Most Americans get less than half the recommended minimum daily fiber intake, which is problematic as the benefits of fiber go way beyond bowel regularity.

“Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, believed that all disease begins in the gut.” Of course, he also thought women were hysterical because of their “wandering uterus.” So much for ancient medical wisdom.

Even though a condition like constipation can have a “major impact…on physical, mental and social well-being,” it’s “often overlooked in health care.” This may be because poop-talk is “taboo,” but constipation can have “a severe influence on…everyday living,” both psychologically and physically. Constipation can literally hurt, causing “abdominal discomfort and pain, straining, hard stool, infrequent bowel movements, bloating and nausea.”

No wonder “laxatives are among the most commonly used drugs…Most are quite safe when used judiciously, intermittently,” but because people use them so frequently, laxatives end up being one of the most common causes of adverse drug reactions. Perhaps treatment should instead address the underlying problem that causes constipation, such as lack of dietary fiber. You probably don’t need a meta-analysis to demonstrate that “dietary fiber can obviously increase stool frequency in patients with constipation.” I discuss this in my video Friday Favorites: Is Fiber an Effective Anti-Inflammatory?.

“Populations in most Western countries must be considered on world standards to be almost universally constipated.” In the Western world, constipation is an epidemic among the elderly, but among those centering their diets around fiber-rich foods, it’s simply not a problem.

Where is fiber found? As you can see at 1:37 in my video, a patient summary in the Journal of the American Medical Association sums it up with an illustration of whole, unrefined plant foods. For those of us who may be smug about our hearty intake of fruits and vegetables, we need to realize that “fruits and leafy vegetables are the poorest source of plant fiber.” Why? Because they’re 90 percent water. Root vegetables have more fiber, but the real superstars include legumes, such as beans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils, and we can’t forget whole grains. What about fruits? Gram for gram, fiber from fruits does not seem to have the same effect. It may take 25 grams of fruit fiber to double stool output, something just 10 grams of whole-grain fiber or vegetable fiber can do, as you can see in the graph below and at 2:08 in my video.

And that’s not all fiber can do. If you eat some whole-grain barley for supper, your good gut bacteria are having it for breakfast the next morning. This releases butyrate into our bloodstream, a compound that seems to “exert broad anti-inflammatory activities.” This could help explain why researchers found that “significant decreases in the prevalence of inflammation were associated with increasing dietary fiber intakes for all group.” As you can see at 2:44 in my video, the group with the highest fiber intake in the study had decreased inflammation—and that was with getting just the minimum recommended daily intake of fiber. So, if you have knee pain, for instance, should you eat more fiber-rich foods?

“Dietary Fiber Intake in Relation to Knee Pain Trajectory” is a study that followed thousands of patients. Researchers found that a high intake of dietary fiber, which is to say just the minimum recommended intake, was “associated with a lower risk of developing moderate or severe knee pain over time.” What’s more, two Framingham studies found that higher fiber intake was related to a lower risk of having symptomatic osteoarthritis in the first place.

Don’t a variety of diseases have an inflammatory component, though? How about “fiber consumption and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortalities”? Researchers found that, compared with those who consumed the least amount of fiber, those who consumed the most had 23 percent less cardiovascular disease mortality, a 17 percent lower risk of dying from cancer, and 23 percent lower mortality from all causes put together. “Unfortunately, most persons in the United States consume less than half of the recommended intake of dietary fiber daily.”

Researchers suggest all sorts of potential mechanisms for which fiber could be life-saving, such as improving cholesterol, immune function, and blood sugar control, but it may also have more of a direct cause. If you ask people to bear down as if they’re straining on stool, they can experience a rapid increase in intracranial pressure—that is, pressure inside your skull. And, if you look at trigger factors for the rupture of intracranial aneurysms and ask hundreds of people who had strokes or bleeds within their brains, one of the biggest trigger factors noted was “straining for defecation,” multiplying your risk by seven-fold.

This is one of the reasons legumes and whole grains are emphasized in my Daily Dozen checklist, which compiles all of the healthiest of healthy foods to ideally fit into your daily routine. It’s available (for free, of course!) as an app (Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen) on [iPhone] and [Android], and you can learn all about it in my video Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist.

If you buy processed grain products, how do you know they contain enough fiber? Check out The Five-to-One Fiber Rule.

What is the best source of lutein, the primary carotenoid antioxidant in the brain?

“An extensive [scientific] literature describes the positive impact of dietary phytochemicals [plant compounds] on overall health and longevity…However, it is now becoming clear that the consumption of diets rich in phytochemicals can influence neuro-inflammation”—that is, brain inflammation—“and mediate the activation of signaling pathways, leading to the expression of cytoprotective [cell protective] and restorative proteins.” As I discuss in my video Friday Favorites: Brain-Healthy Foods to Fight Aging, just “over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made to realize that oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) and chronic, low-grade inflammation are major risk factors underlying brain aging,” so it’s no wonder that antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods may help.

“The brain is especially vulnerable to free radical attack,” oxidative stress, due to its high fat content and cauldron of high metabolic activity. You don’t want your brains to go rancid. You’d think that one of the major fat-soluble dietary antioxidants would step in, like beta-carotene, but the major carotenoid concentrated in the brain is actually lutein. Our brain just preferentially sucks it up.

For example, look at the “oldest old,” like in the Georgia centenarian study. Recognizing that “oxidative stress is involved in age-related cognitive decline,” researchers figured that “dietary antioxidants…may play a role in the prevention or delay in cognitive decline,” so they looked at eight different ones: vitamin A, vitamin E, and on down the list. Only lutein was “significantly related to better cognition.” Now, in this study, researchers looked at brain tissue on autopsy, but by then, it’s a little too late. How could you study the effects of diet on the brain while you’re still alive? If only there were a way we could physically look into the living brain with our own two eyes. There is. With our own two eyes.

The retina, the back of our eyeball, is actually an extension of our central nervous system, an outpouching of the brain during development. And, as you can see at 2:02 in my video, there’s a spot right in the middle. That is what the doctor sees when looking into your eye with that bright light. That spot, called the macula, is our HD camera, where we get the highest resolution vision, and it’s packed with lutein.

And, levels in the retina correspond to levels in the rest of our brain so our eyes can be a window into our brain. So, now we can finally do studies on living people to see if diet can affect lutein levels in the eyes, which reflects lutein levels in the brain, and find out if that correlates with improvements in cognitive function. And, indeed, significant correlations do exist between cognitive test scores and the amount of macular pigment, these plant pigments like lutein in your eye. You can demonstrate this on functional MRI scans, suggesting lutein and a related plant pigment called zeaxanthin “promote cognitive functioning in old age by enhancing neural efficiency”—that is, the efficiency by which our nerves communicate. Researchers conducted a fascinating study on white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging, which “provides unique insights into brain network connectivity,” allowing you to follow the nerve tracts throughout the brain. As you can see at 3:14 in my video, researchers were also able to show enhanced circuit integrity based on how much lutein and zeaxanthin they could see in people’s eyes; this is “further evidence of a meaningful relationship between diet and neural integrity” of our brains, “particularly in regions vulnerable to age-related decline.”

So, do Alzheimer’s patients have less of this macular pigment? One study found significantly less lutein in their eyes, significantly less lutein in their blood, and a higher occurrence of macular degeneration, where this pigment layer gets destroyed. As you can see at 3:45 in my video, the thickness of this plant pigment layer in our eyes can be measured and may be a potential marker for the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Let’s not wait that long, though. We know macular pigment density is related to cognitive function in older people, but what about during middle age?

“One apparent consequence of aging appears to be loss of some aspects of cognitive control,” which starts out early, in mid-adulthood, but not in everybody. This suggests that “it is possible that behavior, such as one’s diet, could drive some of these differences.” As you can see at 4:16 in my video, a measure of cognitive control showed that, on average, younger adults do better than older adults, but older adults who have high macular pigment, a lot of lutein in the back of their eyes, do significantly better. These results suggest that the “protective role of carotenoids” like lutein within the brain “may be evident during early and middle adulthood, decades prior to the onset of older age” and more apparent cognitive decline later in life.

You can take 20-year-olds and show superior auditory function, or hearing, in those with more macular pigment in their eyes. “The auditory system, like the rest of the central nervous system, is ultimately constructed and maintained by diet and it is therefore, not surprisingly, sensitive to dietary intake throughout life”—all the way back to childhood.

Higher macular pigment is associated with higher academic achievement among schoolchildren. You can look into a kid’s eyes and get some sense of how well they may do in subjects like math and writing. “This finding is important because macular L [lutein] is modifiable and can be manipulated by dietary intake in most of the population.” And where is lutein found? The avocado and egg industries like to boast about how much of these macular pigments they have in their products, but the real superstars are dark green leafy vegetables. A half cup of kale has 50 times more lutein than an egg. So, a spinach salad or a 50-egg omelet? You can see a chart of lutein/zeaxanthin content of some common foods at 5:33 in my video.

When should we start loading up on lutein? It seems the earlier, the better, and pregnant and breastfeeding women especially should definitely be checking off my Daily Dozen greens servings. But, it’s also apparently never too late to start. “While some age-related cognitive decline is to be expected in healthy aging…these effects may be less pronounced” among those eating more leafy greens, but you don’t know for sure until you put it to the test, which I explore in my next video Friday Favorites: Do Lutein Supplements Help with Brain Function?.

What was that about my Daily Dozen? Check out Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist.

What is low-acid coffee? Does it help those who suffer from acid reflux, heartburn, and indigestion?

“Dark roast coffee is more effective than light roast coffee in reducing body weight,” but what is the effect of different roasts on heartburn and stomach upset? I discuss this in my video Does Low-Acid Coffee Cause Less Acid Reflux?.

We know that “coffee consumption sometimes is associated with symptoms of stomach discomfort,” so researchers put pH probes into people’s stomachs to measure the amount of stomach acid generated by different types of coffee. A gastrogram is a way to chart acid secretion in the stomach, as you can see at 0:30 in my video. You give people some baking soda so their stomach starts out alkaline, then measure the pH in the stomach to see how long it takes the body to restore the stomach to an acid bath—about 15 to 20 minutes. If you mix that same amount of baking soda with dark roast coffee, however, it takes longer, which means the dark roast coffee is suppressing stomach acid secretion because it takes longer to normalize the pH. If you give people more of a medium roast coffee, though, there is a dramatically different effect—an acceleration of stomach acid secretion, returning the stomach to acidic conditions three times faster than drinking dark roast coffee. Thus, dark roast coffee is less effective at stimulating stomach acid secretion than medium roast coffee. But you don’t know if that translates into symptoms, or clinical effects, until you put it to the test.

“The most commonly used coffee bean roasting process is referred to as convection or ‘flash’ roasting,” which usually takes less than ten minutes. “An alternative method is conduction roasting….[which] roasts the coffee beans at a lower temperature for a longer time, typically over 3 – 4 h,” and results in so-called low-acid coffee. “Anecdotal evidence from coffee-sensitive individuals has suggesting that this latter roasting method [for low-acid coffee] does not precipitate or aggravate heartburn.” However, when you look up the citation for this finding, the paper just cites data from the Puroast Coffee Co., makers of low-acid coffee. It should therefore come as no surprise that it was the same company that funded the study.

At one point, the Puroast Coffee website claimed, “The health benefits associated with drinking Puroast Low Acid coffee will become almost immediately obvious to those who suffer from acid reflux, heartburn, or indigestion,” with more than 90 percent of customers surveyed receiving symptom relief. So, the company decided to put its money where its mouth was. Before I get to the results, though, it’s important to realize that when they say “low acid,” they aren’t talking about stomach acid, but about roasting coffee beans so long that they destroy more of the chlorogenic acid within them. That’s the antioxidant, polyphenol, phytonutrient chlorogenic acid—that is, the “anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity” antioxidant.

That’s like an orange juice company going out of its way to destroy the vitamin C in its orange juice and then branding the juice as “low acid.” Vitamin C is ascorbic acid, so it would technically be true, but it would be bragging about destroying some of the nutrition, and that’s exactly what low-acid coffee makers are doing. But, if low-acid coffee causes less stomach discomfort, might it be worth it?

In the Puroast Coffee-funded study, 30 coffee-sensitive individuals completed a “randomized, double-blind, crossover study in which the symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation and dyspepsia [stomach upset] were assessed following coffee consumption” of Puroast brand low-acid coffee versus regular, conventionally roasted Starbucks coffee. To the study funder’s chagrin, no benefit whatsoever was found with the low-acid coffee, as you can see at 3:39 in my video. “Consumption of both coffees resulted in heartburn, regurgitation, and dyspepsia in most individuals.” So much for that ridiculous 90-percent-of-customers claim. “No significant differences in the frequency or severity of heartburn, regurgitation, or dyspepsia were demonstrated between the two coffees either in the fasting state or after the test meal.” The researchers couldn’t find any way to make the low-acid coffee look better.

They initially thought that a difference in coffee acidity might explain the company’s claims; however, when put to the test in a randomized controlled study, they found no difference in symptoms, suggesting that coffee acidity does not explain the sensitivity some people have. This, I think, further acts as a reminder that we should never believe claims made by anyone trying to sell us something.

Isn’t that amazing!? I love that Puroast’s own study did it in, but good for the company for allowing it to be published and not just quietly buried. Though, maybe it tried to make it disappear but the researchers held strong. Either way, this is how science is supposed to work, and I’m excited to bring it to you.

If you missed the previous video where I talked about that weight-loss finding, check out Which Coffee Is Healthier: Light vs. Dark Roast.

Every month, we publish around eight new videos, four Friday Favorites, eight blogs, and four podcasts on NutritionFacts.org. We are bursting at the seams with health and nutrition information! Starting now, we are taking all of that information and wrapping up the juiciest bits into a nice, bite-sized blog as an end-of-month recap in case you missed anything or just want a refresher. So, what were the highlights in February?

Treating Parkinson’s Disease with Velvet Beans and Fava Beans

Our two new videos on Parkinson’s disease released this month addressed the question, If we have known for decades that Parkinson’s is manifested by a dopamine deficiency in the brain, why not eat a dopamine diet? The dopamine in foods can’t actually cross the blood-brain barrier, but its precursor, levodopa (L-dopa), can and is then able to be converted into dopamine. Dr. Greger found interesting data on velvet and fava (or broad) beans, which both contain L-dopa. The information on velvet beans looked promising at first, but there are some hurdles to its use—including its nasty taste.

What about fava beans? They contain less L-dopa than velvet beans, but they are tasty—so you can eat more of them—and can be consumed as a whole food. Substantial clinical improvements were noted in patients after they ate fava beans, similar to that of receiving a standard drug. Overall, the research is ongoing, and, until we know more, Parkinson’s combo drugs like Sinemet should remain the first-line therapy, but adding beans to our diet can only help. Even just one and a half spoonsful’s worth of roasted soybeans (“soynuts”) led to a significant improvement in symptoms as an adjunct treatment.

The Best Diet for Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Pain Relief

Fibromyalgia has long been dismissed as a psychological phenomenon, but it’s now understood to be a disorder of pain regulation and sensitization. If pain is typically caused by inflammation, does an anti-inflammatory diet help reduce the effects of fibromyalgia? A recent study found that on a plant-based diet, perceived pain decreased an average of three points (on a ten-point scale), falling from an average of five or six points down to just two out of ten. The study didn’t have a control group, but there’s no downside to giving healthier eating a try—not only to help with fibromyalgia pain, but for a whole host of other concerns.

Vinegar for Blood Sugar Control and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Treatment

Vinegar has been shown to help accelerate weight loss, reduce cholesterol, act as a disinfectant, and blunt spikes in blood sugar and insulin after meals. Since insulin resistance has been suggested as one possible cause of polycystic ovaries and we know vinegar can improve insulin resistance, could it also benefit those suffering from PCOS? A tiny study using one tablespoon a day showed improvement for about half of the participants. The jury is still out, but this suggests that vinegar may help, so why not give it a try? Whatever your reason for taking a daily dose of vinegar, remember to never drink it straight, as it can cause second-degree caustic burns down your throat.

It has been suggested that insulin resistance is one of the causes of polycystic ovaries and we know that vinegar can improve insulin resistance, so researchers decided to study the effect of vinegar for PCOS. Seven patients seeking a non-pharmacological treatment for PCOS were given a beverage containing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar every day for a few months. The insulin resistance did improve in most, but did their cycles return? Yes, in four out of seven. Before the study, they were either having their periods every 50 or so days or not at all, or they were not ovulating, but most resumed within 40 days on the vinegar. Now, this doesn’t prove anything, but it’s at least sufficient to indicate the possibility that it may help. And, what’s the downside? A tablespoon of vinegar would cost less than 10 cents a day. (Another reminder to never drink vinegar straight.)

Dr. Greger in the Kitchen: Groatnola

Two years ago, Dr. Greger made a video about his then-favorite breakfast, the Cran-Chocolate Pomegranate BROL Bowl. He still loves it, but with pomegranate season waning once again, he’s on a new kick: groatnola! What’s that? Whole-food granola made with buckwheat groats, sweet potatoes, and spices. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!

Tea Tree Oil for Cold Sores and Warts?

Tea tree oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties, as shown in videos such as Does Tea Tree Oil Work for Dandruff and Athlete’s Foot? and Do Natural and DIY Tea Tree Oil Cleaning Products Disinfect as Well as Bleach?. Warts and cold sores, on the other hand, are caused by viruses, so does tea tree work on those conditions? Maybe on warts (at least in a singular case report), but not on cold sores.

Vegetarian Athletes

In this three-blog series, starting with What Is the Gladiator Diet and How Do Vegetarian Athletes Stack Up?, Dr. Greger looked at the history of vegetarian athletes and how they stacked up to their omnivorous competition. Top groups of athletes, from ancient Romans and Greeks to modern-day Olympic runners, have been known to eat largely plant-based diets. Overall, most studies have found little difference between vegetarian and omnivore athletes when it comes to cardio or strength fitness. Since extensive research has shown that a plant-based diet has the benefit of greater long-term health outcomes, it seems like a winning choice. 

Healthy Bones

This month’s spotlight is all about bone health. Do people eating plant-based have greater bone loss? Does animal protein intake lead to bone loss? What is the relationship between milk consumption and rates of hip fractures? Check out the podcast for answers to those questions and more. In a nutshell, though, for the strongest bones, eat plenty of phytonutrient-packed plant foods and incorporate weight-bearing exercise.

This has been a wrap-up of just a small sampling of our recent content. To see everything from the past month, be sure to check out the video, blog, and podcast pages.

Randomized controlled trials put plant-based eating to the test for athletic performance.

Historical examples of successful plant-based athletes range from the gladiators in ancient Rome to the Tarahumara Indians who run 160-mile races for the fun of it. That’s six back-to-back marathons. But, they weren’t put to the test until the last century or so in a study purporting to show “without reasonable doubt that the flesh-eating group of athletes was very far inferior in endurance to the abstainers, even the sedentary group” of vegetarians—meaning it isn’t that the veg athletes won simply because they had trained harder or something. Indeed, there certainly are advantages to plant-based eating, like more antioxidants to combat exercise-induced oxidative stress and the anti-inflammatory nature of many plant foods that may accelerate muscle repair and strength recovery. But, do you have to eat this way for years, decades, or even your whole life to get these apparent benefits? I discuss this in my video Vegetarian Muscle Power, Strength, and Endurance.

What if you took some Texas men, eating their regular Texan diet, put them through a maximal exercise test, and then asked them to cut out meat for four days. Then, after those four days without meat, you tested them again to measure time to exhaustion, ramping up the treadmill to see how many minutes could they go without collapsing? A researcher did this and found a significant difference favoring the vegetarian diet, which boosted the time to exhaustion by about 13 percent, as you can see at 1:28 in my video. Of the five participants, “each subject had a higher time to exhaustion after following a vegetarian diet.” But there was a fatal flaw to the study. Did you catch it? They were all in the same sequence—meat first, then veg—and any time you take a test a second time, you may do better just because you’re more familiar with it. If the Texans went back to eating meat after being on the vegetarian diet and their performance tanked during a third test, then you might be onto something, but this isn’t very convincing. And, even if the effect is real, it may not be the meat reduction per se, but a function of improved glycogen stores from eating more carbohydrates or something.

What about putting athletes on a vegetarian versus omnivorous diet before a 621-mile race? (You’ve heard of a 5K? This is a 1,000K!) And, what if you made sure to design the two diets so all of the athletes got about the same percentage of carbs? As you can see at 2:16 in my video, researchers did this and found that the finishing rates of the athletes were identical and their total times were within just a few hours of each other whether on the vegetarian diet or the omnivorous one.

Same with sprinting. As you can see at 2:44 in my video, a study randomized people into vegetarian or mixed diet groups, and there was no significant difference in sprint power between the two groups. The researchers concluded that “acute vegetarianism has no acute adverse effects on adaptations to sprint exercise,” but no apparent performance benefits either.

Same with strength training, too. A study measured maximum voluntary contraction of both biceps and quadriceps before and after each dietary period, and no significant difference was seen either way. When you put together all of the studies that compare physical performance in these kinds of randomized, controlled trials, where you have folks eat more plant-based for just a few days or weeks, “there appeared to be no differences at least acutely between a vegetarian-based diet and an omnivorous diet in muscular power, muscular strength, anaerobic or aerobic performance.” Long-term, though, a plant-based diet can be conducive to both endurance performance and health. “Whereas athletes are most often concerned with performance, vegetarian diets also provide long-term health benefits and a reduction in risk of chronic disease” and are “associated with a reduced risk of developing coronary heart disease”—the number one killer of men and women—“breast cancer, colorectal cancers, prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, hypertension, cataracts, and dementia.” Doesn’t matter how you shred if you’re dead.

I was honored to be a scientific consultant for the amazing documentary about diet and athleticism called The Gamechangers. Check it out at http://gamechangersmovie.com/.

I compare the diets of the Roman gladiator “barley men” and army troopers to the modern Spartans of today.

The remains of dozens of Roman gladiators were recently discovered in a mass grave in ancient Ephesus (Turkey). The clue to their identities was the rather distinct types of mortal injuries the researchers found, like being speared in the head with a trident, as you can see at 0:15 in my video The Gladiator Diet: How Vegetarian Athletes Stack Up. Just by examining the skeletons, the researchers were able to reconstruct the deathblows, show just how muscular and buff the gladiators really were, and even try to reconstruct their diet “of barley and beans.” You can look at carbon isotopes and see what kinds of plants they ate. Nitrogen isotopes reflect intake of animal protein, for example, and looking at the sulphur in their bones and the amount of strontium led commentators to submit that the best athletes in ancient Rome ate largely plant-based diets.

The legionnaires, the Roman army troopers famed for their fighting abilities, also ate a similar kind of diet, suggesting the “best fighters in the ancient world were essentially vegetarian.” So, if the so-called perfect fighting machines, the great sports heroes of their day, were eating mostly grains and beans, what does that tell us about sports nutrition and the preferred diets of elite athletes? “The diet of most Greeks and Romans was basically vegetarian,” centered on grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans, so maybe the gladiators’ diets weren’t that remarkable. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato pushed plants, for instance, preferring plant foods for their health and efficiency.

The Roman gladiators were known as the “barley men.” Did they eat barley because it “gave them strength and stamina,” or just because barley was a common, “basic food” people ate at the time—not necessarily for performance, but because it was cheap?

