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Plant vs Meat Protein

By Tamara Kung, ND

The growing awareness of plant-based meals coupled with our long history of enthusiasm for protein is coming to an apparent clash and leaving us wondering how are we supposed to get enough quality protein on just plants!

Before we get into that, let’s get some context regarding how much protein we should have for optimal health.

In 1890, the USDA recommended 110 g of protein per day for working men. The drive for protein peaked in the 1950’s when the United Nations declared that “deficiency of protein in the diet is the most serious and widespread problem in the world.” because of a prevailing condition called Kwashiorkor disease. 

However, there’s no real evidence of prolific dietary protein deficiency in Westernized countries. Our most pressing health problems, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, pain, migraines, are not a result of protein deficiency, yet we continue to fixate on this single nutrient. 

So a revision of protein guidelines was reduced from 110 grams to an average of 42 grams per day, or to be more accurate, 0.8-0.9 grams /kg ( 0.36 g per lb). This is according to the current recommended daily intake guidelines to avoid sickness and deficiency. 

Females by Age GroupTotal Grams of Protein Per Day
9-13 years 34
14-18 years46
19+ years46
Males by Age GroupTotal Grams of Protein Per Day
9-13 years 34
14-18 years52
19+ years56

But we want to do better than just avoiding sickness. We want to thrive and make sure we are achieving levels that optimize our health, fitness, and well-being. 

Many of us are in fact consuming more than what we need to just survive as found by one of the largest studies on nutrient amounts in varying diets. Observing over 70,000 individuals, researchers gathered the data to see how much of each nutrient omnivores were getting compared to their spectrum of vegetarian counterparts. 

Regarding protein intake, they found that omnivores get way more than the recommended 42g, almost doubling that… and so does everyone else. 

Vegetarians and vegans were also found to get 70% more total protein than recommended. 

We can see omnivores and their vegetarian and vegan counterparts are achieving more than the minimum daily intake. In fact, just less than three percent of adults don’t meet protein requirements, and these are typically severely ill and malnourished individuals. A whopping 97% of adults easily meet their total protein needs so to worry about not getting enough may not be as pressing of a problem as we originally thought.

Side note: What 97% of adults are deficient in is fiber, consuming less than the recommended 30 grams per day. A focus on increasing fiber intake can move the needle in terms of improving longevity and increasing the number of healthy years lived. Plant rich diets contain significantly less fat, cholesterol, fewer microbial and parasitic infections than omnivorous diets, while at the same time providing more fiber, folate, vitamin C, and antioxidants in addition to protein. All of which are essential for preventing disease and supporting optimal health and longevity 

It should be noted that there is no upper limit set for our macronutrient guides because we are lacking the data here. But omission of upper limits doesn’t mean it’s safe to have overly high amounts for extended periods of time. We can only absorb 25-40 g of protein per meal, so overdoing it can also lead to unused protein.

A study conducted by Harvard followed 130,000 people over 32 years and found that the amount of protein didn’t translate to health, rather it’s the quality. 

Complete vs. Incomplete proteins 

So what are quality proteins? Animal protein has been touted as a complete source of all nine essential amino acids (protein’s building blocks), and therefore historically ranked superior to plant sources. 

Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids and include:

  • Fish
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Pork
  • Beef
  • Dairy
  • Whole sources of soy (edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso)
  • Quinoa
  • Chia seeds

Incomplete proteins contain some but not all amino acids:

  • Legumes (peas, lentils, beans)
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Whole grains (wild rice, farro, rye, spelt)
  • Vegetables! (Spinach – remember Popeye? Avocado, asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli)

We can see from this chart below that essential amino acids can be found in a variety of plant foods as well. 

If you’re eating a variety of protein foods, chances are, you don’t need to give this a second thought. Enjoying a rotating repertoire of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds will cover your needs.

Plus, our cells are continuously breaking old parts down and recycling usable components – like amino acids, and combining them with the nutrients we take in. This means we don’t need to eat complete proteins with each meal, rather a variety on a consistent basis will do us just fine.

