5 Tons of GM Fish Sold for Human Consumption (And Only The Producer Knows Where They Are)

For the first time in human history, genetically modified (GM) fish has been sold for human consumption.

The seller? AquaBounty Technologies – a company that produces GM AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon.

In their most recent quarterly report, AquaBounty stated that they sold approximately 5 tons of their GM Atlantic salmon fillets. The worst part is that only AquaBounty knows where their genetically modified fish are going. All we know is that the GM fish are in Canada.

“No one except AquaBounty knows where the GM salmon are,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN). “The company did not disclose where the GM salmon fillets were sold or for what purpose…”

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Lucy has been trying to get answers from AquaBounty for years. In 2013, she went straight to AquaBounty’s facility in Prince Edward Island, Canada to investigate.

Unfortunately, Lucy and her colleagues were treated like criminals. The only information they could find is that AquaBounty is polluting their local environment.

Organizations like CBAN are essential in keeping the Canadian public informed on genetically modified food because members of the Canadian Parliament voted against mandatory GM food labeling in May.

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods

But what does this have to do with the United States?

In the United States, GM salmon is approved for human consumption. The only thing that is keeping it from being sold to the US is an import ban that has been put on GM fish until labeling guidelines are published.

At first, this sounds like great news, but what this really means is that GM fish will not be imported into the United States… yet.

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Nut Butter – The Bad, The Good, and How to Make it Better

Nut butter is creamy, delicious, healthy, and versatile. Just one spoonful can fulfill your craving for a sweet and satiating treat that satisfies some of your body’s mineral, vitamin, fiber, and healthy fat needs as well. This makes nut butter a win-win dietary solution.

However, nut butter should only be an addition to your diet and not a staple. There are even some types of nut butter that are so unhealthy that eating them is never a good idea. So, which nut butter should you avoid? Let’s find out.

The Dirty Truth About Nut Butters

You probably know by now that many commercially produced nut butters (like Skippy peanut butter) contain added sugar and fully-hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils. This combination is lethal. The added sugars feed candida, while the hydrogenated oils dramatically increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Related: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

However, going for the natural peanut butter or almond butter may also cause health issues as well. To figure out which nut butter is best for you, we must explore three of the main health concerns with nut butter.

Related: Natural Diabetes Cure

Three Health Concerns with Natural Nut Butter

Health Concern #1: They Contain Inflammatory Fats

All nuts (except for macadamia nuts) are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In small quantities, these fatty acids allow for a healthy inflammatory response, but in higher quantities, these fatty acids promote the pathogenesis of many diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. If you consume vegetable oils, canola oil, soybean oil, and/or heavily processed foods daily, then your body will be in a chronic state of inflammation. The same thing will happen if you consume nuts and nut butter as the majority of your daily calories.

Related: What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

Health Concern #2: Too Much Processing Oxidizes The Fats

Many nut butters (store-bought and homemade) take the inflammatory effects of omega 6 fatty acids one step further.

How?

During processing, the polyunsaturated fats in the nuts are exposed to heat, air, and light. The omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the nuts will then begin to oxidize into compounds that are as toxic to the body as partially and fully hydrogenated oils.

Related: Healthy Fats the Healthy Way

However, this isn’t the case for every nut butter. Macadamia nut butter and coconut butter, for example, contain high amounts of healthy and stable fats that won’t oxidize during processing. (Side note: coconuts are technically not nuts, but coconut butter will still be included in the nut butter discussion during this article.)

Health Concern #3: Their Phytic Acid Steals Your Minerals

All nuts, beans, seeds, and beans contain phytic acid.

Phytic acid is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues. It contains the mineral phosphorus tightly bound in a snowflake-like molecule.

In humans and animals with one stomach, the phosphorus is not readily bioavailable. In addition to blocking phosphorus availability, the phytic acid molecule readily binds with other minerals (like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc), making them unavailable as well.

This means that consuming raw (or close to raw) nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes can cause tooth decay, nutrient deficiencies, lack of appetite, and digestive problems. On top of that, phytic acid also can inhibit some of the enzymes we use to digest protein and carbohydrates, leading to more digestive issues.

Does this mean that you should stop eating nuts and nut butter all together?

Related: Homemade Calcium and Magnesium

The Practical Truth About Nuts and Nut Butter

Having some omega-6’s and phytic acid in your diet will do you no harm as long as foods like nuts and nut butter are eaten in moderation. In fact, small amounts of phytates act as an antioxidant in your body and help detoxify toxic metals from the gut. However, if you love nuts like me, it is easy to consume too much phytic acid. A handful and a half of raw almonds or 3-4 tablespoons of raw almond butter, for example, has enough phytic acid to drain your energy and cause digestive issues.

The best way to minimize phytic acid consumption is by soaking and sprouting (when possible) your nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. Soaking and sprouting raw almonds, for example, can vastly decrease their phytic acid content.

The phytic acid content of most phytic acid containing foods can also be reduced by roasting them. (It is best to roast most nuts at temperatures below 320 degrees Fahrenheit to keep their fatty acids from oxidizing.)

To sum it up in one sentence — the phytic acid and omega 6’s found in nuts and nut butter will not cause issues as long as they are prepared correctly and eaten in moderation.

The Good News About Nut Butter

Now that the unhealthy aspects of nut butter are out of the way, let’s explore what makes it healthy.

Each nut comes with a unique combination of protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, fats, and phytates that give them specific benefits. Walnuts, for example, prevent heart disease and atherosclerosis, while almonds help improve insulin sensitivity in people with prediabetes. All nuts, in general, help people lose weight and decrease cholesterol and inflammation levels.

This is why nuts and nut butter are a healthy part of almost everyone’s diet, especially if the negative effects of omega 6s, oxidized fats, and phytic acid are mitigated. However, this doesn’t mean that every mindfully made nut butter will be right for you.

Must Read: How to Kill Fungal Infections

What’s The Healthiest Nut Butter? It Depends.

Different nut butters will be healthy for different people at different times. If you have a selenium deficiency, for example, then having a nut butter that contains brazil nuts may be healthiest for you.

