites (9,393 views)
• Sheet Pan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (9,139 views)

On a Personal Note

In 2023, my dad, colleague, and dear friend — and FRN cofounder — John Robbins, experienced the progression of a health condition, post-polio syndrome, that has had a significant impact on his life and on our family. He is working with it in a profound way, and we shared about it in this video. We have received nearly a thousand deeply moving responses to this sharing, and they have lifted our family’s spirits. The way my dad is working with this condition is profoundly moving to me — and to many other people, too.

My dad and I are profoundly privileged to work with an amazing team of 25+ at FRN. This is, without a doubt, the most friendly, cooperative, dedicated, accountable, and effective team either of us has ever been a part of. The FRN team works virtually, and as much as digital tools like Zoom and Slack allow us to collaborate and be in each others’ lives, they aren’t a perfect substitute for in-the-flesh human interaction. So I’m delighted to share that in October 2023, we hosted our first in-person team retreat since 2019.

Thank You for All that YOU Do

We work hard at FRN, and sometimes the mission that we’ve staked out, along with the tasks and deadlines that bring that mission to life, can feel daunting. So it’s important for us to constantly remind ourselves that the food revolution movement is a mission much bigger than my dad, much bigger than me, much bigger than any one person, and much bigger than the FRN staff. It’s a movement that is growing and gaining traction, saving lives and bringing healing to our world.

And that movement includes you, about whom I’ve saved the last word.

FRN has a voice and influence because of you. When famous and influential people and brands consider whether to partner with us, one of the things they look at is our “reach.” Because we’re over a million members strong, we can work with the folks who gave the world movies like Fantastic Fungi and The Need to GROW. We can interest a book publisher like Hay House in publishing our cookbooks (with another coming back for final editing next week for publication in 2024).

We can attract an all-star lineup to share their ideas in our annual Food Revolution Summit because they know that a huge audience is there to “eat up” their wisdom — and use it to improve the lives of themselves and their loved ones, their communities, and the entire world.

There’s a video that was published in 2009 on YouTube that went viral and has now amassed over 24 million views. Titled “Sasquatch Music Festival 2009 — Guy Starts Dance Party,” it’s a 3-minute clip showing a lone dancer doing a series of pretty goofy moves. After a while, he’s joined by his first follower and then a second. A little over one minute into the video, it suddenly turns into a dance party — a mass movement. The energy grows and becomes contagious. When I first watched it, I wanted to jump through my laptop screen and join in.

Without you, dear reader, my dad, our staff at FRN, and I would still be the first three dancers, enjoying ourselves but lacking impact at scale. Your willingness to embrace the mission and the frequent calls to action — and to share and amplify the messages and make them your own — is what allows us to make the contributions highlighted above.

So please know how absolutely grateful we are to you for all the ways you generously support our work and provide loving and helpful feedback to help us improve. And for all the ways you assume leadership in your families and communities, day in and day out.

Like: Moving toward a plant-based diet. Choosing organic produce when you can. Buying local, from farm stands and farmers markets. Buying less and loving more. Donating to worthy causes. Loving the people you love with your whole heart. Trying new healthy recipes from our blog articles. Sharing articles, films, and healthy food with friends and loved ones.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you for caring about the food that you eat and the food you share with others. Thank you for caring about the well-being of the people who produce that food.

Thank you for aligning your actions and purchases with your values, and for being willing to look at inconvenient truths and adapt your behavior accordingly.

Thank you for all the ways in which you strive to be the change we all wish to see, and to manifest, in the world.

Here’s to all we accomplished together in 2023, and to the healing, compassion, and beauty we’re creating, one meal at a time.

May all be fed. May all be healed. May all be loved.

Ocean Robbins and John Robbins

Cofounders, Food Revolution Network

Tell us in the comments:

• How has the food revolution impacted your life in 2023?
• What was your favorite Food Revolution Network article from this past year? What made it special for you?
• What are you looking forward to in 2024?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Irina_Strelnikova

Read Next:

• Food Revolution Network’s End of Year Review: Looking Back on What We Accomplished in 2022
• Why the Global Rise in Vegan and Plant-Based Eating is No Fad (30x Increase in US Vegans + Other Astounding Vegan Stats)

The post Looking Back: Food Revolution Network’s 2023 Year in Review appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The collapse didn’t happen, thanks to, depending on what you believe, the hundreds of millions of dollars spent upgrading code in the late 90s (whoops, 1990s) or because there was never any real risk of calamity.

But the hype — some would say hysteria — that gripped many as January 1, 2000, was approaching forced the world to consider what would happen if our information networks shut down. Now, imagine if those information networks were inside your body instead.

Your nervous system is kind of like a miniature version of the internet. Your bodily tissue (or fascia) contains approximately 250 million nerve endings, all of which are continuously gathering and sharing electrical impulses back and forth between your brain and the rest of your body. When everything works well, you can just go about your day without giving your nerves a second thought.

But when even a few of those quarter billion nerve endings are damaged or otherwise dysfunctional, you may experience a cascade of calamities throughout your body. Damaged nerves can’t deliver electrical signals optimally, or in some cases at all. This dysfunction can cause pain and a number of other symptoms, including the sensation of pins and needles, muscle problems, and even loss of normal bodily functions like digestion and breathing.

The word for this kind of nerve damage is neuropathy.

Many neurologists recommend surgery or medications as first-line treatments for neuropathy, and in fact, many advanced cases can benefit from this approach. But there’s evidence that some neuropathies, especially in their early stages, could benefit more from what’s in your pantry than what’s in your medicine cabinet.

In this article, we’ll look at neuropathy nutrition and the relationship between what we eat and nerve health.

What Is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy is the medical term for damage to nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. This damage can cause pain, numbness, weakness, and other uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms. It’s also called peripheral neuropathy, as it disproportionately affects nerve endings that are located closer to the body’s extremities than the core.

Neuropathy can mess up nerve signals in three ways. It can lead to complete loss of signaling, inappropriate signaling, or distortion of the messages that are sent.

If only one nerve is affected, that’s called mononeuropathy. A common mononeuropathy is carpal tunnel syndrome, which is often caused by repetitive use damage to the median nerve of the arm. Polyneuropathy, which involves multiple nerves (and not talking parrots), is the more common condition.

Types of Neuropathy

There are also subcategories of neuropathy, named for the nerve function they affect.

Motor Neuropathy

Motor neuropathy interferes with the movement of the muscles typically under conscious control, such as those used for walking, grasping things, or talking. Examples include muscle weakness or shrinking, or uncontrollable muscle twitching (which is also called fasciculation).

Sensory Neuropathy

Sensory neuropathy interferes with the transmission of sensory data from the extremities to the brain, such as temperature, the pain from a paper cut (ouch!), the feeling of a light touch, or information about the location of limbs in relation to one another. This can lead to loss of reflexes, coordination, or balance; burns or infections because there’s no impulse to pull away from a hot stove or clean a wound; and feeling pain from stimuli that aren’t actually harmful, such as the weight of a blanket on the feet.

Autonomic Neuropathy

Autonomic neuropathy impairs the brain’s ability to regulate activities that people do not control consciously, such as breathing, digesting food, and heart and gland functions. People who suffer from this type of neuropathy can experience heat intolerance and excessive sweating, light-headedness from low blood pressure, and vision problems, among other things.

Proximal Neuropathy

Proximal neuropathy is a type of nerve damage centered in the hip, buttock, or thigh. It usually causes pain in just one side of the body.

Focal Nerve Neuropathy

Focal nerve neuropathy affects a single nerve and may cause symptoms such as double vision, weakness on one side of the body, or partial paralysis, and associated pain. This type most often targets nerve endings in the legs, hands, head, or torso.

What Causes Neuropathy?

There are more than 100 different conditions, both inherited and developed, that can lead to neuropathy. But a few of them cause the vast majority of cases.

Neuropathy and Diabetes

Diabetes, both types 1  and 2, commonly causes neuropathy. That’s because high glucose levels can damage the small blood vessels that supply your nerves. As those nerves cannot access the nutrients they need, their fibers suffer damage and they may eventually die. At this writing, there’s no known way to reverse the damage once the nerves have atrophied. But there are many ways to prevent and reverse prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. (I hosted a whole masterclass on the topic with diabetes expert Brenda Davis, RD — to watch it for free click here.)

Neuropathy and Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases cause harm by attacking the body’s own cells and tissues as if they belonged to a foreign invader. Two autoimmune conditions that target the nerves include Guillain-Barré syndrome and celiac disease.

Guillain-Barré syndrome typically presents after a gastrointestinal or respiratory infection, or following a vaccination. For some reason, the immune system responds to these challenges by starting to destroy the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons of many nerve cells. It can then progress to damaging the axons themselves.

Most people recover fully, a process that can last from a few weeks to a few years. But in some cases, the neuropathy progresses to paralysis that can threaten the ability to breathe.

The most common form of neuropathy that accompanies celiac disease involves both motor and sensory nerves. Other autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Sjögren’s syndrome, are linked to both neuropathy and celiac disease. Because the nerve damage appears to be triggered by exposure to gluten, symptoms may improve or even resolve on a gluten-free diet.