Let’s look at the modern Spartans, the Tarahumara Indians, who run races where they kick a ball for 75 miles just for the fun of it. They run all day, all night, and all the next day for “as much as 150 miles and more” if they’re feeling in the mood. What do they get if they win? “Interestingly, a traditional prize of victory is said to be a special popularity with the women (although how much of a reward that would actually prove to be for a man who had been running for two days and a night is questionable, to say the least!).” Though, maybe their endurance extends in other arenas, as well.

“Probably not since the days of the ancient Spartans has a people achieved such a high state of physical conditioning.” So, what do they eat? They eat the same kind of 75 to 80 percent starch diet, based on beans, corn, and squash, and have the cholesterol levels to prove it, with total cholesterol levels down at 136 mg/dL, which is essentially heart attack-proof. They don’t have special genetics, either, because data show that if you feed them enough egg yolks, their cholesterol levels creep right up, as you can see at 2:52 in my video.

Modern day Olympic runners eat similarly. What are they eating in Kenya? They’re following a 99 percent vegetarian diet centered mostly on various starches. But, as in all of these cases, is their remarkable physical prowess because of their diets or in spite of them? Or, does their athleticism have nothing to do with what they’re eating? You don’t know until you put it to the test.

“In spite of the well-documented health benefits of vegetarian diets, less is known regarding the effects of these diets on athletic performance.” Researchers compared elite vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes for aerobic fitness and strength by comparing oxygen utilization on the treadmill and quad strength with leg extensions. The vegetarians beat out their omnivore counterparts for cardiorespiratory fitness, but their strength didn’t differ. This suggests, at the very least, “that vegetarian diets do not compromise performance outcomes and may facilitate aerobic capacity in athletes.” But, this was a cross-sectional study. Is it possible the vegetarian athletes were just more fit because they trained harder? The National Runners’ Health Study looked at thousands of runners, and, as you can see at 4:06 in my video, vegetarian runners were recorded running significantly more on a weekly basis. Maybe that explains their superior fitness, though perhaps their superior fitness explains their greater distances.

Other cross-sectional studies have found no differences in physical fitness between vegetarian and non-vegetarian athletes, while another one found even worse performance among vegetarian athletes, but there could have been socioeconomic or other confounding factors. That’s why we need interventional studies to put different diets to the test and then compare physical performance.

Does tea tree oil have enough antiviral activity to combat HSV-1 and papilloma viruses, the causes of cold sores and common warts, respectively?

“It has been reported that essential oils show not only anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities but also antiviral activity.” As well, it’s been reported that “Bigfoot Kept Lumberjack as Love Slave,” according to in a headline in the Weekly World News. What does the science show?

How about pitting essential oils against HSV-1, the herpes virus that causes cold sores? There’s a drug called acyclovir that helps, but now there are drug-resistant strains of the virus, so researchers have been looking for other alternatives. As you can see at 0:40 in my video Benefits of Tea Tree Oil for Warts and Cold Sores, researchers found that a variety of essential oils, including tea tree oil and peppermint, could totally suppress the replication of the virus at a concentration of just 1 percent, but that was in a petri dish. What about in people?

Recurrent cold sores affect as many as 20 to 40 percent of the population. Tea tree oil appeared to work in vitro, so researchers undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of topically applied tea tree oil in the treatment of recurrent cold sores. When comparing a 6 percent tea tree oil gel versus a placebo gel five times a day, researchers found that the average healing time seemed to be a few days shorter and the virus was wiped out a little earlier with the tea tree oil. However, “none of the differences between groups reached statistical significance,” meaning that a difference that small could have just been due to chance. They blamed the sample size, but maybe tea tree oil just didn’t work.

It would be interesting to put lemongrass oil to the test, since it was the only essential oil in the study still effective at wiping out viral activity at a dose that was ten times lower—0.1 percent—but it doesn’t look like that’s ever been done.

What about warts? They’re caused by viruses, too. Irish researchers reported a case of successful topical treatment of tea tree oil on hand warts in a pediatric patient. A seven-year-old girl had six warts on the tip of one of her fingers, so heavily clustered as to distort the appearance of her finger, interfering with her writing and piano lessons. She had undergone the standard caustic treatment of painting the warts with acid, but they just came back with a vengeance. So, her doctors figured, why not?, and suggested applying straight tea tree oil. After five days, all of the warts had “considerably reduced in size,” and, in another week, they were all gone, and they didn’t come back.

Not bad compared to conventional wart treatments, which can be really painful. Indeed, in this case, the tea tree oil appeared to work without any side effects, only affecting the warts, in contrast to the standard acid treatments that can damage the surrounding tissue. So, the researchers made an urgent call for randomized, controlled trials, but who’s going to fund those when tea tree oil costs only pennies per dose? The reason we’d particularly like to see randomized trials for wart treatments is that they tend to get better on their own, disappearing without any treatment typically within a year or two. That’s why, “Since antiquity it has been believed that warts can be removed by various magical processes.” You pay some witch doctor, your warts go away on their own, and they take the credit.

Surprisingly, such “charming” of warts was actually put to the test and had no effect on the warts. It’s interesting how they do those types of studies, though. For example, one study tested whether warts can be prayed away. The researchers used a placebo prayer, so the participants didn’t know whether they were in the prayed-for group or the placebo-prayer group. They did this to exclude the possibility that participants mind-over-mattered their own wart cure. That’s been put to the test, too. In another study, one from the 1960s, researchers used a “magic” wand secretly connected to a circuit such that it tingled when the wand touched the wart to maximize any placebo effect. And, wrote the scientists, the patients were predominantly “Negroes who were mostly unsophisticated and who had a very deep belief in magic.” Yet, despite the participants’ purported “deep belief in magic,” more warts actually disappeared spontaneously in the untreated group compared to the magic-wanded ones, with no hint of the mere suggestion of magical cures being effective.

I was surprised studies like this were not only performed but published in respected journals. Evidently publication followed a “considerable discussion” among the journal editors, who said they “promised to keep an open mind, but not so open that our brains fall out.”

Dairy is compared to other foods for cardiovascular (heart attack and stroke) risk.

When studies funded by industries suggest their products have neutral health effects or are even beneficial, one question you always have to ask is, “Compared to what?” Is cheese healthy? Compared to what? If you’re sitting down to make a sandwich, cheese is probably healthy—if you compare it to bologna, but what if you compare it to peanut butter? No way. That’s the point made by Walter Willet, former Chair of Nutrition at Harvard, as I discuss in my video Friday Favorites: Is Cheese Harmful or Healthy? Compared to What?

 “To conclude that dairy foods are ‘neutral’…could be misleading, as many would interpret this to mean that increasing consumption of dairy foods would have no effects on cardiovascular disease or mortality. Lost is that the health effects of increasing or decreasing consumption of dairy foods could depend importantly on the specific foods that are substituted for dairy foods.”

Think about what you’d put on your salad. Cheese would be healthy compared to bacon, but not compared to nuts. “For example, consumption of nuts or plant protein has been inversely associated”—that is, protectively associated—“with risks of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes; in contrast, intake of red meat has been positively associated with these outcomes. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that the lack of association with dairy foods…puts these foods somewhere in the middle of a spectrum of healthfulness, but not an optimal source of energy or protein…More broadly, the available evidence supports policies that limit dairy production and encourages production of healthier sources of protein and fats.”

Willet wasn’t just speculating. His statements were based on three famous Harvard studies involving hundreds of thousands of men and women exceeding five million person-years of follow-up.

What was learned in the first large-scale prospective study to examine dairy fat intake compared to other types of fat in relation to heart attack and stroke risk? Replacing about 100 calories worth of fat from cheese with 100 calories worth of fat from peanut butter on a daily basis might reduce risk up to 24 percent, whereas substitution with other animal fats might make things worse. You can see a graph showing how it breaks down for heart disease at 2:07 in my video. Swapping vegetable oil for dairy fat would be associated with a decrease in disease risk, whereas swapping meat for dairy increases risk. Calories form dairy fat may be as bad as, or even worse than, straight sugar. The lowest risk would entail replacing dairy fat with a whole plant food, like whole grains.

Yes, “dairy products are also a major contributor to the saturated fat in the diet and have thus been targeted as one of the main dietary causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD),” the number one killer of men and women, but the dairy industry likes to argue that there are other components of dairy products, like fermentation by-products in cheese, that could counteract the effects of their saturated fat. This is all part of an explicit campaign by the dairy industry to “neutralize the negative image of milk fat among regulators and health professionals as related to heart disease.” If the Global Dairy Platform looks familiar to you, you may recall that it was one of the funders of the milk-and-dairy-is-neutral study, trotting out their dairy-fat-is-counteracted notion, to which the American Heart Association responded that “no information from controlled studies supports the hypothesis that fermentation adds beneficial nutrients to cheese that counteract the harmful effects of its saturated fat.”

We need to cut down on dairy, meat, coconut oil, and the like, no matter what their respective industries say. In fact, that’s the reason the American Heart Association felt it needed to release a special Presidential Advisory in 2017. It wanted to “set the record straight on why well-conducted scientific research overwhelmingly supports limiting saturated fat in the diet.”

Everything we eat has an opportunity cost. Every time we put something in our mouth, it’s a lost opportunity to eat something even healthier.

Cocoa and nitrite-rich vegetables, such as leafy greens and beets, are put to the test for cognitive function.

“The production of NO in the brain and its role in the control of neuronal [nerve] functions has been comprehensively investigated in animals studies.” NO, or nitric oxide, is the “open sesame” molecule that dilates our blood vessels and is boosted by the consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables. “However, little evidence on the role of NO in brain function in humans exists”—until it was recently put to the test, that is.

As I discuss in my video Best Brain Foods: Greens and Beets Put to the Test, study participants ate a lot of green leafy vegetables with some beet juice, and then researchers measured their cerebral blood flow. At 0:36 in my video, you can see a spot with improved flow within a brain area “known to be involved in executive functioning.” Improved blood flow doesn’t necessarily translate into improved cognitive function, though. For example, when researchers fed people tart cherries, “despite some indication of improved blood flow,” it didn’t appear to manifest as improved cognitive performance.

And, indeed, some of the initial studies were disappointing. Researchers gave study participants more than a cup of cooked spinach, but saw no immediate boost in their ability to carry out simple tasks. When others were given a similar battery of simple tasks after consuming cocoa, again, researchers saw no significant effect. Might the tasks have been too simple? When individuals were put through a more demanding set of tasks, such as counting backwards in threes for minutes at a time, “acute improvements in mood and cognitive performance” were seen after consumption of cocoa. What if you tried doing that same challenge after drinking two cups of organic beet juice, which has about the same amount of nitrate as two cups of cooked arugula?

As you can see at 1:42 in my video, researchers found significantly improved performance in terms of more correct answers on the sustained subtraction task. “These results suggest that a single dose of dietary nitrate”—for example, nitrate-rich vegetables—“can modify brain function, and that this is likely to be as a result of increased NO [nitric-oxide] synthesis,” but how do we know it’s the nitrate? Beets are packed with all manner of phytonutrients, like the betalain red pigment. One way to tease it out would be to come up with a kind of nitrate-depleted beet juice that has everything in beets but the nitrate and see if that works just as well. Researchers did exactly that.

Indeed, researchers developed a nitrate-depleted beetroot juice placebo. Within two weeks of supplementation with real beet juice, a group of diabetic patients got “a significant improvement in simple reaction time” compared to the nitrate-free placebo. We’re only talking about 13 milliseconds, but other interventions, like balance training, which only increased reaction time by about 7 milliseconds, were associated with significantly lower fall risk, as you can see at 2:42 in my video. And, of course, in athletes, those fractions of a second can sometimes make a difference.

“At very high exercise intensities…, cognitive task performance deteriorates, with a pronounced detrimental effect on reaction time,” and that may be just when you need it the most—when you’re playing football, for instance, and need to quickly make appropriate decisions while simultaneously going all out. And, once again, beets come to the rescue—significantly reducing reaction time and not only improving physical performance, but mental performance, too.

Can it improve the structure of our brain? Indeed, cognitive training and aerobic exercise can actually affect the structure of the human brain. There’s something called neuroplasticity, where your brain can adapt, changing its configuration as you learn to play piano, for example.

We used to think only younger brains could do this, but now we know it can occur in the aging brain as well. Can’t “beet” that! Or, can you? We didn’t know…until now. As you can see at 3:45 in my video, researchers looked at the brain before and after participants engaged in a six-week exercise program and measured connectivity between various parts that control movement. They found no big changes at all. But, when the subjects drank beet juice before doing the same amount of exercise, researchers found a big difference. The exercise plus beetroot juice group developed “brain networks that more closely resembled those of younger adults, showing the potential enhanced neuroplasticity conferred by combining exercise” and nitrate-rich vegetables.

Randomized controlled studies put nuts, berries, and grape juice to the test for cognitive function.

When you read articles in Alzheimer’s disease journals about eating more berries to reduce cognitive decline in the elderly, the authors are talking about observational studies, like the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study that showed that berry intake appears to delay cognitive aging by up to two and a half years and the intake of nuts appears to delay brain aging by two years. These types of studies are just talking about associations, though, as I discuss in my video Best Brain Foods: Berries and Nuts Put to the Test.

Studies have found that, after trying to control for other lifestyle factors, berry eaters and nut eaters tend to have better brain function as they age, but you don’t know if it’s cause-and-effect…until you put it to the test. Thankfully, we now have “a growing number of human [interventional] studies” that have done just that. Randomized controlled trials have found that people who eat berries or nuts actually show improvements in cognitive performance, raising the “berry nutty” idea that “dietary supplementation with nuts, berry fruit, or both is capable of altering cognitive performance in humans, perhaps forestalling or reversing the effects of neurodegeneration in aging”—just with food.

For example, in a study on the effects of walnut consumption on cognitive performance, college students were split into groups, either eating walnuts for two months, followed by two months of placebo, or vice versa, and then they were switched. How do you make a placebo nut? The researchers gave the students banana bread with or without nuts—the same ingredients, just with or without walnuts. Those on the nuts showed a significant improvement in inference capacity, the ability to accurately draw conclusions from a set of facts—in other words, critical thinking. “On a practical level, maybe students or young professionals in…fields that involve a great deal of critical thinking or decision-making could possibly benefit and gain a slight advantage through regular consumption of walnuts.”

Another berry study randomized people to a smoothie made with blueberries, black currants, elderberries, lingonberries, strawberries, and…a tomato. Not only did their bad cholesterol drop about 10 points, but they also performed better on short-term memory tests. So, good for the heart, good for the brain. And, they were not just better on pencil-and-paper tests, but also in real-world applications. Give people Concord grape juice versus a fake grape Kool-Aid-type placebo, and you can get improved performance on everyday tasks, such as quicker response times in driving tests. Why not just give people Concord grapes instead of juice? It’s harder to create a placebo, and, of course, the study was paid for by Welch’s.

We talked about fruits and nuts. What about vegetables? “Consumers of cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) performed better in several cognitive tests than non-users.” And, in terms of cognitive decline with aging, women consuming the most leafy greens did better, effectively slowing brain aging by a year or two. This was the case not just with cruciferous vegetables, but also with other dark leafy greens, such as spinach, so it might be the nitrates.

As we age, our cerebral blood flow—the amount of blood flowing through our brain—drops, “which may be due to an age-related decrease in the production of NO,” nitric oxide, the “open sesame” molecule that dilates our blood vessels and is boosted by the consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables. “This reduction in blood flow to the brain has been indicated as a major risk factor for the impairment of cognitive function and development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia.” We know nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy greens and beets, can improve physiological performance like beet juice does for athletes, but what about cognitive performance? We find out in my next video, Best Brain Foods: Greens and Beets Put to the Test.

You may already know a little something about the health benefits of ginger. Ever sip on ginger ale when you had a bellyache as a kid?

It wasn’t only the bubbles that may have calmed your tummy; the spicy ginger likely helped, too! Ginger, also known as Zingiber officinale, is a magical spice that’s been around for centuries.

“The list of medicinal benefits of ginger is long and varied,” says Dr. Heather Tynan, ND.

This relative of turmeric may help to ease nausea, quell indigestion, and keep you from losing your breakfast. Beyond your gut, ginger may boast a bunch of other great benefits, all with practically no side effects.

Ginger is a healthy spice that contains two major compounds — gingerols and shogaols — both of which exhibit antioxidant-like effects. These same natural oils are largely responsible for giving ginger its signature spicy taste.

Trista Best, a nutritionist and registered dietitian, recommends opting for ginger tea over coffee or other flavored teas.

“It’s an easy addition to your current health regimen and daily routine,” she says, “without losing the flavor and warmth of other hot beverages you’d be enjoying otherwise.”

Next time you’re feeling queasy or gassy, brew up some ginger tea or grab a ginger chew. It not only could potentially soothe the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and reduce gas, but it may also help prevent temporary nausea, Tynan says.

According to researchers, ginger appears to aid common motion sickness compared with a placebo.

Ginger may even help reduce dreaded morning sickness. A 2019 study found ginger potentially effective in improving nausea and vomiting in pregnant women and helped relieve the severity of nausea. Further, a 2013 research review determined that ginger may be “safe and effective” during pregnancy.

Still, Tynan recommends taking ginger “in food form or as a tea rather than in a concentrated extract.” More research is needed, and pregnant women should speak with a doctor before supplementing with ginger.

If you’re in the habit of popping NSAIDs after a workout, you might want to try ginger instead. A 2015 review in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that ingesting 2 g of ginger per day for one to two weeks can significantly reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness from resistance training and prolonged cardio workouts.

That finding was reflected in another study in The Journal of Pain. The researchers found that when taken regularly, ginger can help reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness the day after a tough arm workout.

Researchers add that more study is needed to evaluate ginger as an analgesic for a wide range of athletic endeavors.

Both Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, and Traditional Chinese Medicine commonly use ginger for joint support, Tynan explains. She says that, due to its spiciness, ginger is a “warming” herb that “alleviates joint discomfort due to cold (weather).”

Studies back this traditional use: A 2016 randomized controlled clinical trial found consuming 500 mg of ginger capsules showed “promising benefits” for supporting joint health.

Another experimental study the following year suggested massaging painful knees with ginger oil could be easy and effective.

Since responses to supplements vary by individual, it’s best to discuss the safety and dosing with your physician. Researchers noted that more studies are needed.

Instead of downing antacids after you eat, try swapping in ginger. Compounds found in ginger are known to help ease irritation of the stomach, says Carrie Lam, MD, and help with bile production and stimulate saliva for better digestion.

Studies agree, finding that ginger can help calm intestinal cramping, general indigestion, flatulence, and bloating. Try adding some ginger to any meals that might cause you some discomfort and eat some freshly sliced ginger after a heavy meal.

“Ginger aids digestion essentially from start to finish,” Tynan says.

She adds that ginger may stimulate your appetite, might get your digestive juices flowing, and could potentially help distribute nutrients. When your digestion feels sluggish, ginger may have the potential to take away that weighty feeling, as it may be associated with faster “gastric emptying,” says registered dietitian Tina Marinaccio, MS, RD, CPT.

Taking ginger in the first three to four days of the menstrual cycle may have the potential to help modestly reduce pain, Marinaccio says.

Ginger may ease moderate cramps because, Tynan says, the herb may help to reduce spasms of smooth muscles — like the uterus.

Researchers concluded, “Further studies regarding the effects of ginger on other symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea and efficacy and safety of various doses and treatment durations of ginger are warranted.”

As one of the most common dietary supplements, ginger is as versatile as it is beneficial.

The best way to take is the one “that is most convenient and palatable to you,” Tynan says.

Anytime you shop for a supplement, consider these questions:

Keep in mind that supplement companies have to abide by regulatory standards for their claims, which are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.

The post Behold the Many Benefits of Ginger! appeared first on BODi.

You know not to judge a book by its cover, but what about a cereal box or a bag of potato chips? Can you trust those nutrition  buzzwords — like “organic,” “light,” or “fat-free” — to guide you toward the healthiest options?

The good news: Food labeling is pretty tightly regulated.

The FDA not only regulates nutritional labels, but also any health claims made on packaging, such as “low in fat,” “excellent source of fiber,” or “may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Food labels also need to comply with USDA regulations and the FTC’s truth-in-advertising laws.

The bad news: There are so many nutritional terms that sound healthy, and it can be hard to remember what each term really means.

The wording on a food label “is actually a pretty complicated topic,” says Natalie Rizzo, M.S., R.D., of Nutrition à la Natalie. “Even as a dietitian, it’s difficult for me to discern all of these terms without looking them up.”

Nonetheless, Rizzo says, it’s crucial for consumers to be educated on these terms.

We’ve broken down some of the most common wording used on food labels, so you know which terms you can trust and which may be nothing more than a marketing ploy.

The following terms are regulated and can generally be trusted.

(But you still need to watch out for “health halos” — for example, you can trust that an organic cookie is definitely organic, but that doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want.)

This is probably one of the most tightly regulated terms.

For meats, the USDA organic seal verifies that livestock is produced without genetic engineering; raised in a way that conserves natural resources and biodiversity; allowed year-round access to the outdoors; raised on certified organic land; fed 100% certified organic feed; managed without antibiotics and added growth hormones; and raised in a way that “accommodates their health and natural behavior.”

For boxed goods and produce, Rizzo says, there are actually four different ways that “organic” can appear in labeling:

The significance of this term varies for different types of meat, Rizzo says.

For pork or poultry, “no hormones” doesn’t really mean much, since federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in these animals to start with.

In beef, where hormones sometimes are used, “no hormones added” confirms none were used in the raising of the cows.

If the USDA can confirm the animals were raised without antibiotics, this label can be used for red meat and poultry.

The FDA now requires foods labeled “gluten-free,” “no gluten,” “free of gluten,” and “without gluten” to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is considered a safe threshold for someone with Celiac disease.

However, someone with a severe gluten intolerance or gluten allergy may have to avoid any traces of gluten — so it’s important to know your tolerance level and not just rely on labeling.

And again — beware of health halos: “gluten-free” doesn’t mean “calorie-free” or “carb-free.”

According to the Definitions of Nutrient Content Claims in the FDA’s Food Labeling Guide, this term can be used only if no additional sugar — or no additional ingredients containing sugar — have been added to the product.

Since 2020, all foods are required to have the amount of “added sugar” listed separately from the total sugar content on the Nutrition Facts label.

This helps clarify which sugars occur naturally in a food, and which have been added — for example, milk contains natural sugar in the form of lactose; chocolate milk typically contains added sugar to sweeten the beverage.

The terms below are regulated, but they can still be misleading when it comes to determining how healthy a food is or isn’t.

Foods with this label contain less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving. Sounds healthy, but most of us don’t actually need to avoid eating fat.

And be sure to check the serving size — some companies manipulate the serving size to be super small in order to fall within this range, says Jeff Scot Philips, certified nutritionist and author of Big Fat Food Fraud.

This means the food contains less than 0.5 g of sugars per serving, Rizzo explains. But the same serving-size issue applies here as it does for fat-free foods.

And the FDA doesn’t distinguish between added sugars and natural sugars — an apple isn’t “sugar-free” — so you’re better off looking for foods with “no added sugar.”

This product has either 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories compared to the “regular” version of the same food.

The problem?

“While it’s great to have fewer calories, sometimes when fat is taken out, sugar is added in its place,” Rizzo says.

(That’s because a gram of fat contains 9 calories, while a gram of sugar contains 4 calories.)

When you pick up a “light” product, look for added sugars on the list of ingredients.

These healthy-sounding terms aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be.

Seeing these buzzwords doesn’t mean a food is unhealthy — it just means you need to read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient lists for more info.

