According to economists (who, it seems to me, are a lot better at explaining the past than predicting the future), this massive food inflation is actually caused by a perfect storm of rising demand and lower supply — both intensified by several calamities (like droughts, floods, wars, and knock-on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic) — as well as rising costs for fuel and fertilizer.

For perspective, food prices have typically been rising by about 2% a year for a long time. But from 2021 to 2022, they went up by an average of 11%. And while things seem to have calmed down a bit since then, it’s still easy to get sticker shock any time you visit a cash register.

Even if you’re not paying more outright, you might be paying more in subtle ways. The food industry has recently implemented a tactic known as “shrinkflation,” whereby they offer the same product for the same price — in a smaller quantity, thus avoiding the appearance of higher prices. (“Hey, this is one expensive cornflake!”)

So why exactly have food prices gone up so much? Why do some foods always seem to cost more (or less) than others? And what can you, as a consumer, do about it?

What Influences Food Prices

Did I mention that I’m not an economist? That might be good news here because I’m going to try to simplify the issue of food pricing. There are a few major factors that always influence food pricing. These include how much it costs to produce the food (including the cost of labor for everyone involved in growing and processing it), the cost of transportation and distribution, good old supply and demand, and global trade policies.

Why have food prices gone up so much in the last few years? Three factors stand out, in particular: the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the intensifying climate crisis.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Starting in 2020, the pandemic disrupted nearly every link in the food supply chain. The food processing sector was hit particularly hard, with COVID-19 outbreaks racing through the workforce, due to many people working in close, inadequately ventilated quarters. And the increase in worker turnover, in addition to new COVID protocols, further increased food production costs.

The same labor shortages affected the shipping industry, causing delays and increasing competition for limited shipping space. This led to rising transportation costs. It also increased the price of labor: In order to attract workers, companies had to increase wages, a cost they largely passed directly on to consumers.

As many people shifted their food spending from restaurants to grocery stores, suppliers could not keep up with the change in demand, resulting in massive food waste that effectively decreased supply.

And while 2020 is in the rearview mirror, there’s a funny thing about economics. When prices go up, they rarely come down again. So in some ways, we’re still feeling the effects of the price increases that started in 2020. And now, some additional factors have intensified the situation.

The War in Ukraine

Before the war, Russia and Ukraine were among the largest wheat producers in the world, together accounting for 30% of all exports — and a staggering 12% of all agricultural calories traded on earth. Both production and export have dropped dramatically due to the war.

Russia set up blockades of Ukrainian food exports in the Black Sea, stranding food in ports and creating global shortages. Western countries responded with sanctions against Russian grain exports, intensifying those shortages.

In addition to embargoes on food, the West has also implemented partial bans on Russian exports. These have included oil and gas, which have increased the energy costs associated with food production around the world.

Another blockaded product is fertilizer. As Russia is a major exporter of synthetic fertilizers, accounting for almost 30% of all exports globally, fertilizer prices have also been soaring — impacting farmers and, therefore, food prices.

Increasing Climate Chaos and Disasters

As temperatures continue to rise, crops are sustaining damage from excess heat. And as precipitation patterns change, droughts and flooding (sometimes alternating in the same place) also prevent crops from thriving. This can harm crops by eroding soil, depleting soil nutrients, and increasing runoff.

No farmer wants to try to coax crops out of the ground in conditions of extreme and prolonged drought. As more and more of the arable land on Earth suffers under multiyear drought, farmers are increasingly relying on groundwater, which they’re depleting at an alarming rate.

Additionally, rising temperatures increase pest populations and sometimes allow new pests to take up residence in regions that had previously been inhospitable for them. Temperature shifts can also cause a mismatch in pollination cycles, so the “good” bugs can’t do their jobs — leading to low pollination rates or delayed pollination.

One more disastrous effect of a warming planet is the danger to agricultural workers. More and more of them are suffering from the effects of extreme heat as they toil in parched fields. The National Institutes of Health tells us that farmworkers are 35 times more likely to die of heat exposure than workers in other industries. As conditions become less hospitable, it can be harder for farm owners to find the skilled laborers they need to get their fields planted and harvested. And dynamics in US immigration policy have contributed to a shortage of these workers.

As the planet continues to overheat, and as groundwater gets depleted and droughts and floods intensify, food prices are expected to continue to increase in the coming decades.

Why Do Some Foods Always Cost More (or Less)?

Governmental policies cause some foods to be more expensive than they would be otherwise — while others are made artificially cheaper. To see this in action, let’s look at a category of foods whose price is inflated (organic foods) and another whose price is deflated (grains and the products derived from grains).

Organic and Healthy Food Costs

Organic foods are more expensive than their “conventional” counterparts for several reasons. For one, organic food typically costs more to produce because the process is more labor-intensive than large-scale industrial agricultural methods.

Supply and demand play a role here as well. There’s a much smaller supply of organic food than nonorganic, even though demand for organic foods has more than doubled in the past 10 years. While this demand has caught the attention of some farmers who have decided to convert part or all of their operations to organic methods, this process takes time. In the meanwhile, prices continue to rise as demand grows, but supply lags.

There’s also a policy choice that makes organic food more expensive, which is that organic certification is costly, and getting that certification can be time-consuming. Organic farmers must keep extensive records and pay for organic certification, while farms that use synthetic pesticides don’t have to do either.

Another reason for organic’s higher prices has to do with the concept of “externalities” — that is, costs that arguably should be included in the market price but aren’t.

For example, what are the true costs of topsoil erosion, pesticide exposure for farmworkers and consumers, water and air pollution, or of the routine use of antibiotics in modern factory farms? If these were factored in, we might find that organic food would cost less, not more, than its conventional counterparts.

The fact is that organically grown foods tend to be better for environmental protection and carbon sequestration, deliver higher standards for animal welfare, and contribute to a safer and healthier food supply.

But consumers still have to pay more, and sometimes a lot more, to purchase foods that are grown organically.

Despite this, there are still some compelling advantages to go organic if you can afford to do so. And if you can’t, then you might want to soak your produce in a dab of baking soda to help rid it of pesticide exposure (for our article on what works best, click here).

Government Subsidies

The US government provides agricultural subsidies — monetary payments and other types of support — to farmers or agribusinesses. This ensures that farmers receive a minimum price for their crops while also incentivizing overproduction and inflated production costs. That way, subsidized foods and products made from them appear cheaper than nonsubsidized foods.

Generally, only the largest producers can take advantage of farm subsidies. According to a report from the Environmental Working Group, between 1995 and 2021, the top 10% of all US farm subsidy recipients received almost 80% of all subsidies, while the bottom 80% got less than 10%.

The five major “program” commodities are corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice.

Most soybeans and corn are produced by massive monocrop farms rather than small family enterprises. A lot of this subsidized corn and soy is fed to livestock, which artificially lowers the price of animal-derived foods produced on factory farms. All told, the US federal government spends $38 billion every year subsidizing the meat and dairy industries. Without these subsidies, a pound of hamburger meat could cost $30, rather than the $5 price seen today. But the true cost plays out in its impact on our health, animals, and the environment — and in the form of taxes and expansion of the national debt.

Is it better in Europe? Well, in many ways, it’s not. According to a 2019 report from Greenpeace, nearly one-fifth of the EU’s entire budget goes to subsidizing the livestock industry.

In effect, these subsidies consistently decrease the price of things like factory-farmed meat, high-fructose corn syrup, white bread, and many of the additives in our food supply — creating a marketplace distortion that makes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other healthy staples more expensive in comparison.

To my eyes, it’s a bit like we’re all being fined for wearing our seatbelts. If we want to do the safer and more responsible thing, we have to pay extra.

What You Can Do About Rising Food Prices

If you’re feeling the pinch of rising food prices yourself, there are several strategies that can help you stay within your budget without sacrificing your family’s health.

Make a budget and shop from a list to avoid making impulse purchases while at the store. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods over calorie-dense ones. The latter may seem cheaper by the pound or the calorie, but in terms of what foods can do for you (or to you), good nutrition is more economical than impaired functioning or chronic disease. And buy and cook in bulk to save money and time.

Try to shop locally if you can to avoid incentivizing costly supply chains. If you’re in the US and use SNAP benefits, keep in mind that you can use them to shop for fresh produce at many farmers markets.

Also, buy organic when you can. If you are in a position financially where you can afford to spend more, you can “vote with your dollars” (or euros or pounds or rupees) to make the system fairer and more accessible to everyone. But if you can’t afford the organic price premium, then aim for non-GMO produce items and wash them thoroughly to reduce your pesticide exposure as much as possible.

If you have to choose which fruits and veggies to buy organic, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15. Choose organic members of the Dirty Dozen club, and don’t sweat nonorganic Clean 15 items.

Frozen fruits and vegetables can sometimes be more affordable than fresh ones, and they contain abundant nutrition.

And reducing your consumption of animal products can not only help feed the world’s population because we aren’t cycling our crops through animals (a process that wastes at least 9 out of every 10 calories, depending on the crop and the animal eating it), but it can also lead to reductions in costly greenhouse gas emissions, too. Plus, beans tend to be a lot less costly than beef (to animals, the environment, and your wallet, too).

Food Pricing Is Complex, But Healthy Eating Shouldn’t Be

The recent surge in food prices has highlighted the intricate web of factors influencing the cost of our food. From labor shortages and technology costs to climate change and war, the forces at play are vast and interconnected.

But there are ways to navigate these challenging times. By adopting conscious strategies, we can mitigate the impact of rising food prices on our wallets and well-being. Through awareness and mindful decision-making, we can not only do right for our health, but we can also contribute to a more healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system.

Tell us in the comments:

• What foods that you buy frequently have gone up the most in price recently?
• Have you made any changes or substitutions because of food price inflation?
• Which cost-saving strategies could you try?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Ilija Erceg

Read Next:

• A Guide to Going Plant-Based: What to Eat, Benefits, and How to Succeed
• 7 Healthy Recipes for Eating Plant-Based on a Budget

The post The Price of Food: What’s Making Food So Expensive & What You Can Do About It appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Henry VIII was wild for sweet potatoes. And I’m sure how they were prepared was a big factor. According to the Library of Congress, his favorite way was in a “spiced sweet potato pie.” But other popular ways of eating sweet potatoes at the time were “roasted and infused with wine, boiled with prunes, or roasted with oil, vinegar, and salt.”

The sweet potato was way more popular in Europe than the white potato, which arrived with Columbus from the Americas and didn’t catch on until the 1800s. And while we’re on the subject, sweet potatoes are not actually potatoes, and in fact, aren’t related botanically. While I would never diss the potato, the sweet potato is slightly healthier, with a broader range of nutrients and a lower glycemic effect.

But sweet potatoes are, well, sweet. And they’re often turned into desserts like Henry VIII’s favorite spiced pies. But they’re also versatile enough to star in many other types of dishes, including savory ones.

So in this article, we’ll look at some of the modern ways to use them in different kinds of recipes — from savory to sweet, simple to sophisticated.

And we’ll cover how to choose, store, and clean sweet potatoes so they’re fresh and tasty when you’re ready to indulge like a king (or queen).

When Are Sweet Potatoes in Season?

While you can find sweet potatoes year-round in many grocery stores (because they can store well for a long time in the right conditions), they’re typically harvested in the fall. Sweet potatoes take from 100 to 150 days to grow, from sowing to harvest. And planting doesn’t occur until the soil warms up to at least 60°F. Sweet potato slips planted in late spring become ready to harvest in July, and those put in the ground in early summer will be ready to dig out around November.

Some varieties can stay in the ground longer, however. Certain types of Japanese sweet potatoes are in season in the winter months as well.

How to Choose and Store Sweet Potatoes

There are many varieties of sweet potatoes, ranging in color from white to yellow to orange to purple. And since the colors of whole plant foods are due to particular nutrients, they can be a big help if you want to “eat the rainbow” to get a wide variety of phytochemicals. (Note: Skittles and M&Ms don’t provide this benefit; in fact, they take advantage of the fact that our brains code “colorful” as “nutritionally complete” to get us to overconsume while we wait for all those supposed nutrients to hit our digestive tracts.)

When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for ones with skins that are intact and mostly the same color. They should also be free of bruises, cracks, or signs of sprouting. (And they should also not be made of plastic, with eyes, ears, noses, and mustaches stuck on them — oh, sorry, that’s Mr. Potato Head.) Plus, give them a gentle squeeze all over, to make sure they’re firm and not squishy (which could indicate rotting).

Once you’ve brought your sweet potatoes home, you can keep them on a kitchen countertop at room temperature — as long as you plan to consume them within a week or two.

If you’d like to store them longer, keep them in a cool, dark space like a cellar or pantry. If the ambient temperature is between 55–60°F (12.5–15.5°C) and the relative humidity is high (around 85–90%), sweet potatoes can last from three to six months.

Once you’ve cut or cooked a sweet potato, it can last from three to five days in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer.

How to Clean Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are on the EWG’s Clean 15 list, which means they’re among the fifteen plant foods lowest in pesticide residue (although they’re not free of it completely).

The main pesticide used in sweet potato farming is a fungicide found on the skin. This chemical is used to prevent scurf, which isn’t a cross between a neck covering and foam football, but rather a fungal discoloration.

You can significantly lower your exposure to this fungicide by peeling the skin, although you’ll also lose some nutrient concentration. Alternatively, you can soak them in a water and baking soda bath. To avoid mold and rotting due to excess moisture, don’t soak your sweet potatoes until you’re ready to prep and cook them.

Can You Eat Raw Sweet Potatoes?

You can’t eat regular potatoes raw (especially ones with green bits) because they contain a toxic compound called solanine. But sweet potatoes are members of a different family of tubers. They’re related to morning glories, while potatoes go to family reunions with tomatoes, eggplants, and other nightshades. Sweet potatoes and their morning glory relatives do not contain solanine, so they can be eaten raw.

However, sweet potatoes do contain raffinose, which is an oligosaccharide (the O in FODMAPs) that can cause gas, cramps, diarrhea, and nausea. On top of this, the main protein in sweet potatoes, sporamin, inhibits the properties of certain digestive enzymes. This makes it more difficult for some people to digest the proteins found in sweet potatoes, which can also lead to gastrointestinal discomfort.

So while sweet potatoes aren’t toxic and can be eaten raw, they’re easier to digest when cooked. You can also slice them and soak them in water for a few hours. This process removes some of their starch, making them more enjoyable to eat raw and possibly easier to digest.

How to Prepare Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are nothing like Green Eggs and Ham, except for one thing: You can eat them everywhere (and “everywhen,” a word that I bet Dr. Seuss wished he had thought of). Sweet potato dishes are appropriate for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts. You can cook them by boiling, baking, stir-frying, grilling, or cooking and mashing.

They’re also commonly deep-fried to make sweet potato fries, but this isn’t a healthy way to consume them. Deep-frying high-carbohydrate foods leads to the formation of acrylamide, a carcinogen, although the amount formed varies by sweet potato variety and frying method. If you like the crispiness of fries, a healthier method is to bake or air fry them, which will still form some acrylamides, but less than deep-frying in oil.

Ultimately, the best way to prepare sweet potatoes is in ways you’ll enjoy them often. And if you can cook and eat them with their skin on, you’ll help retain more antioxidants.

Sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids, namely beta-carotene, which converts into the active form of vitamin A. Because this is a fat-soluble vitamin, be sure to eat sweet potatoes with a healthy source of fat to help your body absorb as much vitamin A as possible.

How do I love sweet potatoes? Let me list the ways:

• As side dishes baked in strips (fries), mashed, or cubed
• Baked whole and stuffed with toppings
• In casseroles and chilies
• In desserts and baked goods
• Blended into soups
• In a warm salad
• In grain bowls or power bowls
• As part of a sheet pan meal

Sweet Potato Recipes

Now let’s embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the remarkable versatility of sweet potatoes. Beyond their natural sweetness and vibrant hue lies a world of gastronomic possibilities.