Neuropathy and Alcoholism

Neuropathy is among the most common negative side effects of chronic alcohol overconsumption. It typically shows up as pain, pins and needles, and lack of muscle control in the lower extremities. Alcohol, it turns out, directly poisons nerves. And the poor nutrition that often accompanies alcoholism is a separate risk factor for neuropathy. Patients who abuse alcohol also tend to consume fewer other calories, and their gastrointestinal tracts struggle to absorb the nutrients they do encounter.

Because alcoholism is a chronic condition, the neuropathy it causes may become permanent. But in cases that are caught early enough, stopping alcohol consumption may help improve neuropathy.

Other Causes of Neuropathy

Toxins other than alcohol can also cause neuropathy, among them mercury, certain types of toxic mold, and chemotherapy drugs. Injury and trauma can also induce neuropathy if it involves compression or crushing of a nerve, as can happen in automobile accidents, falls, sports, and even some medical procedures.

What Vitamins and Minerals Help with Neuropathy?

We know that certain vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy nerve function. And a lot of studies have looked at specific nutrients focused on supplemental forms and doses, but very few have looked at the impact of dietary nutrients on neuropathy. So it makes sense that one of the best ways to reduce your odds of developing neuropathy is to eat a diet rich in the nutrients known to nourish your nerves. But unfortunately, the evidence for this statement is a bit indirect and circumstantial. Therefore, let’s look at the specific nutrients that have been studied, remembering that all of these nutrients are available in foods as well as in supplements.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps your body produce a substance called myelin that shields some nerves and helps them transmit information and sensations faster and more efficiently. You can think of them as the insulation on electrical cables and wires. Getting enough B12 is essential for your health, and specifically for the prevention of neuropathy, which is the most common symptom of B12 deficiency.

Supplementing with B12 (especially in plant-based eaters who have a harder time getting this nutrient from food) can improve peripheral neuropathy, including the forms that are primarily caused by diabetes.

For more on B12, including how to ensure that you’re getting enough along with the best plant-based sources, check out our comprehensive article: Vitamin B12: Why it’s Important and How to Avoid B12 Deficiency.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is also a critical nutrient for your nerves. Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by a B1 deficiency, something that’s seen as part of the cluster of symptoms associated with beriberi. That’s because B1 plays a key role as a coenzyme in carbohydrate metabolism, which is the main energy supply for nerve fibers. It also protects nerves from oxidative damage.

Supplementing (with food-based thiamine or with a synthetic analogue, benfotiamine) or eating foods rich in B1 can help prevent or treat deficiency and neuropathy. In severe cases, patients may need intravenous thiamine to relieve symptoms.

Vitamin B3

Another neurological superhero from the B-Vitamin Cinematic Universe is vitamin B3, aka niacin. B3 plays a key role in the development and survival of nerve cells. Studies of rats have shown that supplementation with this family of vitamins can protect against nerve pain and injury, preserve muscle function and vision, and lessen pain and discomfort. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

For people who are dealing with ongoing neuropathy, B3 supplementation appears to help only when done in combination with other B vitamins. When neuropathy is associated with cardiovascular disease, there’s research indicating that B3 may work better in conjunction with statins.

For more on the B vitamin family, check out our article: What B Vitamins Do You Need — And What Are The Best Vegan Sources of B Vitamins?

Vitamin E

Your central and peripheral nervous systems are both big fans (and avid users) of vitamin E. Deficiency of this nutrient negatively affects both systems and can lead to peripheral neuropathy. That’s because not having enough vitamin E can cause changes in peripheral nerves and hasten the loss of a type of neuron known as a DRG cell. DRG — dorsal root ganglia — cells are of particular importance because they are afferent neurons, conveying information inward from the body to the brain and spinal cord.

A 2014 study found that vitamin E supplementation reduced neuropathic pain in patients with diabetes. And a 2021 study of people with peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy also found that vitamin E supplementation was an effective treatment.

For more on vitamin E, including its health benefits and some possible risks of supplementation (spoiler alert: it’s probably better to get it from food than from pills!), read our article on Vitamin E Benefits: Why it Matters & the Best Places to Find It.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for the nerves to transmit messages optimally, as well as for neuromuscular coordination. Magnesium plays a bunch of roles in the nervous system, including keeping overexcited nerve cells from self-destructing. In blocking a nerve receptor called N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), magnesium both calms the nervous system and prevents pain hypersensitivity.

Patients with diabetic neuropathy also tend to have lower levels of magnesium in their blood. And a 2015 study of rats showed improved neurological function recovery and enhanced nerve regeneration with a high-magnesium diet.

Find out more about magnesium in our article: All About Magnesium: Health Benefits, Risks, & Magnesium-Rich Foods You Should Know About.

Omega-3s

Omega-3s are another nutrient group that’s essential for the development and maintenance of healthy nerves. They can help prevent the death of nerve cells and improve their function by chilling out pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.

A 2017 study that gave supplements of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA to mice showed that the supplementation sped up their nerve regeneration and, based on observations of a reduction of pain behaviors, reduced their pain as well.

A 2021 study of humans with diabetic neuropathy also found that the lower the plasma DHA levels, the more prevalent multiple neuropathies were. Giving the subjects omega-3 therapy led to greater nerve regeneration.

Find out more about omega-3s in our comprehensive article: Omega-3s: Why Are They Important — And What Are the Best Sources for Your Health?

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant that your body manufactures in the mitochondria (or energy center) of your cells. It works to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and helps with neuropathy by improving circulation and enhancing the dilation of blood vessels. It also helps suppress a cytokine called prostaglandin E2, which is a key compound involved in inflammation. By affecting several different pathways of oxidative stress, alpha-lipoic acid may reduce sensory neuropathy pain.

Foods That May Help with Neuropathy

Sources:

Click here to view sources

What to Avoid with Neuropathy

Sources:

Click here to view sources

Recipes That May Help with Neuropathy

Increasing consumption of healing plant-based foods could be a wonderful and gentle support to anyone who is suffering from (or wants to avoid) nerve pain. With these tasty plant-based recipes, incorporating foods that contain supportive nutrients necessary for your nervous system can be enjoyable, simple, and nourishing for your nerves and your entire body.

1. Matcha Muffins

Whether enjoyed with your morning tea or as an afternoon pick-me-up, our Matcha Muffins are a testament to the idea that wholesome ingredients can be both delicious and supportive of your well-being. Made with oats, which contain a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucans, these muffins may aid in reducing inflammation and supporting overall nerve health. Their subtle sweetness and earthy undertones create a harmonious flavor blend that will satisfy your sweet cravings without the refined sugar.

2. Kale Caesar with Tofu Croutons

Kale Caesar with Tofu Croutons has many vital nutrients that can positively influence the health of your nerves. Kale contains sulforaphane, which may go a long way in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, providing relief to those experiencing nerve damage and discomfort. The creamy Caesar dressing, nutty walnut parmesan, and crunchy tofu croutons are also brimming with nutrients such as B12, omega-3s, and magnesium — all essential for proper nerve functioning. This wholesome salad is a great go-to meal when you are looking for something consistent to enjoy in your journey toward improved nerve health.

3. Saffron Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Saffron may not be the first thing you think of when you consider natural remedies to help with pain relief, but it has actually been shown to have therapeutic effects for those living with neuropathy thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. When combined with sulforaphane-rich cauliflower, this wholesome side dish will not only be a savory delight for you to enjoy but a nourishing experience for your nervous system as well.

Consider Your Diet When Dealing with Neuropathy

Healthy nerves require good nutrition. And without some specific nutrients, neuropathy can develop or become worse. For people with diabetes, it’s particularly important to eat a diet rich in nutrients, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, all of which contain compounds that act like superheroes for our nerves.

On the other hand, some foods, especially those high in sugar and saturated fats, act a bit like neuropathy villains, worsening the problem and causing additional suffering. Once you understand the connection between what’s on your plate and how your nerves feel and function, you can make choices to support your health and quality of life.

Tell us in the comments:

• Have you or anyone you love ever experienced neuropathy?
• What are your favorite foods for neuropathy?
• Which neuropathy-busting recipe will you try next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Sorapop

Read Next:

• The Best Foods (and Diet) to Help You Tackle Type 2 Diabetes
• How Diet and Good Gut Health Can Help Manage Pain & Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The post Neuropathy and Diet: How Nutrition Impacts Nerve Damage appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The principles of eating so-called alkaline-producing foods were first made clear by French biologist Claude Bernard, a giant of science who made many important discoveries, including that the liver stores and releases glycogen and the pancreas releases digestive juices.

It was Bernard’s word on what was later called “homeostasis” that led to the evolution of the alkaline diet. Bernard believed that among the factors that promoted or disturbed a healthy internal environment was the pH of the body and blood. He theorized that an acidic environment, in particular, is a breeding ground for chronic disease — and that what you eat can impact your bodily pH.

