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Nosh Nutrition x Advice

Collagen Powder As A Dietary Supplement: Your Research-Based Guide

Sean McCaffrey, doctor of chiropractic, is an internal health specialist with post-doctoral licenses in internal and digestive health. It’s the second specialty that guides his approach to a supplement like collagen powder. After all, if you can’t digest a substance, what’s the point?
“With collagen, when you bring it in, can the body absorb it? That’s the question. And once it gets absorbed, can it be utilized and transported to where it needs to be used by the body?”
The research he’s reviewed doesn’t contain anything that’s convinced McCaffrey to recommend collagen supplements over, say, bone broth and a healthy diet.
“Everything that I’ve seen to this point, and that I’ve seen in clinic, says … hit and miss,” McCaffrey says. “More miss than hit.”     
But there is a growing body of research that points, however vaguely, toward very particular health benefits associated with collagen products. According to the PubMed timeline, interest in the health benefits of pharmaceutical collagen began in the early 1990s, when researchers began to study the effects of collagen-laced bandages for wounds (they do help).
Collagen powder, on the other hand, is a form of the protein designed to be ingested, and it doesn’t appear to have entered the medical literature until the mid-1990s. One early study found that 10 grams of collagen hydrolysate per day improved the effect of the bone-strengthening drug calcitonin in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
That’s terrific if large-scale follow-up studies confirm the findings—and you have postmenopausal osteoporosis and a prescription for calcitonin—but it’s a far cry from the age-defying skin improvements featured in many manufacturers’ claims. Before you buy a $50 jar of a supplement, it’s important to figure out if collagen powder is worth the expense.
But before we go any further, we need to define some terms. Let’s dig into the language that producers use for their collagen-based supplements.

What exactly is collagen? What about collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, and collagen powder?

Collagen is the most common protein in the human body. It’s present in skin, bones, teeth, muscles—you name it. Collagen is made of three chains of polypeptides, or strings of conjoined amino acids, which form triple-helix patterns. Animal cells produce these triple-helices, then secrete them into the extracellular regions of the body, where they bind together into collagen fibers. These fibers are tough and flexible. In other words, they give the structures of our bodies their strength and elasticity.
You can see why it makes a kind of instinctual sense that consuming collagen could improve the skin and joints, which are partially made of the substance, after all.
But what exactly goes into our collagen supplements? These products are typically marketed under three different names: collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, and collagen powder.

  • Collagen peptides are short chains of amino acids that have been “unstrung” from their triple-helix structure. Their low molecular weight makes them easy for the body to absorb according to manufacturers of collagen peptide products. 
  • Hydrolyzed collagen is just another name for collagen peptides. It refers to hydrolysis, the chemical process by which collagen helices are broken down into their constituent peptides.
  • Collagen powder is the dry, fine particulate of collagen peptides, often mixed with other ingredients such as vitamin C, flavorings, or fillers. Scientists have identified at least 16 different types of collagen, although the first three are the ones typically associated with the skin, joints, and bones. That’s why most collagen powder formulas contain some blend of collagen types I, II, and/or III.

While those in the industry might use the above terms to differentiate their products from others, they essentially describe the same thing.
“You’ll see this a lot, in the supplement industry especially,” says McCaffrey. “They’ll use a catchy phrase, catchy terms, to try and make what they’re selling you look a little bit better.” The bottom line? “It’s really the exact same thing.”
Look closely at the small print on a package of collagen powder before you buy. It’s especially important considering the different sources of collagen—which brings us to our next point. Vegans and vegetarians, pay close attention.  

What are collagen powder supplements made of?

Your approach to collagen supplements is probably going to be similar to your stance on Jell-O, gelatin, and other seemingly meat-free foods that are actually made of animal by-products. In fact, gelatin itself is largely comprised of collagen that isn’t fully processed into its component peptides.
In 2016, the International Food Research Journal published a comprehensive piece on the process of extracting collagen from animal sources. According to that research, most collagen supplements start out as the otherwise-unused bits of pigs and cows, although products derived from fish and poultry are also available.
But which unused bits are we talking about? Well, researchers point to a handful of specifics from cattle, including the membrane that surrounds the heart, inner skin layers, and bones. Manufacturers may start with pig skin and lungs. Fish-sourced collagen might come from skin, scales, cartilage, fins, and/or swim bladders. Many—but not all—producers of collagen powder list the source animal on the product label.

How do producers manufacture collagen powder supplements?

Once producers obtain their raw materials, they extract the collagen peptides through hydrolysis, or the breaking down of chemical bonds using water. This process typically starts with pretreatment in an acid or base chemical bath, along with plenty of washing in distilled water.
Depending on the source material, manufacturers then use an enzyme or chemical solution to further break down chemical bonds and separate out the collagen peptides. At that point, all that’s left is to throw the filtered liquid collagen solution into a centrifuge to remove the moisture. In the end, you’re left with pure collagen powder.
So, to reiterate: Vegetarians and vegans might want to steer clear of collagen supplements, just as they would products that contain gelatin. Plant cells don’t make collagen. (Okay, there is one exception, but it relies on some next-level genetic engineering and isn’t available as a powdered supplement as of this writing.)

Does research back any claims of health benefits from collagen powder supplements?

Let’s break down the two major proposed benefits of collagen powder, one at a time:
[sul title=”The Skin Claim” subheader=”Collagen powder can improve elasticity, hydration, and reduction of wrinkles.”]
It makes sense, right? Collagen is the stuff your cells produce to support your skin in the first place. Aging naturally reduces your body’s production of collagen—we lose about 1 percent of our collagen production per year after age 20—which is what leads to the thin, dry, wrinkled skin that we associate with aging.
Indeed, there are some preliminary studies that seem to back up the oceans of online anecdotal support for collagen powder’s efficacy as an anti-aging supplement. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study did find improved skin elasticity in women who took a daily dose of collagen peptides. But there were only 69 subjects, and the study only lasted 12 weeks. This is a great start, but it’s a long way from establishing medical consensus.
A later study in the journal Nutrients found that collagen peptides sourced from cow bone tightened up lax, aged skin—in mice. That study was from November 2017, and as any medical researcher will tell you, it takes time to move from mice to humans when studying potential drugs. This, again, places us squarely in preliminary-study land.
In short, it is certainly possible that collagen powder can improve skin health. There just hasn’t been enough research on hydrolyzed collagen peptides to convince the healthcare industry at large.
“I have not seen enough research to validate it,” says McCaffrey. “I’ve just not seen enough behind it to validate what it does.”    
[sul title=”The Joint Claim” subheader=”Collagen powder can improve joint health and ease osteoarthritis.”]
Again, the logic of this claim comes from the idea that the articular cartilage found in joints is largely composed of collagen. Why wouldn’t eating collagen give your body more collagen to use in your joints?
The answer lies in your digestive tract, says McCaffrey. When we digest proteins—including collagen, whether in a slab of fish or something in supplement form—a healthy digestive system breaks them down into amino acids, which become basic building blocks for other proteins. There doesn’t appear to be a way to encourage these fundamental amino acids to form precisely the tissue that we want in precisely the preferred part of the body.
“The body will reassemble [amino acids],” McCaffrey explains. “Think of them like Legos. If I give you a bag full of Legos, and I say, ‘Hey, build me a car,’ you and 90 other little kids are all going to build different cars. It depends on where you put the red [Legos] and the blue ones, and so on. So the body can kind of selectively choose how it wants to reassemble these things into different forms of collagen.”
Even if you can digest a collagen supplement, there doesn’t appear to be a mechanism that controls the body’s use of amino acids to rebuild tissues in specific parts of the body.
That said, preliminary studies—emphasis on the preliminary—suggest that collagen supplements may help ease activity-related joint pain in athletes, and general joint pain for people 50 and older.    
To quote the conclusion of that latter study, though, “More studies are needed to confirm the clinical interest of this food supplement.”

Are there any risks associated with consuming collagen powder?

Remember that as dietary supplements, collagen powders aren’t subject to FDA oversight. It’s up to manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe before they bring them to market.
But MedlinePlus, the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s public-facing information site, lists the risks of consuming gelatin and related compounds, such as collagen powders, as “likely safe” in smaller doses and “possibly safe” in the doses recommended by many supplement manufacturers.
Barring the possibility of allergies, which are always a concern, McCaffrey doesn’t worry too much about the safety of collagen products.
“The supplement industry as a whole is pretty cautious,” McCaffrey says. “I think they tend to put things out—especially over-the-counter-type supplements…that [are] not going to hurt you. They don’t want to get sued. So when you’re putting a product out there, you make sure it’s not strong enough to hurt anything.”
The potential problem with animal-based supplements is that, well, they come from animals. Not every fish whose fins are destined for a beauty product swims the same clean waters.
“The real issue becomes where they’re getting their sources from,” McCaffrey says.
“When you’re getting your collagen, you get a lot of it from animals, and it’s gelatinous things. It’s leftover parts for the most part. [Manufacturers] aren’t sitting there with a $2,500 organic cow going after this stuff. They’re buying whatever they can get their hands on.”
There’s no way to know what an animal has been exposed to in its life, and it could be possible for contaminants to remain even in heavily processed byproducts like collagen powder.
“How was that animal fed in its life?” says McCaffrey. “Did it have hormones? Did it have this, did it have that? You can get into cross-contamination and things like that.”

Potential Side Effects of Collagen Powder Supplements

The main thing to avoid when taking collagen supplements is an allergic reaction. How do you know if you have such an allergy? Look to the source animal. If you’re allergic to chickens or eggs, avoid collagen supplements derived from poultry. If you have fish or seafood allergies, avoid collagen powders sourced from the sea.
MedlinePlus and WebMD list other potential side effects, ranging from the mild (leaving a bad taste in your mouth) to annoying (heartburn, belching), to frankly terrifying (potential contamination with animal-borne diseases—though this one is particularly unlikely, for the record).   

So should you take collagen powder as a dietary supplement?

That’s up to you and your doctor. In general, though, McCaffrey says he suggests getting your proteins, including collagen, from whole-food sources.
“You see a lot of your collagen in the skins of things,” he says. “You’ll see it in chicken skins…You can find it in the gelatinous portions, but people don’t tend to eat the joints and knuckles and things like that. That’s where making the broth can be really helpful.”
Broth? That’s right. McCaffrey is a big fan of bone broth, which he says makes it easy to get plenty of collagen into any meat-eater’s diet. He also recommends preserving the collagen that’s already in your body and working against the natural loss of collagen that inevitably accompanies aging.
“Are there things that we can do that slow the rapid decrease [in collagen production?] McCaffrey asks. “There are. I call it the three Ss. It’s sugar, sunshine, and smoking.”
Avoid these three things—the first two in excess and the third entirely—and you’ll get about as close to the fountain of youth as you can in this world.
“More than anything,” McCaffrey says, “don’t always look for the quick fix.”

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Food Philosophies Nosh

Healthy Keto-Approved Snacks (And A Customizable Recipe For Every Taste!)

