A Health Practitioner on One of the Most Critical and Accessible Pieces to Better Health

Joy is an elusive thing. We tend to think of it as ephemeral and fleeting, or something hard to cultivate. But the truth is, we all hold the capacity to experience joy, even during trying times. Even more compelling is that joy can be a key to better health.

This belief underscores the work of Lisa Cipkar. As an integrative health coach, Cipkar works with people dealing with chronic illness—from Lyme Disease to biotoxin illness to cancer recovery. She sees clients in the throes of healing. Often, what they need most isn’t in medication or a supplement. “People will wonder what the secret is,” Cipkar tells us, “I do think the secret is finding that joy.” 

We found Cipkar’s approach fascinating and accessible, so we spoke to her to learn more. Cipkar tells us why joy is so critical in giving us the fortitude not only to heal but to lead healthy, vibrant, satisfying lives. 

A Conversation with Lisa Cipkar, IHP

You believe that joy is a critical part of one’s healing prescription. Why is this?

It was one of the biggest lessons I learned in my journey with chronic illness. The longer I’ve worked in this space, the more I realize that the people who get better see a reason to get better. It’s like they’ve unlocked something that not everybody seems to be able to arrive at. It’s that hope. It’s about living the life you want to live.

Recently I've been challenging myself as a practitioner to make sure we're covering every possible piece we can when we're trying to support someone through their healing journey. My protocol has started to look different in that I tell clients to go play more. I tell them to go do things to keep their brain busy in a positive way. Through conversations and reflecting on how long I've been working in this space versus being the patient in this space, I’ve found the people who get better are those who set goals, pick up a new hobby, discover something that they completely fall in love with—and all that is what keeps their brain busy. So they start feeling better and that creates momentum. It’s really about that joy and that purpose.

For someone who doesn’t know where to begin to start cultivating more joy, what's your advice for where to start?

The number one thing I ask is: What did life look like before you got sick or before you started on this healing journey? What did life look like? What were their goals? Sometimes just moving towards those general memories can help them kind of wake up and think, I used to love to write or travel or cook and I've kind of lost that over time.

Of course, there will be some people who can't ever remember feeling well, and that will take extra support. But for many, it’s about sparking that memory of what used to give them joy. Sometimes that little nudge is just all that they need.

So much of your work focuses on people dealing with chronic illness, but you also work with people who are looking to simply get healthier overall. How does joy help someone who is seeking better general health?

Our life, even when we’re not facing chronic illness, is often about suppressing, suppressing, suppressing. We’re just trying to get through the day. We're either trying to survive or trying to achieve. And often, we’re taking care of everybody else, or our to-do list, or our obligations before we're taking care of ourselves. It’s so rare for people to take their full weekends anymore to rest, relax, and recoup. So no matter what, playing and having fun should have an equal amount of time on our schedule as working towards our health goals, building our future, and all those things.

Considering that you take a holistic approach to your work, meaning you consider emotional, mental, and nutritional care in tandem with physical care. In terms of how our society approaches wellness, overall, what is one key thing we’re missing or depriving ourselves of?

I like this question. I would say the number one thing for women is that we are not eating enough. We’re in starvation mode. We take care of everybody else and it might be lunchtime or dinner time before we realize we haven't eaten all day. About 95 percent of people that come into the clinic are not eating enough at all. And it’s no wonder they can't get over their symptoms or get healthy. We need those nutrients. We live in a culture where properly nourishing our bodies is very misinformed. It isn’t common knowledge how we should be eating to support ourselves, especially if we're talking about prevention.

The number two thing is that we need to look at food as medicine. We still often eat to satisfy and that's it. There is so much within the nutrition world that could change the game for us, especially in North America. There’s a reason why there are other parts of the world that are doing a whole lot better statistically with their healthcare systems and the status of chronic symptoms and diseases.

So we need to see our food as medicine, which is right in front of us. But it’s also not right in front of us for many, with food deserts, which is a whole other issue we need to change. But with that said, we need proper nourishment, proper sleep, and to see food as medicine.

Lisa Cipkar is an integrative health practitioner (IHP) and founder of Abundant Life and Wellness. She currently holds nine certifications and countless extra credentials on brain health, blood chemistry, healing from chronic illnesses like Lyme disease, and more. Learn more at lisacipkar.com.  

This Annual Natural Products Expo Compels Us Every Year. Still, Were Surprised at What We Found and Learned This Year

Of all our efforts to reveal the health hazards in our food system, our most recent eye-opening education came from an unexpected place: Natural Products Expo West. 

If you’re not familiar, Expo West is an annual gathering in Anaheim, California that attracts manufacturers, distributors, practitioners, media, and educators in the business of natural and organic lifestyle products. (There’s also a yearly sister event, ‘Expo East’ that happens in Philadelphia.) A giant exhibition, it’s a rush of discovery and connection. Brands from all over come to tout their health-focused foods, vitamins, and personal care items. They wax poetic about innovations in the industry, from newly revealed super ingredients or sustainable ways to package. 

In many ways, Expo West is a place we tap into our energy. So many people here are our people—those who’ve built smaller brands dedicated to providing a clean, just, equitable way to provide better, more wholesome products. But in truth, there’s still a lot that lives between the lines here. This crush of creators, marketers, and information—as exciting as it all is—demanded our most discerning hats. The following are some of the biggest things we learned this year.

#1: Small Brands Have It Hard

As Nichole and Adrienne walked the aisles, they talked to many smaller food brands. Some brands were more established, others new to the industry. The drive fueling these companies was infectious: Their goal was to create high-quality, healthy food products for the masses. Yet they all faced a challenge: How to grow in a sea of corporate food giants without compromising their values. 

The consensus among these brands is that it’s hard to keep up in a market dominated by giant companies that put profits over health. This shows us mostly in ingredients. Let’s say a small brand starts by using a high-quality natural alternative to sugar, such as dates. They market this choice as a healthier option, which it is. But dates are expensive, and when a company needs to scale beyond a niche audience, they may choose to nix the dates for less costly sugar. This is especially true if a brand wants to get shelf space in a mass-market grocery store. 

So what gives? We don’t have the answer here. In many ways, we’d rather see a brand make some concessions if it’s still providing a better alternative to the conventional mass-produced options. On the other hand, it’s unfortunate how steep a hill many values-aligned food brands must climb. 

#2: We Need to Continue to Read Our Ingredients

Let’s stay on the topic of small brands scaling. We were thrilled to see so many boutique companies striving to reach a broader audience, whether this means selling to larger markets or scaling their manufacturing to meet demands. But as we’ve mentioned, many end up altering their ingredients to keep up. This may mean swapping one ingredient for a less expensive one. But it also includes incorporating additives that bolster a product’s shelf life or enrich its consistency. For instance, we saw brands incorporating guar gum for shelf stabilization when they didn’t include this ingredient last year. (We also found loads of sugar and erythritol in certain products.) This is part of the business cycle, as these brands need to grow and reach a broader market. 

The onus is on us to keep learning and reading our ingredients. Our takeaway: Never take a product’s ingredient list for granted. One brand may start with a limited and clean ingredients list when selling at a farmer’s market, but once they reach a broader consumer base, they start to weave in things that may or may not be healthy. We must stay educated and know our ingredients.  It’s a hard truth: Most food companies don't exist for our health. They exist to sell their product. So keep picking up and turning over every product.

#4: Every Choice—Big or Small—Matters

It can be overwhelming to always stay positive and joyful in the face of wellness. (Note: We’ll be exploring this topic in an upcoming feature!) At PrimaFoodie, we lean into clean, healthy food every day, and still, we recognize how it can be a slog at times. Especially when a supposed clean brand starts including subpar ingredients. What? Does this bar have erythritol in it? But here’s what we want to say: Small decisions matter. Tiny steps make a difference. For instance, it may be impossible to completely rid packaged foods from your diet right now. But by swapping out conventional crackers for ones made by a smaller brand that uses cleaner ingredients, you’re choosing your health that you can build on. You’re also supporting the companies who are fighting the good fight in a giant and still corrupt food system.

This sentiment underscores why we love to offer you recipes. Starting by cooking one more meal at home than you usually do can lead to a giant difference. This creates momentum for more healthy decisions. 

We call these the small wins—and they’re one of the best things we can do for our health, hands down.  

This Author and Clean Foods Advocate Has Some of the Most Important—and Refreshing—Food Advice We’ve Heard

At the start of her career, Haley Scheich worked for Pfizer. This sentence might not seem radical, but once you learn how committed to seeing food as medicine Scheich is today, you can see the value mismatch between her and the pharmaceutical giant. Still, the experience taught her about pharmacology, biochemistry, “and how the body works and different disease states,” she tells our founder, Nichole. It was, in a word, eye-opening. 