Variations of this acid-alkaline dietary pattern have existed since the beginning of the 20th century. But its popularity skyrocketed again in the last few decades via early health influencers like Robert Young, author of The pH Miracle, and the Honduran herbalist Dr. Sebi (who inspired many people to adopt a vegan alkaline diet).

But is there any truth to these theories that the pH of food impacts blood pH, and, therefore, susceptibility to disease? And is the alkaline diet inherently a healthy dietary pattern?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the alkaline diet, comparing its claims to the available scientific evidence.

Understanding pH

In order to understand the alkaline diet and its claims, we need to at least have a basic understanding of pH. Potential of hydrogen or pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. The pH scale goes from 0.0 (highly acidic) to 14.0 (highly alkaline or “basic”) with a neutral point of 7.0.

Our stomachs are very acidic environments with a normal pH of 1.5–3.5. We secrete hydrochloric acid to help us digest our food, activate enzymes, and break down proteins into amino acids. Maintaining those stomach acids also helps protect us from pathogens in the digestive system.

On the other hand, blood is slightly basic or alkaline, with a pH of 7.35–7.45. The body’s acid-base balance is mainly controlled by the respiratory system and the renal system (kidneys). Maintaining this equilibrium is important for the functioning of basic bodily systems, and any disturbance in this pH can be a serious (and even life-threatening) problem.

So What Does the Alkaline Diet Claim?

The central claim of the alkaline diet is that what you eat can alter the pH level of your blood and cells. And that a more alkaline body pH (achieved from the food you eat) can prevent many diseases, including cancer and osteoporosis, while also providing increased energy and well-being.

When it comes to cancer, the theory is that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment, so ingesting more alkalizing foods will create a more alkaline and anticancer environment. In this view, eating too many acid-forming foods can put your body into a state of acidosis and result in a decrease in blood pH, with serious metabolic and respiratory consequences in the body.

The bone health theory goes like this: Your body works diligently to keep your blood pH at a healthy level in your arteries and slightly lower in your veins. If you acidify your blood (by eating acid-forming foods, among other things), your body will do whatever it can to achieve equilibrium, including pulling calcium, an alkalizing mineral, from your bones.

To sum it up, the standard Western diet, according to this theory, degrades health and increases the risk of chronic diseases because it promotes an acidic body environment. And an alkaline diet alkalizes the body and blood, staving off chronic disease.

The Alkaline Diet: Foods to Eat vs Avoid

So what foods are supposed to contribute to this alkalizing effect in the body, and which foods don’t?

Most alkaline diet protocols encourage you to eat more alkaline foods that, when metabolized, also leave an alkaline “residue” in your body. Eating this way doesn’t necessarily mean removing all acidic foods from your diet, but instead prioritizing alkaline foods (75–80% of your diet) over acidic ones (20–25% of your diet).

Alkaline foods include many, but not all, vegetables, as well as some fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and cold-pressed oils. Neutral and low-acidic foods are also okay in moderation, the majority of which are fruit. Most of the high-alkaline foods are green in color, with leafy greens, green vegetables, and sprouts topping the list.

On the other hand, the foods to avoid on an alkaline diet are those believed to produce an acidic effect. Meat and poultry, dairy, eggs, bread, sweets, and condiments; processed, canned, and fast foods; and beverages like coffee, alcohol, and tea are all off-limits on an alkaline diet.

What the Alkaline Diet Gets Right

Ultimately, there’s a lot of focus on the consumption of whole, plant-based foods and the elimination of most animal products and processed foods on the alkaline diet. So whether or not the underlying theory of the alkaline diet is accurate, there’s no question that eating the preferred foods — whole plants — confers many nutritional benefits.

Conventional Western-style diets are notoriously low in fiber, which is one of the most severely lacking nutrients in industrialized societies. But because the alkaline diet prioritizes whole, plant-based foods, it can make it much more likely you’ll achieve the 25–35 grams of recommended fiber per day.

Eating more fruits and vegetables also means that you’ll be ingesting lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And choosing whole foods over processed or fast foods improves your sodium-to-potassium ratio, which can benefit bone health, reduce muscle wasting, and mitigate other chronic diseases such as hypertension and strokes.

The diet may also be helpful for people with chronic kidney disease because it tends to be relatively low in protein. One systematic review showed evidence that the inclusion of alkaline-producing fruits and vegetables or a vegetarian diet low in acid-producing protein (animal products) can slow kidney disease by reducing metabolic acidosis.

In effect, the alkaline diet can be a perfectly healthy eating pattern for many people because it’s predominantly a plant-based one.

What the Alkaline Diet Gets Wrong

Food Affecting Blood pH

The big problem with the claims made by alkaline diet proponents is that they’re based on a misunderstanding of pH and how the body regulates blood pH. The relative alkalinity of the foods you eat doesn’t generally affect the alkalinity or acidity of your blood.

Acids are continuously being produced in the body during normal metabolic processes, but they don’t influence overall bodily pH in healthy individuals. Your body works hard to keep that 7.35–7.45 blood pH range, which is slightly on the alkaline side. If there’s too much acid or base in your system, built-in physiological buffers get rid of it through your urine.

Changing your diet might change the pH of your saliva or urine, but it’s practically impossible to affect the pH of your blood by what you eat. The only times that blood pH is affected is in the case of an acid-base disorder such as advanced stages of shock, diabetic ketoacidosis, or kidney failure — all of which are medical emergencies and not the result of not eating enough alkaline foods.

Focusing on the Wrong Benefits

Not only does the alkaline diet theory misunderstand the mechanisms through which your body regulates its pH, but the narrow focus on this one attribute of plant-based foods ignores the many benefits of plant-based eating that are actually backed up by science. A whole food, plant-based diet supplies an abundance of powerful antioxidants, fiber, and a rainbow of health-promoting phytochemicals. In short, the alkaline diet’s health benefits are real, but they likely have little to do with pH.

Confusing and Restrictive

With a focus mostly on pH and choosing the most alkaline foods, there’s a risk of dietary restriction to the point of nutrient deficiency. It’s easy to get confused about what you are and aren’t supposed to eat, as there’s a lack of consistency in the recommendations, which vary widely. Some lists, for example, say that mushrooms are highly acidic, while others tell us that they are alkalizing.

Little to No Scientific Backing

And most problematic of all, there’s minimal scientific evidence to support the alkaline diet’s biggest claims around diet alkalinity protecting against chronic disease or affecting blood pH.

One 2010 study found that low urine pH predicted neither low bone density nor bone fractures, while another from the same year discovered no correlation between dietary acid load and bone mineral density in older women. A 2011 study found no correlation between dietary acid load and lower bone density, except possibly in older men.

And a 2016 review of over 8,000 published articles relating to dietary pH and cancer found a single clinical trial on the topic. This trial found no relationship between the acid load of the diet and bladder cancer. The researchers concluded, “Despite the promotion of the alkaline diet and alkaline water by the media and salespeople, there is almost no actual research to either support or disprove these ideas.”

The Bottom Line

The alkaline diet, which focuses on pH balance, is a popular diet with many adherents and proponents. It is inherently whole food, plant-based, which can be great, and it’s been shown to be helpful for chronic kidney disease. But beyond that, there’s little to no scientific evidence to support its other health claims. In fact, it’s likely that its benefits have more to do with all of the known advantages that come with a whole food, plant-based diet that steers clear of added sugars, highly processed foods, and animal products.

Tell us in the comments:

• Were you already familiar with the alkaline diet? Have you ever tried it?
• What do you think of the alkaline diet approach?
• What other dietary patterns do you have questions about?

Featured Image: iStock.com/vaaseenaa

Read Next:

• Does Science Support the Blood Type Diet?
• A Guide to Going Plant-Based: What to Eat, Benefits, and How to Succeed

The post The Alkaline Diet: Separating Fact from Fiction appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The doctrine of signatures says that plants that resemble a condition or body part can in some way treat or alleviate related illnesses. Following that thinking, walnuts, which look like brains, were thought to ease headaches and mental health issues. Similarly, the scarlet roots of bloodroot were thought to treat diseases of the circulatory system. And since ginseng root looks like a human being, it was thought to aid and strengthen all parts of the human body. Indeed, the very word “ginseng” comes from the Chinese word for “man-root.”

But the doctrine of signatures is controversial and based on theory over scientific fact. So is it true that walnuts are actually good for brain health? What other walnut health benefits are there? And are walnuts good for the environment?

What Are Walnuts?

If you’re a word lover, you might enjoy adding “juglandaceous” to your vocabulary, in case you were missing a word for “of or pertaining to walnuts.” Walnuts are proud members of the Juglans genus, along with about 20 other tree species, including hickories and pecans.

Technically, walnuts can be classified as nuts or dry drupes, which is science’s alliterative way of talking about fruits with a single seed and a dry husk. Walnuts grow in groups of two or three and range between 1.5 and 2 inches in circumference.

The nut of the walnut forms inside a soft green outer husk and a hard shell. Crack that shell open carefully enough, and you’ll behold a whole walnut that resembles a human brain — including wrinkles, folds, and ridges.

