All articles tagged with #plant foods
Cardiologists say small, sustainable changes can meaningfully lower cardiovascular risk: eat more plant foods, sit less and move more, strengthen social connections, choose unsweetened beverages, and quit smoking. Start with easy steps like adding a handful of plant foods to meals or taking brief post‑dinner walks, and gradually build these habits over time for lasting heart health.
Kim Schewitz shares four time-saving habits to eat 30 different plant foods weekly for improved gut health, including freezing leafy greens, using pre-cooked grains, high-fiber breakfasts, and gamifying vegetable intake, all without meal prepping.
Dietitians emphasize the importance of gut health and its impact on overall wellness, recommending a dinner rich in probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and plant foods to support a healthy gut microbiome. They suggest incorporating foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kefir, yogurt, whole grains, legumes, and green leafy vegetables, and recommend a recipe for Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens as an ideal dinner choice. Eating in a low-stress environment and practicing mindful eating are also highlighted as beneficial for gut health.
Insoluble fiber found in plant foods contains bioactive compounds that can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, according to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota. The study suggests that including these bioactives in foods and supplements can have a significant impact on human health. However, the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains remains low, with fewer than 10% of Americans meeting the daily dietary guidelines for whole-grain intake. The researchers found that bioactives are concentrated in different parts of different plants, and the content varies depending on extraction, processing, and treatment methods. While adding dietary fiber can have drawbacks, such as changing the texture of some products, it can also increase the nutritional value of foods. The researchers hope their findings will encourage increased consumption of plant-based foods to meet recommended dietary fiber levels.
Adjusting your diet can help manage menopausal symptoms and delay the onset of menopause. Eating 90g of oily fish daily delays menopause by nearly three and a half years, while legumes delay it by around a year. Gut microbes play a crucial role in recycling oestrogen, which can help alleviate menopausal symptoms. Women should aim for 30 different types of plant foods a week and limit processed foods. Adding fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and yoghurt can help with vaginal dryness and tissue thinning. Exercise, good sleep hygiene, and limiting sugar intake can also help manage menopausal symptoms.