The science is showing that it’s the source, rather than the amount of protein that makes a difference in our health. This is referred to as the protein package because food comes not in isolate. What’s included in the package are carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants.

Red meat is packaged with saturated fat, sodium, and zero fiber, minimal antioxidants and is linked with increased risk for heart disease and stroke. While swapping out for plant proteins such as soybeans, lentils, legumes, nuts, fish or poultry reduce these risks. Similar studies show this is also true for diabetes, cancer, weight gain, bone health, and premature death. 

This is because of the protein package idea. Plant proteins are packaged with unsaturated fat which lowers LDL cholesterol, has no cholesterol, plenty of fiber, and plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All great health protectors!

The takeaway here is straight forward. There is little danger of a protein deficiency on a plant-based diet, as long as you enjoy a variety and have a rotating repertoire of different lentils, beans, with your stews or curries, or whole grains with your meals, seeds and nuts with your salads, you’re covered!

If you are planning on eating less meat and more veggies and are not certain of how to make sure you are getting the protein quality, talk with a nutrition professional to make sure. Your body, performance and health will thank you.

Reference:

Nutrition Today – The Family of dietary fibers: dietary variety for maximum benefit 

Comparison of nutritional quality of vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, Nutrients, 2014

Nutrient profiles of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dietary patterns Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics  2013

Srikanthan P, Karlamangla AS. Muscle mass index as a predictor of longevity in older adults. Am J Med. 2014;127(6):547-553. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.02.007

Public Health Nutrition , Volume 8 , Issue 6a , September 2005 , pp. 701 – 705

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/PHN2005766

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables/reference-values-macronutrients-dietary-reference-intakes-tables-2005.html

Protein

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096

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Are Artificial Sweeteners Causing Big Problems?

By Tamara Kung, ND

Sugar is bad, so artificial sweeteners without all the extra calories must be good, right??

Let’s look at the facts to improve our understanding of this critical area of nutrition. It’s important to first understand how insulin works and how added sweeteners affect it.

Insulin is your growth and storage hormone (“Hormone of Abundance”) and it allows your body to either use sugar (glucose) for energy, or to store it (fat) for when our intake of energy is low. Our body isn’t good at multitasking, so when it’s storing, it’s NOT burning. This is imbalance number one and why weight gain happens when we have too much fuel of certain types.

Insulin is triggered most by processed foods because they contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and simple carbohydrates like white flour. A diet rich in processed foods can lead to Insulin resistance which occurs when our cells no longer respond to overly repetitive signalling of insulin. This means cells won’t open their doors to let blood sugar (energy) in, thereby keeping our blood sugars elevated.

Picture This:

  • Imagine insulin to be the kids who ring your doorbell to trick or treat. If that doorbell keeps ringing after Halloween, that will get annoying, and you will eventually stop opening the door. 
  • Your cells do the same. If insulin is always around, ringing your cell’s door (ie. eating sugar/artificially sweetened foods or drinks regularly), your cells will ignore it and become insulin resistant.
  • In response, your body will increase the amount of insulin (more doorbell rings), and increased insulin drives the development of diabetes, and other diseases related to weight gain.

When people are in this state, the first step is to take a break from insulin-triggering foods and curb the cravings so our cells can become more sensitive to insulin. Less insulin means less time storing fat and promoting energy production and growth. Less insulin means more time burning fat. 

Now that you have the basics of insulin, let’s look at artificial sweeteners specifically.

When we consume artificial sweeteners, insulin still goes up despite not having any actual sugar calories coming in. This is because our bodies are smart, and our taste buds sense sweetness which signals our gut to prepare for sugar. The insulin spike from artificial sweeteners causes our body to store blood sugar in our cells, and this can lead to low blood sugar. Low blood sugar can, in turn, make us feel weak, hungry, or even hangry.  That’s why people who consume diet sweeteners can eat more, and feel less satiated and thus, overconsume. 

The studies on artificial sweeteners are starting to come in due to the increased use and interest in their long-term effects. Here are two incredible examples.