Even more eye-opening was the education Scheich received after she left her Pfizer job. When a friend suggested she join her in a yoga class, Scheich was reticent but curious. By the end of the class, she was transformed. “It was really through the practice of yoga that I became more aware of my body and understood the power of food, as it related to what I ate and what I didn't eat,” she says. Yoga sparked a newfound understanding of what made her feel good and what made her feel sluggish, foggy, and tired. She started reading books on alternative nutrition, like Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter, and ridding gluten and dairy from her life. “I felt like a new person,” she says. “And so, of course, then I was all in and just read every book that I could get my hands on.”

In her words, Scheich was starting to see how food can be medicine. Rather than taking a pill to fix an issue, a theme surrounding her early-career work, she saw food as a way to unlock the body’s power. She’s since turned into a passionate advocate for whole foods, most recently making her wisdom palatable for young readers in her children's book, My SuperHero Foods. Coauthored with Dr. Tarek Pacha, this book is a fun, uplifting read that helps little ones understand what they put into their bodies matters. And it all stems from how Scheich got her own children to eat better. “ I would share the power of that whole food that they were eating. For example, avocados. They're full of monounsaturated fat, which just gives us this incredible energy. If we want to go out and jump rope and jump higher, let's eat avocado because it's going to give us that power!” 

But all this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Scheich’s deep (and infectious) knowledge about food, our food system, and getting our little—and all loved ones—to eat better. Luckily, we got to learn so much from Scheich on ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’—including the following three pieces of food wisdom we all must know.

#1: The FDA Doesn’t Have Our Backs

Much to our dismay, this still is true. So we must look out for ourselves. People may think “this fruit punch drink with the bright blue has vitamin C and antioxidants in it [...] must be healthy,” says Scheich. “Or the FDA allows it to be in the grocery store, so it has to be healthy.” But that isn’t the case. Dig deeper and you’ll find these ingredients are not only unhealthy but harmful. Scheich’s advice: “Question everything.” 

And dig into the ingredients. 

#2: Changing How You Eat Will Change Your Life

Scheich stands by this—because it did for her. “Once you see the changes, by learning for yourself, this food works for me, this food doesn't work for me, it’s incredible,” she says. You can start small, and it may take time. For starters, Scheich says “the less processed that you get, the better off you are.” Ridding your days of ultra-processed packaged foods is a strong start. 

#3: See Food as “Your Best Friend”

Scheich’s view on this is a radically empowering way to look at what we eat. Clean, whole, nutrient-dense food really is akin to a great friend, coach, and ally. It will work for you, not against you. It will improve your cognition, motor skills, and health, thus making life better. So when healthy eating gets tough, use this as a motivator. 

Even more so, Scheich suggests using this approach when trying to encourage better food in schools. By saying to the teachers, you’re “doing great work and we're very appreciative of the work you do—and food can supplement. It can be like your best friend to your classroom, because kids on a bunch of sugar, versus kids not on a bunch of sugar—it's totally different.”

To learn more from Haley Scheich, listen to The PrimaFoodie Podcast and visit mysuperherofoods.com. 

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the most popular kitchen staples. “In most of our pantries is a bottle of olive oil, “says Alison Carroll, founder of the California-based olive oil company Wonder Valley. Still, like so many staples, this golden liquid is a mystery. We might douse it on our salads and in our pans, but how much do we know about where it comes from and—most importantly—how to spot a high-quality one? Here, we break it all down.

Olive Oil 101

Olive oil is the bright, often golden, sometimes green liquid that comes from pressing the olive fruit. It’s deemed oil and used and treated as such, but olive oil is technically a fruit juice. Used for centuries as a means of cooking, dressing, and adding depth and flavor to dishes (some historical records date its use to 2000 BC), olive oil is beloved for its fruity taste and abundant healthy unsaturated fats.

What are the different types of olive oil?

Extra virgin, light, cold-pressed—there are various types or “grades” of olive oil. Mostly, these modifiers are linked to when the olives are harvested and how the juice is extracted and handled. But there’s so much more here, including incredible flavor, smell, and feel. 

A quick note on acid: Olives naturally have fatty acids. One of the main types is called oleic acid, which makes up the majority (70 to 80 percent) of olive oil. A true extra virgin olive oil has a lower acidity than other olive oils, generally below 2 percent.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The gold standard for olive oil, extra virgin is touted as the tastiest, purest form. When oil is deemed extra virgin, it means it’s the first pressing from the olives (sometimes olives are pressed several times to extract the most juice), and the juice has been extracted using a cold-pressed method—a chemical and heat-free process. Once extracted, the juice is then kept pure, and never heated, pasteurized, or refined. Extra virgin olive oil is usually the fruitiest, most peppery olive oil with the lowest natural acidity. A true high-quality olive oil has no defects, such as poor taste or “fustiness,” fermentation that happens from a lack of oxygen.

*PrimaNote: Extra virgin olive oil is the only type we choose. Still, quality can vary when it comes to extra virgin olive oil. That’s because there are no regulated standards for stating an oil is such. As Carroll says, lab analysis and a professional taste panel determine quality. “And because of this subjective science, many oils can unjustly label a defective/ lower quality oil as extra virgin.” 

Olio Nuevo

This is a type of extra virgin olive oil that comes from the very first olive harvest of the year. These olives are super young and green, giving olio nuevo varieties a bright green color and a strong peppery taste. This is touted to have the highest levels of nutrients, including polyphenols.

Virgin olive Oil

Virgin olive oil is still supposed to be high quality from the first pressing of an olive. It’s also unrefined. The difference from an extra virgin is that a virgin oil often has some defects.  

Light Olive Oil

This is oil that’s been refined and treated to rid any impurities. Usually from a second or third extraction, it lacks in color and taste, and even in nutrients. The “light” here can be misleading because olive oil is fat, so it can’t be light, in any sense. While some may like this variety because of its lighter taste, we recommend opting for another neutral oil if that’s the case. (Simply put, we avoid this type of olive oil at all costs.)

Pure Olive Oil

In theory, all olive oils should be pure, so this word is a red flag. Essentially, pure or light olive oils are refined options that are a blend of various types, such as virgin and refined. 

Shopping for Olive Oil: What to Look For

Now that we’ve outlined the different types, we’re going to strictly refer to extra virgin olive oil from here on out.

Finding a great, high-quality, real extra virgin olive oil can be hard. Countless companies claim to offer a true option when they’re mislabeling, mixing, or offering stale or fake oils. Here’s what to look out for to make sure you grab a stellar bottle:

Harvest Date

A harvest date is one of the most critical things to look for—NOT an expiration date, which can mean nothing. A harvest date tells you when the olives were crushed. And given that olive oil doesn’t have a long shelf life—a great oil should be consumed within a year, ideally six months—it’s best to aim for the freshest oil possible. 

For context, here’s what Alison Carroll has to say: “The harvest date is the most essential component on the bottle. Expiration dates can be arbitrary and overgenerous. When you see a harvest date, what you are buying is something that is freshly pressed and doesn’t have a long shelf life.”

Sustainable Packaging

Aim for oil that’s packaged in a sustainable material like aluminum, stainless steel, or dark glass. Each of these blocks UV rays, which can break down the oil, and don’t leach chemicals into the juice. 

A List of the Types of Olive Varieties

If a company is offering a high-quality oil, they’ll spell out the olive varietals that have been pressed—i.e. if they’re olives from Italy, Spain, Portugal, California, or elsewhere. This level of transparency usually means the company cares. 

But let’s dig deeper: We encourage skepticism over inexpensive oils labeled “Product of Greece” for instance without listing the varietals. It can be quite likely that the olives weren’t grown or pressed in that country, but rather they were just bottled in that country. This is a tactic many companies use to buy cheap oil from around the world, blend them, then call them a “Product of Greece” when they’re a product of several countries, and of poor quality. As Carroll says, “Read the fine print on the label. The front label could say, for example, ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany’ but on the back label you see ‘product of Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Greece.’ This is common for cheap olive oils.”

In general, aim to buy olive oil that derives all from one place.

How to store your olive oil

This is key: Place your oil away from heat and light (even when it’s packaged in a proper container). And use it up! We love what Carroll says about using high-quality olive oil: Enjoy it! Experience it! “A lot of our context with olive oil is that it’s this ubiquitous condiment and usually next to vinegar (which ages wonderfully),” she says. “Don’t be precious with it and let it sit and collect dust. Store it away from direct heat or sunlight, not next to a sunny window or stove. A pantry is great.”

A Few PrimaFavorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil Companies
These are some oils derived from a single source and produced by companies who care. 

