Are Sprouted Products Really Better for You?

Products made from sprouted grains, beans and other seeds, are becoming more popular. But are they actually healthier than those made with regular ingredients? In short, yes. Research has found that sprouted grains and seeds are in fact better for you. Read on to find out why sprouted foods are well worth choosing over their unsprouted counterparts.

WHAT MAKES SPROUTED FOODS BETTER?

1. Easier to digest

Most plant seeds contain what are known as antinutrients, or antinutritional factors. These antinutrients, such as phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors, are naturally produced by plants as part of cell metabolism. But antinutrients are shown to impair the digestibility of seedswhen they’re eaten by animals.

The good news is that antinutrients are broken down when seeds are sprouted, making them easier to digest. This includes beans, grains, nuts and other seeds.

2. Minerals and protein are more available

Seeds tend to be naturally high in minerals, proteins, amino acids and antioxidants, but antinutrients can prevent your body from absorbing them properly. Antinutrients can bind to minerals, or inhibit the action of important enzymes that assist the absorption of proteins and amino acids.

When seeds are sprouted, the reduction in antinutrients means that your body can naturally digest and absorb more of the minerals and proteins already present in beans, grains, nuts and seeds. 

Unsprouted products will technically have the same amount of nutrients as sprouted ones, but your body simply won’t be able to absorb them. And considering that many organic or artisan products can be very expensive, you’re likely better off buying a sprouted product when possible. You’ll be able to get more nutritional benefit from it.

3. Makes gluten easier to tolerate

The reduction of antinutrients in sprouted products also makes gluten easier to digest. Gluten is technically a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, spelt, rye and barley. Gluten can be difficult to digest for some people, ranging from minor digestive upset to being fully gluten intolerant.

If you’re minorly sensitive to gluten, you may be able to tolerate eating sprouted grain products. But if you suffer from more severe gluten intolerance or celiac disease, you’ll still need to avoid gluten-containing grains.

4. Lower in starch

Sprouted products are also a good choice if you’re trying to limit starches in your diet. The sprouting process has been shown to reduce the starch content of seeds.

5. Higher in fiber

Research has shown that sprouted seeds have more bioavailable crude fiber than unsprouted seeds. This crude fiber is not digestible and naturally moves through your digestive tract to help remove waste and regulate healthy bowel movements.

SKIP THE HIGH PRICES AND SPROUT YOUR OWN

Sprouted products can be expensive and hard to find. A much cheaper and readily available alternative is to sprout your own seeds.

These simple directions explain how to sprout whole grains, beans and seeds. You can eat many sprouted foods raw, but not everyone likes the flavor. Also, some beans, mostly larger beans like kidney or pinto beans, can contain toxins when they’re raw. Cooking will improve the flavor and remove the toxins.

Nuts are often more difficult to sprout. Many nuts need much more time or special conditions to sprout compared to grains, beans or small seeds. Typically, nuts are only soaked for 8-24 hours before eating. But soaking will still help break down some of the antinutrients and make them easier to digest.

Sleeping less than six hours a night may boost risk of cardiovascular disease, says study

Sleeping less than six hours every night could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, said a study.

The study focused on 4,000 people with no known history of heart disease. Their average age was 46, and two-thirds of participants were men.

Participants wore an actigraph, a tool used to measure activity, for seven days to study their sleep. They also 3D heart ultrasound and cardiac CT scans performed to look for heart disease.

Results of the study published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed people who slept fewer than six hours a night were 27 percent more likely to develop atherosclerosis — a buildup of plaque in the body's arteries — compared to those who got between seven and eight hours of sleep.

"This study emphasizes we have to include sleep as one of the weapons we use to fight heart disease — a factor we are compromising every day," said senior study author José M. Ordovás, a researcher at Madrid's Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), in a statement.

The quality of sleep matters, too, said the study. Participants with a poor quality of sleep were 34 percent more likely to develop atherosclerosis than those who had a good night's rest.

