Beware of Sweetgreen's Salad Dressings

Sweetgreen is often viewed as a healthy fast-casual chain. And parts of it are definitely healthy and a great option for when you’re on-the-go. I personally love Sweetgreen because they support local farmers and follow seasonality in their menus. They don’t import their veggies and fruits from distant countries. However, one thing Sweetgreen needs to improve is their salad dressings.

Why is this? Well, unfortunately, they use highly processed seed oils in their salad dressings. Specifically grapeseed oil. Now grapeseed oil may sound all innocent but it is actually highly inflammatory to our bodies. This is because it is high in PUFAs, or polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-6 and omega-9. Grapseed oil actually has the HIGHEST amount of omega-6 compared to other harmful oils such as sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and canola oil.

(Ingredients found here)

Now omega-6 is needed by the body, however, we get way too much omega-6 in our diets nowadays, which leads to inflammation. Because we have way too much omega-6, you want to consume other oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee that have a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

While you will see a lot of articles on the internet showing you the health benefits of grapeseed oil, all of these potential benefits do not outweigh the bad. Inflammation is the source of disease and sickness and should be prevented in all ways possible.

Here’s what to order instead

Rather than ordering one of the pre-made salad dressings, like the pesto vinaigrette or lime cilantro jalepeno vinaigrette, order extra virgin olive oil and a lemon wedge on the side. Squeeze the lemon into the olive oil and pour onto your salad. Sometime I also ask for a side of chili flakes to add to my DIY dressing.

I know this may sound bland compared to all of the flavorful pre-made dressings but I promise your salad will be just as delicious. If you add lots of herbs to your salad it almost acts as the same flavors in those dressings. It will also be 100% worth it when you don’t feel sluggish or bloated after eating your meal. I find myself always feeling awful for days after eating any of these inflammatory oils.

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Why Sakara Life is a Scam

I keep seeing tons of influencers post about a healthy, plant-based meal subscription called Sakara Life. And when I say tons of influencers I’m talking about every influencer that is flawlessly beautiful, skinny, and seems to have it all perfectly together. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I think it’s easy to look at these picture-perfect women and think, wow, they are beautiful and skinny and eating this, this must be the answer to my struggles with weight loss and wellness. I’m here to tell you that just isn’t the case.

Let me start off by applauding the branding and overall aesthetic of Sakara. The food looks absolutely beautiful and delicious. I’m not denying that. The meals probably taste divine and are packed with a lot of great nutrients. I’m always tempted to place an order just for the butterfly pea flower rice. I mean rice that is a periwinkle blue, how can you resist!?

I appreciate that they only use the finest, organic ingredients. That is extremely important in a meal program. You don’t want to be consuming low-quality products sprayed with glyphosate for every single meal.

However, my issue comes with HOW MUCH food they include. They follow a whole “calories don’t matter so we don’t include them” philosophy. I’m not a huge believer in calorie counting myself. BUT I think the reason they don’t include calories in their meals is because the calories are so LITTLE. Probably the opposite problem than you would expect.

I see influencers post these super small meals that they are eating and that is all they are encouraged to eat by the Sakara Life program. I’m sorry but there is not enough calories in one of those small meals to sustain an adult woman. I am also baffled by how little protein seems to be included in these meals. Studies have shown that an active 120 pound woman would need 1,920-2,160 calories each day, depending on just how much activity she is getting, to sustain her energy levels (“Daily Recommended Caloric Intake for Women”). As for protein, it is recommended women get at least 0.36 grams per pound of body weight (“How Much Protein Should You Have in Your Diet”). There is no way these small three meals equate to that many calories or grams of protein.

Of course, this lack of protein often comes with the territory of a plant-based diet. Many plant-based protein sources contain more carbs than protein and lack all of the essential amino acids.

Let’s look closely at some of the meals.