3-4 brazil nuts can cover your daily selenium requirements (depending on the soil they are grown in). If you have reproductive issues, autoimmune disease, or thyroid issues (common symptoms of selenium deficiency), then supplementing your diet with brazil nuts may help.

The tastiest way to supplement your diet with brazil nuts is to indulge in a nut butter called Nuttzo Organic Smooth Power Fuel Seven Nut and Seed Butter. This is my favorite nut butter because it is a delicious combination of organic cashews, organic almonds, organic Brazil nuts, organic chia seeds, organic flax seeds, organic hazelnuts, organic pumpkin seeds, and sea salt. in comparison to the other the store-bought nut butters, Nuttzo is one of the healthiest because it comes with the health benefits of multiple nuts and seeds in a delicious combination.

However, these seeds and nuts are not soaked or sprouted, so people who struggle to digest phytic acid or have other mineral deficiencies will need to find another option. Luckily, there are two healthy and delicious options that are low in phytic acid.

Related: Sprouting to Remove Enzyme Inhibitors

The first is sprouted almond butter. The sprouting process helps to reduce phytic acid of almonds, making them easier to digest. The only problem with almond butter is that it contains more omega-6 than many other types of nut butter. This means that it is not as healthy as my personal favorite — coconut butter.

The Nut Butter with the Healthiest Fats

You may not consider it as a nut butter, but coconut butter is one of the healthiest “nut” butters you can have. The phytic acid content of coconut is negligible, and it is one of the best sources of healthy saturated fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).

With coconut butter, you will also get all the minerals and some of the sweetness that is found in coconut water and the fiber from the coconut meat. This makes it the ideal way to consume coconut. If you define the term “nut” loosely, then this is — in my opinion — the healthiest nut butter.

What about the nut butters that are actually made from nuts?

Macadamia nut butter is arguably one of the healthiest nut butters. This is because it has the lowest omega 6 content and the most monounsaturated fats of any nut. Monounsaturated fats are another type healthy fat (different from MCTs) that enhance heart health and protect against chronic disease.

Macadamia nuts have a relatively low phytic acid content as well. If you are not a fan of coconut, then macadamia nut butter is the way to go. It’s irresistibly creamy and can be made into a sweet, savory, or salty nut butter.

Related: Everything You Should Know About Fat

The Takeaway

The “healthiness” of the nut butter depends on the needs of the person that’s eating it.

Don’t eat a lot of grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds, and you can digest nuts well? Have your favorite raw nut butter (just watch out for added sugars and trans fats).

Have a selenium deficiency? Have a tablespoon or two of nut butter with brazil nuts in it.

Struggle with phytic acid digestion or eat a lot of grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds every day? Eat nut butter that has lowest phytic acid content, such as macadamia nut butter and coconut butter.

Have chronic inflammation? Consume the nut butter with the lowest omega-6 content, such as macadamia nut butter and coconut butter.

Regardless of the nut butter you choose, eat it in moderation (a tablespoon or two a day), and you will get all the benefits with little to no side effects.

To get the benefits, however, you don’t have to search for an over-priced healthy nut butter at the store. You can save your money and your health by making it at home. All you need is a high-quality blender, your favorite organic nuts, and a healthy oil.

How To Make Nut Butter Better

Nut butter is one of the simplest and easiest foods to make. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Get raw organic nuts (or shredded coconut)
  2. Put them in a food processor or high-powered blender and turn it on
  3. Blend until it turns into a creamy butter, stopping frequently to scrape the sides down. (This may take 5 to 10 minutes depending on the power of your blender.)

In 10 minutes or less, you can have your own homemade nut butter. Feel free to add a small amount of raw honey or stevia and unrefined salt to improve the taste.

You can also experiment with different herbs and spices. For example, try adding lavender, honey, and cinnamon to your macadamia or cashew nut butter to make it into a deliciously satisfying dessert.

However, one problem arises when we expose the nuts to high-speed blenders — fat oxidation. Due to the friction of blending, heat builds up and oxidizes the polyunsaturated fats in the nuts.

Preventing Fat Oxidation

To ensure that most of the delicate fats aren’t oxidized, reduce the blending time. Once the nuts are blending into a grainy flour, add a couple tablespoons of tasteless coconut or avocado oil. This will make it into a nut butter much faster while adding some healthy and stable fats.

Reducing Phytic Acid

Don’t forget about the phytic acid! To decrease the phytic acid content of your nuts, soak your nuts (and sprout them if they can sprout).

To soak them properly, simply put them in filtered water for the suggested time. Rinse them and change the water at least once.

Here are the soaking and sprouting times for popular nuts (including peanuts and coconuts):

Almonds

  • Soaking Time: 8-12 hours
  • Sprouting Time: 3 days (only if they are truly raw and not pasteurized)
  • Rinse the almonds and change the water once every 12 hours

Peanuts

  • Soaking Time: 12 hours
  • Won’t Sprout
  • Roast the peanuts in the oven at 300°F for 20 minutes until they resemble a nut with more of a peanutty flavor. (This temperature will not oxidize the fats in the peanuts.)

Brazil Nuts

  • Soaking Time: 3 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Cashews

  • Soaking Time: 2-4 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Hazelnuts

  • Soaking Time: 8-12 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Macadamias

  • Soaking Time: 2 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Pecans

  • Soaking Time: 6 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Walnuts

  • Soaking Time: 4 hours
  • Won’t Sprout

Coconut

  • Don’t Soak
  • Won’t Sprout
  • Blend coconut flakes or buy already made coconut butter from the store

After you soak your nuts, throw them in the dehydrator or the oven at a temperature below 200 degrees Fahrenheit until they are crisp. (For almonds, wait until they sprout before you dehydrate them.)

Throw your crisp and previously-soaked nuts in the blender with some healthy fats, and you’ll be able to make a healthier homemade nut butter.

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10 Items You Can Stop Buying and Start Making for Better Health

Every condiment or body care product can be replaced with a homemade alternative.

Okay, so it takes a little effort to make these products. You may have to combine a few things and find jars or bottles to hold your finished products. But in the end, anything you whip up will be a healthier choice than any product you are likely to find on a store shelf.

