Finding yourself confused by the seemingly endless promotion of weight-loss strategies and diet plans? In this series, we take a look at some popular diets—and review the research behind them. What Is It? The Paleolithic or “Paleo” diet seeks to address 21st century ills by revisiting the way humans ate during the Paleolithic era more than … Continue reading “Diet Review: Paleo Diet for Weight Loss”
In recent years, the popularity of coconut and particularly coconut oil has soared because of touted health benefits. Fueling the coconut oil trend, celebrity endorsements have claimed the ingredient to help blast away belly fat, curb appetite, strengthen the immune system, prevent heart disease, and stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A survey found that … Continue reading “Coconut Oil”
The almond is a tree nut native to the Mediterranean region. Historically, almond trees grew there wild and were later cultivated as early as 3000 BC. Almonds are even referenced in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, as a prized food given as gifts. The edible part of the almond is actually a seed … Continue reading “Almonds”
Finding yourself confused by the seemingly endless promotion of weight-loss strategies and diet plans? In this series, we take a look at some popular diets—and review the research behind them. What is it? The ketogenic or “keto” diet is a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich eating plan that has been used for centuries to treat specific medical conditions. … Continue reading “Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss”
Oats, formally named Avena sativa, is a type of cereal grain from the Poaceae grass family of plants. The grain refers specifically to the edible seeds of oat grass, which is what ends up in our breakfast bowls. Whether loved or hated for their mushy yet hearty texture when cooked, oats are most prized for … Continue reading “Oats”
“Superfoods,” “power foods,” “top 10 foods”—do these titles catch your attention? For those of us seeking to improve our health, the notion of a superfood can be appealing. We may imagine a powerful food with special abilities like promoting weight loss or healing disease. There’s no scientifically based or regulated definition for superfood, but generally, … Continue reading “Superfoods or Superhype?”
“Ch-ch-ch-chia” may be a familiar jingle if you grew up during the 1980s. Little did we know that those popular ceramic pets sprouting grass “hair” were a foretelling of the even greater success their seeds would have in edible form 25 years later. Chia seeds are often referred to as a “superfood” or functional food—unregulated … Continue reading “Chia Seeds”
Who knew a vegetable could be so cool? Although kale has early roots in Greek and Roman culture, it remained a relatively minor commercial crop in the U.S. until recent years. This leafy green reached celebrity status around 2012, appearing on menus of Michelin star restaurants and becoming the choice ingredient of millennial food bloggers. … Continue reading “Kale”
The name chickpea comes from the Latin word cicer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. It is also known by its popular Spanish-derived name, the garbanzo bean. Kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, and peanuts are other familiar foods found in this legume family. These plants produce edible seeds, called pulses, that have … Continue reading “Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)”
Finding yourself confused by the seemingly endless promotion of weight-loss strategies and diet plans? In this series, we take a look at some popular diets—and review the research behind them. What Is It? The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is sometimes prescribed by doctors to help treat high blood pressure. Blood pressure is … Continue reading “Diet Review: DASH”
