Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Pregnancy update + healthy pregnancy foods!

I've got a brand new post for ya today! :)

I share a little update on my pregnancy cravings, my favorite healthy pregnancy foods... and what happened when I drank too much beet juice. OUCH.

Read the brand new post here.

I'm so excited to share my pregnancy journey with you. Remember to follow along on Instagram thefoodbabe & foodbabemama.

Xo,

Vani

P.S. If you are coming to the Powerful Pregnancy event tonight in Charlotte at 6pm EST, please note the location has changed! It will be at Tabor just a couple of blocks down the road. 421 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207 – More info here. Can't wait to meet you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

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Monday, September 26, 2016

Organic.org

Organic.org


4 Fall Produce Picks to Boost Immunity

Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:27 AM PDT


Are you getting enough of this crucial vitamin? An antioxidant, vitamin C promotes wrinkle-free skin, supports good immunity, and may help the body protect itself against some diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Oranges and other citrus aren't the only sources. These fall/winter vegetables offer ample amounts too. With cold and flu season around the corner, now is a good time to revamp your crisper drawer with these fresh picks.

Cooking tip: Vitamin C can be easily lost in the cooking process, particularly when veggies are boiled and drained. To retain more nutrients, cook into soups or stews, or lightly steam or microwave. Roasting or broiling results in less vitamin retention than other methods, but the results are very delicious. Frying virtually obliterates vitamin C and other volatile nutrients. Our advice? Avoid frying, vary other cooking methods, and enjoy.

Broccoli

Broccoli provides about 100 mg vitamin C per cup (chopped), plus sulforaphane, a potent antioxidant studied for its anticancer effects.
Serving idea: Try lightly steaming and dressing with lemon juice (more C!), olive oil and salt.

Cauliflower

A cup of cauliflower contains approximately 93 mg vitamin C. Bonus: You'll also get several grams of fiber.
Serving idea: Steam cauliflower, then mash with miso, sesame oil and ginger; or garlic, olive oil and herbs.

Kale

A cup of kale contains tons of vitamin A (twice your daily value), vitamin K, trace minerals and 80 mg of vitamin C.
Serving idea: Remove tough stems, chop, and massage with lemon juice, olive oil and a little garlic until slightly wilted. Let this sit at room temperature. Excellent add-ins: toasted sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, parmesan cheese or apple slices.

Brussels Sprouts

The tiny cousins of green cabbage, Brussels sprouts contain 48 mg vitamin C per half cup.
Serving idea: Steam lightly and toss with hazelnut or walnut oil, a touch of maple syrup, and sea salt. (Roasting is a favorite cooking method because it brings out Brussels sprouts' sweet flavor, but you'll get less vitamin C.)

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Organic.org

Organic.org


This 5-Ingredient Autumn Juice Recipe Might Fix Everything

Posted: 22 Sep 2016 07:56 AM PDT


Step aside sugar-loaded pumpkin spice latte, this autumn juice recipe takes seasonal drinks to a whole new level. Unlike PSLs, this  juice is made with real food ingredients that perk up the immune system and fill your body with vital nutrients all while embodying the flavors of the season.

Juice, often best served green after a sweaty yoga or barre class, can also be filled with autumnal flavors and seasonal ingredients. Leave it to our favorite rooted and grounded fruits and vegetables to get you feeling balanced, brightened, and rejuvenated in these cool fall months.

Packed with sweet potato, apple, ginger, turmeric, and carrot, this autumn juice is filled with whole food superstars. We don't mean to play favorites, but the sweet potato in this recipe is a total winner. More than just vegetable mash and fries, sweet potatoes are an easily juiced vegetable that deliver ample amounts of nutrients.

Sweet Potato Health Benefits

This orange-fleshed beauty is one of our favorite grounding vegetables. Along with providing nutrient support to the body, sweet potatoes are easily grown across the world and considered an environmentally stable crop.

Fun fact: NASA thinks these potatoes are pretty stellar too. The tubers were chosen as a candidate crop to be grown and incorporated into menus for astronauts on space missions due to their (crazy impressive) nutritional value.



Besides being astronaut-approved, sweet potatoes are a great source of easily digestible fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which contribute to the bright orange color of their skin and flesh and boast health benefits as well.

Just one cup of sweet potato provides 214 percent daily value of vitamin A, 52 percent daily value of vitamin C, 50 percent daily value manganese, as well as impressive amounts of copper, vitamin B6, B3, B1, potassium, and biotin.