Types of Walnuts

There are two main types of walnuts that you’re likely to encounter in your culinary adventures: English walnuts (also known as Persian), and black walnuts.

English or Persian Walnuts

English walnuts are the kind most walnut-eaters are familiar with, as they’re the type you’re likely to see in grocery stores. They have a sweet, mild flavor, and feature prominently in desserts, salads, and many savory dishes.

Although Persian walnuts originated in what is now Iran, they’re often referred to as English walnuts because they were brought to England by the Romans and traded throughout Europe. Since then, their popularity has led to them being grown commercially worldwide.

In the US, English walnut trees grow best in USDA Zones 4–8 (a classification system that tells farmers and gardeners which plants are hardy enough to thrive in various locations). More than 99% of US commercially grown English walnuts come from California, which supplies about half of the world’s walnut trade. Romania has become the main producer and exporter of walnuts in Europe.

Black Walnuts

Black walnuts are native to North America, and almost all of them come from trees growing in the wild rather than in commercial orchards. Since black walnut trees don’t grow in neat, evenly-spaced rows, they’re harvested by hand rather than by machine. The largest black walnut processor is Hammons Black Walnuts in Missouri.

Black walnuts are bolder and sweeter than English walnuts, with a distinctive earthy or musky flavor.

These nuts were and are an important part of Indigenous diets in the regions where they grow. It takes a lot of effort to harvest and remove their tough green husks and then crack open their extremely hard, black-ridged shells. There are even specialty nutcrackers made just for black walnuts.

In addition to eating black walnuts, you can use them for their oil, and for making deep black or brown dyes.

Walnut Nutrition

Like other tree nuts, walnuts have been an important source of plant-based fat and protein throughout much of recorded human history. They contain polyunsaturated fat in the form of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, including roughly 2.5 grams per ounce of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega-3s can also reduce the risk of heart disease and contribute to brain and immune health, as well as bringing anti-inflammatory benefits to the body.

Walnuts are high in B vitamins and are a rich source of minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper. Of all the tree nuts, walnuts are antioxidant champs, with higher concentrations than any other commonly consumed tree nut. As a whole plant food, they’re also a solid source of fiber.

Black walnuts may pack an even more potent nutritional punch. They’re higher in zinc and selenium than English walnuts and contain more antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The Health Benefits of Walnuts

Measuring the amounts of nutrients found in walnuts is all well and good, but what’s the effect of all that nutritional goodness on human health? There’s some powerful evidence showing that eating walnuts can benefit your heart, digestive system, and, yes, your brain. They may also be able to fight cancer and decrease chronic inflammation.

Walnuts and Heart Health

A 2013 clinical trial found that people who added walnuts to their diet improved the health of their blood vessels. The addition also improved their cholesterol efflux, a process by which the body removes excess cholesterol from blood vessels. Both of these outcomes are beneficial for heart health.

A large study published in 2018 looked at health and dietary outcomes for over 200,000 participants, none of whom had heart disease at the start of the study. After following them for 25 years, about 14,000 of the participants experienced coronary events (heart attacks and strokes). But those who ate at least one serving of walnuts per week had a 13–26% lower risk of heart disease.

Since walnuts are high in calories, some people worry that they might contribute to weight gain and thus increase the risk of heart disease. A 2018 meta-analysis addressed that very concern.

Researchers looked at 26 studies that included over 1,000 participants, to see the effect that walnuts had on lipid levels, weight, and other heart disease risk factors. Their analysis showed that, on average, walnuts actually lowered total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and didn’t impact weight one way or the other.

Walnuts and Digestion

Walnuts can help to improve your gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

A 2018 study found that when healthy people started eating just 43 grams of walnuts a day, after eight weeks, their gut microbiomes became healthier and more diverse.

Another 2018 study found that eating walnuts increased concentrations of beneficial bacteria that produce a substance called butyrate, which is good for intestinal health. Additionally, walnuts can reduce the number of harmful substances produced by certain bacteria that can cause inflammation and increase “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Walnuts and Brain Health

Now we get to the brain. Are walnuts good for cognitive health?

A 2014 review article concluded that walnuts should be included in prevention strategies against the epidemic of cognitive decline and dementia. The phytochemical substances present in walnuts not only decrease oxidative stress and inflammation in brain cells but also boost communication between neurons, stimulate the formation of new neurons, and assist in the removal of harmful proteins associated with the development of dementia.

While human studies have repeatedly shown that diets that include walnuts are associated with improved cognitive performance and better memory, a 2020 mouse study explored the possible mechanisms for this. The study found that walnuts’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties suppressed the production of free radicals and enhanced antioxidant protection, consequently lowering the risk of brain degeneration. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

A 2022 article also reviewed some of the ways walnuts are known to combat neuroinflammation, a major contributor both to aging in general and to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s in particular. It quickly got technical on me, with phrases such as “inhibition of peripheral inflammation mediated by macrophages.” But the bottom line is that walnuts appear to reduce neuroinflammation through a number of synergistic biochemical mechanisms.

Walnuts and Cancer

A 2019 clinical trial studied the impact of walnut consumption on breast cancer growth and survival. Women with confirmed breast cancer cases were divided into two groups, one whose members began eating two ounces of walnuts daily after their initial biopsy, and a control group that did not change their diet.

After about two weeks, further samples were taken from the tumors. In the walnut-consuming group, the expression of 456 specific genes in the tumor was significantly altered to encourage cancer cell death and suppress cell growth and migration processes. This supports the idea that eating walnuts could potentially slow the growth of cancer cells and increase breast cancer survival rates.

A 2020 study found that black walnuts also demonstrate impressive anticancer activity, thanks to compounds such as penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose and quercetin 3-β-d-glucoside. I tried to remember the names of these compounds by putting them to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” but I couldn’t get the syllables to match.

Walnuts and Inflammation

Black walnuts, in particular, show amazing anti-inflammatory powers. Two cultivars, named Surprise and Sparrow, demonstrated the ability to suppress inflammatory human white blood cells in a 2019 test-tube study.

But common English walnuts are no slouches in the anti-inflammatory department, either. In 2020, researchers published the results of a two-year trial in which one group of older adults consumed roughly 15% of their daily calories from walnuts, while others ate a similar but walnut-free diet. They found that the walnuts had a health-promoting effect on several inflammatory molecules implicated in cardiovascular disease.

Walnuts may battle inflammation through a compound known as ellagitannins, which can do some very cool anti-inflammatory things. It breaks down in your body to release another compound called ellagic acid. And your gut bacteria then transform this into substances called urolithins, which may have strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Are Walnuts Sustainable?

In general, nuts and other plant-based protein sources produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than animal-based food products. The main issue for walnuts is their need for water since half the English walnuts consumed in the world are grown in California — a state perennially vulnerable to drought.

Each pound of walnuts takes about 1,260 gallons of water, which is less than a pound of almonds or beef (which is kind of in a class by itself, requiring 2,400 gallons of water per pound), but still quite a bit — especially in a water-poor region.

However, walnut trees can also benefit the environment in some important ways. Walnut plantations studied in China increased soil carbon and promoted microbial growth and activities.

And black walnuts are potentially even more sustainable, at least on a small scale, since they are wild-grown and harvested by hand. They require no pesticides and don’t need fossil-fuel-driven machines for harvesting.

Walnut shells also have many industrial uses, some of which are being explored to replace less environmentally friendly alternatives. For example, the shells are being added to substances called geopolymers that can make highly effective insulation.

Walnut shells also have uses as gardening mulch and ground cover, animal bedding, ingredients in the manufacture of activated carbon, abrasive elements in cleaning products, and an energy source for bioethanol production.

Walnuts for the Win

Walnuts are an important tree nut and have been for thousands of years. And while they do use a lot of water, walnuts can also be good for the environment by pulling carbon into the soil. Their impressive nutritional profile makes them a standout for both culinary purposes and medicinal uses. Walnuts are a rich source of healthy fats and protein. And they’ve been found to have benefits for heart, brain, and digestive health, as well as in fighting cancer and inflammation.

For more on how to choose, store, and use walnuts in recipes, check out our article here.

Tell us in the comments:

• How often do you eat walnuts?
• What are your favorite ways to enjoy them?
• What surprised you the most about the health benefits of walnuts?

Featured Image: iStock.com/aslanyus

Read Next:

• You Won’t Believe How Healthy Nuts Are for You
• Are Hazelnuts Good for You? How & Why to Use Hazelnuts

The post Walnuts: Understanding Their Benefits, Nutrition, and Sustainability appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Before long my fever was raging at 104 degrees, and I was so weak I was unable to muster a cry.

I’m grateful that my parents took me to a doctor, who put me on antibiotics. Within hours, my fever was down, and my sickness had reversed.

That antibiotic prescription may have saved my life.

What Exactly Are Antibiotics?

Alexander Fleming, a professor of bacteriology at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, discovered penicillin — the first antibiotic — in 1928.

He’d been experimenting with colonies of Staphylococcus bacteria growing in Petri dishes. And he noticed that one dish had a spot of mold with a clear ring around it. This ring was a secretion from the mold that prevented further bacterial growth. It turned out to be penicillin.