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the ketogenic diet or have just begun to change your eating habits, you know how important it is to have a healthy selection of high-fat, low-carb snacks stashed away in your desk drawer or purse once you’ve decided to go keto.
It can be tempting to buy prepackaged low-carb snacks to save on time, but by including more keto-approved whole foods in your diet you’ll reap all the nutritional benefits while saving money by not buying the store-bought version. For a delicious ketogenic treat, try whipping up a batch of these muffin-tin quiches. Endlessly customizable, these little quiches will have you counting down the minutes until snack time.

The Ketogenic Diet 101

The idea behind the ketogenic diet is to consume a macronutrient ratio of roughly 10 percent or less of carbohydrates, 15 to 20 percent protein, and 70 percent or more of fat. The ketogenic diet works by starving your body of carbohydrates and lowering blood sugar levels, forcing your body to use fat as a source of energy instead.
It’s important to note that this article is referring to the standard ketogenic diet, NOT the ketogenic diet for children with epilepsy.

Use whole foods for keto-approved snacks.

Although it can be tempting to rely on prepackaged low-carb snacks, these options are often highly processed and can rely on sugar alcohols (which can wreak havoc on your digestive system), sweeteners, and other chemical additives. Instead, stock up on healthy keto-friendly snack foods such as:

  • High-fat nuts like macadamia nuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts
  • Full-fat cheeses
  • Avocado (make a quick guacamole by mashing with lime juice, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt)
  • Berries (in moderation)
  • Canned salmon or tuna
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Olives (marinated in oil)

In need of more snack-time inspiration? Find a customizable ketogenic snack recipe (or two!) like the one below and batch cook several days’ worth to get you through the workweek!

Basic Keto-Friendly Muffin-Tin Quiches (and How to Jazz Them up With Your Favorite Fillings!)

These muffin-tin quiches make great on-the-go snacks for work, after a workout, or as a nutritious afternoon pick-me-up. Feel free to customize these quiches with your favorite fillings or stick to this basic recipe. These quiches make great lunches or last-minute dinners when paired with sliced avocado and full-fat sour cream. You can freeze these dishes in a tin or lidded container for up to 3 months; defrost in the microwave or in the fridge overnight.

Yield: 12 small quiches

Ingredients:

  • 1 dozen large eggs
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • ¾ cup grated full-fat cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gruyère all work well)
  • Cooking spray

Optional Add-Ins:

Aim to use ¼ cup of filling per muffin cup. Fillings can be used alone or in any combination you’d like.

  • Crumbled (cooked) sausage
  • Diced ham
  • Spinach (if frozen, make sure the spinach has been drained of any extra moisture)
  • Diced red onion
  • Zucchini
  • Arugula
  • Fresh goat cheese
  • Asparagus
  • Mushrooms
  • Broccoli florets (lightly steamed)

Special Equipment:

  • Blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Standard muffin tin

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Add the eggs, heavy cream, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to a blender. Blitz briefly until completely emulsified and smooth.
  3. Prepare the muffin tins by spraying them lightly with cooking spray.
  4. Add a small amount of grated cheese to the bottom of each muffin cup as well as any other filling ingredients you’d like.
  5. Divide the egg and heavy cream mixture into the muffin tins over the filling.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Let cool before removing the quiches from the muffin tin.
  7. Store in the fridge in a well-sealed container for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.

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Nosh Nutrition x Advice

How To Navigate The Farmers’ Market Like A Boss Babe

In the Pacific Northwest, the arrival of spring is marked by two events: the sudden burst of cotton candy-colored cherry blossoms and the appearance of outdoor farmers’ markets. Whether you’re a diehard supporter of your local market (by this point, your favorite vendors know you by name) or you’re thinking about visiting one for the first time, we have all the tips you need to navigate the farmers’ market like a pro!

Why shop at farmers’ markets?

Shopping at farmers’ markets is, first and foremost, a fantastic way to support your local economy. According to the Farmers Market Coalition, vendors can potentially earn upward of 90 cents on the dollar for their wares due to the fact that their processing, marketing, and distribution costs are much lower or completely absent (this is compared to an average of 15.6 cents per dollar that farmers earn from food sold in supermarkets). Choosing to shop at farmers’ markets is also a great way to enjoy the best of what’s currently in season, often at a lower price than you’ll find in grocery stores.

Get to know your local vendors.

Getting to know your favorite vendors is also a major perk to shopping at a farmers’ market. Think of these people as experts: Not only do they grow, harvest, and prepare the food themselves, they’ll also know exactly what to recommend based on your tastes or what’s at the peak of its growing season.
Many vendors are more than happy to offer a sample of their wares, just be mindful of proper farmers’ market etiquette and avoid helping yourself without asking. If the stall is busy, try not to hover or engage the farmers in prolonged conversation; they still have a job to do!

To haggle or not to haggle?

If you like to haggle it’s definitely best to do so toward closing time as it’s the time of day when vendors are more likely to sell leftover goods at lower prices. Keep in mind that farmers aren’t required to haggle (after all, this is how they make their livelihood) and never attempt to barter if the vendor is busy with other customers. Again, the better you know the farmer, the better your chances are of getting a good deal on those leftover heirloom tomatoes when the market is about to close for the day.

Cutting Costs: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Fresh produce is almost always cheaper when it’s at the height of its season and farmers will sometimes sell overstock at a reduced price. Fruits and vegetables that are deemed “unattractive” may also be discounted and once they’ve been cut up no one will know the difference (all they’ll be able to taste is perfectly ripe produce). Baked goods, prepared foods, meat, fish, and alcohol can be on the pricey side, so stick to the basics if you’re shopping on a budget.

Is the produce at farmers’ markets organic?

If you regularly shop for organic produce and this is an important factor for you, make sure to check with someone at each stall to see if what they’re selling has been certified organic by the USDA. It’s important to consider the fact that organic certification can be incredibly costly for farmers and many of them essentially grow their produce organically but aren’t able to afford the actual certification. Although they might not be certified, chances are that produce bought from a farmers’ market is locally grown with care and attention to soil, growing methods, and heirloom varietals.

What to Bring to the Farmers’ Market

Shopping at farmers’ markets is a very different experience than shopping at a grocery store and can be very enjoyable if you’re prepared. Make sure you bring reusable bags or a basket. A small carry-cart on wheels is super helpful if you’re planning on buying a week’s worth of food. Recycled jars and other containers are environmentally friendly and can also be helpful if you’re shopping for bulk goods.
Don’t assume that vendors will take credit cards (although some do). Bring cash instead (this can also be helpful if you’re trying to stay within a certain budget). Finally, give yourself plenty of time to look around before you begin buying; you’ll have an easier time refining your shopping list and finding the best bargains.
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Nosh Nutrition x Advice

The Benefits Of Wheatgrass: The Surprising Truth Behind The So-Called Miracle Juice

Wheatgrass is a health-food phenomenon. You might have heard of wheatgrass from a friend who swears it gives her a much-needed energy boost. Or perhaps you’ve read tales of its ability to naturally cure diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and AIDS.

iStock.com/Madeleine_Steinbach

Wheatgrass is harvested from the early growth (usually the first 7 to 10 days) of the common wheat plant Triticum. It can be freeze-dried and taken as a powder or pill or consumed as a shot of juice. Wheatgrass has a very bitter, grassy flavor. which is why it is often taken as a shot rather than as an actual drink. Wheatgrass has many perceived health benefits that are widely touted by fans of this chlorophyll-tinted green juice.
But are these claims backed up by science? And if they aren’t, should you be including wheatgrass in your diet?

Wheatgrass is Loaded With Nutrients

Wheatgrass is well known for its purported ability to treat all sorts of health problems, but what is its actual nutritional profile? It turns out that wheatgrass is a good source of amino acids; vitamins A, C, and E; iron; and calcium. Fans of wheatgrass believe it should be consumed as quickly as possible after it’s been exposed to air to prevent nutrient loss.
As Loraine Dégraff, author of The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Wheatgrass explains:

The nutrient level of the wheatgrass reduces if it is exposed to air too long before it is consumed. Also, how old is the grass? Grass that is juiced too long past the ‘prime time’ of harvest (7 to 10 days for indoor) is already compromised as far as nutrition is concerned. The method of growth can also affect nutritional absorption. Indoor grass, which is probably more familiar to most, is consumed for therapeutic benefits. Its nutrients include simple sugars, which can cause a spike in blood [glucose] level. Outdoor grass, consumed for health benefits, include[s] complex carbohydrates that are easily assimilated. Of course, both growers feel their method is best. I find, however, that most people can stick with the outdoor grass longer because of the taste factor.

A Brief History of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass has been a part of American popular health culture since the 1930s. An agricultural chemist named Charles F. Schnabel noticed the wheatgrass that he gave his dying chickens helped the chickens recover quickly. Schnabel began selling dried wheatgrass and eventually received funding from Quaker Oats and American Dairies Inc., at which point wheatgrass began to be sold in powdered form all over the United States.
In the mid-20th century a woman named Ann Wigmore claimed to have cured her cancer thanks to her wheatgrass consumption. She went on to champion wheatgrass as a powerful healing agent in conjunction with a raw food diet, eventually co-founding the Hippocrates Health Institute, an alternative medicine facility in Florida.

iStock.com/aetb

In 1982 Wigmore was sued by the attorney general of Massachusetts because of her false claims that wheatgrass could take the place of insulin for diabetics. She was sued again in 1988 for stating that it could cure AIDS. Although she ultimately won that case on First Amendment grounds, the judge ordered her not to claim to be a doctor who can treat or cure illness.  

The Benefits of Including Wheatgrass in Your Diet

Including wheatgrass in your diet is a great way to get in an extra serving of fruits and vegetables. But in an article published by the UK’s National Health Service, dietitian Alison Hornby says, “There is no sound evidence to support the claim that wheatgrass is better than other fruits and vegetables in terms of nutrition. It cannot be recommended above any other choices in this food group.”

iStock.com/Andrey Zhuravlev

If you love wheatgrass, then you should certainly include it in your diet. But if you don’t, you can get the same nutrients from eating the same amount of broccoli or spinach.

Is wheatgrass a cure for cancer?

Despite the fact that wheatgrass used to be (and still is) heavily promoted as a cure for cancer—along with many other diseases and ailments—there is no conclusive scientific data to support this claim. There is some potentially promising research that wheatgrass may provide relief from some of the side effects of chemotherapy, but more study is needed to determine what implications this might have for other patients.
It should be noted that the American Cancer Society encourages many forms of complementary therapy to mainstream cancer treatment but “urges patients who are thinking about using any complementary or non-mainstream therapies to first discuss it with their health care team.”

What about chlorophyll?

Wheatgrass is prized for its levels of chlorophyll, a green phytonutrient that naturally occurs in plants so that they are able to absorb energy from the sun. Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, helps to carry oxygen throughout the bodies of animals. Structurally, chlorophyll and hemoglobin are similar, and both are considered the “lifeblood” of the bodies they inhabit.

iStock.com/Alfira Poyarkova

Wheatgrass devotees believe that chlorophyll has the ability to reverse the aging process, suppress the appetite, reverse [linkbuilder id=”6690″ text=”thyroid problems”], and cleanse the blood, although there have been no significant studies to show these claims are actually true.