With their ample nutrients plus bioactive compounds, sweet potatoes have been widely studied for their abundant health benefits. Numerous studies have shown that sweet potato consumption is linked to anti-cancer properties, reduced inflammation, antimicrobial activity, hormone-balancing abilities, and extreme free-radical-scavenging powers.




This autumn juice recipe also boats other orange-skinned superfoods such as carrots and turmeric. These whole foods deliver impressive amounts of vitamins A and C along with a wide variety of other vital nutrients. Turmeric is especially nourishing and has been shown to reduce inflammation, be protective against certain cancers, and soothe stomach issues. Just a tip, always consume your turmeric with black pepper, which makes its beneficial compounds more bioactive.

Sip the flavors of fall with this seasonal and nutrient-rich autumn juice. We know it will be your new favorite festive drink. Buh-bye, PSLs.


Autumn Juice

Serves 1-2

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1 crisp apple, such as fuji or honeycrisp
1-inch nub ginger
1-inch nub turmeric
4 large carrots
Pinch of black pepper

Directions
Run all ingredients through a juicer and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Drink autumn juice immediately or store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar for one to two days.


 

Is your probiotics pill worthless?

When I attended the Natural Products Expo this year I noticed that there were dozens of newly launched products that were fortified with probiotics – they were everywhere!

There is no disputing that probiotics (good bacteria) are good for you, but I have to question the viability of the probiotics in these products and whether they are any better than eating naturally fermented foods. I try to add fermented foods to my diet often and I eat them almost every day because I've found them to be the best way to feed my body probiotics. 

This is essential because most of our food has been pasteurized, irradiated, or chemically treated to kill bugs – but this also kills the good stuff. Our soil is depleted of good bacteria with the overuse of synthetic pesticides and other chemical contamination. Certain substances in our food have also been suspected to cause leaky gut syndrome – which creates tiny little holes in our digestive system organs that leak out the good bacteria we need to stay healthy and keep our immune system strong.

This is why we absolutely must do everything to restore the good bacteria in our guts. Historically, food was often preserved with fermentation and traditional diets often consisted of raw and fermented foods that contained a healthy dose of good bacteria. The fermentation process creates good bacteria that work like a little army in your gut helping to defend you from various ailments. 

Besides eating fermented foods regularly, I also take a probiotic supplement. I like to take one as insurance, just to make sure that my body is getting all of the healthy probiotics that it needs. This is also super important when traveling, when fermented foods may not be as easy to come by and at least I know that I've got a probiotic pill as a backup.

That being said, not all probiotic supplements are created equally. Some on the market have been shown to have inaccurate labeling and may not contain all of the probiotics that they say they do. To gain more information on this, I reached out to Dr. Amy Shah, M.D., a member of my advisory council.

Dr. Shah shares how to choose the best forms and how to watch out for the fakes out there in a brand new post.

Read all about it here and spread the word!

Xo,

Vani

 

 

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

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Thursday, September 15, 2016

Starbucks Update! Reducing your exposure to toxic chemicals.

Thank you for contacting Starbucks yesterday, I know our voices are being heard because the biotech industry unleashed a mega astroturf campaign against us online (Have you seen the comments on Starbuck's Facebook page? - they are really freaking out at the thought of Starbucks dropping Monsanto milk for organic!!!) - so if you haven't had the time to do it yet, it's time to be part of history. Here are all the details on how to contact Starbucks and here's how to deal with the resistance online if you should encounter any.

In the meantime, I've got one of my favorite sponsors to share with you... If you want to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals, being careful about what you eat is only half the battle. We're bombarded with toxins in everyday items like furniture, shampoo, household cleaners, plastic bottles, clothing, water, and even the air we breathe!  

Of course we can't live in a bubble… and I'd never want to!.. But we can certainly take steps to lead a cleaner life. Here are a couple ways to do it:

  1. Choose safe non-toxic cookware and food storage containers. Everything that comes in contact with your food should be non-toxic, but many products contain BPA, phthalates, aluminum, melamine, or PVCs - which can add "extra ingredients" to your food as it waits to be eaten! Always think about what you store your food in as much as the food you store!
  2. Use non-toxic beauty and personal care products. This includes anything you use on your hair or body - shampoos, lotions, deodorant, makeup, etc. The cosmetic industry is highly unregulated, so these products are often laden with parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and other harmful chemicals.

Over time, I replaced my old toxic products and one of the brands that I've found and love is Thinksport.

The founder of this company tried unsuccessfully to convince several large companies to provide safer products… so he took it upon himself to do it! We need more companies like this that are doing the right thing in providing safer options for products that many of us use every day.

Thinksport's products range from water bottles, to lotion, to lunch containers, to eco-friendly yoga mats. All of them are free from known carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals like BPA. They also don't use any petroleum-derived fragrances, parabens, formaldehyde, or other nasty chemicals found in so many personal care products. No animal testing either!

As a longtime partner, ThinkSport has agreed to give the Food Babe Army a special discount on their entire store!  

Get 10% off your Thinksport order when you use the code FoodBabe10 by Monday, September 19th.

Here are some of my top picks...

Thinksport Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle - As you may know, when I'm traveling I always bring along an insulated stainless steel bottle to make hot ginger tea at the airport instead of ordering at Starbucks! This is the bottle that I've been using for years (and that many of you have asked me about). I also like to fill one up and take it to the gym and it would be great to send with the kids to school. It's double insulated so you can keep hot or cold liquids in them and they also don't sweat! If you are drinking water out of plastic bottles, beware that these have been shown to harbor a lot of germs and leach nasty chemicals into your drink. Stainless steel is much safer!  

Thinksport Sunscreen - This is great for athletes or anyone who spends a lot of time in the sun. It absorbs easily and stays put. They also have formulas especially for children and babies!

Thinksport Food Storage Containers - These come in a lot of fun colors, which is great for color coordinating containers for your children and your spouse. The GO2 Travel Container with leak-proof compartments is great for packing snacks with dip. I've been known to sneak hot tea into the movie theatre using the 12 ounce insulated container - it was perfect and so comforting, vs. being tempted by not-so-healthy popcorn and candy!

Thinkbaby Baby Shampoo & Lotion - As I've got a baby on board, I can't wait to try these products! They formulated them while working off of EWG's Skin Deep database to ensure that they're safe and effective. Protecting your children from toxins is crucial for healthy development!

Check out everything Thinksport has to offer here and don't forget to enter the code FoodBabe10 to get your 10% off!  

I hope this helps you stock up on some non-toxic goodies and that you enjoy the discount. Your purchase supports the work we do here at FoodBabe.com, so thank you!

Xo,
Vani

P.S. Remember this sale ends on Monday!

 

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The worst drinks at Starbucks. Call and ask for organic: 1-800-782-7282

After years of hiding the list of ingredients in their drinks from the public, Starbucks has now published their drink ingredients online. Now that we know what's in their ingredients, let's take a closer look…

See the worst drinks at Starbucks in this brand new post here.

Starbucks has made some improvements to their drinks in the last couple years by removing certain additives that we have campaigned against – but they still have a long, long way to go before I'd consider ordering coffee drinks from them.

The biggest problem with Starbucks' drinks is that you are supporting Monsanto with every sip.

Starbucks uses conventional (non-organic) milk in their drinks, which comes from farms where the cows are almost always fed a diet that consists primarily of GMO feed (soy, corn, cottonseed) that is laden with pesticides. They serve Monsanto Milk!

Starbucks is serving GMO-raised milk all day long in over 13,000 stores in America. We were able to convince Starbucks to ditch the caramel color from the PSL (and almost all of their drinks) – now let's convince them to stop serving Monsanto Milk!

Change does not happen overnight, but we have had some huge successes by just focusing on one ingredient at a time. When a leader like Starbucks makes a major change in how they source ingredients, this creates a domino effect that leads to bigger changes down the road.

I know that Starbucks can do better. Don't you agree?

Join me in contacting Starbucks today! Ask them to stop serving milk from cows raised on GMOs and to switch to organic grass-fed milk instead.

Starbucks Phone Number: 1-800-782-7282

I'm excited to see how Starbucks responds to us and I love you all for taking action with me!

Remember, there is INTENSE resistance to change. If anyone verbally attacks you for sharing this information online, make sure to read this!

Xo,

Vani

P.S. If you have friends or family who are supporting Monsanto with a Starbucks habit, please forward this email or new post to them and ask them to subscribe to this newsletter here.



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

The worst and best way to juice...

When I was little, I don't remember ever eating vegetables (sorry Mom! I know you tried!). As a result, I went years without some of the best nutrients life has to offer. My old eating habits created havoc in my body. I had stomach issues, eczema, asthma, and my allergies were atrocious. I was constantly in and out of doctor's offices looking for a solution.

When I started learning about the power of green vegetables and how they can protect us from disease, I began drinking a green drink every single day. Sometimes it's as small as a wheatgrass shot. And sometimes it is a green smoothie with kale or a green juice.

Learning how to properly and effectively juice is one habit that I will never give up and always recommend to everyone I meet!

Fresh pressed green juice is teeming with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and enzymes that your body can absorb swiftly without bogging down your digestive system.

Your body can use these abundant nutrients to slow aging and help to prevent all sorts of serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. It's like nature's vitamin pill!

When I am not pregnant, a couple times a year I like to kick it up a notch… and drink only fresh pressed juices for 3 days straight without any other food. 

No eating, just drinking! This is called a "juice cleanse".

This may sound crazy to you, but the results speak for themselves - especially if you do one right. There is definitely a wrong way to do it.

Your digestive system gets to rest while still receiving a huge dose of mega nutrition and live enzymes from the juice. This allows your body to perform at its peak!

Just to show you the powerful impact that juicing can have on your life, I thought I'd share an email that I received from Emily last month. She is a member of the Food Babe Army and recently had an incredible experience doing the Food Babe Juice Cleanse!

"I am a busy military wife with a husband who has a very demanding job, one that has caused many injuries and moved us 4 times in 7 years. Due to stress and spending so much time being an in-house nurse I have lost my healthy eating habits and gained 30 pounds. Now that he is healthy and FULLY recovered I don't have any more excuses.  My husband and I eat a fairly clean diet, however out of bad habits I still tend to take care of him first, forget to eat, and grab whatever is convenient through the day. Usually not a healthy option or the nutrients I need.

I saw your 7 Day Sugar Detox and originally wanted to do it with a family member who is diabetic, she plans on doing it but couldn't right away. I decided it was no excuse for me not to dive in! While purchasing the 7 day sugar detox the 3 Day Juice Detox popped up as a great add on to do prior. Having just purchased the Juicepresso (thanks for the coupon on your website!!!) and knowing my husband was out of town on business I decided it was exactly what I needed even though I had never done a juice cleanse before.  

I kept things clean for 3 days prior to the juice cleanse, and began it on Sunday, finished yesterday. I'm so thankful I took measurements and my weight prior.  The first day was the hardest.  The small city I live in has a big market and food trucks every Sunday, so all I could smell was the food and see people walking around with all those tempting choices. We are in England, and let's just say the brits know how to do breads and fried fish. I felt "hungry" every afternoon, but it was more an empty stomach feeling than actual hunger. I stuck to it and found your suggestion of peppermint tea did the trick. I also did 1/2 a cup of pure almond milk with cinnamon, which was the most amazingly satisfying treat! These are tools I now have and can use in my everyday life. Every single juice tasted amazing, and although I had a bit of brain fog, and felt a little lower energy, I could tell it was exactly what my body was needing. By the last day (yesterday) I noticed my skin was softer, my face brighter, and even the whites of my eyes looked whiter. My cravings already switched from wanting a slice of bread to dreaming about a slice of avocado!

This morning I was actually in tears. This has been such an emotional experience!  I stepped on the scale and realized I had lost 4 pounds. Even more than that, I took my measurements again. I re-took them 3 more times because I truly didn't believe what I was seeing. I lost 3 inches on my waist and 6 inches overall. My husband who has the most amazing will power and can resist just about any temptation has told me that I'm inspiring him to be better and do more. This has jump started my body into feeling energy that I had forgotten I could have. I didn't even realize how bad I was feeling before! It gave me the confidence to know my will is stronger than any craving and that I can do and be so much more.

I know this is a very long email, but I wanted to fully explain my gratitude and experience over the last 3 days. The juice cleanse is something I never would have thought of until it popped up on my screen, and am so thankful it did. The last 3 days have truly changed how I think about myself, and given me the confidence to be the best version of myself. Thank you for always being honest and sharing where you came from and your experience with food. You are truly inspirational and changing so many people's lives!" ~ Emily V.

I literally teared up reading Emily's experience. Juicing can have an enormous impact on your life, not just physically… but emotionally! I want everyone to experience this.

A juice cleanse is about ultimate health... vitality.. detoxing... releasing... mind opening... being fearless… all of these things!  And fine… you'll probably end up losing weight,  but that's not the most important reason to do it.

When I did my first 3-day juice cleanse (several years ago) I was scared.

I was afraid I'd feel tired and hungry - and completely brain dead. I feared I would fail because I'd need something to chew or to snack on, and end up scarfing down a bag of candy!

I wished then that I had a guide that would give me all the strategies that I'd need to avoid pitfalls and make it a breeze!

Years later… and with dozens of juice cleanses under my belt… I worked with my team to create the Food Babe Juice Cleanse Guide.

This guide will prepare you every step of the way and keep you from making common mistakes! A lot of "pre-made or pre-picked" juice cleanses have a TON of fruit sugar - this is not the way to complete a juice cleanse. I show you the smartest way to do it without getting the sugar highs and lows - and coping strategies that may want you to stop.

This guide is so much more than a juice recipe book. It's an all-encompassing how-to manual that will give you all the tools you need, along with some serious motivation to make sure your cleanse goes off without a hitch!

I really would LOVE for every single one of you to try this cleanse so you can experience the benefits.

Get the Food Babe Juice Cleanse Guide Here.

After you've completed your cleanse, please send me an email and tell me how it went! I can't wait to hear all about it! Maybe you'll have an incredible experience like Emily did? I'm rooting for ya!

Xo,

Vani


P.S. You can complete the juice cleanse at any time that is personally convenient for you.. next week, next month, or next year.. But pick it up soon so you can read through the materials, go shopping for produce and plan to start soon! Share this email with a friend and schedule a time to do it together - that really makes it a fun and bonding experience! The changing of the season is the perfect time to reset those tastebuds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Friday, September 2, 2016

In-N-Out is using routine antibiotics, tell them to stop: 1-800-786-1000

I have a huge call to action for the Food Babe Army today. Please take part - it will only take a few minutes and could make a huge difference!

The famous west coast burger chain, In-N-Out Burger gets their meat from Harris Ranch - one the largest concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) on the west coast. Critics call it "cowschwitz" because thousands of cows can be seen crowded and walking in their own excrement. If you've drive on I-5 in central California… you've probably smelled it. I posted a video of what it looks like on Instagram.

CALL TO ACTION: Join me in calling In-N-Out customer service today at 1-800-786-1000 and ask them set a timeline for stopping the routine use of antibiotics ASAP and provide a sustainable grass-fed option.

I am disgusted by these practices! Not to mention the growth hormones, GMOs and antibiotics that the animals are raised with - it is shameful.

I've been working with several consumer advocacy groups on a campaign to get In-N-Out Burger to put a more sustainable grass-fed option on the menu and switch to beef raised without routine antibiotics.

Even if there isn't any antibiotic residue left in the meat, the routine use of antibiotics is creating "antibiotic-resistant bacteria" (a.k.a. superbugs) that are spreading to humans through our air, water, and food. This issue affected my own dad!

In response to our campaign, In-N-Out made headlines stating that they were going to commit to moving away from antibiotics… but they refused to give a timeline or details about their new antibiotics use policy.

It has now been six months and In-N-Out has been silent and has not shown any sign that they are making progress. Do they even have a plan?

We have collectively decided that it is time to turn up the heat on In-N-Out and put on more public pressure to get them to take action… and today we begin!

Many people believe In-N-Out serves higher quality food than other fast food places. It's time to live up to their reputation and stop lagging behind companies like Elevation Burger and Shake Shack who have responsibly decided not to serve meat raised with routine antibiotics or growth hormones.

Switching to sustainable grass-fed beef is one way In-N-Out Burger could meet this requirement and help encourage best management practices for animals.

CALL TO ACTION: Join me in calling In-N-Out customer service today at 1-800-786-1000 and ask them set a timeline for stopping the routine use of antibiotics ASAP.

I am so passionate about this issue because the routine use of antibiotics is irresponsible and puts everyone at risk - even if you don't eat meat or wouldn't touch an In-N-Out Burger with a ten-foot pole!

If you'd like to know more about why this practice needs to stop NOW and could personally affect you and your loved ones - I've written several blog posts about the routine use of antibiotics to raise meat (here, here, here, here).

Please join me in calling In-N-Out Burger today at 1-800-786-1000.

Spread the word! Please share this information with your friends and family on social media and via email. It is going to take the entire Food Babe Army to make this happen!

Let's make some noise and make our voices heard.

Xo,

Vani

 

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.