McEvoy Ranch
Wonder Valley
Brightland
Nuvo Olive Oil
Fat Gold
Kosterina Everyday Olive Oil 

Curious to learn more about cooking with olive oil? Check out our Guide to Cooking with Oils and Fats. 

Exploring the Purity and Allure of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Alison Carroll

By Stacey Lindsay

One look at Wonder Valley, the naturalist collection of pure extra virgin olive oils and olive oil products, and you’d think its founder was obsessed with the gold liquid for their entire life. 

In truth, Alison Carroll began looking closely at olive oil and its nuances when she started working at the California Olive Oil Council. “It was like discovering gold hiding in plain sight,” she tells us of what she learned. “I am someone who buys most of their produce at the farmers market, grew up working on farms, loves to forage, and has apprenticed in kitchens —but I never really gave much thought to olive oil.”

Once she started to dig in, learning about the notes, freshness, cultivation, and industry, Carroll fell deeper in love with olive oil. So much so that in 2014 she and her husband, Jay, launched Wonder Valley in Joshua Tree, California. The collection, which includes freshly harvested extra virgin olive oil from California and olive oil-based skin care products, is as aesthetically stunning as it is pure. Bottles that exude the bohemian allure of the high desert hold extra virgin olive oil, which is cold-pressed unrefined olive oil of the highest grade, that is fresh, buttery, and rich in polyphenols. 

This is a bold mission, given how the olive oil industry is filled with companies claiming to offer a pure extra virgin product when they’re bottling stale, mixed, or even fraudulent oils. To this end, Carroll and her husband dedicate much of their energy to education around transparency, freshness, and all-around great oil. 

We asked Carroll to fill us in on what to look out for when sourcing an extra virgin olive oil. She offers her expert insight, as well as why driving her own business for nearly the past decade has given her such purpose. “It feels like being in the California wine industry back in the 60s as it's just starting to take off,” she says. “I feel lucky to be involved at such an exciting time and to contribute to growing the awareness of California’s incredible olive oil industry.” 

A Conversation with Alison Carroll of Wonder Valley

There are countless olive oil companies out there claiming to sell great extra virgin olive oil when they’re actually not. What concerns you in the olive oil industry that you’d like people to be aware of? 

The process of certifying olive oil as extra grade is a rather complicated one. The first step is lab analysis, which is a straightforward process that will confirm things like the polyphenol count —which will tell us that it is, in fact, a freshly pressed, not old olive oil. Lab analysis also reveals any fraudulent oils that might be cut with seed oils or older virgin-grade oils. But it can miss a lot of the more nuanced defects that disqualify an oil from extra virgin grade—defects that only a trained professional olive oil panel can notice. 

My former role was to oversee the taste panel for the California Olive Oil Council, the only one of its kind in North America. This organization was formed to put transparency on an unregulated industry and give meaning to the term ‘extra virgin’. There are counterpart panels throughout the world with the same task of sniffing and tasting any potential defects in the olive oils of their region. While the COOC’s panel does evaluate the majority of olive oils made in California (which really represents all domestic production), there is no requirement to submit your oil. The complications are that the evaluation is a human process, that it needs to happen annually with each harvest, that it's a voluntary process for producers, and that the number of trained olive oil tasters is eclipsed by the volume of olive oil out there and does not include imported oils.

If someone were to start investigating high-quality, pure olive oil, what are some things to watch out for? 

Keep in mind that olive oil is a fruit juice, and unlike wine, it doesn’t age well. Olive oil’s enemies are light, time, and heat. Oxidation (the defect is called rancidity) is a very common issue for olive oil and even the best extra virgin grade oil will eventually turn rancid with time. This is why a harvest date is essential, so you know when it was made. Read the fine print on the label. The front label could say, for example, ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany’ but on the back label you see ‘product of Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Greece.’ This is common for cheap olive oils. What this tells us is that it’s impossible to know really when this olive oil was made or to have transparency on the process of growing or production. 

Alison Carroll with an olive oil harvest.

Glass or metal is best for storing, not plastic, which will make the oil more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Dark glass will help with UV protection and extend the shelf life. 

If you’re taking the time and care to invest in high-quality extra virgin olive oil enjoy it! A lot of our context with olive oil is that it’s this ubiquitous condiment and usually next to vinegar (which ages wonderfully). Don’t be precious with it and let it sit and collect dust. Store it away from direct heat or sunlight, not next to a sunny window or stove. A pantry is great. 

Remember to use it up, cook with it—and savor it.

Why is a harvest date more important than an expiration date?

The harvest date is the most essential component on the bottle. Expiration dates can be arbitrary and overgenerous. When you see a harvest date, what you are buying is something that is freshly pressed and doesn’t have a long shelf life. 

For your company, Wonder Valley, you pick your olives “under-ripe”? What benefits does this offer?

All olives start a pale green then mature to purple hues and then when fully ripe turn a deep black. It’s an easier process to harvest overripe olives. Think about any time you’ve picked fruit: it’s harder to pull that blueberry off the bush when it's green. Also, harvesting fruit that’s overly ripe and juicy gives a bigger yield. But harvesting olives on the greener side gives us an oil with a higher concentration of polyphenols, a longer shelf life, and a very bright and robust flavor that—to me—stands out. You can notice the olive oil in a dish. 

What do you love most about olive oil?

I love that olive oil is both elemental and a common denominator. In most of our pantries is a bottle of olive oil. Even with the widespread food allergies and dietary preferences, olive oil is still something we all use, perhaps daily. And a very good olive oil can make something simple like a salad extraordinary.

Alison Carroll in the California desert.

To learn more about Wonder Valley and pure extra virgin olive oil, visit welcometowondervalley.com.

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: MSG

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: MSG
Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What Is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate, commonly referred to as MSG, is a food-grade salt compound derived from glutamic acid in seaweed and various vegetables. Glutamic acid is a ubiquitous naturally occurring non-essential amino acid found in most living things, from animals to plant life to humans. The food-grade MSG used today is primarily extracted from corn, beets, molasses, and sugar cane.

How is MSG used?
MSG is a flavor enhancer that adds richness and depth to foods often referred to as umami, the fifth taste. For more than a century it’s been a go-to additive used by chefs, companies, home cooks, and more.

MSG is commonly associated with take-out Asian foods, but the truth is that it’s added to a host of conventionally prepared, processed, and packaged foods—and you’d likely never suspect it. These include:

• Salad dressings

• Condiments, such as ketchup and mustard

• Marinades and seasonings

• Spices

• Fast food

• Restaurant foods, specifically from mass-chains

• Packaged soups

• Frozen meals

• Instant noodles 

Editor’s note: While MSG is naturally found in many foods, most notably certain cheeses and savory vegetables, like tomatoes, here we’re referring to the human-created flavor enhancer.

When was MSG discovered?
In the early 20th century, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovered that a certain kelp added a savory richness to his kelp soup. As he dug deeper he learned that the glutamic acid in the kelp naturally carried this ability to bring out a food’s unique depths. Ikeda eventually found a way to extract and package the monosodium glutamate. Since then, it has taken off commercially.

Is MSG bad for your health?
In the century-plus since MSG has been in existence, people have been eating it generously. The FDA deems it “GRAS”, which translates to “generally recognized as safe” for consumption—which is nebulous terminology that doesn’t necessarily deem if something is, in fact, safe for our health. (Note: Food substances recognized as GRAS do not go through the same reviews as foods labeled as FDA-approved.) The FDA does require MSG to be included in ingredient lists.

Okay, so MSG is legal. But is it bad for your health? That’s a heated debate. Around the 1960s a heated campaign against MSG infused media headlines, pointing fingers at Asian restaurants for infusing foods with the vilified ingredients. This inspired advocates of the flavor enhancer to speak out in favor of it. Many believe since it’s a natural-occurring substance it poses no threat to humans. MSG advocacy groups have sprouted, as have studies that show no link to health concerns. 

Then there’s the other school, which believes MSG to be a toxic additive that poses health concerns. One study found MSG to potentially cause nerve and brain damage in laboratory animals. Others have found it to be the culprit of a host of reactions, including sweating, chest pain, headaches, and numbness. Researchers in the medical field have referred to these reactions as MSG System Complex. 

The PrimaFoodie take on MSG.
Simply put, MSG is an additive, and like any additive, it causes us to pause. The two biggest factors behind our stance are the fact that it’s a processed additive, and it’s everywhere, which means it can have a cumulative effect. 

MSG is a naturally-occurring substance in its organic form, but when it’s extracted from a source and turned into an additive, it’s processed in some way. And while it’s impossible to totally avoid processed foods these days, we aim to limit them as much as possible. Add to this that MSG is found in many foods, so while it may be technically fine to consume in small to moderate doses, what happens when we eat it consistently all the time? It compounds in our systems. 