Are there any side effects of consuming wheatgrass?

Most people who consume wheatgrass don’t experience side effects, but some people may suffer from nausea and may find the strong grass-like taste overwhelming. There is also a possibility that contamination from microbials may occur because wheatgrass sprouts are grown for 7 to 10 days before being harvested for their leaves (for this reason pregnant women are advised against consuming wheatgrass).

iStock.com/Venus Kaewyoo

Although some wheatgrass enthusiasts insist this is a detoxification process your body is going through, if your symptoms persist it’s more likely you have an intolerance to wheatgrass. It’s also important to use caution if you have a wheat or gluten allergy, as wheatgrass can occasionally be a trigger for hives or swelling in the lips and tongue.

The Best Way to Include Wheatgrass in Your Diet

According to Dégraff, the best way to consume wheatgrass is to juice it:

The best method for obtaining the full nutritional benefits of the wheatgrass, especially the live enzymes, would be to juice it yourself and drink the juice within minutes of juicing. The nutrient level of the wheatgrass reduces if it is exposed to air too long before it is consumed.

TJ DiCiaula, co-owner of SuperCharge! Foods in Madison, Wisconsin, agrees on the importance of drinking the wheatgrass juice as fresh as possible and recommends doing the following:

Upon juicing—it is always best to consume the juice immediately and ‘chew’ the juice, which means to swish the juice around in the mouth to mix enzymes and absorb as much as you can in the mouth like you would in taking medicine or a tincture under the tongue.

DiCiaula does acknowledge that for most people, it “is more feasible to juice several days to a week’s worth at a time. They say there is one active enzyme in wheatgrass that will oxidize after 20 minutes. Otherwise the shelf life of the juice varies with its nutrient density and bioenergy. It seems the core nutrition remains but enzymes will begin to break down over a couple days and the juice will begin to lose its sweetness.”

iStock.com/JuliaMikhaylova

The experts agree that the juice should be made with freshly harvested wheatgrass leaves whenever possible and should be consumed as quickly as possible for optimal nutrient absorption.

Alternative Ways to Consume Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass can also be administered in pill or powder form. Due to the potential for microbial contamination in freshly juiced wheatgrass, some experts recommend reaping the nutritional benefits in supplement form rather than as a juice. It’s important to make sure wheatgrass in pill or powder form follows protocol for food labeling and that the supplements come from an FDA-approved lab.

How much wheatgrass is it safe to consume?

There is currently no established dosage of wheatgrass that is officially deemed safe or unsafe. However, RxList and several other sources give the following guidance: “Wheatgrass is LIKELY SAFE when taken in food amounts. It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts for up to 18 months or when applied to the skin as a cream for up to 6 weeks. Not enough is known about the safety of long-term use of wheatgrass as medicine.”

Growing Your Own Wheatgrass at Home

Growing wheatgrass at home ensures you’ll always have fresh leaves to harvest for juicing, and it’s relatively simple to do using only a few special pieces of equipment. DiCiaula recommends the following:

To grow wheatgrass at home you will need a tray, medium, seed, water, and nutrients. Lights may be necessary but good light through a window can also work. Wheatgrass doesn’t like it over 72 degrees or high humidity. Fans can be used to provide some wiggle-room in certain conditions. Of course, the more conducive the environment is to facilitate life growth the better.

iStock.com/Madeleine_Steinbach

If you’re brand new to growing wheatgrass, Dégraff suggests purchasing a wheatgrass-growing kit, “You can work with a kit that comes with most of what you need or you can gather your own supplies. For growing indoors, you would need:

–wheatberries (seeds)
–a jar for sprouting the wheatberries
–a good soil mixture: one good ratio is 50 percent compost, 40 percent topsoil, and 10 percent vermiculite (a quality organic gardening soil can also be used)
–a tray or some type of container for planting [that’s] at least 2 inches deep
–a second tray (or brown paper) for covering during the germination period
–a spray bottle for misting the plants
–good light and ventilation

The website SproutPeople has detailed instructions for growing your own wheatgrass at home, with videos, images, and notes on best practices for growing and harvesting the leaves from homegrown wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass Precautions

Because wheatgrass is a raw food product, the possibility of accidentally ingesting mold or coming in contact with E. coli, Salmonella, or Shigella bacteria is potentially something to be concerned about.

iStock.com/Peppersmint

Carefully examine wheatgrass plants for signs of rot and mold, making sure to rinse the leaves before juicing (when in doubt, discard it). Well-drained soil is also important for preventing harmful bacteria from growing in the soil, so make sure the tray you’re using to grow the wheatgrass has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If purchasing ready-made wheatgrass, look for brands that have been pasteurized. This ensures any existing bacteria have been killed via heat.

To Wheatgrass or Not to Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass offers some wonderful nutritional benefits and is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Despite its reputation as an all-encompassing health food that can cure cancer, AIDS, and diabetes, there is no scientific evidence that these claims are true.
Enjoy wheatgrass because it makes you feel good and it adds value to your life. And always remember, if wheatgrass isn’t for you, opt for other green veggies with a similar nutritional profile, such as broccoli and spinach.

iStock.com/saquizeta

And if you do want to try wheatgrass? We’ve got a recipe for that!

Making It Taste Good: A Simply Sweet Wheatgrass Smoothie Recipe

This wheatgrass smoothie uses powdered wheatgrass instead of freshly juiced for the sake of ease and convenience. Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder and Amazing Grass Organic Wheat Grass are both high quality and readily available options. Otherwise use your favorite brand for this recipe.

iStock.com/belchonock

Baby spinach adds plenty of green nutrients and complements the nutritional profile of the wheatgrass powder. Frozen bananas lend a creamy texture and a touch of natural sweetness, although fresh bananas work just as well in a pinch. Antioxidant-rich blueberries give this smoothie its intensely dark green color. Kefir is a fermented dairy product containing gut-healthy probiotics with a texture that is somewhere between a liquid and solid yogurt.
Yields 2–3 generous servings

Ingredients

  • 2 frozen bananas, sliced into smallish pieces
  • 1½ cups plain or flavored kefir
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 4 cups baby spinach, lightly packed
  • 2 tsp. wheatgrass powder
  • Ice water or coconut water

Special equipment

  • High-powered blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula
  • Large glass for your smoothie

Method

  1. Add the frozen bananas, kefir, frozen blueberries, baby spinach, and wheatgrass powder to a high-powered blender.
  2. Blitz the ingredients together until smooth, pulsing occasionally for a super-smooth texture. Add ice water or coconut water as needed to create a pourable texture, scraping down the sides with a spatula so that all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  3. Pour into large glasses and enjoy!

Bonus

If you have smoothie leftovers, try freezing them in popsicle molds or even ice cube trays for a healthy frozen treat!

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Nosh Nutrition x Advice

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Kombucha (And How To Make Your Own At Home)

Kombucha has been enjoying a surge in popularity over the last decade thanks to its tangy, effervescent taste and numerous purported health benefits. While kombucha’s benefits have long been appreciated by many cultures worldwide, only recently has the United States cornered the market on this delicious fermented tea. In fact, a 2016 report from market report firm MarketsandMarkets showed that North America claimed 39.4 percent of kombucha’s worldwide market share, with projections predicting a 25 percent market growth each year up to 2020.
Between claims of anti-inflammatory and gut-healing properties, kombucha’s benefits are wide-reaching and only now being studied for in order to determine the fermented tea’s true potential as a health food product.
We take a close look at the scientific and anecdotal evidence surrounding kombucha and provide instructions for easily brewing kombucha at home (no lab equipment required!).

Getting to Know Kombucha (and That Mysterious Floating Blob!)

If you’re just beginning to learn about kombucha and all its benefits, consider this a crash course in getting to know your new favorite fermented tea beverage. Kombucha tea is lightly fizzy (thanks to the wonders of fermentation) and has a subtly sweet taste that’s punctuated by a delicious tanginess. You may have seen images of a mysterious mushroom-shaped blob accompanying articles about kombucha (or at your fermentation-loving friend’s house) and wondered just what the heck that thing is.
What you’re looking at is called a SCOBY (an acronym that stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), a floating colony of helpful bacteria and yeast needed to give kombucha its carbonation and acidity. Other names for a SCOBY include kombucha mother (like the “mother” found in vinegar), kombucha mushroom, and the decidedly less-appealing kombucha fungus. Making homebrewed kombucha—or any kombucha for that matter—requires a SCOBY, which can be grown from scratch, borrowed from a fermentation-loving friend, or purchased.

Sweet Tea: Making Kombucha Magic

Besides a SCOBY, the other main ingredients in kombucha are tea and white sugar. The yeast feeds off of the sugar to create alcohol, and in turn the bacteria feeds off of the alcohol to create kombucha’s trademark tangy flavor (which is why kombucha isn’t wildly sweet despite the addition of white sugar). This process is important because it creates and maintains the correct pH level (between 2.5 and 3.5) to will prevent dangerous microorganisms from growing and ruining your batch of kombucha.
According to Kombucha Brewers International, homebrewed kombucha is generally fermented for 10 to 12 days while commercially made kombucha takes two to three times longer to ferment due to the large amounts of kombucha being made at one time. In terms of kombucha’s longevity, store bought versions will be stamped with an expiry date. As long as kobucha maintains the correct pH balance, homebrewed kombucha can be stored for up to a year although its flavor will diminish the longer it sits.

Is kombucha considered an alcoholic beverage?

Kombucha does contain a small amount of alcohol as a result of the fermentation process, but for the most part it’s a negligible amount (less than 0.5 percent), which means kombucha can be sold as a non-alcoholic beverage in the United States. According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau sales restrictions occur when kombucha alcohol levels meet or exceed 0.5 percent at which point kombucha must be labeled alcoholic and cannot be sold to minors.

Can you drink kombucha while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Although kombucha contains an extremely low percentage of alcohol, the American Pregnancy Association still advises that “no amount of alcohol has been deemed safe during pregnancy.” Err on the side of caution and save the kombucha for after baby’s arrival.
Breastfeeding? You should be safe to consume kombucha again. According to Elizabeth Smith, patient services coordinator and breastfeeding specialist at University of Utah Health Care, “If Mom is feeling the effects of alcohol, she should avoid breastfeeding until she feels sober. But there’s no need to pump and dump as long as drinking is kept to a minimum.”
Considering kombucha’s low alcohol content and the fact that it can be sold as a nonalcoholic beverage, it won’t get you buzzed or taint your breastmilk.

A Brief History of Kombucha

People have been making kombucha all over the world for at least a thousand years. Kombucha is thought to have originated in China during the Tsin Dynasty (around 220 BCE) where it was known as “The Tea Of Immortality.” Genghis Khan himself was rumored to carry a flask filled with a sour tea-like substance, and according to legend he spread his love of kombucha via the Silk Road far across what is now known as Asia and beyond. Other stories have attributed kombucha’s creation to Korean and Japanese cultures, which is why SCOBYs are sometimes referred to as the Japanese mushroom by kombucha brewers in Russia and other parts of Europe.
Kombucha’s popularity in the United States is very new in contrast to other countries, although American enthusiasm for kombucha seems to be growing rapidly. In fact, kombucha sales in the United States are expected to reach an impressive $785 million by the end of 2018.

