Remember those commercials on TV with the catchy “ch-ch-ch-chia” jingle? You know, the ones with those clay animals that had sprouted chia seeds growing out of them? On top of providing a fun source of entertainment for many, did you know that chia seeds they are also full of amazing health benefits?  

Chia (Salvia hispania) has been used has been used for over 5000 years and is a type of flowering plant which grows annually in an area ranging from western Mexico to northern Guatemala. Chia seeds were an essential component of the Mayans and Aztec diets. Carl Linnaeus, the famous botanist, and father of modern taxonomy, discovered the plant in the new world.

You can find chia seeds everywhere! The market is rapidly growing and now sales of chia seeds are projected to grow larger than 2 billion dollars in the coming years. From grocery stores to health food stores, you can find it in kombucha, and in your smoothie bowls. You might sprinkle the seeds into your smoothies or onto your yogurt as a nice nutritional supplement but what exactly are the benefits of chia seeds?

Chia seeds are a bountiful source of many nutrients. They are high in antioxidants that help to protect the delicate fats within the seeds. Almost all of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are from dietary fiber. In fact, just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds have about 10 grams of fiber! That fiber also gives them the ability to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water, giving chia seeds a gelatinous texture when soaked in liquid. Because of this factor, chia seeds can also help to slow digestion and increase feelings of fullness, which can play a positive roll in weight maintenance. 

Chia seeds are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and are high in quality protein, much higher than most plant foods, which can also help reduce appetite and curb hunger cravings.  

Chia seeds have also been studied for the positive role in controlling Type 2 diabetes. One particular study showed that type 2 diabetic patients who ate 37 grams (equivalent to roughly 2.5 tablespoons) per day of chia seeds saw a reduction in blood pressure and a marker of information! 

Chia seeds also have some cool culinary applications. You could add 1 TBSP of chia in place of an egg in baking and it will act as a binder keeping everything together, helping retain moisture, and help whatever is being cooked rise. The seeds can also be used for their gel-like properties when mixed with water to aid in thickening sauces!

 Next time you head to your local smoothie shop you opt to get chia sprinkled on your bowl or in your smoothie. Try some today!

Sources:

• https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/
• https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/a19596889/health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds#section9
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28646829
• https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-rich-foods/what-are-chia-seeds
• http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/tips-for-using-flax-and-chia-seeds-to-replace-eggs-in-baking-and-cooking/

What if Micheal Jackson’s song “Beat It”  was really about beets? Beets themselves could possibly deserve their own song because of how nutritious they are!

Beets also are known as beetroot, and are a root vegetable which grows in temperate environments and is native to Europe. From the species Beta vulgaris,  beets are closely related to Swiss chard and many different types of beets including sea beets and Mangelwurzel. 

Beets have been eaten since the ancient times. The Romans used them as an aphrodisiac and though they promoted amorous feelings. They have also been used to produce sucrose. In fact, about 20 percent of the world’s sugar comes from beets, which use less water than sugar cane.

Beets have a distinct earthy taste to them due to the presence of the compound, geosmin.  Despite the earthy taste, beets have a bounty of properties which can help improve the health of your body. Beets can help lower blood pressure due to the presence of nitrates, which, when converted to nitric acid in the body, can help widen and relax the blood vessels. They are also a good source of folate, potassium, vitamin c and a variety of other vitamins.  Beets also contain betaine, which is a compound that may help prevent or reduce fatty deposits in the liver.

Tell your old eating habits to “Beet it” and try some beets at your local grocery store or even in our Penn State dining commons!

Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-beets/

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a668

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/beetroot-juice-benefits#cancer-prevention

Remember the days when all you could find on the grocery shelves were white and wheat bread? Probably not! Those days are long behind us, as there is a revolution going on in the bread world and it bodes well for our health and taste buds!

When you walk down the bread aisle today at the grocery store there are numerous different types of bread in addition to the staples of white, wheat, and potato bread. The trendy health picks right now are loaves of bread made with whole grains, whole wheat, seeds, or even sprouted grains. Each type of bread offers slightly different nutritional benefits.

