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nutrition

How to Find the Healthiest Plant Protein Powder in 3 Simple Steps

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

You remember those “Where’s Waldo” books? The ones where you had to find the little guy in the striped shirt in the middle of a colorful, chaotic scene filled with Waldo imposters?

That’s kind of what it’s like trying to figure out if all those protein powders marketed as “healthiest” and “all-natural” are actually good for you.

In other words, if you don’t know what to look for and where to look, chances are your protein powder may not be so healthy after all*.

Here’s why …

Supplement brands and their marketing teams spend LOTS of money on “Waldo imposters” (pretty graphics, clever marketing language, deceptive psychological tricks, etc.).

I know this because I was one of the guys they paid to help them create their marketing campaigns.

Here’s the truth they don’t want you to hear:

Most food supplement marketing is deliberately designed to distract you from scrutinizing the one piece of information that actually matters: the ingredients they put into their products.

In this article I’m going to show you how to see right through their b.s. and find the healthiest protein powder for you.

The Problem With Most Protein Powder Brands Marketed As “Healthy” and “All Natural”

When it comes to protein powder supplements, there’s one objective source of truth you can use to determine if a product is the right fit for your health needs: the ingredients list.

Here are a few ingredients, in particular, I found in some of the so-called healthiest plant protein powders (Vega, Garden of Life, SunWarrior, Orgain, and PlantFusion all have one or more of these):

Natural flavors. Natural flavors are the 4th most common ingredient on food labels. Unfortunately, they’re anything but natural. They can actually contain up to hundreds of chemicals and preservatives. Here are a few of the more common ones:
- Propylene glycol (found in antifreeze)
- BHA, a known carcinogen
- Genetically modified plants (GMOs) like corn and soy
- Insects and bizarre animal products (such as beaver’s anal secretions)
Sugars. Sugar comes in many forms these days, as you well know. Most proteins have some type of sweetener added–whether it’s artificial or “natural” is open to interpretation. For example, some companies use sugar alcohols like xylitol and market them as natural. Sugar alcohols originate from plants, but they’re chemically altered and may cause major digestive distress. Many protein powders that use more “natural” sugars like agave claim to be the healthiest … but they have half a day’s worth of sugar per serving (Shakeology is one example). Choose a protein powder that has 1 gram of sugar or less per serving from all-natural sources.
Additives and Fillers. Avoid anything that ends with “dextrin” (like maltodextrin, a cheap, highly processed food additive usually made from genetically modified (GMO) corn. Protein companies use it to make their products mix easier. Soy and sunflower lecithin are common additives used to thicken protein powders and other foods. To make soy lecithin, soybean oil (GMO unless it says “organic” or “non-GMO verified”) is extracted from raw soybeans using a chemical solvent (usually hexane), then dried and bleached.
Allergens. Dairy, soy, and gluten are among the most common allergens you’ll find. If you’re chugging down whey protein shakes and it’s causing GI issues, STOP. Whey protein works for some people. But for the majority, the cons outweigh the pros.
Gums. Gums are thickening agents that improve the texture of protein powder blends. Xanthan gum, a common one, is produced by bacterial fermentation of a sugar-containing medium. Unfortunately, that medium is usually a potentially allergenic or GMO-containing substance such as corn, soy, dairy, or wheat. On top of that, xanthan gum has been shown to have a laxative effect … you might wanna wear a diaper if your protein powder has it. Be wary any time you see a “gum” listed on the ingredients list of your favorite protein brand.

3 Simple Steps to Help You Find the Healthiest Plant Protein Powder for You

Ignore all marketing claims

Don’t pay attention to the fancy graphics and clever words on the front of the package. They were designed by expert graphic designers and copywriters to sell the product. Instead, flip the package over.

Look at the nutrition facts panel

I look for protein powders with 0 grams of added sugars, 1 gram or less of total sugar from all natural sources, and 3 grams of fiber or more per serving (from real food … not gums and synthetically-derived plant fibers like inulin).

Look at the ingredients list

Is it a mile long? Are the ingredients organic? Are there ingredients that sound like a chemistry experiment? Do you see “natural flavors” and “gums”? These are the first warning signs of a cheap, crappy protein powder.