This is not the first study to suggest poor sleep or a lack of sleep could hurt your body. Three studies presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology last September found getting between six to eight hours of sleep a night could lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Meanwhile, a study published in April suggests when you go to bed is important. The joint study by researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom found people who stayed up later had a higher mortality rate than those who go to sleep early.

For Healthy Aging, Strengthen Your Feet

Everything is connected in life—even in our bodies. That means we shouldn’t overlook any part of our bodies when it comes to health, including our oft-neglected feet. In fact, our feet could be considered the foundation of our physical wellness, particularly as we age.

We all know that our feet are important for walking and running, but you may not realize how immensely complex they are. Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 different muscles, tendons and ligaments, all wrapped in a thick, connective material known as fascia. They are arguably one of the most anatomically complex structures in the human skeletal and muscular system—and yet our little tootsies don’t get a lot of TLC (beyond the occasional half-hearted foot rub).

But when your feet hurt or aren’t functioning properly, it affects your entire life. Even something as simple as a bunion or plantar fasciitis means you can’t get around as you normally could. Discomfort gradually moves up the body, eventually stiffening and restricting mobility in the knees, hips and even lower back.

One weak little foot muscle or joint can actually throw off the biomechanics of your entire body, causing pain in the feet and beyond. If you don’t address this as you age, it can cause a gradual deterioration of your entire posture and gait, which is tough to recover from. 

I can’t overstate the importance of the feet. Beyond affecting posture, fitness and energy, one 2017 study actually linked toe flexor strength to blood pressure, sleep quality and even body composition. Another actually linked poor toe strength to type 2 diabetes (of course, this doesn’t indicate causation).

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FEET

Feet are foundational to our good health, so here’s how to keep your feet healthy throughout your life.

Keep up some basic exercises.

It’s important to keep your feet as fit as the rest of your body. Do regular heel dips, stretch your calf muscles and practice scrunching a towel together underneath your toes. You can even use a Thera-Band to provide slight resistance to really strengthen your little piggies. Here are some great band exercises to get you started:

Show your tootsies a little love.

Your shoulders aren’t the only body part that craves a little tenderness. Self-massage is crucial for your feet. Use a massage ball to roll along the arch and toes to work out all the nooks and crannies of your foot. If you find a particularly tight or sensitive spot, hold the ball there until the discomfort lessens. Then, make small micro circles on that area to address any remaining nearby tightness.

You can also thread your fingers through your toes and shake hands with your sole. Wring the toes out, make figure eights with your ankle and explore the full range of motion of your toes to ensure they are functioning at full mobility.

Be smart with your footwear.

To encourage foot health, spend as much time as you can barefoot. This allows your foot to move completely through its natural range of motion during daily tasks, like walking.

We all have to wear shoes sometime, so when you do, be cautious. Shoes with lifted heels, like high heeled boots and most conventional running shoes, actually shorten your calf muscles and cause your feet to behave in ways they weren’t designed to—which could be harmful over time. While wearing heels is fine on occasion, try to find a zero-drop shoe (or close to zero) for daily wear. (But on that note, flip flops, although zero drop, aren’t great either. They cause your toes to grip as you walk, which can further tighten and stiffen your feet.)

Opt for shoes with plenty of toe room (width-wise), a low heel and minimal cushioning, if you can. This will help get your feet reacquainted to the ground and strengthen them over time.

Stop neglecting your feet. If you start taking care of them now, they will continue to serve you well into old age—significantly boosting your quality of life. So what are you waiting for? Get reacquainted with your sole!

13 Gluten-Free Foods Nutritionists Swear By

Birch Benders Gluten-Free Pancake & Waffle Mix


This gourmet pancake mix not only makes hot, tasty comfort food, but can also be used to bread fish, vegetables, and even make scones or muffins—no eggs, milk, or hassle needed. Nutritionists love Birch Benders for its blend of wheat-free flours, including their signature hazelnut meal, which makes the taste all the more dimensional and delicious. Birch Benders comes in nine varieties including Classic, Chocolate Chip, Six Grain Cinnamon, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Protein, Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread Spice, and Double Chocolate Peppermint. All are organic, trans fat-free, and non-GMO. Our kid testers give the pancakes two thumbs up.