Public health recommendations have drastically changed over the past two decades — namely toward accepting healthy kinds of fat — and the FDA is working to redefine what “healthy” means on a food label.

In the meantime, manufacturers may put healthy on their labels if their foods are not low in total fat, but have a fat profile makeup of predominantly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, or they contain at least 10% of the Daily Value of potassium or vitamin D, Rizzo explains. (Confused yet?)

While fats are getting the most attention right now, the FDA is also reevaluating its standards for added sugars in foods labeled healthy.

Until they reach an official standard, though, the term “healthy” definitely doesn’t guarantee the product is actually good for you — just that it probably contains some beneficial nutrients.

We’re all for eating whole foods, but there’s no clear-cut definition for use of the term “natural” on food labels.

This may just mean the flavoring comes from a natural source — like spices or herbs — but it doesn’t mean you’re eating whole, unprocessed food.

“The ingredients still could be highly processed, manipulated, and added in highly irregular quantities to the end food,” Philips says. “Just because a food contains ‘naturally flavored’ ingredients doesn’t mean that the entirety of the end product is in any way natural.”

Bottom line, this one is often just a feel-good advertising term.

The post 10 Nutrition Buzzwords You Need to Know appeared first on BODi.

Flour alternatives made from ancient grains, nuts, and even fruit continue to take up shelf space next to all-purpose white and whole-wheat flours. And in many instances, these flour substitutes offer more nutrition than the usual options.

But each of these different types of flour perform best in certain kinds of recipes. Use these tips from Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, owner of Rachael Hartley Nutrition, to perfect your cooking and baking with flour alternatives.

Made from dried, ground coconut meat, this flour alternative is high in fiber, with 5 grams in every two tablespoons. That’s more fiber than in an entire cup of all-purpose flour!

“Because coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid, it needs plenty of eggs, milk, butter, or oil to prevent baked goods from drying out,” Hartley says. “A general rule of thumb is to use equal amounts of liquid for the coconut flour.” Try the slightly sweet and coconutty flour to make muffins, pancakes, breads, or battered coconut shrimp.

Higher in protein and lower in carbs than white flour, almond flour is Hartley’s favorite to bake with because of its light, nutty flavor.

“I love it in cookies, where it adds a crumbly texture and complex flavor,” she says. “For many wheat-based recipes that don’t rely so much on gluten, like quick-breads and muffins, you can swap up to 50 percent almond flour without other adjustments.” Also use this flour substitute to make keto bagels or to bread fish fillets.

Surprisingly, quinoa flour isn’t that much higher in protein than white flour: half a cup has 8 grams of protein compared to 6.5 grams, respectively. However, quinoa flour is gluten-free and is a good source of fiber and iron.

Some find the taste to be bitter, earthy, or grassy. Because of that, Hartley recommends using it in savory recipes like crackers, flatbreads, or sandwich bread. Others love this flour alternative in pizza crust and pancakes.

Tapioca flour, or tapioca starch, has a fair amount of fiber (2 grams per quarter cup) but typically plays a supporting role in recipes.

Due to its mild flavor and binding abilities, it’s perfect to thicken sauces, soups, and pies. And in baking, “it’s usually used alongside other gluten-free flours to help bind and add structure,” Hartley explains.

Yes, this flour substitute really is a thing! Take green bananas, dry them, and then grind them, and you have banana flour. This gluten-free and Paleo-friendly ingredient is high in resistant starch, a type of fiber that’s good for gut health.

The taste is actually pretty neutral; add a tablespoon or two to thicken up smoothies, or you can bake with it in sweet breads, cookies, and pancakes.

It seems like you just cannot escape chickpeas these days (also known as garbanzo beans,). This flour alternative is high in protein and fiber — a quarter cup provides 5 grams of each — and tastes kind of bean-y.

In addition to being a good binder for gluten-free baking or plant-based burgers, chickpea flour is good for making crepes, socca (a flatbread that Hartley says makes for a delicious pizza crust), and egg-free frittata or quiche.

No need to scour the grocery store for oat flour — just throw oats (ideally rolled oats) into the food processor, and you can make your own flour alternative! Since it tastes (not surprisingly) lightly of oats, this makes a great addition to sweet recipes such as pancakes, muffins, waffles, sweet breads, and cookies.

Hartley recommends substituting up to one-third of wheat flour in a recipe with oat flour to add flavor and some crumbliness.

The post 7 Flour Alternatives and the Best Ways to Use Them appeared first on BODi.

Dutch ovens have been around for centuries. The best Dutch ovens are typically made from enameled cast iron and feature thick walls.

They should also have a tight-fitting lid to ensure even heat distribution and to lock in moisture for meats, stews, soups, sourdough bread, and more.

If you’re thinking of purchasing this essential kitchen tool, you’re in for a treat! They’re totally worth the investment.

Dutch ovens can make browning, baking, and braising easier, ensuring your food is as delicious as possible.

But you’re also in for a tough decision, because you’ll find a ton of options on the market at all different price points, from under $100 to over $500!

So how can you find the best Dutch ovens?

When you’re shopping for a Dutch oven, there are a few important factors to take into consideration.

The average Dutch ovens hold around five to seven quarts, but you’ll find sizes all the way up to 13 quarts. So what size do you need?

A good rule of thumb is at least one quart per family member.

If you’re cooking for one, you can probably get away with a mini Dutch oven.

If you have a family to feed, you’ll probably need a four-quart oven or larger.

And if you’re planning on baking bread, keep in mind you’ll need space for a rise.

You’ll find round and oval Dutch ovens.

For mostly stovetop cooking, go with a round Dutch oven — it’ll fit on the stove better and make sautéing easier.

Round ovens are also said to give more even heating.

For baking inside the oven, both shapes work well, but oval Dutch ovens can accommodate longer cuts of meat that might fit awkwardly in a round oven.

Think about how you’ll use your Dutch oven most often and go from there.

You can find Dutch ovens at several price points, from cast iron models under $50 to high-end Dutch ovens in the several-hundred-dollar range.

Some of the price difference is due to brand names, but more expensive models may also have better lid fit and higher-quality materials.

A heavy duty, enameled cast iron Dutch oven is going to cost you a lot more than cast aluminum.

If you’re overwhelmed by options, start here — it’s hard to go wrong with these Dutch ovens.

This cult classic is one of the best Dutch ovens on the market.

Though it’s definitely a splurge (the bigger sizes can cost over $500!), there’s a reason Le Creuset is so coveted — it’s sand-cast, polished, and finished by hand using the same technique as their lineage of French artisans.

The enamel is easy to clean, requires no seasoning, doesn’t stick, and is dishwasher-safe.

Get it at Amazon.

This Dutch oven is on the higher end of the price range, but it’s worth every penny if you’re looking to invest in cookware that’ll last for generations.

Made in France, this heavyweight enameled cast iron’s coating requires no additional seasoning.

The black matte interior enamel contains traces of quartz, making it especially heat resistant with a rougher surface for better browning.

Get it at Amazon.

This is one of the best Dutch ovens on a budget, and it works great for making sourdough bread with an even crust.

Made with heavy-gauge cast iron and easy-to-clean porcelain enamel, it’s oven-safe up to 450 degrees and comes with a lifetime warranty — all in a double-digit price range.

Get it at Amazon.

If you’re a fan of the stainless steel varieties, look no further than this budget, space-saving Dutch oven.

The Cooks Standard is stainless steel with an aluminum disc on the bottom, providing even heat distribution.

This Dutch oven comes with a tempered glass lid, and is oven safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Get it at Wayfair.

Milo is a newer brand with many of the trappings of more expensive Dutch ovens, but at an affordable price point.

This 5.5-quart Dutch oven is made from enameled cast iron that holds in heat well and is oven-safe up to 500 degrees.

Plus, its stylish design is practically begging to be Instagrammed.

Get it at Cook with Milo.

Going camping but don’t want to leave your Dutch oven recipes behind?

This highly conductive, reasonably priced cast aluminum Dutch oven comes in 10-inch, 12-inch, and 14-inch sizes — perfect for cooking stews, soups, and even eggs or biscuits over the campfire.

Get it at Amazon.

We love her curves!

This enameled cast-iron Dutch oven from Great Jones Goods is oval shaped for ample space and will beautifully retain heat for all your favorite recipes.

The Dutchess is sand-cast with German machinery, then painted and fired three times.

It’s a super affordable option for the quality you’ll get.

Get it at Great Jones.

This enameled Dutch oven from budget-friendly brand Lodge comes in a wide variety of colors!

The six-quart oven comes with a chip-resistant porcelain-enamel finish, handling heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use it for cooking, marinating, refrigeration, and freezing and on gas, electric, ceramic, and induction cooktops — and, of course, in the oven.

Get it at Amazon.

Martha Stewart keeps it classic.

This modern design with a classic straight-side shape has a non-reactive enamel interior and condensation rings to properly circulate moisture.

It comes in nine different colors, so you can brighten up your kitchen while creating juicy, succulent meats!

Get it at Macy’s.

The post 9 Best Dutch Ovens of 2023 appeared first on BODi.

A cup of joe. The morning fix. Your mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Whatever you call it, many of us feel like we need that kick of caffeine to jumpstart our day and make it through that afternoon slump.

A cup or two each day can’t be that bad for you, right? It depends.

Coffee, in particular, may provide certain health benefits, says Dr. Kelsey Asplin, a naturopathic doctor and owner of the Denver Naturopathic Clinic.

However, she explains, other studies on caffeine consumption have associated it with health risks when consumed in excess.

We dug into the research and asked our expert to see if caffeine can be bad for you.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring compound, a stimulant that impacts the brain and central nervous system.

It reaches its peak level in the bloodstream within 30 to 60 minutes, and subsequently hits the rest of your body as your blood keeps pumping.

And yes, you can build a tolerance to your daily caffeine intake. Asplin warns, though, that even if you don’t feel the energy-boosting effects, it still affects your organs and neuroendocrine system on a cellular level.

Having a warm cup of coffee or tea in the morning can be a soothing ritual, but caffeine does have documented benefits, as well.

After consuming low to moderate doses of caffeine (around 40 milligrams to 300 milligrams), researchers found that people’s alertness, vigilance, reaction time and attention improved, according to a 2016 study in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 

However, caffeine did not show positive impacts on memory or higher-order executive function, like judgment and decision making.

If you’re looking for something to help get you going in the AM Beachbody’s morning health shot, FIRST THING, includes 25 mg of caffeine from green tea to help provide healthy energy at the start of your day.*

Click here to learn more about how our supplement combination FIRST THING and LAST THING work.

One study in 2013 found that caffeine does have a positive effect on exercise performance when it comes to an endurance-based exercise, like cycling.

In the study, a group of cyclists performed a target time trial after having a drink consisting of caffeine, coffee, decaf coffee, or a placebo an hour before.

The results showed that cyclists who had caffeine and coffee were significantly faster than those who had decaf or a placebo.

One of the most well-researched performance aids in sports nutrition, caffeine is a key ingredient in Beachbody Performance Energize, which can help improve energy and endurance, sharpen focus, and delay fatigue.*

Caffeine from both green tea and coffee may be good for you.

According to a study in Stroke, a journal from the American Heart Association, results found that consuming one or the other of these morning drinks imparted health benefits.

Some of these benefits might be due to caffeine’s antioxidant-like properties.

With almost any thing you consume, moderation is key. When you overindulge on caffeine, it can kick your adrenal glands into high gear.

“In the body, caffeine acts as a stimulant or stressor,” says Asplin. “It signals the adrenal glands to dump adrenaline and cortisol, which cause the consumer to feel more alert and responsive.”

Caffeine tells your adrenal glands to release more and more of their cortisol and adrenaline stores — it’s essentially borrowing from tomorrow for today.

When the adrenal glands become chronically dysfunctional, it’s not long before you also see energy imbalances, sleep issues, and other health impacts, says Asplin.

Asplin says that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine, or about 4 cups of coffee, might be safe to consume for a healthy adult who doesn’t also have chronic stress, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes.

She generally recommends less, though. “I recommend my patients consume no more than 100 to 200 milligrams daily,” says Asplin, “and that they take periodic vacations from caffeine consumption to refresh their adrenal glands.”

Even though caffeine does have some negative side effects, you don’t need ditch your daily habit just yet.

Aim for less than 400 milligrams from all sources of caffeine that you consume.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The post Is Caffeine Bad for You? We Talked to Experts appeared first on BODi.

Curious if gummy vitamins are as effective as conventional supplements? They very well can be, yet it’ll ultimately depend on the brand and gummies at hand. Here’s what you should know, according to Jennifer Martin-Biggers, PhD, MS, RD.

While you may have loved your gummy vitamins as a child, these days, the gummy supplement market is booming for adults, too. In fact, the global gummy vitamin market grew from $6.47 billion in 2022 to $7.13 billion in 2023—boasting an annual compound growth rate of 10.2 percent—and is projected to reach $10.3 billion by 2027. But with so many new products hitting shelves and online storefronts, you may be curious if gummy vitamins are actually effective and work as well as conventional supplements.

In truth, it depends, as not all gummy vitamins are created equally. It’s important to be aware of a few key facts about their formulations, as well as how to find the most effective gummy vitamins for your needs. We asked Jennifer Martin-Biggers, PhD, MS, RD, HUM’s vice president of scientific affairs and education, to share must-know intel.

Before we explore if gummy vitamins are effective, Dr. Martin-Biggers takes care to point out the nuances of making them. “Gummies are an amazing reflection of the science and chemistry of our foods,” she begins. “There are numerous considerations when it comes to formulating a gummy that make them much more complicated than capsules or tablets.”

To start, she says there are more limitations when including active ingredients in gummy supplements. “For example, if a gummy weighs three grams, as much as 90 percent of that is usually required for ingredients that make the gummy taste good and give it shape—like pectin, cane sugar, and flavors,” she explains. As a result, there’s less room to include active ingredients. In this example, about 300 milligrams of a given nutrient can make into a single gummy. According to Dr. Martin-Biggers, this won’t always be enough room to put a clinically effective dose of a given nutrient into gummy form. (This factor also explains why a serving size often calls for at least two gummies.)

Next, Dr. Martin-Biggers notes that chemistry and science should inform all supplements—yet gummy vitamins require a delicate balance to ensure that they’re enjoyable to consume while retaining their actives and quality. The main considerations include “taste, texture, shape, smell, and ensuring that the gummies are stable over time so they don’t melt or change taste,” she explains. Certain vitamins and botanicals taste better or look more appealing than others, she adds, so not all actives are ideal to include in a gummy.

Despite the challenges of developing a tasty and stable formula you’ll actually want to take, Dr. Martin-Biggers says that gummy vitamins are an effective way to boost your diet. “Gummy vitamins work similarly to capsules or tablets,” she shares. “After you eat them, they are broken down by acids in your stomach and GI system, and nutrients are absorbed and utilized just like other supplements or foods.”

Yet it bears repeating that not all gummy supplements get the green light. The efficacy of any gummy vitamin will ultimately depend on the brand correctly formulating it. “Companies need to work carefully to ensure that the amount of active ingredients in the gummies is safe, potent, and will be effective throughout the entire shelf life of the product,” Dr. Martin-Biggers explains. She adds that HUM engages in rigorous, ongoing testing to ensure the potency of our active ingredients across all products—gummies included. (More on this to come.)

Aside from helping you get key nutrients in your diet, gummy vitamins boast a few unique and noteworthy benefits:

Personalization is the name of the supplement game, so not all gummy vitamins will fit your needs. In addition to prioritizing certain ingredients, it’s worth steering clear of others. With that said, here are three parting tips to help you choose the best, most effective gummy vitamins for you.

“I recommend looking for gummies that fill a nutritional gap or health benefit you are searching for,” Dr. Martin-Biggers advises. Need to get your gut right? HUM’s PRO ACV Gummies contain apple cider vinegar and probiotics to support gut health and digestion.

Pro ACV Gummies supports a healthy gut, metabolism + digestion A tasty vegan gummy combining 100% organic apple cider vinegar with The Mother, probiotics for digestive health + B12 for metabolism support 4.7 23 Reviews

Struggle with PMS symptoms like hormonal acne, bloating, and mood swings? SOS PMS Gummies can help relieve these symptoms and more, courtesy of clinically tested chasteberry extract at 50 milligrams standardized to 1.5 percent agnusides​​.

SOS PMS Gummies supports hormonal balance + helps relieve PMS symptoms The first delicious gummy combining clinically tested chasteberry extract, 50mg standardized to 1.5% agnusides, and vitamin B6 for PMS symptom relief and to maintain healthy hormonal balance + cranberry to support urinary tract health 4.8 8 Reviews

Once you know what concern(s) you want to address, take the time to read labels and validate claims. Dr. Martin-Biggers suggests investigating if a company notes how much of an active ingredient is a clinically studied dose and form that yields a given benefit. You should be able to find this information on a product’s sales page and/or elsewhere on the brand’s website. Aim to go beyond marketing messages and prioritize brands that are transparent about the actual science and studies behind their gummy vitamins.

For instance, the product page for HUM’s Beauty zzZz Gummies includes a list of clinical studies and results that guided the sleep-enhancing, digestion-regulating gummy formula.

Beauty zzZz Gummies enhances sleep quality + digestive health Dual benefit formula with melatonin and FOS prebiotic fiber helps you fall asleep faster while balancing digestion 4.6 5 Reviews

Many gummy supplements will include cane sugar and/or other sweeteners to make them tasty. With that in mind, keep track of how many you’re taking. “Sugar amounts can vary, but they do contribute to your overall added sugar intake,” says Dr. Martin-Biggers. Note: As delicious as some gummy vitamins can be, remember that they’re still supplements, so stick to intake as instructed.

In addition, some ingredients in gummy vitamins don’t meet exacting standards for safety and quality. Additives that all HUM supplements steer clear of include:

HUM gummies also don’t contain any sugar alcohols (like erythritol), which are often used as a substitute for sugar. You can also learn more about the tricky 12 ingredients HUM avoids and why.

To go the extra mile as far as safety, purity, and efficacy are concerned, you’ll want to prioritize gummy vitamins—and supplements at large—that have third-party verifications. For instance, all HUM products are:

Lastly, if you follow a plant-based or vegan diet, be sure to look out for gummy supplements that are clearly listed as vegan-friendly. “Many gummies use gelatin to provide that gummy texture, which comes from animals,” Dr. Martin-Biggers explains. “If you avoid animal products, look for vegan gummies that use agar, starch, and pectin as vegan alternatives.”

The post Real Talk: Do Gummy Vitamins Actually Work? appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.

HUM’s Beauty zzZz Gummies for sleep and regular BMs are the sweetest way to rest and digest. Here’s what makes them a worthy addition to your nightly routine.

Many things will influence how good you feel day in and day out, with the quality of your sleep and digestion chief among them. Anyone who struggles to fall asleep understands how frustrating it is to toss and turn at night—not to mention how inadequate sleep can leave you with subpar energy the next day (and contribute to more serious health concerns down the line). Moreover, if your digestion is worse for wear and you’re not passing BMs as frequently as you’d like, sluggishness and discomfort all too often ensue.

If one or both of these scenarios sound familiar, we have a feeling you’ll love HUM’s Beauty zzZz Gummies. Formulated with melatonin, prebiotic fiber, and calming botanicals, consider them a delicious 2-in-1 ally to support more restful sleep and digestive health. Keep reading for all the details on this exciting launch that’s bound to upgrade your routine.

HUM customers love gummy supplements—not only because they taste great, but also because they provide noticeable results. With that said, it made sense to add sleep gummies to the product lineup, but we went the extra mile so that it would offer digestive benefits, as well.

“HUM is a leader in digestive health and wellness that people trust,” begins Jennifer Martin-Biggers, PhD, MS, RD, vice president of scientific affairs and education at HUM. “Flatter Me and Gut Instinct are among our most popular supplements, so we want to provide digestive benefits in a gummy form, too.” In addition to the aforementioned bestsellers, HUM recently introduced PRO ACV Gummies, which include 2 billion CFU of the probiotic Bacillus coagulans IS-2 for gut-boosting benefits. Meanwhile, Beauty zzZz Gummies offer prebiotic fiber to feed friendly gut bacteria. (And who doesn’t love a 2-for-1 deal?)

Like all other HUM supplements, Beauty zzZz Gummies are:

They’re also free of artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, and preservatives—and they taste great. The vegan sleep gummies have a blackberry flavor, which is sweet and a little tart.

Here’s a closer look at the beneficial ingredients in our Beauty zzZz Gummies.

Melatonin is arguably the most popular supplement for sleep… and that’s because it truly works to enhance sleep quality and help regulate the body’s natural circadian rhythm. However, Dr. Martin-Biggers notes that the dosage is important. “We made Beauty zzZz Gummies with three milligrams of melatonin since clinical research demonstrates that it’s a safe and effective dose,” she explains. “This amount is effective for those who want to fall asleep faster and achieve higher-quality sleep.”

Note: Perhaps you’re familiar with (or even take) HUM’s original melatonin supplement: Beauty zzZz tablets. These, too, pack three milligrams of melatonin to help you fall asleep faster and promote more restful sleep.

Three grams of fiber—two of which are prebiotic fiber from fructooligosaccharides (FOS)—offer gut-friendly, pro-digestion perks.

Although probiotics tend to steal the spotlight in the gut health conversation, prebiotics are just as important to support the gut microbiome and digestion. In fact, the two work synergistically. “FOS is a powerful prebiotic that acts as a food source for beneficial gut bacteria, promoting good bacteria growth and helping to regulate bowel movements,” shares Lindsey Schmidt, DC, who specializes in nutrition and gut health.

While there are various sources of prebiotic fiber, Dr. Martin-Biggers says that FOS works especially well for a gummy format. “We wanted to provide something that’s both delicious and effective, and we know that FOS helps to support regularity when consumed via food or supplements,” she explains.

Moreover, most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diets, despite the nutrient’s importance for digestion and overall health.

A blend of calming herbs complement melatonin in our sleep gummies, featuring:

“We selected these three herbs because they’ve been traditionally used to promote relaxation,” says Dr. Martin-Biggers. There’s a decent chance you’ve enjoyed some or all of these botanicals in your go-to sleep teas. HUM’s Mighty Night also includes passionflower for its relaxing properties that can help you unwind before bed. Better yet, research shows that this herb can also improve total sleep time and sleep efficiency.

Enjoy two Beauty zzZz Gummies 20 minutes before going to bed. While melatonin can help you fall asleep faster shortly upon taking it, you’ll want to stay consistent with your nightly intake to experience the gut-nourishing, regularity-promoting benefits of prebiotic fiber.

Curious if these gummies for sleep work well with your current HUM faves? Dr. Martin-Biggers says that they pair well with all other SKUs, with the exception of Beauty zzZz tablets: Remember that three milligrams of melatonin is clinically studied for healthy, sleep-friendly use. “Some people can stand to benefit from more or less than this amount, but research shows that this melatonin dosage tends to be a sweet spot for many people,” she explains.

With that in mind, *rest* assured that three milligrams is a safe dose to start with—but if you’re uncertain or could use more guidance, it’s always a good idea to consult your healthcare provider. (If you already sleep well from taking the original Beauty zzZz, it could be worth trying the new gummies for sleep to switch things up—as well as for the added benefit of promoting digestive regularity, courtesy of prebiotic fiber.)

“It’s perfectly safe to take Beauty zzZz Gummies with Mighty Night,” she adds—the latter of which supports deep, high-quality rest and speedy skin cell turnover to promote healthy skin texture and tone.