We’re also concerned by the limited research around MSG. The FDA may state it to be “generally safe,” but this gives us zero confidence that it’s truly okay to eat. 

For this reason, we avoid MSG at all costs. We suggest reading labels and asking the brands or companies if they include it, and why. There are plenty of foods naturally rich in umami flavor—so why opt for a manipulated version?

This is the question to ask. 

Curious to learn more about what’s in your food? Check out our other Ingredient Spotlights.

Chile Is Touting the Food and Wellness Advice We All Need to Hear

One of the most critical facts about our health is that it’s a communal affair. We each need to make individual efforts to eat well and take care of ourselves, but our solo choices around the foods we consume and the products we support impacts those around us. What and how we eat has a domino effect. 

We were thrilled to see this truth underscoring Chile’s new Dietary Guidelines. The South American nation rewrote its health and food suggestions for its citizens—the first update it’s made since 2013—to include accessible tips to complement people’s habits and lifestyles, and to consider the wellbeing of the planet. It’s all-encompassing, and it’s exactly what we need here in the US. 

As Chilean doctor and Minister of Health Ximena Aguilera says, the guidelines reflect the collaboration of doctors, governmental officials, suppliers, and producers. It highlights the importance of “sharing the table, hygiene in food, sharing kitchen tasks and protecting the planet—because with our eating habits, consuming seasonal, fresh food and avoiding waste, we also help the health of the planet.”

What’s even more inspiring, is how tangible the report actually is. Our guidelines in the US span a whopping 164 pages. But Chile created succinct, easy-to-follow 20-minute videos to break down the main components. As Nichole points out, “they actually want its citizens to watch and understand.”

Below are our three biggest takeaways from the new Dietary Guidelines for Chile—all of which we’re determined to advocate for in the US:

#1: The guidelines are accessible.
The new Food Guidelines for Chile present 10 suggestions for people to incorporate into their routines, offering citizens concise and actionable ways to eat. A few of these include:

• Consume fresh, seasonal food from fairs and established markets over processed food. (This is groundbreaking, as the US never warns against processed foods because of a fear of lobby groups.)

• Add color and flavor by choosing more fruits and vegetables.

• Consume legumes in stews and salads as often as possible.

• Avoid ultra-processed products and with "HIGH IN" stamps.

• Drink water—not juice—throughout the day.

One note: Chile does include the suggestions to “consume dairy at all stages of life” and to “increase the consumption of fish, shellfish, or algae from authorized sources,” both of which give us pause and make us wonder if there are ulterior industry objectives behind these.

#2: Community plays an important role in our wellness
Food is more than sustenance. It’s also a means to be with others and to enjoy the present. We applaud Chile’s following actions that speak to this:

• Share kitchen tasks and look to cook new and traditional meals.

• Enjoy your food at the table and eat with others, when possible, without phones or other distractions.

• Respect food cultures and appreciate the importance of making food at home.

#3: Chile considers social, biological, and environmental concerns
While the overarching goal of the guidelines is to better the wellbeing of its citizens, a subsequent benefit is that it aims to “empower sustainable food systems.” Eve Crowley, a representative with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Chile, says the scope of the new guidelines go beyond nutrition to include facts that reflect the entire food system, from the health of fisheries and farms to how we manage food waste. “For us, it follows the state of the art of dietary guidelines very well,” Crowley adds. “It is something very accessible to the public.”

Here at PrimaFoodie, we applaud Chile. Echoing Marion Nestle, these new standards certainly have “much to teach us.” Now it’s up to us to advocate for this on our own soil. 

Our Food future: 3 facts we all need to know

Parker Brook took a huge leap—and we applaud him for it. The former food executive spent more than a decade as a brand manager for various giant food labels before he left to start his cereal company, Lovebird. As he tells Nicole in our premiere episode of ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast,’ he could not get behind what many food companies were doing to turn a profit, which included using low-quality ingredients to make food faster and cheaper. “Now my journey is really focused on Lovebird and how to clean up all that stuff and provide better options for people,” he says. 

The following three takeaways from his conversation with Nichole are information we all need to make smart decisions for our health and to fight for a better food system. 

And if you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to ‘The PrimaFoodie Podcast’ here.

#1: Most conventional corporate food companies do not have our backs.
We need food to survive. Yet so much of the food marketed to us is laden with sugars and made with low-quality ingredients. As Brook says of many corporate package food companies, “their primary objective is to maximize shareholder value, not your health.” To do this, companies will cut costs in every way they can. “I just couldn't sit in another meeting and be like, ‘We need mermaid yogurt, so kids can eat our yogurt that has 19 grams of added sugar in it,’” he adds. 

#2: It’s critical to be wary of what goes into packaged foods.
Food marketing is cryptic and often dangerous. A company can market something as better for our health, but a closer look proves the opposite. Brook uses the example of the low-fat foods that came into popularity in the late 80s. “If you look at what they had in them, there was a ton of sugar and oils, canola oils, and things like that. They use sucralose, which is a non-caloric sweetener, artificial aspartame […].” Brook’s statement underscores the need to read package food labels. “There are certain things and ingredients you should just avoid because there's really no nutritional benefit to them,” he says. 

#3: We hold the power for our food future.
Brook is running a food company, but his mission is way bigger. He wants to “elevate cleaning eating and clean ingredients” and to educate people about how to read ingredient labels and what to watch out for—" because as soon as you stop buying something, they will stop making it. That's a fact.” His rallying cry to know what’s on our plates, support transparency, and vote with our dollars is empowering to hear. “Each one of us has the power to really decide what our food future is,” he says. I'm trying to do it by making a product to give you an option, instead. Hopefully, I invite competitors and other people to follow.” 

The PrimaFoodie Podcast

Since early 2022, we’ve invited you to join us in a movement to change the way we eat for the better. As a loyal community, we are in joint advocacy for an equitable and transparent food system and accessibility to clean foods for all—and this begins in conversation, at home, and in community.

Therefore, we are so excited to launch our new venture, The PrimaFoodie Podcast.

More than a year in the making, The PrimaFoodie Podcast is a raw, fun, and unfiltered series concentrating on what and how we eat, and the ways we can collectively improve our food system and well-being. Hosted by our founder, Nichole, the series features loud, talented voices in science, agriculture, nutrition, integrative health, and other fields.

In each episode, Nichole and her guest pull back the curtain on the nutrition, health, and food wisdom that is still hard to come by yet deserved by all to know. Their talks break barriers. They also may make some mad (hint: the FDA). There’s no holding back here. Because we believe the way we can create the change we need is to shout the truth as loud as we can. As Nichole says, “We can’t wait for the next generation. The time is now.”

Change starts with honest words. Talking openly was the impetus for PrimaFoodie. Sharing ideas, spreading knowledge, and supporting small makers by word-of-mouth are what drives us and a better world.

We hope you join in this conversation with an open heart and mind. Let’s always keep talking.

Click over to our PrimaFoodie Podcast and you can directly subscribe from there.
**copy and paste the URL from the address bar into the podcast app of your choice.

Editor’s Note: The PrimaFoodie Podcast is for inspirational and informational purposes only. We feature the insight of medical physicians and health care and wellness practitioners, but this is in no way intended to be a substitute for any professional diagnosis or medical advice. All views the interview subjects express in this podcast are their own.

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: Carrageenan

Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What is Carrageenan?

Carrageenan is a gelatinous polysaccharide (a long-chain carbohydrate) from the Irish Moss seaweed, which is a red seaweed plant native to the British Isles. Approximately 50 percent of Irish Moss is made of Carrageenan.

There are two types of Carrageenan: food-grade and degraded. 

What is the purpose of Carrageenan?

From ice cream to nut milk, carrageenan has long been used in foods as a gelling and thickening agent. Carrageenan is also a popular vegan alternative to gelatin, as well as a common additive to personal care items, medications, supplements, and cosmetics. 

Where is Carrageenan found?

Because of its jelly-like texture, carrageen provides cohesiveness, viscosity, and/or thickness to certain formulas and foods. It’s a common additive found in the following items:

• Alternative milk 

• Baby Formula

• Ice cream and sorbet

• Processed meats

• Creamers

• Pudding and creamy desserts

• Cheese

• Packaged soups

Is Carrageenan bad?

Even though Carrageenan has been used in foods for centuries, research over the last two decades points to evidence that the extract may not be the best for us. One study found a direct link between degraded Carrageenan and gastrointestinal ulcers in animals. The scientists behind this study, as well as unrelated researchers, have thus purported that consuming Carrageenan can lead to similar gastrointestinal implications in humans, including digestive inflammation, IBS, and the triggering of colon cancer. Challenging these notions are in-depth studies that claim Carrageenan is of no harm to humans. 