Breads have generally been shifting towards a more nutritious profile, and that starts with the use of whole grains over refined grains. Whole grains contain the bran, germ, and endosperm of the grain itself, and refined grains have been processed to remove all but the endosperm. Unfortunately, this process also removes the majority of nutrients from the grain. The bran contains important antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber, and the germ contains the B vitamins, protein, minerals, as well as healthy fats. The endosperm contains a large amount of the carbohydrate and protein in the grain, and smaller amounts of vitamins and minerals. This is why bread made from refined grains has lower nutritional values than whole grain versions and is enriched (vitamins and minerals are added back) to replenish some of its nutritional value. Whole grain bread includes bread made with any of these grains:

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Corn ( whole cornmeal and popcorn)
• Millet
• Oats (oatmeal)
• Quinoa
• Rice ( brown rice and colored rice)
• Rye
• Sorghum
• Teff
• Triticale
• Wheat
• Wild rice

Many of these grains are also used when making sprouted and seed bread. The origin of sprouted bread dates back to biblical times and the trend of sprouting grain has caught fire in recent years. When grains are exposed to moisture they sprout and start breaking down the stored energy in the endosperm. This process breaks long chain starches into smaller molecules, which are easier to digest. The improved digestibility also increases the nutrients absorbed from the grains. Sprouting grains increases nutrients including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids which are lacking in grains. Allergenic issues also tend to decrease with sprouted grains when it comes to protein sensitivities.

Seed bread has all the great benefits of whole grain bread, but with the inclusion of seeds in them. The bread is made with many different seeds ranging from flax seeds to chia to sesame seeds. The seeds added to the bread give it a higher concentration of omega- 3 fatty acids, which are great for your health and have a multitude of health benefits including preventing heart disease and stroke, as well as controlling other health conditions such as lupus, eczema, and arthritis.

Next time you go to your local grocery store, take some time and look at all of the options in the bread aisle. Make sure you try some today!

Sources:

• https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whats-whole-grain-refined-grain
•  http://www.daveskillerbread.com/our-products/#our-products-1
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sprouted-grain-bread
• https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/omega-3-fats/

Chocolate milk has long been touted as is the ultimate recovery drink post-exercise, but today’s post focuses on a new beverage that could challenge that title very soon: Tart Cherry Juice.

Many major professional sports teams, as well as colleges, have started to adopt the use of tart cherry juice to help their athletes recover. Cheribundi, one of the largest tart cherry juice suppliers, has been used by many professional sports teams including the last 5 Superbowl champs, every NCAA basketball champ since 2004, and many more. Why all the hype? We’ll let’s take a closer look at the health benefits…

Tart Cherries themselves are a good source of fiber as well as contain a decent amount of Vitamin A when you eat the whole fruit. However, while you may not get as much fiber or vitamin A in the juice you will still reap the benefits of an antioxidant-rich food. Touting an increased antioxidant capacity compared to regular cherries, tart cherries have been shown to help reduce the effects of prolonged exercise, such as inflammation and oxidative damage and promote a faster recovery in muscle strength. One study, in particular, followed marathon runners who consumed two 8 ounce servings of fresh tart cherry juice 5 days before, on the day of, and 2 days after the race, and compared them to runners who did not. The runners who consumed tart cherry juice showed significant improvements in muscle strength recovery, as well as decreased inflammation, compared to the runners who did not.

Tart cherry juice has also been used to promote a better nights sleep, particularly because of its high concentration of Melatonin, which is a hormone that is produced naturally in the body to help regulate sleep.  When consumed during the day and before bed, studies have shown tart cherry juice to increase the levels of Melatonin in the brain. The higher the levels of Melatonin in the brain, the better sleep you get,  and those who drank 16 oz. of tart cherry juice before bed on average slept 85 minutes longer than the others. It has been found to be just as,  if not more, effective in reducing insomnia than other natural remedies for insomnia such as Valerian root and Melatonin.

If you are in the market for a trendy new recovery drink which offers a wealth of benefits, then tart cherry juice may be just right for you!

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-tart-cherry-juice-benefits#section3

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19883392/

https://insights.ovid.com/pubmed?pmid=28696985

https://cheribundi.com/