Perfect Bars


Perfect Bars, co-founded by a brother-and-sister team using their dad’s nut butter-based recipes, are one of the gluten-free community’s best new additions. The non-GMO, certified kosher bars are made with over 20 nutrient-dense organic whole food ingredients including kale, spinach, alfalfa, and celery, which means they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals. They’re also a great source of complex carbohydrates and whole food protein—up to 17 grams per bar! Most important: They’re crazy delicious.


Kind Bars


If you are looking for a satisfying and chewy gluten-free treat, Kind Bars are another top contender. All Kind Bars are gluten-free, non-GMO, and low-sodium, in 22 tasty flavors made only with ingredients we can pronounce—mainly fruit, nuts, and whole grains. A nutritionist favorite is Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt, with its heart-healthy blend of almonds, peanuts, and walnuts, plus antioxidant-rich dark chocolate.


Curate Bars


Gluten-free (and soy-free) Curate Bars are a brilliant combination of wholesome, nutrient-dense, surprisingly sophisticated ingredients such as Mission figs, balsamic vinegar, quinoa, chia seeds, lavender, pistachios, dark chocolate, almonds, and hazelnuts. They’re filled with protein (up to 6 grams per bar) and are a good source of plant-based fiber—12 percent of your daily value. They’re only lightly sweetened using all natural ingredients, plus there are no GMOs or artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors.


Alive and Radiant Kale Krunch

Alive and Radiant Kale Krunch is a great brand of kale chip in part because they have no sugar, according to Sarah Otazo, principal nutritional therapist with NutriFoundations. They’re made with, you guessed it, kale, a superfood that’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber, and antioxidants. These particular kale chips, which happen to also be vegan, are crisped under low heat, so they’re technically a raw food. This is important because raw vegetables maintain their natural enzymes, making them even healthier than when you cook the fresh vegetable at high heat. Choose from seven flavors, including fan favorites Quite Cheezy, Ranch, Tarragon Dijon, and Sriracha Lime.





Bare Apple Snacks


What’s better than eating an apple? Eating an apple that’s been dried to an awesome crunch and comes in an easy-to-open pouch. I highly recommend Bare Apple Snacks, especially for young children, because they have an entire apple in every bag, they’re only 50 calories, and they’re gluten- and fat-free with no added sugars. The apples, which come in Fuji & Reds, Granny Smith, and Cinnamon (and organic versions of all three), are sweet because they’re baked in a special oven that caramelizes their natural sugars. If you have any left from your snack, add them to dishes like salads, oatmeal, and other dishes that could use fruit or a crunchy topper.



Mary’s Gone Crackers

Nutritionist Melanie Silverman, MS, raves about these crunchy, flavorful snack crackers that are not only gluten-free, but also organic, non-GMO, whole grain, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and kosher. Mary’s Gone Crackers, which are made with whole grain brown rice, quinoa, and seeds such as pumpkin, poppy, and sunflower, are a staple in many gluten-free homes (and cars), and are even better topped with some peanut butter or hummus. They come in seven varieties, including Original, Herb, Caraway, Onion, Black Pepper, Super Seed, and Hot ‘n Spicy Jalapeño.


Rule Breaker


Sometimes you just want something sweet—and gluten-free and healthy as a bonus. This is where Pure Genius (now called Rule Breaker) comes in. Their brownies are made with 40 percent chickpeas, which means loads of fiber and protein, though you can’t taste the legume at all. The 100 percent plant-based, gluten-free confections are processed in an allergy-free facility without any coconut, dairy, tree nuts, nuts, or soy. The best part is that they are half the calories of typical brownies but just as delicious. The two fan favorites: Deep Chocolate Brownie, a fudgy hunk of heaven at 2.5 ounces and just 194 calories, and Chocolate Chunk Blondie, studded with giant chocolate chunks at just 185 calories. Here are 21 other things nutritionists always buy on Amazon.