If you need a little inspiration to get motivated, just read the labels on your current store bought items or check out their price tags! Why not see if you can make a better, cheaper alternative?

Related: How to Read Food Labels and Avoid Toxic Ingredients

For many of us, the idea of getting back to the basics and only eating real food seems relatively easy. We can toss out packaged muffin mixes, frozen dinners, and canned goods in favor of real, fresh produce, but what about condiments? If you want real, healthy food, the only solution is to make our own.

1. Ketchup

Heinz ketchup has the following ingredients: tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring. Corn syrup is bad for you even if it doesn’t come from genetically modified corn. And what is natural flavoring? The FDA defines natural flavoring as follows:

The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors, include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in subpart A of part 582 of this chapter, and the substances listed in 172.510 of this chapter.”

That’s real clear, isn’t it? A quick search of the web shows many recipes for ketchup, both slow cooker recipes, and the instant variety. Here is one of our sugar-free favorite ketchup recipes.

Homemade Ketchup by Cupcakes and Kale

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 1/4-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (see Note*)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder

See Homemade Ketchup for easy instructions

2. Mayonnaise

Hellman’s brags about their product on their website, saying, “America’s #1 Mayonnaise is made with real*, simple ingredients: eggs, oil, and vinegar.” That statement leads one to believe those are the only ingredients. However, the ingredients list also includes salt, sugar, Calcium Disodium EDTA (a preservative), and natural flavors, (see above).

Healthy Homemade Mayonnaise by Wellness Mama

Ingredients

  • 4 egg yolks at room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tsp regular or Dijon mustard (or ½ Tsp dried mustard)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil (warm) or other healthy oil (macadamia works well)

See Healthy Mayonaise for instructions

3. Salsa

It’s always nice to see a recipe on the Allrecipes site made with fresh vegetables without bad ingredients!

The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa by Allrecipes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

See Best Fresh Tomato Salsa for Instructions

  • Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  • Serve.

4. Salad Dressing

My favorite salad dressing is a recipe created by Michael Edwards, Editor-in Chief of Organic Lifestyle Magazine, aptly named, My Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipe. Don’t make a weak excuse for a salad with 2 to 5 ingredients. Go all the way and include 15-20 veggies and make the most of a daily salad habit.

I make salads with spinach, arugula, collard greens, rainbow chard, beet greens, spring mix and cilantro as the base greens. I also add leeks, red onions, red cabbage, cucumbers, and red bell pepper.  Next, we add what we call “the shreds” – though I prefer to spiralize mine – grated beet root, grated carrots, grated zucchini, and grated daikon radish. Then I add more toppings: pomegranate seeds, raisins, sesame seeds, ground papaya seeds, avocado, and fresh chopped garlic. You can add eggs (soft or hard boiled), feta cheese (preferably raw, preferably sheep), extra turmeric, or olives, if so inclined. I also add various other seeds such as flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc. (Walnuts go particularly well with feta cheese.)

Balsamic Salad Dressing Recipe – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

To make my salad dressing, I start with equal parts oil and vinegar (keep in mind that both olive oil and balsamic vinegar have a lot of imitators).

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup of flax seed oil
  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons turmeric
  • 1 table spoon basil
  • Two teaspoons unrefined sea salt
  • Two teaspoons fresh ground pepper
  • Two tablespoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

Mix well in bowl or blender. Keep in the refrigerator. Check out our salad recipe.

5. Cranberry Lemonade

By now we all know that sodas are either full of sugar or full of toxic artificial sweeteners. What is a healthy alternative? We recommend cranberry lemonade.

Sugar-Free Cranberry Lemonade

Ingredients

  • Safe, clean, spring water or distilled water
  • 1 cup of unsweetened, organic cranberry juice, not from concentrate
  • 3 fresh, organic lemons
  • Liquid stevia
  • Liquid cayenne

Instructions

If possible, use a glass gallon jar.

  • Fill the jar to about 85% capacity with spring water (or distilled water).
  • Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into the water.
  • Add cranberry juice.
  • Add stevia and add cayenne to taste.

The amount of cayenne used is up to you, but the more the better.

6. Nutrition Powder

Once again, you can buy nutrition powder from many sources with a wide range of quality and price. Did you know you could make your own? Doc Shillington shares his recipes, including his recipe for Total Nutrition Powder. (Click on the link to get more information about the ingredients.) I like to buy from Rose Mountain Herbs to get the best organic ingredients. I’ve learned from experience to mix this up outside in a big deep pan. If you don’t, your kitchen may end up covered in a layer of fine dust. And you may want to use a dust mask as well. If you don’t want to make your own, you can also purchase Doc’s Total Nutrition Powder through Green Lifestyle Market.

Total Nutrition Formula Recipe

With this recipe, a “part” means a measurement by volume and not weight. What volume you use is up to you. All ingredients should be organic or wildcrafted.

Ingredients

  • 1 part Alfalfa Grass Powder
  • 1 part Barley Grass Powder
  • 1 part Wheat Grass Powder
  • 1 part Norwegian Purple Dulse Seaweed Powder
  • 1 part Beet Root Powder
  • 1 part Spinach Leaf Powder
  • 1 part Rosehips Powder
  • 1 part Orange Peel Powder
  • 1 part Lemon Peel Powder
  • 1 part Astragalus Powder
  • 1.5 parts Spirulina Green Algae
  • 1.5 parts Chlorella Broken Cell Algae
  • 5 parts Yeast Flakes
  • 5 parts Yeast Powder

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Mix thoroughly.
  • Store in glass jars away from heat and light.

Yeast (both the flakes and the powder) must be non-active saccharomyces cerevisiae nutritional yeast fortified with B12, which is safe for people with Candida albicans.

Body Care

Sure, we know that anything we ingest or inhale is taken into the body. But many people do not realize that whatever touches the skin is absorbed into our body as well.  Personal care products – lotions, salves, deodorants, shampoos, soaps, and perfumes as well as toothpaste should be organic. Instead, too many of us are blindly trusting the FDA to protect us while we cover our bodies in toxic solutions known to cause cancer and endocrine disruption. Once again, we should make our own organic, toxin-free products.