Here's the rub: Concerns around Carrageenan initially pointed to the degraded kind, which is not used in foods. But now, more experts are finding that even food-grade Carrageenan may cause inflammation and other health concerns. 

The PrimaFoodie Take on Carrageenan

Whenever we do a deep dive into an ingredient, we think of three things: Is this ingredient processed? Does it offer any nutritional value? And is it necessary? When it comes to Carrageenan, it is extracted and processed, it offers zero health benefits, and it isn’t necessary. (For instance, copious alternative milk manufacturers are omitting this ingredient.) Therefore, we avoid it as much as we can. 


Further reading: The Primafoodie Ingredient Spotlight on Soy Lecithin.

5 New Books on Regeneration and Wellness that Prove a Healthier and More Sustainable World Is Possible

We’re living at a critical time for the health of ourselves and our environment. While climate change proves to be one of—if not the—most crucial issue, we’re also experiencing record-breaking instances of illness and disease. But just when it might feel all too much, we hear from experts in the fields of environmentalism, functional medicine, and science who prove to us that it’s not. We can fight back toward better health and a more regenerative future, and these five new brilliant books show us how. They are some of the most informative hopeful reads we’ve come across this year.  

A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet & Disease.
Most of us are walking around inflamed and it’s a chronic issue that concerns Shilpa Ravella, MD, a gastroenterologist. She believes that low-level inflammation is tied to most of our modern-day ailments, from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer to auto-immune conditions and certain neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Ravella discusses why inflammation threatens our well-being in her new book, A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet & Disease. Backed by rigorous research, this book is a roadmap to understanding how low-level inflammation happens and the lifestyle and diet changes we can all make to keep inflammation in check. 

Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet
We’ve discussed regenerative farming—an agricultural method that aims to honor the earth and rebuild soil and biodiversity while growing and cultivating foods—at great length. That’s because it is one of the most critical ways to save our planet and health, as conventional farming is one of the most destructive and depleting practices today. British environmental writer Georg Monbiot covers this truth in great depth in his vast book, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet. By incorporating wisdom from farmers and experts who are revolutionizing our understanding of fertility, Monbiot has written an insightful guide for creating a truly sustainable way to live—and it’s a must for every one of us to read. 

How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink
Food touches every part of our lives, from our culture to our politics to our health. Paco Underhill, an author and expert in consumer habits, looks at the intersection of how our food defines how we live (and vice versa) in his new book, How We Eat. Underhill explores new food technology, advances in urban farming, the marketing of vast supermarkets, and more. This book offers a new way of thinking about not only the nutrients of food but the business practices that fuel our current food industry and the changes that will make it more inclusive, sustainable, and just. 

Better Broths and Healing Tonics: 75 Bone Broth and Vegetarian Broth-Based Recipes for Everyone
Functional medical practitioner Dr. Kara Fitzgerald and certified nutritionist Jill Sheppard Davenport offer this comprehensive guide and cookbook anchored in the healing properties of bone and vegetarian broths. The two specialists share a similar viewpoint with us: Broths are more than a means to making soups. They provide a nutritious foundational base for flavorful meals. This book reads like a conversational tutorial on how to increase your nutrient density. 

Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society, and the Economy 
“We are navigating extraordinary global crises that could result in either the collapse or the thriving of nature, society, and the economy,” writes Wayne Visser, an author and Cambridge University professor. Visser is choosing the latter, and he’s proving how we can all be a part of this in his new book aptly named, Thriving. He posits that every aspect of life is regenerative. When we focus on this and remain both hopeful and proactive, we can shift our way of living and the state of the planet to one that is truly sustainable and healthy. With actionable and accessible tips for individuals and businesses, this book is a roadmap to a bright future. 

The PrimaFoodie 2023 Conscious Holiday Gift Guide

We admit: When it comes to vetting products, we are tough. We research and try the heck out of something to ensure that it: 1.) amplifies our lives 2.) is ethically and sustainably made, and 3.) delivers on quality. This is a tall order, but one we love—especially this time of year, when we provide our favorites to you.

Our 2023 Gift Guide selects are nothing short of the best. Like in years past, you'll find a little of everything, from products to foods to services. Each is packed with intention (and nutrition, for some) and will undoubtedly please those you love—including yourself. Happy conscious gifting!

Wentworth Personalized Puzzle

We love these wooden puzzles. They don't fray at the edges and last forever. They are crazy complex and very satisfying. Such a great family gift.—Nichole

We are Amma Nursing Cover

This cocoon is simple, stylish, and easy to wash. Great for the nursing mama in your life. —Adrienne

Maria Mayer Feng Books

Truly so beautiful and memorable. This company turns your photos and mementos into beautiful book keepsakes. —Nichole

French Bloom Organic Sparkling Non-Wine

Because there is always a reason to say cheers—with or without the alcohol. I love that these varieties are organic and truly taste like French bubbly. —Stacey

Williams Sonoma Air Fryer

The options are endless with an air fryer. The best part? There's no oil needed to make foods satisfyingly crispy. —Adrienne

Flamingo Estate Holiday Bonbon Chocolate Box

Little works of art that are so decadent and delicious. —Nichole

Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Coconut Cashew Keto Granola

The only commercial granola I buy. Perfect for a stocking stuffer. —Nichole

Alignment Alchemy Pillow Mist

Pure, clean, and relaxing, this light mist is the perfect treat for the person in your life who's yearning for deep rest. —Stacey

Flamingo Estate Jasmine Rose Bath Set

It is impossible to choose from the entire Flamingo Estate collection, as everything is stunning. This floral bath set is sweet and heady with a hint of pink peppercorn. —Nichole

Kibou Vegan Leather Bag

This sleek fanny pack doubles as my chic diaper bag. It's compact, has a pocket that keeps wipes wet for seven days, and a credit card pocket. —Adrienne

The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp 

Jing Gao is a brilliant founder and chef who single-handedly educates the Western world about the nuanced, elevated, and incredibly complex realm of Chinese cuisine. —Stacey

Beth Blends Grain-free Flour Blend

A staple for the conscious home cook. —Nichole

Scandinavian Glass Tea Set

A statement piece meant for everyday use. —Nichole

Nipaqui Zero Waste Kit

People always ask me where I get my silicone reusable snack bags. This kit will get your friends started on a journey to a healthier planet. —Adrienne

Tuscan Cooking Class

I don't know a better way to say 'I love you' than with a cooking glass in an old-world villa outside of Florence. —Stacey

Parsley Health Membership

A generous-yet-important present that everyone deserves. Parsley is a membership program that offers 10 clinician appointments with a functional medicine doctor and 10 health coaching sessions when you sign up. This would be the gift that continues to give. —Adrienne

Casa Zuma Wood Cheese Board

Whoever receives a beautiful board like this will use it repeatedly. —Nichole

Jonathan Adler Salt and Pepper Servers

These can double as ring holders while you're cooking! —Adrienne 

Understanding the Convoluted World of Sugar and Its Metabolic Impact—with Functional Nutritionist Margaret Floyd Barry

There is no question that sugar continues to both allude and allure. We know it’s the culprit of so many health issues, and we know how it’s hidden (and not so hidden) in endless foods. Yet sugar and its metabolic impact are still widely misunderstood. 

Margaret Floyd Barry is working to change this. A functional nutritionist, Barry has an accessible way of breaking down the convoluted-but-critical topic of sugar and how it affects blood sugar. We say “accessible” for good reason: Before she discovered the power of whole clean foods, Barry was a self-described “total mess” who was on a constant “energy roller coaster.” She was a vegetarian who thought she was healthy, yet she was eating starches—aka sugar—that impacted her moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. “I had migraines all the time,” she tells us. “I had severe digestive issues.”

When she began to study nutrition, Barry learned about how sneaky and invasive sugar is. She overhauled her diet and discovered an entirely new world of eating unprocessed foods that didn’t contain all the starches and hidden sugars and left her feeling good. As she says, “Life on the other side of sugar feels better than you probably even know possible.” Today, as the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen, she educates about the metabolic and life-changing impacts of clearing out sugar and leaning into whole foods, which she recently discussed with Nichole. Here we break down the main facts about sugar that Barry wants everyone to know. 

Why Sugar Has Us Held Captive

Sugar has the same qualities as any addictive substance, says Barry. “It is embedded into our social fabric,” from having a presence in celebrations, treats, and other ubiquitous offerings. Because of these facts, sugar is challenging to step away from. “It’s woven into what we do on a day-to-day basis in our society.”