From hearty soups and comforting chilies to innovative salads and tempting desserts, we’ve crafted an array of recipes that will transform your sweet potato experience. Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned chef, these recipes are designed to inspire and delight, proving that sweet potatoes are not just a side dish but a star ingredient in their own right.

So, sharpen your knives, fire up your stovetop, and get ready to discover the endless culinary wonders of sweet potatoes. Let the cooking begin!

1. Smoky Sweet Potato and Lentil Hash

Regular potatoes are tasty and healthy, but adding sweet potatoes to our Smoky Sweet Potato and Lentil Hash takes it to a whole new level! This dish isn’t just comforting and full of flavor; it’s also incredibly nutritious. Imagine starting your day with a hearty bowl of savory sweet potatoes. It’s like a warm hug for your taste buds — and your soul. Plus, sweet potatoes have this magical way of making us feel happy. That’s why we believe this recipe is a fantastic way to celebrate the incredible nutrition that sweet potatoes bring to the table. So go ahead and indulge in this delightful dish anytime. It’s a true mealtime superstar!

2. Sweet and Savory African Peanut Soup

Sweet potatoes add the perfect amount of natural sweetness to this creamy, nutty, and nourishing soup. With an assortment of healing spices, protein-packed chickpeas, leafy green spinach, and lots of peanut butter, this Sweet and Savory African Peanut Soup is a scrumptious treat, hot or cold. The tender cubes of sweet potato also add gorgeous color to the stew, which makes it even more exciting to enjoy. After all, we eat first with our eyes!

3. Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula Salad

Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula Salad is a light and tasty way to enjoy sweet potatoes. And best of all, it’s ready in under 30 minutes! Peppery arugula and earthy lentils are the perfect complement to the smooth texture and natural sweetness of the sweet potato. This salad is the perfect go-to when you have extra sweet potatoes you’d like to use up, or you simply want to enjoy your daily sweet potato fix.

4. Buckwheat Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet potatoes are wonderfully versatile and an excellent addition to many savory (or sweet!) dishes — including this tasty Buckwheat Sweet Potato Chili! This chili is a comforting bowl of deliciousness that is packed with tons of nutrition: protein thanks to the buckwheat and black beans, and plenty of beta-carotene, B6, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C from the sweet potato. Buckwheat and sweet potato are a truly harmonious duo — so much so that you’ll be thinking up new ways to enjoy this delightful pairing again and again!

5. Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes reign supreme when it comes to a fun, filling, and delicious way to enjoy sweet potatoes. These naturally sweet orange beauties are packed with carotenoids and fiber. Plus we can’t forget the protein-packed and phytonutrient-rich black bean and sweet corn medley, delightfully creamy avocado, and flavorful herbs and spices. If you’re striving to center your diet around consuming nutrient-dense foods, this recipe certainly will help get you there!

6. Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi just got much sweeter (and nourishing) thanks to the addition of sweet potato. These gnocchi are just as soft and pillowy as their traditional counterparts — with just a little more sweetness. What’s more, the sweet potato makes this gnocchi glow with a bright orange hue that is even more stunning when paired with your favorite green veggies and pasta sauce!

7. Sweet Potato Pie Mousse

Unlock sweet potatoes’ naturally decadent side with this silky Sweet Potato Pie Mousse. Sweet potatoes, dates, and coconut milk come together to make a lightly sweet, whipped mousse with some autumn spice that will make anyone who eats it swoon. Double the recipe to make a scrumptious sweet potato pie filling!

Enjoy Sweet Potatoes Anytime, Anywhere

As one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, sweet potatoes have firmly established their place in culinary tradition. Not only are they a nutritional powerhouse, but they also thrive in various recipes, from savory to sweet, breakfast to dessert.

Knowing when and how to choose, store, and prepare sweet potatoes ensures your full enjoyment of them. And whether enjoyed as a side dish, main course, or incorporated into desserts, sweet potatoes have proven their culinary adaptability. Take time to embrace the versatility and deliciousness of sweet potatoes when crafting your next meal.

Tell us in the comments:

• What’s your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?

• Do you have any traditional sweet potato dishes in your family history or cultural heritage?

• Which sweet potato recipe will you try next?

iStock.com/Ika Rahma

Read Next:

• Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You? Everything You Need to Know
• Are Potatoes Healthy? The Surprising Truth About This Controversial Vegetable

The post Cooking with Sweet Potatoes: Flavorful Recipes to Try Today appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The list would almost certainly include persistent droughts in many heavily populated parts of the globe, depleted soils, global hunger, nutritional deficiencies, overuse of pesticides, and climate chaos caused by the carbon footprint of burning fossil fuels.

The bad news is you probably don’t have actual magical powers that allow you to create such a food. (If you do, please apply for a job at Food Revolution Network!)

The good news is, that crop already exists. It’s called fonio (pronounced “fone-yo”), and it’s the oldest known cultivated grain in Africa.

While many Indigenous West Africans revere the grain and incorporate it not only into their diets but also into their healing and spiritual practices, its cultivation was discouraged by decades of agricultural and economic policy that sought to “modernize” the region and grow monocropped grains for food and export.

But fonio is making a comeback, growing in popularity around the world. And for good reason. It’s highly nutritious, exceptionally delicious, and environmentally resilient, making it an important crop for arid regions. Those include its home, West Africa, but also many other places around the world prone to prolonged heat and drought: southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, much of the US (including California, Texas, the Midwest, Sunbelt, and Southeast), Southeast Asia, and Australia, among others.

In this article, we’ll explore all things fonio. We’ll look at where and how it grows, its nutritional profile and health benefits, its environmental impacts, and why you might want to add fonio to your diet even if you don’t live in West Africa.

We’ll also cover its versatile culinary uses, and share some fonio-filled recipes.

What Is Fonio?

Fonio, aka Digitaria exilis (Latin for “slender fingers”), has been cultivated in parts of Africa for about 7,000 years. In the Dogon language of Mali, one of the names for the plant means “seed of the universe.” In a narrative strikingly similar to the Big Bang, Dogon mythology describes the Creator bringing the universe into existence by exploding a single fonio grain.

Fonio is a member of the millet family and is related to other grains important in African agriculture, including pearl millet and sorghum. Technically, fonio is a very tiny pseudocereal, like quinoa and buckwheat — which basically means it’s a seed that’s eaten like a grain.

You may have also heard of fonio by one of its other names. These include acha, fundi, findi, iburu, Asian millet, fonio millet, pearl millet, and hungry rice. (That last name is something of a smear, implying that fonio is a lesser food that’s eaten only when there’s not enough rice.)

Fonio is native to West Africa with roughly 70% of the world’s fonio grown in Guinea. Additional production occurs in Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, and several neighboring countries.

Fonio has played a critical role in food security in these countries, especially in rural areas. For reasons that we’ll soon discover, fonio is a reliable staple crop even when other food sources are scarce.

The plant is prized for its resilience, able not just to grow, but to positively thrive in poor soil conditions. As a significant bonus, fonio is also the speed champion of grains. It’s the world’s fastest maturing cereal, going from seed to harvest in as little as 60 days. And it’s drought tolerant. In fact, the less rain the plant receives, the faster it matures.

Types of Fonio

There are two main types of fonio:

• white fonio, called acha (the more common of the two, and quicker cooking)
• black fonio, called iburu (less common, and higher in fiber)

Both types of fonio have a similar taste that’s been described as rich and nutty — similar to couscous (but unlike couscous, fonio is a whole grain, and it’s gluten-free!).

Fonio Nutrition

On a nutrient-by-nutrient basis, fonio appears to be one of the most nutritious of all African cereals, as well as one of the tastiest. A cup of cooked fonio (which requires a quarter cup of dry grain) provides about 170 calories, largely from carbohydrates, and a small amount of protein.

It’s also a rich source of gut-healthy fiber, providing as much as five times as much fiber as a serving of white rice. (I don’t know about you, but I sometimes opt for white rice over brown rice when I’m in a hurry since it cooks much more quickly. Well… fonio cooks even faster yet! So it is a winner by many measures of comparison.)

What about the essential amino acids that make up protein? The acha variety of fonio is particularly rich in sulfur-containing amino acids, like methionine, which is an amino acid that is typically low in legumes. However, similar to whole grains, acha is low in lysine (where legumes excel!). While we love fonio, we don’t recommend that you only eat fonio all day. Variety, including beans and other legumes, is important to ensure you’re receiving a variety of nutrients, including plenty of all the different essential amino acids.

Fonio is also a solid source of several minerals, including calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper. Since fonio is gluten-free, it can substitute for gluten-containing grains such as wheat, barley, and rye for people with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

Fonio Health Benefits

Just as fonio has been systematically neglected and marginalized by industrialized agriculture, it’s also largely ignored by nutrition researchers. While its powerful nutrient profile is well-documented by modern science, the same is not true of its potential for supporting human health.

To give you a sense of the gap, when I did a search for “fonio nutrition” in the database of the US National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine, I got 17 hits (only one of which even looked at the relationship between fonio and human health). By comparison, “corn nutrition” generated over 12,000 articles, and “sorghum nutrition” almost 1,200.

So in order to make useful statements about how fonio might help you prevent and heal from disease, we have to consider both its nutritional properties and Indigenous healing practices.

In West Africa, fonio is considered to have medicinal properties for several health conditions. In Senegal, fonio has been traditionally used to alleviate conditions such as meteorism (or bloating and abdominal distension caused by an accumulation of gas in the digestive system), constipation, and as a diuretic. Also, the Senegalese use fonio to treat blood clots, diarrhea, loss of appetite, dysentery, stomachache, chicken pox, and asthma.

In Burkina Faso, fonio is known for its slimming properties. Roasted, it’s used for wound healing. And fonio dough is given for relief of symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes.

Based on its nutritional profile and similarity to other pseudocereals, it’s probable that fonio may reduce the risk of developing both type 2 diabetes and some cancers. And with a low glycemic index (in the low 40s, to be imprecise) and favorable amounts of both resistant and nonresistant starch, fonio may help improve blood glucose management in diabetic and prediabetic patients.

Challenges Facing Fonio

We’ve seen that, in many respects, fonio is a near-perfect crop to address hunger on a planet that’s growing increasingly hot and dry. But now it’s time to address the one drawback to fonio: It takes a huge amount of hard human labor to produce.

Labor

In West Africa, where fonio is still a staple food for millions of people, all stages of its growth cycle are very labor-intensive.

Men harvest the grain by uprooting the plant or cutting off the grain head with a homemade knife or sickle. Threshing the grain — separating the edible from inedible parts of the plant — is just as labor-intensive. It’s done by either beating or trampling over the dry straw.

In West African countries, women perform the lion’s share of the work. Women typically do the weeding, collecting seed heads, dehusking the grain, cleaning, drying, and processing as well as selling the fonio. On average, a woman must pound fonio for an hour to dehusk just two pounds of the grain.

Although this unfairly puts a large burden on women to process the fonio and get it ready for market, from a climate perspective, the hard work does pay off. Its impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as soil and water contamination, is minimal to nonexistent. There’s also no need for fuel to run giant harvesters and other agricultural machines, or to power running water for irrigation.

And in a region with chronically high rates of unemployment, some would argue that providing more jobs for people (as opposed to having the work done by machines produced overseas) makes good economic sense, too. Plus, there’s the fact that farmers don’t have to spend money on fertilizers or pesticides since fonio thrives in poor soil and has few natural enemies.

But in terms of growing enough fonio to feed the world, the fact that the crop hasn’t, at least so far, been able to benefit from economies of scale has been a very real stumbling block.

In the 1990s, a Senegalese mechanical engineer named Sanoussi Diakite invented a fonio husking machine that could process eleven pounds of grain in just eight minutes. However, there are very few machines in use, even today, because the $3,000 price tag renders them too expensive for the vast majority of West African farmers.

Low Demand and Rural Depopulation

Capitalizing on fonio’s status as a highly nutritious and easy-to-grow whole grain is a serious challenge facing West African farmers. In addition to the difficulties of production and postharvest processing, there are two other stumbling blocks: low market demand and rural depopulation.

Because demand from the wealthier nations is low (at least before this article was published!), farmers fear not receiving a return on their investments of money and effort. It’s more secure to grow maize, which has a predictable market, or some of the higher-margin cash crops like coffee, bananas, cashews, or cacao, which can be exported to wealthier countries.

Another obstacle is a lack of younger farmers willing to do the work of fonio farming. Many move away from rural areas to seek employment in the cities, sparking a depopulation crisis that continues to spiral as more and more people view farm life as an economic dead end.

Garnering Interest in Fonio

Some people are trying to encourage increased fonio production by creating demand for it in the US and Europe. Making fonio more fashionable, somewhat akin to what’s happened to quinoa, can mean higher profits and more stable income for farmers.

For example, Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam has been instrumental in bringing fonio to US markets. He cofounded Yolélé Foods in order to, quoting from their website, “create economic opportunity for smallholder farming communities; to support their biodiverse, regenerative, and climate-resilient farming systems.”

Yolélé Foods is also building processing facilities and collaborating with governments, intergovernmental agencies, and NGOs to train and equip smallholders for increased productivity through conservation farming.

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try fonio for yourself, check out some of Yolélé’s fonio products online. If they’re out of stock (as seems to happen from time to time), Aduna makes an organic variety, linked here. The cost tends to be a bit higher than rice or quinoa but is lower than wild rice.

How to Cook Fonio

If you do decide to try fonio (and create more demand for it), you’re in luck. Not only is it super delicious (at least in my opinion), but it cooks super fast (just a few minutes!). This speedy quality also makes it a great option when you want to eat a whole grain but don’t have a long time to wait for one to cook fully.

One cup of fonio cooks in two cups of water and yields four cups of grain!

You can use fonio in any recipe that calls for other types of grains. Examples include grain bowls, porridge, side dishes (like couscous or pilaf), stuffed vegetable recipes, and so on.

Fonio flour has been used to make biscuits, bread, and dumplings. Some researchers have experimented with making sourdough bread using fonio. It’s also possible to make delicious cakes, cookies, and other snack foods and desserts from fonio. And you can use whole meal fonio flour to create gluten-free biscuits and other baked goods.

Fonio Recipes

This ancient West African grain deserves to be making some serious culinary waves because it offers a delightful canvas for kitchen creativity. From savory to slightly sweet, get to know this delightful ancient grain that can add wonderful texture and substantial nutritional value to your meals.

1. Savory Turmeric Fonio Porridge

Savory Turmeric Fonio Porridge feels like a warm and comforting hug for your belly. Full of antioxidant- and anti-inflammatory-rich ingredients, it’s a wonderful breakfast to begin your day on a nourishing note. What’s more, thanks to fonio’s nuttiness, the cashews (or your favorite nut or seed of choice) really bring out its flavor, rounding out the taste profile of this hearty breakfast porridge.

2. Fonio, Fennel, and Fruit Salad

Since fonio is a mild grain, you can use it the same way you would quinoa, brown rice, or millet. In this salad, it’s truly a hit! Fonio, Fennel, and Fruit Salad is bursting with juicy and aromatic citrus fruit and berries, lively fennel, and creamy Macadamia Nut Ricotta. The cherry, or should we say the grain on top, is the subtly sweet fonio that ties it all together. If you are new to working with this grain, we highly recommend you give it a try in this refreshing and vibrant salad!

3. Moroccan-Inspired Fonio Pilaf

Fonio is highly versatile. There are so many ways to enjoy its taste, texture, and nutrients — and this Moroccan-inspired Fonio Pilaf will not disappoint! With savory vegetables, cooling mint, nutty pistachios, and healing spices, this is a highly nourishing all-in-one meal that is simple to prepare and a delight to enjoy as a tasty side dish or a delectable main!

