10 Healthy Diet Tips to Keep You On Track All Year

Sticking to healthy eating resolutions can be hard, but there are ways to set yourself up for success. And even if you slip up, it’s okay! Be kind to yourself, and just try to do a little better next time. Here are some of the best tips to keep you on track well into the new year—and beyond.

1. Drink More Water.

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If water were a food, it would be a superfood. It helps digestion, promotes clear skin, acts as an appetite suppressant, and even prevents heart disease, among many other benefits. Some research has even shown that drinking water can speed up metabolism and help you lose weight. Although the whole drink-eight-glasses-a-day advice is now thought to be a myth, it doesn’t hurt, and it’s better than drinking energy drinks, soda, or flavored waters that may contain lots of sweeteners. Stick to filtered tap, and cut it with naturally sweetened fruit juice if you get bored, or try infusing water for low-calorie, unsweetened elixirs like this Green Herb Infusion. At work, keep a large pitcher of water at your desk, so you don’t have to keep getting up to refill your glass.

Hiware 64-Ounce Glass Pitcher with Stainless Steel Lid, $19.45 on Amazon

Make big batches of infused water (or homemade iced tea) in this pitcher to keep you hydrated all day long.

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2. Create a Salad Bar in Your Fridge.

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Buy some produce on a Sunday, then spend a half hour washing, chopping, and storing it in containers in your fridge (Mason jars look cool, but these meal prep containers may be a bit more useful). Make enough salad dressing for the whole week. Then, before work, all you have to do is add greens and assemble for lunch. It’s OK to dress the salad in the morning if you refrigerate it when you get to work (and if the produce is sturdy enough to hold up, of course). Check out these vegetarian blogs to inspire even more veggie-heavy meals for your future rotation.

3. Remember, Color Equals Nutrition.

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It’s a good rule of thumb that the more colorful the food, the more healthy it is. For instance, squash, carrots, spinach, and kiwi are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. White and beige foods like cheese, french fries, white rice, white flour, and white sugar should be eaten in moderation, because they’re either high in saturated or trans fats, or overly processed and lacking in nutritional value. Similarly, when you eat vegetables, leave the skins on if they’re more colorful than the interior (for example, zucchini and cucumber), because that’s where a lot of the vitamins are.

4. Keep a Food Journal.

This serves as a powerful reality check for what you’re truly eating, not what you’d like to think you’re eating. In addition to detailing your diet, you can also write down what is going on in your life in case you fall off the healthy wagon. External stresses often cause us to seek comfort in food: “Divorce paperwork filed: Caramel latte and devil’s food cupcake, 4 p.m.” It’s easier to change behaviors if you first know what causes them—but also recognize that this can be a bad idea for those who struggle with disordered eating (if you do, suspect you might, or know someone who does, visit the National Eating Disorders Association for help and information). The goal is not to obsess over every calorie or make yourself feel bad, but to see an honest snapshot of what you’re consuming, and that can be helpful for many people.

5. Start Swapping.

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Ingredients, that is. It can be hard to overhaul your eating habits all at once, but making many small changes over time is a good method to lasting change. Or it can be a thing that’s nice to do once in a while when you feel like something lighter (or better for the planet as well as for yourself). Think trying non-dairy milk instead of the regular stuff, or cutting some carbs with cauliflower rice. Check out our guide to 13 healthy ingredient swaps and substitutions for lots of other good ideas.

6. Ask, “Would I Eat an Apple?”

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Sometimes it’s hard to tell when you’ve crossed the line from nourishing yourself to overeating. That’s because it takes up to 15 minutes for your brain to receive signals from your digestive system that you’re full. Eating slowly can help (some people recommend using chopsticks to pace yourself), because that gives your brain time to catch up. Also, if you’re unsure, try asking yourself, “Would I eat an apple right now if one was offered to me?” If the answer is no, you’re eating just to eat, not because you’re still hungry. (And occasionally, it might be better to eat an apple instead of some other snack, even if it is plant-based.)