Are the health benefits of kombucha as miraculous as they seem to be?

Commercially made kombucha is often advertised as an all-natural elixir that promotes the health and well-being of all who partake in the tea, and fans of kombucha swear by its impressive antioxidant and probiotic content. Scientists are only just beginning to study the effects of kombucha in clinical settings, but for those who have been fermenting their own kombucha and drinking it regularly, the benefits are obvious.
Hannah Crum is a commercial kombucha consultant, the founder of Kombucha Kamp, and the coauthor of the Big Book of Kombucha. She’s also a firm believer in the healing benefits of kombucha. For her, the gains associated with drinking kombucha are widespread. “Most commonly people report more energy, better digestion, clearer skin, and a general feeling of well-being.” That said, she adds the caveat that “some people experience none of these—or even side effects of consuming living foods if they are not used to them.” She says this is uncommon but acknowledges that every body is different.
Crum has noticed many improvements in her physical health since falling in love with kombucha. She says it ultimately comes down to the fact that kombucha is a healthy food, “which means it contains nutrients that help the body thrive.” Reflecting on her journey with kombucha, she tells HealthyWay, “I noticed that it helped to alleviate digestive distress, maintain a regular system, and improve my skin’s appearance. Over time, I noticed other benefits such as regulation of my menstrual cycle as well as wound healing and skin softening.”
Eric Childs is the founder and CEO of KBBK Kombucha, a Brooklyn-based business dedicated to providing top-of-the-line kombucha-brewing supplies and tutorials. What he loves about kombucha as a health food is the multiple sources of nutrients found in a single drink. He explains that “due to its complex makeup, kombucha offers all sorts of benefits: energy, immune support, detox, antioxidant support, digestion support, and overall healthy feeling after drinking it. This is due to the complex group of acids that are formed during fermentation along with the probiotics, as well as the main ingredient, which is tea.”

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Breaking It Down: Kombucha and Probiotics

Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organization as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” Thanks to the fermentation process the tea undergoes, kombucha is teeming with healthy probiotics. So what does that mean for your health as a kombucha drinker? Scientists have begun exploring and publishing on kombucha’s positive effects on immunological, endocrinological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and urogenital aspects of health, and their findings support both Crum and Childs’ observations.

In the Beginning (Before Tea Becomes Kombucha)

Given all the excitement around kombucha, fermentation, and probiotics, it can be easy to forget about the antioxidant-rich tea that is the base of all kombucha. Green tea, in particular, has been researched extensively for the effects its antioxidant levels have on human health. Polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants found in green tea, work by neutralizing harmful free radicals and the damage they can have on cells. Clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between green tea consumption and lowering LDL cholesterol. Other studies have concluded that green tea has a positive effect on several different types of cancer (including breast, ovarian, colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancer), IBS, diabetes, and liver disease.

Kombucha and Bacteria

Preliminary studies have shown kombucha that had been allowed to ferment for 21 days possessed some antibacterial and antifungal properties against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Micrococcus luteus. While studies like these need to be replicated, kombucha definitely holds promise as a potentially powerful antibacterial and antifungal treatment.

Putting It All Together: Making Kombucha at Home

If the thought of home fermentation seems overwhelming, the following tips should help to assuage your kombucha-making fears. Childs shares three excellent pieces of advice KBBK Kombucha gives to all beginners:
First of all, it’s important to “source a clean full-spectrum SCOBY from a reliable source. There are too many at-home SCOBY growers putting out low-quality SCOBY to the market. Make sure your source is good so you start in the right place. This is true for those wanting to start from a commercial bottle of kombucha.”
Keeping with the theme of quality ingredients, his second tip is to “Use high-quality pure ingredients. The kombucha symbiosis wants pure cane sugar and camellia sinensis tea (black, green, white, pu-erh, oolong). Anything outside of this will change the genetics of your SCOBY and make you something different.”
Finally “Keep your environment as steady as possible. Temperature and other environmental items make or break your brew. Get your environment dialed in and keep it there.”
If making kombucha tea still seems stressful but you’re ready to give it a try, you can always sign up for a free e-book and DIY guide from Komucha Kamp. This in-depth tutorial will provide plenty of help and guidance for anyone curious about kombucha and the home fermentation process.

Kombucha Tea Recipe

To make kombucha tea at home, you’ll need a kombucha starter culture (also known as a SCOBY). As mentioned above, it’s important to use a SCOBY from a trusted source such as Kombucha Kamp or KBBK Kombucha.

Yield: 1 gallon of kombucha

Ingredients:

  • 1 SCOBY
  • 6 bags of green, black, or oolong tea
  • 1 cup of pure white cane sugar
  • 1 cup raw bottled kombucha

Special Equipment:

  • Kettle
  • 1-gallon heatproof jar
  • Clean cloths
  • Rubber band
  • Clean bowls
  • Antibacterial soap

Method:

  1. Boil 4 cups of chlorine-free filtered water.
  2. Add the tea bags to a 1-gallon heatproof jar. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags and steep for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bags and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
  4. Fill the rest of the jar up with cool chlorine-free filtered water. At this point the tea should be lukewarm (about 100°F). If the tea is still hot, cover the jar with a clean cloth and set aside until lukewarm.
  5. Wash hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap.
  6. Carefully place the SCOBY in the lukewarm tea and pour the raw kombucha on top.
  7. Cover the jar with a clean breathable cloth and secure with a rubber band, storing away from direct sunlight at warmish room temperature (about 80°F).
  8. Let the sweet tea ferment for anywhere from 7 to 21 days, tasting the tea after 5 days to see if it’s heading in the right direction.
  9. As soon as your kombucha tastes delicious, it’s time to reap the rewards of your hard work. The first thing you need to do is reserve 1 cup of the kombucha for your next batch by pouring it into a clean bowl.
  10. Remove the SCOBY (with clean hands) and place in another clean bowl. Cover it with a clean cloth (cleanliness is an important component of kombucha making!).
  11. The remaining fermented tea is the kombucha, ready for drinking (and flavoring if you’d like).
  12.  Use your SCOBY and reserved kombucha to begin the process all over again!

Love kombucha but aren’t interested in fermenting your own? Luckily there are many options when it comes to commercially made kombucha. Our favorites include Synergy Kombucha and Kombucha Wonder Drink, both of which are tasty and unpasteurized (meaning they still contain all the healthy probiotics and antioxidants).

A Happy Kombucha Conclusion

While kombucha shouldn’t be considered a magic bullet for fixing all of your health concerns, it definitely offers many benefits in terms of antioxidants and probiotics. Kombucha’s benefits are being studied extensively and the evidence seems to speak for itself. Regularly including kombucha and other fermented foods in your diet is a definite plus when it comes to feeling healthy and energized.

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Food Philosophies Nosh

Considering Trying An Elimination Diet? Here’s What You Should Know First

An elimination diet, broadly speaking, is a specialized eating plan that attempts to identify trigger foods for people with food sensitivities. It’s a short-term diet, not a long-term lifestyle change, and it’s useful when establishing a diagnosis for various autoimmune, neurodevelopmental, or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.
For example, to determine whether a person has a sensitivity to gluten (a common protein), doctors may recommend a restriction diet that doesn’t include gluten, but the person may be allowed to consume dairy and other possibly problematic foods. If a person has a different food sensitivity, the diet plan might eliminate dairy, eggs, gluten, and other potential triggers, then add those foods back gradually to determine the source of the symptoms.

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We should note that there’s a significant difference between a food allergy and food intolerance (also known as a food sensitivity). When a person has a food allergy, their immune system reacts dramatically when presented with a trigger. That can cause serious or even life-threatening symptoms. Food intolerances are generally less severe and often cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating or flatulence.
Elimination diets are typically used to identify food intolerances, not food allergies, but they’re recommended for a wide variety of potential conditions, including some disorders that may seem to have nothing to do with diet. Your physician might recommend an elimination diet as a treatment for ADD/ADHD, migraines, narcolepsy, skin conditions, or even asthma.
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Recent health trends have helped the concept of elimination diets go mainstream, and some websites provide resources for people who want to attempt restricted diets on their own. That can be a dangerous idea. If you rush into a restricted eating plan without proper preparation, you could make serious mistakes that could endanger your health.
If you’re considering an elimination diet, or if a healthcare provider has recommended this type of eating plan, here’s what you need to know.

Who should consider an elimination diet?

Before making any significant changes to your diet, you should speak with a physician or dietitian. That’s especially important if you’re contemplating an eating plan with severe restrictions.
“There are steps to take with an elimination diet,” says Deborah Malkoff-Cohen, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and the founder of City Kids Nutrition in New York. “First, you have to meet with someone who’s qualified.”
That’s especially crucial if you already have dietary restrictions, if you’re nursing or pregnant, or if you have any health conditions that could affect nutrient absorption. One potential issue: You might not be aware of those nutritional deficiencies.
“For instance, my friend who’s nursing her baby—let’s say that she cuts out dairy,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If she doesn’t take in enough calcium, the baby will take that from her bones, and she’s going to be at risk for osteoporosis.”

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“Depending on your diet, supplements or different food choices might be essential,” she says. “You want to make sure that you’re eliminating the right things and that you’re reintroducing foods in the right way.”
Part of the reason that medical supervision is so important is that there are a wide variety of elimination diet protocols, some of which are better suited than others for certain conditions. Your physician may want to restrict entire food groups, foods that were processed in a certain way, or foods with specific additives. That’s part of the reason that you shouldn’t try to take on an elimination diet on your own—you’ll need a highly personalized diet plan.
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“[The diet] really depends on the age group and the symptoms,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “I think a lot of people think it’s trendy to be on an elimination diet, somehow. You’re gluten free, or carb free, or dairy free. Everyone’s free of something—but that’s not necessarily healthy. You aren’t necessarily doing your body a service. And you can’t take everything out [of your diet].”  

Understanding the Phases of an Elimination Diet

A typical elimination diet consists of several phases. After meeting with a specialist, patients will usually begin with a severely restricted diet consisting of basic, easy-to-digest foods; this is known as the elimination phase.
“You can’t always take everything out,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “We’ll often do a bland diet with protein and vegetables. We’ll take out gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, and eggs. Then we’ll add [food types] in one by one over several weeks and see what comes back. Then, you can figure out the culprit.”