The Bottom Line on Fonio

Fonio is a nutritious and versatile whole grain that has a low environmental impact. It also tastes delicious, cooks quickly, and provides many nutrients that are crucial to human health. Plus, it’s gluten-free and so is suitable for those with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Unfortunately, farmers face many challenges growing fonio because demand is unpredictable, and it’s labor-intensive to harvest and thresh. While some technology is now available to lessen that burden, until demand grows, few farmers will be able to afford to use these machines to increase production.

Increasing awareness of and demand for fonio in industrialized countries can be a win-win. Not only does the crop have the potential to improve the nutritional status of those populations, but increased demand may translate into funding to make harvesting and processing more efficient. If done in an environmentally low-impact way, this could pave the way for greater economic opportunities for farmers in West Africa.

If being a part of that solution sounds good to you, check out the recipes included above and consider making fonio a part of your life.

Tell us in the comments:

• Had you heard of fonio before reading this? If so, where did you first come across it?

• What is the most interesting thing about fonio that you discovered in this article?

• Which fonio recipe will you try?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Karisssa

Read Next:

• Teff: The Tiny but Mighty Grain Worth Knowing About

The post What Is Fonio? Get to Know This Ancient Supergrain from Africa appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Well, that’s the experience I just had researching this article about figs. I thought I knew a lot about this yummy fruit until I started digging into the topic. Spoiler alert: They’re not even fruits! And when I discovered how they get pollinated — that’s a drama worthy of a Game of Thrones episode!

But aside from their storied pollination method, figs have a lot to offer. In addition to being a delicious food, figs have also traditionally been used for healing and for some very practical purposes. For countless generations, people around the world have made poultices from fresh or dried figs, fig leaves, and fig wines. Fig stems and leaves contain latex. And, of course, fig leaves have served as, well, strategically placed garments since the Garden of Eden (at least according to some Renaissance painters).

You can also find mention of figs in both the Bible and the Quran. Biblical writers often use figs as metaphors for the physical and spiritual health of the people, with phrases like “everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree” depicting a time of peace and prosperity. The Quran quotes the prophet Muhammad as telling his followers to eat the fig “as it cures various diseases.”

In this article, we’re going to focus on the culinary uses of figs. We’ll explore what figs are, how they taste (and how they differ from dates), the nutritional value of fresh vs dried, and their health benefits and downsides.

We’ll also look at how they get pollinated (so dramatic!), and if that process might render figs unfit for a vegan diet.

What Are Figs?

Fig trees (or Ficus carica) are native to the Mediterranean region and were one of the first plants to be cultivated.

Figs are members of the mulberry family, which, contrary to the nursery rhyme, is mostly populated by trees, not bushes to “go ‘round and ‘round.” (Other family members include the banyan, breadfruit, jackfruit, and Osage orange.)

A fig fruit (which, again, is not really a fruit) is known as a syconium. According to the Ecological Society of America, “a fig is not actually a fruit; it is an inflorescence — a cluster of many flowers and seeds contained inside a bulbous stem.” And as we’ll see, it’s that structure that makes its pollination so darn interesting.

Because the fig flower is arranged so unusually, the seeds — which are actually the ovaries of the fig — can’t be pollinated by ordinary flying insects like bees, moths, and butterflies. Instead, it requires a pollinator with the skills of a safecracker who can operate in dark, confined quarters (more on that later).

Types of Figs

There are more than 750 different varieties of fig. Some of the types you’re likely to encounter include Adriatic, Black Mission, Turkish/Brown Turkey, Calimyrna, Kadota, Celeste, and Tiger. Different types have different flavor profiles, and feature in a variety of dishes, from sweet desserts to more savory fare.

The most common dried figs in the US are Black Mission and Golden, both of which are grown in California.

Figs are light green as they grow. They may remain green or change color as they ripen, ranging from yellow to brown to dark purple, depending on the cultivar.

The Differences Between Figs and Dates

Figs and dates are two very different foods that people sometimes get confused with one another, kind of like the actors who play Harry Potter and Frodo. Here are some key differences. Frodo didn’t go to Hogwarts — oops, I mean, here are some key differences between figs and dates.

While figs originated in the Mediterranean region, dates are native to several geographical locations, including North America. Figs grow on trees, while dates are the fruits of palm trees, which are technically grasses and not trees (this is such a genus-bending article!).

Furthermore, figs grow on fig tree branches, while dates grow in clusters on offshoots from the main trunk of the palm tree. Dates contain a single pit, while figs have many small edible seeds.

When it comes to eating the fruits, they’re also quite different. Figs have three times the amount of water as dates, which also makes them much lower in calories (about four times lower, if you’re counting). So dates are a much more concentrated source of carbohydrates, mostly in the form of simple sugars. Dates are also richer sources of some minerals, such as calcium and potassium.

Nutrients in Figs

The good news is figs deliver a lot of essential nutrients. The predominant macronutrient (the one that provides calories) is carbohydrates, but they’re also rich in some vitamins and organic acids. As whole plant foods, they also provide important dietary fiber.

According to the US National Nutrient Database, two medium raw figs contain roughly 3 grams of fiber. Doing the math, this means that if you ate just 8 figs a day and nothing else, you’d still get about half as much fiber as the average US resident consumes in a day. (To be clear, I am NOT recommending the “8 Fig a Day Diet,” although someone could probably write a best-selling diet book with that title.)

However, some researchers have measured much greater amounts of fiber in different fig cultivars. According to the American Botanical Council, two fresh or 4–5 dried figs provide a whopping 12 grams of fiber.

So we have credible authorities telling us that two figs provide 3 grams of fiber, while others say the correct figure is 12 grams of fiber. It reminds me of the old saying, “A person with one watch knows what time it is. A person with two watches… is never quite sure.” So for now, let’s just say that figs are high (potentially very high!) in fiber, and leave it to the good folks at the US National Nutrient Database and the American Botanical Council to duke it out on the details.

Figs are a good source of many bioactive phytonutrients, too, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, and tocopherols.

(Here’s a fun article all about flavonoids, which starts with a weird story about a bunch of soldiers trying to cross a bridge.)

They’re also solid sources of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus. What’s more, figs provide essential trace elements, including iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.

You’ll get the most nutrients if you don’t peel your figs; the highest concentrations of phytonutrients are in their skin. And darker fig varieties contain more polyphenols and antioxidant power than lighter ones.

Figs also lose some phytonutrients when dried. Studies show a loss of 29% to as much as 86% of the polyphenol content when figs are dried.

Health Benefits of Figs

In the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, figs have long been revered for their contributions to human health and longevity. The fruit, leaves, latex, bark, and roots of fig trees have been used to treat gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, and cardiovascular disorders, as well as ulcerative diseases and cancers. The various parts of the fig tree possess a wide variety of properties; they can help you poop, relax muscle spasms, fight viruses and bacteria, bring down high blood sugar, and even help your body expel parasites.

And modern scientific research has only added to our understanding of the power of figs to promote health.

Figs and Gut Health

When patients with irritable bowel syndrome add figs to their diet, they often experience decreased symptom occurrence and severity. A 2019 study gave IBS patients 90 grams of dried figs per day for four months. Compared to controls who didn’t get anything, the fig-enhanced group had reduced frequency of pain, less intestinal distention, more frequent pooping, and softer stools. Unsurprisingly, they also reported “a significant increase in quality of life.”

In a 2018 animal study, rats with induced ulcerative colitis were fed a liquid extract containing figs. The treatment had a natural laxative effect but did not lead to diarrhea, and it improved their gastrointestinal functioning. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

Figs and Diabetes

Figs (and fig leaves) can also be deployed to treat diabetes. A 1998 study found that people with type 1 diabetes who drank tea made from fig leaves were able to lower their blood sugar immediately following meals. And a 2019 study showed that a fig leaf decoction was able to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes by about half as much as the drug metformin (after two months of treatment).

It’s not just the leaves, though — fig fruits contain a compound called abscisic acid (which should definitely be included in spelling bees) that has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels after meals.

Figs and Cognitive Decline

Studies with experimental animals have shown that figs may help us stay sharp and avoid or delay cognitive decline. One animal study compared the effects of a diet that included figs to a fig-free diet in mice that were genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The mice who ate figs did better on memory tests, displayed fewer anxiety behaviors, learned new things more quickly and fully, and had better motor coordination. Furthermore, the fig-eating mice had lower levels of the toxic amyloid beta proteins that are associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Are Figs Vegan?

This may seem like an odd question, but remember that Game of Thrones reference from earlier? It turns out, fig tree pollination is a bit controversial.

You see, there are two types of fig trees: wild and cultivated. And wild-growing fig trees require pollination to bear fruit. The critters that have volunteered for the job are fig wasps, a term that describes any of several hundred different, mosquito-like tiny creatures from the Agaonidae family. Each species of fig wasp pollinates only one variety of fig.

Basically, here’s how it works.

A female wasp, loaded with pollen, flies to an unripe fig and burrows into its center to deposit her eggs. While she’s doing this, two things happen. One, she spreads her pollen onto the female flowers. And two, the effort of fighting her way through the flower strips her of her wings.

Now the fig goes to work, building structures called galls over the wasp eggs and producing seeds in the flowers that don’t contain the eggs. Meanwhile, the mama wasp dies, whereupon her exoskeleton is dissolved by figgy enzymes. (Cue the emotional orchestral music.)

The heroic male wasps hatch first, and travel around the syconium fertilizing their sisters who are still pupating in their galls. (This is definitely HBO-worthy stuff!) Then they dig holes through which the fertilized females can escape with their wings intact. Once the females hatch, they fly off to repeat the process, leaving the males to die in the maturing fig.

Pretty intense family drama, huh?

As a result, some vegans do not eat figs because they don’t want to consume dead wasps, and also because animals died as part of the process that produced them. However, there’s good news if you want to adhere to a vegan diet and still enjoy delicious figginess.

First, the wasps are completely dissolved by the plant enzymes, so you are not likely to encounter a dead insect in your fig. And second, almost all figs produced and sold in the US are of the cultivated variety and are self-pollinating. This means they don’t need the sacrificial services of the fig wasps, and are considered vegan-friendly.

Fig Downsides

Aside from the fig wasp controversy, there are some other things about figs to consider. For one, some people may have to avoid them because of allergic reactions, including oral allergy syndrome. The latex in the plant may also be a source of irritation and allergy, especially if you’re harvesting figs.

Also dried (but not fresh) figs are high in compounds called salicylates, which may cause swelling, itching, hives, worsened asthma, and food intolerance symptoms in people who are sensitive to them.

The other thing about figs is that it takes a lot of water to grow them. Although they’re not as needy as some other crops like citrus, almonds, alfalfa, and pasture grasses, in places straining under multiyear droughts, such as California and Spain, this can be a problem.

On the other hand, fig trees, like almond trees, are drought tolerant, so they can be a good solution in some cases. While they may not bear fruit during times of drought, they can survive until the rains return. There are several strategies growers can implement, including mulching, thinning fruit to help the remaining fruit develop fully, and protecting trees with shade cloth during the hottest parts of the day.

One other challenge with growing figs, and I say this from personal experience, is that for some reason gophers love their roots. So if you aim to grow a fig tree, it may be wise to place a wire gopher barrier in the planting hole to protect the root ball from those sharp little teeth.

Overall, growing figs appear to be a net positive for the environment. Offsetting their water needs and their moderate carbon footprint, they don’t require heavy use of pesticides. Plus, fig trees sequester carbon in their biomass, keeping it out of the air and not contributing to the climate crisis.

We Dig Figs!

As you’ve probably gathered by now, figs are pretty unique! Their biology is fascinating, and the saga of their pollination is dramatic, to say the least. They also offer a wide range of essential nutrients and health benefits. From their versatile culinary uses to their historical uses as healing agents, figs have proven themselves valuable partners to the humans who have loved, cultivated, and revered them for millennia.

If you’re inspired to add more figgy goodness to your diet, we’ve got you covered: Here’s an article all about different ways of preparing and eating figs.

Tell us in the comments:

• What’s the most surprising fig fact you got from this article?

• Can you find fresh figs where you live? If so, what do you do with them?

• Have you ever planted a fig tree?

Featured Image: iStock.com/SGAPhoto

Read Next:

• Are Dates Good For You, or the Planet?
• Are Grapes Good for You?

The post Figs: Are They Good for You and the Planet? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

And that really didn’t begin to change until the First International Symposium on Umami Taste, held at the University of Hawaii in 1985 — despite the discovery of the “fifth flavor,” umami, at the turn of the 20th century.

In fact, it’s really only recently that umami has gained its rightful place in the flavor spectrum outside of Asian cultures.

For example, the restaurant chain Umami Burger has focused on making burgers using umami-rich animal- and plant-based ingredients like fish heads, caramelized onions, and roasted tomatoes since 2009. It became so successful, it spawned a chain of establishments dedicated to providing ultra-umami culinary experiences to their patrons.

Now, many a restaurant reviewer likes to point out the “rich umami flavor” of certain dishes across the spectrum of world cuisine. Umami has become a venerated part of the foodie landscape.

But umami is not just associated with gourmet natural foods, it’s also associated with a much-demonized synthetic food additive called MSG, or monosodium glutamate. MSG was first formulated and produced in 1909, originally from seaweed, and later from wheat and defatted soybeans. Since then, it’s become a mass-produced flavor enhancer that may or may not be a health risk (you’ll have to read on to find out the scientific verdict).

So what exactly makes a food umami? Do all umami tastes that derive from glutamate have the same effects as MSG? And do you have to eat meat to enjoy the savory flavor of umami? In this article, we’ll explore the world of umami tastes, and also provide opportunities for you to get a mouthful of non-MSG-based umami by sharing seven recipes featuring umami-rich foods.

How Was Umami Discovered?

The flavor we call “umami” was discovered by a Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikeda, in 1908. After a trip to Germany, during which he first tasted asparagus, tomatoes, cheese, and meat, he began to suspect that the four known tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, and salty — didn’t account for every food flavor.

When he later came home to Japan and enjoyed a particularly delicious bowl of his wife’s dashi (seaweed broth), the rich taste reminded Ikeda of the foods he had encountered in Germany. As a result, he quickly put the seaweed (kelp) under the microscope, literally and figuratively. That’s when he discovered the chemical compound responsible for this savory and satisfying flavor: a molecule called glutamate.

Ikeda dubbed the flavor umami, putting together the Japanese words for “meaty flavor” and “essence.” The term has long had an association with Japanese cuisine — especially the dashi broth that inspired its discovery — but has become popular outside of Japan and other Asian countries in the last few decades.

What Is Umami?

Umami is now recognized as the fifth basic taste, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Humans have taste receptors specifically for umami foods. And it’s mostly associated with meaty, nutty, and savory-tasting foods with a high amino acid content.

But in order for something to taste umami, those amino acids need to be released — either by cooking or through fermentation.

In what I’m going to call the “umami paradox” (which sounds like a rejected movie title from the Jason Bourne franchise), researchers have found that umami compounds actually taste kind of bad alone, but they improve the taste of food when combined with other flavor profiles.

So umami is not only a taste in its own right but also a flavor enhancer for other tastes. Umami substances trigger the secretion of saliva, enhance appetite, and increase food palatability, qualities that often make MSG a key added ingredient in many food products and cuisines.

Glutamate vs MSG

Before we get to umami foods and recipes, we need to clear up a common misconception: that glutamate, the molecule primarily responsible for umami taste, is identical to monosodium glutamate, or MSG. While they sound similar, they’re quite different chemically.

Glutamic Acid

Natural glutamate is a safe compound that you get as part of a healthy dietary pattern.