7. When in Doubt, Sauté with Garlic.

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You always hear about how you’re supposed to eat lots of vegetables, seasonal if possible. But often they sit around in your fridge and go bad because you don’t know what to do with them. In a pinch, just chop them up and sauté them with olive oil, garlic, and salt. This works for everything from bok choy to kale to Jerusalem artichokes. If it’s something hard, like broccoli stalks or butternut squash, simply cut the vegetable up really small. Get some of other favorite garlic recipes if you can’t enough of that flavor.

8. Eat Breakfast Every Day.

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Many of us put meals at the bottom of our priority list, leaving us scarfing down a lunch of frozen lasagna while multitasking on the computer or gobbling a granola bar on the morning commute, at best. It’s worth attempting to eat a better breakfast in particular, since it’ll get your day started off right and set the tone for the next several hours. Check out our tips on how to eat a healthy breakfast every day—and consider leaning on technology, too. You can use your Crock-Pot to make Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal that you start before you go to bed so you wake up to a hearty, healthy breakfast. Or, if you rise in time, you can try some Instant Pot breakfast recipes on for size.

9. Bag Half to Go.

Chipotle

When eating out, bag half your meal to go before you even start. Most restaurant portions are too big, so either ask the server to split your order and put half in a to-go box at the beginning, or request a box and do it yourself. Then you won’t be tempted to dig into the second half while it’s sitting in front of you. And you’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day.

10. If It Has a Label, Don’t Eat It.

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It’s the easiest way to be sure you’re getting nutritious food, anyway. Spend less time reading the fine print for calories and grams of fat by eating stuff that has no label. Whole fruits, vegetables, and bulk grains don’t have labels. Foods that haven’t been chopped up, chemically altered, and screwed around with in factories (i.e. processed) have no labels. Even that healthy energy bar you’re buying that costs $3 and the label says is made of dates and nuts—how about just buying some dates and nuts and saving yourself $2?

For more tips, tricks, and healthy recipes, check out our healthy living page.

Related Video: Eight Healthy Goals You Can Actually Stick to In 2019

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10 Healthy Smoothie Ingredients for a Morning Boost

We all know we should be eating more fruits and vegetables, and also eating a healthy breakfast every day—but most of us are lucky if we have enough time to make toast in the morning. Luckily, smoothies are pretty easy. Here are 10 healthy ingredients you can add to your smoothies to give your body an almost effortless boost at breakfast time.

Oster Pro 1200 Blender with Glass Jar, Smoothie Cup, and Food Processor Attachment, $78.99 on Amazon

Smoothies are ready in a flash with the right blender—and this one includes a portable cup so you can take yours straight out the door.

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1. Flax Seeds

Try Them In This: Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie

Taste Love & Nourish

High in omega-3 fatty acids, they’re great for heart health. They are also easily ground—adding a teaspoon to, say, Taste Love & Nourish’s Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie recipe won’t affect flavor or texture.

2. Greek Yogurt

Try It In This: Cherry Bakewell Protein Smoothie

The Road to Less Cake

Not only filled with good bacteria for your gut but also chock-full of protein, so it’ll help keep you satisfied all morning long. Try it in The Road to Less Cake’s Cherry Bakewell Protein Smoothie recipe.

3. Berries

Try Them In This: Metabolism Boosting Berry Smoothie

Kenko Kitchen

Adding a punch of antioxidants and vitamin C from fresh berries to your breakfast smoothie is sure to give your immune system a boost. Start your day right with Kenko Kitchen’s Metabolism Boosting Berry Smoothie recipe.

4. Bananas

Try Them In This: “Stress Buster” Orange Smoothie

Simple Healthy Kitchen

The flavor of a banana can mask the non-breakfast-y flavor of grassy or vegetal smoothie additives like spinach and avocado, and banana carbs can yield a filling liquid meal. Check it out in Simple Healthy Kitchen’s “Stress Buster” Orange Smoothie recipe.

5. Honey

Try It In This: Raspberry Orange Smoothie

Peanut Butter & Peppers

Sweeten naturally with honey instead of refined sugar—it’s better for you and you won’t feel that sugar crash halfway through the morning. Peanut Butter & Peppers’ Raspberry Orange Smoothie recipe is a great four-ingredient breakfast that highlights this natural sweetener.

