Issue #236: The Power of Plants
Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 7th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: The Power of Plants
Speed Read: Combating Sleep Deprivation
Thursday Night In: Shrimp Stir-Fry
“We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture - imagine this - where our kids ask for healthy options instead of resisting them.”
The percentage of Americans who don’t eat the recommended levels of daily dietary fiber - which already less than half of what is ideal. (Source)
From the Lab
Seems like I always buy a ton of fruits and veggies at the story and my kids eat ‘em all up before I have a chance to get any myself.
Don’t cheat yourself out of these superfoods!!
The Right Fuel
When we eat a bunch of fruits and veggies (see Issue #235) we:
Improve our gut health
Reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease
Better manage our eating and weight gain
Potentially lower risk of some cancers
Basically we feel better.
Why?
Fiber - this is the hidden jewel of nutrition. Fiber maintains our blood glucose levels - thus improve our metabolic health.
This is why eating an apple or an orange is totally fine, but drinking that morning cup of OJ (or having your kid take a box of apple juice to school) spikes our blood sugar through the roof - juice has no fiber.
Fiber is basically the cell walls of plants or resistant starches that we can’t really digest. Instead, it becomes food for the 39 trillion bacteria living in our gut. So it’s really a “prebiotic” - creating a healthy gut that’s essential for our own energy and brain health.
There are two types of fiber*:
Soluble
Insoluble
Both play a role in feeding our bacteria and improving our health.
Unfortunately, our current diet doesn’t include much fiber (see Stat of the Day). That’s why it’s critical to eat more of these plants.
Fiber also helps us feel full - so we don’t overeat.
Two studies that show the power of fiber and how much we eat:
Eat an apple 15 min before a meal to, on average, eat 15% fewer calories during that meal.
Include an avocado with our meal to reduce our desire to eat more calories by 28%.
Apparently avocados are nature’s version of Ozempic by lowering our GLP-1 receptor - without the side effects or $1,000 per month price tag.
PRO TIP: Not all fiber is created equal. The refined fiber being promoted on that loaf of multigrain bread can actually be harmful to your gut.
The other big benefit of plants comes from Phytonutrients.
These micronutrients are chemical compounds - things like flavonoids and carotenoids - that help them resist harmful bacteria and fungi in nature. They are also what often give plants their color.
One of these flavonoids is quercetin - found in apples, onions, and broccoli. It not only lowers inflammation in the body, but might be a massive protector of a healthy brain.
Carotenoids are those orange colors - carrots and sweet potatoes - that strengthen our immune system.
So make sure you get your 6+ servings of fruits and veggies.
*Pectin is a specific subset of fiber found in fruits
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Ugh, I Didn’t Sleep Well Last Night: Feeling foggy today? 40% of Americans get less than 7 hours of sleep (Issue #99). The latest research shows recovering from short-term sleep deprivation takes days and it takes months for chronic sleep deprivation. Read more for how to recover. (Big Think)
Et Tu, Paper Cup: So…we thought we were doing good, but it turns out eco-friendly paper cups are still coated with a thin layer of plastic that can seep into the environment if not disposed of properly 🤷🏻♂️. But what is proper disposal? In the UK, only 4% of paper cups are recycled. It’s not just the environment - a 15-min hot water test in India showed paper cups shed 25K particles into the water. Take your Yeti to Starbucks! (WIRED)
How to Have Fun this Fall: Don’t lament the end of summer. Instead celebrate it and incorporate the best parts of summer - being outside, unscheduled time, no-work Fridays into all seasons. And while peaches and strawberries are great, picking apples is a fun tradition, and other fall headliners (potatoes, squash, etc.) help dish up great seasonal cuisine. (WSJ)
Thursday Night In | Shrimp Stir-Fry
This shrimp is a great weeknight dinner with the kids back at school - pretty quick and simple. Get some organic frozen veggies, pair it with some brown rice or udon noodles and enjoy!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.