As a staple of Indian, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines for centuries, bulgur wheat tends to be most well-known around the world as the main ingredient used in tabbouleh. There are load of other ways to use this fast-cooking, versatile grain too: in soups, over salads and in whole grain bread, for example. Compared to refined carbohydrate foods…
Getting a good variety of amino acids in your diet — especially essential amino acids that your body can't make on its own — is crucial for maintaining overall health. That's because deficiency in any essential amino acid can cause side effects like sluggishness, compromised immune function, loss muscle mass, changes in appetite and more. The…
Why are amino acids "essential" or important to our health? Along with proteins, amino acids like valine are commonly referred to as "the building blocks of life." Our bodies not only use amino acids as a form of energy, but they also take amino acids and synthesize proteins, which help us to grow, process the…
Anxiety disorders are now considered to be the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the United States — and many other parts of the world too. During any given year, it's estimated that one type of anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) affects about 6.8 million American adults, or 3 percent of…
Since its debut in 2017, the Plant Paradox diet has received plenty of attention — both good and bad — from dieters and nutrition experts alike. Even celebrities have joined in on the buzz; in fact, Kelly Clarkson attributed her massive weight loss to this controversial diet plan after dropping 37 pounds in a year.…
According to findings from a recent systematic analysis published in The Lancet, an estimated 11 million deaths per year (1 in every 5 deaths) are directly due to eating a poor diet. As CBS News sums it up, "Unhealthy diets now kill more people than tobacco and high blood pressure." While it's no surprise that eating an unhealthy…
Seeds are a versatile ingredient that can be used to add a quick pop of texture and nutrition to nearly any meal. From chia seed pudding to roasted pumpkin seeds to pine nut pesto and beyond, there are endless ways to squeeze in your daily dose of the healthiest seeds while bumping up your intake…
The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its health-promoting properties. In fact, proponents of the Mediterranean diet claim it may promote cognitive function, support heart health, help fight cancer and keep blood sugar levels steady. However, while most of us are pretty familiar with the concept of the diet, few know exactly what a Mediterranean diet…
Has anyone ever told you, "You're so pitta?" Not sure what it means? Pitta is one of three main "doshas" in Ayurveda. In a way, it's kind of like an ancient system of understanding (and working with) your body and personality type. If Ayurveda medicine is new to you, you're not alone. But this 5,000-year-old…
Maybe you took your first Ayurvedic body type or "dosha" quiz and your result came back as primarily "kapha." What does it all mean? To better understand your primary dosha type, we first must take a look at Ayurveda, which roughly translates to "the science of life." Ayurveda is a buzz word popping up in…