7. Toothpaste

Remember what we used to do when we ran out of toothpaste? Yes, baking soda and salt is a great alternative to toxic toothpaste! Just make sure the baking soda is aluminum free and organic.

Here’s a simple basic recipe that can be altered in many ways.

Simple Natural Toothpaste Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Equal parts of coconut oil and baking soda
  • Add essential oil to taste
  • Add stevia (if desired) to taste
  • Add a pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Conbine ingredients, mix well, dab on the to the bristles and brush your teeth.

If you have some oral health issues that need addressing, we’ve got more recipes and infromation for you, see “related.”

If you’re looking for a great place to buy ingredients, check out Mountain Rose Herbs.

Related:

8. Deodorant

All Natural Deodorant Recipe DIY

Ingredients:

  • 5 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 5 tablespoons pure cocoa butter (no additives)
  • 3 tablespoons of aloe vera juice
  • ½ cup baking soda and/or arrowroot
  • ¼ cup witch hazel extract
  • 4 drops tea tree oil
  • 5 drops of lavender essential oil

9. Lotion

The following is only one of the lotion recipes for Wellness Mama. Check out the link below for more alternatives.

Aloe Lotion – Wellness Mama

Ingredients

  • 1 cup aloe vera gel
  • 1 teaspoons + 1 Tablespoon beeswax pastilles
  • 1/2 cup Almond oil or Jojoba oil (or any other liquid oil)
  • 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon Shea Butter (optional)
  • Essential oils of choice – I like 10 drops of Geranium and 5 drops of lime

Instructions

  • Melt the beeswax, almond oil (or other liquid oil), and shea butter (if using) in a double boiler or glass bowl over a pan of water.
  • Remove from heat and pour into a blender or mason jar (if using an immersion blender).
  • Let cool to room temperature. You want it to be room temperature and just barely starting to harden around the edges. This will help make sure that the lotion emulsifies correctly.
  • Add the vitamin E (if using) and any essential oils.
  • Start blending on low using a blender or immersion blender. Very slowly, start adding the aloe vera gel until incorporated. Use a spatula to wipe down the sides and re-blend a few times until fully incorporated.
  • Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to six weeks.

More Aloe Lotion from Wellness Mama

10. Shampoo

You can stop using shampoo altogether. If necessary, you can rinse (wash) your hair with baking soda followed by vinegar. Or you can make many shampoos yourself.  Try this one for dry, damaged hair. See the link below for more recipes.

Organic Shea Butter Shampoo Recipe

Ingredients

  • Liquid castile soap – 200 ml. (about 7 ounces)
  • Organic shea butter – 15 ml. ( ½ ounce)
  • Lavender essential oil – 8 to 10 drops
  • Sodium bicarbonate – 1(1/2) teaspoons
  • Distilled water – 50 ml. (about 2 ounces)

Instructions

  • Melt solid shea butter by placing it over boiling water. Let it cool to room temperature.
  • Mix water with sodium bicarbonate to make a solution.
  • Pour this solution into liquid castile soap. Stir for a few seconds. Avoid forming too much foam.
  • Add melted shea butter.
  • Add lavender essential oil to the bowl.
  • Blend everything together.

Check out our shampoo article for addition shampoo recipes.

When you try out these recipes, please leave a comment and tell us what you think. And don’t hesitate to share your own recipes!

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Is Millet Gluten Free, Healthy, and Environmentally Sustainable?

Millet is not sexy. A staple grain in India and the semi-arid regions of Africa, Americans are more likely to associate it with bird seed than delicious dinners. Millet refers to a family of small-seeded grasses. The most commonly available one in the U.S. is called Proso millet, and it resembles a small yellow bead. Other kinds of millet include Pearl millet (popularly grown in India), Foxtail or German millet, Finger millet, and fonio. The grain is also used to feed livestock and brew alcoholic beverages.

Millet doesn’t have a very distinctive flavor and can be difficult to find in your average grocery store. There are also several articles warning you not to consume millet. So why bother with millet? A healthy diet has variety, and millet has something to offer the environmentally friendly eater, the gluten-free eater, and the eater on a budget. Let’s dive in!

Good Millet

Sustainable food is a big deal these days, as climates are more unstable than ever before. A crop like millet plays into what will potentially be the new growing sweet spot – tolerant of drought, high temperatures, and poor soil. Millet also grows quite quickly.

Millet popularity is on the rise in the U.S., in large part due to the demand for gluten-free grains from health-conscious eaters and people with celiacs. In addition to being gluten-free, millet is especially mineral heavy. Like other ancient grains (quinoa, amaranth, and spelt), it contains high levels of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and iron. It’s also a great source of amino acids, protein, antioxidants, and fiber.

Related: Is Wheat Poison? What’s Behind the Rise of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance

With its many nutrients, millet has been shown to support the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. It has the potential to protect against diabetes and cancer. Millet can also slow the development of cataracts. Scientists have been slow to research millet, so it’s possible that there are even more reasons to add millet to your diet.

Bad Millet

At this point millet probably sounds like a dream come true. The ancient grain-ness of quinoa. The versatility of rice. All without the environmental difficulties, sustainability issues, and arsenic. There has to be a catch…and there is.

Millet (especially cooked millet) contains goitrogens, substances interfere with iodine uptake in the thyroid. This interference triggers the pituitary gland, releasing thyroid stimulating hormones, prompting thyroid tissue growth, and ultimately resulting in a goiter. Goiters are still prevalent in regions with a history of regular millet consumption like India, China, and Central Africa.

Related Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid

This thyroid issue is a more extreme version of the issues people have with eating too much kale and other cruciferous vegetables. Leaky gut seems to be a possible cause or at least exacerbates the symptoms. For someone with these issues or other thyroid conditions, millet may not be the best gluten-free grain option to eat regularly. It can be argued that millet is much more effective as a way to increase the diversity of your diet rather than as a pantry staple.