Glutamate in food comes in the form of glutamic acid, a naturally occurring amino acid. In your body, it gets converted into glutamate, which is an amino acid neurotransmitter — a chemical that helps nerve cells in the brain send and receive information. It’s a precursor to the neurotransmitter GABA, which the brain requires to generate feelings of calm and well-being.

MSG

MSG, on the other hand, is a synthetically produced food additive and flavoring. Although it is structurally similar to glutamic acid, MSG contains a greater percentage of glutamate than is naturally occurring in foods.

It used to be extracted from ingredients like sea vegetable broth, wheat, and soybeans, but is now produced much more economically, and at a much larger scale, via fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugarcane, or molasses. Sugar beets, in particular, are often bioengineered (GMO), a process with unknown effects on the environment and long-term human health.

Is MSG safe?

That’s a complicated question with an even more complicated history.

MSG is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s GRAS list, an acronym for “Generally Regarded As Safe.” And while you might think that’s a good thing, being on that list comes with no actual guarantees.

As the nonprofit Consumer Reports puts it, being deemed GRAS actually means that little to no research exists on the additive’s safety, and food manufacturers are free to shoot first and ask questions later — or not at all. Some items that have been on or are on the GRAS list include probable carcinogens, GMOs, and trans fats. So having the FDA characterize MSG as GRAS is kind of like Al Capone bragging about never having been convicted. (I know, they got him on tax fraud in the end.)

MSG got a very bad rap starting in the 1970s — one that was not entirely backed up by research, and which may have been inflamed by racial prejudice aimed at Chinese people. MSG is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes and has a strong association with Chinese restaurants in the US.

Many people reported unpleasant symptoms after consuming food flavored with MSG. Headaches, numbness and tingling, flushing, muscle tightness, and generalized weakness are alleged side effects of MSG. However, these reactions all but disappear during controlled trials in which participants are unaware of whether they are consuming MSG or an inert placebo.

That said, there are still reasons to avoid or limit MSG. Several recent studies have shown that chronic MSG consumption can be toxic to the nervous system, causing an excitotoxic effect on neurons. The excessive amounts of glutamate seen in MSG may wreak havoc on normal levels of neurotransmitters and potentially contribute to neurodegeneration.

And while glutamate levels in foods are within ranges that the human body is accustomed to, there’s often no way to know just how much glutamate is in a serving of MSG, especially if it’s added to restaurant dishes or processed foods. MSG products like Ac’cent or Aji-No-Moto don’t disclose this information, as it’s not a required line item on the Nutrition Facts part of the packaging.

For these reasons, you may want to avoid foods containing added MSG and stick to glutamate that occurs naturally in food.

Animal Products and Umami

Many animal products are rich in umami, with meat, seafood, and cheese among the most intense. When you cook meat, glutamic acid is released along with other umami-producing compounds. Aging and fermenting typically concentrate these compounds, accounting for the intense umami tastes of cured ham, aged cheeses, and the like.

Cooking meat, and especially grilling, frying, or roasting, also contributes to the umami taste through the Maillard reaction. But this is the same reaction that creates the formation of acrylamide, which may have carcinogenic effects.

That’s one reason animal products, especially cured meats and cheese, can increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Cooked meats also form other harmful compounds, including TMAO. And dairy products can contain hormones and antibiotics, contributing to the risk of cancer and antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

These days, it may be far safer and healthier to get your umami from the produce section. Fortunately, there are many other umami foods to choose from.

Plant-Based Umami Foods

While humans may have evolved our love of umami to keep us from getting sick from undercooked meat, we can also find the fifth flavor in select plant-based foods.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are naturally rich in glutamic acid. When you cook tomatoes, you concentrate those glutamates, intensifying their umaminess (I thought my spellchecker would have a problem with that word, but apparently it really exists. Who knew?). Sun-drying concentrates those flavors even more, creating a potent umami taste that can contribute to mouthwatering salads, pizzas, and sauces.

To find out more about the health benefits of tomatoes, including a recipe for Umami Sun-dried Tomato and Almond Burgers, check out our comprehensive article, here.

Mushrooms

While all mushrooms, even white buttons, have some umami qualities, varieties like shiitake and porcini contain a large amount of natural glutamates. Cooking makes their umami taste even more pronounced.

For a deep dive into the world of edible fungi, check out our article on The Power of Mushrooms: Nutrition, Benefits, & Risks of Edible Mushrooms.

Seaweed

Seaweeds are rich in glutamic acid, which makes historical sense since umami was first identified and extracted from seaweed broth. Certain varieties, kombu (or kelp) in particular, are packed with umamimity (Ha! My spellchecker informs me that I just used an umami word that doesn’t exist yet!).

If you’d like to learn more about sea vegetables, check out our in-depth article, Are Sea Vegetables Good for You and the Planet? — And Are Some Better Than Others?

Fermented Foods

While some soy-derived foods, such as tofu, are famous for their blandness (taking on flavor profiles from marinating and cooking), once the humble soybean has been fermented, we’re talking umami fireworks. Fermented soy foods include tempeh, natto, miso, and soy sauce.

And while we’re talking about bland, let’s not forget the poster child: boiled white cabbage. But once you subject cabbage leaves to fermentation, such as in sauerkraut and kimchi, umami is in the house!

Hard and aged cheeses are also umami powerhouses, which means that cultured plant-based cheeses can also achieve umami greatness.

For more on the wide world of fermented foods, along with their health benefits (and some concerns), here’s our full article.

Matcha Green Tea

You might be surprised to find out that you can experience umami yumminess in green tea — unless you’re already a fan of healthy and delicious matcha. In this case, the umami taste comes not primarily from glutamic acid, but from another amino acid called L-theanine in combination with caffeine. The compound is found in all tea plants but breaks down in the sun, but plants designated for matcha are grown mostly in shade.

The polyphenols in green tea also may protect you against neurotoxicity, including that induced by consuming large quantities of glutamate.

For more on the stunning health benefits of matcha tea, here’s our full article.

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast may be the plant-based umami poster child, imparting a cheesy, savory flavor that has helped many a parmesan lover transition to a dairy-free diet. Like all yeast-based products, it contains glutamic acid.

If you aren’t familiar with nooch, as it’s fondly called by those who love it, check out our comprehensive article, here.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are chock-full of amino acids, including glutamic acid. This may not be news, however, given that one of the words commonly used to describe umami is “nutty.”

Included in this group are peanuts, even though they’re technically legumes.

If you’re looking for the umamiest (yay, another new word!) experience in the world of nuts and seeds, you’ll find that peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds have the highest concentrations of glutamic acid.

Umami Recipes

Now that you know the many foods that create that delectable fifth taste, it’s time to put it into action and have some tasty fun in the kitchen. From savory breakfast to rich umami pasta bakes, there is something for everyone in this tantalizing recipe roundup!

1. Japanese-Inspired Breakfast Bowl

If there is one thing we love about Japanese cuisine (and there are many), it’s how well it captures the essence of umami. So it’s no surprise that this Japanese-Inspired Breakfast Bowl contains so many nourishing umami ingredients. From the tomato to the tamari, sea veggies, miso, and mushrooms, this dish takes inspiration from classic Japanese breakfast staples to create an umami-riffic meal that is satisfying in so many ways.

2. Umami Vegan Dashi

Dashi is a traditional Japanese seaweed stock that has a savory, salty, and umami flavor. Drawing inspiration from classic recipes, we created an ultra-nourishing and mineral-rich plant-based version using green onion, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed. Together with the miso paste, these ingredients make a delicious and soothing stock that is great for your health and offers a rich umami taste you will adore!

3. Rainbow Millet Roll with Miso Peanut Sauce

Set aside what you may think of as sushi and take the nontraditional route by using millet instead of rice, peanut sauce instead of soy sauce, and, of course, veggies instead of fish. What is traditional about this roll is the nutrient-packed nori seaweed that lends its crunchy texture and signature umami flavor. What’s more, the delightful miso peanut dipping sauce cranks the umami meter of this recipe up to 11!

4. Kale Caesar Salad with Cheesy Chickpea Croutons

As we mentioned before, nutritional yeast may be the plant-based umami poster child thanks to its cheesy, savory flavor that is irresistible. As a toothsome cheese substitute, when combined with miso paste, these two umami ingredients elevate even the simplest of recipes. Savory, cheesy, creamy, and crunchy, this salad has the makings to be one of our dreamiest. Plus, the Dehydrated Cheesy Chickpea Croutons add a special touch that will keep you coming back to this recipe again and again!

5. Creamy Veggie Ramen

Have you ever wondered what gives ramen that remarkable flavor that you can’t quite put your finger on? If you guessed the broth, you’d be right — sort of. In reality, it’s the umami ingredients in the broth that make ramen a savory, craveable, and slurpable delight. While there are many ways to enjoy ramen, our Creamy Veggie Ramen is simply the best (in our humble opinion). Infused with fragrant aromatic vegetables, umami-rich mushrooms, miso, and a blend of creamy coconut, this is one recipe you won’t want to pass up!

6. Tempeh Sausage Stuffing

Tempeh Sausage Stuffing is one of those dishes you look forward to consuming, partly for all that umami flavor and also for the crunchy texture! The tempeh (which is fermented and has lots of umami flavor in its own right) and whole grain bread absorb the essence of the earthy mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and aromatic herbs and spices, creating a medley of savory richness that is simply satisfying. As the dish bakes, the flavors concentrate, making an umami-delicious dish that is perfect for sharing!

7. Broccoli and Tomato Pasta Bake

What’s not to love about a rich and cheesy pasta dish? In our Broccoli and Tomato Pasta Bake, nutritional yeast and creamy cashews complement the sweet and savory tones of broccoli and tomato to create a captivating combination of textures, umami-rich flavors, and nutrients. We encourage you to add other veggies that you know the family will love, as well — after all, this recipe is likely going to be in continuous rotation!

Embrace Natural Umami

Umami is a complex, nuanced taste that transcends traditional Western flavor categories. It originated within the Japanese culinary tradition and, over the past 40 years, has enchanted gourmets and gourmands around the globe.

Although umami is often associated with MSG, there may be significant differences in how synthetic glutamate acts in our bodies compared to natural sources. And while the umami receptors may have evolved to guide us to favor well-cooked meat, there are plenty of plant-based sources of umami to enjoy. Try some of the recipes above to put umami’s transformative power into culinary practice.

Tell us in the comments:

• When did you first hear about umami, the “fifth flavor”?

• What are your favorite plant-based umami foods?

• Which umami-rich dish or recipe will you try next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/ALLEKO

Read Next:

• What is Miso? Introducing a Longevity Food of the Blue Zones
• 7 Plant-Based Bitter Foods Recipes For Picky Eaters

The post The Fifth Taste: Exploring Umami Foods and Recipes appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Humans have been cultivating grapes for a long time — possibly as long as we’ve been living in civilizations. Babylonian ruler Hammurabi, famous for publishing the world’s first written code of laws, used his power to regulate the wine trade in the 18th century BCE.

The ancient Greeks and Romans worshiped the God of Wine (named Dionysus and Bacchus, respectively) with festivals, rituals, and, yes, drunken parties, too. When the Vikings first landed in North America, they found it so covered in wild grapes that they named it “Vinland.”

And the grape’s popularity hasn’t diminished with time. By edible weight, grapes are the world’s number one fruit crop, with about 74 million tons produced each year.

Grapes are grown for three purposes: eating fresh (as table grapes), eating dried (as raisins), and drinking (as wine and grape juice). But roughly half of all grapes grown around the world end up in wine bottles.

Given that grapes are high in naturally occurring sugars, and that they’re frequently fermented in alcoholic beverages, are grapes actually healthy? What about when that sweetness is concentrated in raisins? And how do we make sense of all the conflicting information about whether compounds in wine help us live longer, or cause disease?

What Are Grapes?

Grapes are small, round fruits — technically berries — that grow in clusters on deciduous vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis.

There are a number of grape colors, ranging from yellow to green to red to crimson to purple to black (with even some dark blue and orange varieties thrown in for good measure). The darker grapes get their hue from differing kinds and concentrations of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that’s very interesting to health and antiaging researchers because of its unique antioxidant effects.

The taste of grapes can vary from very sweet to slightly tart, depending on the variety. They’re commonly enjoyed both fresh and as a key ingredient in various culinary preparations such as juices, jams, jellies, wines, and raisins.

Types of Grapes

While you could theoretically dehydrate any old grape into a raisin, cook it into jelly, or press and ferment it into wine, there are different varieties that are considered optimal for each of these culinary purposes.

Vitis vinifera is the dominant grape species for winemaking (in Latin, its name means “grapevine carrying wine”). You may be familiar with some of its more famous varieties, including Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Riesling, and Muscat Blanc. Vinifera grapes have a high sugar content and come in a wide range of berry sizes.

Table grape varieties include Thompson, Flame, Crimson seedless, Concord, Muscat, Niagra, and Red Globes. Most are bred to be seedless.

I know that seedless fruit can seem weird and unnatural (how do they have children!), but they are created through natural mutation and cultivated via cuttings. That’s a completely different process from genetic engineering. Interestingly, the descendants of this process are clones of their parents (meaning that they are genetically identical).

Raisin grapes are also typically high-sugar cultivars that are seedless. Some of the most popular raisin grapes include common table grapes like Muscat, Sultana, Thompson seedless, and Fiesta.

Grape Nutrition

As proud members of the fruit and berry families, grapes are nutritional powerhouses. According to the USDA, a serving of grapes is one cup or about 32 grapes. (I would have guessed fewer. But this is one experiment that is totally safe to do at home, so the next time I buy a bunch of grapes, I’m going to count one cup’s worth myself.)

In addition to a hefty dose of hydration, a cup of grapes will provide, on average:

• 104 calories
• 27.3 grams of carbohydrates
• 23.4 grams of sugar
• 1.1 grams of protein
• 1.4 grams of fiber
• 18% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K
• 6% DV for potassium
• 21% DV for copper
• 9% DV for thiamin
• 8% DV for riboflavin
• 8% DV for vitamin B6

Raisins also contain a decent amount of potassium, copper, and fiber. However, because the water content of the grapes has been removed, you’re mostly left with a concentrated sugar source. One small 1.5-oz box of raisins can contain a whopping 28g of sugar! However, as you’ll see below in the section on health benefits, raisins do share many of the health benefits of raw grapes. But make sure to brush your teeth after, as dried fruit tends to stick to the teeth.

For more on dehydrated foods like raisins, check out our Guide to Dehydrating Food: Methods, Foods to Try, and Recipes.

Antioxidants in Grapes

When it comes to antioxidants, the darker the grape, the higher the antioxidant concentration. And the red and purple grape varieties are highest in anthocyanins. Research shows that these compounds may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cognitive decline, and type 2 diabetes, as well as support healthy weight maintenance and a normal inflammatory response.

Grapes also contain resveratrol, which has been associated with increased nitric oxide (NO) production. This NO isn’t a Bond villain, but a powerful neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and also improves circulation, both of which are associated with heart health.

Resveratrol also acts against tumors, and people are looking into using it to help prevent and treat several kinds of cancer.

One challenge is that, in general, resveratrol has a low bioavailability, which means that even if you consume large quantities, your body can only absorb a little. The good news is resveratrol can interact with fatty acids, so you can increase its bioavailability by consuming foods that contain it (like grapes!) alongside a healthy source of fat.

Grapes and avocado toast, anyone?

Don’t turn your nose up at green grapes just because they aren’t anthocyanin or resveratrol superstars, though. They also deliver a wealth of phytonutrients and antioxidants, most of which belong to the flavanol family of polyphenols.

What Are Grapes Good for?

With all those antioxidants and polyphenols and anthocyanins and NO boosters, you’d expect grapes to provide oodles of health benefits. And luckily, they don’t disappoint.