My rule of thumb: stick with plant based protein powders that have mostly (or all) organic ingredients you recognize as real food.

Conclusion: Most Protein Powder Brands Claiming to Be All Natural Are Anything But

Shopping for the right protein powder brand for you starts with identifying your health goals.

Are you looking for a clean, all-natural ingredients? Then scrutinize that ingredients list and avoid all the stuff I mentioned above.

Do you want to lose weight and/or build some lean muscle? Then choose a powder with 20+ grams of protein per serving and 3+ grams of fiber.

If you’re looking to compare 20+ different protein powders, check out this post.

*Disclaimer: I sell an all-natural, plant-based protein powder called Pure Food.

fitness

CrossFit: The New Scientology?

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Scott Christ

This week the NYT published an article called When Some Turn to Church, Others Go To CrossFit. In it, author Mark Oppenheimer likens CrossFit to religion, and it’s hard to argue with him when you see quotes like this one:

CrossFit is family, laughter, love, and community.

CrossFit, if you’re not familiar, is the one of the hottest workout movements, with 13,000 locations and over 2 million participants. CrossFit’s strenuous Workout of the Days (WODs), which combine Olympic-style weight lifting with functional movement, have been criticized for their propensity to cause injury.

Pros and Cons of CrossFit

I don’t have any affiliation with CrossFit … never been to a CrossFit gym, in fact. But I think it’s pretty awesome for two big reasons:

1. Doing interval training combined with strength training is the absolute best way to lose weight and build lean muscle.
2. The community-based environment is a great support system for anyone who’s had trouble sticking with a workout regimen (aka, everyone).
3. The CrossFitters I know are all in great shape … your friends who do it probably are too.

The whole CrossFit-causes-injury argument is way overblown. CrossFitters push themselves more than other exercisers … and that’s not a bad thing! Injuries happen in every sport and every type of workout, and they’re almost always attributable to poor form when you’re in the gym.

I’ll sum this one up by quoting CrossFit co-founder Greg Glassman in the NYT article:

Three hundred fifty thousand Americans are going to die next year from sitting on the couch. That’s dangerous. The TV is dangerous. Squatting isn’t.

nutrition

Is Bone Broth Good for You? Here’s What Science Says

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

Bone broth is all the rage right now. This New York Times article praised bone broths’ “demonstrable nutrition benefits.” Kellyann Petrucci, M.S., N.D. wrote an article on MindBodyGreen called The ONE Trick I Use To Stay Slim: A Nutritionist Explains. Her “one trick” is drinking bone broth. The list goes on.

I wanted to know if bone broth is actually good for you. It seems as if every blogger out there sings the praises of bone broth as a miracle cure for everything from digestive disorders to weight loss … but none of them ever seem to back it up with actual science.

That’s what we’ll do in this article: quickly sum up what actual research says about the pros and cons of bone broth.

Get your spoon ready, because we’re about to dig in …

The (Alleged) Health Benefits of Bone Broth

Here are some of the many health claims I found about the health benefits of bone broth:

Heal leaky gut
Overcome foods intolerances and allergies
Improve joint health
Reduce cellulite
Boost immune system
Make your skin supple
Reduce cellulite

Unfortunately, there’s zero evidence to back up any of these claims. David Katz, M.D. Director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, had this to say:

I recently published the third edition of my nutrition textbook for health care professionals. The book ran to over 750 pages, and roughly 10,000 references (and yes, it was every bit as painful as it sounds; writing textbooks is not for the faint of heart). Nowhere in the mix did I or my coauthors find, or cite, an article about the “demonstrable nutrition benefits” of bone broth.

One of the biggest benefits of bone broth that advocates tout is collagen, a protein found in the connective tissue of animals. Collagen, they say, can help strengthen your bones, protect your digestive tract, and improve your skin.

Again, there’s no clinical data to support any of these claims though. Most scientists will tell you it’s way overblown.