Simple Mills Mixes


So you wouldn’t eat flour straight-up, we get that. But Simple Mills mixes can help you be that baker who pleases all your guests, including yourself. Their mixes for chocolate chip cookies, pizza doughs, cakes, breads, and muffins are especially good, given that they’re not only gluten-free but also dairy-free, GMO-free, and easy to prepare.


Go Raw Sprouted Bites


Go Raw is a much-loved gluten-free brand because all their products are made in the company’s dedicated factory, so there’s no risk of cross contamination. Go Raw has over 50 raw, sprouted items—including granola, snack bars, and nuts and seeds—but nutritionists have special love for the Sprouted Bites, a hybrid cracker-bar-fruit snack in yummy flavors such as Chewy Apricot, Banana Bread, Pumpkin Seed, Raisin Crunch, and Sweet Spirulina. And because they’re all raw, they retain all the rich enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that nature gave them. All Go Raw products are free of dyes, additives, and fragrances. No GMOS to be found! These are the 13 weight loss products nutritionists never buy—so you shouldn’t either.


FAWEN Drinkable Soup


Remember the commercial jingle, “Soup is good food?” Well, it certainly is, especially if it’s FAWEN Drinkable Soups—they’re gluten-free, organic, vegan, and full of veggies, so they’re loaded with vitamins and fiber. Nutritionists appreciate that they have around 82 percent less sugar per serving than juices and smoothies, and the sugar they do have is from vegetables and coconut milk—there’s no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. We’re loving the Sweet Potato & Red Lentil with Cinnamon and the Broccoli & Cauliflower with Turmeric as post-workout snacks and 3 p.m. pick-me-ups. Plus, the Beet & Purple Cabbage with Cumin one will be a hit with your kids.


An apple a day

Store-bought snacks are a treat, but don’t forget the whole foods you probably already have in your fridge that make amazing gluten-free snacks. Susan Weiner, a nutritionist with Endocrine Web and Diabetic Lifestyle, recommends toting your favorite apple. Slice up a red delicious, Granny Smith or Gala apple, and top it with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter or almond butter. If you’re allergic to nuts, give sunflower butter a try—but make sure to check the label for additives that may have gluten. If you need to travel with a cut-up apple, try the apple slices that are pre-packed, as long as you double-check the label to make sure it’s gluten-free (in other words, nothing else was added to the packaging.)


Hard boiled eggs




Sometimes simple is best. Having a cache of hard boiled eggs in the fridge comes in handy for on-the-go, gluten-free snacks. They also pack a tremendous amount of energy-boosting protein, bite for bite. Plus, the nutrient-dense bites are easy to carry along thanks to their own protective shell.

10 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Processed Foods

There are different levels of processing


Simply picking a blueberry is technically “food processing,” says Malina Linkas Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Food processing has been happening for thousands of years, and virtually everything we eat has undergone some form of processing, so it’s impossible to say that processed foods don’t belong in a healthy diet,” she says. “That said, the level of food processing falls on a spectrum from minimally to heavily processed.” Processing is an issue when it alters a food so much that the nutritional content, quality, and value of the food changes, Malkani says. Minimally processed foods have recognizable ingredients, while the heavily processed variety typically include hard-to-pronounce names. Malkani suggests people weigh the pros and cons of any food while taking into account convenience, safety, and nutrition.

It might get worse before it gets better


The body has to get used to the lack of sugar, salt, and other added ingredients before reaping the benefits of eating fewer processed foods, according to Deborah Malkoff-Cohen, MS, RD, CDN, CDE. Typical symptoms at first might include anxiety, bloating, cravings, and headaches, among others. “These are the typical symptoms we can feel when we cut out processed foods mostly from sugar withdrawals,” she says. “How severe and how many of these you are likely to experience will depend on how processed your diet currently is and how sugar-addicted you are.” After a few days, the sugar metabolism normalizes again, and those awful symptoms and cravings go away if you don’t give in and start the vicious cycle all over again, Malkoff-Cohen says.