Grapes and Type 2 Diabetes

Grapes can be very sweet. So you might be surprised to learn that both red and green grapes, as well as unsweetened grape juice, are considered to be low on the glycemic index and have a low glycemic load. Apparently, the fiber, water, and other cofactors in grapes help to create balance and to slow the absorption of the sugars they contain.

And might grapes also contain compounds that are helpful in the prevention of type 2 diabetes? Yes! The skin and seeds of the Vitis vinifera grape can reduce inflammation, prevent cell death, and encourage cell growth in people with type 2 diabetes. They can also reduce oxidative stress (which can damage cells) and improve the way your body metabolizes fats. Ironically, the skin and seeds of grapes, called grape pomace, are typically discarded in the wine-making process. But they are included in many fresh grape juices.

In 2021, researchers discovered that grape pomace can help treat type 2 diabetes. They chose a grape called Carménère (used in Chilean winemaking) and subjected its pomace to hot pressurized liquid extraction (which would make a great name for a spy thriller about a plot to smuggle hot water balloons out of the country).

Several of the polyphenols of interest in the resultant mixture were found to inhibit diabetes-related enzymes. A cluster of proanthocyanidins reduced the activity of two of the enzymes more effectively than the drug acarbose (you might know it as Precose or Prandase) that’s prescribed to accomplish the same thing.

Grapes’ Metabolic Benefits

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions, often caused or worsened by diet, that can lead to serious problems like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The polyphenols found in grapes may protect the body from some of the health problems that are often associated with a high-fat, highly processed diet: high LDL cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. The polyphenols also appear to protect the stomach and liver, and can help prevent obesity.

A 2017 study found that a compound extracted from the skin of grapes also improved metabolic markers in rats fed a high-fat diet. Protection included lower cholesterol, decreased insulin resistance, protection against oxidative damage, and reduced inflammation. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

Are Grapes Good for the Liver?

In 2012, researchers studied the effects of extracts from the Suosuo grape variety, which is popular in China, on mice whose livers had been damaged by an overactive immune response. They discovered that two substances from the grapes, triterpenoids and flavonoids, seemed to calm this response down. They also reduced the concentrations of harmful chemicals in the liver, helped restore its enzyme activity, and balanced out proteins that control cell death, as well as regulated immune system messengers in the liver.

Eight years later, scientists were able to more or less replicate these findings in humans. A 2020 study found that the flesh and skin of seedless black grapes protected people’s livers from chemical damage more effectively than the standard-of-care drug, silymarin. A particular class of polyphenols known as phenolics decreased stress and inflammation in the liver, which in turn helped to reduce damage and prevent liver scarring.

Grapes and Inflammation

Inflammation in the body is a good thing — until it’s not. Acute inflammation helps with wound healing, but chronic inflammation can cause damage to tissues and organs, lead to diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease, and lead to premature aging.

IL-8, also known as Interleukin-8, is a type of protein in the body that plays a major role in the inflammation process. It’s needed to fight infections and heal wounds, but too much IL-8 can also lead to excessive inflammation and potentially contribute to disease. And many people in the modern world suffer from ongoing and excessive chronic inflammation.

A 2016 study found that a Turkish variety of raisins had a significant effect in reducing the release of IL-8. It was discovered that this was mainly because these raisins have seeds, unlike many other types.

In 2020, Romanian researchers tested fresh and fermented extracts of the pomace of a local grape variety, Fetească neagră, as well as pomace from Pinot Noir grapes, to compare their effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer cell growth in test tubes and in rats with inflammation. Both fresh and fermented pomace extracts reduced oxidative stress caused by inflammation, while the fermented Fetească neagră extracts most powerfully inhibited cancer cell growth.

And a 2023 review article noted that grape extracts’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make them ideal ingredients in skin care products, due to their potential to improve skin condition and reduce signs of aging.

Grapes’ Antimicrobial Benefits

Grape extracts can also do a number on potentially harmful microbial pathogens. Compounds from grape pomace may help control gum inflammation caused by harmful bacteria, suggesting that you might start seeing grapes in the ingredient list of some brands of toothpaste.

A 2015 study measured the antibacterial and antifungal activity of black grape peel extracts against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and toxin-producing molds. Impressively, researchers found that the extracts significantly inhibited many bacterial and mold species.

Are Grapes and Grape Products Good for You?

Fresh grapes check a lot of nutritional boxes. They contain antioxidants and flavonoids that can help to reduce inflammation and lower heart disease risk. They’re high in fiber, which can promote healthy digestion. And thanks in part to their fiber, which is especially high in grape skins and seeds, grapes’ high sugar content doesn’t appear to be a problem for most people. But what about other grape products, like wine, raisins, jams, juices, and jellies? Do the benefits of consuming those foods outweigh the negatives?

Wine

There’s a lot of evidence that drinking alcohol, even in moderation, can increase your risk of certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. But recent research has found what appears to be an exception for wine. A 2023 review determined that wine differs from other alcoholic beverages in how it interacts with our cells. Drinking wine in moderation not only does not increase the risk of chronic degenerative diseases, the researchers concluded, but it may actually be associated with health benefits.

One reason could be wine’s high polyphenol content, including but not limited to resveratrol, anthocyanins, catechins, and tannins. Polyphenol content and composition vary from grape to grape and wine to wine, but red wines tend to contain more polyphenols than whites.

Variations in winemaking techniques matter as well when it comes to potential wine health benefits. Fermentation, maceration (grinding up the grapes), aging, clarification (fining and filtering), and the use of preservatives can impact what polyphenols make it into the bottle and how long they remain active.

And there are other well-known catches related to alcohol to consider, too, including its negative effects on mental health and its well-known propensity for addiction.

Grape Juice

So maybe the best way to get all these awesome polyphenols is to drink the juice of the grape before it’s fermented into alcohol. It’s certainly a common way to consume grapes: Grape juice is one of the most popular fruit juice flavors in the US. And it has a similar biochemical makeup as wine, so it could potentially deliver similar health benefits minus the alcoholic toxicity and danger of dependence.

The downside here is that many brands of grape juice contain added sugar. If you want to drink grape juice, you may want to consider making your own, so you can be sure the final product is 100% juice.

But — even if you find a brand with zero added sugar, or make your own, the juice still may deliver large concentrations of sugar to your body all at once. That’s because it’s missing the fiber that can act to slow down absorption, meaning it could trigger an unhealthy blood sugar spike in some people.

Grape Jam and Jelly

Grape jams and jellies are another popular way to consume grapes. And for a fruit that’s already so sweet on its own, you might be shocked to discover how much refined sweetener is often added to the final product. Many brands of grape jam and jelly use high-fructose corn syrup manufactured from bioengineered (GMO) corn. They may also contain other harmful additives, such as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

The bottom line here? If you want to derive the maximum health benefits from grapes, the safest way is to consume them in their whole food form.

If you need ideas on how to use grapes in recipes, check out our article on How to Store, Clean, and Eat Grapes.

Other Downsides and Risks of Eating Grapes

That’s not to say that all grapes are safe for all people. Many grapes (as well as the wines, raisins, and condiments made from them) contain concerning levels of pesticide contamination. So much so, in fact, that grapes have “earned” a spot on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list, meaning they are among the 12 types of produce you should consider purchasing organically. That goes for grape products as well.

While rare, grape allergy is also a thing for some people — although those who react in an allergic fashion to grapes are more likely to be experiencing oral allergy syndrome, a condition that affects some people who are already allergic to different types of pollen.

And then there’s the issue of FODMAPs — short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed and can trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome. Grapes are generally considered low-FODMAP, but the amount of FODMAPs may depend on the grape variety and how they’re processed. Raisins and sultanas may also contain more FODMAPs than raw grapes because their sugars are concentrated (and primarily fructose and glucose).

Grapes Can Be Great!

Grapes are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants. In their whole food form, they offer a host of health benefits, including lessening symptoms of metabolic syndrome, providing anti-inflammatory properties, protecting the liver, and fighting harmful pathogens.

While there are some risks associated with consuming nonorganic grapes in particular, for most people they’re an excellent fruit to include in a balanced diet. And a one-cup serving can be a sweet, juicy, and delicious way to help you meet the five-a-day recommendation of fruits and vegetables.

Tell us in the comments:

• What are your favorite kinds of grapes?

• Do you have any recipes or dishes that include grapes?

• What other sweet whole foods do you enjoy?

Featured Image:iStock.com/Fani Kurti

Read Next:

• Alcohol: Its Effects, Risks, Uses, & Potential Benefits
• Eat the Rainbow: Why Is it Important to Eat a Colorful Variety of Fruits and Vegetables?

The post Are Grapes Good for You? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

In the 1944 hit song “Swinging on a Star,” Bing Crosby croons, “If you don’t care a feather or a fig, you might grow up to be a pig.” While the lyric seems nonsensical at first, the concept originates from the Spanish phrase “non darsele un higo,” which means “not to care a fig.” It’s sometimes illustrated by an obscene hand gesture called The Fig of Spain, which isn’t far off from an obscene Italian gesture called “the Mano Fico” (or fig hand).

Although I could continue on into the historical, cultural, and etymological origins of one of the world’s great fruits (Adam and Eve wore fig leaves, after all), instead, I want to point out how fabulous figs are (risqué or not) and give you some inspiration for how to use them in recipes.

There are so many reasons to think figgy when you’re cooking. Incorporating figs into recipes not only adds sweetness but a depth of flavor as well. Figs can be used both fresh and dried. And they can be used to enhance both sweet and savory dishes.

So let’s dive into the world of figs, exploring their nutritional value, health benefits, availability, storage methods, and creative ways to incorporate them into your culinary repertoire. When we’re done, I’m sure you’ll “care a fig” about these amazing fruits!

Why Eat Figs?

Because they’re delicious and nutritious, that’s why!

Nutritionally speaking, figs are a rich source of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals, including antioxidants, phenolic compounds, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, and vitamins. They also deliver essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and the much-needed magnesium (some researchers consider magnesium deficiency to be a global public health crisis). And figs, as proud members of the plant food family, deliver fiber as well.

As part of a balanced diet, figs can play a role in preventing and managing various diseases and conditions, including cancer, diabetes, constipation, cardiovascular disease, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

And thanks to their natural sweetness, they can “healthify” recipes that might otherwise require refined sugar or other highly processed sweeteners.

When and Where to Buy Figs

Figs originated in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions and are primarily grown in warm climates. Top producers of figs globally include Turkey, Greece, Spain, Iran, and Syria. The US is no slouch, either, with the vast majority of commercially grown US figs coming from California, even though the trees were introduced there only within the last two centuries.

If you’re looking for fresh figs, you’ll find them in season during the summer and fall months in the northern hemisphere, and in the winter and spring months in the southern hemisphere.

Dried figs are available year-round and can be found in the produce section or snacking aisle of grocery stores, or the dried fruit section of Middle Eastern markets. You may also score figs at farmers markets, CSAs, and in produce boxes. Residents of California are particularly fortunate fig-wise since the state boasts a wide variety of figs, both fresh and dried.

How to Choose a Ripe Fig

Fresh figs can be anywhere from round to slightly oblong in shape, wider at the flower end, and tapering to a point where they were joined to the tree. Depending on the variety, the interior flesh of figs may be purple, yellow, or green. Fig skin darkens as they ripen.

Look for figs that are plump and soft to the touch, with slightly wrinkled skin. You’ll also want to sniff them; ripe figs have a sweet, earthy scent. If you get a whiff of sour (or the sickly sweet pong of red wine that’s been sitting in the heat too long), keep walking. Those figs are starting to ferment, and will not be fun to eat or cook with.

When selecting dried figs, look for ones that are plump and moist, with a slightly sticky texture. Avoid figs that are hard, dried out, or shriveled, unless you’re in the mood for some high-intensity chewing practice.

How to Store Figs

Fresh figs are best when stored in the refrigerator. They’ll typically last 5–7 days there, but if you buy ones that aren’t completely ripe, they can last up to two weeks. Fortunately, the recipes below will make it easy to move those figs from the fridge to the table in plenty of time.

Dried figs will last for six months to a full year if stored in a cotton produce bag in your pantry. If you’re concerned about insect infestations, you can add wild fennel, bay leaves, and/or anise seeds to the bag to disguise the smell of the figs and deter bugs. You can also keep dried figs in an airtight container on a shelf in your fridge, where they’ll be good for up to a year, or even freeze them, which can extend their edible life span to a year and a half.

How to Use Figs in Recipes

Different varieties of figs have different flavor profiles, which chefs broadly classify in one of three ways: sugar, honey/agave, and berry.

Sugar figs typically feature an inner flesh that varies in color from amber to brown, and their outer skin can exhibit a spectrum of dark hues.

Honey and agave figs, on the other hand, display a golden to yellow inner pulp that can sometimes take on a caramel tone. Their outer casing usually presents in shades of yellow.

And you can identify berry figs by their red to purple inner flesh. Their skin can be either light or dark in color.

For a discussion of the different flavors and uses of figs that should have earned someone a PhD for comprehensiveness and complexity, check out this primer, courtesy of Mountain Figs.

If you’re looking for foods to pair with figs, some common choices include nuts, seeds, cheese analogues, citrus fruits, herbs like thyme or rosemary, and spices like cinnamon or cardamom.

Figs work well in a variety of desserts. Yes, figgy pudding may spring to mind, as well as baked fig bars (think “Newtons,” but homemade and minus corn syrup and sodium benzoate), but you can also deploy figs to great effect in tarts, cakes, and “nice cream” (plant-based frozen dairy analogues).

Figs can also raise the game of non-dessert baked goods such as muffins, pancakes, and breads. And you can make delicious fig spreads, jams, and jellies, and blend figs into sauces and salad dressings.

In terms of savory recipes, figs go well in salads, sliced as hors d’oeuvre toppings, and in savory Mediterranean stews.

Fig Recipes to Try at Home

Step into a world of natural sweetness and wholesome nourishment with the enchanting allure of figs. These delectable fruits, with their unique and captivating flavor, offer a delightful array of health benefits and culinary possibilities that promise to leave your taste buds dancing with joy. If you have been a fig lover for a long time, or you’re just now discovering their culinary potential, there’s something for everyone with these sweet and savory fig recipes!

1. Fig and Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl

If you find yourself in the same smoothie routine, break the mold and give this Fig and Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl a try! Fresh figs have a sweet honey-like taste with a light floral note, giving this nutritious bowl a unique flavor profile. Combined with sweet and nutty hazelnuts and creamy bananas, this creamy smoothie bowl is not only satisfying but also packed with essential nutrients (especially calcium) to kick-start your day on a healthy note.

2. Crumbly Oat and Fig Bars

Crumbly Oat and Fig Bars are a delicious and nutritious treat that combines the wholesome goodness of oats with the natural sweetness of figs. These bars are easy to make and packed with fiber, too — making them a nutritious snack or dessert that delivers that classic Fig Newton flavor with a soft and chewy cookie-like texture. After just one bite, you may find yourself taking a trip down memory lane!

3. Balsamic Fig Jam

Balsamic Fig Jam is a versatile condiment that combines the sweetness of ripe figs, the tanginess of balsamic vinegar, and the savory, umami flavor of caramelized shallots. This flavorful jam is the perfect way to enjoy the flavor of figs (plus benefit from their fiber and other nutrients). Try it as part of a delicious, sweet and savory breakfast toast or on top of your favorite roasted dishes.

4. Almond Ricotta Pear Toast with Balsamic Fig Jam

Almond Ricotta Pear Toast with Balsamic Fig Jam is a delightful union of the tangy, sweet, and fruity (from the fig jam) with the creamy and savory (from the almond ricotta). Topped with buttery pear slices, you have a toast that skillfully represents the sweet and savory pairing of fruit and “cheese.”