William Percy, an associate professor at the University of South Dakota’s Sanford School of Medicine, said in this NPR article that:

Since we don’t absorb collagen whole, the idea that eating collagen somehow promotes bone growth is just wishful thinking.

In the same article, food scientist Kantha Shelke says if you want to build collagen, you need more than bone broth:

Eating a diet rich in leafy green vegetables is ideal. Plants offer richer sources in collagen building blocks and, in addition, provide nutrients not found in sufficient quantities in meats or broth.

The Actual Health Benefits of Bone Broth

There are two health claims about bone broth that do seem to hold up to scientific scrutiny.

One small study from the year 2000 found that chicken broth may help reduce inflammation and cold symptoms when you’re sick (personal anecdote: I always drink hot tea and broth when I’m sick, and it always helps).

Another small study found that bone broth or soups made with bone broth may help replace electrolytes after intense exercise and aid in post-workout recovery.

Other than that, there’s not much credible evidence that bone broth is actually good for you.

The Bottom Line

Like most health fads, take bone broth’s supposed magical elixir qualities with a grain of salt. Drinking salty animal broth may taste good, but it’s not a magic potion. I love making soups and stocks (here are some healthy soup recipes from my other website) but the evidence simply doesn’t justify all the hype they’re getting.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Dr. David Katz:

The most remarkable thing about the dietary component of lifestyle as stunningly effective medicine is how simple it is. Real food, not too much, mostly plants, to quote Michael Pollan.

nutrition

How Organic Coconut Milk Powder Can Help You Burn More Belly Fat

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

In 2015, when I was in the process of creating Pure Food, I knew I wanted to include a whole food ingredient with medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) because of this special type of fat’s ability to help people burn belly fat.

I decided to use organic coconut milk powder.

This ingredient, which you can find in Pure Food Cacao Protein, has some pretty special health benefits.

Here’s why …

The Science of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs)

You’re probably well aware of the heart healthy benefits of monounsaturated fats found in foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil. I highly recommend eating more of each of those.

But there’s a “new kid on the block” type of healthy fat not everyone knows about called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). Scientists have discovered MCTs may help you:

Burn more calories

Your body burns MCTs faster than other fats. So instead of being stored as fat, the calories in MCTs are converted into fuel for immediate use by your organs and muscles.

Burn stubborn belly fat

Two small studies revealed that people who ate coconut oil instead of vegetable (soybean) oil lost belly fat and shrunk their waistlines!

Keep you from getting sick

MCTs are made of two types of fatty acids called monolaurin and lauric acid that can actually kill harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses in your body.

That’s why I decided to put MCTs in Pure Food Protein

But the problem was, all of the “MCT powders” on the market are highly processed and loaded with GMO fillers and additives.

Not how we roll around these parts.

I found the best whole food source of MCTs on the planet: organic coconut milk powder.

Most coconut powders use soy or animal product fillers. Not ours.

It’s 100% organic, plant-based goodness.

How Our Organic Coconut Milk Powder is Made

The flesh from the coconut is dried and ground into a fine powder and combined with organic ground cassava plant roots to make it mixable (since coconuts are high in good fats, coconut powder on its own is clumpy and impossible to mix).

Nearly all other companies add artificial soy- and GMO corn-based fillers like maltodextrin.

The coconut milk powder adds a subtle, sweet, creamy flavor too that I absolutely love.

You can read more about all our ingredients, including our organic coconut milk powder, here on our Why Pure Food? page.

nutrition

How to Find the Best Gluten Free Dairy Free Protein Powder

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

best non dairy protein powder Dairy and gluten are two of the most common food allergens. 65% of U.S. adults are lactose intolerant and up to 3% are allergic to dairy … so it comes as no surprise that demand for protein powders that are gluten and dairy free has went up in recent years.

But there are two big challenges if you’re looking to find the best gluten free / non dairy protein powder for you:

1.) The abundance of hidden junk ingredients to be wary of (for example, most of the so-called best dairy free protein powders are loaded with added sugar and mystery chemicals and additives that may be doing your body more harm than good).

2.) Most people are relying on highly biased online reviews, which are cherry-picked by brands. I’ll share my “secret” for making sure you understand the pros and cons of each protein company you consider.