Fleming and his colleagues worked to isolate penicillin, discovering its ability to attack other bacteria, like streptococcus, meningococcus, and diphtheria bacillus.

In later years, researchers developed new antibiotics that were effective in killing different classes of bacteria.

Altogether, antibiotics have saved millions of lives worldwide — overpowering such potentially lethal diseases as meningitis, tuberculosis, and cholera.

When used appropriately, antibiotics are a blessing and a welcome arrow in humanity’s medical quiver. But the reality is that they’re vastly overprescribed.

According to the CDC, in 2021, health care professionals prescribed 211.1 million antibiotic prescriptions — and many of these prescriptions are unnecessary.

Many health care professionals prescribe antibiotics at an alarming rate. Sometimes they prescribe them without making sure the drug will effectively attack whatever germ is involved — or without confirming that it is a bacteria and not a virus. (Antibiotics are completely ineffective against viral infections.)

And this lax approach doesn’t come without consequences.

The Dark Side of Antibiotic Use

Antibiotics don’t just target harmful bacteria in your body. They’re destructive to all microbes, which can leave your body’s natural microbiome unbalanced and damaged.

And this ecosystem won’t always go back to normal unless you consciously make an effort to make it so. Odds are, if your microbiome is currently out of balance, past antibiotic use has significantly contributed to your condition.

It’s also likely that the health care professionals who prescribed those antibiotics to you didn’t discuss how to counteract the collateral destruction of good bacteria in your body.

A couple of years ago, I was considering taking antibiotics to fight a strep infection. I asked my doctor if he could recommend any protocol for repopulating my body with healthy bacteria.

He replied that he didn’t learn anything about that in medical school, so he couldn’t offer me any advice. “My wife took a nutrition class online,” he told me, “so she’d be a better person to ask.”

It’s pretty crazy, if you think about it, that our medical system is so good at destroying a bacterial ecosystem but so ineffective at rebuilding it.

For more on the importance of gut health, and the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, read our in-depth article here.

How Antibiotic Overuse Is Creating “Superbugs”

Not only do antibiotics damage good bacteria, but their overuse encourages the widespread development of “superbugs,” or bacteria that display antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria, you see, are very much like accountants. No matter how much you change the tax laws, there will always be wily accountants who will find a way around them to escape taxes. Similarly, when you increase the dose of antibiotics or engineer new ones, some bacteria will find a way to mutate and resist them.

As a consequence of antibiotic overuse, we’ve had to start turning to “last-line” antibiotics, or medications typically only used as a last resort when the usual medications no longer work.

These drugs are meant to be used sparingly in human medicine to limit bacterial exposure to them, in the hope of preventing the development of antibiotic resistance. Unfortunately, because antibiotic resistance has increased, the prescription of last-resort antibiotics has also increased.

Antibiotic Resistance Can Be Deadly

Antibiotic resistance is leading to more and more deaths that were once preventable. That doesn’t sound like the kind of progress we’ve come to expect from the field of medicine.

In the United States, nearly three million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection each year — with more than 35,000 people dying. Worldwide, antibiotic-resistant microbes are estimated to cause nearly five million deaths per year. And these numbers are rising.

Superbugs now threaten to make many common infections, such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia, lethal once again.

Many public health authorities fear that we could be on the verge of entering into a “post-antibiotic world” that threatens to kill millions of people annually by 2050. Antibiotic resistance already costs over $55 billion in medical treatment and hospitalizations just in the US. And this number is expected to rise dramatically in the coming decades.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that the World Health Organization has declared antibiotic resistance to be one of our greatest global threats to health, security, and development.

But is the medical overuse of antibiotics really the primary cause of the rise of the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotics in the Livestock Industry

Factory farms, also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), were created as a way to keep up with an enormous demand for animal products that’s emerged in the last century.

Modern farms look far different from farms of the past. The images that leap to mind when many of us think of a farm — the iconic red barn or a green pasture full of animals happily grazing in the sun — no longer represent how most farm animals spend their lives.

To say that animals in CAFOs endure close quarters and overpopulation would be an understatement. The average chicken raised for meat has less than one square foot of space per bird. And modern broiler operations have bred birds to grow so quickly that they often become unable to walk. As a result, these birds spend their lives sitting in feces. Animals regularly get sick, injured, and even die as a result of these miserable conditions.

So how do modern CAFOs cope with the threat of disease wiping out their livestock? Antibiotics to the rescue! Antibiotics are routinely administered (through injections or medicated feed) not just to livestock who have become sick, but rather to every single animal housed in these filthy and brutally inhumane conditions.

In addition to helping keep animals alive in an unsanitary environment, antibiotics serve another purpose, too. It turns out that antibiotics make animals gain weight faster — which increases producer profits.

How Do Bacteria Become Antibiotic-Resistant in CAFOs?

When bacteria have continual exposure to low doses of an antibiotic, any of the microbes that are resistant to the drug will survive and reproduce. The rest die off, resulting in a new bacteria population resistant to the antibiotic.

Modern factory farms provide continuous low doses of antibiotics to billions of livestock — thus creating the perfect conditions for breeding antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

If, for some diabolical reason, someone wanted to create conditions that would breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria, they would be hard-pressed to do better than the conditions prevalent in industrial meat production today.

The Truth About Food Recalls

Already, the breeding of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics in modern meat production is hurting human health in many ways.

Have you ever gotten sick after eating at a restaurant? It’s an experience that’s not easy to forget. You just ate the most delicious meal, yet hours later, you’re regretting ever leaving the house that day.

Foodborne illnesses — such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli — affect one in six Americans every year. That’s more than 55 million people annually. About 128,000 of them have to be hospitalized for their symptoms. And 3,000 of these people end up dying.

Two of the most common foodborne pathogens, Salmonella and Campylobacter, cause a combined 660,900 antibiotic-resistant infections in the United States each year.

Where do these bacteria come from? The truth is most pathogens that cause food poisoning originate with the intensive, confinement-based livestock production methods used in factory farming.

The US federal government tests supermarket meats to track trends in bacteria and resistance. Recent findings show that 73% of bacteria that FDA testing found on ground turkey were resistant to tetracyclines, the most widely used antibiotic in farm animals and a critical medicine to treat serious bacterial infections in humans.

Additionally, one in five strains of Salmonella in chicken meat were resistant to amoxicillin — the second most frequently used antibiotic on farms and the number one medication prescribed to children. And 1 in every 25 packages of raw chicken is said to have Salmonella contamination, according to the CDC.

E. coli has also been found to contaminate 40% of raw chicken samples tested. But beef is the most common source of E. coli exposure for humans. This bacteria is thought to cause up to 85% of urinary tract infections each year. It’s also a major part of the Salmonella risk.

What About Food Recalls from Vegetables?

“But, wait!” you say. “What about the E. coli that have been found in plant foods, like romaine lettuce or tomatoes? Aren’t vegetables as risky as animal foods?”

It’s a reasonable question to ask, given the media coverage of E. coli outbreaks. But the truth is, E. coli lives in the intestines of animals.

Last I checked, romaine lettuce and tomatoes don’t have intestines. The only way any vegetable can be linked to E. coli is to be contaminated by the feces of animals.

Usually, this contamination happens because there’s a factory farm upstream (or up-manure) from a vegetable farm. It’s remarkable how often these plain facts are not conveyed in media coverage of E. coli scares.

Pathogens, like E. coli and Salmonella, are abundant in animal waste, which can run downhill during a rainstorm or seep into underground aquifers, ultimately getting into nearby water systems that spread the pathogens elsewhere.

These hardy pathogens can spread not only to raw meat products but also to produce (through water or soil contamination) and to cooking surfaces where food is prepared. When you consume this contaminated food, that’s when you may get sick.

The largest multistate E. coli outbreak in over a decade, related to romaine lettuce, occurred in the spring of 2018. It ended up affecting people in 36 states, resulting in 210 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and 5 deaths. What caused it? All evidence points to a large industrial cattle farm near the affected romaine crop in Yuma, Arizona.

How Factory Farming Drives the Problem with Antibiotics

It’s true that antibiotics are overprescribed to people, and that is a problem. But antibiotics are used and abused even more egregiously in animal agriculture.

According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2015, the world uses about 63,000 tons of antibiotics each year to raise cows, chickens, and pigs. That’s roughly twice as much as the volume of all antibiotics prescribed by doctors globally to humans.

In fact, 80% of the antibiotics used in the United States are not given to sick humans, but to animals on CAFOs.

And antibiotics are typically NOT used to cure disease on CAFOs. Rather, they’re used to promote growth or prevent diseases from keeping animals in unsanitary conditions.

What’s worse, last-resort antibiotics for humans are commonly used in CAFOs. So it’s no wonder that resistant bacteria are rampant in industrial meat products.

Regulatory Efforts Have Been Botched

Attempts have been made to better regulate antibiotic use in CAFOs.