5. Nutty Harissa Cauliflower and Figs

Our Nutty Harissa Cauliflower and Figs is a delightful combination of bold flavors and craveable textures. Despite so many wholesome ingredients, figs manage to steal the show in this recipe. Thanks to their natural sweetness and toffee-like flavor, they are a scrumptious pairing with warm roasted cauliflower and savory pistachios. With just a touch of spice, this spectacular side dish is a one-of-a-kind recipe that will ignite your inner fig enthusiast!

6. Roasted Fig and Walnut Arugula Salad with Wheat Berries and Vegan Feta

Spicy arugula paired with earthy radish, sweet figs, crunchy walnuts, and a tangy dressing makes for a perfectly balanced salad, both in flavor and nutrition. If you’re a fan of figs, get ready to experience them in a delightful way that just might become your new favorite. If you’re not usually a fan of figs, then this is an opportunity to try this sweet and jammy fruit as part of a flavorful, texture-rich, and nourishing meal.

7. Sweet and Savory Moroccan Vegetable Stew

In this Sweet and Savory Moroccan Vegetable Stew, you can explore the flavors of Moroccan cuisine through the rich fruitiness of figs! Figs are commonly found in many sweet and savory Moroccan dishes, which makes them a natural fit for the blend of warm, robust, and soothing spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin.

As the stew simmers, the figs soften and infuse their sweetness into the dish, creating a thick and luscious stew base. Together with protein-packed chickpeas and nourishing vitamin- and mineral-rich veggies — like sweet potato, carrots, zucchini, and green beans — this dish is packed with delightful flavors and textures that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Get Figgy With It!

Figs are nutritious and versatile fruits that can level up a wide array of recipes. Whether enjoyed fresh or dried, their nutrition and potential health benefits make them a valuable food, especially as a natural sweetener. Now that you understand how to choose, store, and use figs, you can fully take advantage of the rich properties that figs bring to the table.

Tell us in the comments:

• Are you a fan of figs? Where did you first encounter them?

• Have you cooked with figs? What have you made?

• Which fig recipe will you try next?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Elena Sapegina

Read Next:

• Summer Fruits You’ll Love for Their Incredible Health Benefits and Tempting Tastes (Including 3 That Are Surprisingly Healthy!)
• Discover the Top Tips for Selecting and Using Papayas in Recipes

The post How to Use Figs in Your Culinary Creations appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

But then there are topics like this. “Inconvenient truths” that I’d prefer didn’t exist. So here it is: Dark chocolate, one of the most beloved foods by health enthusiasts and gourmands alike, has a serious heavy metal problem.

You may, like many other people, have a special place in your heart for chocolate, in general, and dark chocolate, in particular. It’s a delightful treat. It can lift your mood. It’s rich in antioxidants and other powerful phytochemicals linked to good health. It’s like the Dolly Parton of food — the one good thing that almost everyone can agree on.

However, recent studies have unveiled a disconcerting truth: Certain dark chocolate products contain worrisome levels of two hazardous heavy metals — lead and cadmium. These metals can cause a variety of health complications in people of all ages.

And in case you were thinking, “Well, that’s too bad, but I buy only the finest quality and highest cacao, organic dark chocolates,” I’m sorry to burst your bubble. Some of the most contaminated chocolates are popular organic varieties. And the higher the cacao content, the more cadmium and lead they are likely to contain.

In this article, I’ll take an unflinching look at the latest research on heavy metals in chocolate. You’ll see why heavy metals are dangerous to your health — and find out how they get into chocolate in the first place. You’ll also see that not all chocolate brands are equally problematic. (I’ll name names and point you to original research so you can make informed choices.) And we’ll look at some of the experimental strategies agronomists and other scientists are using to reduce the amount of heavy metals in the world’s beloved chocolate supply.

The Research on Heavy Metals in Chocolate

Given all the positive press about the health benefits of dark chocolate, the news that many dark chocolate bars contain traces of heavy metals may come as a surprise. But research about this goes back a long time.

In 2005, researchers discovered that while Nigerian cocoa beans in their shells contained virtually no lead, by the time they were turned into finished cocoa products (i.e., chocolate bars and cocoa powder), they had some of the highest lead levels of any food.

And tests published by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018, As You Sow in 2022, and Consumer Reports in 2023 confirmed that there are concerning amounts of lead and cadmium across many of the world’s best-known brands.

Since there’s no threshold for lead and cadmium safety mandated by the US government, the researchers relied on California’s standards for how much is too much. The California maximum allowable dose levels (MADLs) are, per day, no more than 0.5 mcg (short for “microgram”) for lead and 4.1 mcg for cadmium. (Researchers who have figured out how to get their keyboards to produce non-Latin characters often refer to a mcg as a µg.)

Consumer Reports Data on Lead and Cadmium in Chocolate

Consumer Reports, the nonprofit known for its consumer ratings magazine that can help you purchase a car or a toaster, used its testing lab to measure cadmium and lead levels in some of the most recognized chocolate brands in the US. The brands tested include Trader Joe’s, Lily’s, Lindt, and Dove. Many other brands were also tested, including organic, fair trade, and Rainforest Alliance Certified chocolate, such as Equal Exchange, Beyond Good, and Alter Eco.

The Consumer Reports lab found that out of the 28 dark chocolate bars, eight had more than 100% of the MADL of cadmium in a single ounce. Ten had more than 100% of the daily allowable dose of lead per ounce. And five contained more than 100% of both cadmium and lead.

Chocolate bars with relatively safe amounts of heavy metals included:

• Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao
• Taza Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao
• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% Cacao
• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight 72% Cacao
• Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao

As You Sow Data on Heavy Metals in Chocolate

As You Sow is an organization dedicated to helping shareholders in large public companies hold those companies accountable for aligning their environmental, social, and financial policies with their stated values. Between 2014 and 2017, the organization tested many chocolate bars, both dark and milk chocolate, for cadmium and lead.

As You Sow’s methodology differed slightly from the one used by Consumer Reports. Instead of reporting how much of the daily safe limit (California’s MADL) of the heavy metals was in a single ounce, they calculated the percentage based on the serving size suggested on the label of each product.

They also tested very recognizable brands like Hershey’s, Godiva, Endangered Species, and others, in a comprehensive study that looked at 469 different chocolate bars.

Out of those 469 chocolate bars tested, 285 had cadmium or lead above the maximum allowable dose per serving. Specifically, 191 had more than 100% of the allowable dose of cadmium, 285 had more than 100% of the allowable dose of lead, and 171 had more than 100% of the allowable dose of both cadmium and lead.

The safest chocolate options, according to As You Sow, were:

• Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa — (neither lead nor cadmium was detected)
• Ojio Organic Cacao Nibs Ethically Sourced: Peru — (no lead detected, 0.2 mcg of cadmium)
• 365 Everyday Value Organic Dark Chocolate Coconut 56% Cacao — (0.5 mcg lead, no cadmium detected)
• Chocolove Chilies & Cherries in Dark Chocolate 55% Cocoa — (0.2 mcg lead, 0.1 mcg cadmium)
• Snickers Bar (no lead detected, 0.6 mcg cadmium)

Why Heavy Metals are Dangerous

At this point, you may be wondering if heavy metals in chocolate are a big deal. After all, not all metals are dangerous. Your body actually needs small amounts of minerals like zinc, copper, chromium, iron, and manganese in order to function properly.

And the amounts are so small. I mean, how much even is half a microgram? I looked it up, and a microgram is one-millionth of a gram. Do you know what weighs a gram? A raisin. So then half a microgram of lead — one two-millionth of a raisin’s worth — really doesn’t seem like much. But should you be concerned?

In a word, yes. First, even essential metals can be harmful in excess. And heavy metals aren’t safe for human consumption, let alone necessary, even in tiny quantities. Lead and cadmium are two of the heavy metals most commonly associated with human poisoning, the other two being mercury and arsenic.

These metals can get into our bodies in a number of ways: through industrial exposure, polluted air or water, medications, poorly made food containers, and exposure to lead-based paints. And in the case of cadmium and lead, via contaminated food.

Cadmium Health Effects

Cadmium (whose elemental abbreviation is Cd, although it has nothing to do with disks of music or with bank accounts) can be found in household waste, industrial discharges, and — here’s where it affects chocolate — soil.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies cadmium as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning that it’s known to cause cancer in humans.

When you ingest cadmium in solid form, your body goes to work to rid itself of the toxin. First, your liver metabolizes it and then sends it to your kidneys for filtering, and then it gets forwarded to your bladder for excretion via urine. Problems occur when the amount of cadmium exceeds your kidneys’ ability to detoxify it, which can lead to kidney disease.

When cadmium is inhaled, it can cause lung cancer and emphysema.

Lead Health Effects

Lead (elemental abbreviation Pb, from the Latin “plumbum”, which actually IS related to “plumber,” on account of the fact that the early plumbers used lead pipes) can be found in our soil, drinking water (via contact with old plumbing pipes), paint in US homes built before 1978, and occupational exposure.

The IARC puts inorganic lead compounds in Group 2A, meaning they are a “probable human carcinogen.” But there are many disorders related to lead exposure that aren’t cancer.

In adults, acute symptoms of lead poisoning include gastrointestinal issues, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, and anxiety. In some cases, lead exposure can mimic the effects of PTSD even in the absence of a traumatic event.

And as harmful as it is to adults, lead exposure in children is even worse. There’s no safe amount for children in whom exposure may cause deficits in cognitive development, behavioral problems, hearing loss, and acute encephalopathy (an umbrella term for any damage to the brain).

In children, lead exposure can also affect the kidneys and gastrointestinal system, and can even lead to anemia by interfering with vitamin D metabolism and hemoglobin synthesis.

How Do Heavy Metals Get in Chocolate?

When I first heard about this issue, I wanted to know: “Who’s putting toxic heavy metals into my dark chocolate? And how can we stop them?”

Unfortunately, it’s not a simple problem to solve. Lead and cadmium both occur naturally in the earth’s crust, and cadmium, in particular, exists in soil. Humans have made things much worse, however, through activities like mining, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture. Modern-day levels of these metals have not only been increasing in soil but also in water and air.

As cacao trees grow, they absorb soil nutrients through their roots. And they also absorb cadmium, which accumulates in the tree as it grows. Not all cacao-producing regions are equal in soil cadmium, which explains why some of the chocolates had very little cadmium while others were much higher.

Lead, on the other hand, hardly gets into the tree’s tissues at all. Researchers have found almost no lead in the interior of cacao beans while they’re still on the tree. Instead, the lead accumulated on the outer shell.

What’s more, lead levels were low soon after beans were picked and removed from pods, but increased as beans dried in the sun for days, as lead-contaminated dust and dirt settled on the beans. During fermentation, the sticky pulp from the bean can also attract particles of lead from the environment, which are transferred to the nibs during sorting and processing and end up in the final chocolate product.

Where’s all this lead coming from? Researchers tested high-lead beans from Nigeria and discovered that the lead isotopes implicated fumes and particulates from leaded gasoline. Subsequent investigation found that the harvested beans were typically dried next to the road, to make transport easier and more efficient.

Efforts to Reduce Heavy Metal Content in Chocolate

As you were reading the previous section, some ideas may have already begun occurring to you about how to decrease cadmium and lead levels in chocolate. And agronomists and industrial engineers have also come up with some recommendations for chocolate companies to adopt.

To reduce lead contamination, manufacturers are advised to minimize soil contact with cacao beans during drying, as well as to dry them far away from roads (especially in regions where leaded gasoline is still used) and other lead-rich environments. Food scientists are also developing methods of removing some of the lead as part of the cleaning process at factories.

Cadmium is a harder problem since it originates in the soil. Chocolate companies can make a dent by conducting soil surveys to measure cadmium in various soils, and can then choose to source more beans from regions with lower levels of this element.

In some cases, cadmium-heavy soil can be treated, or even removed to make room for cleaner soil.

And since cadmium accumulates as trees age, cacao farmers are urged to replace older cacao trees with younger ones.

What Can You Do as a Chocolate Consumer?

If you’re a fan of dark chocolate, does this mean you have to wave goodbye to one of your favorite treats? Not necessarily. There are several steps you can take to minimize your exposure without abstaining.

First, it may help to balance your chocolate consumption with a varied and nutritious diet. That involves eating a lot of health-promoting foods and keeping chocolate consumption low. (After all, the chocolate bar wasn’t invented until 1847 — before that, for most people, cocoa was a condiment rather than a food in its own right.)

If you’re eating dark chocolate for its cardiovascular and mental health benefits, you’ll be pleased to know that research shows you can still reap those benefits with as little as one-third of an ounce per day. At that level, many of the offending bars no longer tip your lead and cadmium consumption over the MADL threshold.

Opting for the dark chocolate brands that contain lower levels of heavy metals, as identified by Consumer Reports and As You Sow, can also help you protect your health. And some experts recommend choosing chocolates with a lower percentage of cacao. Dark chocolate tends to be higher in heavy metals, probably because of its higher cacao content. Be aware, though, that this strategy may have the side effect of increasing the amount of sugar and fat you consume from the bar, and depending on the brand, may mean that you’re also consuming dairy.

Finally, you may want to restrict children’s consumption of chocolate, given their heightened vulnerability to heavy metals, and the long-term damage those elements can do.

You can find out more about the health benefits of chocolate and how to avoid choosing brands that rely on child slavery in our article: The Truth About Chocolate: How to Choose Healthy and Ethically Produced Cacao Products.

The Bottom Line About Lead and Cadmium in Chocolate

Recent studies reveal dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in many dark chocolate brands. These metals can present significant health risks, including potential heavy metal poisoning and severe organ damage. Cadmium contamination comes mainly from the soil in which cacao trees grow, while lead particles accumulate during drying and fermentation in lead-contaminated environments.

But while the chocolate industry grapples with this problem by altering its harvesting and manufacturing processes, there are things you can do to reduce your exposure to heavy metals in chocolate. These strategies include maintaining a diverse diet in which dark chocolate plays a small part, choosing chocolate brands with lower heavy metal levels, and limiting children’s chocolate consumption.

By staying informed and making conscious choices, you can still savor the goodness of dark chocolate from time to time, while safeguarding your — and your family’s — well-being. Together, with industry advancements and individual efforts, we can ensure a healthier and happier chocolate experience for all.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you eat dark chocolate on a regular basis? If so, is it for your health, pleasure, or both?

• Did you see your favorite chocolate brands and bars on either of the lists?

• What steps will you take to limit your exposure to heavy metals in dark chocolate?

Featured Image: iStock.com/fcafotodigital

Read Next:

• How to Reduce Your Exposure to Harmful Heavy Metals and Detoxify Your Body

The post Heavy Metals in Chocolate: The Lead and Cadmium Concern appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Even some restaurants serve bone broth now. Believe it or not, there’s a bone broth to-go chain in New York City. A quick Google search will show that bone broth products are now marketed for dogs and cats as well.

But what’s the truth about bone broth? Is it the miraculous tonic it’s touted to be? And are there any side effects or other concerns to consider around bone broth?

What Is Bone Broth?

First things first. Bone broth is not the same as regular chicken broth, beef broth, or other animal broth. It’s actually closer to a stock. Bone broth is made by boiling the roasted bones, and sometimes connective tissue, of animals for a prolonged period of time. The long cooking time is mainly what separates it from regular types of broth.

The cooking time of bone broth — ranging from eight to over 24 hours — is intended to draw vitamins, minerals, and collagen out of the bones and into the broth. The latter is why bone broths and stocks have a more gelatinous consistency than a typical broth.

Acids like apple cider vinegar, red wine, or tomato paste are also sometimes added to break down the bones and extract nutrients. The liquid is then strained, the solid parts discarded, and the remaining broth seasoned. Often vegetables, such as carrots, onions, and celery, are also included.

