Wild rice is not actually rice at all, but the seed from a grass of semi-aquatic species found from southern Canada to the eastern United States along the Atlantic coastal marshes. It was the staple food for the Ojibwa and Chippewa people who gathered it by canoe and fire parched the seeds.
You likely learned about zinc – a type of metal – in chemistry class when you memorized the periodic table. Or maybe you have slathered on some thick, white sunscreen with zinc oxide in it? (Zinka sunscreen was all the rage in my middle school!) Perhaps you reach for a zinc supplement when you feel a cold or flu coming on?
Up until recently, mangosteen was illegal to import into the United States. When I first moved to the U.S. from Canada, no one understood what I was inquiring after when I asked grocery stores if they carried this superfruit. In Vancouver, British Columbia, where I grew up, mangosteen can be bought at Asian grocers or large markets like the popular Granville Island, where I often bought this delicious fruit for special occasions. Where I first found out about them, in Tahiti, mangosteen is sold like green juice is in the U.S.
There are numerous ways to learn about healthy lifestyle practices, ranging from self-care to nutrition to exercise to yoga. Books, online and in-person classes, workshops, and friend-to-friend chats can all be great ways to learn more about the healing benefits of pine pollen, for example, or if plastic bottles are really safe.
I thought I was up to date on probiotic-packed fermented products, but it turns out I was missing one very old, and very important tonic: beet kvass. I was first introduced to this powerful beverage sometime last year, when a stall at the local farmer’s market I frequent suggested I try their homemade kvass.
Going gluten free, even if you’re not celiac, is becoming increasingly common. While it might seem like a fad–alongside the sudden popularity of kale and bacon–there is research to back this growing trend.
The next time you reach for an ibuprofen during a run, or slather on some more IcyHot to soothe your muscles, think again. Herbal remedies can have the same effect, without the risk factors associated with painkillers and creams.
Couscous is a staple in my house. The food so nice they named it twice is extremely versatile and amazingly delicious. As the weather is changing from winter to spring, there is no better way to celebrate than with a veggie-filled couscous salad.
Food, Genes, and Culture, by enthnobiologist and agrarian activist Gary Paul Nabhan, is everything you wouldn’t expect in a so-called “diet” book.
Walking around the grocery store, you may have noticed a few labels popping up on your favorite products. Non-GMO, natural, and all those tricky use by dates are being stamped all over products. With consumers becoming more health conscious, companies are using labels to distinguish the ingredients of the products. While that is all good and dandy, deciphering our foods labels can be like trying to crack the code on a lock.