6. Ginger

Try It In These: Tropical Groove Smoothies

My New Roots

Adding a thumbnail-size piece of fresh ginger is the perfect immune booster when you feel a cold coming on. Try it in My New Roots’ Tropical Groove Smoothies recipe.

7. Avocado

Try It In This: Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie

Food Faith Fitness

Full of healthy, heart-promoting omega-3 fatty acids, avocado blends perfectly into the Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie recipe from Food Faith Fitness.

8. Leafy Greens

Try Them In This: The Green Drink

The First Mess

Try adding a handful of spinach or kale to a smoothie for a boost of iron. Fresh fruit can mask the flavor, and you’ll reap the benefits of vegetables without having to face a plateful. The Green Drink recipe from The First Mess is a good place to start.

9. Apple

Try It In This: Holiday Detox Green Apple Smoothie

Pinch of Yum

There’s a reason the adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” has stuck around for so long. Apples have been linked to prevention against numerous diseases. Try one in Pinch of Yum’s Holiday Detox Green Apple Smoothie recipe.

10. Chia Seeds

Try Them In This: Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie

Jar of Lemons

They’re for more than making a childhood pet grow! Chia seeds are packed with fiber and protein so they help you feel full. Load up in Jar of Lemons’ Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie recipe.

For more tips, tricks, and healthy recipes, check out our healthy living page.

Related Video: How to Make a Raspberry Date Smoothie

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

Shelly Westerhausen is the founder of Vegetarian Ventures, a food blog that focuses on planet-based recipes and healthy eating habits. In her free time, you can find her rocking a wolf T-shirt, sipping on hibiscus tea, and working on her magazine, Driftless.

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The Best Frozen Pizzas You Can Order Online for the Super Bowl

Chances are if you order a cheese pizza from a chain or the neighborhood joint on Super Bowl Sunday you’re going to end up waiting two hours for it to arrive while everyone stares at the empty bowl of wings. But with a little bit of expert planning, you can order a frozen pie in advance that’s even better than delivery (and far surpasses what you’re going to find in the frozen food aisle at your local grocery store). Plus, these pies won’t show up cold and each of these pizzas are near-legendary in their respective home cities. Below a guide to the best gourmet frozen pizzas you can stick in your own oven.

Roberta’s Wood Fired Pizza, $10 on Fresh Direct

Robert’s Pizza

The famously chewy crust and perfectly melted cheese—all from your oven in just five minutes—make us wonder what kind of witchcraft is going on over there at the Roberta’s HQ in New York’s Bushwick neighborhood, where this no-frills pizzeria has been feeding hungry hipsters for the last decade. What time of day is it? Doesn’t matter, there’s definitely still a line for a table after all these years.See It

Table 87 Coal Oven Pizza, $11 on Fresh Direct

Table 87

This thin crust pie from Table 87, the definitive home of the coal-fired slice, is the best you can get without actually making a trip to the iconic Brooklyn spot on Atlantic Avenue. Just pop this Margherita pizza in the oven for seven to nine minutes—way faster than delivery. And so much more delicious.See It

Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pizza, 6 for $113 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

Feed the whole crew with these heavy pies that have been legendary in Chicago ever since Lou’s opened in 1971. (There’s now 52 locations in the area.) Nowhere else can you get this kind of flavor magic—flaky buttery crust loaded with gooey cheese and slathered in tomato sauce. Choose from a wide variety of toppings (definitely put a spinach in your order) and know that you can even order heart-shaped versions. Awwww.See It

Gino’s East Meaty Legend Pizza, $29 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

It would be unfair to mention Lou Malnati’s and not Gino’s East, another Chi-town fave with graffitied walls that have been around since the ’60s. (Why do locals like one over the other? It’s hard to say, it like asking a Chicagoan why they like the Cubs over the Sox. You’re just kinda born liking one over the other.) Go for the Meaty Legend, which is loaded with pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, and more bacon.See It

Imos Pizza, 4 for $99 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

This go-to from the Lou (that’s Midwestern speak for St. Louis) has a cracker-thin crust that comes with tons of different topping options: buffalo chicken, hamburger, deluxe (pepper, onions, mushrooms, sausage, and bacon), and all the options in-between. Just make sure when you take it out of the oven you cut it into squares, which is exactly how they do it in the Lou.See It