One study divided volunteers into four groups who had the same diet for over six months, except for the following differences:

Group 1 = A litre of sugared soda a day

Group 2 = A litre of diet soda per day

Group 3 = A litre of milk per day

Group 4 = A litre of water per day

  • The soda group gained 22 lbs, the diet soda group gained 3.5 lbs, the milk group stayed the same, the water group lost 4.5 lbs. 

A gain of 3.5lbs is better than 22lbs, but why did they still gain weight without the extra calories? And why did the milk group not gain any weight despite having the same number of calories as sugary soda? It has to do with insulin, meaning diet sweeteners still cause an insulin release, while the lactose and fat in milk, didn’t. In a follow-up study, they took diet soda drinkers and switched them to only water, and they lost another 6 lbs. Both diet soda and water contain no sugar, so why did their weight change? You guessed it, insulin! The sweet taste alone can stimulate appetite and insulin release which drives fat storage. 

The second study was long-term and followed 918 women for 7 years to better understand the regular consumption of artificially sweetened beverages (ASB). The study found that artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy can affect the birth size and increase the risk that a child will be overweight/ obese by seven years of age. 

  • Specifically, there was almost a two-fold increase of overweight/obese children seven years later in the mothers who drank ASB daily while pregnant (compared to mothers who never did).  
  • The study also looked at the difference when mothers substituted their regular sodas for diet sodas (with the hope of making a healthier choice), but the results didn’t show any significant reduction in risk in childhood overweight/ obesity. 
  • There was a reduced risk in mothers who substituted sugar sweetened beverages for water! 

Diet sweeteners also change the composition of the microbiome in your gut, shifting the balance from good to bad bacteria. Studies have shown that this leads to glucose intolerance and may contribute to leaky gut, inflammation, and increased deposition of visceral fat, driving metabolic syndrome. The research is starting to come out, but many studies still need to be done on this topic so stay tuned!

The bottom line is, the impact of hyper-sweet, sugary or artificially sweetened food is negative for our health. This is especially true for our children because their taste buds become groomed to crave intensely sweet foods. No longer will a juicy peach, or flavourful strawberries satisfy them as their taste buds will be too ‘numb’ if exposed to hyper-sweet tastes too often. For adults, it’s not too late! Our taste buds can change completely in as little as 10 days if we let them.  Water is your ultimate beverage, and fruit, nature’s candy, has your back since they are packed with a bounty of antioxidants and fibre to nourish and give you health in return for a sweet treat. 

More research is needed, but the early message is clear. Trust real food and you will avoid these insulin high jacking sweetener issues.

Health Reports: Added, free and total sugar content and consumption of foods and beverages in Canada. (2020). Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2020010/article/00002-eng.htm

Harvard Health Publishing. Artificial sweeteners. sugar free, but at what cost. Retrieved from

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030

Yang, Q. (2010). Gain weight by ‘going diet?’ Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 83(2): 101-8. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/pdf/yjbm_83_2_101.pdf

Purdue University. The study of soft drinks including diet sodas contributes to increased sugar intake and calorie consumption in children. Retrieved from:

https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/2019/05/study-soft-drinks-including-diet-sodas-contribute-to-increased-sugar-intake-and-total-calorie-consumption-in-children/

Ruiz-Ojeda FJ, Plaza-Díaz J, Sáez-Lara MJ, Gil A. Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials [published correction appears in Adv Nutr. 2020 Mar 1;11(2):468]. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(suppl_1):S31-S48. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy037. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363527/

Tandel KR. Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits. J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2011;2(4):236-243. doi:10.4103/0976-500X.85936. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198517/

Zhu Y, Olsen SF, Mendola P, et al. Maternal consumption of artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy, and offspring growth through 7 years of age: a prospective cohort study. Int J Epidemiol. 2017;46(5):1499-1508. doi:10.1093/ije/dyx095. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5837735/

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More Plants = Health

More Plants = Health!

The title of this is an obvious fact. I’m sure that 100% of adults are aware of this. So why do we have such a hard time getting more fruits and vegetables into our diet?

There are two main reasons. Convenience and taste.