Your mood will eventually improve


Eating fewer processed food leads to a better mood. The digestive tract generally absorbs heavily processed, refined carbohydrates, and sugary foods rapidly post-meal, Malkani says. So it’s common to experience spikes and dips in blood sugar if you don’t also eat fiber or a balance of other nutrients to help slow the rate of absorption, according to Malkani. Skipping out on these other nutrients causes poor energy levels and irritability. There’s also a link between dopamine, serotonin, and processed sugar that shows fewer processed foods in your diet could be better for your mood, too, says Carol Aguirre, MS, RD/LDN. “High fructose corn syrup, sugar, and artificial ingredients stimulate the release of a mood-boosting neurotransmitter called serotonin,” she says. “This wouldn’t be so bad if your brain’s serotonin stores weren’t in limited supply; constantly depleting serotonin levels can mimic depression symptoms.”

You’ll have better concentration


Heavily processed foods usually have lots of sugar and or high fructose corn syrup. Although the human body does need some sugar for the brain to function properly, these sugars are best found naturally in fruits and vegetables, according to Aguirre. Too much sugar-laden processed foods, on the other hand, can throw your brain off balance and make it harder to concentrate, she says. “Having low blood sugar—common after a sugar crash—can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, and fatigue, which can all make it next to impossible to focus and complete tasks,” Aguirre says. “Avoiding large amounts of processed foods can keep your head clear.”

You’ll feel less bloated


Sodium ingredients are mostly used in processed foods to help keep them fresh, according to HuffPost. Cutting out these high-sodium ingredients has a positive impact on belly bloat. “Most highly processed foods are high in sodium, which can cause water retention,” says Andy Bellatti, RD. Poor hydration levels and lots of sodium make the body retain water. Your body holds onto any and all water causing bloating, puffiness, or swelling, Healthline reports.

Your flavor sensitivity could change


Cutting down on processed foods could change how strongly you taste certain flavors, according to Harvard Medical School. One study on salt found that people on low-sodium diets ended up eventually preferring the taste of salt-less foods the longer they were on low-sodium diets. After their diet, they taste tested regularly salted foods and found them to be too salty. Some studies show a similar pattern for people on low-fat diets.

You’ll sleep better


Processed foods can disrupt your sleep cycle for a few reasons. One is the effect that eating these foods has on blood sugar. Keeping blood sugar steady—by avoiding refined and processed foods such as sodas and cereals—helps you sleep normally, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The Foundation also reports that the more sugar you eat during the day, the more often you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night. Heavily processed foods also tend to be higher in fat which—if eating them near bedtime—can contribute to indigestion or heartburn that often disrupts sleep too, Malkani says.

Your digestive health will improve


The natural fiber in whole grains isn’t in processed foods Malkani says. The body needs this fiber to have a healthy digestion system. “Fiber helps bulk up stool and keep it traveling through the intestines, preventing constipation,” she says. “It also acts as food for the ‘good’ bacteria that help improve overall digestive health.” So eating more whole foods instead of the processed kind could help your digestive health.

You might lose weight


Limiting or cutting out processed foods could cause weight loss, according to Aguirre. These foods tend to carry lots of extra, “empty” calories, she says. “Processed foods lack nutrients and fiber that helps fill you up, which can lead to binging later,” Aguirre says. A recent study published in JAMA also found that people who cut out highly processed foods, as well as added sugar and refined grains, lost significant amounts of weight throughout a year. The patients didn’t limit calories or portion sizes, and they focused on eating plenty of vegetables and whole foods, the New York Times reports. Aguirre also suggests choosing whole foods to nourish and fuel your body efficiently.

Your skin could clear up


Recent studies point to a strong link between diet and skin health. In a published review of some of these dermatology studies, researchers found that diets emphasizing foods “in their natural state” over highly processed ones have a positive impact on the skin in terms of acne and inflammation.

