Want to Save the Planet? 'Break Boundaries' at Home

Netflix documentary, Breaking Boundaries, has been criticized as another over-the-top and scary climate change film. But at its core, the message is simple – 'Be the Earth's Conscience.' But what does that mean, and how can I personally make a difference?

Climate Change, Conservation

White Fat's Effect on Chronic Illness

Our bodies need fat to function, but some types of fat are better than others. Research has found several factors that affect the conversion of white to brown fat. This discovery can change our treatments for chronic issues like obesity and diabetes, as well as improve our health.

Health

Serving Up Sustainability at Fast Food Restaurants

Fast-food chains have started to go public with their sustainability initiatives, but how are these efforts regulated? And are we willing to pay more for “greener” fast food? Experts in the space help us take a bite out of this topic.

Animal Welfare and Health, Soil and Crop Management

7 Things to Know about Indoor Farming

There have been some big headlines lately regarding vertical farming. What is vertical farming, and what do we need to know about it?

Soil and Crop Management

Postbiotics: You Are What You Digest

You've probably heard of probiotics, but what about postbiotics? And what role do these components play in the relationship between our gut and our immune system? It turns out - a big one...

Health

Covid's Effect on New Tech in Our Food System

Innovations in e-grocery services have made our lives easier, safer, and more efficient, but have also permanently impacted our food supply chains. How can these emerging technologies help transform our new food system?

Food Production, Food Technology, Food Trade

Regenerative Ag: The New ‘Sustainable’

Regenerative agriculture is a system of farming practices that promises to reduce the impact of carbon emissions. Each farming operation differs not only in the application of these practices but in their measurement process.

Agricultural Technology, Soil and Crop Management

Blue Zones: Long & Healthy Living

We all want to live long, healthy, happy lives…but how? “Blue Zones” are regions where populations live longer and healthier than the rest of the world. So what can we learn from them to improve our health?

Food Regulations and Policy, Health

Functional Water: All fun, no function?

Marketing can obscure our sense of good science, especially at the grocery store. Let’s get to the bottom of what functional waters can achieve...and what they really can’t.

Diet, Health

Will New Wheat and Barley Genomes Help Feed the World?

Scientists have discovered a new genetic variation in both barley and wheat through genetic sequencing. This global effort to breed higher-yielding crops can help feed a growing population.

Agricultural Technology, Food Production, Future of Food

Nootropics: How to Eat for a Better Brain

What if you could think better, faster, and have a stronger memory? Nootropics, found in foods and supplements, are believed to have a positive effect on our mental capabilities and brain health. Let’s see how they work and find some natural sources.

Diet, Health

Protein Quality: Animal vs. Plant-based

Recent films and fantastical food documentaries have confounded us about proteins by vilifying meat and painting a story of plants as the superior source. Are you as confused as we are? Let’s see what the science says about the quality of plant vs. animal protein.

Diet, Health

Are We Eating Away our Covid Fears?

COVID-19 has reshaped many things about our daily habits, including how we eat. So are we snacking more because we’re home all the time, or we’re stressed out, or a bit of both? And will these seemingly inconsequential shifts in our eating behavior affect our long-term health?

Diet, Health

Cortisol: Our Body's Stress Response

As stress levels rise from Covid and school reopenings, so do our cortisol levels. And too much can cause weight gain, high-blood pressure, diabetes, and insomnia. But don't fear: our diet can help manage these levels.

Health

How to Lend Your Support During COVID

Looking for meaningful ways to help those affected by the pandemic? Check out our curated list of relief funds and volunteer programs, as well as small gestures while you shop, dine, and post on social media that go a surprisingly long way.

Food Security

A Vitamin D-lemma: Sunscreen vs. Healthy Sun Exposure

How can we get our much-needed vitamin D while protecting our bodies from the sun and potentially harmful chemicals in sunscreens?

Health

Do I Eat it if I Can’t Pronounce It?

We are told that steering clear of scary-sounding ingredients is a simple, healthy way to avoid potentially toxic chemicals. But it’s important now more than ever to understand how food can affect us, because myths like this bolster unneeded fear during an anxious time.

Food Ingredients, Health

What's happening at our local grocers during COVID-19?

We have a bunch of questions about changes in product demand, managing supplier channels, and maintaining employee safety during this fragile time. So we turned to a local Midwest grocer for their insights...

Food Production, Food Safety

Boosting Your Health with Mushrooms

Boost your immune system during COVID-19 with your diet. Mushrooms can strengthen your immunity, while also improving brain health and inhibiting cancer growth.

Food Ingredients, Health

Personalized Nutrition & Our Unique Health Needs

Which foods are best for you? Personalizing your diet can optimize your health and prevent illnesses like cancer and obesity. These programs create customized diets based on our personal data...but do they really work?

Diet, Health

Superfoods: Super Healthy or Super Hype?

Blueberries, kale, and chia seeds are examples of "superfoods" -- magical foods believed to make us instantly healthier and stronger while getting rid of toxins. But can superfoods actually deliver? Or are we just being fooled?

Food Ingredients, Health

Comparing Traditional & Alternative Burgers

Plant-based burgers are popping up everywhere! And while we've heard about their positive impact on our planet, what about the nutritional value? What are the differences between alt meat, beef, and veggie burgers?

Food Ingredients, Health

Manuka Honey: Life Changer or Money Waster?

Manuka honey’s antibacterial properties are said to help cure everything from wounds to tooth decay and even infections from cystic fibrosis. Can this supposed superfood really provide relief from these ailments?

Food Ingredients, Health

Electromagnetic Fields: Protecting Yourself through Nutrition

Did you know the devices we depend on all day emit electromagnetic fields? We're taking a look at what these fields do to our bodies and which foods help us combat any ill effects.

Health

#CeleryJuice: Based on Facts or Followers?

What is the deal with celery juice? How did it become a viral sensation overnight? Is its rapid gain in popularity attributed to any scientific research, or is this an example of society's demand for quick fixes and social acceptance?

Diet, Food Ingredients, Health

The MIND Diet: Healthy Eating for a Healthy Brain

Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s. That means that in the time it takes you to read this article, five people will have developed the disease. Alarming? Yes, but what if there was a diet that could help slow cognitive decline by targeting brain protective foods that combat the causes of dementia-related diseases?

Diet, Health

Coming Soon to Your Favorite Foods: The New Nutrition Facts Label

After 25 years, the nutrition facts panel is getting an update! Many businesses have already converted to the new label, which begs the question: what changes have been made and what do they mean to me?

Health

California Megafires and the Effects on Agriculture

Animal Welfare and Health, Food Production, Soil and Crop Management

Ban Salmonella From Your Thanksgiving Table!

Food Safety