Long story short, just because you buy a protein powder without dairy or gluten, doesn’t mean it’s “healthy.

In this guide, we’ll share our 5-step checklist you can use to objectively find the healthiest and best gluten free and non-dairy powders for you.

Why 99% of Gluten Free / Dairy Free Protein Powders Are Complete Junk (Even the Organic Ones)

gluten free dairy free protein powder

Most of the time, the best selling protein powder brands are highly processed, pseudo-health foods with very good marketing.

So how do you see through the marketing hype and objectively assess which powders are worthy contenders?

First, you consult the only two pieces of objective information on the food label: the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list.

Most of the time, protein powder manufacturers will add chemical fillers, sugar, thickeners, fillers, and/or other unhealthy ingredients to make the product taste and mix better.

Here are the “Big Five” questions you should ask to find the healthiest dairy free and gluten free protein powder (or any high protein plant-based foods, for that matter):

5 Steps to Find the Healthiest Protein Powder Without Dairy and Gluten

Check the sugar content. Sugar—no matter if it’s from cane honey, maple syrup, molasses, or coconuts—turns to fat in your body. Eating too much sugar increases your risk of dying from heart disease too. I recommend avoiding all protein powders with added sugar. If your protein is gluten-free and dairy-free yet contains a bunch of sugar, that pretty much defeats the purpose of taking a protein powder. If you like it sweeter, blend your shake with a little fruit instead!
Find out which artificial sweeteners they use. You’ll often discover fake sugars like saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose in non dairy protein powder blends. To see some of the potential health effects of artificial sweeteners, check out this article from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. And there’s good reason to be wary of the supposedly “all-natural” sweeteners too. Xylitol and erythritol are highly processed “sugar alcohols” that can cause gas, bloating, and gut imbalances. Xylitol also commonly comes from genetically modified corn. Stevia leaf extract in its natural state is okay, but the stevia most food companies use is a chemically-altered, bleached, stripped down version that’s likely to contain GMO fillers (often with allergens like corn and soy). Monk fruit is another all-natural sweetener that may be a good option for you. Again, just make sure there are no additional dairy-based fillers or additives, which is often the case. When in doubt, ask the company you’re buying from!
What types of protein do they use? Vegan protein powders made from organic pea, rice, hemp, sacha inchi, and pumpkin seed are generally healthier dairy-free sources of protein. Whey and casein proteins are milk-based and have lots of side effects so obviously aren’t good choices for those looking for a dairy free option. Collagen proteins may be another good dairy-free option (unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan). And if your protein powder isn’t organic, you’re probably drinking pesticides with your protein smoothie.
How are their ingredients processed? This is a tricky one because protein manufacturers are hesitant to disclose this information (which is the first sign they’re hiding something). Most vegan protein powders—even the organic ones—are processed using high temperature methods that destroy vital nutrients in the plant and render much of the protein useless. If you have a severe allergy to gluten or dairy, you’ll want to avoid brands that are manufactured in a facility where other gluten- and/or dairy-containing products are produced.
What other ingredients do they add? This is where most protein powders—especially the ones you may have thought are healthy—fail miserably. Here are a few common unhealthy ingredients to look out for:
- Natural flavors. Up to 90 percent of natural flavors are made of allergens like dairy, soy, corn, and gluten … as well as chemical solvents and preservatives, says David Andrews, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group. If you have a dairy sensitivity, definitely ask the company you’re buying from if they use any allergens in their natural flavors (they may not even know!).
- Many protein powders that claim to be all-natural have gums like carrageenan, xanthan, locust bean. These cheap, processed fillers often have other additives and can lead to gut imbalances and be problematic for those with any GI issues.
- Lecithins. To make most lecithins, oil is extracted from soybeans or sunflowers using a toxic chemical called hexane. Most are made from GMO soybeans (unless they’re organic).

The Bottom Line: How to Find the Best Gluten Free and Non Dairy Protein Powders for You

There are lots of protein powders available these days without gluten and dairy. But a lack of those two allergens doesn’t make a product “healthy” or “clean,” like most of these brands claim to be.