Here you can see the ingredients of one of their breakfast options. First, this breakfast cookie is probably pretty high in sugar and carbs. In fact, it’s basically all sugar and carbs. Flaxmeal and hemp seeds are the only ingredients that really have any protein. My guess is there’s about a tablespoon of hemp seeds, if that, which is around 5 grams of protein and a tablespoon of flaxmeal which is around 3 grams of protein. And this is me being generous. I honestly hope there’s not that much because then that means there is over a tablespoon of added coconut sugar AND honey in this cookie (ingredients are listed from most to least plentiful on the label).

Here’s an example of one of their dinners. There are a lot of ingredients that are really good for you, I won’t deny that. However, I still don’t think it is enough calories or protein to properly sustain an active adult woman. This dinner also has added sugar from coconut sugar and maple syrup- no wonder it tastes good!

A good way to tell if something is a good choice in protein is by looking at the ratio to other macros like fats and carbs. There are no ingredients in this meal that have more protein than any other macro, meaning none of these ingredients are a good source of protein.

I would have expected chickpeas to be the first ingredient with this falafel meal but it looks like the leafy greens in the salad are actually most prominent. As for the falafel, you would expect them to have more protein than they actually do for how much vegans say they are a good protein source. Chickpeas actually have almost 3 times as many carbs than protein. You have to eat A LOT of chickpeas to get a good amount of protein from them. Trust me, I know. As a recovered vegan I used to eat a whole can of them in one meal. This did my digestion REAL dirty…

If you lose weight on this meal plan it’s because you’re not eating enough calories. But, you’re losing weight in a way that is going to wreck your metabolism. In my experience, eating a lot of carbs and little protein can also lead to intense cravings and binge eating habits down the line. The reason I recommend people eat more protein than anything is because of how satiating it is. Protein will keep you full for hours for the same calories as a carb-loaded meal that may cause an energy crash an hour later (“A high-protein total diet replacement increases energy expenditure and leads to negative fat balance in healthy, normal-weight adults”).

And, while this may help you lose weight in the short term, a diet like this is not going to be sustainable. You will see dramatic fluctuations in your weight just from eating a normal amount of calories like when you go out to eat at a restaurant or on vacation. You want to eat in a way that is sustainable and will help build your metabolism back up. And the solution is not their metabolism powder… But this is a whole other post.

Of course, listen to your own body and what feels good to you. If you feel full and satisfied eating these meals, good for you! But, if you’ve been sucked into an aesthetically-pleasing marketing gimmick, I want you to be educated on the choice you are making. You’re not the problem, it’s the amount of food and the types of food that you are eating.

Also, feel free to just add your own protein sources such as 100% grass-fed beef or wild-caught salmon to some of these meals. If you enjoy the taste, figure out a way to make them a bit heartier.

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Is almond milk good for you or could it be causing inflammation?

Almond milk has quickly become the “healthy” alternative for regular dairy milk. I’ve been riding the almond milk train for the last 8 years at least. I’ve always been under the impression that it’s a healthy choice. However, just because something is dairy-free does not automatically mean that it is good for us. Turns out, almond milk can actually be a large cause of the bloating and inflammation we are feeling. So, maybe it’s not as good for us as everyone seems to claim.

The Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

In order to have minimal inflammation in the body, it is important we maintain a 4:1 ratio, or even lower, of omega-6 to omega-3 in our bodies. This ratio has been linked to a 70% decrease in overall mortality rates, making it a powerful factor in our health (“The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids”). In the standard American diet, we eat way too many omega-6 rich foods and not nearly enough foods rich in omega-3.

Foods High in Omega-6

What foods are high in omega-6? Highly processed vegetable oils and nuts are two of the biggest food groups high in this particular fatty acid. Back in the hunter-gatherer days we may have found a small handful of nuts every few months. Now, we are eating them in concentrated forms like almond milk, almond butter, almond flour, and peanut butter. What once was a small treat has now taken over our diets, causing this ratio to skyrocket into unhealthy numbers.