Blood Sugar 101

The glucose in your blood is what constitutes blood sugar. “If you've ever had blood work that your doctor has run, you will see glucose is typically one of the first markers on the panel,” says Barry. “That's telling you about your blood sugar.” Since sugar is one of the primary sources of fuel in our body, it is critical for us to maintain proper blood sugar levels, or what Margaret calls “our blood sugar happy zone.” But what often happens is our blood sugar starts to get too high (or spikes) or too low depending on the foods we eat. 

Here's the ideal blood sugar scenario: When we wake up in the morning, our blood sugar ideally will be on the lower end of that “happy range,” says Floyd. Then after a balanced breakfast that doesn’t have too much starch, blood sugar levels will gently start to push up. As the blood sugar starts to reach that upper threshold, your pancreas secretes the hormone insulin. What insulin's job is, explains Barry, is to take any excess sugar from the blood and shuttle it into your liver cells and muscle cells and it stores it as glycogen, which is basically stored sugar for later energy use. From there, blood sugar levels start to dip down into the lower threshold where another hormone called glucagon is secreted by your pancreas. Glucagon's job “is basically the exact opposite of insulin,” says Barry. Glucagon takes the stored glycogen and mobilizes it back into the blood to use as fuel. Overall, you have a “nice gentle ebb and flow” of your blood sugar going up and down but staying within the “happy range.” This is called “metabolic flexibility,” which is where the body uses sugar or fat, whatever fuel source is available, effectively. This is the ideal scenario in terms of energy management, add Barry. “It's just feeling good.” 

Where We Go Wrong with Our Blood Sugar

While the above is ideal, it’s not the norm for most people today. What often happens is instead of eating a nice balanced breakfast, we eat foods that are filled with sugar or things that convert quickly to sugar. This includes a variety of foods, from cereals to whole wheat toast to oatmeal to smoothies. “Some of these things that we think of as healthy foods, and there might be aspects of them that are healthy, but if they convert really quickly in your bloodstream to sugar, what happens?” Instead of that nice ebb and flow that Barry describes above, our blood sugar will spike up and past that upper threshold. This causes the body to pump out insulin in a state of emergency type response, which causes the body to store extra sugar in the muscle and liver cells, and as fat. Ultimately, our blood sugar crashes down. “Think about when you do eat something that's overly sugary like a sundae,” Barry adds. “You get the manic high and then you get a crash. And so that kind of high and low is happening even with something like having oatmeal for breakfast.” 

The Physiological Effects of Spiked Blood Sugar

It’s amazing how the sugar we eat impacts our day-to-day life. Barry explains that blood sugar spikes and crashes can cause the following:

· Irritability

· mood swings

· headaches

· energy fluctuations

· fatigue

· poor sleep

· weight gain 

“Your body is trying so hard to bring those blood sugar levels back.” Physiologically, this is extremely stressful on the body as it causes the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline to kick in, as well.  

What Is Sugar?

When we think of sugar, we tend to think of chocolate bars and ice cream, says Barry. While these foods do contain massive amounts of sugar, they’re not the entire picture. “You need to expand your definition of sugar to anything that causes a spike.” Therefore Barry thinks of sugar more as starches—which quickly convert into sugar once consumed—more than anything else. 

Now, it’s important to note: Everyone responds to food differently. A banana may spike one person’s blood sugar and not others. With this considered, the following foods are some of the highest sugar culprits:

· grains or products from grains, such as pasta, crackers, pizza dough, and more

· fruits

· juices

· dairy

· alcohols

· condiments, dressings, and sauces

· sodas

· commercially made dips, hummus, salsas

What to Eat

First and foremost, what you first put into your body is critical, says Barry. “What you eat for breakfast sets the tone.” You want to aim for foods that encourage that slow, gradual increase in blood sugar so you don’t have a crash. This includes healthy fats and proteins, such as eggs and vegetables with some avocado for healthy fat. If you love oatmeal, says Barry, be sure to add some coconut milk, butter, or nuts for fats.

Overall, be wary of ingredients. In considering the above list, always opt for things with the shortest ingredient lists that include whole foods that you understand. Fructose and things that end in “ose,” fruit extracts, and syrups are all common code names for sugar.

Blood Sugar Tools

Blood Sugar Glucose Monitor

Barry swears by a continuous glucose monitor, which is a device typically worn around the arm that monitors glucose levels in real-time. Originally made for those with diabetes, “this is now commercially available for people to know their dietary triggers, exercise, and sleep that are impacted,” she says. “You can see in real-time the impacts of every dietary choice you make.”

Real Food Reboot Program

Barry and her husband James, a whole foods chef, have designed this program for people who are seeking to revamp and invigorate their relationship to clean, whole foods. A self-guided 21-day program is designed to restore blood sugar levels and ignite new eating habits. 

Margaret Floyd Barry is a functional nutritionist and author, and the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen. She’s been working with clients to transform their health—and lives—since 2008. Learn more and get the Real Food Reboot at eatnakedkitchen.com.

PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight: Soy Lecithin

Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What Is Soy Lecithin?

If you’ve eaten chocolate, you’ve likely consumed soy lecithin. A common ingredient, soy lecithin is a food additive derived from soybeans. 

There are various types of lecithin. A mixture of phospholipids, lecithin is a fatty substance naturally found in plant and animal cells and tissues. Common sources of lecithin include sunflower seeds, eggs, and cotton seeds. Here we break down soy lecithin, which comes from soybeans. 

What Is the Purpose of Soy Lecithin?

Food manufacturers use soy lecithin to emulsify ingredients so they become stable, smooth, and homogenized. Naturally amphiphilic (containing water soluble and insoluble chains), soy lecithin provides a way to easily blend ingredients that normally wouldn’t mix, such as oil and water. It’s also a common flavor protectant and taken as a dietary supplement.

Where Is Soy Lecithin Found?

Soy lecithin is commonly found in products that have a smooth and creamy consistency. These include:

· Bread

· Chocolate

· Dressings and marinades

· Packaged food

· Alternative milk

· Cereals, pasta, and other processed grains

· Cooking sprays 

· Ice cream, puddings, and other dairy products

· Nutritional supplements and vitamins

Is Soy Lecithin Bad?

This is the million-dollar question. Manufacturers claim that since soy lecithin is usually added in small doses, it isn’t harmful. But consider this: Those “small” doses add up. Plus, soy lecithin is ubiquitous these days (it’s hard to find even a natural dark chocolate bar without it), which poses the potential of consuming it consistently. Research has shown that ingesting the same additives over and over can lead to systemic inflammation, gluten intolerance, and other food sensitivities. 

There is also a critical conversation around soy. Those who have soy allergies should avoid soy lecithin. Yet, allergies aside, it’s important to consider that soy is often genetically modified and rarely organic, which means the original source of the lecithin could be covered in pesticide and herbicide residue.

Lastly, removing soy lecithin requires a process that involves a harsh solvent called hexane. A potential carcinogen, hexane has been shown to damage reproductive organs and fetal health, cause skin irritation, and pose a hazard to the lungs if inhaled. The FDA does not regulate the residual hexane in foods.

Soy Lecithin: Other Options

Because soy lecithin provides a way to emulsify fats with water, it’s commonly used. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessary. Soy lecithin is an industrial additive. In short: It is always best to avoid anything industrial, mass-produced, and added. Aim for real, whole foods with as few ingredients as possible. Avoiding soy lecithin—or any lecithin—is a way to decrease the number of adulterated additives entering the body. 

Deciding whether to consume soy lecithin is a personal choice. It’s important to always read labels to see if soy lecithin is present. Many food companies are creating products without it. HU Chocolate, for one, is manufacturing cleaner chocolates free of lecithins (soy or any kind), processed sugars, colorings, and other additives. 

Further Reading:

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Meat and Poultry

What We Really Need to Know about Bees

The 4 Healthy Kitchen Essentials to Always Keep Stocked—According to a Functional Nutritionist

As a functional nutritionist, Alanna DeSalvo knows a thing or two about cooking healthy, nutrient-dense meals at home. Yet still, DeSalvo admits it’s not always easy. “Everything is so busy nowadays,” DeSalvo tells us. “It's hard for me to even prep meals at times.” Therefore, DeSalvo believes in setting up her clients for cooking success—i.e. making it easy to create simple, clean meals without copious ingredients or time. The place to start is stocking clean pantry and freezer staples.

We asked DeSalvo where to start. Here she walks us through the kitchen staples she always keeps on hand and why. Because when you have ingredients to work with, you’re more likely to get in the kitchen—which she says is most important. “One of my main beliefs is that cooking is nutrition and action,” DeSalvo adds. “The more you can get into your kitchen, even just throwing something easy together with what you have in the pantry or the freezer, it can make a difference in your health and how you feel at the end of the day.”

