Olive oil is one of the healthiest sources of dietary fat. Mostly comprised of monounsaturated fats, olive oil is packed with protective and anti-aging antioxidants, including vitamin E. It’s also been shown to reduce inflammation. Related Post: Which Fats are Healthy? Related Post: Why Fat is a Necessary Part of a Healthy Diet But the olive oil industry is straight up shady! It’s…
Chocolate makes everything better: a great movie, a bad day, a nasty breakup. Are you with me or are you with me? Dark chocolate with a high cacao content is also a nutritious treat since it’s jam-packed with healthy antioxidants. But finding pure dark chocolate without any unnecessary additives can be a real struggle. This is why I like to…
I’m just going to cut to the chase here: canola oil is NOT healthy. Yet it’s touted as one of the healthiest oils! Really, nothing makes me want to SCREAM like reading a “healthy” recipe that calls for canola oil. Nooooooooo! I instantly have to close the browser and walk away. Canola oil has especially been lauded as heart-healthy since it’s…
The holidays are a time for indulgence. And I’m not just talking about the big pile of presents. I’m talking cookies and cocktails and cocoa and LOTS of them! I believe that if you eat well the majority of the time — particularly at home and by bringing healthy, homemade meals to work — then you can most certainly indulge while out at a restaurant or…
A real food diet is the cornerstone of good health. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. So it breaks my heart when readers tell me how they struggle to balance buying the best quality food for their families with their budgets. And I totally get it — healthy, real food can definitely be more expensive (thanks to our country’s backwards, profit-before-people…
Your liver is one hardworking hustler of an organ. It filters 1.4 liters of blood a minute, removing potentially toxic substances and pathogens It creates bile to break down fats, allowing the body to assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K It manages day-to-day blood sugar regulation It produces hormones and has the job of conjugating or deconjugating hormones…
Not only are these popsicle recipes loaded with superfood goodness, they’re also incredibly delicious too. The perfect treat for a hot summer day! Note: This post is sponsored by iHerb though all thoughts and opinions are of course my own. I love partnering with this fantastic company – a longtime sponsor of Body Unburdened. Thank you for supporting the companies…
There’s a major problem with most typical American breakfasts. They’re absolutely loaded with sugar. Often times, more sugar than found in dessert! Now of course, this is probably obvious for certain breakfast options like pancakes and waffles. But what about the seemingly “healthier” options like yogurt and granola bars? Certainly those are healthy, right? Not necessarily… Even many breakfast foods marketed as “healthy” are packed…
Have you ever heard of the “Master Cleanse”? It involves drinking warm lemon and cayenne pepper water for a few days to promote rapid detoxification and weight loss. I’m not going to lie: this doesn’t sound like much fun to me! At all. Not only that, but it’s actually quite a drastic cleanse for most people to undertake. Really only those individuals…
Your liver does SO MUCH. It is responsible for over 500 functions, including fighting off infection, manufacturing hormones, controlling blood sugar, helping blood to clot, and neutralizing toxins. (No biggie.) Some other fun facts: The liver is the human body’s second largest organ after the skin The liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself (this is why it’s possible for…
When you think of dietary fiber… I bet you think of two things: #1: processed diet and “health” food products like breakfast bars and cereals that scream “LOADED WITH FIBER” on the box (and typically aren’t very tasty) #2: yes, just that — a satisfying, solid, dependable number #2 And while fiber certainly does keep us regular and feeling full (which is why it’s…
As we were doing our holiday decorating last week, I got a crazy craving for eggnog. The “OMG I NEED IT NOW OR I’M GOING TO LOSE MY SH*T” type of craving. You know you have them, too. Usually these can be blamed on blood sugar imbalances, but the snow globes and holiday tunes were totally to blame for this one….
Ever wondered why grass-fed beef is healthier? It’s more than just how the cows are raised. Let’s take a look! When it comes to eating healthy, you’ve probably heard the old saying ‘you are what you eat’. But what about what your food ate? We’re aware of the devastating effects an unnatural diet has on human health (the Standard American…
Nothing says “It’s The Holiday Season!” quite like a hot pie, fresh from the oven. (Except maybe Mariah. OK, definitely Mariah.) But gluten-free baking sometimes doesn’t get the message across quite as clearly… I’ve really struggled with gluten-free baking. Like pulled-my-hair-out, broken-dishes, been-pushed-to-the-point-of-considering-anger-management struggled. I’ve tried mixing SO MANY different types of gluten-free flours and with varied success — one batch of cookies…
Coconut milk is an absolutely deee-licious non-dairy alternative. It’s a staple in my kitchen, where I primary use it for chia pudding. Which I’m very into. Yes, I make so much chia pudding that I consider coconut milk a staple. Unfortunately, most store-bought coconut milks are filled with some questionable additives. One of the most offensive: carrageenan. A Little Reminder About…
This post is sponsored by my favorite local grocer New Seasons Market! Seriously: my favorite. I’m so proud to be working with them and excited to bring you this yummy recipe in celebration of Thanksgiving. When I first heard “rice stuffing,” I thought… Blasphemous! Using a sprouted-grain or gluten-free bread for a healthier stuffing recipe is one thing. But totally…
Turmeric has been playing a big role in my life as of late. I start each day with it as a new addition to my warm lemon and cayenne pepper water and even smear it on my face as a DIY all-natural antioxidant turmeric face mask. Gotta love a multi-purpose product! Especially when they’re so jam-packed with nutritional goodness as…
I have a terrible affliction. It’s called: Love of Artificial Cheese Flavor. Yes, me! The lady who rubs clay on her armpits daily to detox and starts each day with lemon cayenne pepper water loves herself some fake cheese flavor. Now right now you’re either saying “GROSS!” or “Ooh girl, I feel ya.” If you think it’s gross, I totally agree!…
Coconut oil is the duct tape of the natural health world. We use it to condition our hair, help speed the healing of wounds, wash and moisturize our faces, and cook our food (it is first and foremost a food product after all). Coconut oil can even aid weight loss. Now I don’t commonly focus on weight loss here on…
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. But honestly, my breakfast has a tendency to get pretty boring. If you’re like me, you’re rushing to get out the door in the morning and don’t give breakfast much attention. So usually (namely Monday through Friday), my breakfast consists of a couple soft-boiled eggs and whatever veggie I happen to have in the fridge….
Do you know the Truffle Shuffle? If yes, we could totally be friends. We could watch The Goonies while we eat these delicious salted “caramel” pecan truffles in honor of our boy Lawrence Cohen (a.k.a. “Chunk”). A whole batch of them… for each of us. OK OK so maybe a batch each is a little excessive. But hey, a girl…
Jello is such a fun food, and can easily be made with just a few healthy ingredients, making this homemade and healthy jello a great healthy snack or dessert option! Top it with some homemade whipped coconut cream for bonus points and that extra MMM factor. J-E-L-L-O. (You totally just sang that, right?) Ooh I just love the jiggle! The…
Now I want to be clear upfront: I’m NOT talking about regular ol’ jello here. In case you’re new around these parts, artificial food coloring, chemical sweeteners, and loads of sugar just ain’t my thang (and I try my hardest to persuade you that it shouldn’t be yours, either!). But gelatin is what gives jello its classic gel and jiggle….
Lately I’ve been pining for autumn. It’s more than just being sick and tired of these sweltering 90° days. I mean, it’s mostly that. (Can I get an amen!?) But autumn is also my favorite season. It’s filled with some of life’s loveliest goodies including but not limited to: my birthday (YAY!), cozy sweaters (so soft and warm!), sunset-hued leaves…