Highly processed vegetable oils, unlike nuts, were entirely inexistent at one point. We invented vegetable oils like soybean oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil in order to make processed foods cheaper to manufacture. In my opinion, getting rid of these oils is the best thing you can do for your health. Throw them away and opt for olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee instead (“Health Implications of High Dietary Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids”).

While some people may argue that we need omega-6 in our diets and these foods are essential to consume, we do not need nearly as much as we are consuming. We get enough essential omega-6 from foods where the ratio isn’t highly unproportional. For example, walnuts still have omega-6 but contain a healthy amount compared to the omega-3 content.

Omega-6 in Almond Milk

Let’s go back to almond milk and why this can be such a big deal for inflammation. Most of us who are health-conscious are aware that vegetable oils are bad. They aren’t fooling us. However, almonds are much more sneaky. They disguise themselves as a whole, natural food. They come straight from a tree, how can they be bad for you? Well, like I said before, our bodies aren’t meant to consume them in the concentrated ways that we currently are.

• There are about 90 almonds in a cup of almond flour.

• There are about 2 cups of almonds in a half gallon of almond milk.

• There are around 2 cups of almonds in 1 cup of almond butter.

Could you imagine picking up 90 almonds and eating them as a snack? Probably not. But you could easily eat 1 cup of almond flour in a serving of pancakes.

My Personal Journey

This discovery about the truth of almond products (sounds so dramatic) came from my own journey trying to find the source of my bloating and inflammation. I was doing everything right- never consuming vegetable oils, eating lots of fish, avoiding gluten, but for some reason I was still so bloated. Then I came to discover how many almonds were actually in almond products. I started limiting my almond products and I’ve never felt better since. Here are some swaps I made:

• Almond milk for coconut milk

• Almond flour for coconut or cassava flour

• Almond butter for avocado spread (not the same, but just as delicious on a piece of sourdough)

Read more about how to increase the number of omega-3 in your diet by reading my blog post on Balancing Your Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio.

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Regenerative Farming- What Is It and How Does It Work?

Regernative Farming

A way of growing crops and raising animals that replenishes the soil with microbes and carbon, therefore helping the issue of global warming.

Introduction

It is no secret that there are excessive amounts of carbon trapped in our atmosphere, hence global warming. This has been caused by the burning fossil fuels, conventional farming, and many other actions taken by us humans.

We often think that the best way to reverse global warming is by driving electric cars, eating vegan diets, and using solar energy. However, this is not the most effective way to reverse the damage that has already been done.

The best way to do so is by utilizing the grasses which naturally capture the carbon in the atmosphere.

How does this work?

The roots of grasses use CO2 in their growth cycle. They absorb it deep into the soil, taking it out of our atmosphere. This carbon that fills the soil is then able to help the fields retain water from the rain. The grazing and walking of animals on the fields actually helps to stimulate this cycle. Force of Nature has a great graphic on all of the details of this process.

How can you help?

Buy 100% grass-fed meats from farmers who are practicing regenerative agriculture. Some of my favorite brands that do this are Belcampo, White Oak Pastures, and Force of Nature. All of these brands are helping to combat global warming and paving the way for how we ethically raise animals.

Stop buying industrial-raised meats. If we keep supporting farmers who raise animals in this way, these problems will only continue to get worse. The same goes for soy and corn. These are government-subsidized crops that are the main contributors to our soil’s erosion and loss of nutrients.

Watch this.

Be sure to check out Kiss the Ground on Netflix for more information on the issues that currently exist and how regenerative farming can fix them. It was super educational and easy to follow.

Hacking Your Smoothies

There’s nothing I love more in the summer than a cold smoothie made with fresh fruit and superfoods.

However, I’m also constantly on the go- either working, taking meetings, spending time with family, or headed to the beach. I need quick and easy, especially in the summer.

Here are my tips for making a healthy and delicious smoothie in less than 5 minutes:

1. Blender Bombs

   If you’re like me then you love to add just about every superfood you can in your smoothie in order to pack in the nutrients. However, it can be time consuming to measure out each powder and seed and add it to the mix. Blender Bombs are rich in omega-3s and include all of the superfoods that you would want in a smoothie.