4 Pantry and Freezer Staples to Keep on Hand

Healthy Fats

From oils to nuts to ghee, DeSalvo believes in keeping healthy fats on hand for cooking, as well as for adding nutrients to salads and other dishes. She recommends having two to three clean oils on hand, her favorites being olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee. Be mindful of how you’re using them, she says, as different oils have varying smoke points. She also recommends nuts and nut butter, which are a great “healthy fat and that helps keep blood sugar stable.”

Clean Easy Proteins

This included sustainable canned or frozen fish, organic jerky, and beans. “These are all ideal for putting together a nourishing meal quickly,” she says. Look for options that you can keep in your pantry or the freezer.

“Pantry Vegetables”

Fresh is always ideal when it comes to produce but sometimes it’s not an option. For this reason, DeSalvo recommends stocking what she calls “pantry vegetables”—things like jarred or canned olives, artichokes, capers (which she says are high in antioxidants), and tomatoes. “If your fridge is empty, you can pull these from your cabinet and just add this to a meal for extra antioxidants and nutrients.”

Healthy Sauces and Spices

Part of what makes food good for us is the pleasure factor. So a quick meal doesn’t need to lack flavor and interest. DeSalvo says to keep clean sauces and spices on hand to add to a dish. This includes a quick stir fry sauce, teriyaki sauces, a good quality tomato sauce, fresh dried herbs, and spices. “Not only do they add lots of flavors, which is important to enjoying a meal, but also herbs and spices have a lot of antioxidant properties. Even a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper can boost the nutrient density of your meal.”

Tips for Sourcing the Best Pantry and Freezer Staples

Not every pantry staple is a healthy one. To ensure you’re stocking your shelves healthily, DeSalvo recommends following these guidelines:

• Always read the ingredients label. “Look for whole food ingredients. If you see something that you wouldn’t put in the recipe yourself, look for one that is more aligned with what you would make in your kitchen.”

• Beware of hidden sugars. “They're hidden in everything, including sauces and nut butters,” says DeSalvo. Read the labels and opt for options without added sugars. 

• Aim for organic. “At least, as much as possible,” she adds. 

• Understand your packaging. BPAs and other toxins in canned food packaging are still ubiquitous. “When your food is sitting in that for a long time and the BPAs leach to your food, that can mess with hormones and create inflammation,” DeSalvo warns. Look for packaging that is non-BPA or—even better—in a box. 

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Eating Clean in Miami

Miami has lured for ages. A flashy and vibrant party town, this east coast city pulls in people near and afar for its stellar nightlife, cultural, and arts scenes. But that is only a fraction of what’s on offer here. Miami has a world-class food world, a strong portion of which is focused on local, clean, sustainable fare. These following PrimaFoodie-approved eateries make up for our short list of the top places to get a nutrient-dense meal to keep you fueled for a long, humid, fun-filled night ahead. 

Editors’ Note: Our hearts go out to those in Florida who have been gravely impacted by Hurricane Ian. 

Natura Eatery

Natura was founded by two Miami locals who are obsessed with health and supporting local farmers. Everything here is made with organic fruits and vegetables, sustainably sourced seafood, and free-range organic meats. A perfect Natura breakfast includes the Mixed Berry and Almond Butter Toast (served on homemade GF bread), fresh green juice, and a side of wild Salmon. 

Marion

Because Marion is owned by the Mr. Hospitality group, one of the city’s most successful founders of restaurants and clubs, it’s a happening spot. Still, anchoring the buzzy scene is a menu focused on sustainable seafood caught that day, organic produce, and local meats. The food is hearty and healthy with an inventive Asian spin on everything. 

Planta

We love organic and sustainably farmed meats at PrimaFoodie, so when an entirely plant-based restaurant comes our way, it must be excellent. Planta is. Located in South Beach (there are sister locations throughout the region), this vegetarian restaurant whips up some very satisfying sushi, soups, and house-made kombucha. The menu is extensive and great, but it’s important to be mindful if you have a gluten allergy as the GF options are a bit harder to scope out. 

OTL

OTL has New York food scene roots—which means it’s got the power to draw a crowd. Known for their coffee and stellar Market Grain Bowl (which is gluten-free), OTL’s breakfast and sandwich offerings are some of the city’s best for a hearty-yet-nutritious meal. The Overnight Oats here deserve applause. For one, they're gluten-free (still a rarity when it comes to café oatmeal). But these oats also have no added sugar and are topped with organic blueberries and super seeds. Perfection. 

Miami Juice

Although it’s been around for a while, Miami Juice has catapulted in popularity over the last few years. Located in Sunny Isles, this is a laid-back market-meets-café that serves some of the city’s best smoothies, salads, gluten-free specialties, and organic turkey burgers. The market part here is key, as its generous inventory of all-organic produce and other nutrient-dense foods makes grabbing groceries after lunch a breeze. 

Pura Vida

This bright and airy chain of health-centered restaurants makes grabbing an organic lunch so easy. What started as a small-scale family-owned café has morphed into a Miami mainstay with 12 locations. Come here for fresh smoothies, vegetable bowls made with organic produce, free-range chicken, and fresh shots of cold-press vegetable juice. Gluten-free options abound on this menu. 

Lilikoi Organic Living

As its name suggests, Lilikoi Organic Living focuses on incorporating clean and organic practices. Founded and run by a health-focused couple from Hawaii, this South Beach all-day café offers smoothies, Hawaiian-style poke bowls, fresh-caught fish, and more. We haven’t had their gluten-free pizzas, but a close PrimaFoodie friend says it’s a must. We applaud this delicious café for its strict adherence to local and organic fruits and vegetables and antibiotic- and hormone-free meats.

What We’re Reading, Watching, and Listening to this September

We love integrating new ideas and practices into our everyday lives—ultimately so we continue to feel inspired and healthy. So much of our discovery starts with an insightful article, compelling documentary, or heartfelt podcast. To that end, here’s what we’ve been reading, watching, and listening to as of late. 

These lessons are a cue to always be discerning and keep learning. Got something to recommend? Send us a DM! 

What We’re Watching

 Buck
“There is a real-life horse whisperer and his name is Buck Brannaman. This insightful and sensitive documentary tells the story of Brannaman, a revered horse trainer, and how he overcame trauma to become one of the most compassionate and leading people in his field. You don’t have to love horses to appreciate this story but learning about Brannanman’s approach will make you a better human being.” —Nichole

 
What We’re Listening To

 The Dhru Purohit Podcast: “How to Build Muscle and Live Longer”
“Muscle is the organ of longevity.” These words by Gabrielle Lyon, DO, are critical in how we view obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more. In this interview, Dr. Lyon argues we are “under-muscled,” which leads to a host of health problems. This podcast (which you can also watch on Youtube) offers an entirely new way to look at some of the most widespread health issues today. This is another gem of a conversation hosted by Dhru Purohit” —Nichole

What We’re Reading

 The Brockovich Report
“For several years, water has been at the forefront of my mind. How clean is my tap water? Will there be enough clean, drinkable water for us all in 10 years? Just how old is our municipal water infrastructure? This is just a sampling of the questions I obsess over. More recently, after having the honor to chat with Erin Brockovich, I’ve become even more obsessed with this critical topic. Brockovich unpacks what we need to know about our water—from policy updates to corrupt oversight—in her newsletter, The Brockovich Report. It’s a scary must-read.” —Stacey

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. 
“This platform offers wisdom for everyday life. It helps me become more level-headed, consistent, and effective, while it also pushes me to live in alignment with my values.” —Nichole

“Why Is Corn Syrup in So Many American Infant Formulas?” from The Undark
“Research shows that about half of all baby formulas produced for the US market contain… corn syrup. That’s right. Corn syrup. The EU does not allow corn syrup in its formulas. This article unpacks why so many formulas contain this cheap and fast sugar ingredient—and what we need to know about its impact on babies’ health.” —Stacey  

Best Snack Bars for Better Blood Sugar by Levels Health
“Levels is always publishing thorough and needed information on health, blood sugar, and longevity. This piece unpacks snack bars, from what we should avoid to the ingredients to look for.” —Nichole

5 Organizations that Are Working to Change Our Food System for the Better (and Why We Need to Support Them)

Our biggest driver at PrimaFoodie is revealing how our food ends up on our plates. How our food is grown, processed, packaged, and marketed is a winding, complicated journey. Often our food system is fueled by legislation and corporations that put energy toward profit and efficiency over human and planetary health. 

Because a handful of corporations run the main links on the food supply chain, smaller farmers are often left scrambling. This has been the work of administrations for decades with a goal to bring cheaper food products to the masses. But the result has been catastrophic. Foods laden with pesticides and antibiotics and lacking nutrients have become the norm with nutrient-rich whole foods harder to come by.