Bone broth is typically sold in liquid form, but some packaged brands have also dehydrated it into a powder for “bone broth on-the-go.”

Why Is Bone Broth So Popular?

The concept of bone broth isn’t new. Many cultures, including our Stone Age ancestors, made broths from animal bones thousands of years ago. But bone broth’s current popularity is linked in no small part to extensive marketing efforts as well as to promotion from health influencers.

Bone broth advocates say it can relieve joint pain and osteoarthritis, detoxify the liver, aid in wound healing, slow the aging of skin, support digestive health, balance hormones, increase energy, strengthen bones, improve quality of sleep, alleviate symptoms from certain autoimmune conditions, and even boost immune function.

As a result, bone broth is also now providing (not insignificant) profits to celebrities, food businesses, and health gurus who are cashing in on the craze. There’s even a Bone Broth Diet created by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, a health influencer and naturopathic doctor.

Retail sales of bone broth products increased from $17.54 million in 2017 to $68.78 million in 2023. And according to a market research study on bone broth, the global bone broth market is expected to continue rising for the foreseeable future.

So, What Does the Research Say About Potential Bone Broth Health Benefits?

Interest in bone broth continues to increase because of the long list of benefits it’s said to provide. But what does the science actually say? Does bone broth measure up to the health claims?

Claim #1: Bone Broth is a Nutritional Gold Mine

Bone broth nutrition is one of its biggest selling points. Allegedly, bone broth is a low-calorie, high-protein food that provides significant minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

The earliest study to mention bone broth is from 1937, which looked at the nutritional value of both bone and vegetable broths. The researchers concluded that while neither was a very good source of nutrition, the broths found to provide the highest mineral content were the ones that contained the most vegetables.

Far more recently, in 2021, a study in the journal Medicina analyzed bone broth and found that it was not an especially good source of essential minerals, especially in comparison to recommended daily intakes.

While marketers tout bone broth for its mineral content, it’s the vegetables generally used in the cooking process — not the bones — that may actually be providing many of these helpful nutrients.

An average cup of bone broth contains 0–19 mg of calcium and 6–9 grams of protein. That may be all well and good, but this protein content is not terribly impressive when compared to some other sources of these nutrients.

• 1 cup cooked collard greens = 268 mg calcium
• 1 cup navy beans (boiled) = 126 mg calcium
• 1 bunch cooked broccoli raab = 515 mg calcium
• 1 cup baked beans = 14 grams protein
• 1 cup cooked quinoa = 8 grams protein
• 3 Tbsp of hemp seeds = 10 grams protein

Bone broth also doesn’t include the fiber that comes along with whole, plant-based sources of protein.

So yes, bone broth does provide some calcium, protein, and other nutrients. But so do many, many other whole foods.

A cup of cooked collards contains at least ten times as much calcium as a cup of bone broth. A cup of baked beans contains nearly twice as much protein as a cup of bone broth. And most Americans may be getting too much protein (at least from animal sources), anyway.

Claim #2: Bone Broth Will Strengthen Bones, Relieve Achy Joints, and Keep Skin Youthful

Collagen is the main protein in your body. It protects your organs, joints, and tendons; holds together bones and muscles; and maintains the lining of your gut. Your body makes its own collagen, but as you age, you won’t make quite as much of it.

Bone broth is high in collagen, and many people believe this is one of its major selling points.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that eating collagen, whether in bone broth or otherwise, is directly helpful to your body. Many experts agree that because your body doesn’t absorb collagen in its whole form, the idea that eating collagen helps your body increase collagen levels just isn’t true. Your body breaks collagen down into amino acids. So in the end, it’s just another form of protein.

You’ve probably seen collagen supplements sold for skin, nail, and hair health. Some research suggests that collagen supplements may potentially help to reduce visible signs of aging, relieve joint pain, and prevent bone loss. But the collagen in supplements is hydrolyzed, or broken down to make it more usable for the body. The collagen in bone broth is not hydrolyzed and does not have the same effects on the body.

If you want to help your body build collagen, the best way is to eat a diet rich in leafy green vegetables because plants offer rich sources of the phytonutrients your body needs to make collagen.

These phytonutrients in plants include:

• The vitamin C found in citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, bell peppers, kiwi, berries, and broccoli. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect your skin, inside and out.

• The vitamin E found in sunflower seeds, almonds, wheat germ, spinach, and broccoli. Vitamin E works with vitamin C to promote collagen synthesis.

• The vitamin A found in carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, dark leafy greens, cantaloupe, and apricots. Vitamin A helps regulate antioxidant responses that can affect your skin’s ability to fight free radicals.

• The amino acids glycine, proline, and lysine — found, among other places, in dark leafy green vegetables, soy, nuts, seeds, and legumes. These amino acids play an important role in collagen formation.

• The sulfur-containing foods, such as garlic, onion, and members of the cabbage family, may also promote collagen production.

The bottom line is bone broth does contain collagen, but it doesn’t necessarily support collagen formation. But vegetables and other plant foods can be powerful allies in keeping your skin young, your bones strong, and your joints healthy.

For more on collagen and how to increase your body’s production of it, see our article here.

Claim #3: Bone Broth Is Good for Your Immune System

At some point in your life, you might have eaten a bowl of chicken soup when you were sick — and it might have even helped you feel better.

And in fact, a 2000 study in the journal Chest found that chicken soup could prevent white blood cells from migrating — thus preventing the worsening of upper respiratory infection symptoms.

But the researchers conjectured that the vegetables in chicken soup — not the chicken alone — might offer helpful effects when it comes to battling infections.

Would vegetable soup have been just as effective? Or more effective? We don’t know. But it seems clear that the vegetables, at a minimum, played an important part.

Warm beverages, in general, may be helpful when battling a cold because they provide hydration and help regulate body temperature. But there’s no evidence that bone broth has unique immunity superpowers. And to date, I’m not aware of any published studies about bone broth and viral illness in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Claim #4: Bone Broth Is Good for Gut Health

Bone broth is said to be good for digestion and potentially therapeutic for leaky gut syndrome — a condition in which substances can leak from your intestines into other tissue, causing inflammation.

There is a lot of gelatin in bone broth. And some research done on rats (our view on the use of animals in medical research is here) indicates that gelatin could bind water in the digestive tract and protect the lining of the intestines. And there’s also some rodent research that found that the amino acids in bone broth could have anti-inflammatory effects, which might help with gut conditions like ulcerative colitis. But while both of these studies show potential in rats, it doesn’t mean bone broth can do the same for humans.

We have a very different intestinal lining than rats. It’s possible that it could help. But at this point, all we have is a theory.

What’s not a theory, because it’s been well documented, is that you can support your gut health with a variety of fiber-rich plant foods. Plant-based foods, including fermented foods, help to maintain a healthy gut microbiome by providing prebiotics, probiotics, and the lesser-known postbiotics.

For more ways to support digestive health with food, see this article.

Claim #5: Bone Broth Can Help You Lose Weight

Mark Wahlberg and other celebrities have touted bone broth as a means to lose weight. When getting in shape for the movie Spenser Confidential, Wahlberg told Entertainment Tonight he ate “just bone broth and then steamed vegetables after the first three days and then a little bit of protein at night, and that was it.”

While he did end up losing weight, it’s likely because he was engaging in intermittent fasting and a reduction in calories rather than anything in the bone broth directly contributing to his weight loss. Intermittent fasting may help fat-burning hormones in the body work more efficiently. But bone broth is not a magical weight loss pill.

Sure, you may also lose weight if you’re replacing your daily drink of soda with bone broth. Soda averages 150 calories per can, while one eight-ounce cup of bone broth averages 29 calories. But then again, you could also just drink tea or water, which deliver essentially zero calories.

And if you’re looking for a low-calorie way to get some protein, you could also just opt to add protein powder to water or vegetable broth.

But if you want to lose weight long-term, a fiber-rich and nutrient-dense plant-based diet is probably the healthiest and most sustainable way to go.

For more on what works best for weight loss, see our article here.

Claim #6: Bone Broth Can Detoxify Your Liver

Proponents of bone broth like to assert that it contains the amino acid glycine, which aids in detoxification processes in your body. There are a few studies that suggest glycine treatments can benefit nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in either humans or rats, but none look at the impact of bone broth specifically on human livers.

Since glycine is a conditionally essential amino acid that can be synthesized from other amino acids like choline and hydroxyproline, and your liver detoxifies itself, it seems unlikely that bone broth would have much effect on liver detoxification processes. The best way to protect your liver is to avoid weight gain, steer clear of excessive alcohol consumption, and eat a diet that’s high in the wide array of phytonutrients found in whole plant foods.

It’s also helpful to steer clear of toxic heavy metals in the first place. And that brings us to the potential downsides and side effects of bone broth.

Problems with Bone Broth

Aside from the questionable health benefits of bone breath, there are also some specific downsides to consider.

Lead in Bone Broth

One of the most widely discussed downsides to consuming bone broth is the potential for lead exposure.

Lead can have adverse effects on nearly every organ system in the body. Symptoms of chronic lead exposure range from memory loss and constipation to impotence and depression. And the data suggests that there is no such thing as a “safe” level of exposure to lead.

Lead can build up in body fat and attach itself irreversibly to neurons. It’s especially dangerous for children, increasing the risk of behavioral problems, hyperactivity, impaired growth and hearing, anemia, and lower IQ, even at low levels.

Now, here’s the thing: Lead and other heavy metals build up in the bones. And that’s not just true of human bones.

Boiling animal bones for a long period of time turns out to be a great way to leach lead out of them. And that’s true even if the animal bones come from organically fed animals.

In a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Medical Hypotheses, researchers looked at broth made from chicken bones and found that the broth had lead concentrations that were up to a tenfold increase compared to the water before the bones were added to it. The samples were made from organic, free-range chickens.

Today, many health enthusiasts are drinking bone broth by the case, hoping to detoxify their livers of heavy metals. Sadly, they could actually be doing the reverse, inadvertently exposing themselves to dangerous levels of lead and possibly other heavy metals.

Bone Broth Histamine Levels

Histamines are natural chemicals released by the immune system that play a key role in your body’s inflammatory response. While allergic reactions to food or external allergens can cause a release of histamines in the body, some foods are also naturally high in histamines.

Because bone broth cooks for a long time, it is one of those foods which contain high levels of histamine. While this may not prove to be a problem for most people, those that have histamine intolerance may react poorly to bone broth.

Symptoms of histamine intolerance include:

• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, bloating, and diarrhea
• Nasal congestion and sneezing
• Asthma

Sodium in Bone Broth

While you may not encounter this as much with home-cooked bone broth, store-bought bone broth products are often very high in sodium — and can have a poor potassium-to-sodium ratio. The ideal ratio is around 2:1 in favor of potassium. But some bone broths may have a ratio of up to 10:1 in favor of sodium.

High sodium intake, especially when not balanced by even higher potassium intake, can cause or exacerbate a slew of health issues, including high blood pressure, kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes. And the sad truth is that most people eating a modern industrialized diet already get too much sodium and not enough potassium. People suffering from these health conditions or who take medications that contain high sodium levels may experience adverse health effects from commercial bone broths.

Ethical Concerns with Bone Broth

There’s also the ethical side of bone broth to consider.

Many, if not most, bone broth brands use the bones of animals raised in factory farms. These animals may have never seen the sun or a blade of grass in their lives — and were likely subject to a wholly inhumane death. They were also probably given routine doses of hormones and antibiotics — an alarming practice that is fueling the development of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Even if the animals sourced for their bones were raised organically or free-range, the fact is, the modern animal agriculture industry is something of an environmental disaster. The cattle industry, in particular, is a major drain on resources, responsible for deforestation in some of the most biodiverse areas on Earth, and emitting greenhouse gasses at rates higher than the three biggest gas companies on the planet.

Personally — those aren’t practices that I want to support. And they don’t create products that I want to take into my body, either.

What Are Some Healthy Alternatives to Bone Broth?

If you’re interested in trying the broth trend for yourself and you want some warm nourishment for your tummy but your favorite flavor isn’t “bone,” there are many other options.

Some people are creating vegetarian and vegan broths, using mixtures of seaweed, mushrooms, miso, and various vegetables instead of bones.

Plant-based broths offer a lot of flavor and nutrients. Mushrooms contain selenium, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. Seaweed contains iodine, which is an essential nutrient for healthy thyroid function. And fermented foods, like miso paste, or anti-inflammatory agents, like ginger or turmeric, are often added as well.

These three recipes for plant-based broths just might hit the spot, especially if you are looking for new and tasty ways to infuse rich flavor and nutrients into your dishes. Each of these recipes offers exciting flavor diversity by using customizable combinations of vegetables and herbs (we even have tips on how to make these recipes zero-waste!).

Plus, if you prepare these broth recipes in an InstantPot, the flavor of the broth becomes even more concentrated.

And, of course, no animals are harmed in the making of your homemade nutritious and delicious vegan broths!

1. Homemade Vegetable Bouillon

Homemade Vegetable Bouillon is where the real magic happens. Not only does it pack a punch of phytonutrients and fiber (something bone broth can only dream of), but it’s also a delightful source of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, B6, and potassium. Seriously, this bouillon has got it all! This flavor-packed concoction takes the broth nutrition game to a whole new level.

2. Savory Mushroom Broth

Prepare to meet one of the superheroes of the vegetable world: mushrooms! These mighty powerhouses have earned their superfood title (just like the other veggies in this recipe). With their incredible antioxidant content, abundance of B vitamins (plus a dose of vitamin D if they soak up some sun while growing), and a treasure trove of minerals like selenium, potassium, and copper, mushrooms truly pack a nutritional punch.

But wait, there’s more! They even come equipped with two dietary fiber champions — beta-glucans and chitin — which work wonders for your gut health.

Now, imagine all these incredible nutrients infused into a heavenly Savory Mushroom Broth. It’s not just rich in flavor; it’s a broth that brings you a supercharged dose of health benefits. Get ready to sip on superfood goodness!

3. Umami Vegan Dashi

Traditionally, dashi is a seaweed stock bursting with savory, salty, and umami flavors. Drawing inspiration from this beloved Japanese classic, we’ve crafted an ultra-nourishing, plant-based version that’s brimming with minerals. Our secret ingredients? Green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed.

Let’s dive into the wonders of seaweed, particularly kombu. Not only is it a concentrated source of iodine, but it also delivers a healthy dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and other trace minerals. We’re not done yet! Kombu also boasts an enzyme called glutamic acid, which works wonders for digestion (especially for those with sensitive tummies!). Combine all these goodness-packed elements with miso paste, mushrooms, and green onions, and you’ve got yourself a delightful dashi that not only tantalizes your taste buds but also provides soothing support to your gut health and immune system.

It’s time to savor the nourishing embrace of this flavorful stock!

Bone Broth Is No Cure-All

The next time you hear bone broth touted as a magical cure-all, remember this: The science behind most of the claims about bone broth is murky at best. But the science behind the health benefits of vegetables is massive, coherent, and compelling.

Bone broth doesn’t appear to contain anything special that you can’t find in plant-based foods. And it’s not necessarily good for you. It may even have adverse effects on your health and the environment.

You’re likely better off choosing nutrient-dense, fiber-rich plant foods — whether eaten whole or in a broth.

Tell us in the comments:

• What do you think about bone broth?

• Have you made vegetable broths — and if so, what are your favorite kinds?

• Which of these vegan broth recipes are you excited to make?

Featured Image: iStock.com/Dmytro Chernykov

Read Next:

• Arsenic In Rice: How Concerned Should You Be?
• Is Grass-Fed Beef Good for Your Health & the Planet?

The post Is Bone Broth Good for You? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

It can’t be totally random, though, because the prevalence of eczema is rising around the world, afflicting about 10% of children and young adults, and 2–5% of all people.