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That’s known as the reintroduction phase of the elimination diet. It’s extremely important to introduce a single type of food at a time.
“You have to have the patient feel better first before reintroducing foods. You have to get them back to baseline,” she says. “You have to get all of the symptoms to go away before you can have them reappear.”
Patients often make two types of mistakes: They don’t fully eliminate potential triggers or they add trigger foods into their diets too quickly.
“You have to eliminate the food from every part of your diet. You have to avoid trace amounts—you have to do it 100 percent,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “For instance, if you have something like celiac disease, when you test positive, you have to go through all of your products, including things like hair products and cosmetics.”
“As strange as it sounds, some cosmetics have gluten. It’s also used as a thickening agent in a lot of medications. It’s in hot dogs—most people wouldn’t consider that. So you have to have professional oversight. “
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Patients also have to be careful when they’re not preparing their own meals. Restaurants might use dairy when making their bread, for instance, throwing off the diet and triggering a reaction that invalidates valuable diagnostic information. If you’re on an elimination diet, you’ll need to avoid making assumptions about your food, even if they seem reasonable.
As you’re changing your diet, you’ll also need to take extra care to monitor your nutritional intake. Your dietitian may recommend specific foods or nutrient supplements to help you avoid deficiencies. Don’t assume that your diet is becoming healthier simply because you’re cutting out triggers.
“Let’s say someone decides that gluten and dairy are culprits. You have to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and that the grains you’re choosing are the healthy ones,” Malkoff-Cohen says.

“‘Gluten-free’ is not healthier, unless you have a sensitivity,” she explains. “Unless you pick the higher fiber, more nutritious gluten-free grains, you aren’t necessarily doing your body a favor.”

How long does an elimination diet last?

Depending on the goal of your diet, you may have a restricted diet for several months. The most severe phase of the diet typically lasts about three weeks. You should carefully track symptoms and keep a food log, as you won’t be able to reintroduce foods until you’ve eliminated the triggers.
“Some people may see a change in their symptoms in only a few days,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If you’re addressing gastrointestinal issues, some symptoms might go away as soon as you take the food out [of your diet] … but you also have to heal the gut, which might take a few days to really feel a difference. But you won’t have stomach cramping and things like that.”

“With eczema, skin conditions, and non-GI diseases, the changes could take a few weeks. It’s highly personalized to the patient,” she adds.

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Keep track of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Doctors often watch for things like mood swings or “brain fog,” a feeling of fatigue that can accompany certain food sensitivities (including gluten intolerance). As some symptoms can be severe, you’ll want to reintroduce potential trigger foods carefully.
“If you take dairy out for a few weeks, I don’t want you just eating cheesecake right afterwards,” Malkoff-Cohen explains.
Elimination diets are, by nature, highly personalized, but the reintroduction phase should always be handled carefully. If your physician believes you have a food allergy, you should only reintroduce foods under medical supervision; allergens can cause a potentially life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis, which has a rapid onset. Even a trace amount of an allergen might prompt a serious reaction, so it’s important to take the reintroduction phase seriously.

What are the benefits and limitations of elimination diets?

To be clear, elimination diets are never intended for weight loss; they’re highly specialized diets that are meant to identify triggers. They’re also limited in terms of their capabilities. To determine whether a person has celiac disease, for instance, doctors may need to perform an endoscopy and blood tests.
“If you take gluten out [of your diet] before those tests, your results might not be accurate,” Malkoff-Cohen explains.
By the same token, you don’t need to attempt an elimination diet if you have obvious evidence of a trigger.
“For instance, my friend’s son reacts to gluten,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “She was asking about elimination diets. I said, ‘Why would you need confirmation that he’s sensitive to gluten?’ If every time he eats it, he throws up, he shouldn’t be eating it. You don’t always need a confirmation. If every time you eat shrimp, you react, don’t eat shrimp.”

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If you’re regularly experiencing mild symptoms, consider keeping a food journal while eating your normal diet.

“Journaling can be very helpful,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If, for instance, you have migraines, you can go back and check what you’d eaten before your last migraine or aura, then try taking those foods out. You don’t necessarily need the full elimination diet in every case.”

Elimination Diets for Children: What to Know

Physicians may recommend elimination diets for children, which can create quite a bit of stress for both kids and parents. Most kids already have fairly restricted diets—even if that means that they refuse to eat broccoli—and many parents are apprehensive about applying severe restrictions.   
“I see a lot of kids [with] autism, and they’ll do gluten- [or] dairy-free diets. That type of diet can sometimes help kids with autism by limiting some of the primary symptoms in terms of concentration, eye contact, and things like that,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When you have a kid who eats five foods, you have to consider that going free from gluten or dairy could mean eliminating their whole diet.”
Elimination diets aren’t exactly fun for adult patients. But for kids, they can be downright torturous, and they’re not an option when a child already has a severely restricted diet. With that said, if your doctor has recommended an elimination diet, there are ways to make the process easier for your child.
“When you work with children, you want to replace what they’re already eating,” Malkoff-Cohen says. “If a child like waffles, you replace it with a gluten-free waffle. If they like pizza, you try a gluten-free pizza. Find analogs that the child will be more likely to accept.”

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Granted, it’s not exactly a foolproof strategy. Parents should try to understand the child’s emotional state when starting out on a highly restricted diet.

“Kids are picky, and they’re not always going to like the replacement,” she says. “A 5-year-old doesn’t understand what’s happening…and gluten-free pizza doesn’t usually taste like a normal pizza.”
Try planning all meals carefully at the outset of every week, then commit to eating the same foods as your child. Many hospitals offer online resources to make this process easier, although it’s important to follow the exact recommendations of a dietitian, even if they conflict with the information found in online resources.
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As with adults, journaling is an essential part of the process. Parents should work with kids to log both physical and emotional symptoms, along with food types, quantity, and meal times.
And while we don’t want to belabor the point, it’s imperative that parents obtain medical supervision when implementing significant changes to a child’s diet. Never attempt an elimination diet under any circumstances without help from a physician or dietitian.

That really goes for all age groups. Elimination diets are diagnostically useful, and although they can restore quality of life to patients with food sensitivities, they’re not something to take lightly.  

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

From Hummus To Vegan Meringue: Why Chickpeas Should Always Be In Your Pantry

You’d never guess by looking at it, but the humble chickpea is actually one of the most useful items in your pantry. Chickpeas are the main ingredient in classic favorites such as hummus and falafel, but they can also be used to bulk up vegetarian curries and stews. Even the water from canned chickpeas can be used to create a delicious vegan meringue. (Yes, you read that correctly!)
Whether you love the convenience of canned chickpeas or the nutty flavor profile of dried chickpeas, there are plenty of good reasons to get inspired by this versatile ingredient.

Chickpeas are a nutritional powerhouse.

A single one-cup serving of cooked chickpeas contains an incredible 50 percent of your recommended daily intake of fiber and 14.5 grams of protein—a winning combination that will help you stay full throughout the day. With a modest 269 calories per serving, chickpeas are a natural pairing to fruits and vegetables as well as lean sources of protein such as chicken and fish.
Chickpeas are also an excellent source of folate, which can help prevent anemia and birth defects when consumed in adequate quantities by pregnant woman, and manganese, a trace mineral your body needs for normal brain and nerve function as well as fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Chickpeas are a good source of iron if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, as a one-cup serving contains 4.7 milligrams or 26 percent of your recommended daily intake.

Chickpeas: Are they a fruit or a vegetable?

Neither. Chickpeas are legumes—a broad term that refers to either the fruit or seed of a plant. Chickpeas are actually the seeds of the chickpea plant, which is why they are classified as legumes rather than a fruit or veg.

Canned Versus Dried Chickpeas

Canned chickpeas win major points for convenience as there’s no overnight soaking or lengthy cooking period to take into consideration when using them. The main drawback of using canned chickpeas is that they tend to be on the bland side, lacking the depth of flavor found in dried chickpeas.
Canned chickpeas are ideal for use in dishes whose flavor relies on other components, such as bean salads, curries, and soups. Dried chickpeas are much nuttier in flavor and are great for recipes such as hummus and falafel, where their flavor plays a starring role.

Cooking Dried Chickpeas Like the Pros

To make dried chickpeas from scratch, soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water in a large bowl or nonreactive pot for 12 to 24 hours*, by which time the chickpeas should have doubled in size. Stainless steel is your best bet since reactive vessels, like those made of aluminum, copper, or cast iron might react with the chickpeas, adversely affecting their taste, color, or smell.
Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer the soaked chickpeas to a large stock pot and cover with at least three inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and then lower to a gentle simmer, cooking uncovered for anywhere from 60 minutes to two (or more) hours. Taste periodically to test for doneness, making sure to replenish the cooking liquid as it evaporates. The perfectly cooked chickpea should be firm yet soft in the middle, but don’t fret if you’ve overcooked your chickpeas—these can be ideal for dips like hummus!
*Forgot to soak your chickpeas? It’s not too late! You can cover dried chickpeas with boiling water and let them sit (off the heat source) for one hour in a nonreactive pot or large, heat-proof bowl before proceeding to cook them as you normally would.

Freezing Chickpeas 101

Chickpeas triple in size once they’ve been cooked, which means you might have leftovers that are ideal for freezing. Frozen chickpeas can be kept in resealable bags for up to six months and defrosted in under an hour at room temperature. For the best frozen chickpeas, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet to ensure they freeze individually (rather than in a chunk or pile) before transferring them into bags or containers.

Buying the Best Chickpeas

Even dried chickpeas need to be fresh, although it can be difficult to identify chickpeas that are past their prime. Bags of dried chickpeas that have sat for too long will wind up shriveled and discolored and can take much longer to cook than a fresher option would. The best place to shop for dried chickpeas is your local Middle Eastern, Greek, or Arabic grocery store as they tend to have higher turnover rates. If dried chickpeas are unavailable in your area, they can be purchased online.

Cooking with Chickpeas

Discover the magic of aquafaba!

Aquafaba is the totally amazing but entirely unassuming liquid found in all cans of chickpeas. If you thought a good vegan meringue, marshmallow, or egg white cocktail was an impossibility, prepare to have your mind blown by aquafaba. Amanda Li, registered dietitian, founder of Wellness Simplified, and professor at the Chef School at George Brown College, is a huge fan of aquafaba as a vegan alternative to egg whites.
She suggests “[saving] the water from canned chickpeas and pouring it into your KitchenAid mixer with the whisk attachment. Add a bit of sugar and whisk on high for 10 to 15 minutes. You’re left with an incredible white foam, which you can than bake into meringues or use in desserts that require beaten egg whites like souffles or angel food cake.”
To replace egg whites in a recipe with aquafaba, substitute 2 tablespoons of aquafaba for every one medium egg white. Note that the liquid leftover from cooking dried chickpeas will probably be too thin for achieving your desired result, so sticking to the aquafaba from a can of chickpeas is your best bet.

Enhance your protein-packed dishes with chickpea flour.

Chickpea flour is made from grinding up chickpeas, which means it retains all the amazing health benefits of regular chickpeas (aka tons of protein, fiber, and iron). Popular in Indian, Italian, French, and Bangladeshi cuisines, chickpea flour is just starting to gain momentum in the States.
Chickpea flour can be used to make fritters, flat breads, crepes, and in Li’s case, her Savory Chickpea Waffle recipe. Li is a huge fan of chickpea flour not only for its taste but “because even for people who may not like beans or legumes, it’s a great way for them to start incorporating these fabulous high-fiber goodies into their diet!”