Beauty zzZz Gummies enhances sleep quality + digestive health Dual benefit formula with melatonin and FOS prebiotic fiber helps you fall asleep faster while balancing digestion 4.6 5 Reviews

If neither your sleep nor digestion are as optimal as you’d like them to be, Beauty zzZz Gummies can be a worthy addition to your nightly routine. As Dr. Schmidt explains, these two facets of well-being often go hand in hand. “A good night’s sleep can do wonders for your digestive system. From regulating bowel movements to reducing inflammation, getting enough high-quality sleep is critical to maintaining optimal digestive health,” she shares. In fact, she says that not getting enough sleep—or lacking quality shut-eye—can lead to digestive distress in the form of acid reflux, constipation, and inflammation.

“With the addition of prebiotic fiber from FOS, Beauty zzZz Gummies not only promote restful sleep, but also support healthy digestion by nourishing the gut microbiome,” Dr. Schmidt continues. HUM believes that everyone deserves to sleep and poop like clockwork, and these gummy supplements can help you do exactly that.

The post These Yummy Gummies Can Help You Sleep and Poop Like Clockwork appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.

Wondering what the best sleeping position for digestion is? A gastroenterologist shares which ones can help alleviate heartburn, bloating, and more.

While you may feel like you’re resting as you’re fast asleep, your body is actually hard at work. Your muscles repair themselves, your brain clears toxins that have accumulated throughout the day, and your digestive system processes the food you ate. “Your body is extracting nutrients and—for lack of a better phrase—making poop,” explains Niket Sonpol, MD, an NYC-based internist and gastroenterologist and faculty member at Touro College of Medicine. “That’s why when most people wake up in the morning, they have to go to the bathroom.”

And while we know what we eat affects our digestion, research is revealing that how we eat—and what we do after we eat—can impact our bodies too. Everything from the timing of our last meal to how quickly we eat our food impacts the body’s digestive processes. But what about your sleeping position? Does that affect your digestive system? It turns out that how you choose to snooze can either support a more comfortable digestive process or potentially trigger certain side effects.

Keep reading to discover the best sleeping positions for digestion (as well as the worst), according to a gastroenterologist.

In short, not exactly. “Sleeping position doesn’t affect your digestion [directly] because the processes are enzymatic,” explains Dr. Sonpol. “These kinds of processes are independent of factors like gravity.”

However, certain sleeping positions can cause some unwelcome side effects such as heartburn, bloating, and nausea. Meanwhile, sleeping in other positions can help make the digestion process more comfortable—especially for those prone to the aforementioned symptoms.

So what exactly is the best sleeping position for digestion? According to Dr. Sonpol, there are a few that rise above the rest.

If you’re prone to heartburn, Dr. Sonpol says the best thing you can do is sleep with your shoulders and head on a slight incline. While you may be tempted to simply stack your pillows, you’ll need something that will lift your shoulders and chest too. Look for a wedge pillow that will slightly lift your upper body. “A five- to 15-degree incline can put gravity into place and allow a person to not have as much heartburn at night,” Dr. Sonpol says.

Flatter Me supports a flatter stomach + healthy digestion A blend of 18 full-spectrum digestive enzymes help break down food for better digestion + reduced bloating 4.5 742 Reviews

If you tend to get bloated at night—or you simply want to help pass things along—Dr. Sonpol says sleeping on your right side might help. “Though there’s no real science to it, when you sleep on your right side, gravity helps you move things down the GI tract more,” he says, “whereas if you sleep on your left side, gravity is putting things more into your stomach as opposed to your intestines.” One small study showed that sleeping on the right side is better for stomach emptying, but more research is needed on the subject. Dr. Sonpol also notes that everyone is different, so it’s worth experimenting to see what works best for you.

For those who suffer from heartburn, another sleeping position to try is on your left side (with your head and shoulders elevated). Studies have found that sleeping on the left side with your upper body elevated can decrease acid reflux episodes and heartburn. Again, you’ll need to invest in a wedge pillow to ensure your upper body is properly elevated to get the benefits of this sleeping position for digestion.

What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You?

8 Ways to Optimize Your Bedtime Routine for Much Better Sleep

We’ve covered the best sleeping positions for digestion, but what about those that are less ideal? Dr. Sonpol walks us through two sleeping positions that can make the process of digestion uncomfortable for some.

“If you’re somebody who has heartburn, sleeping flat on your back can actually increase your symptoms,” Dr. Sonpol says. When you lay flat in bed, your throat and stomach are at the same level, making it easy for stomach acids to flow up your esophagus. That’s why sleeping with your upper body at a slight incline can help alleviate symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.

While there isn’t much science around this, Dr. Sonpol says that, anecdotally, people can feel uncomfortable while stomach sleeping. “Depending on a person’s size and weight, sleeping on your stomach can make you feel uncomfortable,” he says. “I’ve had patients who say that when they sleep on their stomach after eating they feel like they’re going to vomit.” This is likely because sleeping face down puts pressure on your stomach, which can cause discomfort, especially if you eat late in the night or very close to bedtime.

We’ve established that your sleeping position can support a more comfortable digestive process, but many other things can, too. Dr. Sonpol shares the best things to do before bed to support optimal digestion.

“The most important thing is to never go to bed immediately after eating,” Dr. Sonpol says. Your last meal should be at least one to two hours before you go to bed. And while that can be difficult for some people, it makes a huge difference. “It doesn’t necessarily affect or slow your body’s ability to digest, but it makes it less likely that you’re going to have normal digestion,” he continues. “You’re probably going to experience side effects like heartburn or feeling bloated or gassy.”

You’ve heard it a million times, but it’s true: Drinking enough water is key to supporting digestion. Water moves everything through your GI tract and helps your body eliminate waste. Aim to drink eight to 12 cups of water every day, and ensure you’re drinking enough water at dinner. One caveat: Try not to drink too much water before bed, as you’ll likely have to wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. 

Most Americans aren’t eating enough fiber, according to the American Society for Nutrition. Fiber works to build up our stool and help our bodies with elimination. If you’re not eating enough of it, you may notice it’s difficult to go to the bathroom (or you might even experience constipation). Eating enough fiber throughout the day is important, but Dr. Sonpol says adding a fiber-rich component to your dinner in particular can help with digestion as you sleep.

HUM Nutrition’s Beauty zzZz Gummies contain prebiotic fiber, which helps to balance digestion. Add it into your pre-sleep routine to support regular BMs.

Beauty zzZz Gummies enhances sleep quality + digestive health Dual benefit formula with melatonin and FOS prebiotic fiber helps you fall asleep faster while balancing digestion 4.6 5 Reviews

Keeping a regular sleep schedule promotes regular bowel movements. “That’s part of the reason why people get constipated when they travel: because their sleep schedules are erratic and they get very dehydrated,” says Dr. Sonpol. “When your sleep schedule is thrown off, your bowel movements get thrown off.” With that said, try going to bed and waking up at the same time. Not only will it benefit your digestion, but your sleep quality and heart health, too. (In fact, a new study has tied irregular sleep as an early marker of cardiovascular disease.)

Last but not least, getting enough sleep is one of the most important tips to support your digestive system. If you’re not sleeping enough, you may experience digestive distress in the form of bloating, gas, heartburn, and more. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most adults should get at least seven hours of sleep per night. This amount will improve your overall health—digestion included. “Sleeping is the best for everything,” Dr. Sonpol concludes. “When sleeping gets thrown off, everything goes out of whack.”

So stay in and snooze a little. Your gut will thank you.

The post These Are the 3 Best Sleeping Positions for Digestion, According to a GI Doc appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.

Gaby Vaca-Flores, RDN, CLE, discusses why prebiotic fiber is crucial for digestive regularity, immune support, and more. Plus: the top foods with prebiotics you’ll want to eat to reap their gut-boosting benefits.

You’ve likely heard of probiotics, the good-for-you bugs that live within your digestive tract. But have you heard of prebiotics? Arguably just as important as probiotics, prebiotic fibers deliver a host of benefits. 

Consider this post a handy starter guide to prebiotic fiber. We’ll cover what it is, its key benefits, and how to boost your intake through prebiotic foods.

Prebiotics are non-digestible substances that provide beneficial effects for the gut microbiome. For context, the gut microbiome is a collection of microbes, or probiotics, that carry out important functions for our overall health and live within the digestive tract. Some of these functions include:

Simply put, probiotics are beneficial gut bacteria, while prebiotics are the primers that help them grow and thrive.

Which HUM Probiotic Should I Take?

How Gut Health Supports the Immune System

Prebiotics are sometimes called prebiotic fibers, which can lead to some misconceptions regarding dietary fiber. Although there are overlaps between prebiotics and dietary fibers, they are not the same thing. Like prebiotics, dietary fiber is also non-digestible and provides digestive and gut health benefits. 

All dietary fiber comes from carbohydrates. However, not all prebiotics come from carbohydrates—though many types of prebiotics do.

There are several types of prebiotics, but some of the most well-known ones include:

A healthy gut microbiome is shaped by prebiotics in a number of ways, but mainly via fermentation. Since prebiotics remain undigested, they are left to ferment by probiotics in the colon. The fermentation process allows for prebiotics to break down and release different types of short-chain fatty acids, known as SCFAs, that proceed to offer health benefits.

The main SCFAs that are produced by prebiotics include acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

For instance, the breakdown of prebiotics produces butyrate, which helps energize colonocytes, the cells that line the colon. Healthy colonocyte function is essential to maintain balance in the gut microbiome. 

Prebiotics exert benefits by feeding the good bacteria in the gut… but how exactly does that translate into benefits for overall health? 

Here are three key benefits of prebiotic fiber:

Microbiota or bacterial diversity is a sign of a healthy gut. Meanwhile, poor diversity in the gut is often seen in people dealing with digestive issues, including irregularity. 

The composition of your gut bacteria is mainly affected by diet. But as we know, prebiotics can help fuel the growth of probiotics in the gut, which in turn helps promote diversity. 

In fact, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study revealed an increase in the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus probiotic species in participants who consumed prebiotic FOS in both small and large amounts.  

By improving the overall composition of your gut microbiome, prebiotics can then help ease common gut-related issues. For instance, FOS was shown in a clinical study to improve stool frequency in healthy female adults who consumed the prebiotic fiber daily compared to a placebo group.

Experts believe that as much as 70 to 80 percent of the immune system lives in the gut. Given the influence of prebiotics on gut health, it’s no surprise that they can also affect the body’s defenses.

The immune system is powered by a variety of cells such as natural killer cells, effector T cells, and B cells. While it’s unclear how exactly prebiotics interact with these cells, researchers suggest that prebiotic activity, such as fermentation and short-chain fatty acid production, exert some effects on their function. 

For example, peptidoglycan, a product of prebiotic fermentation, has shown the potential to fortify the innate immune system against pathogens like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus.

Additionally, butyrate has been observed to pause the activity of HDAC, a cell that can weaken other cells, like dendritic cell IL-12, that are integral to healthy immune system function.

Because of the gut-brain axis, prebiotics also have a hand in nervous system function. Their workings in the nervous system are not fully understood. However, researchers have investigated the promising effects of prebiotics on mood, memory, learning, and other psychological activities. 

In fact, a review of six clinical studies that evaluated the effects of prebiotics on cognition and mood in healthy adults found that certain types of orally supplemented prebiotics, like beta-glucan, can support healthy neurologic function. 

Another clinical study confirms that prebiotic supplementation (from non-starch polysaccharides) can have a beneficial impact on memory in healthy middle-aged adults.

Presently, there is not an official recommendation as to how many prebiotics one should consume in a day. To keep things simple, some experts recommend focusing on meeting your recommended daily fiber intake, as this can help boost your prebiotic intake. As a reminder, men and women should aim to consume 38 and 25 grams of fiber, respectively, on a daily basis. 

Prebiotics are naturally present in a variety of foods, namely plant-based fare like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and certain nuts. 

Here’s a quick list of of foods with prebiotics:

Note: Although prebiotics are readily available in food sources, their concentrations are relatively low. Additionally, it’s estimated that less than 5 percent of people actually meet their recommended fiber intake. This means that most people are probably not consuming nearly enough prebiotics through diet alone, which is where supplementation can come in handy.

HUM’s Beauty zzZz Gummies deliver two grams of FOS prebiotic fiber, which can benefit the gut and colon lining, digestive health, and support stool movement. They also pack a clinically studied dose of melatonin (three milligrams) to provide a dual benefit of enhanced sleep quality.

Beauty zzZz Gummies enhances sleep quality + digestive health Dual benefit formula with melatonin and FOS prebiotic fiber helps you fall asleep faster while balancing digestion 4.6 5 Reviews

Prebiotics are fermentable fibers that benefit the gut microbiome to provide a cascade of health benefits. Nourishing your good gut bacteria and promoting digestive regularity are among the perks of consuming prebiotic fibers, which underscores why it’s so important to prioritize them in your diet.

The post Your Gut Needs Prebiotic Fiber to Thrive. Here’s How to Get More of It appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.

Struggling to fall asleep? The problem and solution just might be dictated by astrology, so read up on healthy sleep tips based on your zodiac sign.

Twinkle twinkle little star; are your sleeping habits up to par?

Most of us experience sleepless nights from time to time, but anything more than the occasional bout of restlessness can lead to poor outcomes for your mental health, energy levels, and overall well-being. Yet it’s one thing to say that you need enough high-quality sleep each night and something else entirely to actually achieve it.

If you could use some insights and tips to unwind before hitting the hay, it just may help to look to the stars—both in the night sky and from an astrological standpoint. Keep reading to see what could be standing in your way of getting a great night’s rest based on your zodiac sign. Plus: accompanying sleep tips to catch more ZZZ’s with greater ease, according to astrology.

Rams are quintessential go-getters, and luckily for them they often have tons of energy to boot. They can have trouble staying still, as they prefer the rush and thrill of more active pursuits. This could include signing up for a challenging project at work that requires lots of moving parts (and even voluntary late nights at the office), or preferring high-intensity workouts that they absolutely *must* pack into their day. However, engaging in stimulating activities after sunset can equate to a harder time falling asleep. Aim to wind things down by dinnertime so your body knows it’s time to relax. Also, if you’re not keen to trade your power workouts for calmer fare like yoga or Pilates, you’ll be better off scheduling your sweat sesh for the morning.

Bulls don’t tire easily and are capable of assuming weightier responsibilities than most. They take their work ethic and sense of accomplishment in stride, and typically won’t complain or get overwhelmed when things get hectic. (Share your secrets with the rest of us, please.) With that said, they can come close to reaching a breaking point every so often, feeling exhausted yet still unable to get enough shut-eye to power them through their busy schedules. Tauruses can benefit from integrating sensual pleasures into their pre-ZZZ routine. Think: bedtime lattes, scented candles, and fuzzy blankets. A little nightly self-care can go a long way to restore and reinvigorate a Bull by morning.

To stave off boredom and stay on their toes, Gems like to pivot from one thing to the next, seemingly at the speed of light. This tendency can make them prone to procrastination. Leaving tasks only partially finished or putting off looming deadlines until the 11th hour can be self-sabotaging, leaving them hot and bothered the night before. If this sounds all too familiar, consider getting ahead of your to-do list a bit sooner than usual. Doing so might not satisfy your innate desire to switch things up and go with your own flow, but it can support less stress and better rest.

Cancers are among the most sensitive signs in the zodiac. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; a lot of their worries tend to be about the welfare of those they care about most. Paired with the fact that Crabs are ruled by the moon, the nighttime can illuminate their stresses and worries. To prevent your emotions from overwhelming you when you should be fast asleep, it can help to follow a bedtime routine that’s all about you—yes, you—and your own self-care. Think: a calming bath, a dedicated nighttime skincare regimen, a yin yoga flow… whatever can help you get out of your head and in a place of ease. Giving your mind a rest and your body some TLC can work wonders to take the edge off.

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Lions live and breathe luxury. Pleasure in the now tends to outweigh considerations of plausibility in the future—especially where finances are concerned. “Budget” can be something akin to a dirty word in a Leo’s vocabulary… or at the very least a concept that’s pretty foreign to them. However, spending beyond their means can leave them tossing and turning at night, musing if it’s really the best choice to max out their credit cards on weekly blowouts and designer duds that’ll probably be out of season in a few months’ time. In truth, they probably won’t regret it too much, but being a bit more conservative with their spending habits can promote both financial wellness and better beauty sleep.

Virgos feel at home when they have a lot on their plate. They’ll do their damnedest to do anything and everything asked of them and have a hard time saying no, delegating, or accepting help. As efficient and organized as Virgos can be, you have to remember that you’re a human and not a robot. By the time you get to bed, you should be counting sheep—not how many obligations you need to blaze through the second you wake up the next morning. It may feel counterintuitive to politely decline unnecessary requests that come your way, or to take up someone’s offer for even the slightest amount of help. While you likely can do it all, you shouldn’t have to. Give yourself permission to rest and recharge and build some time for yourself.

Libra is represented by the symbol of the scales, which indicates that they don’t like to tip things off balance. And since they’re among the more sociable astrological signs, their longing for harmony can have them sacrificing their own needs to accommodate those of their friends, family members, or partner. As noble as it can be to put others first, putting yourself last isn’t exactly the healthiest habit, either—especially if your people-pleasing tendencies lead you to answer every “urgent” phone call or text, even into the wee hours of the night. Allow yourself to put your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode to use whenever the mood strikes, but particularly before you crawl into bed.

Scorpios feel things more deeply than the majority of the other signs, though they’ll do everything in their power to avoid showing it. Whether they’re slighted by a colleague at work or feel that the person they’re dating is showing even the slightest signs of pulling away, the discomfort can strike them at their core… and then it’ll fester. Since the last thing you want is to show that you’re hurt or feel any type of way, you may replay unsavory scenarios in your head at all hours of the night. Since these patterns aren’t productive, it may help to journal about them at the very least so you have an outlet and can sleep more soundly.

There are so many things that Sags wish to explore and uncover, and they like to go over it all with a fine-toothed comb and at full speed. Perhaps you have dozens of tabs open searching for your next vacation abroad, you have your nose stuck in an obscure book about ancient civilizations, or you’re committed to binge-watching a 12-part documentary series in one go. Cultural exploration and intellectual stimulation are worthy pursuits, of course… but maybe not until 3 a.m. It’s great to be passionate about your hobbies and interests (you’re a fire sign, after all), but try to indulge yourself in the daylight hours so your mind can recuperate come nighttime.

The Best Productivity Framework for You, Based on Your Astrological Sign

The Best HUM Supplement for You, Based on Your Zodiac Sign

Many Capricorns have perfectionist tendencies. “If you’re going to do something, do it right” is one of their guiding principles, which speaks to their efficiency, determination, and strong work ethic. Sure, this all sounds great on paper, and racking up praise and accomplishments for their efforts is one of their life’s greatest pleasures. But if they feel that they come up short—perhaps if they didn’t ace a presentation, are in between jobs, or didn’t live up to their exacting ideals otherwise—they can feel let down and diminished. Remember that it’s not worth losing sleep over the occasional slip-up. After all, the opportunity for your next win is right around the corner, and you’ll need your nightly ZZZ’s to bounce back to your typical top form.

Aquarians prefer to march to the beat of their own drum. Highly independent, creative, and experimental, they tend to be visionaries and excel when taking a leadership position. However, when they lack the freedom or support to spread their wings—perhaps due to a micromanaging boss, or members of their inner circle who push back on their ideas or pursuits—they can get irritated, defiant, or simply let down. They’re not the greatest at managing stress, so it’s helpful to find ways to get better at it so it doesn’t impact their sleep or greater health. This air sign may want to try out breathing exercises to cool off, or integrate calming adaptogens into their routine.

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Pisces are known to be creative, sensitive, and idealistic, hence why they’re regularly referred to as the dreamers of the zodiac. However, to them it can feel like there’s an endless stream of things to worry about: their loved ones, the state of the world, the subtext of any text message sent their way… the list goes on. With all this musing—even on lighter, happier thoughts and visions for the future—it can prevent them from clocking in enough rest for actual dreaming in the REM stages of sleep. Once you settle under the covers, do what you can to put your mental and emotional activity to rest. A guided meditation can help, as you’ll focus on your breathing, body, and someone else’s voice rather than your own inner monologue. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself drifting off into dreamland.

The post Want to Get Better Sleep? Here’s How, Based on Your Zodiac Sign appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.

Testosterone is the granddaddy of all androgen hormones, helping men add muscle mass, boost their energy levels, shed body fat, and improve their libido and sexual performance.

Testosterone levels naturally decline as men get older, and low testosterone can contribute to health problems ranging from obesity to erectile dysfunction or depression.

Enter testosterone boosting supplements. These supplements provide natural ingredients that aim to increase your body’s natural capacity for producing testosterone, leaving you stronger and more energized. Our research team tracked down and reviewed the best-performing testosterone boosters on the market. Here are our top picks. Why You Should Trust Us

Our advisory panel and our research team rank the best health products and supplements based on performance, label accuracy, and the efficacy of the ingredients in the products.

Last updated: February 23, 2023
Testosterone boosters considered: 21
Hours of research: 50
Experts reviewed: 14
Scientific papers referenced: 27

IMAGE PRODUCT For Muscle Gain1. Madhouse LabsRaises your strength, libido, & testosterone levelsStuffed with maca root, tongkat ali, boron, fenugreek, zinc & magnesiumNo additivesView Latest Price → For Erectile Dysfunction2. TestoGenOffers incredible natural testosterone boosting powerSpecifically formulated to help you reclaim your ‘edge’Contains natural ingredientsView Latest Price → For Men Over 503. Madhouse LabsNo proprietary blends or hidden ingredientsControls estrogen and prolactin levels in guysTongkat ali and maca root as main emphasisView Latest Price → Fat Burner Combo4. CrazyBulk Testo-Max SustanonDesigned to help you build size, strength, and stamina during your workoutsDesigned to trigger your body to produce more natural testosteroneSafe, legal, and backed up by tons of positive feedback and customer reviewsView Latest Price → 5. Hunter TestHelps support testosterone levelsHelps to reduce stress and cortisolHelps support testosterone productionView Latest Price → 6. Essential Elements T-heroAttacks all the possible nutritional causes of low testosteroneProvides vitamin D, vitamin B, and zinc–deficienciesProvides 40-550% of your recommended daily intakeView Latest Price → 7. EVLTestIt provides vitamin D, vitamin B, and zinc–deficienciesMade using an exclusive, proprietary blendMade without banned substances or stimulantsView on Amazon → 8. Nugenix Total-TPuts a focus on boosting bloodflowHelps to reach full potential at age 40 and above Safe and clinically provenView on Amazon → 9. Vintage BoostChiefly herbal blendFocuses on some of the most-proven testosterone boostersIncludes zinc, a solid 300 mg of fenugreek extract, and tribulus terrestrisView on Amazon → 10. MuscleTech AlphaTestChiefly herbal blendEssential for muscle growthAllows your body to easily absorb testosteroneView on Amazon →
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Our Top Picks For Testosterone Boosters

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Wow. They stacked this one.

Madhouse Labs Warrior Testosterone is a new formula that had a small team scouring the earth for 3 months to find the most potent ingredients for a natural testosterone booster.

The result starts with Tongkat ali, which is blowing up after recently been discovered as an ultra effective libido booster.

Then they thru in generous doses of fenugreek, maca root, and boron — topping if off with essentials like zinc and magnesium.

The verdict? The purest, most effective testosterone booster.

They don’t hide anything, either. No additives.

Translation: more strength, more libido. Designed to give the 30-and-beyond male more energy.

P.S:  you will want to get their 6 month deal for optimal effects (buy 3, get 3 free). Click here:

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TestoFuel has been a commercial success, taking over the T-boosting market the last few years.