Motown Meat Supreme, 3 for $79 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

The dense dough of this rectangular pie is stacked with pepperoni, ham, applewood smoked bacon, and Italian sausage—so literally every meat imaginable. The Detroit delicacy gets a caramelized crust when the cheese warms up in the oven, and the result is worth writing a Motown ditty about.See It

Elegant Brie Gourmet Puff Pastry Pizza, 2 for $79 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

You fancy, huh? These pizzas (if that’s what you want to call them) are made with puff pastry, which add a buttery goodness to the veggie version, and make you look like you really know what you’re doing in the kitchen.See It

Arcaro & Genell’s Old Forge Pizza, 2 for $89 on Goldbelly

Goldbelly

This Old Forge, Pennsylvania darling has a thick airy crust that comes two ways: choose from the traditional red, or keep it clean with just cheese, rosemary, and olive oil.See It

Related Video: American Pizzas That Aren’t From New York or Chicago

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What Is Aquafaba?

Aquafaba almost sounds like something you’d say to cast a spell. Fitting, because some consider this a miracle ingredient. But what is it? Chickpea juice!

Used to replace eggs and egg whites in lots of different vegan recipes, aquafaba (a combo of the Latin for “water” and “bean”) is simply the liquid left over from cooking a pot of garbanzo beans, or poured out from a can of them. Technically, the term can apply to the liquid from other beans too, like cannellini and butter beans, and even peas, but it’s usually taken for granted that it’s from chickpeas in particular—and chickpea brine is generally held to work the best.

The legume-y liquid is slightly viscous in the same way that egg albumen is, and it mimics eggs’ and egg whites’ function as a binder, aerator, thickener, and emulsifier in many recipes, from savory to sweet and raw to cooked.

Generally, three tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to one whole egg, two tablespoons roughly equals a single egg white, and one tablespoon equals one yolk. That said, it does matter how thick your liquid is. To ensure all the starches are evenly distributed, you can shake your can or stir your pot before straining the liquid from the beans. If it’s too runny and more akin to water than egg whites, which is more likely to happen if you’ve cooked the beans from dried, you can boil the aquafaba on its own until it’s slightly reduced before measuring it out. You should also strain it through a fine-mesh sieve, since tiny bits of matter from the beans can make it harder to whip aquafaba into airy foam.

Since your average can of beans contains anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 cup of aquafaba and a pot you’ve cooked will probably yield even more, you can freeze any excess. (And of course, you can do this every time you make or open chickpeas so you always have aquafaba on hand.) It’s best to freeze it in ice cube trays, so you can store the cubes in a Ziploc bag or other container. This makes it much easier to portion it out when you’re ready to use it in a recipe! If you want to be extra-precise, you can measure out a single tablespoon into each section of the ice cube tray so you’ll know exactly how much to defrost at a time.

The relatively recent history of aquafaba—it all started in a Facebook group—is a great demonstration of the power of ideas and the importance of sharing them in a wider community. (Although it’s a pretty sure bet that someone will eventually come along and try to capitalize on the whole thing.) Aquafaba was more of a tinkerer’s invention than a scientific discovery; in fact, there’s not much hard science behind it yet, although it’s clear the beany proteins and starches in aquafaba work like the proteins in egg whites, and could be useful in other applications as well.

If all this sounds too good to be true, well…honestly, aquafaba can be a little finicky. Very few people have succeeded in making angel food cake with it, and even tried-and-true aquafaba meringues and mayo sometimes collapse or fail to come together.

Straining it through fine mesh, as previously mentioned, and making sure it’s just thick enough to resemble egg whites will help (gross as it may sound, it should be a tiny bit slimy). Aquafaba can be used as-is, chiefly as a binder in veggie burgers or baked goods like vegan sugar cookies, but most often it’s whipped.

The best tool for that job is a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, or a hand-held mixer or egg beater. Allegedly, some intrepid souls with great upper body strength and endless stamina have hand-whipped aquafaba, but it’s not generally recommended. With an electric mixer, it should take anywhere between four and ten minutes, but let it go longer if it doesn’t seem stiff enough.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $499.99 at KitchenAid

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Whipping it with sugar will help, but whipping it with cream of tartar is even better. America’s Test Kitchen has stunning visual proof that cream of tartar makes much sturdier peaks out of aquafaba, plus you get there a little faster.