The first is just a function of our modern lives, filled with busyness that didn’t exist 50 years ago. We want or need, to save time anyway we can, and sometimes that means sacrificing nutrition for convenience.

Taste is the second reason. For most people, if they are hungry and there is a bowl of raw carrots beside a bowl of chips, most would choose the chips because our taste buds have been trained to crave those foods. You’ve been tricked over the years by very crafty manufacturers and now our taste buds are just looking for the ‘overdrive’ option and have a very difficult time ‘tasting’ natural foods.

This is the ‘why’ behind our lack of fruits and veggies. I’m sure you are not surprised.

Recent research underscores the importance of why more fruit and vegetables, and less processed foods and meats, can lead to better health outcomes. An August 2021 paper in the Journal of the American Heart Association identifies a diet rich in plants and with fewer animal products, showing a 52% lower rate of developing cardiovascular diseases. This was a thirty-year study with almost 5000 participants so the data is really good.

Knowing that your tastebuds have been hijacked by manufacturers using salt, sugar and fat, and that time is limited so we search for convenience, we can start to make some small changes…just for a start. Add on the hard facts that Plants = Health, literally, and we have a great foundation to make some change.

This is the action part. If you made it this far in this article, you know what you need to do. Now is the time to take one action (or more) to make a change.

My advice is to make it ridiculously simple. If you typically buy lunch, instead of a sandwich, go for a wrap with lots of veggies in it. Or go for a very tasty and substantial salad. This is a really easy way to introduce way more veggies into your diet.

This is one example of many, but the key is, make it really easy for yourself and over time, you will start to take back control of your tastebuds, and you’ll make more time for eating better. These positive habits build on one another.

Happy fruit and veggie eating!

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How to Strengthen Your Immune System: The Deep Dive

Our immune system is composed of a robust front-line defence team. Our white blood cells and proteins called antibodies, all form an alliance to protect our body from foreign invaders. The immune system, after our nervous system, is the most complex organ system in the human body! So it’s important to understand what it takes to keep our immune system supercharged, so you can implement these tips on a routine basis. 

 “Evolution has arranged that we take pleasure in understanding – those who understand are more likely to survive.” – Carl Sagan

 Our body’s defence against infection is composed of two components.

 Your First Layer of Defence – Innate Immunity

  • Skin acts is a defense barrier
  • Mucus traps invaders 
  • Stomach acid destroys invaders
  • Enzymes in sweat have antibacterial compounds

First and foremost, we need to stay hydrated. If we can keep our skin healthy, strong and intact, we’ve got a huge advantage in blocking anything from entering our body. Dried-up skin lacking in hydration cracks, and those cracks are direct openings into our body, giving outside bugs a free pass to slip on through.  

Hydration is also important in producing mucus, especially in our nose, mouth, and gut. If the mucus is dried up, or too thick, it doesn’t coat our mouth and nose effectively, and bugs have another easy way in. Especially since the skin in our nose and mouth are very thin. 

Stomach acid and enzymes also help in the defence system, and remaining hydrated helps both of those mechanisms.

Eight glasses of water are what is typically recommended, but to get more specific, read our article here on how to calculate your water intake. Remember, 20% of our daily water intake comes from our food, so enjoy your favourite fruits and veggies on a daily basis!

Second Line of Defence – Acquired Immunity 

  • White blood cells like neutrophils engulf pathogens (think pacman). 
  • Natural killer cells (another type of white blood cell) help put our cells out of misery if they become cancerous or infected with a virus.
  • Specialized white blood cells called B cells make proteins called antibodies. 
  • Antibodies bind to invaders and can deactivate them, tag them for our natural killers to easily recognize and destroy, or coat them in a gooey coating, preventing them from invading our cells. 

Our mucus membranes line our mouth, entire digestive tract, lungs, reproductive and urinary systems, inside breast glands, and even on our eyeballs. That’s a lot of surface area! In fact, our gut alone covers the size of half a badminton court (40 square meters, vs. skin at 2 square meters). So we’ve got a lot of surface area for infection exposure, and our mucosal layer is only one cell layer thick. Meaning we need to have a very effective defence team. 