Many users (including legendary bodybuilder Robby Robinson – who takes TestoFuel every day in his 70’s) have found that TestoFuel is able to raise their strength, libido, testosterone levels, as well as being able to lose more belly fat.

Each dosage is stuffed with oyster extract, D-aspartic acid, ginseng, fenugreek, zinc, magnesium and vitamin D, B6 and K2.

Oyster extract not only contain high levels of zinc but also lots of amino acids, taurine, omega 3 & 6 fish oils, along with zinc’s co-factors copper and manganese.

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TestoGen offers incredible natural testosterone boosting power to help boost T levels naturally and safely.

It has been specifically formulated to help you reclaim your ‘edge’ by increasing your strength and stamina, sharpening your focus, banishing tiredness, and burning annoying belly-fat

TestoGen contains natural ingredients that are safe and effective at raising natural T levels.

These ingredients include Bioperine, Zinc, Vitamin B6, Red Ginseng Extract, Fenugreek Extract, D-Aspartic Acid, Vitamin K1, Nettle Leaf Extract, Boron, Vitamin D, and Magnesium.

Plus, this supplement is built on the shoulders of years of scientific evidence for natural T boosters. Vitamin D is just one example of an ingredient in this formulation that has been shown to have a strong link with testosterone levels!

What does this all mean?

TestoGen is a dynamic, natural T booster that is backed by science, to help give you the extra gains and stamina that you need to reclaim and strengthen your youthful prowess!

All this is why TestoGen is our number 2 pick!

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Endorsed by the likes of Rocky III star, Dolph Lundgren and American football hall-of-famer Andre Reed, Prime Male is another elite option with no proprietary blends or hidden ingredients.

The major difference is they opt for a formula that controls estrogen and prolactin levels in guys.

D-Aspartic Acid Calcium Chelate (D-AA-CC) and vitamin D is a main emphasis, as well as Boron, BioPerene and luteolin, which also blocks the “girly hormones.”

Finally, mucuna pruriens (velvet bean), nettle root extract, magnesium, zinc and vitamins round out the “prime male” formula.

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CrazyBulk Testo-Max Sustanon is designed to help you build size, strength, and stamina during your workouts.

The natural testosterone boosting power of this supplement is provided by ingredients like D-Aspartic acid, zinc, magnesium, vitamins D, B6, and K1, and others.

The main ingredient in this T booster is designed to trigger your body to produce more natural testosterone. It is safe, legal, and backed up by tons of positive feedback and customer reviews!

Adults take 4 of these capsules every day, approximately 20 minutes before breakfast.

If you’re looking for a major T boost, then CrazyBulk is an excellent addition to add to your workout supplement list!

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Hunter Test Is one of the most potent testosterone boosters available. It delivers some of the best serving sizes and highest quality ingredients available on the market today.

Served over six capsules, the nine elements of the Hunter Test formula pack a powerful punch. With high-quality ingredients like d-aspartic acid, zinc, Asian ginseng, ashwagandha extract and vitamin D3 this is one of the most well-researched testosterone supplements.

With such a simple, potent formula, there’s no space for fillers. Hunter Test is completely free from synthetic ‘nutrients’, proprietary blends, or under-researched ingredients.

All of this, combined with the high serving sizes is designed to enhance strength and performance, boost libido, improve mood, and provide a premium experience for men.

The Hunter Test formula is an extremely potent option, which is why it ranks highly on our list.

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T-hero combines five potent ingredients to help support testosterone levels. Ashwagandha helps to reduce stress and cortisol, while the Shilajit and boron help support testosterone production.

DIM further accelerates this process by blocking the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, while yohimbine provides powerful libido enhancement.

Bioperine is also included to enhance the overall bioavailability of each ingredient, ensuring everything gets to where it needs to go in the body. All products from Essential Elements are third party tested for purity and made in the USA.

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EVLTest attacks all the possible nutritional causes of low testosterone: it provides vitamin D, vitamin B, and zinc–deficiencies in all of these are associated with low testosterone in men.

The doses of these vitamins are very solid and it supplies the full array supplements that have a promising record of increasing testosterone: fenugreek seed extract, tribulus terrestris, and D-aspartic acid.

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Nugenix puts a focus on boosting bloodflow, which is not common in other testosterone boosting supplements.

You might be wondering why bloodflow matters when it comes to a male supplement, but once you realize that erectile dysfunction is, fundamentally, a blood flow problem, the logic becomes clear.

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Vintage Boost is styled like an old-school ‘70s product, but don’t let that fool you–it’s got the latest in herbal and vitamin supplements to keep your testosterone levels high.

If you know you’ve got some dietary and lifestyle shortcomings limiting your testosterone levels, Vintage Boost is a good choice for you.

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AlphaTest is a chiefly herbal blend that focuses on some of the most-proven testosterone boosters. The supplement includes zinc, a solid 300 mg of fenugreek extract, and tribulus terrestris, but less in the way of vitamins and non-zinc minerals.

It’s a great product if you’ve already got a solid diet or supplementation routine that addresses those other more basic shortcomings that can cause low testosterone.

Best testosterone booster overall: Madhouse Labs

Madhouse Labs takes our top spot thanks to its androgen-supporting blend that provides both the basic building blocks for supporting testosterone synthesis (tongkat ali, zinc, magnesium, and boron) plus more advanced compounds like oyster extract, ginseng, and fenugreek seed for maximum potency. 

Best testosterone booster for men over 50: Madhouse Labs

Prime Male focuses on several micronutrients that are particularly important for older men, namely zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D, without slacking on mainstays like nettle root extract. Many older men are deficient in these nutrients, which makes their inclusion critical for boosting testosterone in men over 50.

Best testosterone booster for erectile dysfunction: Testogen

Testogen’s inclusion of ginseng, fenugreek, and zinc make it a great combo for boosting testosterone and improving erectile function. Ginseng and fenugreek both have a long history of use as an aphrodisiac, which helps Testogen boost both your physical and sexual performance. 

Best testosterone booster for muscle gain: Madhouse Labs

Madhouse Labs testosterone booster has a well-balanced combo of powerful testosterone-boosting primary ingredients like boron, fenugreek, maca root, and magnesium, and also includes more specialized nutrients like maca root, which exerts an additional effect for maximum gains.

Best testosterone booster and fat burner combo: CrazyBulk Testo-Max Sustanon

If you want to burn fat and boost testosterone, CrazyMass Testo-Max Sustanon provides critical fat burners like DHEA and tribulus terrestris, which should enhance your fat oxidation as well as boosting your testosterone levels. 

Best testosterone booster for athletes: Prime Male

Prime Male is the best choice for athletes, thanks to its super-clean design and high-quality ingredients. It gives you exactly what you need to sustain high testosterone levels, and nothing more. 

Men who want to get stronger and improve their athletic performance: Testosterone’s key role in promoting muscle growth and discouraging body fat accumulation make these kinds of men great candidates for a testosterone booster.

Men experiencing fatigue and low energy levels: In addition, there’s increasing evidence that “low T” is a cause of more vague and nonspecific problems that middle-aged and older men experience, too.

Foggy memory, fatigue, listlessness, and low energy levels are often linked to decreased testosterone in men, so you don’t need to be trying for a personal best in the bench press to opt for a testosterone booster.

Men who want higher libido and better sexual performance: Testosterone’s performance enhancing benefits aren’t limited to the gym–if your sexual desire and energy levels are lacking, low T might be to blame.

Men who are overweight or over 30: If you fit into any of the demographic categories of men with low testosterone, you might be particularly suited for a testosterone booster.

This includes men who are over 30, men who are sedentary (i.e. you don’t get enough exercise, especially strength training), men who don’t sleep enough, and men who are overweight.

While a testosterone booster won’t solve all of these problems all by itself, it could help you get over the additional challenges of the negative effects of low testosterone.

We started with a broad range of testosterone boosters, from single-ingredient herbs to cocktails of dozens of different vitamins, minerals, and herbs. We focused on the following markers of quality: 

No cheap caffeinated buzz-pills: First off, we didn’t include anything that relies on high caffeine content to create a buzz to trick you into thinking your testosterone has gone up.

That’s why you won’t find Modern Man on our rankings―its high caffeine content will cause more trouble than it’s worth, especially when some of the more effective testosterone boosters work by increasing testosterone levels while you sleep.

Ingredient transparency: We also excluded testosterone boosters that included too many of their ingredients in a proprietary blend that obscures the actual doses of all of the active ingredients. Take True Vitamins Performance Booster, for example—it’s got a lot of great ingredients, but it’s impossible to tell whether they’re delivered at an effective dosage. 

Without transparency in how the product was formulated, you can’t evaluate its performance against the best scientific evidence.  

Evidence-backed main ingredients: We also made sure the top-ranked products included the ingredients that have the most clinical evidence behind their efficacy. This starts with the basics: minerals like zinc and magnesium.

We had to eliminate some fairly popular products, like Dr. Martin’s Testosterone Booster, because it didn’t have any of these basic and easy to include minerals that have good evidence backing their efficacy.

Vitamin D content: Some of the best testosterone boosters also contain an additional hormone whose simplicity might surprise you—vitamin D.

Yes, the name is a bit of a misnomer; vitamin D is in fact a hormone, and it turns out to be linked to the function of other hormones, including testosterone.

Since including vitamin D is another simple fix with good evidence behind it, we prioritized testosterone boosters that also made sure to include this basic but critical ingredient.

Powerful herbal ingredients: Beyond the basics, some of the mainstays of testosterone-boosting herbs we looked for included tongkat ali, fenugreek seed, horny goat weed, and citrulline malate.

Each of these ingredients has some scientific research that supports its use as a testosterone booster. While not every top-rated testosterone booster needed to include all of these, including at least some of them indicated that the supplement designers knew what they were doing.

Arazo Nutrition Tribulus Maximum Strength, for example, didn’t make the cut because it was too focused on a single ingredient, tribulus terrestris. It and a few others just couldn’t compete with the more well-balanced blends in our sample.

No fillers: Lastly, we eliminated products that were bloated with fillers, coloring agents, and binders. These do nothing for your testosterone levels, and have no place in a high-quality supplement.

Q: What is the best testosterone booster for muscle growth?

A: For boosting muscle growth, our favorite is TestoFuel: it’s got a great balance of evidence-backed basics, like vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium, plus vitamin B6, fenugreek and oyster extract for added muscle hypertrophy. 

Its basic formulation is similar to that of the old-school testosterone booster ZMA, but heavily upgraded with the latest ingredients from nutritional research.

Q: What are the effects of testosterone on older men?

A: Older men who boost their testosterone levels may expect to see increased physical strength, better sexual function, decreased feelings of depression and sadness, and better mental acuity, particularly in spatial and verbal functioning.

Boosting testosterone reverses decreases in spatial cognition and verbal memory among older men with low testosterone (1), which accounts for the increased sharpness, awareness, and alertness that many men report after taking a testosterone booster.

Even psychological conditions such as depression seem linked to low testosterone levels in older men: once serum testosterone dips too low the prevalence of depression among older men increases markedly (2).

Q: What is the best natural testosterone booster?

A: If you are looking for all-natural ingredients with strong testosterone-boosting potential, check out stinging nettle, fenugreek seed, and tribulus terrestris.

Stinging nettle is known to slow down the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, which would slow down the rate at which you lose testosterone your body has already synthesized (3).

Fenugreek seed was recently found to increase both anaerobic strength and androgen levels in a recent randomized study without any side effects, so it is another strong candidate for an all-natural testosterone booster (4).

Finally, tribulus terrestris has been found to increase levels of sex hormones across several different animal models, and seems to be particularly helpful if you are trying to increase libido or fight erectile dysfunction (5).

Q: What age should you start using a testosterone booster?

A: Low testosterone is most commonly associated with men over age 50, but testosterone levels start decreasing as early as your 30s—if you notice you’re not your old self, you might want to consider some nutritional strategies to start boosting your testosterone.

Men over 30, men who have sedentary lifestyles, and men experiencing signs of low testosterone, like fatigue, brain fog, low energy levels, and low libido can all benefit from taking a natural testosterone booster.

Although your testosterone levels can be increased through optimal nutrition, exercise, and sleep, adding a testosterone booster to your daily regime is a great way to make sure you’re covering your bases with vitamins, minerals, and herbal compounds that support high testosterone levels.

For BodyNutrition’s #1 testosterone booster recommendation, click here.

The post Ranking the best testosterone boosters of 2023 appeared first on Body Nutrition.

Boron is a trace mineral element that, when taken in supplement form, can help improve your bone strength, increase levels of testosterone, improve your cognitive function, and decrease levels of inflammation in your body.

Boron was historically a fairly obscure mineral, but increasing amounts of scientific research are demonstrating that it plays a critical role in everything from bone metabolism to brain function, so it’s become increasingly popular as a supplement.

If these benefits are what you are looking for, we’ve evaluated and ranked the ten best boron supplements on the market so you can make the most of its physiological benefits for your body.

Last updated: February 19, 2023
Boron supplements considered: 22
Hours of research: 35
Experts reviewed: 8
Scientific papers referenced: X

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Pure Encapsulations has the most minimal and easily absorbable boron supplement around. It’s delivered using boron glycinate, which can be easily absorbed by your body, and the vegetable-based cellulose capsule is vegan-friendly.

With zero additional ingredients, this supplement delivers a respectable 2 mg dosage, which is plenty for most people. Unless you know you need a higher dosage, this should be your top choice.

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Now Boron delivers a 3 mg dose of boron in the form of calcium borogluconate.

It’s contained in an animal-based gelatin capsule and only has a couple of additional ingredients: rice flour and stearic acid, both to hold the capsule together. It’s an easily-absorbed form of boron in a fairly simple package, making it a good choice.

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Swanson Triple Boron Complex uses three different forms of boron to ensure that this high-dose boron supplement achieves a high level of bioavailability.

With boron glycinate, citrate, and aspartate, the amount of boron you actually absorb from this boron supplement is going to be higher than many of its competitors.

Not everybody needs a high dose of boron, but if you do, Swanson Triple Boron Complex is the right choice.

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Trace Minerals makes their boron supplement in liquid form. Using an ionic salt form of boron, each serving (delivered with the measured dropper in the vial) delivers 6 mg of boron, along with a small amount of a few other trace minerals like calcium and magnesium.

The liquid form is the primary convenience of this supplement; while it’s harder to get a precise dose because of the difficulty of accurately measuring small amounts of liquid, it’s far easier to incorporate a couple of drops of this boron supplement into a shake or a smoothie.

It’s a good choice if you’ve already got enough capsule-based supplements or medications in your life.

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Bluebonnet is far from the only supplement manufacturer to make a triple source boron supplement using boron glycinate, citrate, and aspartate, but Bluebonnet does have a solid reputation for supplement purity.

This boron supplement delivers 3 mg per serving, and comes in a vegan-friendly vegetable derived cellulose capsule. It’s a decent middle of the road choice.

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Good State Health Solutions makes a liquid form of boron that’s just boric acid dissolved in highly purified water.

This is a good option if you need a high dose of boron in liquid form, but for most people, the difficulty of measuring out the liquid in an accurate manner is going to offset these benefits for most people.

Keep it on your list if you do need a large volume of high-dose liquid form boron, though.

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Life Extension tries to capitalize on the multifaceted and evolving knowledge on boron’s biological role by providing it alongside vitamin B2 for enhanced hormonal benefits.

It has a triple source boron complex like a few of the other boron supplements on the market, which will enhance its bioavailability, but the inclusion of vitamin B2 is hard to justify so far—our understanding of the function of boron is so limited that it’s hard to definitively point to research showing that this particular combination is going to be beneficial.

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Solgar makes a simple boron supplement that provides a solid dosage of 3 mg of boron per capsule. However, it has a few extra binders and stabilizers compared to its competition, and delivers its boron in a relatively mundane boric acid form, which is why it ends up further down in the rankings

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Nature’s Way makes a 3 mg boron supplement, which is delivered as an amino acid chelate. While amino acid chelates are usually well-absorbed, the manufacturer doesn’t specify which amino acids this boron supplement is chelated with, making it difficult to compare with other supplements and making it impossible to match the supplementation protocols used in the scientific literature.

While it’s not an awful option, other boron supplements don’t have these drawbacks.

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This boron supplement is delivered in the form of calcium fructoborate, and is paired with broccoli powder for some green superfood power.  The boron dosage is 3 mg, so pretty solid. While green veggies are definitely beneficial, there isn’t enough research to support this pairing either, so it makes it hard to recommend. To take advantage of the full range of boron’s benefits, it’s probably better to take a more focused supplement.

Best boron overall: Pure Encapsulations Boron Glycinate

Pure Encapsulations garners our top overall recommendation thanks to the highly soluble glycinate form of boron used, plus Pure Encapsulations’ well-known independent purity testing. For a boron supplement with a solid dose and reliably good absorption, you can’t go wrong with this choice.

Best boron for boosting testosterone: Swanson Triple Boron Complex

Swanson makes a higher-dose boron supplement that uses three different boron compounds, all of which are highly soluble. This makes it readily-absorbed and highly effective at assisting your body in testosterone synthesis.

Best boron for arthritis: Now Boron

Boron helps cut down on inflammation, and for that purpose, Now Boron is our recommendation. It’s simple, high-dose, and has no extraneous ingredients, making it easy to integrate with other supplements if desired.

Best boron for women: Pure Encapsulations Boron Glycinate

For bone strength and estrogen control, Pure Encapsulations is a great choice thanks to its high quality formulation and easily-absorbed glycinate form. It’s the best boron supplement out there for women.

Best boron for bodybuilding: Swanson Triple Boron Complex

Swanson’s strength really shines in applications that call for high doses of highly bioavailable boron, and bodybuilding is definitely one of them. That makes it our recommendation for serious bodybuilders.

Best boron for cognitive function: Pure Encapsulations Boron Glycinate

With a solid, moderate dosage in a simple and easily-absorbed capsule, Pure Encapsulations is a great addition to your supplementation regimen to ensure your boron levels are high enough to support strong cognitive function.

Boron is a rare but important mineral that has a few specific applications. It’s useful for increasing testosterone and reducing estrogen levels in your body, as well as improving cognitive function, reducing inflammation, and strengthening your bones. That means there are a few clear groups of people who should add boron to their supplement stack. 

Men who want higher testosterone and lower estrogen. Boron’s potential for boosting testosterone levels and inhibiting the production of estrogen make it a great addition for men looking for testosterone’s benefits: higher libido, stronger muscles, and less body fat.

Men over 40. Not only do men over 40 face increasing rates of low testosterone; they also often experience several of the other health concerns that boron could address, including systemic inflammation in the body, decreased bone strength, brain fog, and decreased cognitive performance. 

Women who want stronger bones. Don’t make the mistake of thinking boron is just for men–its ability to contribute to bone strength makes it great for women, especially when taken alongside vitamin D and calcium supplements.

People who want to maintain cognitive health as they get older. Some scientific evidence suggests that boron can stave off age-related declines in cognitive function and brain fog. Direct experimental studies have shown that low boron intake inhibits cognitive performance, so if you’re not sure if your diet is as high-quality as it could be, a boron supplement is a good add-on.

Since the research on boron supplementation in humans is still fairly preliminary, we kept things pretty simple with our boron supplement rankings. We were looking for the purest, simplest, and most effective boron supplements that delivered an effective dose with as little ancillary or unnecessary ingredients as possible. Here’s how we measured those criteria:

Predictable and consistent dosage. Our research team found two categories of boron supplements on the market: tablets and capsules, or liquid ionic boron. We preferred tablets and capsules for most use cases, as they provide consistent and precisely-measured dosages.

The key weakness of liquids is that eyedropper measurements are far less precise than what a supplement manufacturer can achieve with commercial-grade tablet pressing equipment.

However, liquid boron supplements do fill a niche: they’re great for people who already have too many pills to take in a day, or who want to incorporate boron into a specially designed green drink, smoothie, or protein shake, so we included a handful of the best liquid boron supplements. 

Highly bioavailable forms of boron. Beyond the delivery format, we also looked at the actual molecular form of boron. Some supplements only supply a single form of boron, while others use multiple different molecular forms in an effort to boost bioavailability.

The research isn’t in yet on whether having multiple kinds of boron boosts absorption, so we were fairly agnostic on this front.

However, we did have a preference for specific molecular forms which are known to be bioavailable, like certain amino acid chelates and water-soluble salts like glycinate.

Preference for simple, cellulose-based capsules. As usual, a product that used a cellulose capsule as opposed to an animal-based gelatin was slightly preferable to improve compatibility with vegetarian and vegan diets. 

Dosage in line with the best scientific research. In terms of the dose of boron, we looked primarily for supplements that provided doses in the most common range used in research, two to three milligrams per day. A few supplements provided higher doses, like 12 mg, but most applications call for a lower dose.

No unnecessary binders, fillers, or stabilizers. Like with all of our rankings, we valued purity and clean supplement design, but since boron is such a simple supplement, these factors were even more important than usual.

We dropped products that had too much in the way of fillers and binders. Some products offered extras, like vitamin B12 alongside boron, and while there may be some theoretical justifications for these choices, the empirical support isn’t there yet, so these were rated lower.

We sorted the remaining products by a combination of their delivery format, form of boron used, capsule substance, and purity, leaving us with our final list of the best boron supplements that are available right now. 

Q: Does boron increase estrogen? 

A: Boron actually appears to decrease estrogen (and increase testosterone). One study in men was able to show that seven days of supplementation with 11.6 mg of boron per day leads to increases in testosterone levels and a decrease in estrogen levels (1).

Interestingly, though, boron may be helpful for post-menopausal women, even though it does not increase estrogen levels. One of the early studies on boron and its role in diet was conducted in 1987 in a sample of postmenopausal women (2).

The study concluded that women who have a diet that is low in boron could gain bone mass and decrease calcium excretion by taking a boron supplement, even independent of any effects on estrogen levels. 

Q: Is boron good for arthritis? 

A: Boron is known to generate anti-inflammatory effects, which has stimulated increased interest in using it as a supplement for arthritis.

Some fascinating data from R.E. Newnham presented in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives points out that arthritis incidence is much higher in areas with low boron intakes compared to areas with high boron intakes (3).

Additionally, a placebo-controlled trial found that 6 mg per day supplement of boron led to improvements in symptoms of arthritis (4).

As with much of the other research on boron, these results are preliminary and these studies are small; there isn’t as much evidence supporting boron as there is supporting other ingredients commonly used in joint supplements, for example. 

Q: Does boron have benefits for the brain? 

A: Yes, cognitive benefits are one of the more promising avenues for boron supplementation. A paper published in the journal Advances in Plant and Animal Boron Nutrition points out that boron deficiency can inhibit central nervous system function (5), and other data supports the idea that increasing boron levels can increase cognitive performance.

A paper published in 1994 describes a series of three experiments in which dietary boron levels were manipulated to be low (0.25 mg of boron per day) or high (3.25 mg of boron per day), and subjects were tested on their cognitive performance (6).

The results from a series of experiments suggested that higher boron levels were associated with better scores on the cognitive performance assessments, making the case that a lack of boron can contribute to cognitive tasks including memory, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, attention, and perception.

Based on these data, boron could be a great supplement for boosting brain function, especially if your diet is low in boron to begin with. 

Q: Does a boron supplement boost testosterone levels?

A: Boron has shown some early promise in boosting testosterone levels, at least based on a small study on eight men (7). This finding was in contrast with earlier work in bodybuilders which found no benefit to boron supplementation (8), so the issue is definitely not fully settled. Still, the simultaneous increase in testosterone and decrease in estrogen seen in the first study is a positive sign.

