Gettin' Herby With It: Top 10 Herbal Benefits

I have my vitamix, it’s near and dear to my heart. Carolyn's appliance equivalent is her aerogarden. Here’s an herby post from her.

A few weeks ago I went to a health conference to nutrition-nerd it up. There was even a guided stretch and movement break. After “flowing through water” together (oy), a speaker/nutritionist was talking the Mediterranean diet. It was the same old research until she mentioned the health benefits of herbs: “half a teaspoon of dried oregano has same antioxidant content as three cups spinach” Obviously herbs make things pretty and flavor - guac without cilantro or tomatoes without basil would be sad. But I had never thought of herbs as a super nutrient dense food. Spices get all the antioxidant love, this was new news to me. A little research when I got home revealed that the“antioxidant comparison” came via the McCormick institute, king of dried herbs, and the speaker has ties to this “royalty”

Since you can’t believe everything you hear when it comes to nutrition, even at nutrition conferences, I thought I’d share my favorite herby facts:

• Parsley is both a “delicious debloater” and if you chew on it a natural breath mint. 
• Parsley is also an emmenagogue which means it can bring on your period and should be avoided during pregnancy.
• Basil contains a compounded called eugenol which is a natural anti inflammatory
• Cilantro can kill salmonella, it has antibiotic properties so if you have to eat shady food, you may want to grab some cilantro. Lemongrass also has antibacterial properties, good when feeling sick.
• Carminatives are herbs good for ahen gassiness, fennel is Foodtrainers’ #1 carminative but dill (delicious in salads) is great too. No need to just  “dill” with it.
• Herbs are great in juices. We adore One Lucky Duck’s swan juice that uses tarragon and spearmint in addition to dandelion, cucumber, yuzu, pear and spinach.
• You may want to include rosemary in your marinades when grilling this summer. It helps block HCAs (carcinogenic compounds formed when grilling).

I no longer have suburban garden envy I am currently growing basil, parsley and mint (cilantro and stevia were a fail this batch). 
Does nutrition misinformation bother you? Do you have a garden? What are your favorite uses for herbs?
*The winners of the Booty Giveaway are Andrea, Delana E and Michele K. Congratulations, snack well and we'll be contacting you for delivery information.

Bye Bye Bloat

The 4 C's 

One of the most common words used by clients in by office is “bloated.” Nobody likes to feel bloated, especially during beach and bathing suit season.  I spoke to Tanya Rivera, of GMA Health, about the bloating basics and thought Monday, post weekend, was a good day to debloat with you.

Bloating is swelling due to fluid or gas. Eating salty or processed foods, eating too fast, for some lactose or sweeteners can all cause bloating. While women have the bonus of hormonal bloating, not to worry, men bloat too. If bloating persists or intensifies it is worth looking into but more often than not bloat is just unsightly and annoying.

If there’s an event you want to feel your best for or you simply want to debloat. My starter tip for bloat is to remove the 4 C’s. I’ve mentioned them before but these are:

• Carbs- especially the white ones hang onto water as they digest, whereas protein uses water
• Canned Foods-even healthy canned foods such as beans or tuna cause bloat (and may contain BPA’s) think jarred foods, rinse well in a colander or skip.
• Carbonated Beverages- yes seltzer and something I’m totally against soda will bloat you. All those bubbles end up in your stomach and it’s often not pretty.
•  Chewing Gum- seems innocent but you swallow air constantly. Gum chewers are amazed when they find this one out.

The Tummy Trifecta

Too many raw veggies aren’t part of my prescription but there are 3 I call “The Tummy Trifecta”.

•  Dandelion greens are good in salads or in teas, they are also in season now but need a good washing when you use them
• Asparagus aren’t only a diuretic food they are also anti inflammatory due to their saponin content and a prebiotic food.
• Parsley- a great anti gas and diuretic food, I love parsley in green juices with ginger and lemon

Debloating Drinks

Lemons have been used for centuries for all sorts of medicinal applications. Lemon is a natural diuretic and a couple cups of lemon water a day may keep distention away.  Our clients also love a green tea-based drink called EBoost eboost.com. Yogi also makes a delicious detox tea that’s great iced in the summer time. You can also take fennel and caraway seeds and boil them for a homemade tea.

Eboost.com

High Potassium Foods

Sodium and potassium work in a balance. To debloat, potassium (in food not supplement form) can help.  Cantaloupe, coconut water, oranges and avocados are excellent choices and sources I prefer over the banana when it comes to bloat. Even one day of incorporating these debloaters can make a difference. Then I’ll tell you the second most common word in my office, any guesses?

Are you bloat-prone? What do you do to improve it? Which of these foods are you ready to incorporate? And how bloated do I look in that segment next to tiny Tanya?