Luckily, we have our A-Team. Our mucosal membranes contain the antibodies Immunoglobulin A (or IgA). In a study, researchers found that those who ate cooked white button mushrooms every day for one week boosted their IgA production by 53% compared to those who did not have any mushrooms. In week two, this group stopped eating mushrooms yet sustained the benefit, and their IgA production measured at 56% higher than the control group, meaning the benefits were maintained for one week (but by week 3, the mushroom group fell back to baseline). 

Boosting your A-Team’s numbers by incorporating mushrooms into your routine diet seems like an effective way to prevent foreign invaders from getting into our bodies. This study used regular button mushrooms, but there are others out there that can be even more helpful. Shiitake, oyster, maitake, and lion’s mane can be found in grocery stores and make delicious meals. Medicinal mushrooms for immune support also include chaga and turkey tail.

Check out this simple immune-boosting Mushroom & Bok Choy Miso Soup Recipe.

Last but not least, know that a healthy mucosal layer rests on top of your gut. This is where keeping our guts healthy can be one of the biggest players in our immune health. A healthy gut is able to produce antibodies and also houses 20% of our immune system fighters. 

This is where a warm hearty cup of bone broth comes in handy. Easy to enjoy as is, or incorporate into any soup, stew, or curry dish! Bone broth can help keep your gut lining intact, as it is packed with proteins and collagen which are building blocks for your gut. There are also vitamins and minerals in bones which can help give your body an extra boost, but I often recommend adding vegetables when making your broth. This is an even bigger source of viable vitamins and minerals. Vegetables like garlic and ginger have their own anti-microbial properties (as do many herbs and spices), so don’t be afraid to flavour it up! 

A recipe for your own homemade bone broth can be found here. If accessible, try to get your bones from healthy animals (ie. grass-fed beef, antibiotic and hormone-free chicken). Talk with local butchers in your area to understand the quality of the food you are purchasing. 

BONUS NOTE:

Lymph helps transport antibodies and our immune cells throughout our body. Our lymph system is like a mirror of our circulatory system, a network of vessels and nodes. Unlike our circulatory system, however, it doesn’t have the heart to move the fluid around. Instead, our lymphatic system lies just under our skin’s surface and next to our muscles. This is one reason movement/muscle contraction can be so helpful in preventing us from getting sick. It helps us circulate our defence team. Another way we can help this process is by dry brushing, or for the brave – hot and cold showers!

Chronic inflammation resulting from sleep deprivation, regular intake of processed foods, fatty liver disease, or in our joints as (arthritis) can divert our immune system’s attention. This means we don’t have the full force to fight off infection and foreign invaders and this is why we can get sick more easily if we have underlying inflammation.

Check out our video on anti-inflammatory foods to find out how to reduce chronic inflammation so your protective force can focus its strength on keeping you from catching any infections!

Here’s to supercharging your immune system this fall!

Reference:

Nutrition and Immunity

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/research/advancements-in-research/fundamentals/in-depth/the-gut-where-bacteria-and-immune-system-meet

Dietary Intake of Agaricus bisporus White Button Mushroom Accelerates Salivary Immunoglobulin A Secretion in Healthy Volunteers

https://europepmc.org/article/med/22113068

The Role of Gut Microbiota in Immune Homeostasis and Autoimmunity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3337124/

Surface Area of the Digestive Tract Much Smaller than Previously Thought

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140423111505.htm

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Better Mornings – Berry Beet Smoothie Bowl

Beets are a vegetable containing a natural source of dietary nitrates which, as a vasodilator, have a positive effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Try this great smoothie recipe and feel the benefits.

2 servings; 10 min prep time

Notes:

Protein Boost:

Add your favourite protein powder to kick up the muscle-building properties.

Raw vs Cooked Beets: 

Depending on the strength of your blender, cooking your beet first (via steaming, which is fastest, or roasting) can make it smoother.

Topping Ideas:

Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mango, chia seeds, ground flax, hemp seeds, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, bee pollen, or shredded coconut.

