What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids aka Fish oils? Omega-3s are a specific type of polyunsaturated fatty acid, and technically that means they contain more than one double bond in their chemical structure. The “3” refers to where in the chemical structure the first double bond occurs. Our body is able to synthesize saturated fatty acids, but we humans are missing an enzyme that allows us to stick a double bond in the right spot to create omega-3s ourselves. Therefore, we need to get them from your diet or from omega-3 supplements (such as omega-3 fish oil or capsules). But just to confuse you, our body also needs some omega 6's, another type of fatty acid, to function properly and prevent...
What are seed oils? Seed oils are a type of refined vegetable oil in which the oil comes from the seed of a plant, rather than the fruit. The most common seed oils include canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and safflower oil. Seed oils are extremely neutral in taste and have a high smoke point. That’s why many home chefs reach for seed oils when they want an unobtrusive, mild-flavored oil to cook or bake with. Are seed oils bad for you? While seed oils are higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids than other options, many nutritionists used to believe the amount we consumed would be insignificant as long as you were following a healthy diet with a...
Essential oils are the extracted oils from various plants and herbs that are concentrated for therapeutic benefit. They can be used to promote and maintain health, scenting your surroundings, cleaning, and even skin care. Many ancient cultures used essential oils and had many different blends and purposes for individual oils, many of which are used today. Some were used to treat ailments or anoint the dead before burial. If they weren’t healing the sick, they were used as perfumes and household essences. In North America essential oils are commonly used for personal use, via diffusing or topical treatment. Some people recommend internal ingestion, however, I typically avoid this due to the fact that oils can be so highly concentrated and...
Breakfast Frittata Recipe, plus 2 Variations Here is a basic frittata recipe plus 2 easy & delicious vegetable frittata variations. Ingredients: Basic Frittata Recipe 6 large eggs, use 8 eggs for a 12-inch skillet ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, or any milk 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling Freshly ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Choose ingredients for one of the variations below: Variation #1: Broccoli Feta (pictured) 6 scallions, chopped 2 cups chopped broccoli or broccolini ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese Variation #2: Roasted Red Pepper & Spinach 1 shallot, chopped 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped 2 cups spinach ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese Lunch or Supper...
Sugar intake and Metabolic health - what does it mean and why do we care? This is a bit of a long read, but worth every minute. Much of this information will be shared in more detail during my upcoming 21 Day Sugar Detox. After reading this I hope you’ll join me!! Metabolic health describes how well our body produces and uses energy. Every one of the trillions of cells in our bodies is a small powerplant that converts fuel (usually glucose or fat) to energy the body can use (typically ATP). When our cells cannot run those processes efficiently, it can lead to any number of conditions. In the brain, poor metabolic health can contribute to decreased mental acuity (brain...