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Available Millet

So you want to give millet a try. Good news… it’s cheap! Pre-prepared millet most often takes the form of bread, but the real savings are in purchasing millet in bulk and preparing it yourself. Your best bets for finding millet are the bulk/bean and grain sections at the grocery store or online. Even though whole millet with the hull retains more nutrition, the majority of the millet for sale is already hulled.

Despite the loss of nutrients, hulled millet is much easier to cook, and roasting it seems to retain the most protein overall. It makes an easy substitute for rice or quinoa in salads, Buddha bowls, wraps, stuffed peppers, soups and anything else you would use a small grain for.

Diversity is Worth It

Millet has some great things to recommend it from both a health and sustainability perspective. It’s also hard on the thyroid, an organ already experiencing a range of difficulties due to the modern diet and environment. When those two factors cancel each other out, it’s important to remember one thing – everything starts in the gut. A more varied diet leads to a greater variety of gut microbes which in turn improves the overall health of the body. Adding in a side of millet every couple of weeks allows you to increase your culinary repertoire while also inviting some new nutrients and microbes into your life. Don’t you think it’s about time to join the millet party?

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7 Unhealthy Synthetic Dyes and Food Colorings to Avoid and Why

Food dye in some form or another has been in use since the ancient Egyptians to make food look more appetizing. The first synthetic food color was obtained from bituminous coal and introduced in 1856. Today’s food coloring may be more sophisticated, but big food companies like Kraft, General Mills, Campbell’s Soup Taco Bell, and Chipotle are among the businesses announcing that they will be removing synthetic food dyes from many if not all of their offerings. It’s a move in keeping with the increasing demand for less processed, healthier food options while eating out or at the grocery store.

We’ve been eating them forever, and we’re fine…right? Not so much.

Dyes and colors are controversial, and they have been linked to cancer, allergic reactions, and other health issues. Eating something for a long period of time does not automatically equal healthy or safe. Consumers are turning away from processed foods for health reasons, and labels are the best way to see what’s in your food. Here’s what you should be on the lookout to avoid.

Red 3

Red 3, also known as Erythrosine, is one of the most commonly used food colorings. Its signature cherry-pink is found in maraschino cherries, various candies, baked goods, and sausage casings. Derived from coal tar and flourone and sourcing some of its trademark red from cochineal beetles, red 3 has been linked to hyperactivity in children, thyroid tumors, breast cancer, and can damage liver DNA. Since its introduction as one of the 7 approved synthetic colors listed in the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, there have been numerous attempts to ban Red 3 from food due to its health risks. Although erythrosine has been banned in cosmetics and topical drugs in the United States since 1990, industry pressure has succeeded in keeping it as an option for coloring food.

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Red 40

Touted as an alternative to Red 3, Red 40 is also known as Allura Red or Food Red 17. It is a dark red powder made from petroleum and can contain aluminum, other heavy metals, and cochineal beetles (a common ingredient in red dyes). The most commonly used synthetic food coloring in the United States, it can be found in fruit cocktail, candy, salad dressing, chocolate cake, cereal, beverages, pastries, maraschino cherries, fruit snacks, and many over the counter pharmaceuticals. Products containing the dye are treated differently in Europe, with a required label warning that Allura Red “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” Children experiencing drastic behavioral changes is one of the biggest health concerns associated with Red 40. Other reported side effects include migraines, jitteriness, inability to concentrate, and upset stomach.

Yellow 5

One of the most controversial of the synthetic food dyes, Yellow 5 or Tartrazine is the low cost, coal tar derived food dye version of beta-carotene. It has been linked to multiple health conditions like hyperactivity in children, severe allergic reactions and rashes, nausea, headaches, and asthma, among others. This connection has led to Yellow 5 being banned in Norway and Austria, while the U.K. government asked companies to voluntarily remove it from their products. This has not stopped the dye from being added to a wide range of consumables in the U.S., like cereals, puddings, frozen desserts, bread and cake mixes, condiments, beverages, chips, snacks, medications, and pet foods.

Yellow 6

Though it is primarily labeled as Yellow 6 in the U.S., this dye actually provides an orange color. Some of its other names include Sunset Yellow, Monoazo, and Orange Yellow S. This dye is banned in Norway, Finland, and Sweden and required to be labeled in the E.U. It’s been linked to adrenal and kidney cancer, diarrhea, vomiting, swelling of the skin, migraines, and worsening of asthma symptoms. The signature yellow-orange of the dye has found its way into foods like boxed macaroni and cheese, chips, bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin desserts, sausage, and some pharmaceuticals drugs. For those who normally avoid foods that come in boxes and bags, Yellow 6 can also be found in preserved fruits, so check labels carefully.

Blue 1

Blue 1, or Brilliant Blue, is the more commonly used of the two blue food dyes approved for use in the U.S. and frequently partners with Tartrazine (Yellow 5) for artificially colored green items. Like many of the other synthetic dyes, Blue 1 was originally derived from coal tar, although now it’s oil based. Brilliant blue foodstuffs like candies, ice cream, liquors, and others are easily spotted, although canned peas, soup packets, and mouthwashes also contain the color. Blue 1 is not as controversial as some of the other synthetic food dyes, but it has been suggested that it causes kidney tumors in mice and hypersensitivity reactions.

Blue 2

Blue 2 is also known as Indigotine, Indigotin, or Indigo Carmine. Most of those names reference Blue 2’s origins as a synthetic version of actual, plant-based textile dye (and color of the rainbow), indigo. The synthetic form of indigo is derived from coal tar or petroleum. In addition to coloring blue jeans, the twenty thousand tons of Blue 2 produced every year can be found in colored beverages, candies, pet food, and pharmaceuticals. It’s linked to brain tumors in male rats, asthma, skin rashes, and mild to severe allergic reactions. Blue 2 is also used to highlight issues in the urinary tract, coloring urine blue and making leaks apparent. This practice has seen dangerous blood pressure increases in some people. Indigo Carmine has been banned as a food dye in Norway, Belgium, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Germany and Great Britain.