In any case, we’ll need larger and better controlled studies on boron supplementation in men to get a definitive answer on its potential for boosting testosterone levels. Still, that won’t stop many men from using boron for potentially increasing their testosterone levels in the interim.

Q: Can boron help erectile dysfunction? 

A: No direct evidence has yet emerged that suggests that boron can directly improve erectile function in men with sexual dysfunction.

A multi-part research article published on potential nutritional, lifestyle, and supplemental interventions for erectile dysfunction published in the journal Urology Clinics of North America reviewed reams of studies on trace minerals and supplements, but did not even discuss boron specifically (9).

There is some indirect evidence that boron could improve erectile dysfunction via its potential testosterone boosting effects; if your erectile problems are caused by low testosterone, and low boron levels were implicated in your low testosterone, there is a possibility that boron could help.

However, a more direct solution might be to try something that targets erectile dysfunction specifically, like a male enhancement pill or a nitric oxide supplement.

Boron has a wide range of applications, from supporting healthy brain function and cognition to keeping your testosterone levels high and your inflammation levels low.

It could be helpful for older men who struggle with low testosterone and “brain fog,” as well as people looking for relief from arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.

There are no adverse effects known so far, and the optimal dose for most people looks to be 2 to 3 mg per day. That’s the range of doses used in the scientific studies that have found the greatest benefits.

Taken at this level, boron could be an easy addition to your supplementation routine that has broad health benefits.

For BodyNutrition’s #1 boron recommendation, click here.

The post Ranking the best boron supplements of 2023 appeared first on Body Nutrition.

Turkesterone is an herbal extract from the Ajuga Turkestanica plan that’s got some incredible promise as a natural way to boost muscle size and strength.

It’s got many of the benefits of anabolic steroids without the same risks, since it stimulates muscle gains through a non-androgen pathway.

Turkesterone is the most prominent of a category of compounds called phytoecdysteroids (sometimes also called ecdysteroids) that are found in the Ajuga Turkestanica plan (note the -steroid ending to that compound category–it will come up later!). 

Turkesterone and other A. Turkestanica extracts, like 20-hydroxyecdysone, have shown powerful strength-promoting effects in scientific research, so they’re an incredibly promising category of supplement to consider if you’re looking to get an edge at the gym. 

Our research team has tracked science on turkesterone and ranked the best products currently on the market in this fast-growing category of strength enhancement supplement. We’ve also dug into the scientific research to find out who should use turkesterone and what turkesterone supplement is best for all of its major applications. 

Last updated: January 13, 2023
Turkesterone supplements considered: 19
Hours of research: 16
Experts reviewed: 5
Scientific papers referenced: 14

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Toniq provides a hyper-concentrated turkesterone supplement that delivers 300 mg of Ajuga Turkestanica per capsule, standardized to 20% turkesterone by weight.

That means it delivers 60 mg of pure turkesterone per capsule, a full 20% increase over much of the competition.

The capsule design is pretty clean, and the cellulose-based capsules are vegan-friendly too, making this an excellent pick for bodybuilders, strength athletes, and others who want to take advantage of a highly concentrated turkesterone supplement.

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Double Wood makes a solid turkesterone supplement that delivers 500 mg of Ajuga Turkestanica extract per capsule, standardized to 10% turkesterone.

The capsule is super simple, making this supplement a great pick for reliable turkesterone levels and the additional benefits of the other ecdysteroids found alongside it. 

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Benevolent Nourishment provides a solid 400 mg dose of Ajuga Turkestanica extract, and uniquely packages it alongside 200 mg of tongkat ali extract.

This is a potentially useful combo because of tongkat ali’s testosterone-boosting potential: this supplement lets you stimulate muscle growth from two directions at once: the androgen pathway via testosterone, and the non-androgenic pathway via turkesterone

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Dorado Nutrition Turkesterone is a pretty middle-of-the-road formulation: 250 mg of Ajuga Turkestanica extract per capsule, standardized to 10% turkesterone. The capsules are vegan-friendly, and you get 120 capsules per bottle, making it a decent option if you need a moderate dosage and nothing special when it comes to extra ingredients. 

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Naturebell makes a turkesterone supplement that blends Ajuga Turkestanica extract with beta-ecdysterone extract, which is a source of 20-hydroxyecdysone (another potential muscle strength booster found in the same plant).

While there’s less research on combining both of these ecdysteroids, this supplement is the way to go if you want to maximize combined ecdysteroid dosage. 

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aSquared makes a turkesterone supplement with a super-pure formulation (the only ingredient aside from Ajuga Turkestanica extract is the vegan-friendly cellulose that makes up the capsule).

However, its dosage is only middling: 300 mg per capsule at a 10% turkesterone concentration. That lands it further down in our rankings. 

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Black Forest Turkesterone is a hugely popular turkesterone supplement, and looks to be a pretty solid choice with 500 mg of Ajuga Turkestanica per capsule and a super clean supplement design.

The only problem, and the reason it’s not ranked higher in our rankings, is that the Ajuga Turkestanica content isn’t explicitly standardized like it is in some of the competition.

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Codeage puts a unique spin on turkesterone by delivering it in a lipid-based liposomal capsule, using non-GMO sunflower oil and lecithin to dissolve the turkesterone.

Though we often reward brands for effective delivery mechanisms, there isn’t enough research yet to know whether a liposomal formulation would help or hinder the bioavailability of turkesterone.

Because of the uncertainty over bioavailability, and because the turkesterone concentration and dosage are pretty standard, this supplement ends up further down in the rankings 

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Gorilla Mind delivers a pretty standard 500 mg / 10% turkesterone dose, though this dosage is mixed with a hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin complex to enhance bioavailability.

Like with other competitors that have nonstandard delivery mechanisms, we rated this supplement lower because there’s too much uncertainty right now over whether nonstandard complexes will help or hurt turkesterone absorption.

Moreover, the capsule is gelatin-based, and each bottle only delivers 60 capsules, which makes this supplement poorly-suited for high dosage or long-term use. 

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Thor combines turkesterone with beta-ecdysterone and the same beta-cyclodextrin complex used for supplement delivery in other competitors, with the goal of boosting muscle growth beyond what you’d get with turkesterone alone.

The biggest downside with this strategy is that it cuts the effective dosage significantly: each capsule in Thor only has 250 mg of turkesterone (at 10% concentration) compared to 500 mg in most of the competition.

That combined with only getting 60 capsules in a bottle means this supplement won’t last you very long, and makes it wind up at the bottom of our rankings. 

Best turkesterone overall: Toniq Turkesterone

Toniq takes our top spot thanks to their market-leading concentration: double the standardized turkesterone content of the competition, meaning you get a more potent dose from every capsule.

We also loved the clean and simple supplement design and the ample supply in each bottle. This turkesterone supplement is well-suited for anyone looking to leverage turkesterone’s benefits for strength and muscle mass. 

Best turkesterone for athletes: Toniq Turkesterone

The clean, high-dosage, high-concentration formula from Toniq makes it a clear winner for athletes, who need to prioritize supplement purity and efficacy over everything else. For people in strength and power sports, Toniq is a great call. 

Best Turkesterone for gaining muscle mass: Benevolent Nourishment Turkesterone

If you want to pack on muscle as quickly as possible, the combined effects of turkesterone and testosterone are a great way to do it.

That’s why we recommend Benevolent Nutrition for this use case, with its combo of turkesterone and the potent testosterone modulator tongkat ali. Aside from these two ingredients, the ingredients list is super clean, so it will integrate well with the other supplements in your stack. 

Best Turkesterone for bodybuilders: Toniq Turkesterone

For bodybuilders, the high concentration of Toniq makes it an obvious choice. At double the concentration of most of its competition, Toniq Turkesterone is well-suited for people pushing their limits with high doses of turkesterone for bigger muscle gains. 

Best Turkesterone for cutting: Benevolent Nourishment Turkesterone

The turkesterone/tongkat ali combo found in this supplement is a great choice for cutting, since you get the muscle size and strength benefits of turkesterone plus the fat-shedding effects of testosterone, which is boosted by tongkat ali. 

Best Turkesterone for women: Double Wood Supplements Turkesterone

Double Wood Supplements is the perfect choice for women, since it’s got a focused formulation that’s not bloated with androgen precursors targeted at men, and the dosage is solid, but not excessive, at 500 mg per capsule, standardized to 10% turkesterone. For female power athletes and bodybuilders, it’s our recommendation. 

Since turkesterone is such a new supplement, we formulated our ranking criteria based around purity and quality of turkesterone. Here’s how we rated these characteristics:

Standardized turkesterone content. Though dosage guidelines are still developing when it comes to optimal turkesterone intake, one thing that won’t change is the fact that you want to know exactly how much turkesterone you’re taking.

We prioritized supplements that used a standardized turkesterone concentration–like many herbal extracts, different Ajuga Turkestanica plants can have different concentrations of turkesterone.

So, to get accurate dosing, you want a supplement that’s got turkesterone at a standardized concentration (typically 10%, though our top-rated product, Toniq Turkesterone, delivers a more concentrated 20%). 

A focus on delivering turkesterone. Turkesterone has become a popular compound for manufacturers to add to multi-ingredient supplements geared towards boosting strength or enhancing muscle size.

Most multi-ingredient supplements like Sotalix Turkesterone got cut from our rankings because they were bloated with too many other ingredients. 

Often these were solid supplements in their own right, such as maca root or tribulus terrestris, but their effectiveness in combination with turkesterone hasn’t been quantified.

We made exceptions for super-focused formulations, like the turkesterone + tongkat ali combo seen in Benevolent Nourishment, since these two supplements have complementary effects, stimulating muscle growth through two different pathways at once.

Solid dosage and capsule counts. If you’re targeting a higher turkesterone dosage, like 750 or 1000 mg per day, you’ll blow through products that deliver low doses and small capsule counts.

Some products only deliver 250 mg per capsule and 60 capsules per bottle–that’s not going to cut it for a serious athlete.

We gave extra points to products with a solid dosage (after considering the turkesterone concentration of course) and products that came with a lot of capsules per bottle.  

No unnecessary ingredients. As always, we eliminated products that were bloated with binders, stabilizers, or fillers, leaving only the clean, well-formulated turkesterone products. 

Turkesterone has shown some pretty impressive results in early research when it comes to stimulating muscle growth [1]. This great potential to boost muscle strength and size dictate its three primary applications:

People in strength-based sports looking to improve their muscular power and maximum force output. If you’re in a sport where strength dominates, like competitive lifting, football, or rugby, turkesterone might give you the edge you need to achieve new heights when it comes to muscle strength.

There are few non-androgen-based supplements out there with this ability, but based on the research so far, turkesterone seems to be one of them. 

Bodybuilders who want to increase muscle size. Turkesterone has been shown to boost both muscle strength and muscle size, making it an excellent addition to your bodybuilding supplement stack.

It’s especially good for natural bodybuilders, since it stimulates muscle size increases through a non-androgne-based pathway, avoiding prohibitions around certain steroid and androgen hormone precursors, like DHEA [2]. 

Athletes looking to gain muscle while shedding fat. Dropping fat mass while building muscle is incredibly tough–many of the usual strategies, like running a caloric deficit, have inhibitory effects on muscle gains.

The converse is also true: bulking supplements help increase muscle size, but also make you put on body fat. Turkesterone is great for gaining muscle while cutting, since muscle synthesis is directly stimulated through a cell signaling pathway.  

Q: Where does turkesterone come from? 

A: Turkesterone is the most prominent of the compounds found in the extract of the Ajuga Turkestanica plant, which grows in mountainous regions in Uzbekistan.

It’s long been used in that region as a folk remedy for boosting strength and treating chronic illness, but it’s recently gained traction among athletes thanks to emerging evidence that turkesterone and other compounds in A. Turkestanica are able to stimulate muscle strength gains without relying on androgen steroid pathways. 

Q: How is turkesterone different from 20-hydroxyecdysone?

A: Turkesterone and 20-hydroxyecdysone are both examples of phytoecdysteroids, which are a category of plant compounds that are used as an anti-insect defense by the A. Turkestanica plant.

The biochemistry of these compounds happens to stimulate cellular signaling pathways in mammals that control muscle growth and synthesis.

Most research so far has focused either on raw Ajuga Turkestanica extract, which contains both, or purified turkesterone.

But the ratio of turkesterone to 20-hydroxyecdysone in most supplements is nearly 1:1 anyways, since turkesterone is usually delivered as a raw A. Turkestanica extract, so unless you go with a turkesterone-only supplement, you’ll be getting both of these compounds in your supplement [3].

Q: Is turkesterone the best phytoecdysteroid?

A: Turkesterone is certainly the most promising phytoecdysteroid, based on preliminary research, but there’s good reason to believe that other compounds found in Ajuga Turkestanica are active in stimulating muscle synthesis as well.

One scientific article found over a dozen different minor phytoecdysteroids in the A. Turkestanica plant, each of which could have supplemental benefits [4].

The good news is that if you get an Ajuga Turkestanica-based turkesterone supplement, it’s going to have the other trace ecdysteroids as well, so you should get their ancillary benefits too.

Q: Is turkesterone a steroid?

A: Though the category of compounds that turkesterone belongs to is called “phytoecdysteroids,” turkesterone does not stimulate muscle growth through the same cellular signaling pathways as traditional anabolic steroids.

Instead, research indicates that it potentiates a strong increase in muscle size, while having no effect on androgen activity in the body [5].

Q: Is turkesterone useful for anything other than muscle gains?

A: Turkesterone has a long history of application in herbal medicine, and though improving muscle strength is one of these applications, it’s far from the only one.

Turkesterone has also been used for its antioxidant, immunity-boosting, and blood sugar controlling properties, according to one scientific article [6].

Our research team is on the lookout for new studies on the horizon that further investigate the potential to use turkesterone for controlling blood sugar, reducing inflammation in the body, and increasing levels of antioxidants in the body.  

Q: When should you take turkesterone? 

A: Based on very early research, it appears that it’s best to take turkesterone twice per day (morning and evening) to maintain optimal levels of turkesterone in your body. 

Here’s why: Direct studies comparing turkesterone dosing strategies are still forthcoming, but it’s possible to get some idea of the optimal strategy by looking at the rate of elimination of turkesterone and other ecdysteroids in the body. 

One study pegged the elimination half-life of 20-hydroxyecdysone at nine hours, meaning if you take a 500 mg dose of A. Turkestanica in the morning, only 25% of it remains in your body 18 hours later [7].

These numbers suggest once per day would not be optimal, as your body would quickly eliminate the ecdysteroids from your body. A twice-daily dose should ensure that your body has high levels of turkesterone around the clock to stimulate muscle growth.

Q: What is turkesterone made of? 

A: Turkesterone itself is a single molecule—it’s synthesized in the Ajuga Turkestanica plant to ward off insects, and belongs to a category of related herbal compounds called ecdysteroids (or phytoecdysteroids) that appear to have muscle-building effects in humans. 

Most turkesterone supplements are made from extracts of the A. Turkestanica plant itself–the whole plant is ground up and soaked in hot water, alcohol, or another solvent, which is later evaporated.

High-quality turkesterone supplements, like the ones in our rankings, then standardized this extract so it contains a known concentration of turkesterone, since different plants can contain different amounts of turkesterone.

Turkesterone is one of the most exciting new supplements for strength and muscle size gains. It’s shown some impressive results in preliminary scientific research–especially because it acts on a different cellular signaling pathway than traditional anabolic steroids.

These findings suggest that turkesterone could be an excellent supplement for increasing muscle strength and size, without the adverse effects that can come from anabolic steroids or their supplement precursors. 

For BodyNutrition’s #1 turkesterone recommendation, click here.

The post Ranking the best turkesterone of 2023 appeared first on Body Nutrition.

BCAAs are a simple but essential nutrient. These three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are key building blocks for muscle. For that reason, it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that BCAAs are great both for building strength and repairing muscle damage after a tough workout.

However, BCAAs can do more: they’re useful for weight loss as well, because they exert both thermogenic and satiety-inducing effects.

Thanks to their powerful effects in a low-calorie package, BCAAs are very popular with women, both among serious athletes and women just looking to shed some excess body fat. Here are the key benefits you can gain by incorporating BCAAs into your supplementation routine.

Though BCAA supplements are usually something that’s associated with weight-lifting enthusiasts, they have benefits that extend across to all categories of fitness.

Of the nine , three have a special type of structure which gives them the designation of “branched chain amino acids,” or BCAAs. These three amino (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) have solid scientific evidence supporting their use for everything from mental performance to liver disease to recovery from surgery.

A 1991 article in the European Journal of Applied Physiology details how BCAAs can improve performance during long cardio sessions (1).

In two different experiments, the researchers showed that runners in an 18-mile cross country race and runners in a marathon improved both their physical performance and mental acuity after completing the race while taking BCAAs.

The branched chain amino acid supplement enabling the runners to function better both physically and mentally during high-demand exercise.

Other research shows that branched chain amino acids are a key component for triggering your body to synthesize greater amounts of muscle proteins–the building blocks of greater muscular strength (2).

The authors demonstrate that the presence of leucine, just one of the three branched chain amino acids, is not sufficient–all three need to be present for optimal muscular strength gain benefits.

The findings of this study also suggest that BCAAs might help improve muscle recovery and prevent muscle damage during a tough workout.

This was exactly the finding of a 2012 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (3).

The study used twelve men who were randomly assigned either a BCAA supplement or a placebo and were tasked with completing a set of 100 drop-jumps to induce soreness.

The researchers found that, in the days following the soreness-inducing protocol, those who were taking the branched chain amino acid supplement maintained a greater proportion of their initial strength and reported less delayed-onset muscle soreness.

According to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois, insulin regulation is modulated by the BCAA leucine.

Since your insulin levels dictate how well your body burns sugars and carbohydrates for energy, the researchers suggest that increased levels of leucine could decrease insulin resistance and stabilize blood glucose levels during periods where your carbohydrate intake is low (as it probably will be if you are losing weight) (4).

While direct experimental trials on BCAAs as a weight loss supplement haven’t been conducted, it might prove to be a useful adjunct to your weight loss routine, especially in conjunction with exercise.

Research published in the Journal of Nutrition detailed several pieces of evidence supporting the idea that higher branched chain amino acid levels are good for immune function (5).

The paper notes that immune cells use BCAAs as a part of their cellular structure, and also cites studies on post-surgical patients which connect BCAA supplementation with improved immune function.

Could a BCAA supplement help you stay healthy? It looks like a very real possibility.

If you’re an avid hiker, backpacker, or mountain climber, you know that exposure to high altitudes can take a real toll on your body.

Periods of several days at high altitude, particularly when accompanied by the kind of physical exertion that you get when you are hiking, backpacking, or climbing, can spur your body to absorb muscle tissue, leading to decreases in muscle strength.

A study published by researchers in Italy and Switzerland showed that BCAA supplementation could help prevent some of these changes (6).

The researchers found that a group of hikers taking BCAAs experienced a smaller loss in muscle strength and muscular cross-sectional area compared to subjects taking a placebo. Thanks to these results, you might want to pack a BCAA supplement for your next hiking, skiing, or backpacking trip, if it’s going to take you to high elevations.

BCAAs have a great safety profile. Since they are a natural component of many different foods, branched chain amino acids have an excellent safety profile.

You’re no more likely to suffer negative effects from branched chain amino acid intake than you are from chicken, egg, or fish intake (given that these foods are high in BCAA content).

Watch out for other ingredients that are sometimes included in BCAA supplements. The only thing you should watch out for is your intake of any other ingredients in your BCAA supplement.

Some contain other supplements, like beta alanine, which can cause side effects like tingling and flushing when their dosage exceeds a certain threshold.

In this case, you’ll have to check your ingredients list closely, and if you are having trouble with side effects, opt for a branched chain amino acid supplement that has a cleaner and simpler design.

For most women, 5-10 grams per day is ideal. In research studies, the typical dose of a branched chain amino acid supplement ranges from five grams per day to ten grams per day.

Sometimes, studies will scale this according to body weight, so that heavier participants in a study will receive a greater amount of BCAAs to account for their greater mass.

2:1:1 ratio for leucine:isoleucine:valine. As far as the optimal ratio of the three branched chain amino acids relative to each other, the best evidence supports a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine to valine. This was derived mostly from clinical experience treating patients with liver disease, and was later tested in bodybuilders (7).

Still, it’s an extremely difficult topic to research, and small deviations from this ratio (e.g. 3:2:1) are not likely to make a big difference as long as your overall intake of BCAAs is high enough.

The real key is to ensure your overall dosage is high, and to make sure you are getting a reasonable amount of each of the three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Q: Should women who want to tone up and lose weight take BCAAs?

A: Yes, BCAAs are great for both toning up and losing weight. Supplementation with branched chain amino acids is a great way to decrease your appetite and increase your energy expenditure, which provides a two-pronged approach for losing weight.

At the same time, branched chain amino acids are great for toning up, as they have been proven to help repair muscle and increase muscular strength.

The lower total protein content and the focus on only branched chain amino acids, versus protein overall, will help make sure that you don’t bulk up too much, as you might if you were taking a standard protein powder for women or a mass gainer.

Q: Should you drink your BCAAs before or after a workout?

A: The precise timing of BCAA supplementation depends on your goals.

Do you want to reduce muscular damage and soreness during your workout? In this case, research suggests that you should take a BCAA supplement before working out—anywhere from an hour before to right before.

On the flip side, if your goal is to optimize your strength gains, some muscle damage during the workout is desirable. If that’s your goal, take your BCAA supplement within 30 minutes after finishing your workout.

This will allow your muscles to get the stimulus they need during your workout, but also supply them with the building blocks they need to repair themselves afterwards.

Q: How much BCAAs is too much for women?

A: Since BCAA supplements have been repeatedly demonstrated to be safe, even in fairly high doses, the issue of taking “too much” of a BCAA supplement is less about safety and more about diminishing returns in terms of efficacy.

On the scientific research front, there aren’t any studies that support doses of more than ten grams of BCAAs per day.

Beyond that threshold, you’ve quite likely ventured into diminishing or nonexistent return territory. This means that you are just going through your BCAA supplement supply faster, without any additional benefits. Most of the research points to a dose more along the lines of five to ten grams of BCAAs per day, whether they come in pill or capsule form.

Q: How should women use BCAA pills?

A: Dosing with BCAA is pretty straightforward: for optimal performance results, you should shoot for enough BCAA pills for five to ten grams per day.

In capsule form, you don’t need to worry much about delivery; you can just take the capsules with a glass of water.

Spreading your dosage out for the day tends to deliver a more even dosage, but if you are looking for workout benefits, you should be taking your BCAAs right before, or right after your workout.

This is in contrast with taking BCAAs for weight loss, where you want to take a solid dosage in the morning, afternoon, and evening to best leverage the appetite suppressant and thermogenic effects of BCAA pills for women.

Q: Are BCAAs safe for women?

A: BCAAs are found naturally in foods like milk, beef, eggs, chicken, and lima beans, so a BCAA supplement poses no more risk than any of these foods.

BCAAs have been successfully used in health, performance, and medical research without any reports of adverse effects attributed to BCAA supplementation.

Q: How do BCAAs work?

A: Branched chain amino acids promote thermogenesis through energy that needs to be expended to break down the chemical bonds that keep them together.

Additionally, BCAAs promote better control of insulin levels, because leucine, isoleucine, and valine are uniquely involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels in your body.