You’ll lower your risk for disease and other health issues


In the long-term, Malkoff-Cohen says that cutting down on processed foods could reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk of cancer as well as decrease inflammation, and risk of fatty liver and heart diseases.

18 Food Combinations that Can Dramatically Boost Your Health

Hard boiled egg + salad


Out of all the numerous topping options at the salad bar, pick up a hard boiled egg. The fat in the egg yolk helps your body best absorb carotenoids, disease-busting antioxidants found in veggies, according to 2015 research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Count it as one more reason you should definitely eat the yolks.

Fries + veggies


You don’t want to have to choose between the steamed veggie or fries as a side. Why not get them both? Pairing a nutritious and less-nutritious food choice (officially called a “vice-virtue bundle”) can help you stick to your health goals, suggests research in the journal Management Science. One tip to balance the calories—keep your portion of fries/dessert/onion rings small or medium, suggest researchers. If you can order only one size and it’s jumbo, ask for half to be packed up immediately in a to-go box—or portion out half the plate for a companion. The researchers found that people didn’t actually want to eat enormous piles of treats anyway. U


Marinade + steak


Grilling is a quick and healthy way to get dinner on the table, no doubt. However, cooking meat at high temps (a la grilling) creates potentially cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The delicious solution: marinate your meat. Especially when you use certain herbs and spices in your marinade, including rosemary, it can reduce HCAs by up to 88 percent, according to a study from Kansas State University.


Olive oil + kale


Even though the buzz around heart-healthy fats like olive oil is good, you may still be trying to cut down on oil in an effort to save calories. But it’s time to start sauteeing your veggies again. “Vegetables have many fat-soluble vitamins, like A, D, E, and K, which means they need fat to be absorbed,” explains culinary nutrition expert and healthy living blogger Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, of Nutritioulicious. In addition to kale, make sure you cook carrots, sweet potatoes, and broccoli with a little fat too.


Almonds + yogurt


Vitamin D is credited with so many health benefits, including boosting your bones, mood, and immune function. Many yogurts supply one-quarter your daily need for D per cup. To make the most of it though, toss some slivered almonds on top before digging in—especially if you’re eating non- or low-fat yogurt. The fat in the nuts helps raise the levels of D found in your blood 32 percent more compared to having no fat at all, reveals research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.


Sardines + spinach


The fatty fish is abundant in vitamin D, while spinach offers magnesium. In 2013 research, magnesium was shown to interact with the vitamin to boost levels of D in your body. Long-term, this may even help reduce risk of heart disease and colon cancer.


Turmeric + black pepper


You’ve no doubt heard the buzz around the anti-cancer properties of curcumin, the molecule in turmeric that gives the spice its yellow hue. Problem is, it can be difficult for your body to absorb and truly reap the benefits. Combining turmeric with black pepper—which isn’t hard to do in cooking—is a great way to up your body’s ability to use it by 2,000 percent, research shows.


Avocado + toast


If you’re participating in “Toast Tuesdays,” you might have tried the much-obsessed over avocado toast. And it is delicious, FYI. The foods are a perfect match not just for their taste but because the fat from the avocado will slow the rate at which carbs are broken down, absorbed, and converted into sugar, points out Levinson. It’s simple: just spread avocado on whole grain toast and top with some sea salt and pepper (and even lemon juice or hot sauce) and you’re good to go. Add a fried egg for an extra protein boost.

Tomato sauce + spinach


Might as well pack more veggies into the sauce, right? Spinach contains iron, something you may need more of if you’re not eating meat (which is the most abundant source of the mineral). The catch? Iron is not easily absorbed from plant sources, so to tip the scales in your favor, you need to eat these plants with a source of vitamin C, according to Levinson. In this case, tomatoes provide the kick of vitamin C you need to best absorb your spinach. Try her recipe for tomato sauce with spinach, or opt for these other power duos: spinach salad with strawberries, beans and bell peppers, or tofu and broccoli.