In January 2012, the FDA prohibited the use of cephalosporins in food animals. This didn’t make much difference, though, because this class of antibiotics makes up less than 1% of the antibiotics used in the United States on food animals every year.

A study published by researchers at Ohio State University in 2016 warned of the very real potential of a post-antibiotic age. The study was sparked when bacteria that was resistant to last-line antibiotics was found on a Midwestern hog farm.

The FDA eventually took action in 2017, stating that farmers were no longer allowed to give antibiotics to animals for the purposes of weight gain, nor could they buy antibiotics without the oversight of a veterinarian.

But even after the 2017 attempt to crack down on CAFO antibiotic use, government records show that things haven’t changed as much as many had hoped. While sales of antibiotics for agricultural purposes dropped right after the 2017 ban on use for growth promotion, they’ve somewhat leveled out since then. Officially, there’s no ban on using antibiotics to prevent or treat diseases in animals — and so many animals in CAFOs are unhealthy, that this could potentially allow for very widespread use. The fact is that many companies that pledged to reduce antibiotics in their food supply haven’t followed through.

Beef suppliers for some of the largest fast-food corporations, like McDonald’s and Taco Bell, are still using the highest priority, critically important antibiotics (HP-CIAs) on farm animals, despite the risks to human health. USDA testing shows that between 2017 and 2022, all 10 of the biggest meat packers in the US were using at least one HP-CIA on livestock. And according to reporting by The Guardian, the dosages used are identical to the ones used previously to fatten up cattle.

Because there’s no universal ban on antibiotics in the food supply, companies seem likely to continue finding ways to exploit regulatory loopholes.

Antibiotics Aren’t Only Used for Land Animals

Just as we’ve industrialized agriculture for land animals, we’ve done the same to aquatic animals. And although fish aren’t what typically comes to mind when we envision factory farms, that doesn’t mean that farmed fish are living in better conditions. Antibiotic use runs deep in the aquatic environment, too — and so does antibiotic resistance.

Farmed fish are often packed tightly together in huge, unsanitary pools. Just as happens in the factory farming of land animals, the fish are given antibiotics (and other drugs, like pesticides) to prevent the spread of disease.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials sheds light on this hidden problem. Researchers looked at 27 fish from 11 countries. The researchers found residues of five antibiotics — including tetracycline and other drugs used to treat human infections.

Remarkably enough, they even found residues in farmed fish with an antibiotic-free label. It turns out that farmed fish don’t have to be given antibiotics directly to carry them because many are eating antibiotic-contaminated fish meal.

Levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in seafood have exploded in the past 30 years.

For more on the true cost of farmed fish, see this article.

What Can You Do About Antibiotic Resistance?

The hope, of course, is that one day, governments will take stronger action against antibiotic use on factory farms.

Some countries have done so already, including Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands. And they are seeing significant reductions in antibiotic overuse.

Whether or not government policy grows more enlightened, we can all take positive actions now to help preserve the efficacy of antibiotics and to support better industrial food practices.

The most significant contribution we can each make is to transition to a plant-powered diet. And for those who opt to consume animal products, it’s best to go organic since the use of antibiotics is not permitted under organic certification. If enough of us make these changes, we’ll drastically reduce consumer support for industrialized animal agriculture — the inhumane industry that’s fueling this public health crisis.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has made avoiding factory-farmed animal products easier than ever with this handy Shop With Your Heart Grocery List.

How to Change the Future Right Now

Antibiotics are a miracle of medicine. But now, thanks to factory farming, antibiotic overuse has become a driver of what could become one of the most terrifying public health emergencies in history.

Unless we take action to preserve the viability of antibiotics for future generations, millions of lives will be lost.

The problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria isn’t one that any of us can solve all by ourselves. Slowing its spread is going to take collective action from governments, farmers, corporations, and concerned citizens around the world. It’s also going to take reducing the frequency with which doctors prescribe antibiotics to humans.

But just because you and I can’t solve it all by ourselves doesn’t mean we should refuse to do what we can.

As a concerned citizen who wants a safe future for humanity, the number one step you can take is to boycott factory-farmed animal products. You can also go a step further and urge restaurants and supermarkets to do the same.

We should ensure a future in which, if a crisis arises, every baby’s life can be saved by these miracle drugs the way mine was when I was three months old.

Tell us in the comments below:

• Have you ever encountered antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
• Does this help you understand antibiotic resistance and how antibiotic use on factory farms affects humans?
• What did you find useful, interesting, or surprising in this article?

Featured Image: iStock.com/branex

Read Next:

• Unhealthy Conditions for Farm Animals are — No Surprise — Bad for Humans, Too

The post The Surprising Truth About Antibiotics, Factory Farms, and Food Recalls appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Plants communicate with us and the world using the language of color as well. While they don’t share romantic sentiments (as far as we know — although I’ve known some blackberry brambles that could get quite handsy), they do give us clues as to their healing powers.

The compounds in plants that enable them to send such signals are called polyphenols. There are over 8,000 of them (at least that we know of), and they belong to a few distinct families. The largest of these families, with over 6,000 compounds (and counting), is flavonoids.

(If you’re eager to read a big honking article all about flavonoids and why they’re so good for you, click here.)

One of the most commonly consumed flavonoids is called quercetin. It’s also one of the most studied. And it’s often touted as a nutrient that can play a big role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. But what does science say about quercetin? How does it work in the body? Does it have other health benefits aside from cardiovascular? What foods are the best sources? And do you need to supplement to get enough?

Let’s explore the mysterious world of quercetin, and find out all the ways this powerhouse compound is trying to express its love.

What Is Quercetin?

Quercetin is a proud member of the flavonoid family of polyphenols — a class of phytonutrients produced by plants to help them resist fungi, bacteria, and other infections, as well as deter consumption by insects and animals. Quercetin comes in several forms, and one of the most famous among them is rutin.

Rutin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and provides some protection against cancer and other diseases. It’s found in high concentrations in buckwheat, and in ginkgo, apples, and other fruits and vegetables.

Rutin, like almost all forms of quercetin, acts as an antioxidant in the body, helping protect you from disease, much like it protects plants from bugs and harmful bacteria. In your body, antioxidants help regulate oxidative stress pathways, preventing and repairing cellular and DNA damage.

Quercetin Health Benefits

Quercetin works on so many systems in the body that it’s no surprise it appears useful in preventing and treating a wide range of conditions. It’s usually easiest for researchers to study a compound when given as a supplement because food comes with a myriad of synergistic variables (such as antioxidants, fiber, calories, and other nutrients) that can impact results. So, most of the research on quercetin has involved supplemental forms. However, keep in mind that, as with most nutrients, food forms are probably best. Here are a few health benefits of quercetin that have been solidly backed up by scientific research (many involving supplementation, for the purposes of the studies).

Quercetin and Heart Health

Quercetin has shown impressive cardiovascular effects in animal and test-tube studies. It lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels, improves glucose control, prevents the buildup of plaque in arteries, and protects the heart from damage. Clinical trials in humans have found that quercetin can contribute to healthier cholesterol numbers.

A 2016 meta-analysis of seven small controlled clinical trials (with a total of under 600 participants) found a reduction of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with quercetin supplementation of more than 500 milligrams per day.

One way quercetin can support your heart is by protecting one of the cardiovascular system’s “weakest links:” the endothelial lining of your blood vessels. The endothelium performs a host of essential functions, including helping control the width of your blood vessels and playing a role in blood clotting, inflammation, and immune responses. As it ages, it tends to wear out, and modern drugs and surgical techniques haven’t been able to extend its working life.

Quercetin, on the other hand, appears to protect the endothelium from damage, and in doing so, could help to prevent certain types of heart disease.

Quercetin for COVID-19

Quercetin is known for its antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other beneficial effects in the fight against SARS, a coronavirus in the same family as COVID-19.  That’s why scientists have had high hopes for the flavonoid as a means of preventing and treating COVID-19.

Researchers in 2022 found that quercetin did indeed inhibit three parts of the coronavirus cycle of infection: entry, absorption, and penetration. They suggested that it might work synergistically with vitamins C, D, and E as well as other polyphenols as a first-line prevention and treatment protocol for the novel coronavirus.

This was put to the test in a study published in early 2023, in which 50 patients with COVID-19 were given either standard of care or standard of care plus 500 milligrams of quercetin per day. The quercetin group had fewer symptoms than the control group, recovered faster, and tested negative sooner as well.

Some researchers and clinicians are starting to include quercetin in “inventive” drug compositions designed to treat COVID-19, pairing it with vitamins, other phytonutrients, and mainstream pharmaceuticals like Paxlovid.

Quercetin and Cancer

Quercetin appears to disrupt the progression of some cancers, particularly those of the gastrointestinal system, by pushing cancerous cells to self-destruct (a process known as apoptosis). It can also arrest the cycle through which the cancer cells divide and proliferate, as well as inhibit angiogenesis, which is the creation of new blood vessels in a growing tumor.