BCAAs also play an important role in muscle tissue synthesis and repair, which is why there is a large amount of research focused on using BCAAs to promote athletic gains following a workout.

Q: Can BCAAs for women give you more energy?

A: BCAAs are common ingredients in energy drinks, but their direct energy benefits when taken alone are less well-studied.

Amino acids aren’t usually the first choice when it comes to providing energy, because they don’t have a direct stimulus effect on your body like caffeine does.

Nevertheless, BCAAs can be a good add-on for women who want to stabilize their energy levels, on top of a shake or smoothie with more traditional energizing ingredients like matcha or ginseng.

Related: Our best picks for BCAAs for women

BCAAs are a simple but effective way to get a broad range of benefits: better cardio workouts, improved muscle strength and recovery, and even better immunity and metabolic function.

They’ve got an excellent safety profile, so they’re a solid addition to your pre or post-workout supplementation routine.

The post 7 wide-ranging benefits of BCAAs for women appeared first on Body Nutrition.

Nitric oxide is a deceptively simple molecule that plays a critical role in regulating blood flow in your body. While you can’t consume nitric oxide directly, you can take supplements that increase its production inside your body.

Supplements that increase your nitric oxide levels can help improve your exercise performance, increase your strength, and even fight erectile dysfunction while boosting sexual performance.

If this is what you are looking for, check out our rankings of the best nitric oxide boosting supplements on the market.

Last updated: January 11, 2023
Nitric oxide supplements considered: 28
Hours of research: 45
Experts reviewed: 10
Scientific papers referenced: 17

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The blend of supplements from Zhou Nutrition in NO Pro takes advantage of the nitric oxide boosting properties of L-arginine, L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, and L-citrulline alongside beet root powder, which is a fairly newly discovered but highly effective nitric oxide booster.

It’s the presence of this final ingredient that pushes NO Pro to the top of the stack. It’s one of the best in both amino acid based and plant extract based nitric oxide production. Plus, with its vegetable cellulose capsule, even hardcore vegans will love it.

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Jacked Factory N.O. XT is mainly centered around the amino acid L-citrulline. Present at a whopping 1.5 grams per serving, this is definitely the key ingredient in this supplement.

You’ll also find a proprietary arginine compound called Nitrosigine and L-glutathione, as well as Bioperine, a proprietary black pepper extract.

The inclusion of Bioperine is typically done to boost absorption of certain biologically active compounds, which further underscores N.O. XT’s reliance on a heavy dose of amino acids for its nitric oxide boosting properties. If this is the angle you want to take, it’s a pretty good product.

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Unlike most nitric oxide supplements, Evlution Nutrition Pump Mode comes in a powder form in a tub. You can mix it in with your pre-workout shake or just drink it in a glass of water.

The focus of this supplement is not just nitric oxide levels; it also includes glycerol to increase water retention and improve your “pump,” or feeling of muscle fullness after lifting. Pump Mode ditches the amino acids entirely, going instead for betaine nitrate, a relative newcomer to nitric oxide boosting supplements.

As with many of its other products, Evlution is on the cutting edge of supplement development. If you are willing to take a risk, it might be just what you need. People looking for a more established and reliable nitric oxide booster might want to look elsewhere, though.

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Cellucor’s nitric oxide booster is mostly amino-acid based, but it includes a few curious ingredients you won’t find in most other supplements.

It’s got vitamin C and grape seed extract, which aren’t as clearly connected with higher nitric oxide levels as the other ingredients, but the company claims these are related to higher levels of antioxidants.

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SilverOnyx Nitric Oxide is designed for athletes: it uses a blend of two forms each of arginine and citrulline to boost nitric oxide performance, while providing beta alanine for more anaerobic power during intense gym sessions. The dosage isn’t quite up to some of its competitors, which lands it further down in the rankings. 

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PrimeLife is a capsule-based nitric oxide supplement that’s more targeted at overall wellness and heart health, rather than athletic performance.

It uses boot root powder, potassium, watermelon seed powder, and hawthorn leaf extract in combination to improve circulation and heart health. While it’s a more niche application, it’s nevertheless useful for some people.

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Snap Nitric Oxide Booster is very popular, and includes several high-quality ingredients that are known to boost nitric oxide levels. So why is it so low in our rankings?

All of these ingredients are wrapped up in a proprietary blend that makes it hard to compare the contents with other supplements and hard to know if you’re getting what you need to boost nitric oxide levels optimally.

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Nitro Surge exists solidly in the pre-workout camp: it has a high dose of nitric oxide-boosting agents, such as L-citrulline, but also includes other workout enhancers like caffeine, betaine, and beta-alanine.

Because it’s designed for just one purpose (workout performance), it isn’t nearly as versatile as many of the other nitric oxide supplements out there.

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Fuel makes a 1:1 blend of highly purified L-arginine and L-citrulline that’s a solid supplement if you are looking for a powder-based nitric oxide booster.

The two main downsides are the lack of the powerful nitric oxide boosters in beets, and a slightly bloated ingredients list with a bit more binders and stabilizers than we’d prefer. Still, if you don’t mind these shortcomings, it’s a good option.

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Force Factor’s Volcano Nitric Oxide Booster r is a powerful nitric oxide supplement based around L-Citrulline, a natural nitric oxide booster. It improves blood flow, promotes strength, builds endurance, and increases recovery time.

Along with L-Citrulline, this supplement uses vitamin B6 in conjunction with their proprietary Nitric Oxide Muscle Matrix blend.

Good product but the blend does not give you the same pure nitric oxide as some others on this list.

Best nitric oxide supplement overall: Zhou Nutrition NO Pro

Zhou nutrition makes a great multi-ingredient nitric oxide booster based on multiple forms of L-arginine and other amino acids. It’s a fantastic all-natural and all-purpose supplement for raising your nitric oxide levels. 

Best nitric oxide supplement for endurance: Zhou Nutrition NO Pro

For endurance athletes, beet root extract is a critical component of improving aerobic performance via higher nitric oxide levels. Zhou Nutrition provides a high dose of beet extract alongside other nitric oxide boosters, making it the perfect choice for runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes. 

Best nitric oxide supplement for sexual performance: Jacked Factory N.O XT

Jacked Factory provides L-arginine alongside L-citrulline and L-glutathione, to boost blood flow and energy levels for optimal sexual performance and libido levels. This three-pronged approach is the best option if you’re looking for better performance in the bedroom.

Best nitric oxide supplement for strength training: Evlution Nutrition Pump Mode

If raw strength is your focus, go for Evlution. Its arginine-focused formulation is a great solution for enhancing blood flow to muscles during intense lifting sessions, as well as for boosting muscle synthesis after a gym session.

Best nitric oxide for heart health: Zhou Nutrition NO Pro

If you want a good shot at better control of your blood lipids, blood pressure, and metabolism, Zhou Nutrition offers a broad-spectrum approach to boosting nitric oxide with beet root, L-arginine, and L-citrulline, among others, to increase your body’s endogenous production of nitric oxide.

Best nitric oxide for bodybuilding: Evlution Nutrition Pump Mode

To build muscle mass and muscle definition at the same time, Evlution Nutrition Pump Mode includes nitric oxide boosters and glycerol to enhance your post-workout pump. For strength and aesthetics, Evlution is the way to go.

Nitric oxide supplements serve three primary functions, and are of interest to three main groups.

Athletes who want to boost endurance and strength. The first is as an exercise performance enhancer—both endurance performance and resistance exercise seem to be related to nitric oxide levels in your muscles. Nitric oxide helps increase blood flow, which leads to an increase in oxygen efficiency.

While the evidence supporting endurance exercise is stronger than the evidence supporting resistance exercise, there are still physiological reasons to believe that nitric oxide will improve your weight lifting performance as well. Because of these, you’ll find nitric oxide-boosting ingredients in many pre-workout supplements.

Men who want to improve their erectile function. Nitric oxide’s ability to increase blood flow means that it plays a critical role in male sexual function.

Though erectile dysfunction may seem far afield of the task of improving cycling or lifting performance, the biological mechanisms are actually closely connected: erectile function is a matter of blood flow, and since nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator, it can boost erectile function. 

 Clinical evidence suggests that up to one in three men with erectile dysfunction could benefit from a nitric oxide supplement, and it’s no surprise that nitrate-boosting ingredients like citrulline and L-arginine show up all the time in male enhancement pills and testosterone boosters.

People who want to lower certain risk factors for heart disease. The vasodilating properties of nitric oxide supplements have also been investigated for their ability to lower cardiovascular disease risk.

As with the other two applications of nitric oxide, blood flow is at the core of this application too: vasodilation means lower blood pressure, which could reduce heart disease risk.

Nitric oxide supplements are a pretty broad category, and many individual ingredients, like citrulline or arginine, can plausibly function on their own to boost nitric oxide levels. So, we formulated a set of comprehensive and holistic criteria to rate nitric oxide supplements:

Focused on raising nitric oxide levels. We required the supplements that made our list to be explicitly focused on boosting nitric oxide levels, and had to use multiple different supplemental ingredients to accomplish their goal.

At least two proven NO boosters in the ingredients. If a nitric oxide supplement didn’t include at least two different supplemental compounds with scientific evidence supporting a nitrate-boosting effect, like beet root powder, citrulline, L-arginine, we dropped it from our rankings.

Careful and effective dosages of key ingredients. We also checked to see if the ingredients were delivered at an appropriate dosage, in keeping with what’s been used in the scientific literature.

Many supplements didn’t make the cut here, either because they didn’t deliver an adequate dosage, or because their ingredient dosages were obscured in a proprietary blend, making it nearly impossible to assess how effective the supplement would be.

Light on binders, stabilizers, and fillers. In keeping with our overall philosophy on supplement design, we rewarded products that used a clean, simplistic ingredient design, without binders, fillers, or coloring agents. Cellulose capsules also got a few extra points too.

Cutting-edge formulations. Finally, we kept an eye out for products which were on the cutting edge when it comes to new and innovative ways to increase nitric oxide levels.

Jacked Factory N.O XT, with several traditional sources of nitric oxide boosters plus the Nitrosigine, is one example of a supplement that scored highly because of its innovation.

Zhou Nutrition NO Pro is another, which demonstrated its nutritional prowess by including two separate forms of L-arginine, plus beet root powder for excellent nitrate boosting properties.

Q: Do nitric oxide supplements work for ED (erectile dysfunction)?

A: Not every case of erectile dysfunction can be treated with nitric oxide, but research does suggest that up to one in three men with erectile problems might benefit from a supplement that boosts nitric oxide.

Because healthy erectile function depends critically on your body’s ability to modulate blood flow, nitric oxide function is essential for men’s sexual health.

As such, increasing nitric oxide levels can enable proper sexual function. However, erectile dysfunction can have many different causes, not all of which are linked to nitric oxide.

So, if a nitric oxide supplement isn’t working for you, definitely talk to your doctor about other options—a completely separate biological pathway may well be contributing to your problem with ED.

Q: What is nitric oxide?

A: Technically speaking, nitric oxide is just a super-simple molecule that’s made out of a nitrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom. Its role inside your body, though, is far more interesting. Nitric oxide functions as a key part of critical cellular signaling pathways that

Q: How can you increase nitric oxide without L-arginine?

A: Citrulline is another amino acid that is closely linked to nitric oxide production inside your body.

Supplementation with citrulline or a citrulline-based nitric oxide supplement has been shown to be effective at increasing your body’s nitric oxide levels.

Another potential solution is powdered or juiced beets.

Beets are rich in nitrates, and several studies have found that beet root powder or beet juice can increase nitric oxide levels substantially, leading to improvements in athletic performance, better sexual function, and improve risk factors for heart disease.

Some nitric oxide supplements also use herbal extracts like pine bark extract to nitric oxide without L-arginine, but these ingredients are less well-researched than citrulline and beet extract or beet juice.

Q: What is nitric oxide used for?

A: Nitric oxide has three primary applications as a supplement:

Boosting athletic performance. By increasing blood flow to your muscles, the oxygenation of your muscular tissue increases when your nitric oxide levels are higher.

As a result, endurance and strength performance increases, though the increases in endurance performance are more reliable than the increase in strength performance.

Better sexual function for men. The increases in blood flow that are connected to increased nitric oxide can also be linked to better sexual function.

Up to one in three men with erectile dysfunction might be able to benefit from a nitric oxide boosting supplement, which suggests that low production of nitric oxide plays a major role in many forms of sexual dysfunction in men.

Reducing heart disease risk factors. Finally, the vasodilating properties of nitric oxide might be a useful way to reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure. While the scientific evidence for this last use of nitric oxide is still emerging, a few studies have shown substantial promise.

Q: How does nitric oxide create vasodilation?

A: Nitric oxide is generated inside the body and acts on smooth muscle cells, which are the muscles that control the constriction or relaxation of your blood vessels.

When these smooth muscles relax because of the presence of increased levels of nitric oxide, your blood vessels are less constricted.

This leads to decreased blood pressure, because the walls of the blood vessels are not so rigid, and this effect is accompanied by better tissue oxygenation because of the increased ability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to your tissues.

Both the physical and sexual performance enhancing effects of nitric oxide can be attributed to its ability to trigger smooth muscle relaxation and therefore vasodilation.

The role of supplements in increasing your nitric oxide levels is one of the most exciting frontiers in nutrition research.

Simple sources of nitrate like beetroot and L-arginine could help improve endurance, increase your strength, and fight erectile dysfunction.

For optimal results, you should have a source of nitrates, like beetroot powder, as well as a source of L-arginine and L-citrulline, because these work in parallel through two different mechanisms to generate nitric oxide inside your body.

For BodyNutrition‘s #1 nitric oxide recommendation, click here.

The post Ranking the best nitric oxide supplements of 2023 appeared first on Body Nutrition.

This post was sponsored by CocoaViaTM. All opinions are my own.

Many folks are concerned more than ever about brain health. According to Consumer Reports, 34% of Americans say they’ve noticed signs of forgetfulness significant enough to worry about them. In addition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine adults report experiencing subjective cognitive decline (e.g., confusion, memory loss).  With Brain Health Month upon us, below you’ll find 5 recommendations to help build a brain health routine.

 #1: Plan breakfast daily: A healthy brain starts with a healthy body and to do so, you need to start your day with a healthy breakfast. The first meal you have during the day (AKA breakfast) is certainly an important one, especially with the hustle and bustle that goes on every day. Pre-planning your breakfast and having the ingredients ready help keep you on track with a nutritious start to your day. Below are 3 healthy breakfast options to try:

Photo courtesy of Gail Watson Photography

#2: Incorporate fatty fish into your diet: Fatty fish including salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a major building block of the brain. Omega-3 fats can help sharpen memory, improve mood, and keep cognitive performance at its best. Some of my favorite omega-3 fish recipes include Sheet Pan Chili-Lime Salmon and Tuna Nicoise Salad.

Photo courtesy of Ashely Lima

#3: Include turmeric in your healthy diet: Research has shown that curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric, is associated with better cognitive performance. One published cross-sectional study of older individuals found that participants who ‘occasionally’ and ‘often or very often’ consumed curry (which contains turmeric) had high scores on a mental exam compared to individuals who ‘never or rarely’ consumed curry. Turmeric is a beautiful yellow spice that I love adding to this Pineapple Turmeric Smoothie and using in my Cauliflower-Turmeric Soup.

#4: Make cocoa flavanols part of your healthy diet: Backed by over 20 years of research, dietary supplement CocoaVia Memory+ contains 750mg of cocoa flavanols and is proven to improve memory and brain function in as little as 8 weeks. It can help improve 3 types of memory including word recall (+31%), spatial memory (+24%) and long-term memory (+14%). As flavanol levels can vary greatly and are not labelled in cocoa-based foods, a daily cocoa flavanol supplement, like CocoaVia Memory+ is an easy way to incorporate cocoa flavanols into your diet.

And now, I’m also excited to announce a new addition to the CocoaVia brain health portfolio – introducing, CocoaVia Memory and Focus capsules. This unique proprietary plant-based formula is designed with Cocoapro+ proprietary botanical blend, which includes clinically-proven lutein and 50mg of naturally-sourced caffeine, all in one powerful capsule to help keep you focused, boost memory, and promote brain function.

#5: Get your exercise: A 2021 published study found that aerobic exercise can help improve cerebrovascular function and cognition. Aerobic exercise is defined as exercise done “with oxygen,” which means that breathing controls the amount of oxygen that makes it to the muscles to help them burn fuel and get you moving. Examples of aerobic exercise include swimming, biking, walking, rowing, tennis, running, and jumping rope. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 to 7 days a week.

Give CocoaVia a try today! Use code TOBY20 code to take 20% off.

The post 5 Ways to Boost Brain Health first appeared on Toby Amidor Nutrition.

I am thrilled to announce the release of my ninth cookbook, Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook: 100 Delicious Plate Method Recipes on April 30, 2022.

This cookbook presents and explains the popular Diabetes Plate Method with 100 delicious recipes, and 5 different meal plans that range in complexity for beginners to experienced meal preppers. Specific food safety concerns are outlined for people with diabetes along with helpful shopping, cooking or ingredient substitution tips, and all recipes contain nutritional information and step-by-step guidance for creating multiple dishes at one time.

You’ll also find that I have created recipes for every meal of the day, including snacks. Meal plans include grocery lists and nutritional information for each individual-serving meal prep container. At-a-glance icons show which recipes are freezer-friendly, one-pot, 30 minutes or less, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free or a complete plate in one dish.

Photo courtesy of Ashely Lima

Recipes include:

–Fruit and Nut Breakfast Cookies
–Eggs with Spinach and Beans
–Sheet Pan Chili-Lime Salmon (pictured above)
–Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
–Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin

You can pre-order the cookbook on  Amazon. If you would like an interview please contact me here.
Stay tuned for a sneak peek into the recipes of my latest cookbook…coming soon on my website!

The post My New Cookbook: Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook first appeared on Toby Amidor Nutrition.

Today is day 30 of National Nutrition Month and my series of “31 Days of Global Flavors.” Throughout the month I have been highlighting dietitians and the global foods and flavors they love. Today is the day to celebrate pineapple.

Pineapple

For centuries, the pineapple was used to symbolize hospitality. Christopher Columbus introduced the fruit, which is native to Central and South America, to Europe after he discovered them in the Caribbean. Today, Hawaii is the leading producer of pineapple.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Lima

I love using pineapple in a variety of dishes to add a sweet-tart flavor.  You can enjoy it slices or cubed, or you can add it to sweet or savory dishes. Here are several of my favorite ways to use pineapple in the kitchen:

—Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND of Toby Amidor Nutrition, PC

The post 31 Days of Global Flavors: Day 30 first appeared on Toby Amidor Nutrition.

For day 28 of my “31 of Global Flavors” series, dietitian and friend Christy Wilson talks about her love for mangos!

Mangos

Photo courtesy of Christy WIlson

The post 31 Days of Global Flavors for National Nutrition Month: Day 28 first appeared on Toby Amidor Nutrition.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Altman-Traub

The post 31 Days of Global Flavors for National Nutrition Month: Day 26 first appeared on Toby Amidor Nutrition.

Categories: Mental Health, Ketogenic Diet, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Diets & Diseases, Brain Health

In this pioneering study of the ketogenic diet, all patients improved and most were discharged on less medication.

Categories: Mental Health, Diets & Diseases, Brain Health, Other Health Conditions

Treatment and recovery from anorexia is possible using surprisingly logical nutrient-based strategies.

Categories: Diets & Diseases

Understand how nutritional epidemiological studies are performed and why they perpetuate confusion about the relationship between food and health.

Categories: Paleo / Whole Foods Diet

If you are living with a mental health problem of any kind, adopting a paleo diet is an excellent place to start for just about everyone.

Categories: Mental Health, ADHD, Ketogenic Diet, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Diets & Diseases, Alzheimer’s Disease, Insulin Resistance, Anxiety, Brain Health

Ketogenic diets can have profound effects on mental health. Learn how with these videos, podcasts, and professional services resources.

Categories: Mental Health, Ketogenic Diet, Alzheimer’s Disease, Insulin Resistance, Brain Health

The metabolic similarities underlying Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease offer hope for lifestyle interventions as potential treatment and prevention.

Categories: Carnivore Diet

Watch my presentation from the Boulder Carnivore conference exploring the nutritional differences between plant and animal foods and the scientific arguments that support all-meat diets for optimal brain health.

Categories: Mental Health, Foods, Plant-based Diet, Fat, Brain Health

A candid conversation with the tragically misunderstood and oft-feared omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid. Learn the needs this nutrient fills and how to ensure you get enough of it.

Categories: Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, Carbohydrates, Other Health Conditions

Is your New Year’s resolution to get healthier? The good news is that no matter what approach you choose, you can use this simple, magical, in-home tool to stay motivated and track your progress in real time.

Categories: Mental Health, Dairy, Alzheimer’s Disease, Protein, Brain Health, Carbohydrates

A new study claims a low-protein, high-carb diet may help ward off dementia, despite a growing body of clinical evidence suggesting that low-carb diets can be helpful for brain problems.

This amazing Herb Tahini Dressing will add so much flavor to your next salad or grain bowl.

Our core belief here is that balanced eating should be both nutrient-dense and delicious-dense!

One of the unique elements in our Foundational Five system for creating balanced meals is the Flavor Factor, which is all about adding ingredients that help make your meal taste delicious and even more nutritious, including sauces, dressings, spices, and herbs.

Made with tahini, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, chives, and dill, this Herb Tahini Dressing will turn into a staple dressing for all of your spring and summer salads.

Make this Flavor Factor recipe on your batch cooking day and you’ll be able to enjoy it in a variety of ways throughout the week! 

In case you’re new to the NS Community and the Mindful Nutrition Method, the Foundational Five system is part of how we teach you to build balanced meals. It makes it easy for you to give your body the nourishment you need while having the flexibility to enjoy the foods you love without stressing about food.

The Foundational Five is made up of five elements of nutrition including Protein, Fat, Non-starchy Carbohydrates, starchy & Sugary Carbohydrates, and the Flavor Factor (which brings vibrancy, deliciousness, and enjoyment to your meals). 

You can download our free guide that walks you through our Foundational Five system for creating balanced meals that you can use to meal prep or cook fresh this week!

First, simply gather your ingredients. Next, add them to a food processor or blender and blend until you’ve reached your desired, creamy texture! 

Here are a couple of tips you should keep in mind that will help you easily store and make the most out of this Herb Tahini Dressing. 

Utilizing air-tight glass swing bottles for storage will keep your dressing tasting fresh and delicious for up to a week. Plus, their pour-friendly tops make it easy to mix into any salad, grain bowl, or stir fry!  

Want this dressing to last you all week long for many delicious salads and balanced meals? Then just double or triple the recipe amount to fill up a glass jar to coast you through many balanced salads.

This dressing is a great source of flavor factors and fat, meaning it will add a boost of enjoyment and satiety to any meal!

To help round it out and make a Foundational Five meal, be sure to add it to a bowl, dish, or plate that has your other Foundational Five components (protein, starchy or sugary carbohydrates, and non-starchy carbohydrate). 

Salads and grain bowls are particularly easy ways to incorporate all of these ingredients! 

When stored in an air-tight glass container, you can use this dressing for up to two weeks. 

The post Herb Tahini Dressing appeared first on Nutrition Stripped®.

Do your current eating habits make you want to change your relationship with food? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn 5 steps you can take to heal your relationship with food.

Our life experiences shape our current relationships with food. Maybe you picked up some habits from your parents, guardians, or siblings. Or, maybe you developed some of your own tendencies as a result of dieting or even trauma. Over time, our relationships with food evolve and develop into what they are today. 