Baked Falafel

Most of us are familiar with falafel thanks to street stands and Middle Eastern restaurants, but did you know these vegan patties are easy to make at home with chickpeas? Try this homemade version made with dried chickpeas next time you’re hankering for falafel.  Tuck them into pita bread or add them to your next Buddha bowl. Instead of the traditional frying method, this recipe relies on baking the falafel in order to cut down on excess fat.

Servings: 6 to 8 (makes about 24 falafel patties)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of dried chickpeas (canned chickpeas won’t work)
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced (or about 1 Tbsp. of jarred minced garlic)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, loosely packed
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cumin (make sure the cumin is fresh as it needs to have a pronounced taste for this recipe)
  • Pinch of cayenne (optional)
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. baking powder (this acts as the leavener in this recipe—ensuring airy, lightly textured falafels)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil (opt for this oil for its neutral flavor and high smoke point)

Special Equipment:

  • Large bowl
  • Colander
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Food processor
  • Large cast iron pan OR large rimmed baking sheet
  • Long-handled tongs

Method:

  1. Soak the chickpeas in a large bowl that has been filled with cold water, making sure all of the chickpeas are covered with at least 3 inches of water. Let them soak for at least 12 hours (up to 24 hours is ideal). The chickpeas should be double in volume by the end of their soaking time.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375° F before proceeding to the next step.
  3. Drain the soaked chickpeas in a colander and transfer to a food processor. Add the red onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, salt, black pepper, baking powder, and the juice of half a lemon to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
  4. Using your hands, roll the falafel mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. You should end up with about 24 falafels.
  5. Coat the bottom of a large cast iron pan or wide-rimmed baking sheet with grapeseed oil (you might need to use two vessels to cook all the falafel at once).
  6. Place the pan or baking sheet in the hot oven for 10 minutes or until the oil begins to look shimmery.
  7. Remove the pan or baking sheet from the oven. Working quickly and using long-handled tongs, space out the falafel balls in the hot oil so that they aren’t touching before moving them to the oven.
  8. Bake the falafels for 15 minutes. Carefully turn them over and bake for another 15 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, the falafels should be golden-brown and slightly crispy.
  9. Serve the falafels warm in a pita or in a salad with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and tahini.

Short on time? Skip the chickpea prep with a pre-made falafel mix like this one from Tarazi.

Basic Hummus (and Some Suggestions on how to Spice it Up!)

Hummus is so delicious and easy to make at home that you’ll be wondering why you’ve been settling for store-bought all this time. This basic recipe for hummus uses canned chickpeas, but it’s also a great way to use dried chickpeas that have been overcooked. Once you’ve mastered this basic hummus recipe you can create your own variations on the classic dip (or try one of the suggestions below).

Ingredients:

  • One 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained OR scant 2 cups of overcooked chickpeas
  • Juice of one lemon
  • ¼ cup tahini*
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced**
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil + more for drizzling
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt + more to taste
  • 2 to 4 Tbsp. iced water***
  • Paprika
  • Small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

*Tahini is a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a nutty smell and flavor and is an important ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking. Tahini can separate easily, so stir in the top layer of oil before using.
**The garlic used in hummus will become significantly stronger after even a day in the fridge. If you plan on having leftovers, restrain yourself to a single clove of garlic. Your loved ones will thank you!
***Using iced water helps with emulsion, resulting in a hummus that is whipped and rich.

Special Equipment:

  • Food processor
  • Spatula
  • Measuring spoons
  • Shallow bowl for serving

Method:

  1. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, cumin, and salt to a food processor. Blitz until smooth (this may take several minutes), scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
  2. Beginning with 2 tablespoons of iced water and using up to 4 tablespoons, pulse the chickpea mixture until completely emulsified. The hummus should have a texture like whipped clay and be completely smooth.
  3. Transfer the hummus to a shallow serving dish and serve at room temperature with warm pita bread or crudites. Top the hummus with a dusting of paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you can play with these and other variations to find your favorite.

Moroccan-Style Hummus

Add 1 teaspoon of Ras el Hanout and one preserved lemon. Top with cilantro and mint.

Sweet Potato Hummus

Add the flesh of one steamed or roasted sweet potato and the juice of one orange (in place of the lemon juice). Top with Aleppo pepper.

Avocado Hummus

Add the flesh of one avocado, 1 teaspoon chili powder, the juice of one lime (in place of the lemon juice), and top with chopped tomatoes, red onions, and cilantro.
Like the convenience of single servings? Make sticking to your meal plan easy with pre-portioned hummus packs like these made by Sabra.

Basic Roasted Chickpea Recipe

Roasted chickpeas can be seasoned with wide variety of herbs and spices, making them an easily customizable snack for any occasion. When making roasted chickpeas it’s important to ensure the chickpeas are completely dry before adding the oil and seasoning or they will end up with a soggy coating and a mushy texture.
Watch the chickpeas carefully as they are roasting as they can go from undercooked to burned in a matter of minutes. Store roasted chickpeas in an airtight lidded contained away from direct sunlight for up to two weeks.

Yield: 4 Snack-Size Servings

Ingredients:

  • One 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and patted dry
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt + more to taste
  • Your choice of seasoning: smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, dill, herbes de Provence, curry powder, za’atar, or garlic powder

Special Equipment:

  • Paper towel or clean tea towel
  • Mixing bowl
  • Large spoon or spatula
  • Parchment paper
  • Rimmed baking sheet

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Dry the chickpeas completely, rolling them in between two paper towels or in a clean tea towel.
  3. Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the chickpeas and add the kosher salt and your favorite herbs and spices. Taste a chickpea before roasting to see if they need more salt or other seasoning.
  4. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
  5. Roast the chickpeas for 30 to 40 minutes, giving the baking sheet a good shake once or twice to ensure the chickpeas are evenly roasted.
  6. Remove the chickpeas from the oven and enjoy them hot or at room temperature.

Need roasted chickpeas on the go? Li recommends the Balsamic & Cracked Pepper chickpeas from Three Farmers. Her favorite way to use them? “I absolutely love them topped on my salads as croutons!”

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

12 Types Of Coffee To Try At Home (And How To Choose The Best Beans For The Job)

Whether you stick to drip coffee or have a soft spot for lattes topped with elaborate artwork, there’s no denying the importance (some would argue the utmost importance) of selecting the right type of coffee in the morning. The sheer number of choices when it comes to popular types of coffee drinks is both welcome and sometimes overwhelming.
If you’ve ever had questions about types of coffee or even wondered how to make your own versions of your favorite coffee drinks at home, we’re here to help you transform from being coffee-curious to a full-fledged coffee bean connoisseur and at-home barista.

Choosing Your Beans

All types of coffee drinks worth your morning devotion begin with great coffee beans, and the best place to buy exceptional coffee beans is directly from a coffee roaster. Although a whole wall of different types of coffee beans can be intimidating to choose from, you’ll find that baristas love to talk about their favorite coffee beans and how they can be used.
Ben Rugg, lead roaster and manager of Pallet Coffee in Vancouver, British Columbia, loves interacting with customers who are interested in learning more about different types of coffee. “People who work with specialty coffee are extremely passionate about coffee and typically are more than happy to share their knowledge and information on how to make a nice coffee at home.”
Choosing coffee beans can be as simple as describing some of your favorite types of coffee to a barista or roaster. Ann Hnatyshyn, head roaster at East Van Roasters (also in Vancouver), suggests thinking about what it is you enjoy about coffee drinks to begin with. “When buying coffee for home, the first thing to keep in mind is what flavor profile you’re looking for. It could be something balanced with lots of chocolate flavor notes, or maybe you enjoy a stronger bitter flavor so you can enjoy cream and sugar in your morning coffee. You can also seek out a coffee with more floral and sweet notes.”
Once you’ve identified the flavors you love, it’s time to look at the roast profile of different types of coffee beans.

The Roast With the Most

A coffee bean’s flavor profile is directly linked to the length of time it was roasted. Once you figure out the best roast for your tastes, it becomes much easier to pick out coffee beans. Hnatyshyn says that in general, “Lightly roasted coffee normally has more acidity and sweetness. Medium roasted coffee will be less acidic with some sweetness and some bitterness. Dark roast tends to be more bitter.”
If in doubt, try describing the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had to your barista and let them take it from there. Many coffee shops will offer small sample bags of beans, giving you the chance to try them out before committing to a certain roast.
coffee bean roasts

Price and Origin: Their Effect on Different Types of Coffee Beans

Spencer Viehweger, co-founder and co-owner of Matchstick Coffee, suggests paying attention to price points when exploring different types of coffee beans. “Various price points typically have a flavor spectrum as well. There are many fantastic espresso-style coffees that can be purchased for around $15 to $18 a bag. They won’t have the nuance of the top end stuff, but they can still be delicious. If you’re looking for notes of raspberry or sugarplum, I would expect to pay between $20 and $25 dollars for a premium filter-style coffee.”
Viehweger says that in addition to roasting time, the geographical origin of the coffee beans has an impact on the flavors of different types of coffees. “I would also experiment with different growing regions, learn about their unique flavor profiles, and find what best appeals to you! Kenyan coffees are generally very jammy and acidic, Ethiopian coffees are generally quite tropical and floral, and Latin American coffees are typically nutty and chocolatey.”

Get the right kind of grind.

Whether you’re using a French press, a drip coffee maker, or a stovetop or electric espresso maker, it’s important to choose the right grind for the job. As a general rule, Hnatyshyn says, “If you have a home espresso machine then you have to make sure that the grind size is finer compared to a drip filter coffee machine or a French press, which will be a coarser grind size.” Cold brew and Turkish coffee also demand a specific grind, so make sure to check with a barista or coffee roaster if you’re feeling unsure.

Coffee vs. Espresso: What’s the difference?

There is a major difference between drip coffee and espresso—and it’s all about how the coffee beans are ground and treated as a beverage is being made. Beans that have been ground to make espresso are extremely fine, while drip coffee grounds are coarser in texture.
When it comes to actually making your beverage of choice, espresso is made in much smaller amounts than drip coffee. The process involves very quickly forcing extremely hot water through coffee grounds that have been tightly packed into an espresso maker. Drip coffee, on the other hand, is made by slowly filtering a larger amount of water through loosely packed coffee grounds. Although espresso has a stronger taste and darker appearance than coffee, a typical serving size actually contains less caffeine than that of drip coffee. A 2-ounce shot of espresso contains 80 mg of caffeine, whereas a 12-ounce cup of drip coffee contains 120 mg of caffeine.

