Read on for the health insights we think everyone should know, as well as our current favorite documentary, book and podcast, to give you some food for thought.
Earth Matters - Health- WK25
The health round-up.
From fibers you can wear to fibers you can eat.
In case you missed it, we made PANGAIA edible in the form of our high-fiber superfood bars. Working with biobased fibers like C-FIBER™, PLNTFIBER™ and FRUTFIBER™ to the upcycled chickpea bran fiber in our Super Super Bars, our ability to create innovative new products often derives from one of nature’s most valuable and diverse resources: plants.
Only 5 percent of people in the US meet the Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily dietary fiber target of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. That amounts to a population-wide deficiency, which nutritionists are calling the "fiber gap”.
Dietary fiber is not to be overlooked during your grocery shop—it’s known as a supernutrient for its ability to improve digestion, reduce inflammation and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Fiber-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes and even some cancers. Are you getting enough?
The health round-up.
Read on for the health insights we think everyone should know, as well as our current favorite documentary, book and podcast, to give you some food for thought.
From fibers you can wear to fibers you can eat.
In case you missed it, we made PANGAIA edible in the form of our high-fiber superfood bars. Working with biobased fibers like C-FIBER™, PLNTFIBER™ and FRUTFIBER™ to the upcycled chickpea bran fiber in our Super Super Bars, our ability to create innovative new products often derives from one of nature’s most valuable and diverse resources: plants.
Only 5 percent of people in the US meet the Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily dietary fiber target of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. That amounts to a population-wide deficiency, which nutritionists are calling the "fiber gap”.
Dietary fiber is not to be overlooked during your grocery shop—it’s known as a supernutrient for its ability to improve digestion, reduce inflammation and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Fiber-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, high cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes and even some cancers. Are you getting enough?
The power of pink.
They don't say "eat the rainbow" for nothing—the spectrum of color in peppers, berries, carrots and leafy greens all work in their own way to benefit plant function while offering valuable health benefits to humans. Plants can offer nourishing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber, all of which benefit our health in different ways.
Numerous studies have confirmed that diets that comprise color diversity, particularly more deeply colored varieties, lead to lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and age-related eye and neurological diseases.
Prickly pear fruit (found in our Super Super Bars), dragon fruit and beetroot contain color pigments called betalains, which not only give them their pink appearance but have also been shown to lower inflammation, detoxify the body and prevent the chances of premature aging. Betalains are also antioxidants and can help to promote anti-cancer activity. It’s time for all of us to think pink.
The power of pink.
They don't say "eat the rainbow" for nothing—the spectrum of color in peppers, berries, carrots and leafy greens all work in their own way to benefit plant function while offering valuable health benefits to humans. Plants can offer nourishing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber, all of which benefit our health in different ways.
Numerous studies have confirmed that diets that comprise color diversity, particularly more deeply colored varieties, lead to lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and age-related eye and neurological diseases.
Prickly pear fruit (found in our Super Super Bars), dragon fruit and beetroot contain color pigments called betalains, which not only give them their pink appearance but have also been shown to lower inflammation, detoxify the body and prevent the chances of premature aging. Betalains are also antioxidants and can help to promote anti-cancer activity. It’s time for all of us to think pink.
Watch. Read. Listen.
Fantastic Fungi
If you haven’t watched this mesmerizing Netflix documentary yet, you’ll be blown away by the magical world of fungi, from mushrooms that clear oil spills to underground fungal networks that help trees communicate. You’ll never look at a mushroom the same way again.
Braiding Sweetgrass
Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. This book will give you a newfound appreciation for the generosity of the earth and inspire you to ponder what gifts you can give back.
Your Gut Is Also A Brain
This episode from the essential podcast Stuff You Should Know explains how your digestive tract does so much more than processing food and nutrients. With hundreds of trillions of bacteria that live in your gut telling your brain what to do, the phrase “gut feelings” makes so much sense.
Watch. Read. Listen.
Fantastic Fungi
If you haven’t watched this mesmerizing Netflix documentary yet, you’ll be blown away by the magical world of fungi, from mushrooms that clear oil spills to underground fungal networks that help trees communicate. You’ll never look at a mushroom the same way again.
Braiding Sweetgrass
Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. This book will give you a newfound appreciation for the generosity of the earth and inspire you to ponder what gifts you can give back.
Your Gut Is Also A Brain
This episode from the essential podcast Stuff You Should Know explains how your digestive tract does so much more than processing food and nutrients. With hundreds of trillions of bacteria that live in your gut telling your brain what to do, the phrase “gut feelings” makes so much sense.