Caramel Coloring

Caramel coloring is not a synthetic food dye in the strictest sense but seeing it listed as an ingredient should still give you pause. Most of the caramel coloring found in select sodas, baked goods, chocolate items, candies, and protein bars is made by treating sugar with ammonia. Needless to say, this can have a carcinogenic effect on those who consume it. Caramel coloring is linked to cancer in animals, and the state of California requires cancer warning labels on products with more than 30 micrograms of caramel coloring in a day. In addition to that, caramel coloring is can be sourced from lactose, barley, or wheat. North American and European caramel coloring are derived from wheat or corn and highly-processed, but that coloring is thought to be “gluten-free”.

Alternatives Abound

We have become accustomed to food designed to delight the senses, and many companies provide that with the cheapest means possible. The recent push to eliminate artificial colors has shown that most food colors can be achieved through other means, like turmeric, beets, blueberry juice, or spirulina. As more people understand that what we eat determines our health will phase out completely. Until then, labels are your friend.

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Top 10 Blood Sugar Lowering Foods

Eat less sugar, and you’ll be healthier.

This fact has been demonstrated over and over again in studies that compare different whole-food-based diets (like the ketogenic diet, vegan diet, and low glycemic index diet) to the conventional American diet.

If you eat more whole foods, you will consume less sugar. Less sugar consumption leads to healthier blood sugar levels. And healthier blood sugar levels lead to less diabetes, heart disease, and inflammation. It’s that simple.

The Only Issue With Reversing Diseases Like Diabetes

Improving your blood sugar is not easy. It may take a couple months with a whole-food plant-based diet before blood sugar levels normalize. During those months, it will be difficult for you and your body to adjust.

This rapid shift from processed foods to whole plant foods can be a shock to the system. Your body adapts to a change in diet in dramatically different ways.

In response to processed foods, your cells become more resistant to insulin — the hormone that shuttles sugar into the cells to be used as energy. As you keep eating processed foods, you keep feeding a vicious cycle of insulin resistance that leads to higher blood sugar levels and more insulin resistance. This leads to chronic inflammation, fat accumulation, vision loss, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

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But Isn’t Sugar Natural?

Chronic inflammation, fat gain, kidney issues, vision loss, and nerve damage? Sounds like a silly way for the body to handle something that is natural.

How natural something is doesn’t matter as much as what it does in the body. Sugar, for example, is toxic to the body.

When sugar is consumed regularly without the fibers, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in whole plant foods, it overwhelms the cells. Cellular toxins will then begin to accumulate until the cell dies. If your cells never became resistant to insulin then your cells would continue to be overwhelmed by sugar, and you would have a much shorter life. However, if you’re eating whole plant foods your cells won’t have to become insulin resistant to save your life.

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

For example, let’s compare an apple to apple juice. Eat a whole organic apple, and it will lead to a gentle increase in blood sugar levels that nourishes the cells. This is because the fiber slows sugar absorption, and the antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals from the apple help the cells utilize the sugar effectively (before it can become toxic).

But what happens if you drink apple juice instead? Blood sugar will increase much more because most of the fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants were taken out during processing.

This means that the best strategy to improve health is to eat more whole plant foods rather than processed foods like fruit juice and cookies. However, if your goal is to improve blood sugar levels right away, it is best to consume these ten foods.

Related: Healthy Alternative Sugars and More

The Top Ten Foods That Lower Blood Sugar

Patience is a virtue, but sometimes it is better to be impatient when it comes to your health. Eat these ten foods if you don’t want to be a patient with diabetes.

1. Red Cabbage

Red Cabbage is packed with anthocyanins — the pigment that gives this vegetable its dark red color. Many studies have found that anthocyanins can prevent or reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes by reducing inflammation, lowering blood sugar, and improving insulin resistance (the driving factor that leads to type 2 diabetes).

If you are not a fan of red cabbage, you can still get the benefits of blood sugar lowering anthocyanins by eating other dark red, purple, or blue plant foods like blueberries.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries contain a type of anthocyanin that is an active blood sugar lowering agent. Studies have found that the flavonoids in blueberries (and other berries) may provide us with cardiovascular benefits, cancer prevention, and cognitive improvement.

3. Turmeric

Turmeric contains a bright yellow chemical called curcumin. Curcumin has been studied extensively as a potential treatment for diabetes — and the results are promising.

Not only does curcumin lower blood sugar like red cabbage and blueberries, it also promotes the function of the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas (the cells that produce insulin). This means that curcumin can lower your blood sugar in the short-term and improve your ability to use carbohydrates in the long-term.

One concern about curcumin is that it is poorly absorbed. If you want to ensure that you will get the benefits of curcumin, it is best to have it in a supplement called Meriva or a supplement that combines Bioperine with curcumin. Both curcumin preparations increase the absorption of curcumin much more than just having curcumin alone.

Related: How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe

4. Cinnamon

Whether it is Ceylon or Cassia cinnamon, it will reduce fasting blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity (the opposite of insulin resistance). But there is one caveat — Cassia cinnamon contains a toxic compound called coumarin that can cause kidney, liver, and lung damage. Just 1-2 teaspoons a day of Cassia cinnamon has enough coumarin to cause toxic effects, so it is best to stick with Ceylon cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels.

Related: Cinnamon – Ceylon Vs Cassia, Health Benefits, and Other Interesting Facts

5. Lemons

There are thousands of different flavonoids that can be found in plant foods, and lemons have two that can improve fat and glucose metabolism. These flavonoids are called hesperidin and naringin, and they help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

Put lemon juice in your water or meals to provide you with health-boosting, blood-sugar-lowering flavonoids whenever you want. If you are looking to detox and lower your blood sugar levels at the same time, try our inexpensive, easy detox – The One Gallon Challenge.

6. Fenugreek Seeds

This flavorful seed provides us with a quick and easy way to improve blood sugar levels while fasting and after a meal. The effects of fenugreek seeds are so powerful that they can help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes. This means that fenugreek seeds are effective with and without the help of insulin.

You can consume fenugreek seeds in the form of a tea or add fenugreek seed powder to dressings, sauces, or curries. It is commonly used in Indian foods to give them a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that is often described as a cross between celery and maple.