Another tip: as with regular eggs, keep your aquafaba away from fat until it’s in the state in which you want to use it. This means whip it into proper billows before you add any butter or oil, and even then, be aware that certain types of fat can destabilize your precious foam. It should be beaten to a stiff and glossy consistency before you add anything to it.

And then, when you start folding your whipped aquafaba into other ingredients, do so gently, being careful not to destroy all those airy little bubbles. It may be miraculous, but it’s not quite as stable as regular old eggs.

Perhaps most importantly, how does it taste? Quite mild! Some people can still detect a slight beany flavor or aroma in finished dishes containing aquafaba, but there may be a psychological component to that. Try something with aquafaba without knowing it’s there and you probably couldn’t tell. If you are sensitive to it, though, you might prefer using the liquid from more neutral white beans.

Now that you know how to handle it (and obtain it and store it), stop throwing away the liquid gold that is aquafaba and try cooking with it. Perhaps one of these options will inspire you.

Vegan Sloe Gin Fizz

Stir And Strain

Yes, aquafaba does cocktails too! It lends the same foamy body to drinks that egg whites do, without any of the squick factor. Here, the aquafaba is vigorously shaken with sloe gin (a fruity red liqueur made from gin and plummy blackthorn fruit), fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, and topped off with club soda, for a tangy-sweet and bubbly fizz. Get the Vegan Sloe Gin Fizz recipe.

You can use aquafaba to make vegan pisco sours and whiskey sours too!

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Vegan Crepes

Seitan Beats Your Meat

These savory vegan crepes are thin yet fluffy and crispy at the edges, and filled with tomato, basil, and mozzarella (which you can also make yourself using aquafaba). If  you have more of a sweet tooth, aquafaba lightens up these eggless crepes with cinnamon apples and caramel, and these vegan chocolate crepes with hazelnut filling and strawberries too. But you can play around with whatever flavor combos you like, sweet or savory, once you’ve got your crepe technique down pat. Get the Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Vegan Crepes recipe.

Easy Vegan Mayo with Aquafaba

Minimalist Baker

This quick, one-bowl recipe makes vegan mayonnaise an easy reality. You can use it as a sandwich spread, of course, but it also makes a great base for salad dressing or aioli. It’s best in the first couple days after making it, but should last up to a week in the fridge. If you run into any trouble, check the comments on the recipe; chances are someone has a solution! Get the Easy Vegan Mayo with Aquafaba recipe.

Vegan Olive Oil Brioche

Holy Cow Vegan

Now that you’ve got something to spread on your vegan sandwiches, why not make this amazingly fluffy and tender brioche, which toasts up beautifully? Or, if you’d rather enjoy it on its own, you can simply pat on some vegan aquafaba butter, or a fancypants truffle and herb aquafaba butter. Get the Vegan Olive Oil Brioche recipe.

Vegan Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Pickles & Honey

Fall is nearly here. What better way to welcome autumn than with Pickles & Honey’s caramel apple cupcakes, warm with cinnamon and brown sugar? The fluffy marshmallow frosting gets its lift from aquafaba, and a sweet drizzle of amber caramel caps them off. Get the Vegan Caramel Apple Cupcakes recipe.

Vegan Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff

Pickles & Honey

Speaking of vegan marshmallow fluff, it’s worth highlighting Pickles & Honey’s stand-alone recipe for that glorious substance, because if you’re not a cupcake person, there’s so much else you can do with this. Like cover little clouds of it in chocolate, stuff it in fluffernutter sandwich cookies, or make vegan Rice Krispies treats! Or, you know, eat it straight from the spoon. Get the Vegan Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff recipe.

Raised Vegan Waffles

Sunnyside Hanne

Crispy, fluffy, slightly tangy, golden vegan waffles are perfect for topping any way you like, with fruit compote or maple syrup or savory chicken fried mushrooms. For a yeast-free recipe that still uses aquafaba, try these cinnamon oat waffles with sweet potato butter. Or make aquafaba pancakes, if you prefer. And for a full breakfast feast, try making extra-fluffy aquafaba-enhanced vegan scrambled eggs to go along with any of the above. Get the Raised Vegan Waffles recipe.