And that’s just scratching the surface of the ways quercetin appears to mess with cancer. Recently, researchers have been exploring the use of quercetin as an ingredient in “chemoprevention” cocktails that aim to stop cancer before it turns into a clinically significant disease. Preliminary studies have shown that quercetin is lethal to ovarian cancer cells at doses well within the range considered to be safe for daily consumption.

Quercetin for Inflammation

One of the most significant risk factors in the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes is obesity. But why? What’s the connection?

Some researchers point to the fact that obesity causes chronic inflammation, particularly in the liver, fat cells, skeletal muscles, and circulatory system. Quercetin’s anti-inflammatory power can lessen insulin resistance (a key driver of type 2 diabetes) and combat atherosclerosis (a big component of heart disease). Also, quercetin helps gut microbiota stay healthy even when dealing with obesity-related inflammation.

A 2020 study found that treating skin cells with quercetin protected them against damage from the inflammation that accompanies skin conditions like atopic dermatitis. Quercetin increased levels of protective compounds (occludin and E-cadherin, if you’re into the details here) and reduced levels of harmful ones (matrix metalloproteinases, to be precise). What’s more, wounds treated with quercetin healed faster, due partly to an increased production of skin proteins and inhibition of the release of enzymes that can degrade skin tissue.

Quercetin’s anti-inflammatory properties suggest that it may also be a powerful booster of the immune system. But as careful scientists love to say, “More research is needed.”

Quercetin and Brain Health

Scientists are also hopeful about quercetin’s potential as a therapy to prevent the progression of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. It may shield your brain cells from harmful effects caused by unstable molecules (there’s that antioxidant superpower again) while also reducing the breakdown of fats in the brain.

Quercetin also stops the buildup of specific harmful proteins, preventing cell destruction and what’s ominously known as inflammatory cascade pathways.

In addition to Alzheimer’s, other neurodegenerative diseases that are fueled by inflammation include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The inflammation in the brain among these disorders can lead to neuronal cell death, with devastating consequences for health, life span, and quality of life.

Recent research has uncovered a possible mechanism by which quercetin can put a stop to this inflammation — by influencing the expression of microRNA. MicroRNA is a small noncoding RNA molecule involved in various biological processes, including development, cell differentiation, and proliferation. Some researchers believe that quercetin’s ability to influence microRNA could be a powerful tool in preventing the damage that accompanies inflammation, and they’re exploring methods of delivering the nutrient in ways that increase its efficacy.

Quercetin Bioavailability

Your body can’t make its own quercetin, so the only way to take advantage of this amazing compound is to get it from food or supplements. If you’re eating a nutritionally excellent diet with a variety of whole plant foods, the good news is that you can expect to consume up to 13 milligrams of quercetin per day.

The less good news is that quercetin bioavailability is generally low. Or at least, humans don’t appear to be very good at absorbing it. All is not lost, though. It turns out that some of your gut microbes are very good at metabolizing quercetin into forms your body can use and benefit from.

There are several ways to increase the bioavailability of quercetin. A 2005 study measured the amount of quercetin in several onion cultivars that were either baked, sautéed, or boiled. Researchers found that baking and sautéing increased quercetin concentrations while boiling decreased them.

You can also absorb more quercetin if you pair quercetin-containing foods with a fat source. That’s because quercetin dissolves in fat, which is why it’s known as lipophilic. And having those foods along with sources of water-soluble fiber, such as pectin and soybeans, may also improve quercetin bioavailability.

Finally, quercetin is more bioavailable when consumed as part of a whole food. That is to say, your body appears to recognize it and know what to do with it when it is delivered in a familiar package, together with all the other phytonutrients contained in that food.

Food Sources of Quercetin

Should You Take Quercetin Supplements?

Since quercetin is in so many different plant foods, for most people, supplements are probably not necessary — especially since whole-food sources appear to be more bioavailable.

There might be some instances, however, in which quercetin supplements could be beneficial. For someone suffering from chronic inflammation, supplemental quercetin may help. And studies have shown that it can inhibit histamine production and pro-inflammatory mediators, which could help allergy sufferers.

A 2016 study of rats who had had noxious chemicals sprayed into their nostrils found that supplementing at 25 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for at least five days reduced nasal rubbing and sneezing. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

As we’ve seen, quercetin supplementation can reduce the length and seriousness of COVID-19, especially if administered at an early stage. It may also be able to improve performance and recovery in athletes, who seem to need more antioxidants than other people to counter the oxidative damage brought on by intense physical exertion.

In terms of safety, clinical trials of supplemental quercetin have shown no significant side effects with doses of up to 1,000 milligrams per day for up to 12 weeks. As quercetin isn’t very bioavailable to begin with, supplements often include another bioactive compound that can help with absorbability. Quercetin may be absorbed more effectively when combined with bromelain, zinc, and/or vitamin C.

Side Effects of Quercetin Supplements

The most common side effects of quercetin supplements are headache and upset stomach.

In terms of drug interactions — quercetin can impact how the body responds to certain medications, including blood thinners, antibiotics, and other drugs with a similar chemical structure. Quercetin may also interact with chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer. Whether it improves their effectiveness or gets in their way is still up for debate.

And in female rats with estrogen-induced breast cancer, even dietary quercetin was problematic, as it increased tumor severity. However, it remains to be seen whether the same can be said for humans.

Since studies show that quercetin can significantly lower blood pressure and may protect cardiovascular health, it may enhance the effects of blood pressure and blood-thinning medications. Therefore, it’s probably best to talk with your health care provider before starting quercetin supplementation if you’re taking these types of medications.

Recipes with Quercetin

From delightful salads featuring quercetin-packed blueberries to a hearty dish that incorporates quercetin-rich artichokes, these recipes provide delicious ideas for how to enjoy everyday quercetin-filled foods. Enjoy the healing benefits of quercetin to help nourish your heart health, immune system, brain function, and more — all while indulging in plenty of delicious whole food, plant-based ingredients!

1. Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Smoothie

Indulge in our Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Smoothie, a delightful morning treat that not only tantalizes your taste buds but will also boost your day with quercetin and other vital nutrients. At the heart of this smoothie lies the unassuming apple, packed with quercetin, a potent flavonoid renowned for its antioxidant prowess. By including an apple in your smoothie, you’re also inviting the goodness of quercetin to join the party, enhancing both flavor and nutrition.

2. The Shine Brightly Salad

We just love how The Shine Brightly Salad can’t help but put a smile on people’s faces. The addition of sweet and juicy blueberries is one big reason why! Blueberries are bursting with quercetin, which is your ally in the fight against oxidative stress and inflammation. Plus, when combined with fresh leafy greens and toasty sunflower seeds, you’ll enjoy a fresh and vibrant salad that will help you shine from the inside out!

3. Cheesy Artichoke and Asparagus Penne

Artichokes are among the top quercetin-rich veggies — and boy, oh boy, do we love them (and hope you do, too!). This Cheesy Artichoke and Asparagus Penne is loaded with powerful antioxidants, phytochemicals, and essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, niacin, and folate. Adding artichokes to your diet regularly is a great way to lower inflammation and increase healing through plant power. What’s more, this colorful pasta has tons of fiber from the veggies, whole grains, and lentils, as well as protein from the lentils — so you’ve got the complete package when it comes to this meal.

Embrace the Power of Quercetin

Quercetin, a compound found in some of our most popular fruits and vegetables, is a powerhouse of nutritional goodness. Thanks to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting abilities, it appears to be something of a dietary medicine cabinet in a single nutrient.

Some people, such as athletes and those suffering from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, may benefit from supplementation. But for most people, eating a varied and balanced diet will allow you to get the quercetin (and other phytonutrients and antioxidants) you need to optimize your health.

Tell us in the comments:

• Which colors of the “food rainbow” do you want to eat more often?
• What are your favorite quercetin-containing foods?
• Which quercetin-rich recipe will you try next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Marko Jan

Read Next:

• What Are Flavonoids? And How Are They Good for Your Health?
• Eat the Rainbow: Why Is it Important to Eat a Colorful Variety of Fruits and Vegetables?

The post Quercetin: Health Benefits, Risks, and Sources Compared appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

According to economists (who, it seems to me, are a lot better at explaining the past than predicting the future), this massive food inflation is actually caused by a perfect storm of rising demand and lower supply — both intensified by several calamities (like droughts, floods, wars, and knock-on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic) — as well as rising costs for fuel and fertilizer.

For perspective, food prices have typically been rising by about 2% a year for a long time. But from 2021 to 2022, they went up by an average of 11%. And while things seem to have calmed down a bit since then, it’s still easy to get sticker shock any time you visit a cash register.

Even if you’re not paying more outright, you might be paying more in subtle ways. The food industry has recently implemented a tactic known as “shrinkflation,” whereby they offer the same product for the same price — in a smaller quantity, thus avoiding the appearance of higher prices. (“Hey, this is one expensive cornflake!”)

So why exactly have food prices gone up so much? Why do some foods always seem to cost more (or less) than others? And what can you, as a consumer, do about it?

What Influences Food Prices

Did I mention that I’m not an economist? That might be good news here because I’m going to try to simplify the issue of food pricing. There are a few major factors that always influence food pricing. These include how much it costs to produce the food (including the cost of labor for everyone involved in growing and processing it), the cost of transportation and distribution, good old supply and demand, and global trade policies.