How to Make Espresso and Steam Milk at Home

Although you can use drip coffee in many coffee drink recipes, it’s impossible to brew the small amount required for most types of coffee drinks, and substituting drip coffee for espresso makes it impossible to achieve the intense chocolatey taste of freshly brewed espresso in your favorite coffee drink. So how to make espresso at home? A simple stovetop maker such as this one is an inexpensive way to make great espresso without having to spend a ton of money.
For the more serious home baristas, a countertop espresso maker with a milk-foaming attachment will allow you to make almost any type of coffee drink in your own kitchen.
Whether you have a milk foaming or frothing tool or not, keep this in mind when it comes to steamed milk: When baristas heat milk for different types of coffee drinks, their goal is to end up with three layers of steamed milk—a layer of liquid milk on the bottom, a creamy layer of microfoam in the middle, and a layer of stiff foam on top.
Adding milk to coffee is a good way to sneak in some extra calcium and protein, and you can use non-fat, 2 percent, or whole milk—or any non-dairy milk—with equal success. If you don’t have an espresso maker with a steam attachment, you can approximate this same effect with milk that has been heated until just below boiling in the microwave or a saucepan. Once the milk has been heated, it can be whipped up with an immersion blender, a hand mixer, or a whisk before being added to various types of coffee drinks for a creamier experience.
home coffee makers

12 Coffee Drinks to Try at Home

Although all different types of coffee drinks are readily available at coffee shops and cafes, it’s fun to try to replicate your favorites at home. Follow these instructions carefully, but don’t put too much stress on yourself in terms of trying to achieve perfect ratios of espresso or coffee to milk. It takes baristas months of practice to achieve the results you’re used to at your local coffee shop. Above all else, have fun making and enjoying different types of coffee drinks in the comfort of your own home!

  1. 1. Cappuccino

    Made with ⅓ espresso, ⅓ steamed milk, and ⅓ foam on top, cappuccinos are traditionally served in smaller 6- or 8-ounce servings (although many coffee shops in North America sell larger versions).
    To make a cappuccino at home, carefully pour ½ cup of steamed milk over 2 shots of espresso in a small cup, being careful to hold the foam back until all the liquid milk has been used. Spoon the remaining foam carefully over the espresso and milk, then add a sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa or cinnamon to taste.

  2. 2. Caffè Americano

    Caffè Americano (or, Americano as it’s most commonly referred to in the United States) is a popular coffee drink made with one or two shots of espresso and hot water. Americanos have a robust flavor thanks to the espresso, and they contain lower amounts of caffeine than regular drip coffee.
    Concerned about the calories in various types of coffee drinks? A black unsweetened Americano clocks in at about 15 calories per 12-ounce serving, making it a good calorie-conscious choice. Although traditionally served hot, Americanos can also be made with cold water and be served over ice.
    To make an Americano at home, begin with a single or double shot of espresso, pour hot water into your cup or mug, and enjoy black or with milk, cream, and/or sugar. To make a long espresso (also known as a lungo), run the hot water through the espresso machine for a second time after the first shot has been made.

  3. 3. Espresso Macchiato

    A macchiato is made of hot espresso and a very small amount of steamed milk, and it bears no resemblance to the popular version topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel syrup. Macchiato means “marked” in Italian and was originally used by baristas to differentiate between espresso with or without a small amount of milk. To avoid confusion at the coffee shop (and an overly saccharine drink) make sure you order an espresso macchiato.
    To make a macchiato at home, begin with one or two shots of espresso in the smallest heatproof cups you have. Gently ladle about 2 tablespoons of foamed milk onto the espresso, being careful not to mix the two layers before serving.

  4. 4. Mocha

    A mocha (also known as a caffè mocha or a mocaccino) is an espresso and steamed milk–based coffee drink with the addition of chocolate in the form of cocoa powder or chocolate syrup. Mochas can be made with milk, dark, or white chocolate and are sometimes topped with whipped cream and garnished with shaved chocolate pieces.
    To make a traditional caffè mocha at home, you’ll need a single shot of espresso (or make it a double if you’re craving the extra caffeine) and 1 cup of steamed milk. Vigorously mix the hot espresso with 3 tablespoons of sweetened cocoa powder or 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup until completely emulsified. Carefully pour the steamed milk over the espresso and chocolate mixture, using a spoon to dollop the foamed milk on top.

  5. 5. Latte

    Like cappuccinos, lattes are made from steamed milk and espresso. What makes these drinks different from each other? While a cappuccino is topped with a generous layer of foamed milk, a latte is milky throughout with a very thin layer of foam floating on top (latte art is entirely optional).
    To make a latte at home you’ll need to pull a shot of espresso and top it with plenty of steamed milk, reserving a small amount of foam for the top layer. Spoon the foam carefully over the latte and enjoy the beverage hot.

  6. 6. Flat White

    A flat white is a type of coffee drink somewhere in between a latte and an Americano. An Australian invention, flat whites are traditionally made with two shots of espresso and are served in a smaller cup than a latte. While a latte relies on a larger percentage of foam to steamed milk, a flat white’s super creamy texture comes from the creamy middle layer of milk.
    To make a flat white at home, pull two shots of espresso into a 5- or 6-ounce cup. Carefully pour steamed milk over the espresso, being careful to use as much of the microfoamed milk as possible.

  7. 7. Turkish Coffee

    Thick and super rich, Turkish coffee is made by twice boiling water with finely ground coffee beans (no filtration required!), and it is traditionally served in demitasse cups. Turkish coffee is meant to be savored and enjoyed with friends and good conversation, so the next time you’re hosting a late-afternoon meal, try making Turkish coffee at home.
    To make Turkish coffee you’ll need very finely ground coffee. You can have your local coffee roaster grind it or you can buy it pre-ground. This tutorial on making Turkish coffee shows it being brewed in a special copper saucepan called a cezve or ibrik, but feel free to use a small saucepan in its place.

  8. 8. Café Au Lait

    Made of freshly brewed coffee and hot milk in a roughly 1:1 ratio (experiment to see if you like a little more milk or a little less), café au lait is an easy-to-make coffee drink that’s perfect when you’re in the mood for a latte but don’t have the energy, time, or equipment to make espresso.
    To make café au lait, combine brewed coffee with hot (not boiling) milk that has been briefly whisked or blended to achieve a pleasantly creamy but not overly whipped texture.

  9. 9. Irish Coffee

    Irish coffee is ideal for those times when you need caffeine and a cocktail. Made with sweetened black coffee, Irish whiskey, and heavy cream, this is one coffee drink reserved for special occasions. Irish coffee is traditionally served in clear glass mugs with a footed base, but any mug will do in a pinch. Serve Irish coffee in place of a dessert or a digestif at your next dinner party or informal brunch. Regardless of the other dishes you’ve served, the richness of this coffee drink practically guarantees guest satisfaction.
    To make Irish coffee at home, begin with hot black coffee that has been sweetened with brown sugar, using about 2 teaspoons of sweetener per glass. Stir in an ounce and a half of Irish whiskey (Jameson is the preferred choice of many Irish coffee drinkers). Carefully pour or dollop lightly whipped cream over the top of the coffee. The goal is to leave the cream sitting on top so that the rest of the coffee remains black. Serve while hot with a few shavings of chocolate sprinkled over the whipped cream.

  10. 10. Frappé

    Icy and pleasantly sweet, frappé is a Greek invention from the 1950s. Nescafé instant coffee is blended with sugar and water until foamy. Add chocolate syrup, a drizzle of caramel, or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra sweet treat.
    To make a homemade frappé, you’ll need original Nescafé instant coffee, sugar, and water. This tutorial for traditional Greek frappé calls for a specific frappé-blending tool, but feel free to use a blender, jar, or water bottle.

  11. 11. Affogato

    Not so much a drink as a caffeinated dessert, affogato is made by pouring a shot (or two!) of hot espresso over vanilla ice cream or gelato. Although it originated in Italian cuisine, affogato is now widely available at coffee shops and restaurants across the country.
    To make affogato at home, begin with a scoop or two of your favorite ice cream or gelato (vanilla is traditional, but chocolate or salted caramel are also delicious options). Pour a hot espresso shot over the ice cream and enjoy as is or with the addition of crumbled biscotti.

  12. 12. Cold Brew Iced Coffee

    Of all the different types of coffee drinks available, a glass of iced coffee is the ultimate thirst-quencher. With a negligible calorie count (a single cup of unsweetened black iced coffee comes in at less than 5 calories), this coffee drink can easily be made at home, which is a plus for your wallet and your waistline. While you can make iced coffee from hot brewed coffee, the results are much tastier if you use the cold brew method. How come? Taking the time to brew the beans in cold water prevents the finished product from being overly bitter or acidic. For this same reason, the coffee beans should be coarsely ground to prevent any bitter flavors from developing (this also prevents excess sediment from settling on the bottom of your jug or container).
    To make your own cold brew iced coffee, use a ratio of ¼ pound of coarsely ground coffee beans to 4 cups of cold water. Using a French press or an iced coffee maker, steep the coffee grounds for 12 to 24 hours before removing. Using the cold brew as a concentrate, pour over ice and add cold water in a ratio of 1:1. Top with milk, cream, and/or simple syrup.

Pairing Food With Coffee

Want to take your love of coffee a step further? Dive into food pairing!
Rugg loves to pair food with all different kinds of coffee drinks but warns against drinking coffee with overly spicy or acidic foods. His favorite pairings? “Croissants, chocolate, sweet pastries, cheese scones, biscuits, chocolate chip cookies, and toast with jam are all items I believe pair well with most coffees.”
Hnatyshyn is also a huge fan of chocolate and coffee, specifically the way the natural sweetness and bitterness of coffee and chocolate play off one another.
types of coffee

Categories
Nosh

"Gluten-Free Water" And Other Ways Food Companies Exploit Our Ignorance

Food advertisers have one goal: to get you to buy their products.
We know, we’re not telling you anything that you don’t already know. However, manufacturers often base entire marketing campaigns on the things you actually don’t know. Consumers are impulsive, and we often make snap decisions based on product packaging. A cleverly placed “gluten-free” or “antioxidant-rich” label might influence your decision—even if you don’t really understand those terms.

We decided to look into a few common food labels to determine whether they actually had substance. Unfortunately, we found quite a bit of misleading marketing. For instance…

In recent years, the “gluten-free” market has become especially susceptible to deceptive marketers.

For people with celiac disease, accidental consumption of gluten—a set of proteins found in wheat, barley, and various other grains—can be disastrous. These people need to carefully choose gluten-free products, as exposure to even trace amounts of the proteins can bring on uncomfortable (and in some cases, life-threatening) symptoms.

However, as we’ve noted before on HealthyWay, if you’re not sensitive to gluten, “gluten-free” designations aren’t important. Most people don’t experience negative side effects after consuming gluten, and some researchers question whether non-celiac gluten sensitivity even exists.
“There’s nothing inherently healthier about gluten-free products,” registered dietitian Debra Malkoff-Cohen tells HealthyWay. “If you don’t have a sensitivity, there’s no reason to go on a gluten-free diet, and in certain circumstances, a gluten-free diet might be unhealthy.”


Still, many consumers assume that gluten-free products are somehow healthier, and food companies are more than happy to capitalize on the trend. Visit your local grocery store, and you’ll likely find items like gluten-free butter and gluten-free green peppers—never mind the fact that these products never contained gluten in the first place.
To be clear, however, some companies likely have their customers’ interests in mind. Products like beef jerky might seem safe for gluten-intolerant people, but that’s not always the case: “… there could be trace amounts of gluten present due to cross contamination not reported to us by the suppliers we get our spices from for specific products,” the company wrote. Some companies use gluten-free designations as a precautionary measure to make life easier for people with severe allergies.
With that said, some products clearly don’t need a gluten-free designation. The gluten-free label on a bottle of water, for example, means nothing—all water is free of gluten.