We can create change by understanding the backstory of our food and supporting independent farmers. By turning our attention toward those who care about their products, we can bring resilience, equity, and health back to our food system—and to our future. These five organizations are working toward just that.

5 Organizations Working to Change Our Food System

Slow Food USA

In the 1980s, Italian activist Carlo Petrini gathered a group of people to revolt against the inclusion of a McDonald’s in Rome. His fight won legions of followers and attention, and eventually spawned what is now known as Slow Food. Equal parts movement, mindset, and organization, Slow Food aims to reclaim the organic and just roots of food. There are chapters throughout the US and world, each of which organizes educational activities that teach about the connection between our planet, culture, and wellbeing. 

Quivira Coalition

The aim of this organization is on the soil. Quivara works with local farmers and land advocates to educate people on ecosystem resilience and restoring the health of our agriculture—from the ground up. The end game is to bolser rural, local food systems and the economic health of farmers, ultimately to have widespread impacts on land management across the US.

Healthy Food America

Healthy Food American attacks the issue of bettering the food system from two ends: by working to make access to fresh, healthy foods easier while making adulterated, processed foods less accessible. The team here works tirelessly for policy change, with one of its biggest drivers is advocating for a tax on sodas and other sugary drinks. Through community partnerships, advocacy, and policy reform, this non-profit aims to spread awareness around food, its origins, and equitable availability.

Environmental Working Group

For anything we put in and on our bodies, the EWG has our best interest. This third-party organization works with researchers and scientists to bring the latest information on additives in our food and water, as well as in our personal care products. The site is brimming with guides, all of them easily navigable, to help us better understand labels, source the the cleanest produce and items, and advocate for greater transparency and change.

Cook For America

“School food is the solution, not the problem.” Such is the motto of Cook for America, which sheds light on the transformative power of fresh, whole, “scratch-cooked” school meals. The team believes that this access to healthy food is a catalyst for change in the fight against diet-related health issues, including childhood obesity. It makes sense, particularly given research over the last decade that links healthier school lunches to both better test scores and children’s willingness to make healthier eating choices outside of school hours.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Coconut Water

Coconut water, the cloudy-clear liquid found inside the coconut fruit, is now found… everywhere. A staple in mocktails and smoothies, it also serves as a quenching drink. Some love to cook and bake with it. Others love it for its amount of natural electrolytes, like magnesium and potassium. It tastes mildly sweet and coconut-y and is low in natural sugars.

The rub here is that there are tons of coconut waters available, and some aren't as great as others. Certain varieties contain sneaky added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and coloring. Many are made from concentrate. The best source of coconut water, bar none, is straight from the source. Many health food stores and restaurants offer organic fresh young coconuts that you can tap into to source the refreshing liquid. But when the whole fruit isn’t an option, some bottle versions offer a solid second option. 

So in the quest to find the best—and cleanest and freshest—bottled coconut waters, we tried the most popular ones on the shelf and ranked them according to purity and flavor. 

Editor’s Note: We recommend only these specific products, not the companies’ entire offerings. 

Our Top 4 Coconut Water Picks

Harmless Harvest

What we love most about Harmless Harvest are the company’s strict organic and social standards. Every coconut it sources comes from farmers in Thailand that follow sustainable and certified organic methods. Plus, the water, which is unpasteurized and unadulterated, tastes incredible. Clean and lightly fruity, it comes from the Nam Hom variety of coconut, which is a particularly fragrant and tasty variety. (An interesting note: Some Harmless Harvest coconut waters have a pink tinge. This is because natural antioxidants interact with light after it's been sourced and bottled, causing some to eventually turn color before you drink it. Essentially, it’s a natural marker of purity.)

Thrive Organic Coconut Water

Thrive continues to be a real player in the sustainable, conscious, organic food market. This coconut water boasts such a clean and light taste that it registers less as coconut water and more as a fruity drink. Still, it’s a top pick for its organic roots, zero added sugar, and drinkability. 

Real Coco Organic Pure Coconut Water

Like Harmless Harvest, Real Coco prides itself on only using certified organic coconuts, which it sources from Vietnam. There is no added sugar, coloring, or thickeners. It has a mild taste that’s more coconut-y than the others. 

Cadia Organic Coconut Water

With its super refreshing taste and zero added sugars, Cadia comes in as another PrimaFavorite. We value that it comes from young coconuts, which tend to taste nuttier than other varieties, and only certified organic sources. 

Secondary Picks

If you cannot find the above, the following land as secondary picks in the instance you’re vying for a coconut-y quench but lacking in options. 

Vita Coconut Water

We fully get behind the social impact of Vita Coconut. The team is aiming to increase the annual yield of coconut farmers in Asia, who fall victim to poor working conditions and extractive business practices. The taste of this water is super light and clean. However, there is a trace amount of added sugar.

C20 Coconut Water

While we do love this CO2 for its pure flavor, we’re hard-pressed to get totally behind this because of the trace amounts of added sugars. It sips mild, is not too sweet, and contains no fillers or coloring. This is a better option than others, but still not a top choice.

Taste Nirvana

It’s barely sweet, which we love, and has a thicker feel. But Taste Nirvana does contain “coconut essence” and a slight amount of added sugar, both of which makes us pause. Like C20, this is a better option than many others out there, and easy to find, but it’s not the purest.

For the Love of Linen: How Rough Linen Founder Tricia Rose Approaches Sustainability

Let’s face it: We all want to live more sustainably. Incorporating ways to live with a lighter footprint is linked to protecting the environment, creating a safer future for our children, and maintaining a thriving world today. When we’re cognizant of how our lifestyle choices impact the world, we live healthier lives.

That said, the mere idea of “sustainability” can feel overwhelming. The term itself has been shorn of its meaning, eroded by overuse in marketing. In the face of mass production and consumerism, it can be daunting to know what sustainable choices mean, and where to begin making them. When we feel this way (and trust us, we often do) we look to those who live sustainability according to their beat. Enter: Tricia Rose. 

The founder of Rough Linen, a collection of bedding and lifestyle goods made of pure linen, Rose imbues a sense of timelessness and appreciation into her work. Her pieces are made with integrity and meant to last. The anchor of Rough Linen is in its name: pure linen made of flax grown without chemicals in Europe. In comparison to cotton, linen is superior in terms of sustainability and integrity. It requires less water to make (as does flax to grow), is naturally antibacterial, easier to care for, and completely biodegradable and recyclable. And as Rose tells us, linen's roots are democratic. “The kind of linen I love used to be a home product before the advent of slave-grown cotton,” she says.

Rose and her Rough Linen collection have us inspired to repatriate ourselves with the concept of sustainability. Looking at her ethos, one step is to lean into fewer things made of higher quality materials. As we recently collaborated with Rose for our ‘Cooking with Kids’ giveaway, we took a moment to ask her what true sustainability means. Her approach and her work stand as reminders that the things we bring into our lives leave an indelible mark on our future.

A Minute with Tricia Rose

What does sustainability truly mean to you? 

The essence of sustainability to me is paying attention. If you choose carefully before you buy, and enjoy choosing, so you understand why you want something in the first place, the whole process becomes miraculously simple, and you aren't besieged by meaningless options. You are aligned with your values.

There are copious options out there for synthetic or mixed fabrics. Why do you believe natural fabrics are better for our overall well-being?

Natural fabrics are biodegradable and inherently more wholesome than synthetics. Think of what we are learning about microfiber pollution. They tend to be more absorbent too, and they sit lightly on our skin.

For the person seeking to have a more thoughtful approach to the items they bring into their lives, what is your advice?

My wise old mother said ‘you can never have enough of what you don't really want.’ In other words, material things can't fill an emotional need. Things can delight us, and bring us great pleasure and comfort if we respect them. Let the things which don't serve us fall away. Sometimes we need a frivolous purchase! But there are no hard and fast rules; just awareness of our needs, time, and money, and how our choices impact other people.

You were inspired to start Rough Linen after discovering an heirloom linen item at your family’s home in Scotland. Take us back to what you discovered and how it spoke to you…

I was clearing the old stone cottage in Scotland my grandparents had bought seventy years earlier, and it was full of treasures. They valued skill and craft and looked after their possessions. In the traditional linen press, there were carefully mended and folded sets of linens—sadly too small for modern beds—and one natural linen homespun pillowcase, woven by my great great grandmother from flax grown on her smallholding. It was soft yet textured, and it was so evocative of my childhood and the loving care I felt in their house. So I brought it home with me.

When I found a natural linen with the same weight and texture I had to make bedding from it, and it gave me the same blissful sleep and sense of belonging I had all those years ago. Friends admired it too, so I made more, and it snowballed.

To learn more about Tricia Rose and Rough Linen, visit roughlinen.com.

And be sure to download our Cooking with Kids Guide here.