7. Dark Chocolate

This guilty pleasure may be as pleasureful for you as it is for your body. The cacao in dark chocolate contains many flavanols (a type of flavonoid) that decrease blood pressure and insulin resistance. This decrease in insulin resistance helps the cells use up excess blood sugar, which lowers blood sugar naturally.

However, make sure you are consuming dark chocolate that contains no refined sugar at all. You can avoid this by making your own dark chocolate at home.

Simply melt a half cup of coconut oil in a pan, add in a half cup of raw organic cacao powder (because it has the highest flavanol content) with a tablespoon of a healthy, alternative sweetener. Stir until it is completely mixed, transfer it to a container, and put it in the refrigerator. After a couple hours, you will have your own blood-sugar-lowering dark chocolate without any dubious ingredients.

8. Broccoli Sprouts

Dozens of studies on broccoli sprouts have surfaced over the past decade. They have been found to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, but do these sprouts also help lower blood sugar?

In one randomized double-blind clinical trial, researchers found that 10 grams of broccoli sprouts per day significantly decreased insulin levels. This suggests that broccoli sprouts may improve insulin sensitivity, leading to lower blood sugar levels.

These medicinal sprouts can easily be grown indoors in less than a week (for cheap). Once they are finished growing, you can have them as a snack or with meals.

Related: You Need Sulforaphane — How and Why to Grow Broccoli Sprouts

9. Onions

Onion bulb extract was found to strongly lower blood glucose in diabetic rats. Although onion’s effect on the blood sugar levels of humans is uncertain, this vegetable still has many potential health benefits.

These health benefits are partly caused by quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that is found in many vegetables including onions. Quercetin has been found to lower blood sugar before and after meals in many different animals with diabetes. This is a promising finding for those who want to lower their blood sugar.

However, onions aren’t the best vegetable if you want to maximize your quercetin consumption.

Related: Your Guide to Root Vegetables – Health Benefits, Recipes, and More

10. Capers

Capers have the highest quercetin content of all the foods that have been studied. These edible flower buds are picked just before they ripen and pickled before they hit your taste buds with their tangy, briny, and slightly lemony flavor.

Studies on capers have found that they have so much antioxidant activity that just a small amount prevents fat from oxidizing and causing cell damage. This makes capers the perfect addition to any meal that has meat and fat in it.

The Ultimate Blood-Sugar-Lowering Meal

Eating these ten foods on a daily basis will help you lower your blood sugar levels fast. But how do you fit these foods into your day?

By putting them all into one meal.

Imagine this — A bowl filled with salad greens of your choice and:

  • shredded red cabbage
  • capers
  • chopped onions
  • broccoli sprouts
  • a handful of blueberries

Toss all of that together with a homemade dressing made of lemon, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and fenugreek powder. Delicious!

And for dessert — homemade chocolate with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Finish it off with a curcumin supplement, and you’ve just combined all ten blood sugar lowering foods into one delicious meal.

However, you don’t have to rely on these foods to lower your blood sugar. In fact, check out the quickest and easiest way to improve your blood sugar levels.

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A Guide to Finding and Choosing The Healthiest Eggs

They are fooling you. The words on the egg cartons don’t mean what you think they do.

“Vegetarian-fed”, “cage-free”, “omega-3 enriched”, “free-range”, “organic”, “humanely-raised”, and “pasture-raised” all seem like healthy choices, but they don’t accurately reflect how healthy the eggs are.

The egg aisle of a grocery store is like a political primary debate. Every egg carton is saying what you what to hear to get your vote. But they are just words.

Words that are used with the intent to make you buy the eggs, but they don’t provide you with the answer to the question:

Which eggs are the healthiest?

To find the healthiest eggs, you must find the healthiest hens — hens that eat what they are biologically designed to eat.

Chickens are Not Vegetarians

Among the dozens of different egg cartons, you think you’ve found the holy grail. Eggs from 100% vegetarian-fed chickens. Vegetables are healthy, so these must be the healthiest, right?

The only problem is that the healthiest chickens eat omnivorous diets. Chickens love to munch on green plants, wild seeds, earthworms, and insects. In fact, many chickens prefer insects over plants.

Every time I see “vegetarian-fed” on a carton of eggs, I am reminded of the time I held a big juicy worm four feet above a group of chickens. They jumped with vigor — flapping their wings, doing anything to get the worm before their hen friends.

Surely, they’d do the same for any kind of food. They are probably just hungry. But when I tried the same with sunflower seeds and fresh organic vegetables, they turned away and continued scraping the ground with their claws to find bugs and worms.

Related: Animal vs. Plant Protein – What’s Better?

The Truth About Vegetarian-fed Chickens

“Vegetarian-fed”, however, does not mean the chickens are roaming around an organic vegetable garden oasis. In most cases, the egg companies didn’t change anything, but how they label their eggs.

For example, an egg carton that is labeled 100% vegetarian-fed and cage-free indicates that the chickens were raised indoors in a confined space with hundreds of other chickens.

To give you some perspective, imagine you are in a subway car during rush hour. Packed so many people that you almost kissed the guy next to you. Now imagine living your life in that subway car — no one gets out unless they die. (But at least you are not in cages, and you get free food!)

The chickens are, however, provided with food that is scientifically designed to cover their needs. Here’s an example of a typical “vegetarian” diet reported by Mother Earth News:

Here’s the ingredients list from “16 percent Layer Crumbles,” a feed designed for hens raised in confinement: “Grain Products, Plant Protein Products, Processed Grain Byproducts, Roughage Products, Forage Products, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Manadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Methionine Supplement, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite.”

This feed may seem like it is covering all of the nutritional needs of the chicken, but studies show that vegetarian-fed chickens that live in confinement lay eggs that have:

  • 1/3 more cholesterol
  • 1/4 more saturated fat
  • 2/3 less vitamin A
  • 2 times less omega-3 fatty acids
  • 3 times less vitamin E
  • 7 times less beta carotene
  • 50 percent less folic acid
  • 70 percent less vitamin B12
  • 50-112% less Vitamin D

But what are they comparing these eggs too? Eggs from chickens that are free to roam the outdoors and eat all types of plants and insects — the healthiest eggs. Words like “pastured”, “pasture-raised”, and “free-range” on egg cartons seem to reflect this healthy lifestyle, but they do not guarantee that the chickens were raised in this way. In fact,  “pastured”, “pasture-raised”, and “free-range” eggs just mean that the chickens had some access to the outdoors — regardless if it is a lifeless mud pit or a luscious green pasture.