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Gut Health For Your Mental Health

The second most important structure in your body for mental health!

Tamara Kung, ND

Many of us are looking for ways to boost our brains to support mental health as well as to prevent neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. 

But did you know that you may have an untapped source of treating the root cause of many mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and dementia? That source is in your gut!

Science is paving the way in understanding the role of what they call our ‘second brain’, the microbiome. The microbiome consists of trillions of microbes that live within our gut, and studies are showing that it can influence our mental health, and risk for chronic diseases.  The latest science is just scratching the surface on how our microbiome can be your heavy hitter in boosting our mood, keeping us calm, motivated and focused. 

Scientists have discovered that 90% of our serotonin (happiness neurotransmitters) and 50% of dopamine (motivation/ reward neurotransmitters) are actually produced by our microbiome by 39-100 trillion microbes that live within us!  With this new understanding we are starting to appreciate how mental illness like anxiety and depression emerge when our gut is not healthy. 

The old thought is that upstairs is your brain, the center in command, and downstairs is your gut responsible for… processing food and making waste. We previously thought of these two as unrelated organs. What we are learning is that the connection between the two is impressive. Both are in constant, rapid, communication, hooked together by five hundred million neurons that form the longest nerve in your body – the vagus nerve. It carries five times more nerves than you’ll find in your spinal cord. This is a superhighway, and our bodies evolved this way for a reason.

Scientists are learning that brain health and gut health are totally intertwined. The magic is in gut microbes, and mainly gut bacteria and their by-products (ie. serotonin, dopamine, and anti-inflammatory molecules) which communicate and protect our brain.

Your Inner Rainforest

So how can we make sure we keep our guts healthy, and our microbiome working to protect us? Think of it this way – your microbiome is like your inner rainforest. It thrives when it maintains its diversity, just like any forest who’s inhabitants all contribute to a healthy and resilient ecosystem. We’ve got trillions of microbes, and their favorite food that helps them grow healthy and strong is… fiber!

Unfortunately the Standard American Diet (SAD) is seriously lacking in fiber. On top of this, nutrition information is heavily skewed to focus on the macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Fiber is too often forgotten because we think that it’s just something that helps us poop. We think it is not digested or absorbed, and that our human cells don’t use it – so we disregard its function. This leads to behaviours that ultimately do us harm. Did you know less than 5% of North Americans reach their minimum daily intake of fiber?  Beans and lentils for example are not often regularly consumed in North America, while highly processed grains in which most of the fiber has been stripped away is the majority – especially in breakfasts, and snacks. 

So here is your big takeaway – understand that you are composed of more microbes than human cells, at a ratio of 10:1. This means you are actually more microbe than human, and our microbes love to eat fiber. They are the ones using it, digesting, absorbing and making by-products like neurotransmitters and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Just like any ecosystem, the health of the entire organism, our body and mind, depends on the symbiotic relationships that support the health of all parties (human and microbe). Ideally we want a bountiful amount of diverse microbes to generate their helpful by-products which our body uses to thrive. So let’s shift our focus from just human cells, so we can take care of our ecosystem, our inner rainforest, and utilize this astounding, untapped source of health that’s internally generated and sustainable!

Some fiber rich meal examples:

  • Lentil curries with your favorite greens
  • Sweet potato noodles with ginger tempeh and kimchi
  • Seeded crackers, or red pepper boats with avocado and sauerkraut
  • Farro in salads
  • Artichoke hearts with your whole grain pasta

Fiber Fueled

The ecosystem within you depends on you. Every bite you take influences who thrives, and who dies. The good bacteria can make serotonin & dopamine for you, and help quench inflammation, but only if we feed them their favorite meal which is fiber. There are also bad bacteria, and they are connected with the production of inflammation, obesity, chronic disease. Not surprisingly, they love processed foods, refined sugars, and alcohol. So when we eat, we want to be considerate, and know that we’re not just eating for one, we’re eating for trillions, 39-100 trillion to be exact. 

Tamara Kung, ND, Book An Appointment!

Reference: