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Wheat Bran

Wheat bran is the tough outer layer of a wheat grain that has been processed into bran. Also called miller’s bran, wheat bran is commonly found in breakfast cereals like Bran Flakes and Raisin Bran, as well as popular health snacks like bran muffins. It has a sweet (though not especially likeable) taste, and it can easily be purchased in bulk from an organic market or a whole food store, which is great news for people who like to make biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and cookies from scratch using healthier ingredients. Such people should remember to start slow when adding the bran to foods, however, since it can induce diarrhea in those not accustomed to high fiber foods.

As with regular wheat flour, wheat bran should be stored in a refrigerator or vacuum-sealed compartment to prevent rancidity. If the bran tastes bitter, then it is probably rancid and should be discarded regardless of how well it was stored.

Wheat Bran’s Health Benefits

Wheat bran’s health benefits are undisputed, and it remains a well-regarded and popular food amongst natural food researchers. Here is a list of its main benefits: Continue Reading »

Lactose Free Cheese

With lactose intolerance becoming more and more prevalent in Americans, dairy products free from lactose – the enzyme prevalent in milk that causes the digestive problems associated with the intolerance – are becoming a commoner sight on the shelves of whole food stores and even multinational supermarkets. Lactose free cheese (cheese made from lactose free milk) is one of those products.

Lactose free cheese and the foods that contain it, such as lactose free pizzas, cheesecakes, sandwiches, or lasagnes, are typically brand products. In Great Britain, for example, the Lactofree company specializes in lactose free products, whereas LactAid is a popular American alternative. These companies usually make their lactose free products using cows’ milk rather than plant milk, which means that most of their products are not suitable for vegans.

The Health Benefits of Lactose Free Cheese

The great thing about lactose free cheese is that aside from the removal of the lactose enzyme, its health benefits remain identical to those of normal cheese. Therefore, there is no reason for Continue Reading »

What Is Oat Bran?

What is oat bran? Put simply, oat bran (also called cereal bran) is the hard outer layer of an oat grain that has been processed into bran. Commonly used as an additive in baked goods such as muffins, cookies, bread, pancakes, scones, and cereals, the bran is prized by cooks for the robust, nutty flavor and unique texture it brings to food. It is easily purchased in bulk from a whole food store or organic market, which is good news for health enthusiasts whom are looking for an alternative to refined grains.

As with wheat bran and other grain-based foods, oat bran should be stored in a fridge or vacuum-sealed compartment to ensure that it doesn’t become rancid. If your bran starts to taste bitter, then it should be thrown away regardless of how well it was stored, since bitterness is a sign of rancidity.

What Is Oat Bran’s Nutritional Value?

Oat bran has many well-researched health benefits, and it continues to be a popular food amongst health food researchers. Here is a list of its main benefits: Continue Reading »

Natural Laxative Foods

It is no secret that the modern diet, which often consists of large amounts of processed and unnatural food, is taking its toll on the Western world. Obesity, diabetes, and other serious health concerns are becoming international epidemics, and the food we eat is the single biggest reason for it. One other medical condition caused by unhealthy food that often gets overlooked, however, is constipation – the infrequent or irregular evacuation of the bowels. Constipation is caused by intestinal obstruction, which in itself is usually triggered by the consumption of foods that are difficult, or in some cases even impossible, for our bodies to adequately digest.

Fortunately, constipation is quite easy to cure. Nature provides us with a large number of natural laxative foods that can help soften stools and break up internal obstructions. Let’s take a look at the best of those foods now.

A List of Natural Laxative Foods

Blackstrap molasses – The first food we always recommend as a laxative is blackstrap molasses, not just because it is a natural stool softener, but because it also Continue Reading »

Lactose Free Milk

Between thirty and fifty million people in America (one in ten Americans) suffer fr m lactose intolerance, a congenital disorder resulting in an inability to digest milk and milk products due to an absence of sufficient lactase in the body. Because milk contains important nutrients such as calcium and protein, these millions of people are often seeking lactose-free alternatives. Indeed, as lactose intolerance reaches an all-time high in the United States, lactose free milk is ever-increasing in popularity. But what types of lactose free milk are available, and are there any benefits to drinking it?

The Types of Lactose Free Milk Available

If you browse the dairy section of your local whole food store, you might be surprised by the sheer number of milk substitutes – lactose free or otherwise – now available: Almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, hemp milk, oat milk, multigrain milk, and more. Most of these ‘milks’ aren’t actually milk at all, but the juices of the plants from which they are sourced. Real milk comes from Continue Reading »

Buckwheat Flour

Buckwheat flour is a type of flour ground from buckwheat, an annual Asian fruit plant with edible triangular seeds. Popular in East Asian cuisine, buckwheat flour is a nutritious, gluten-free ingredient with a nutty taste that is popular with health food enthusiasts, especially those who are intolerant of, or deliberately avoid, gluten. (That said, gluten intolerant individuals should still be careful when choosing their brand, since buckwheat flour is often made in facilities that process wheat, leading to a possible contamination). The flour is often used to make pancakes, muffins, biscuits, and other desserts.

Buckwheat flour is easily found in natural food stores for often low prices, and it can also be bought online, but bear in mind that its shipping costs might be high due to its weight. It should always be stored in a refrigerator, and will keep fresh for several months. It can remain usable for up to one year if properly stored in an airtight container in a cool location.

Buckwheat Flour’s Health Benefits

Buckwheat flour is considered a nutritious alternative to regular cereal flour, and its popularity in health food circles is continually blossoming. Its well-documented benefits include: Continue Reading »

Natural Yogurt

Natural yogurt is a fermented yogurt free from the processed sugars or sweeteners so commonly found in regular yogurt. A delicious cooling food that contains numerous health benefits, natural yogurt is regularly served with desserts (including fruit desserts) and in East Asian drinks such as lassi. Compared with other health foods, natural yogurt is easily found in supermarkets and multinational chains, and often stands alongside its regular counterparts on the shelves.

Note: It is important to remember, however, that ‘natural’ is not synonymous with ‘organic’ in the food industry; although a yogurt labeled ‘organic’ is likely to be natural, a yogurt labeled ‘natural’ is not necessarily organic. Read our article entitled ‘Natural and Organic Food‘ to learn more about the differences between the two terms.

Natural Yogurt’s Health Benefits

Eating natural yogurt on a regular basis brings a large number of health benefits. Such benefits include the following: Continue Reading »

Black Sesame Seeds

Black sesame seeds, like the more popular white sesame seeds commonly used in Western cooking, are non-hulled, mineral-rich seeds from the sesame plant that originated from India. The black seeds tend to be more aromatic and flavorful than their white counterparts, and they are prized for their high oil content (between 40 and 60% oil per seed). Like all sesame seeds, they are drought-tolerant (sesame plants are considered ‘survivor crops’, insofar as they can survive through extremely testing and deprived conditions), and are considered among the oldest oilseed crops ever harvested by mankind. They have a very long shelf life, and are resistant to rancidity.

Although seldom found in supermarkets, black sesame seeds are easily found in health food stores and local organic markets.

The Health Benefits of Black Sesame Seeds

Black sesame seeds provide us with numerous health benefits. For example: Continue Reading »

Soy Cheese

Soy cheese is a nutrient-rich cheese substitute made from soybean, a species of legume commonly found in East Asia. Unlike normal cheese, which is made from animal milk, soy cheese is made from soy milk (or on rare occasions tofu, which is curdled soymilk). Manufacturers often enhance the taste and texture of the cheese by adding soy protein isolate, oils such as soybean oil or canola, red and green peppers, natural colorings such as carrageenan and guar gum, sea salt, and traditional spices and herbs. Despite being popular with vegans and lactose-intolerant individuals, soy cheese can be difficult to find in supermarkets and other mass retailers, although it is common for natural food stores to supply at least one variety. Indeed, the number of soy cheese choices is growing, and approximately thirteen companies, among them Soyco Foods, White Wave, and Rella Good Cheese, now make it.

The Health Benefits of Soy Cheese

There are a number of benefits to eating cheese made from soy. For example: Continue Reading »

Is Organic Food Better for You?

Despite its continued support by a growing subculture of natural and organic food enthusiasts, the organic food industry in the United States and the rest of the world is still dwarfed by the ever-expanding monopoly held by intensive farmers and the retailers that supply their produce. Consequently, organic food – food grown naturally without the use of chemical agents – is often much more expensive to buy, and harder to find, than non-organic food. While most organic food supporters argue that these sacrifices are worth it, have they really researched the issue in-depth? Is organic food better for you than non-organic food?

Is Organic Food Better for You Than Non-Organic Food?

There are a number of reasons why some people believe organic food is healthier than non-organic food. Their argument is usually one or more of the following three points: Continue Reading »

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