But does it really matter if the chickens are outdoors? If we feed them a wide variety of seeds, plants, and insects, then they’ll be healthy, right?

Not so fast. Like humans, chickens don’t solely rely on diet for health. Sun exposure matters as much to chickens as it does to us.

Chickens Sun Bathe Too

If we don’t get any sun, our vitamin D levels drop, followed by less energy and depression. When we are chronically vitamin D deficient, our bones can become brittle and break easily. The same happens to chickens who have little access to the outdoors. (That’s right, they synthesize vitamin D from the sun just like us.)

Vitamin D deficient chickens will also lay brittle eggs that provide us with less nutrition. But the vegeterian feed has vitamin D in it — shouldn’t that cover their vitamin D needs?

Two animal researchers, Heuser and Norris, showed that 11 to 45 minutes of sunshine daily were sufficient to prevent rickets in growing chickens, but no improvements were obtained with vitamin D supplementation. This suggests that chickens are much better at using sunlight to synthesize vitamin D than using supplemental vitamin D.

Related: Vitamin D – The #1 Vitamin You Need: From Treating Depression to Preventing Cancer

What About “Omega-3 Enriched” Eggs?

Don’t fall for the hype. Although they do have higher omega-3s, these eggs are just as bad as conventional eggs.

Omega-3 enriched eggs usually come from chickens that are fed omega-3 supplements like krill oil, flaxseed oil, and algae oil on top of their unhealthy vegetarian diet. These oils are most likely rancid and unhealthy for the chickens.

The healthiest way to enrich eggs with omega-3s is by letting the chickens eat what they are designed to eat. Chickens that naturally feed on pasture have significantly increased amounts of omega-3s in their eggs compared to conventional eggs.

Related: Everything You Should Know About Fat

The Healthiest Egg

Now, we are beginning to put it all together. Chickens are omnivores that need access to the outdoors whenever they choose. Eggs that come from chickens who live the way that they are supposed to live are the healthiest.

This contention is even backed up by research that Mother Earth News conducted. They tested the nutrient content of eggs from chickens who lived under natural conditions. The editor-in-chief of Mother Earth News, Cheryl Long, commented that:

“Our test results reveal that the unnatural and inhumane conditions of factory farms are giving us substandard food. Consumers will get more nutritious eggs if they pay a premium for true free-range eggs from birds raised on pasture.”

How to Know if You Have The Healthiest Eggs

It doesn’t matter how many catchy words an egg carton throws at you. It could say “pasture-raised”, “non-GMO”, “humanely raised”, “organic”, or “I swear to God these are healthy — please trust me,” but that doesn’t mean they are the best eggs you can get.

This is because claims like “pastured” “pasture-raise” “cage-free” and “free-range” don’t mean what you think they do. Labeling laws allow egg products to display these terms even if the egg-laying chickens spend little or no time outdoors in a pasture setting.

Non-GMO and organic eggs are also promising, but organic and non-GMO eggs may still be fed a vegetarian diet with little access to the outdoors. Bummer. So what can you do?

The only way to find the healthiest possible eggs is to connect with the farmer of the chickens that made them. Visit or reach out to the farm/company that produces the eggs that you normally buy and find out how they raise their hens. I’ve personally done this for Handsome Brook Farm’s pasture-raised eggs and found out that they were making false claims on their packaging. Their eggs are no better than cheaper “cage-free” eggs.

To find the healthiest eggs, it is best to stay local and get to know the farmer. Do a quick search on localharvest.org and eatwild.com to find a farmer that has quality eggs.

The Quickest Way to Know if You Have High-Quality Eggs

If you are not sure that you can trust the eggs you are having now, you can test them in two ways.

The Egg Shell Crack Test:

If the egg shell is very brittle and has little to no membrane on the inside, then it came from a chicken that is vitamin D deficient (and probably deficient in other vitamins and minerals as well). This indicates that the chickens didn’t have much access to the sun.

The Egg Yolk Color Test:

Egg yolks with a deep orange color are higher in vitamin A and beta-carotene. This deep color indicates that the chicken has access to a diverse array of different plants. A pale, yellow yolk tells you that the chicken ate a diet consisting of mostly white corn and other nutrient-depleted grains that aren’t as healthy for the chicken.

Does Your Egg Pass The Test?

If the egg shell is resilient, and the yolk is a dense orange color then you have some healthy eggs. Conversely, if the shell shatters easily and has a pale yolk then it most likely came from an unhealthy chicken.

The Best Way to Prepare Eggs

If you have high-quality eggs, it is best to eat the yolk raw and cook the egg whites.

Eggs yolks should be eaten raw because cooking them will oxidize their cholesterol (rendering it unhealthy), and denature many of the vitamins (rendering them useless). If you don’t like the taste of raw eggs, then put a couple yolks into your morning smoothies with some lemon juice. This way you won’t taste the raw egg, and the lemon juice will prevent some of the nutrients from denaturing.

But before you eat the yolk, make sure you separate it from the egg white. The egg white has proteins in it that bind to the b-vitamins, making them useless. If you want to get the extra protein that the whites provide, then you can cook them until they turn white (but not brown). Cooking the egg white will deactivate the proteins binding to the b-vitamins, so you can get all of the vitamins out of the raw yolk and all of the protein from the whites at the same time.

The Takeaway

The healthiest eggs come from the healthiest hens.

Don’t blindly trust the words on the egg carton. The only way to know if you have healthy eggs is by finding out how the chickens are raised. Do your research, and get to know your egg farmer.

If you are looking to get the most nutrition out of your high-quality eggs, it is best to have the egg yolks raw and the egg whites cooked.

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