Learn how to read and understand the ingredients list and nutrition facts label and then use the checklist above when evaluating protein brands.

It’s the only way to see through the marketing hype and know if your protein powder is healthy.

Lastly, as we mentioned above, most folks rely on online reviews when choosing what protein to buy. This is a great approach but make sure you understand that most of the reviews you see are cherry-picked by brands.

Here’s how to make sure you’re getting the full picture:

Do a Google search for “INSERT BRAND NAME + reviews”.
Read the top 3 positive and negative reviews on each review you visit (many of the online retail sites and brand sites will not have any negative reviews so Amazon is usually a good source here).

Compare 30+ Dairy Free Proteins with Our Plant Based Protein Powder Comparison Chart

inspiration

How to Live a Healthy, Happy, More Fulfilling Life

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

Whether you want to look great in a bathing suit, stop feeling so tired/stressed/anxious all the time, or live a more prosperous, happy, balanced, healthy and more fulfilling life, here’s “the secret” of the world’s healthiest, happiest, most successful people:

They choose to take action while others sit back and watch.

If you really want something to change in your life, just start. Not next week. Not tomorrow

Right freakin‘ now.

Because those tiny, seemingly insignificant steps every day will compound into great accomplishments over time.

For years I thought I had to wait until I was “ready.” To start working out … eat better … finally launch the business I dreamed about.

Then I said, “Screw it, I’m just gonna start.”

My life has changed in ways I couldn’t even imagine as a result.

Yours will too, if you stop waiting/wishing/hoping and just start.

Change is inevitable … so embrace it.

Most people accept their fate and blame circumstance for their misfortunes. They play it safe and never question the status quo. They live a life of fear disguised as comfort. They’re “busy,” yet can never seem to find time for themselves.

Others make the time. They do whatever they can, within their bodily limits, to make themselves better.

Because they know it’s an investment in themselves.

And as a result, they create the life they want.

You will go through some really tough stuff along the way.

Life is hard, there’s no doubt about it, as most of us have experienced the past couple years.

Without the darkness, there is no light.

But I’m here to tell you I’m walking proof that all the adversity you will go through in life only makes you stronger and better prepared for this moment.

You have to take those first couple steps though.

They’re the hardest but also the most important.

Your life is a blank canvas.

And your success largely depends on how you choose to see things.

Study after study proves that your mindset can have a dramatic impact on whether or not you accomplish your goals in life.

If you’re struggling with something, do these five things and I guarantee things will get better for you:

Step 1: Take a baby step

Take things one step at a time. If you’re trying to lose weight, for example, start with just a couple minutes of exercise every day. Small steps are what lead to big successes. Here are some small things you can do today:

Cook a healthy breakfast.
Do yoga for at least 10 minutes.
Take a 5-minute stretching or walking break every hour.
Read one inspirational article today.
Record what you eat in your food diary.
Look for healthy recipe for dinner.

Step 2: Write it down

If you don’t already have a journal or planner, drop what you’re doing and go get one. They’re that important. Use it to capture your thoughts, plan your day, and track your goals. Here’s what I do every day, as an example:

At the start of every day I write a positive quote at the top of my daily planner (today’s quote is “Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it”).
Next, I write down everything I plan to do over the course of the day to accomplish my goals (for example, “Write new blog post, network with 3 people, lift weights for 45 minutes, find recipe for healthy dinner”).
Then, I evaluate what I accomplished at the end of each day in these four categories:
- Mental: What did I learn today? How did I challenge my mind? What did you read, write, or listen to that expanded your mental capacity and got you closer to your goals today?
- Emotional: Who did I choose to spend my time with and what did I do? Did I take time to mindfully engage in happy, positive experiences with friends and family?
- Physical: Did I exercise and eat healthy today and take care of my body? How so?
- Spiritual: Did I take time to breath, give thanks, and stop to connect with the world around me?

This strategy will help you manage your time better and increase your self-confidence and healthy habits over time.

Step 3: Get support

Friends and family can help encourage you, increase your accountability, and help you cope with setbacks. That’s why social support is so crucial to overcoming any obstacle in your life. Find a friend or family member who lives a healthy lifestyle, and have the courage to ask for their help. You’ll be happy you did.

Step 4: Visualize your results

Visualization is a powerful tool that can drastically enhance your level of self-efficacy. In the book The Social Animal, author David Brooks says your subconscious mind processes up to 200,000 times more information than your conscious mind. Spend 5 minutes each day visualizing both the journey and the end result you seek. Forming a mental picture of yourself taking the steps required to reach your goal creates a lasting image in your brain that your subconscious will bring to reality.

Step 5: Do things that make you laugh and smile every day

Create experiences every day that make you happy. Spend time with people you love. Keep an uplifting book by your bedside for words of encouragement before you go to sleep or when you first wake up. Take a walk outside with your significant other. Experiences are infinitely more valuable than things.

Dream big but start small. Focus on your mindset first and you will open doors to anything and everything you want to accomplish in life.

Bonus: Here are 40 of My Favorite Inspirational Quotes

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” -Aristotle Onassis
“All our dreams can come true–if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. -Helen Keller
“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” -Napoleon Hill
“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” -Zig Ziglar
“Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.” – Anne Frank
It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” -Abraham Lincoln
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” -Tony Robbins
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” -Charles Swindoll
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” -Audrey Hepburn
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” -Harriet Beecher Stowe
“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality in the mind next to honor “ -Aristotle
“There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.” -Paulo Coelho
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” -Buddha
“If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” -Oprah Winfrey
“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.” -Chinese Proverb
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein
“First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.” -Aristotle
“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Every day I will renew my commitment and think about the benefits that come from it.” -John Maxwell
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” -Bruce Lee
“People who labor all their lives but have no purpose to direct every thought and impulse toward are wasting their time–even when hard at work.” -Marcus Aurelius
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”. -Lao Tzu
“”In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” -Tony Robbins
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.” -Helen Keller
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” -Henry David Thoreau
“If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.” -Micheal Jordan
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” -Stephen Covey
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” -John Lennon
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.“ -Friedrich Nietzsche
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” -Steve Jobs
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” -Vince Lombardi
“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” -Walt Disney
“If you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.” -Marcus Aurelius
“I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. Its because of them I’m doing it myself.” -Albert Einstein
“He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had failed.“ -William James
“The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” -Robert Frost

nutrition

Can Clean Eating Actually Be Bad for You?

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

A couple days ago I came across an article published on Today called Blogger Jordan Younger reveals how extreme ‘clean eating’ almost killed her.

Before I share my thoughts on the article, please take a moment to read it … it’s a short read, I promise.

If you don’t want to read it, here’s a quick quote that sums it up:

[Jordan Younger] writes about suffering from a controversial disorder called “orthorexia.” What began as an attempt to get healthy, morphed into an unhealthy regimen of food restrictions, 800-calorie-a-day juice cleanses and exercise. After a year, Younger had wasted away to 101 pounds, her hair was falling out and she had stopped menstruation.

Younger has written a memoir called “Breaking Vegan” that chronicles her self-destructive fixation with “clean eating,” an obsessive focus on healthy, unprocessed foods.

K, now that you’ve witnessed this steaming pile of sensationalist, clickbait journalist, allow me to vent a few specific issues I have with this article:

Issue #1: The headline itself is incredibly misleading.

The woman in the article suffered issues because she adopted a vegan diet and didn’t get enough calories … not because she was a “clean eater.” While I fully advocate a plant-focused diet for many reasons and believe people can get more than enough calories eating this way, “clean eating” doesn’t necessarily mean vegan.

Issue #2: Her problems stemmed from an eating and/or compulsive disorder, NOT from eating clean eating.

From the article:

Orthorexia is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, and experts disagree on whether it’s an eating disorder or disordered eating with obsessive-compulsive features.

Ms. Younger even states that she “found the term online” and diagnosed herself. She states:

I developed obsessions and anxiety around food. It wasn’t about veganism. I had restrictions on top of veganism.

So here’s the takeaway from this, you guys: don’t believe everything you read. If you have an “obsessive focus on healthy, unprocessed foods” like I do, then you should be damn proud of yourself.

nutrition

Is This “The Secret” to Optimal Health and Happiness?

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

You are only 10 percent human.

As crazy as it sounds, our bodies have only 10 percent human cells. The other 90 percent are bacterial.

Most of these bacterial organisms live in your gut, part of a stunningly complex network of 100 million neurons known as your “microbiome”.

Your gut—which includes the esophagus, stomach, and intestines—actually has its own nervous system that allows it to operate independently from the brain, which is why it’s often called the “second brain.”

Ever felt butterflies in your stomach before giving a speech? Or had a “gut feeling” about something that turned out to be right?

That’s the second brain at work.

The Health Benefits of Probiotics

So how do you improve your gut health?

The best way to get more good bacteria in your body is to eat whole, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and miso.

The second best way is to take a supplement or eat foods with added “probiotics,” a term used to describe health-promoting bacterial species.

However, 94% of probiotics added to food products are completely ineffective.

That’s because they either:

Have a short shelf life
Get killed by your stomach acid, or
Don’t stay in your digestive tract long enough to provide any health benefit

It doesn’t matter how many “billion CFUs” your probiotic has if none of those good bacteria survive through your digestive system!

How do you find a good probiotic that actually works?

Start by finding out the answers to these questions:

Does your probiotic survive stomach acid? As mentioned, most don’t. Certain strains fare better than others (like Bacillus coagulans). And some manufacturers (like Hyperbiotics) have developed proprietary processes that time-release the delivery of the bacteria until it reaches your intestine.
Is your probiotic lab tested for safety? The FDA doesn’t require probiotic companies to test their bacteria strains. So naturally, they don’t do it. Probiotic contamination is a big deal though. If your probiotic manufacturer doesn’t have strict quality control measures in place, your probiotic may be doing more harm than good. Make sure the company you buy from tests its probiotics and can prove it to you.
Is your probiotic backed by peer-reviewed clinical studies? Don’t trust marketing claims on product labels and websites. Even most clinical data probiotic companies cite is funded by the companies themselves. Your probiotic should be backed by peer-reviewed clinical studies (the gold standard in scientific research) if the company makes any claims about its benefits.
Does your probiotic contain fillers, preservatives, and artificial ingredients? The answer is usually yes, but manufacturers are very good at hiding this information. The only way to know is to ask.
Is your probiotic dairy-free? Many probiotics use a milk-based medium to help the bacteria grow. However, the people who probiotics tend to benefit most are those with digestive or immune problems … and dairy can trigger a whole host of issues.

The bottom line

Like most industries, the market for probiotics is ripe with crappy products. The only way to know if your probiotic is legit is to find out the answers to the five questions above. If a manufacturer is hesitant to provide any information you ask for, that’s a big red flag for an inferior product that could do more harm than good.

10 minutes of research makes a world of difference when it comes to choosing a healthy probiotic supplement.

Don’t roll the dice with your health.

If you want to try a probiotic that actually works, grab a sample bag of Pure Food Probiotic Protein Powder for just 5 bucks (you just pay shipping).

nutrition

What Are Natural Flavors and Are They Bad for You?

Posted on September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 by Scott Christ

One of the most common questions I get from readers is:

What are natural flavors, and are they bad for you?

Natural flavors are the fourth most common ingredient on food labels today. The only ingredients you’ll see more often: salt, water and sugar.

In this article, we’ll answer these two big questions:

What Is Natural Flavor?
Are Natural Flavors Bad for You?

Let’s jump right in …

What Are Natural Flavors?

The FDA allows food companies to use the term “natural flavors” to describe any food additive that originated in nature.

If they originated in nature, what’s the problem? you may be asking.

According to David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this:

[Natural flavors] will often have some solvent and preservatives—and that makes up 80 to 90 percent of the volume. In the end product, it’s a small amount, but it still has artificial ingredients.