Brown rice + lentils


If you’re vegetarian, you may have heard that you should eat certain foods together to ensure you’re getting a complete protein. It’s actually more important that you get a variety of plant proteins throughout the day rather than in one specific meal, says Levinson. Still, some combos are classics for a reason—together, they form a complete protein. Try a brown rice and lentil bowl, beans wrapped in corn tortillas, or nut butter slathered on whole grain bread. Here are the top sources of plant-based protein.

Canned salmon + leafy greens


Greens to the rescue once more! Vitamin D and calcium are typically found together in dairy, and for good reason: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, both of which are critical for bone health, points out Levinson. But if you don’t eat milk or yogurt, what do you do? Buy canned salmon (it’s a money saver and super convenient) and eat it atop a bed of cooked greens of your choice (sauteeing them cooks them down, making it easier to eat a bigger serving).


Brown rice + garlic + onion


Here’s a reason to make a stir-fry tonight: Garlic and onion help increase the availability of iron and zinc in whole grains, according to Levinson. You can thank the sulfur-containing compounds within the stinky alliums (garlic and onion) for the mineral boost, say researchers.

Carbonation + water

Think we’re getting one by you? If you have trouble getting yourself to drink plain H20, hear us out about why bubbles and water make an ideal match. One German study found that people who made carbonated water at home (think SodaStream), drank more water than those who didn’t—and bonus!—consumed less fat during the day, too.

Red wine + black pepper


The spice does it again. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine, which may help improve the bioavailability of resveratrol (the disease-busting antioxidant in red wine) to tissues, suggests an animal study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. While it doesn’t seem like a natural pairing, simply drink a glass of vino with dinner, and keep the pepper mill handy. Bon appetit!

Green tea + lemon


When you give your cup a squirt of citrus, the vitamin C preserves green tea’s antioxidant catechins, helping them survive the harrowing journey through your digestive tract to where your body can absorb them—so you can reap the benefits from the brew—reveals Purdue University research.

Guacamole + salsa


Pass the chips, please. This is another perfect example of how the antioxidants in certain produce, like tomatoes, need a little fat in order to be absorbed. In fact, a study in the Journal of Nutrition found that eating avocado with salsa improved the absorption of lycopene and beta-carotene in the tomatoes by 4.4 and 2.6 times, respectively. It’s the perfect excuse to go for Mexican tonight.

Pistachios + raisins


When you think about it, trail mix makes lots of sense. Eating dried fruit and nuts together can help improve your metabolic health to help decrease your diabetes risk, suggests a review published in Nutrition Journal. Together, they supply fiber, vitamins, and minerals—and the fat from the nuts helps keep your blood sugar at an even keel. Try making your own custom trail mix instead of paying a premium for the pre-packaged kind.

Coffee + doughnuts


This one is reserved for last because, well, you shouldn’t eat doughnuts for breakfast regularly, or almost ever. But guess what: The caffeine from the java combined with the sugar from the doughnut stimulate better cognitive function, suggests 2010 Spanish research, at least better than the doughnut alone. 

Islands where animals outnumber humans exist, and we’re intrigued (20 Photos)

1

Travel+Leisure

There are tons of beautiful islands all over the world, each known for various features and ways of life. Some have amazing beaches, while others are known for the hospitality of their people. But there are also some that are infamous for their lack of humans in favour of an animal population.

Some of these look like a great place to visit, with fuzzy and cuddly animals, while others are a little less huggable, and slightly more scary.

2

Sora News

Cats – Aoshima Island, Japan
On this island, the kitties outnumber the humans 6-1. At last count, there were 130+ cats, and 13 elderly humans who are permanent residents.

And yes, you can take a boat over to feed Mr. Whiskers and his pals.

3

Japan by Japan

Bunnies – Ōkunoshima Island, Japan
This place is the home to hundreds of feral rabbits. According to rumours, they were originally the subjects of secret poison gas experiments from WW2, escaped and well, procreated like bunnies.