Why have food prices gone up so much in the last few years? Three factors stand out, in particular: the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the intensifying climate crisis.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Starting in 2020, the pandemic disrupted nearly every link in the food supply chain. The food processing sector was hit particularly hard, with COVID-19 outbreaks racing through the workforce, due to many people working in close, inadequately ventilated quarters. And the increase in worker turnover, in addition to new COVID protocols, further increased food production costs.

The same labor shortages affected the shipping industry, causing delays and increasing competition for limited shipping space. This led to rising transportation costs. It also increased the price of labor: In order to attract workers, companies had to increase wages, a cost they largely passed directly on to consumers.

As many people shifted their food spending from restaurants to grocery stores, suppliers could not keep up with the change in demand, resulting in massive food waste that effectively decreased supply.

And while 2020 is in the rearview mirror, there’s a funny thing about economics. When prices go up, they rarely come down again. So in some ways, we’re still feeling the effects of the price increases that started in 2020. And now, some additional factors have intensified the situation.

The War in Ukraine

Before the war, Russia and Ukraine were among the largest wheat producers in the world, together accounting for 30% of all exports — and a staggering 12% of all agricultural calories traded on earth. Both production and export have dropped dramatically due to the war.

Russia set up blockades of Ukrainian food exports in the Black Sea, stranding food in ports and creating global shortages. Western countries responded with sanctions against Russian grain exports, intensifying those shortages.

In addition to embargoes on food, the West has also implemented partial bans on Russian exports. These have included oil and gas, which have increased the energy costs associated with food production around the world.

Another blockaded product is fertilizer. As Russia is a major exporter of synthetic fertilizers, accounting for almost 30% of all exports globally, fertilizer prices have also been soaring — impacting farmers and, therefore, food prices.

Increasing Climate Chaos and Disasters

As temperatures continue to rise, crops are sustaining damage from excess heat. And as precipitation patterns change, droughts and flooding (sometimes alternating in the same place) also prevent crops from thriving. This can harm crops by eroding soil, depleting soil nutrients, and increasing runoff.

No farmer wants to try to coax crops out of the ground in conditions of extreme and prolonged drought. As more and more of the arable land on Earth suffers under multiyear drought, farmers are increasingly relying on groundwater, which they’re depleting at an alarming rate.

Additionally, rising temperatures increase pest populations and sometimes allow new pests to take up residence in regions that had previously been inhospitable for them. Temperature shifts can also cause a mismatch in pollination cycles, so the “good” bugs can’t do their jobs — leading to low pollination rates or delayed pollination.

One more disastrous effect of a warming planet is the danger to agricultural workers. More and more of them are suffering from the effects of extreme heat as they toil in parched fields. The National Institutes of Health tells us that farmworkers are 35 times more likely to die of heat exposure than workers in other industries. As conditions become less hospitable, it can be harder for farm owners to find the skilled laborers they need to get their fields planted and harvested. And dynamics in US immigration policy have contributed to a shortage of these workers.

As the planet continues to overheat, and as groundwater gets depleted and droughts and floods intensify, food prices are expected to continue to increase in the coming decades.

Why Do Some Foods Always Cost More (or Less)?

Governmental policies cause some foods to be more expensive than they would be otherwise — while others are made artificially cheaper. To see this in action, let’s look at a category of foods whose price is inflated (organic foods) and another whose price is deflated (grains and the products derived from grains).

Organic and Healthy Food Costs

Organic foods are more expensive than their “conventional” counterparts for several reasons. For one, organic food typically costs more to produce because the process is more labor-intensive than large-scale industrial agricultural methods.

Supply and demand play a role here as well. There’s a much smaller supply of organic food than nonorganic, even though demand for organic foods has more than doubled in the past 10 years. While this demand has caught the attention of some farmers who have decided to convert part or all of their operations to organic methods, this process takes time. In the meanwhile, prices continue to rise as demand grows, but supply lags.

There’s also a policy choice that makes organic food more expensive, which is that organic certification is costly, and getting that certification can be time-consuming. Organic farmers must keep extensive records and pay for organic certification, while farms that use synthetic pesticides don’t have to do either.

Another reason for organic’s higher prices has to do with the concept of “externalities” — that is, costs that arguably should be included in the market price but aren’t.

For example, what are the true costs of topsoil erosion, pesticide exposure for farmworkers and consumers, water and air pollution, or of the routine use of antibiotics in modern factory farms? If these were factored in, we might find that organic food would cost less, not more, than its conventional counterparts.

The fact is that organically grown foods tend to be better for environmental protection and carbon sequestration, deliver higher standards for animal welfare, and contribute to a safer and healthier food supply.

But consumers still have to pay more, and sometimes a lot more, to purchase foods that are grown organically.

Despite this, there are still some compelling advantages to go organic if you can afford to do so. And if you can’t, then you might want to soak your produce in a dab of baking soda to help rid it of pesticide exposure (for our article on what works best, click here).

Government Subsidies

The US government provides agricultural subsidies — monetary payments and other types of support — to farmers or agribusinesses. This ensures that farmers receive a minimum price for their crops while also incentivizing overproduction and inflated production costs. That way, subsidized foods and products made from them appear cheaper than nonsubsidized foods.

Generally, only the largest producers can take advantage of farm subsidies. According to a report from the Environmental Working Group, between 1995 and 2021, the top 10% of all US farm subsidy recipients received almost 80% of all subsidies, while the bottom 80% got less than 10%.

The five major “program” commodities are corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice.

Most soybeans and corn are produced by massive monocrop farms rather than small family enterprises. A lot of this subsidized corn and soy is fed to livestock, which artificially lowers the price of animal-derived foods produced on factory farms. All told, the US federal government spends $38 billion every year subsidizing the meat and dairy industries. Without these subsidies, a pound of hamburger meat could cost $30, rather than the $5 price seen today. But the true cost plays out in its impact on our health, animals, and the environment — and in the form of taxes and expansion of the national debt.

Is it better in Europe? Well, in many ways, it’s not. According to a 2019 report from Greenpeace, nearly one-fifth of the EU’s entire budget goes to subsidizing the livestock industry.

In effect, these subsidies consistently decrease the price of things like factory-farmed meat, high-fructose corn syrup, white bread, and many of the additives in our food supply — creating a marketplace distortion that makes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other healthy staples more expensive in comparison.

To my eyes, it’s a bit like we’re all being fined for wearing our seatbelts. If we want to do the safer and more responsible thing, we have to pay extra.

What You Can Do About Rising Food Prices

If you’re feeling the pinch of rising food prices yourself, there are several strategies that can help you stay within your budget without sacrificing your family’s health.

Make a budget and shop from a list to avoid making impulse purchases while at the store. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods over calorie-dense ones. The latter may seem cheaper by the pound or the calorie, but in terms of what foods can do for you (or to you), good nutrition is more economical than impaired functioning or chronic disease. And buy and cook in bulk to save money and time.

Try to shop locally if you can to avoid incentivizing costly supply chains. If you’re in the US and use SNAP benefits, keep in mind that you can use them to shop for fresh produce at many farmers markets.

Also, buy organic when you can. If you are in a position financially where you can afford to spend more, you can “vote with your dollars” (or euros or pounds or rupees) to make the system fairer and more accessible to everyone. But if you can’t afford the organic price premium, then aim for non-GMO produce items and wash them thoroughly to reduce your pesticide exposure as much as possible.

If you have to choose which fruits and veggies to buy organic, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15. Choose organic members of the Dirty Dozen club, and don’t sweat nonorganic Clean 15 items.

Frozen fruits and vegetables can sometimes be more affordable than fresh ones, and they contain abundant nutrition.

And reducing your consumption of animal products can not only help feed the world’s population because we aren’t cycling our crops through animals (a process that wastes at least 9 out of every 10 calories, depending on the crop and the animal eating it), but it can also lead to reductions in costly greenhouse gas emissions, too. Plus, beans tend to be a lot less costly than beef (to animals, the environment, and your wallet, too).

Food Pricing Is Complex, But Healthy Eating Shouldn’t Be

The recent surge in food prices has highlighted the intricate web of factors influencing the cost of our food. From labor shortages and technology costs to climate change and war, the forces at play are vast and interconnected.

But there are ways to navigate these challenging times. By adopting conscious strategies, we can mitigate the impact of rising food prices on our wallets and well-being. Through awareness and mindful decision-making, we can not only do right for our health, but we can also contribute to a more healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system.

Tell us in the comments:

• What foods that you buy frequently have gone up the most in price recently?
• Have you made any changes or substitutions because of food price inflation?
• Which cost-saving strategies could you try?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Ilija Erceg

Read Next:

• A Guide to Going Plant-Based: What to Eat, Benefits, and How to Succeed
• 7 Healthy Recipes for Eating Plant-Based on a Budget

The post The Price of Food: What’s Making Food So Expensive & What You Can Do About It appeared first on Food Revolution Network.