Vegan Banana Ice Cream

Miso Coco

This four ingredient ice cream is sweet and creamy but light and airy thanks to whipped aquafaba. If banana’s not your favorite flavor, you can use aquafaba to make vegan vanilla bean, chocolate, mango, strawberry, coffee, or peppermint ice cream instead. Feel free to stir some chocolate chunks into pretty much any of them. Get the Vegan Banana Ice Cream recipe.

Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse with Chocolate Ganache

Lazy Cat Kitchen

Yes, you can make rich and fluffy chocolate mousse without any eggs! You can also make this peanut butter variation, which still includes chocolate in the smooth ganache top layer, and flaky sea salt for a lovely crunchy, briny contrast. Coconut cream is essential to the smooth, creamy consistency of the mousse, so be sure not to skip or substitute that ingredient. Get the Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse with Chocolate Ganache recipe.

The Best Chewy Vegan Brownies

Sift And Whisk

If you like a fudgier, gooier texture, try these brownies with a hint of cinnamon. But these brownies are dense, super chocolatey, and chewy on the edges with perfect crinkly tops. In addition to aquafaba, which is used here without being whisked (i.e. as a simple binder), there’s a little bit of avocado for extra fat, but you’re only going to taste chocolate. These don’t claim to be healthy, which is actually kind of refreshing, but they are definitely delicious. Get The Best Chewy Vegan Brownies recipe.

Aquafaba Lemon Meringue Pie

The Pancake Princess

Last but most certainly not least, we have meringue, the very thing that heralded the creation of aquafaba (since flax seed and soapwort meringues were hard to make and not that tasty). Once the magic of whipped chickpea brine became common knowledge, people developed lots of recipes using it: beautiful vegan pavlovas, stunning vegan macarons, and even vegan baked Alaska. This pie has a relatively thin layer of tangy lemon curd and a swirly billow of sweet, toasty, sticky, satiny-inside meringue on top. Get the Aquafaba Lemon Meringue Pie recipe.

How to Make Peppermint Aquafaba Meringues

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How To Detox With Tea The Right Way

Lose weight. Work out smarter. Cut back on the booze. Drink more water. Whatever your health-minded resolution is for 2019, sipping tea may be the secret weapon to sticking to it (especially if you’re trying to cut back after eating your way through the holidays).

While the Kardashians (and other reality stars you might have to Google) have been known to peddle detox teas like Fit Tea that claim to help you lose weight just by drinking the stuff, they’re not exactly substantiated by, you know, science. But various studies have shown that properties in teas (especially green and black) do possess a myriad of health benefits and when swapped out for your nightly glass of wine or your morning Frappuccino, won’t add up in the total calories column on your MyFitnessPal app as quickly. Here, just in time for National Tea Month (because what better ritual to adopt in the middle of winter than curling up with a cup of steaming goodness at some point in the day) some new ways you may not have considered to enjoy the ancient brew.

Black Tea

What It Does: Available in office kitchens everywhere and packing a milder caffeine punch than your afternoon triple espresso, black tea was recently found to help promote weight loss according to a study from UCLA. The study, conducted on mice, found that the polyphenols in black tea may stimulate the formation of short-chain fatty acids and the growth of gut bacterium, both of which may change the way energy is metabolised. Researchers postulated that the same effect would hold true for humans and, similar to green tea, may promote weight loss.

Try: Ajiri Kenyan Black Tea with Lemon. Scoring first place at the the North American Tea Championships, this simple black tea and lemon combination won’t have you jonesing for milk or cream.

Rishi Tea Simple Brew Loose Leaf Teapot, $20.62 on Amazon

For all your tea making needs.

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Green Tea

What It Does: In addition to promoting weight loss and speeding up your metabolism, green tea breaks up potentially dangerous protein plaques found in blood vessels, helping to prevent heart attacks, according to new research by the British Heart Foundation. This is in addition to previously proven benefits of green tea, including potentially reducing the risk of lung cancers.