[bctt tweet=”Natural flavor is now the fourth most common ingredient listed on food labels! ” username=”nutritionguy”]

This is a major issue for anyone who considers themself a clean, healthy eater.

Are Natural Flavors Bad for You?

The long term effects of ingesting natural flavors on a regular basis have not been studied.

They don’t appear to be unsafe in the amounts used in most foods.

But … here are the top four reasons I still try and avoid natural flavors whenever possible:

Reason #1: natural flavors are 90 percent chemicals

As you learned above, 80 to 90 percent of the ingredients that make up natural flavors contain chemical solvents and preservatives. These may include the cancer-causing chemical BHA, propylene glycol (found in antifreeze), and fillers comprised of some of the most common allergens (corn, soy, and dairy).

Reason #2: natural flavors are basically perfumes for your mouth

Cleaning products, perfumes, and cosmetics contain a combination of chemicals called “fragrances.” In processed food, this chemical mixture is called a “flavor.” Because smell comprises 80 to 90 percent of the sense of taste, fragrances and flavors are often alarmingly similar in chemical composition.

Reason #3: natural flavors are designed by Big Food to be addictive

There are four huge corporations that control the $24 billion market for both flavors and fragrances: Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF and Symrise.

In a fascinating 2011 interview that aired on 60 Minutes, scientists from Givaudan, one of the aforementioned power players in the food flavoring world, admitted their goal when creating flavors was to make them addictive!

[bctt tweet=”Scientists have admitted that natural flavors are designed to be addictive.” username=”nutritionguy”]

Reason #4: The FDA lets flavor companies call the shots

Incredibly, the FDA frequently allows food companies to develop their own food additives without providing oversight or safety reviews of their chemical concentrations. These companies are smart: they hire expensive lawyers to ensure they’ve followed the archaic FDA processes when developing their flavors … and generally the FDA leaves them alone.

Scientist David Andrews sums it up once again:

The truth is that when you see the word “flavor” on a food label, you have almost no clue what chemicals may have been added to the food under the umbrella of this vague term. For people who have uncommon food allergies or are on restricted diets, this can be a serious concern.

Wrap Up: Should You Avoid Natural Flavors?

Natural flavors are not natural, no matter how much food companies try to convince you otherwise.

But they’re so prevalent in so many foods it’s really hard to avoid them.

The simple solution is to stop buying foods that contain natural flavors. This involves scrutinizing foods labels a bit more.

And at the end of the day, eating more fresh foods that come from nature and packaged foods with only ingredients you recognize as real food is the easiest way to avoid natural flavors.

the-shocking-truth-about-natural-flavors

nutrition

Why Fruit Juice Ain’t That Much Different Than Fruit Loops

Posted on November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 by Scott Christ

A recent article published on Today talked about a class action suit that claims the food corporation that owns Welch’s Fruit Snacks, Promotion in Motion, has been deceiving consumers into thinking their fruit snack products are healthy (shocker, right? J)

This lawsuit may have larger implications here though. Think about how many processed junk food snacks show bright, colorful fruits on their package and say things like “made with real fruit!”—even though that “real fruit” only makes up a fraction of what’s in it.

So while we’re on the topic of fruit, I’ll go out on a limb and say there’s really not a whole lot of difference between fruit snacks, Fruit Loops, and fruit juice.

Yes, I said fruit juice—the same stuff the USDA claims counts for a serving of your daily fruit and vegetable intake.

Here’s my beef: fruit juice just isn’t the same as eating a whole piece of fruit.

A study published in the British Medical Journal found drinking fruit juice was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Susan Jebb, a government advisor and head of the diet and obesity research group at the Medical Research Council’s Human Nutrition Research unit at Cambridge University, said, “Fruit juice isn’t the same as intact fruit and it has as much sugar as many classical sugar drinks.”

While I have no problem with people who make their own fruit and vegetable juices at home with their juicers, the bottom line is the small amounts of vitamins and antioxidants in most juices don’t make up for the large amount of sugar in them.

Your best bet if you’re craving something fruity is to eat a whole piece of fruit or toss a whole piece of fruit in your blender with a smoothie. But as the old saying goes, common sense ain’t always so common.