antioxidants

I first came across turmeric in our family kitchen as a child. My mother had printed out a recipe for curry cauliflower, and while the curry powder gave the roasted cauliflower its delicious taste, turmeric was responsible for the subtler taste and stronger hue. Since then, I’ve seen turmeric in everything from egg and tofu scrambles to salad dressings to cookies–I kid you not. Most recently, I stumbled upon a recipe in Meghan Telpner’s The UnDiet CookBook for Jamu Juice. 

If you think your pancreas is not particularly important, think again. A healthy pancreas is essential for a healthy digestion; so here’s what to eat to make your pancreas function at its optimum…

Although conventional electrolyte drinks, otherwise known as sports drinks, seem innocent enough, their ingredients are not. Most of them contain a lot of unnecessary chemicals like food coloring, artificial flavors, and processed sugars. The main purpose of electrolyte dinks is hydration, replenishing electrolytes, and energizing the body.  These drinks are great to have with you during sweaty workouts.

When thinking about tea, some of the first selections that come to mind are usually green, white, chai, oolong, or black. But what about those caffeine-free berry teas? Berries themselves are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants for the body, so it would only make sense for them to benefit us in tea form. Curious to explore some of the different kinds of berry teas and their health qualities? Here are 8 very beneficial teas you should really try out.

Cranberries are more than just the lumpy, coagulated red side dish on your Thanksgiving dinner table, and certainly more than the name of a 90s rock band. These acidic red berries do more for your health, and perhaps more for your taste buds, than you think. Read on to find out why it’s worth it to take a second look at cranberries.

Brown rice is believed to have first been cultivated in China about 9000 years ago. Arab travelers brought the grain to the Middle East and subsequently rice traveled throughout the world. The whole grain is known as brown rice – it contains the inner grain, the hull and the germ. Together, they are a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and proteins.

One of my favorite fruits to eat this time of year is the persimmon. In season from October to February, persimmons are incredibly sweet, juicy fruits that are quite fittingly referred to as “the fruit of the Gods.” Not only are they delicious, but they contain numerous health benefits as well.

Admittedly, the rutabaga is a homely vegetable with a fun-to-say name. You’ve probably seen them in the produce section, and quickly walked by, avoiding a direct look at them in case they might turn into fairytale trolls out to get you. So call them by their other name, swedes, and keep reading.

For clever farmers, alfalfa is a nitrogen-fixer, but for those of us who aren’t quite on that scale yet, alfalfa sprouts add a fabulously light, crunchy, young-green flavor to any meal. And they taste even better when you grow them yourself…in your kitchen…with materials you (probably, hopefully) already have on hand!

After a season of overly sweet treats, these chocolate cookies are the perfect dessert. Adapted from bakerita, these cookies have no refined sugars but are just as good with a glass of milk.