Sometimes, the relationship we’re left with isn’t necessarily beneficial. Thankfully, this can be changed. By learning about your habits and tendencies, breaking them down, and implementing new ones that embody balance, you can change your relationship with food for good. 

First of all, pat yourself on the back for simply having this revelation and seeking out support. Change is never easy, and the hardest part is simply accepting that it’s necessary. So you’re already off to a great start! 

When embarking on a journey like this, it’s important to set yourself up for success by utilizing self-compassion from the start. Essentially, cut yourself some slack. Just as we previously discussed, our current relationships with food are developed over years, not days. With this in mind, does it make sense to expect to change your relationship with food overnight? Of course not. Go easy on yourself, expect speedbumps, and remember, change takes time. 

Below are the best 5 tips I can give you to heal your relationship with food. They’ll take you through the many facets of your relationship and teach you how to rebuild each and every one of them. Don’t forget to take this slowly. I don’t recommend trying to take all 5 steps at once! Start with one or two, then move on to another when you’re feeling confident. 

Let’s get into it! 

Here at Nutrition Stripped, we believe there are two important aspects of eating well every day: what you eat and how you eat.  The concept of mindful eating is more about how to eat rather than what or how much you are eating. It’s all about putting the focus back on your experience at mealtimes.

Start to experience your food and be present when eating your meals and snacks. Remind yourself that food isn’t a chore, it’s not a job and it’s not a means of exerting control. It’s a way to nourish your physical body, experience or share culture, and so much more. You can learn more about the specific principles of mindful eating here. If you simply follow this one step, before you know it you’ll change your relationship with food.

This is a big one. Just don’t do it. I promise it’s not doing you any good. Diets are meant to keep you coming back, they put you into something I call the diet cycle. It’s the, “on track” vs. “off track” cycle.

As soon as you stop jumping into these trends, you’ll be able to develop consistency. You’ll be able to nourish yourself in a way that works for your unique body, rather than someone else’s. Remember, diet trends are a means of marketing, they’re a business. In order to change your relationship with food, you have to ditch the diet cycle. 

Next up, kick the food rules to the curb. No more eat this and not that, or this is right and this is wrong. Food doesn’t work that way, especially when you want a balanced, positive relationship with food. Food rules are restrictive and controlling. They leave you feeling deprived, stressed, and even ashamed.

If you’re looking to change your relationship with food, you’ll need to leave the food rules behind. If and when you hear yourself abiding by or even reciting a food rule, take a moment to pause. Ask yourself, “Is this a food rule? How can I maintain balance with food without following this rule?”. Over time, you won’t have to pause. You’ll have changed your relationship with food and those rules will no longer serve you. 

We absolutely need both. In order to nurture our physical, mental, and emotional health, both enjoyment and nourishment need to be prioritized. When we say nourishment, we mean foods that physically nourish your body. When we say enjoyment, we mean foods that bring you joy, regardless of their nutritional content. 

If you can ensure the vast majority of your meals and snacks prioritize both of these factors, you’ll be on your way to changing your relationship with food. You won’t feel deprived, and food won’t feel like a chore. Food will become an enjoyable, easeful part of your life!

Try using the Foundational Five system to add both nourishment and enjoyment in an easy way.

In order to prioritize both nourishment and enjoyment regularly, this one’s pretty important. If you constantly feel like you’re eating, “bad” food whenever you eat enjoyment-based foods, you’ll constantly be riddled with guilt and ashamed. Additionally, if you always feel like you, “should” be eating nourishment-based foods, you’re going to feel like food is a chore. 

Take morality out of the equation to change your relationship with food. Start thinking about food as simple nourishment, enjoyment, or a combination of the two. That’s it! At first, this may require you to correct yourself or remind yourself on occasion, but before you know it, this will become your reality. 

Changing your relationship with food is possible. It just takes a few simple steps and some dedication. Anyone can have a positive balanced relationship with food. Sometimes, it just takes a little support! 

Then find your balanced eating type!

Take this 45-second free quiz to find out which balanced eating archetype you are, and what your unique type needs to maintain balance with the way you nourish yourself. That way, you can finally be free from food and diet obsession, maintain a balanced weight, and cultivate a positive relationship with food and your body. 

The post How to Change Your Relationship With Food appeared first on Nutrition Stripped®.

Are you constantly yo-yo dieting? Where you always trying the newest diet or trend? Keep reading to learn how to stop dieting for good.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the diet cycle. They’re satisfying because they allow for little to no ambiguity, and they’re addicting because they give you quick, fast results. But unfortunately, the results never last. As soon as you reach the last day of your diet, you go, “back to normal”, and find yourself right back at square one. 

This constant cycle can be exceptionally frustrating and feel never-ending. But thankfully, it can be stopped with balanced eating.

To learn how to stop dieting, you need to learn sustainable, maintainable habits pertaining to food. You need to ditch the short-term, diet mindset and learn how to find balance. Keep reading to learn how you can get started. 

Take these 5 steps to stop dieting and build a balanced relationship with food. Each step will teach you how to reshape your relationship with food so you no longer need to rely on diets or detoxes. Instead, you’ll have the confidence you need to trust your own eating habits and learn how to stop dieting for good. 

We need a combination of both nourishment and enjoyment in order to sustain and maintain balanced eating habits. When one is prioritized and the other is restricted, we’re left feeling imbalanced and uneasy. Diets rely on an exaggeration of nutrition information. They take one variable in the equation and zoom in, making it appear to be the only variable of importance. 

For example, they may overaccentuate nourishment and completely demonize enjoyment. Will you see results quickly? Absolutely. But will you feel mentally at peace, be able to enjoy all parts of your life, and feel free around food? Absolutely not. 

The same goes for the opposite end of the spectrum. If you decide to ditch diets and begin prioritizing enjoyment over nourishment, the same sentiments will return. You’ll wonder how you ended up so far away from your health and wellness goals, and crave nourishment. This leads to the start-and-stop cycle that diets want you to be in. 

Instead, prioritize both from the start. Incorporate enjoyment in your nourishment, and vice versa. Do so in a way that feels right and natural to you, rather than forced and restrictive. Finding balance is one of the best ways to learn how to stop dieting.  

Food rules and diets go hand in hand. One cannot survive without the other. As soon as you learn to identify and negate food rules, you’re one step closer to leaving the diet cycle behind. Food rules are definitive, exaggerated statements regarding food items. Such as, “I can never eat starchy carbohydrates at night.”, or, “I’m not allowed to have any chocolate in the house.”.

These rules are almost always created with good intentions. They’re geared towards improving habits and leading a healthy lifestyle. But the problem is that they’re restrictive in nature. And they’re usually restricting things you inherently enjoy, want, or need. 

Rules like these are always broken, and they can result in an, “off the bandwagon”, type of feeling. Which as we’ve learned, propels us to try again and start the diet back up on Monday. From now on, remove the rules from food, and you’ll start to feel at ease with balance so you no longer feel compelled to diet. 

In the diet realm, food that is nourishing is considered to be good, whereas food that is enjoyment-based is considered to be bad. In reality, this isn’t the case. Food is simply food. It’s either a source of nourishment, a source of enjoyment, or a combination of both. But this type of balance pulls you away from dieting, which diets don’t want you to do. 

Diets want you to view things through a black-and-white lens. They want you to feel guilty when you don’t do what they tell you to do. This is what keeps you coming back again and again! If you can learn to remove the morality from food, and therefore remove the guilt cycle, you can learn how to stop dieting. 

Consistency is the key to this tip. Your hunger and satiety cues should be the primary tool you use to determine how much you eat and when you eat. Diets, on the other hand, will tell you that there’s a specific, strict schedule you should be following.

Whenever you try to abide by one of these schedules, it eventually stops working. Maybe life gets in the way and you can’t make it work, or maybe you simply can’t deny yourself food any longer. Whatever the cause, you’re then left confused and wondering how much and when you’re supposed to eat.

Instead of following a schedule, tap into your personal cues. What does hunger feel like to you? What about satiety? When do you feel it? How often do you feel it? What does it feel like when you overeat or ignore your hunger cues? The more you get to know your cues and start to abide by them, the closer you are to learn how to stop dieting. 

The newest diet or trend will always sound enticing. It will sound like it’s going to completely change your life and solve all of your problems. It’s marketing! It’s supposed to sound like that! 

If you continue to jump ship and hop on the latest fad diet every time a new one comes out, you’ll never be able to ditch the diet cycle. Instead of continuing on this trajectory, start to become confident in your own capabilities. Lean into evidence-based nutrition, mindful eating, and a balanced relationship with food so you can nourish your body with ease. Once you have this confidence, you’ll never feel compelled to try another diet again. 

Diets are created to keep you coming back and wanting more. They give you a taste of the end result you’re looking for, but then take it away just as quickly. If you follow these 5 steps we’ve just reviewed together, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to stay away from diets for good. 

Then find your balanced eating type!

Take this 45-second free quiz to find out which balanced eating archetype you are, and what your unique type needs to maintain balance with the way you nourish yourself. That way, you can finally be free from food and diet obsession, have peace with food, maintain a balanced weight, and cultivate a positive relationship with food and your body. 

The post How To Stop Dieting appeared first on Nutrition Stripped®.

Has food become all-consuming, where you spend most of your day thinking about it?

Before joining the Mindful Nutrition Method, Pippa struggled to implement all of the knowledge that she had about nutrition into her life. She said this made her feel like a failure and that she lacked self-discipline, leading her to feel worthless.

As she searched for some way of eating that would stick for her, she found herself in the start-and-stop cycle, always looking for the next food rule she could try that might work.

This took a big toll on her relationship with food. After working through the program, she realized that she had all of this information about nutrition, but she struggled to implement it into her life because she didn’t have the tools, practices, or skills to do so.

Now that Pippa was guided on how to integrate her habits into her life through small yet impactful practices and using simple tools, she feels so much freer and lighter that they come so naturally to her.

Watch her story below!

Pippa shared that she struggled to find a balanced and consistent way of nourishing herself for most of her life — since she was a child.

She realized that “I had all of this nutrition knowledge about what I should and shouldn’t be eating, and what were good foods or bad or treats, but I was rarely consistent.

And I think that has a long-term detrimental effect on lots of other elements within your life because it’s unhealthy of engaging with yourself. And I would say most of my adult life, I just didn’t have anyone to help bring all of my knowledge together, and so meal times and food, it has very much been a sort of love/ hate relationship, I would say for many, many years.”

Pippa goes on to share how this made her feel about food, sharing how it impacted her self-worth.

“It sounds really dramatic when I say this, but I think it made me feel worthless…I’m not getting it right means that I’m constantly failing at something. And when you feel like you’re failing at something and not being your best self constantly, it kind of makes you feel you’re out of control or lacking discipline, which is all really negative and really chips away at you and your confidence. That feeling of worthlessness was there for years.”

And Pippa is not alone in feeling this way about food and our relationship with it. 

Pippa tried overcoming this struggle by learning more about nutrition, but it kept her feeling stuck on how to put it into practice.

“I read up about nutrition so I’ve tried to arm myself with the knowledge. And like I said, a moment ago, it’s very well having the knowledge, but putting it into practice and changing some behaviors and what have you, is difficult unless you have something like the MNM, which I think is really what hinges it all together.”

But thankfully, Pippa sought out something different this time around. She decided to break the cycle and create a new, balanced relationship with food for herself.  

In order to get out of information overload, remove the all-or-nothing mentality, and stop stressing about food, you need to discover a new way of thinking about food. You need to discover a new relationship with food. 

This new relationship needs to be unique to you and your needs. It needs to be tailored to your individuality. A balanced relationship like this allows you to tune into your body, feel confident in your own choices, and feel free from the stress of the scale. 

It’s all about finding what works for you, rather than making yourself fit into a diet or plan that someone else swears by. So let’s dive into exactly how Pippa did that!  

One of the primary concepts we focus on inside of the Mindful Nutrition Method is listening to the body’s cues and making food choices that feel empowering, good, and nourishing to you. Students learn to tune into their bodies and trust the messages it’s sending so they can feel confident about the choices they make for themselves.

This helps eliminate that feeling of constantly being stressed about food.

Learning this skill allowed Pippa to look at her needs in a different way.

“It’s been a gradual process, but I think that’s the beauty of it. I genuinely feel more in control and as a result, and I use that word differently. So when I say control, it seems like I’m being strict with myself. I don’t mean that, but I feel like I’m owning my decisions with food and food in the way I’ve not done so before. And I feel as a result, it’s a bit of a … Quite a bit freer, but lighter.”

The check-in practices we teach inside of the program guide you to tune into your body. They allow you to bring awareness to the patterns you have with your eating habits. You then learn how to best align your actions with what works best for you.

This inner knowing makes it much easier to make changes. You’re no longer following what someone else is telling you to do. Instead, you’re using your own self-awareness to feel confident in what allows you to feel your best.

Pippa tapped into using the Mindful Nutrition Method tools including the Foundational Five, meal prep, and of course the mindset work inside the course. 

When she put all these pieces together she gained a new perspective and clarity with her food choices.

“I was floundering in the dark and now I feel like I am much more in the light, much kinder to myself, much more knowledgeable. The [foundational] nutritional five is a bedrock of my nutrition now. It’s such a simple, easy win, and I don’t think I’ve mentioned enough about the actual program, but yeah, to sum up before and now I would say floundering in the dark to feeling empowered and much more literally in the lights right now as a result of being in the Method.”

When asked if she would recommend the Mindful Nutrition Method program to anyone else, she shared: 

“I genuinely don’t think you would find anything that would do this for you other than the Method, because it really is … It’s run by people who genuinely care, there’s some fantastic tips, like the nutritional five, you get to learn how to listen to your body and honor yourself. The stop drop and ask. There’s so many little bits and pieces that you start to use in your daily life that make a massive impact…you just won’t regret it.”

This is such a beautiful transformation from Pippa. We’re so grateful to have been a part of her journey in making all of this possible for her! Now you can also learn these same tools and strategies by first watching the free class. 

You’ll learn about the #1 Habit That Keeps You Struggling With Your Weight and your Relationship With Food — And How To Break Free From The Diet And Food Obsession Starting Now. 

The post How Pippa Overcame an Unhealthy Relationship With Food and Found Peace appeared first on Nutrition Stripped®.

Looking to finally stop emotionally eating? Keep reading to learn 4 easy tips you can implement today. 

Emotions and food are so intertwined. Our feelings impact what we want to eat, what we don’t want to eat, as well as how much we eat. To a certain degree, this is completely normal and completely harmless.

If you’re unable to control yourself when you’re emotional and around food, there are some quick tips you can implement that will significantly reduce these instances. It’s all about awareness, mindfulness, and intentional action. Let’s get into it!

In order to stop emotionally eating, we have to get to know what it really means to emotionally eat. At its core, emotional eating happens when food is used to cope with emotions, as opposed to being used to satisfy hunger. This means you’re using food as a form of comfort, even when you’re not hungry or in need of more energy. It’s often a form of mindless eating. Over time, this can create an imbalanced, confusing relationship with food that includes overeating, binge eating, and restricting.

What we’re not talking about here is when emotions have a slight impact on your food choices. Maybe you have a certain comfort food you enjoy having when you’re sad, or certain foods you like to enjoy when you’re excited. These scenarios don’t call for any intervention, as long as they’re done mindfully, intentionally, and generally in the presence of physical hunger. 

Our goal isn’t to completely separate food from emotion, that’s no fun at all! But instead, ensure your emotions are only impacting your eating habits in a positive, balanced way. By learning how to create this relationship, you can learn to stop emotionally eating.   

Here are my top 4 tips to stop emotionally eating. Start with the first one, then slowly but surely make your way through to implement them all!

This is the most important tip. Emotional eating often takes place when emotions and stressors are left unaddressed. In order to stop emotionally eating, we need to address our emotions as they arise.

Sometimes this is fairly easy. Maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by this week’s workload and you’re finding yourself turning to food for comfort. In this scenario, you really only need to learn how to cope with the temporary stress of work and implement some systems to help you do so. 

Other times, it takes a bit more work. Some emotions are deep-rooted, and may not be easily addressed on your own. In this case, therapy and counseling can work wonders. Working with someone to help cope with emotions can have a significant positive impact on your relationship with food when emotional eating is taking place.

If you address difficult emotions as they arise, and work through deep-rooted emotions from your past, you’ll give yourself the opportunity to stop emotionally eating. 

In order to be proactive about addressing your emotions, it can be really helpful to implement intentional emotional check-ins. It may sound silly, but this type of proactive action makes it much easier to remain mindful on a daily basis. 

If you struggle to identify emotions on the regular, try setting a particular time of day where you take a moment to pause and reflect. Ask yourself questions like, “How do I feel right now?”, “How have I felt today?”, and “What can I do to cope with these emotions?”. Simply bringing awareness to your emotions can make a world of a difference. That way you’re less likely to reach for food mindlessly and unintentionally. Over time, you’ll then be able to stop emotionally eating. 

Emotional eating also takes place when we don’t fully know how to decipher or interpret our hunger and satiety cues. These are the cues our body uses to tell us when we’re hungry and when we’re full. If we don’t understand them, it’s much easier to emotionally eat in the absence of hunger. 

To reacquaint yourself with your hunger and satiety, start by reflecting on it before and after meals. As you’re sitting down to a meal, how do you feel? Do you physically feel hunger? What does it feel like? If not, what does satiety feel like? How do you know that you’re not really hungry?

That way, the next time you’re reaching for food in the absence of hunger in response to an emotion, you can conduct a quick check-in. That quick check-in will soon become a habit, and you’ll be able to stop emotionally eating.

While it is possible to have all heightened emotions cause emotional eating, in my experience, this often isn’t the case. Individuals usually have certain emotional triggers that lead them to emotionally eat. Whether it’s a certain person that makes them feel a certain way, or a particular situation or feeling. 

Take some time to reflect on the instances when you found yourself emotionally eating. Try and think through the common denominators. What kind of emotion were you experiencing? Are there any common environments or people involved in these scenarios? 

Once you’ve identified your possible triggers, you can start to prepare yourself. The next time you find yourself feeling said emotion, you’ll be that much more aware of it and can work to mindfully stop emotionally eating. 

Learning to stop emotional eating takes time, reflection, and mindfulness. Don’t forget to be compassionate with yourself as you’re trying to stop emotionally eating! Remember that you’re only human and change doesn’t take place overnight. 

Then find your balanced eating type!

Take this 45-second free quiz to find out which balanced eating archetype you are, and what your unique type needs to maintain balance with the way you nourish yourself. That way, you can finally be free from food and diet obsession, maintain a balanced weight, and cultivate a positive relationship with food and your body. 

The post How To Stop Emotionally Eating appeared first on Nutrition Stripped®.

This delicious, Greek-inspired Mediterranean Bowl with Edamame and Quinoa is a nourishing one-dish-in-a-bowl meal for lunch or dinner, or the perfect salad accompaniment for a family-sized meal. Packed with nutrients and flavors, this quinoa bowl recipe will soon be your go-to for the week.

Vegan bowl meals, such as this edamame salad recipe, offer a wonderful, easy meal solution. These Mediterranean bowls can be prepared in advance to provide healthful eating on the go. This nourishing plant-based (vegan), gluten-free Mediterranean Bowl with Edamame and Quinoa offers the rich, warm flavors of tomatoes, edamame, olives, onions, quinoa, cucumbers, and greens, all drizzled with a flavorful Mediterranean vinaigrette. Healthy and yummy!

This recipe for Mediterranean Bowl with Edamame and Quinoa features frozen edamame, which is essentially fresh green soybeans. Edamame is a wholesome, versatile food packed with star nutrients. The soybean originated in Southeast Asia, and was cultivated by the Chinese as early as 1100 BC. Soybeans quickly became a key food in traditional Japanese, Chinese, and Korean diets. You can find edamame in the shell or shelled at most supermarkets (fresh or frozen), and it makes a fabulous, nutrient-rich ingredient in so many dishes, such as stews, salads, curry dishes, stir-fries, pasta dishes, veggie burgers, hummus, and more. Learn more about how to cook edamame here.

Soybeans contain a bounty of vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients. A one-cup serving has just 189 calories, but packs a hefty 32% DV (based on 2,000 calories per day) of dietary fiber, 34% DV of protein, and an impressive 121% DV of the B vitamin, folate. A number of studies have found that soyfoods are beneficial for health. One reason is soy’s ability to lower cholesterol and promote heart health. Soy also contains isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen that has been researched for its benefits for bone health and osteoporosis, certain cancers, and hot flashes in postmenopausal women. While some previous animal studies associated soy intake with breast cancer risk, newer research has been favorable. The American Institute for Cancer Research reports that consuming up to two or three servings per day of soy products is safe for everyone, including breast cancer survivors, and may even be protective.

Check out how I make this recipe in my Instagram Live Plant-Based Cooking Show here.

(41 votes, average: 4.32 out of 5)
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4.3 from 41 reviews

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This nourishing plant-based (vegan), gluten-free delicious, Greek-inspired Mediterranean Edamame Quinoa Bowl is a one-dish-in-a-bowl for lunch or dinner, or the perfect salad accompaniment.

Keywords: how to eat edamame, edamame salad, frozen edamame, how to cook edamame, quinoa bowl, quinoa bowl recipe, mediterranean bowl

Tag @sharonpalmerrd on Instagram

For other top plant-based bowl recipes, check out the following:

Nourish Lentil Bowl
Moroccan Chickpea Sorghum Bowl
Green Goddess Grain Bowl
Kale Tofu Vegan Bowl with Turmeric Hemp Hearts Topping
Black Beans and Rice Vegan Bowl
Noodle Bowl with Thai Tofu and Vegetables

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You can make the prettiest, tastiest salad ever with this recipe for Blood Orange Salad with Kale and Hazelnuts. Bursting with bright flavors, vibrant colors, powerful nutrients, and crisp textures, this easy three ingredient salad tosses in a light cumin cilantro vinaigrette into the mix, to further enhance the nutrition and flavor of the salad. Best of all, this chopped kale salad is seasonal during citrus season in the cooler months, making it a standout salad recipe for fall, winter, and spring. It also holds up well in the fridge for a few days, so try the salad recipe for meal prep, too. Swap out kale for another leafy green if you like, such as spinach, chard, or romaine.

With their bright red infusion of red color, blood oranges are a variety of citrus, and they are one of nature’s prettiest seasonal fruits. Filled with sweet-tart flavor, as well as vitamin C, anthocyanin compounds, and fiber, blood oranges benefits include a powerful dose of protection against oxidative stress and inflammation. Blood orange season is in the winter and early spring time. Look for blood oranges in supermarkets and farmers markets. They grow in my bioregion of Southern California, and I have a blood orange tree in my backyard. My favorite way to enjoy these colorful citrus fruits is au naturel—just peel them and pop them in your mouth. However, they are also beautiful in simple, plant-forward dishes, like this easy Blood Orange Salad with Kale and Hazelnuts.

(9 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5)
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4.8 from 9 reviews

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This easy, gluten-free, vegan Blood Orange Salad with Kale and Hazelnuts is bursting with flavor and nutrition.

Keywords: blood orange color, blood orange benefits, what is a blood orange, blood orange season, blood orange salad, chopped kale salad, vegan kale salad

Tag @sharonpalmerrd on Instagram

For other vegan salads, check out some of my favorites:

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
Chopped Winter Salad with Lemon Dressing
Greek Mizuna Salad with Sumac Spice Vinaigrette
Quinoa Apple Waldorf Salad
Jewel Winter Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Italian Chopped Salad
Nicoise Salad with Tofu

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