Cancer

Hormonal balance affects your longevity, weight, and mood. And new research is telling us that the cornerstone of balanced hormones is your gut microbiome, which — it turns out — depends on fiber. So can eating more fiber really help you to lose weight, live longer, and feel better?

Most of us don’t think of lettuce as a super-nutritious food. Sure, it makes up the bulk of “ordinary” salads, and iceberg accompanies fast food meals — but in terms of raw nutritional value, we tend to think of it as a sideshow. But should we reconsider our tepid view of lettuce? Might it turn out to be a nutritional powerhouse after all? And are there ways to enjoy it that don’t just involve salad dressing?

We’ve known about the vitamin antioxidants for a long time: vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene leap to mind. Recently, other phytonutrients such as lycopene and resveratrol have been having their day in the sun. But there’s one antioxidant that may be the most important of all, and it hasn’t really received the amount of attention justified by its impressive benefits. In this article, let’s get to know the dietary antioxidant glutathione.

Buckwheat is an ancient grain that deserves more and better press than it gets. It’s gluten-free, chock-full of nutrients, and tasty. Plus, it retains its whole grain qualities even as a flour. While buckwheat is a common ingredient in some Asian and Eastern European cuisines, it hasn’t yet made much of a culinary or nutritional splash in the West. So what is buckwheat, and why should most people eat more of it?

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, but whether or not it’s a healthy choice has often been the subject of debate for a very long time. In this article, we’ll look at some surprising coffee health benefits, potential downsides, and how to enjoy coffee in ways that are healthy, ethical, and sustainable.

There are over 50,000 mushroom species in existence. Some are common foods, and others are hallucinogenic or poisonous. But there are also other mushrooms that are highly nutritious and even medicinal. Research into this area is exploding, with findings that now have some doctors recommending certain mushrooms along with their patients’ conventional cancer treatments! Below, we explore five of the most researched and beneficial medicinal mushrooms out there.

Olive oil gets a lot of great press as a health food. And olives are popular staples of Mediterranean cuisine, which is considered by many to be the world’s healthiest way of eating. But olives are very salty, and olive oil is basically 100% fat. So what’s the truth about this savory fruit? How can we separate fact from myth?

Turnips may not be cool like cucumbers or sexy like cauliflower, but they’re humble and hardworking root vegetables that have sustained human civilizations for millennia. And the more we know about turnips, the more impressive their nutritional and health benefits become. So why are turnips so good for us, and how can we prepare them in ways that make us look forward to seeing them on our plates?

If a food or beverage makes your tongue feel like all the moisture has been sucked out of it, it could be because it’s rich in tannins. These compounds, produced by plants to protect themselves, may also protect us from inflammation, microbes, and free radical damage. But some people see tannins as antinutrients, compromising our ability to absorb minerals and protein. So what’s the truth about these common and strong-tasting phytochemicals?

Bitterness is the bane of any child (or adult!) told to eat their veggies. And many bitter plants are also poisonous. But it turns out that some bitter foods have a lot going for them — including major health benefits like improved digestion and lower rates of chronic illness. So what is it that makes these foods so special — and how can you learn to love them?

Oregano is one of the most well-known herbs in the world, thanks to the popularity of Italian cuisine. Now scientists are discovering that this humble herb that flavors pizza sauce is one of the most powerful aids to immunity in our pharmacopeia (and our kitchens). What are the health benefits of oregano, and how can you add this amazing (and delicious!) herb to your diet?

You may have heard fiber is important, or that you need to eat more fiber. But why is fiber good for you? And how can you get enough fiber in your diet? Discover the health benefits of this essential nutrient. Plus, find out what the top fiber-rich foods are and get a sample meal plan to easily meet your optimal daily fiber intake.