Try: MeiMei Fine Tea Chinese Loose Leaf Tea. This loose leaf tea won second place at the 2018 Global Tea Championship and was a tribute tea during the Qing dynasty. Brewing straight from the leaves brings out the grassy flavor of the brew but know that you’ll need a loose leaf tea pot like this one.

Golden Latte

What It Does: Don’t let the “latte” in the name fool you. Known as “haldi doodh” in Southeast Asia, this blend of turmeric, non-dairy milk (almond milk or coconut milk), and sometimes a blend of green tea as well, depending on the recipe, is an indulgent morning sipper you can feel good about. “Even one dose of turmeric can boost your attention and retention levels,” says Kelly Brogan, M.D.,  author of “A Mind of Your Own” and a holistic psychiatrist in Manhattan.

Try: This winter, Peet’s Coffee is hopping on the turmeric trend for the second year in a row, offering three turmeric lattes. For those who want to sip the brew at home, it’s easy to find recipes based on your personal taste for turmeric, or you can jumpstart the process with a turmeric latte mix.

Pu-Erh Tea

What It Does: This caffeinated tea from the southwestern region of China is fermented, then stored. Fermented tea may make you think of kombucha, but this tea is usually served hot. While the taste is a bit…well, musty, the pros, which include potential cholesterol reduction and increased mental alertness, may make learning to appreciate its quirky flavor worth it.

Try: Organic Pu erh Tea is a brewed tea option that can be served iced or hot, and can be a good intro to this super tea. Taste not your cup of, um, tea? A butter pecan version—complete with butter pecan pieces in the brew—adds some sweetness and might help you with leftover sugar cravings from December.

Wakoucha Tea

What It Does: In Japanese, wakoucha is translated to “red tea.” However, this caffeinated type of  tea is actually a type of black tea, with similar benefits. If you’ve always been tepid on traditional black tea, you may appreciate the depth of flavor of wakoucha, which has quite a different taste than black teas from China or Japan. The flavor may have notes of chocolate and cinnamon, and the color has red overtones.

Try: Nippon Cha Satsuma Koucha. A loose leaf tea manufactured in Japan for the past 400 years, this certified organic blend has notes of peach, pear, chocolate, and cinnamon.  

Related Video: Find Serenity in the Oldest Japanese Tea Garden in America

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Yogurt May Reduce Chronic Inflammation, Along with These 5 Foods

You might want to add an extra serving of yogurt to your breakfast routine. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition has revealed that the dairy product may help reduce inflammation, which may in turn reduce the risk of bowel disease, asthma, and arthritis. We’ll raise a smoothie to that!

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that yogurt reduces inflammation by improving the integrity of the intestinal lining. That helps to prevent pro-inflammatory molecules like endotoxins from crossing into the bloodstream.

The study was conducted on 120 women, half of whom were obese. Half of the group was instructed to eat 12 ounces of low-fat yogurt every day for nine weeks, while the control group was given non-dairy pudding. Blood tests were taken at multiple points during the course of the study. Over time, the yogurt eaters had better levels of tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, an important inflammation-activating protein. Metabolism rates were also improved in the obese participants as well.

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Ruisong Pei, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had this to say, “Eating eight ounces of low-fat yogurt before a meal is a feasible strategy to improve post-meal metabolism and thus may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.”

Unfortunately the research wasn’t able to account for which compounds in yogurt are responsible for this effect, but further studies may be able to make that determination.

While the benefits of the popular probiotic food have long been touted, it’s also important to be on the look out for hidden sugars when buying yogurt. Many brands add extra sweeteners and, while delicious, are far from necessary and work to negate its overall nutritional benefit.

Yogurt is also far from the only food known for its anti-inflammatory properties, so the next time you’re in the supermarket you may want to stock up on these items as well:

Leafy Greens – Veggies like spinach, swiss char, and bok choy are extremely high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Turmeric – The earthy yellow spice is not only super trendy, but super healthy as well!

Walnuts – Got to love those omega-3 fatty acids!

Flaxseeds – Even more omega-3 and flavanoids.

Blueberries – These are just delicious.

Related Video: Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

 
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