The Gluten Bigot

“You would think that most consumers would know that bottled water is gluten-free, but surprisingly, there are still customers that look for that label,” says Kevin Liebrock, a former category buyer for Whole Foods Market. “We are also seeing that move with the ‘non-GMO’ label and ‘sugar-free’ labelling. The product always had those traits, but manufacturers want to get onboard with the growth behind these label claims and feel obliged to add a seemingly meaningless differentiator stamp to their products.”
Speaking of water…

The “raw water” trend is an especially notable case of dubious marketing.

In December 2017, The New York Times ran a story about the “raw water” trend, highlighting the growth of a small company called Live Spring Water.
Live Spring Water offers “fresh and unprocessed” water, bottled in lead-free glass jugs and delivered to consumers for $16 per jug with a four-jug minimum (additional discounts are available for larger orders). The water reportedly comes from a spring deep within the Earth and isn’t filtered prior to delivery.

Leah Nash/The New York Times

“Live Spring Water is fresh and unprocessed. All other commercially available filtered, and even bottled spring waters are sterilized with ozone gas and irradiated with UV light,” the company’s website claims. “Our water still has all the healthy minerals and probiotics fully unobstructed.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds9Do2p60MQ
Probiotics, by the way, refers to species of bacteria with positive health effects, but it’s not easy to determine whether a bacteria is good or bad; most fall somewhere in between.
“We still don’t know which probiotics are helpful and which are not,” the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) explains on its website. “We also don’t know how much of the probiotic people would have to take or who would most likely benefit from taking probiotics. Even for the conditions that have been studied the most, researchers are still working toward finding the answers to these questions.”
https://twitter.com/BlueHorseShoe__/status/969601202114760704
Food columnist Tamar Haspel researched the raw water trend for The Washington Post and found raw water claims to be accurate but misleading. For instance, Tourmaline Spring, another company that produces raw water, has 1.6 milligrams of magnesium per liter, so the company can accurately declare that the product contains healthy minerals. However, a single banana has about 32 milligrams of magnesium. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an average cup of tap water has about 2 milligrams of the same mineral, so raw water doesn’t seem like a significant improvement.
Raw water probably isn’t dangerous, as each brand undergoes regular testing to comply with FDA standards. Still, the purported health benefits are questionable at best—and for the price, consumers are better off sticking with tap water.

Before you start laughing at raw water buyers, ask yourself: Eat any multigrain bread lately?

As the label implies, multigrain products contain more than one grain. That doesn’t mean that they’re any healthier than single-grain products.

Food companies might be hoping that you’ll mistake “multigrain” for “whole grain.” Whole grain foods are, in fact, healthier for most people. Unlike refined grains, whole grains utilize the bran, germ, and endosperm of each grain, which means more fiber and more essential minerals. Many multigrain products simply use several different refined grains, which might change the flavor of the food, but doesn’t necessarily provide any additional health benefits.
Recently, many companies have gone in the other direction, dubiously labeling their products as “grain-free.” Of course, “grain-free” doesn’t necessarily mean “healthier.”

“We are seeing a massive surge in popularity with products labelled ‘paleo,’ but this labelling is somewhat restrictive and implies that it is only for consumers following a paleolithic diet,” Liebrock says. “As a result, brands that want to stay ahead of the curve are choosing to label these products ‘grain-free’ in order to capture a broader audience.”

In other cases, brands take credit for the regulations that they have to follow.

Meat packaging often bears phrase like “no hormones administered,” which might seem, on its surface, to be a positive thing. On beef, that’s certainly true: The USDA requires detailed documentation for beef products making that claim.
However, with pork and chicken products, “hormone free” is essentially meaningless. As it turns out, every pork and chicken product is free of hormones.

“Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry,” the Department of Agriculture notes on a page set up for consumers. “Therefore, the claim ‘no hormones added’ cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says ‘Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.'” Of course, that second message doesn’t need to be nearly as noticeable as the first—it’s often in very fine print.
While we’re discussing Department of Agriculture guidelines, “chemical-free” can’t appear on the label of a food product. Why? Well, everything is composed of chemicals; the term itself is complete nonsense. You might still see “chemical-free” descriptors on cosmetics and other products, but you’re better off ignoring the labels.
https://twitter.com/emmastory/status/972197756587724805
Companies make the “chemical-free” claim for a simple reason: Consumers will believe it, since they’re not really sure what “chemical” means. In a 1997 study, Gayle Nicoll of the Purdue University Department of Chemistry polled college students regarding the definition of “chemical-free” products. About 30 percent of respondents sided with the scientific definition of “chemical,” while another 30 percent sided with the popular definition; the remaining 40 percent believed both definitions.
“A correlation may exist between the amount of television students watched as they grew up and the type of views they hold about chemicals,” Nicoll wrote.

Many food companies also tout “antioxidant-rich” products. We’ve got some bad news…

Yep, you guessed it: Most foods contain some antioxidants.
In chemistry, antioxidants are substances that (wait for it) inhibit oxidation. As oxidation can damage some cells, researchers generally believe that antioxidants are a good thing.

With that said, antioxidant supplements probably aren’t helpful, according to the NCCIH, and you can easily enjoy the benefits of antioxidants by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
What you shouldn’t do is rely on antioxidant labels. Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, lycopene, zeaxanthin, and selenium are all common antioxidants, and those nutrients are found in thousands of foods. Here’s an extreme example, but a warning if there is any about blindly searching for antioxidants: If you dip your mozzarella sticks in marinara sauce, congratulations—you’ve just enjoyed a helping of antioxidants. That doesn’t mean you’ve eaten a healthy meal.

That’s essentially the problem with eye-catching labels: Consumers make decisions very quickly, and if they believe that they’re doing something healthy, they’ll be more inclined to make the purchase.
To make healthier choices, start reading the entire label. Ask yourself whether you really know what advertising terms mean. If you’re not sure, look it up on the FDA’s website or ask the manufacturer for more information.
Ultimately, the best way to fight the knowledge gap between consumers and advertisers is simple: Close it.

Categories
Food Philosophies Nosh

Plant Powered: Why This Weightlifter Transitioned To A Vegan Lifestyle

Roughly a year ago, I decided that the time had come to begin my transition to a vegan, plant-based diet. The Universe had been conspiring for years, and I was finally ready to tune in. As overwhelming as any major lifestyle change appears at first glance, I can honestly say that the entirety of my time as a plant enthusiast has exhibited a clear undercurrent of ease. Fortunately for me, I was able to maintain this fluidity throughout my dietary transition.

Research and Inspiration

What undoubtedly assisted with the drastic changes to my diet was my dedication to carefully researching a vegan approach to nutrition. After two short weeks, I had already found my groove without a single hitch. It certainly didn’t hurt that my reasons for transitioning to a plant-based diet demanded a quick and steadfast response. I’m an empath and an environmentalist. If you ask me, the combination of these two traits is an exceedingly rational reason to embrace a plant-powered life. While animal maltreatment tends to be the most commonly discussed reason for transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, I’m opting to focus on the second key influencer (which is, notably, of equal significance) that motivated my decision.
After watching Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc. on Netflix, I decided to thoroughly research the topics discussed. I was blown away, and truthfully left deeply hurting for this world. In the documentary, I learned that about 56 billion animals are killed every year to meet consumer needs. Animal agriculture, sometimes referred to as animal farming, is the leading cause of species extinction and habitat destruction. It’s responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions that the entire transportation industry, and 65 percent of the emissions from animal agriculture are nitrous oxide. For those who napped through their environmental science classes, nitrous oxide has roughly 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. To put it plainly, animal agriculture is burning holes in our ozone layer.
Global warming and climate change exist, friends, and animal farming is the leading cause. Animal agriculture is also responsible for 91 percent of Amazon deforestation, 31 percent of water consumption, and it’s currently taking up a third of the entire planet’s land. It’s even the leading cause of oceanic dead zones, with some scientists predicting that all saltwater fish will be extinct by 2048. That’s only a terrifying 30 years away!
If you want to consider how you personally may be involved in this, think about date nights at your local burger joint. The water consumption needed to make one hamburger is equivalent to two months of showering. That’s 660 gallons of water—more than most of us drink in an entire year.
As someone who grounds herself in nature, I couldn’t stand the thought of contributing to these statistics. Being a meat-eating environmentalist was not only illogical, but truly impossible. The two stand in complete contradiction. I knew I had to make the change to protect Mother Nature and all her glory.

From Mother Nature to Macros

As a weightlifter, my approach to eating prior to my plant-based makeover was what people commonly refer to as “the bro diet.” In transitioning, it was clear that I was moving from one extreme to another. To support my strength training, I used to consume 150 to 170 grams of animal protein per day. As a 115-pound woman, this was quite excessive, but nonetheless, it was the prescription for an athlete training in bodybuilding and olympic weightlifting six days a week. Within a two-week diet conversion, though, I had mastered the art of fueling my body with 130 to 140 grams of plant-based protein instead.
As an athlete, meeting my nutritional needs and maintaining high levels of performance is paramount. Throughout this transition, I made it a point to not allow my intake to drop below my initial baseline. This meant that I consumed the same macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) allotments as I did when I was eating animal products. At first, meeting my protein requirements presented the greatest challenge. However, with careful planning and plenty of creativity, I quickly grew accustomed to the new foods gracing my plant-loving approach. I allowed myself to think of the changes as opportunities to have fun in the kitchen with new recipes and cooking styles.
Throughout the first two weeks and those immediately following, I experienced a long list of noticeable benefits. My adult acne had started clearing up, my sleep was far more restful, my energy and strength increased, my recovery time between training sessions decreased, my IBS symptomatology decreased (after the initial influx of fiber-induced constipation was relieved), my body fat percentage and extracellular water retention dropped, my vitamin and mineral consumption skyrocketed, and my weekly grocery budget was showing a welcomed reduction.

Tips for the Transition

My number one tip when it comes to supporting yourself through a dietary transition is to review  the nutritional information for the foods you’re buying and that same information for the foods you already habitually consume. Chances are you could use a refresher as it’s important to note macronutrients in the foods you’re consuming on a regular basis. As you’ll come to find, plants have protein. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at our dear friend, broccoli. One cup boasts 3 grams of protein and only 4 grams of carbohydrates. Load up!
For a few more helpful suggestions and crucial reminders, read through my early blog post on the subject of all things vegan. For each one of my many nutritional needs, it takes nothing more than a stop at my local grocer or health food store to fully stock my pantry and replenish my fridge. Truth be told, I have yet to master growing my own garden to further benefit sustainability—emphasis on yet. Ideally, we’ll all get there one day.
To tie things up, sit with this: So many people live their lives as if there’s a second planet to hop to once this one is deemed uninhabitable. The hard truth is, we only have one planet. Something needs to change. I may not be able to save the world by changing the current practices of human beings in totality, but I can certainly change my own habits. It all starts with one person.
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