4

Travel+Leisure

Swimming Pigs – Big Major Cay, Bahamas
This place is also known as Pig Beach, and is a huge tourist draw. The island itself is uninhabited, but these piggies will swim up to your boat for food.

5

Youtube

Red Crabs – Christmas Island, Australia
Ok, so maybe not a cute and cuddly place to visit. This island is the home of the Red Crab and there are roughly 40-50 million of them on and around the island.

Once a year, all of them migrate from the islands interior rainforests, to the beach to lay eggs and breed. It’s like a sea of red.

6

Pinterest

Wallabies – Lambay Island, Ireland
When you think of these marsupials, you probably figure they’re exclusive to Australia and its surroundings. But you’d be wrong. Back in the ’50’s and 60’s, a wealthy Irish family decided to raise them on this rocky island, then abandoned them.

7

Imgur

Wild Chickens – Kauai, USA
On Hawaii’s Kauai island, there are chickens that just run amok. To date, there are thousands of these feral birds, that were once domesticated, but have since reverted to a wild state and bred with other Polynesian jungle fowl.

8

Amusing Planet

Rats – Montecristo Isand, Italy
This uninhabited place off the coast of Tuscany is overrun with rats. It’s believed that the black rats stowed away on tourist boats, and then multiplied like mad. At last count, there was one rat per square yard. That’s gross and I don’t plan on going.

9

PS Mag

Brown Tree Snakes – Guam
Even less cuddly than the rats, is this infestation of venomous brown tree snakes. These guys were accidentally introduced to the island in 1944 from Papua New Guinea, and have no enemies.

There’s over 2 million of them, taking down the bird and rodent population, biting people and inhibiting the growth of new trees. Let’s not visit this one either.

10

EnTouriste

Cape Fur Seals – False Bay, South Africa
This island is the home of over 75,000 seals and is huge tourist draw. If you go between the months of May and September, you’re guaranteed to get a good view of two things; the seals and the Great White Sharks that feast on the careless ones.

11

Just Another Day

Quokkas – Rottnest Island, Australia
This guys have got to be the cutest animals in existence, and there’s over 12,000 of them roaming the island. In fact, this is the only place to find them.

12

Digital journal

Feral Cats – Tonawanda Island
If you’re into a place overrun by cats, you don’t have to even leave the country. This 85-acre island in New York is a haven for abandoned cats. At the moment, there are more of them, than there are people and they’re running amok.

13

Insider

Deer – Miyajima Island, Japan
This island is home to over 1,000 tame sika deer, and you can just walk up to them and pet them.

14

NPR

Monkeys – Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico
This island was originally a location for scientists to conduct research on primates, back in the 1930s. Since then, the population has exploded.

15

Youtube

Venomous Snakes – Ilha da Queimada Grande, Brazil
Better known as snake island, it’s the home of the largest population of Golden Lancehead Vipers. In fact, there are between 1-5 of these snakes per square meter. It’s too dangerous a place to live, that humans are forbidden to set foot on the island.

16

Trip Advisor

Wild Horses – Assateague Island, Maryland
According to the NPS, there are thousands of feral horses that roam free on the island. This is one of the only places left in the world, where tourists can see wild stallions, but they don’t recommend you get too close, unless you want to get kicked to death.

17

OECS Business Focus

Green Iguanas – Grand Cayman Island
You can find these guys everywhere on the island, and they’re a huge nuisance. At the moment, there are over 6,000 per square kilometre and they easily outnumber the humans. They also have no natural predators on the island (other than cars), so the population is becoming unmanageable.

18

Youtube

Puffins – Runde Island, Norway
This tiny island is chock-full of these striking birds with a population of over 200,000. There aren’t too many villages nearby, so they pretty much run the island.

19

Norway Today

Moose – Ylvingen, Norway
On this island, the moose outnumber the humans 2-1, which means that they’re pretty chill around us. But they’re also huge and angry beasts, so authorities warn that you be wary, no matter how friendly they seem.

20

GIF