And while there are many treatments for eczema, including hygiene practices, identifying and avoiding personal triggers, and even corticosteroids, they don’t always work. And even if medicated creams work at first, sometimes people can develop tolerances to them with prolonged use, and more and more supplementary treatments may be required.

People in remission from eczema may dread their next relapse, and feel powerless to prevent their flare-ups. And as with most conditions that resist conventional medical intervention, people who suffer from long-term eczema may turn to alternative treatments, lifestyles, and diets.

But some evidence suggests that eczema may go hand in hand with food allergies. Food allergies are also on the rise, and researchers are paying special attention to the barrier function of the skin as it relates to allergic conditions. Might consuming certain foods increase the likelihood of both food allergies and atopic dermatitis? And might some foods protect against or reduce symptoms?

A man in Hong Kong allegedly cleared up his eczema on a largely plant-based diet. A woman’s severe eczema almost completely disappeared after she adopted a whole foods, plant-based approach. And another woman who had swollen eyes and flaking skin for 20 years saw her symptoms go away after four days of plant-based eating.

Are these isolated, idiosyncratic cases, or examples of the placebo effect? Or is it possible that a plant-based diet may really be helpful in the treatment of eczema, at least in some cases? After all, a quick search on Amazon reveals dozens of books on eczema diets, cleanses, detoxes, and other approaches — all of which claim success where mainstream medicine cannot.

In this article, we’ll explore the evidence for the claims that a plant-based diet, along with other lifestyle choices, can help relieve eczema suffering. First, though, let’s find out more about the disease — and what triggers it.

Understanding Eczema

As we’ve seen, eczema is also called atopic dermatitis. A quick peek at the etymology of the two words gives us insight into the disease. Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, which can result in itching, flaking, swelling, oozing, and crusting. And atopic comes from the Greek words a and topos, which together mean “out of place” — i.e., unusual or strange.

In essence, eczema is a chronic condition that causes the skin to become itchy, dry, cracked, and inflamed. So basically, if your skin were a party, eczema would be that awkward guest who not only refuses to leave but also insists on playing the Macarena on repeat. It’s out of place and it definitely makes its presence felt!

In infants and young children, who are most likely to suffer from eczema, the areas typically affected include the face, the outside of the elbows, and the knees. In older children and adults, eczema generally appears on the hands and feet, the arms, and the back of the knees. We don’t know why the condition often migrates from one part of the body to another.

Another eczema mystery is what causes the disease. (The one thing we know for certain, and it’s good news, is that the condition isn’t contagious.) It can run in families, suggesting either genetic or environmental factors, and it often develops alongside other conditions, including asthma and hay fever.

Eczema so frequently occurs in tandem with allergies that there’s reason to suspect an immune system link. Just as allergic reactions appear to be the result of overactive and confused immune responses, eczema, too, may be the skin’s overreaction to harmless stimuli.

While there are some autoimmune conditions that affect the skin — including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and dermatitis herpetiformis — eczema is not caused by the body attacking itself. Still, research shows that people with eczema are at higher risk of a number of autoimmune conditions, including alopecia, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ulcerative colitis.

What Triggers Eczema?

One of the most troubling aspects of eczema is the seeming unpredictability of the course of the condition. There are periods when the skin is clear and free of symptoms, called remissions, and times when it flares up.

It’s not entirely random, though. Certain things can trigger flares in susceptible people, including stress, environmental exposures, and food.

Stress and Eczema

We know now that stress is a lot more than a state of mind. Acute and chronic stress can cause big physiological changes throughout the body, including some that can trigger or exacerbate eczema. New understandings of the “brain-skin connection” point to the release of stress hormones, especially in large quantities or over an extended period of time, as sometimes fueling eczema symptoms.

As you can imagine (or may even know from personal experience), living with eczema is stressful in its own right, leading to a potentially vicious cycle in which stress triggers eczema, making it harder to sleep or relax, which in turn exacerbates the stress, and so on.

Research has shown that the skin immediately picks up on stress. What might be less obvious is that it’s also a target of stress responses.

As the largest organ of the body, the skin is one of the key sentries keeping track of the outside world for signs of threat. Specifically, the skin is an important barrier for immune functions, maintaining homeostasis between the external environment and internal tissues. When it’s working properly, the skin lets in the good stuff and keeps out the bad. With eczema, stress can weaken this homeostasis, increasing inflammation and immune function dysregulation.

Personal Care Products and Eczema

Exposure to certain chemicals and toxins in the environment may also trigger eczema in some people — which could partly explain why prevalence is on the rise.

It can be challenging for an individual to figure out what they’re sensitive to. And it may take time, focus, and an action plan to eliminate various exposures to see if doing so leads to any relief.

Some of the most commonly implicated exposures include personal care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, and other products that come into contact with the skin. Products that contain fragrances may increase itching, and those with sodium lauryl sulfate may irritate the skin of people prone to eczema.

Another category of eczema triggers includes fabrics. In particular, wool and some synthetic fibers appear to cause irritation and trigger symptoms in some people.

Environment and Eczema

There are also environmental factors that tend to be much harder to avoid. The weather itself can be an eczema trigger; specifically, cold and dry air, or very humid air, can lead to flares in susceptible folks.

Indoor air quality also plays a role, as house dust mites, mold, and pollen are all potential triggers. And if you have a furry friend living with you, that furry friend’s fur may not be much of a friend if you’re prone to dermatitis.

Indoor air can also be compromised by gas stoves, furniture off-gassing, construction materials, paints, and anything else that releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The category of exposure that you may have the least control over is outdoor air pollutants. Chemicals from car exhaust, power plants, cigarette smoke, and even wildfires can all impair your skin’s ability to make healthy oils, leaving skin more easily irritated.

Food and Eczema

As we’ve seen, there’s a correlation between eczema and food allergies. Researchers estimate that up to 30% of children with eczema also have a food allergy — the most common ones being milk, egg, soy, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish, and/or sesame.

Roughly the same percentage of adult eczema sufferers will also develop a food allergy in their lives, and experience symptoms such as hives, itching, difficulty breathing, or intestinal distress immediately after eating a specific type of food.

Interestingly, a distinct type of atopic dermatitis seems to have a direct link to food allergies right from the start. Children with this condition tend to show skin irregularities all over, not just in areas with active lesions.

However, in a broader sense, allergy specialists often view atopic dermatitis as an initial stage in the sequence known as the “atopic march.” This term describes a common pattern in some children, where atopic dermatitis evolves into food allergies and may even further develop into respiratory allergies or allergic asthma.

[Find out more about food allergies and what you can do about them.]

Can a Plant-Based Diet Help with Eczema?

Unlike medical specialties like cardiology and endocrinology, dermatology hasn’t yet acknowledged the potential health benefits of a plant-based diet. A 2022 review article noted that dermatologists typically advise against plant-based diets.

To be fair, there aren’t many studies that look specifically at the relationship between plant-based diets and eczema. We’ve seen a few anecdotal reports, which should not be dismissed just because they aren’t randomized controlled clinical trials. However, we do have some evidence suggesting that plant-based diets may help with eczema.

• A 2018 study asked 169 atopic dermatitis patients what changes they were making in their diets to treat their eczema, and whether their symptoms were improving. The greatest benefits were reported in those who added vegetables, especially organic ones, to their diets.
• A case study published in 2020 shared the story of a four-year-old patient with severe, persistent eczema. Ten days after the little girl was placed on a dairy-free elimination diet, her symptoms had improved by 76%. By the end of four months, she was in remission from eczema symptoms.
• Another study from back in 2001 took 20 eczema patients and put them on a strict plant-based diet. After just two months, they showed reduced markers of inflammation and immune response and a dramatic reduction in symptoms.
• And a 2021 Greek study on adolescents found that the more fruit, vegetables, and legumes they ate per week, the less they suffered from all atopic diseases, including eczema, allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal cavities, and not a fear of rhinoceroses), and asthma.
• Interestingly, eating a plant-based diet during pregnancy may also lower the odds of an infant having eczema in their first year of life, according to a 2020 study.

There’s clearly much more research on eczema and plant-based diets that’s necessary. But we do know that plant-based diets contain many foods and compounds that are helpful for skin health, the immune system, and combating inflammation. They also generally eliminate some common food triggers and allergens, such as dairy, eggs, and shellfish. And whole food, plant-based diets also cut out processed foods, which are pro-inflammatory.

Food and Nutrients That May Help with Eczema

In general, diets rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich foods may decrease inflammation and improve antioxidant status, thus positively affecting skin health. And probiotic and prebiotic foods, including fermented foods and those high in fiber, can also support a healthy gut microbiome and a balanced immune system — which may help improve eczema symptoms.

Fermented Foods and Eczema

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and plant-based yogurt are not only high in antioxidants, they also deliver lactic acid-producing bacteria (LABs). The LABs support the “good” populations of gut bacteria and also improve local and systemic immunity.

Researchers surveyed 9,763 Korean adults in 2012–13 and found that those consuming large amounts of fermented foods (defined as eating fermented foods an impressive 92+ times per month!) had less atopic dermatitis than those who weren’t as committed to those foods.

For more on fermented foods, read our article: Fermented Foods: What are they, and how can they boost your health?

Fiber and Eczema

If you think of your gut as a party for probiotics, then dietary fiber is their all-you-can-eat buffet. Fermented foods, high in probiotics, are essentially the life of the party — but they can’t sustain themselves without a steady supply of dietary fiber — their version of party food.

In 2021, a group of Korean party planners — I mean, researchers — found that the more fiber-filled buffet options people had (i.e., the more dietary fiber they consumed), the less they had to worry about uninvited guests like eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis.

Fast-forward to 2022: A team of international researchers discovered the magic trick that happens when gut bacteria hit the fiber buffet hard. The short-chain fatty acids they produce can boost the bouncer at the door (the strength of the outer skin barrier), reducing the chances of allergens and related diseases crashing the party early.

Fiber-rich foods include all the usual suspects: legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies. Essentially, everything you’d find at a whole food, plant-based diet party — which sounds like a bash your gut would definitely want to RSVP to!

For more on why fiber is good for you, the best kinds, and the best sources, see our article, here.

Omega-3 and Eczema

In the modern industrialized diet, there’s a huge imbalance between the intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, with the former being consumed in much larger quantities than the latter.

Research shows that excess omega-6 is a risk factor for eczema, while omega-3 appears to inhibit an over-the-top immune response, such as cytokine production that can trigger inflammation of the skin.

A 2021 overview article in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences suggests that balancing the omega-6 GLA with omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit inflammatory responses, with positive effects on skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

High omega-3 foods include flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and certain forms of algae. And many vegan omega-3 supplements, like this one by Complement, are produced from algal oil.

For more on why omega-3s are important — and what the best sources are for your health — see our article here.

Vitamin D and Eczema

Vitamin D may also play an important role in easing or suppressing eczema symptoms. A 2016 meta-analysis found four randomized controlled trials that, taken together, suggest that vitamin D supplementation could safely reduce eczema symptom severity.

A 2019 meta-analysis found lower vitamin D levels in eczema patients than in healthy controls. And it highlighted three interventions in which vitamin D supplementation reduced eczema severity.

However, a 2023 meta-analysis argued that vitamin D didn’t improve eczema across the board, and that it appeared to make a positive difference in adults but not in children.

The confusion may arise from the question of whether the relationship between vitamin D levels and atopic dermatitis is causal, and if so, in which direction. That is, does low vitamin D increase the risk of eczema, or does having eczema decrease vitamin D levels, perhaps by compromising the ability of the skin to synthesize the vitamin from sunlight — or perhaps because eczema sufferers are less likely to expose their skin to the sun?

If you aren’t getting sufficient vitamin D via sun exposure, there are some foods that can deliver the nutrient, including fortified plant-based milk and orange juice, and UV-exposed mushrooms. There are also supplemental forms of vitamin D, like this highly bioavailable liposomal version from our friends at Purality Health.

For more on vitamin D, including how much you need and how to get enough, see our article, here.

Vitamin E and Eczema

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and has been shown to reduce inflammatory compounds in patients with atopic conditions, including eczema.

A 2015 randomized trial gave participants either 400 IU of oral vitamin E or a placebo for four months. And the researchers found that the vitamin significantly reduced itching and the extent of skin lesions.

A 2020 review of the full medical literature on the relationship between vitamin E and eczema concluded that supplementation “has great potential as an adjunctive treatment for AD (Atopic Dermatitis) owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities.”

While 400 IU is considered a safe dose, there are risks of getting too much vitamin E from supplements. You may not need to supplement if you focus on foods naturally high in vitamin E. These include nuts, seeds, avocado, mango, bell pepper, and leafy greens.

For more on vitamin E, including why it’s important and the best sources, see our article, here.

Eczema-Friendly Recipes

If you (or anyone you love) suffer from eczema and are inspired to see if a healthy diet can help, these eczema-friendly recipes are sure to make it a tasty transition.

Incorporating at least one of these recipes a week just might do wonders for the overall health of your immune system, microbiome, and skin.

Each recipe features foods packed with fiber and powerful, anti-inflammatory nutrients that could improve eczema symptoms. They’re also free of many of the most irritating food allergens, such as dairy, eggs, and shellfish.

1. Apple Walnut Oatmeal Bake

This comforting dish is full of healthful, anti-inflammatory ingredients to help soothe your skin during an eczema flare. Rich in calming and fiber-rich oats, omega-3-packed chia and walnuts, and vitamin D-fortified plant-based milk (if you use fortified plant milk), you could call this a breakfast made for healthy skin!

2. Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing

Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing brings together highly nutritious fermented foods, including tempeh and kimchi, which support a healthy microbiome. Helping supply your gut with the good bacteria it needs may reduce incidences of eczema flares.

This flavorful salad also has omega-3 fatty acids from the hemp seeds, calcium from the tahini, iodine from the kelp, iron from the beets, and zinc from the pumpkin seeds. You’ll cover lots of your nutritional bases with this one plant-powered salad!

3. Creamy Mushroom Soup with Chickpeas and Kale

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Chickpeas and Kale is a super cozy bowl of nourishing plants that provides comfort in more ways than one. In addition to the soup’s mouthwatering umami flavors from mushrooms, chickpeas, kale, and cashews, it packs a nutrient-dense punch! It’s a potent source of vitamin E, vitamin D (depending on the amount of sun exposure your mushrooms get), fiber, and protein, just to name a few. This soup is a delicious way to nourish your skin barrier and gut microbiome.

Reach for Plants to Support Your Skin from the Inside Out!

While scientific evidence supporting dietary interventions for eczema is still limited, the link between diet and overall skin health is strong enough that you may want to prioritize a healthy, plant-based diet as a first-line treatment strategy. A diet rich in nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds holds promise in providing essential nutrients, reducing inflammation, and supporting skin barrier function.

Prioritizing skin-supporting nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, probiotics, and vitamins E and D, could play a vital role in managing eczema.

The benefits of plant-based eating also come from what the diet eliminates. Avoiding potential allergens or trigger foods and pro-inflammatories, such as dairy and processed foods, could help in many cases.

Reducing stress and exposure to environmental toxins can also play a meaningful role in reducing eczema symptoms. In severe cases, consulting a health care professional may be necessary, to develop an individualized approach tailored to specific needs and preferences.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you have eczema? If so, do you know what triggers it for you?

• Have any diet and lifestyle strategies reduced flares and lessened symptoms?

• Have you tried eliminating certain foods and increasing others?

Featured Image: iStock.com/nensuria

Read Next:

• 10 Foods for Healthy, Radiant, Younger-Looking Skin
• What Can You Eat for Clearer Skin? The Best (and Worst) Foods for Acne

The post Eczema and Diet: Can Going Plant-Based Help Your Skin? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.