   My personal favorite is the Sunflower Seed & Coconut, a mix of Organic Dates, Sunflower Seed Butter, Coconut Oil, Organic Chia Seeds, Ground Flaxseeds, Organic Hemp Seed, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut, Pure Organic Honey, Cacao Nibs, Sea Salt, Cinnamon, Pure Vanilla Extract. Basically everything you need for a nutritious and delicious smoothie!

   Better yet, they’re now sold in Whole Foods.

2. Freeze fresh fruit

   The easiest way to make a smoothie is with frozen fruit. However, sometimes we don’t have frozen fruit or want to shop local from the farmer’s market. My top tip is to freeze all of your fruits and veggies at peak ripeness (when there’s the most nutrients) so you have them whenever you need them.

   Frozen fruits and veggies also make the texture and flavor of your smoothies better. No more pieces of ice or watery taste! There’s a huge difference between smoothies made with frozen produce and ice.

3. Hand held blender

   Woah, is this a game changer. My mom recently bought a hand blender and I’ve been obsessed. I love my Vitamix but this is a whole lot easier to clean and less of a production to set up. No more smoothies getting stuck in the blade or cutting yourself when trying to clean it!

Do you have any tips for making easy, healthy smoothies on-the-go? Leave them down below, I’d love to hear!

Living a "Genius Life" as Told By Max Lugavere

I love health and wellness and I love to read. This makes me the perfect audience for books referencing nutritional studies and health experiments. Max Lugavere’s Genius Life is just as good as his first book and dives deep into all of the ways you can up-level your environment to improve your health.

Here are the most interesting things I learned from the book:

1. It is recommended to consume 15g of glycine each day, which amounts to 45g of collagen.

   “Glycine, the simplest of the amino acids, is an essential component of important biological molecules, a key substance in many metabolic reactions, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord and brain stem, and an anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and immune modulating substance” (“Glycine--an important neurotransmitter and cytoprotective agent”).

2. Limiting your feeding window to 8-12 hours a day (also known as fasting) will decrease insulin, decrease mTOR, and increase AMPK.

   It is well known that we want our insulin to remain low, but what about mTOR and AMPK? What are these and what do they do? mTOR promotes growth and is responsible for forming the connections between your brain cells, or synapses. However, too much of it can actually cause this process to halt.

   AMPK reduces inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases fat burning. It is also known to stimulate a protein called FOXO3, which is often called the longevity protein. It helps your body better handle stress and may prevent age-related diseases.

3. Vitamin D deficiency may be linked with depression, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders.

   Did you know 42% of the US population is deficient in vitamin D? This important nutrient can stimulate immune cells to clean up amyloid buildup in the brain, reduce chronic inflammation, and slow aging. Depending on different factors such as age, season, skin complexion, and sunscreen use, you should be exposing yourself to the sun for 5 minutes to 2 hours each day. Check out the graphic in this article.

4. BPA was originally manufactured as a hormone replacement for estrogen, meant to alleviate cramps and prevent miscarriages.

   It turned out that scientists were able to find a stronger chemical to use as a hormone replacement and BPA was instead used for it’s clear and hard properties to make something called plastic. Knowing this, it’s no wonder plastic has such negative affects on our hormones. Steer clear of storing and heating your foods in plastic, plastic water bottles, and canned foods.

The book is filled with many more nuggets of helpful information such as improving your sleep quality and limiting your consumption of heavy metals. If you choose to read it, leave me a comment with the most interesting thing you learned!

Why all the hype over bone broth?

You’ve probably heard everyone talking about bone broth and how healthy it is for you. It is truly a superfood for your gut and immune system. It is an excellent source of collagen, a protein that makes up most of your connective tissue.

The most important thing is making sure it comes from humainely-raised animals! Look for ones made from animals that are pasture-raised or 100% grass-fed. My favorites are Belcampo and Brodo.