How Does Resistant Starch Work?
Resistant starch is a form of starch that is not completely broken down by the intestines.
Instead of being absorbed, bacteria in the intestine turn resistant starch into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).
The small intestine breaks down most starches, a process that converts them into sugar. These types of starches get fully absorbed by the small intestine.
Resistant starch is termed as “resistant” because it is able to resist digestion. During the digestion process, resistant starch travels to the large intestine.
Once in the large intestine, intestinal bacteria begin working to ferment it. In this ...
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Medium Chain Triglycerides – What You Need To Know
What Are Medium Chain Triglycerides?
Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) are a type of dietary fat.
Dietary fats consist of molecules made up of carbon atoms. These individual carbon atoms compose linked chains. The chains range in length from 2 to 22 carbon atoms.
Long Chain Fatty acids (LCTs) are the most common form of fat consumed in the average diet. LCTs have chains that are 12 to 18 carbon atoms long.
MCTs are unique as they have considerably smaller chains. On average, MCTs have chains made up of 6 to 10 carbon atoms.
MCTs resemble the dietary compound carbohydrates more than a form of fat. This gives MCTs an advantage ...
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The Lowdown on Fructose
What Is Fructose?
Fructose (also known as fruit sugar) is a form of sugar belonging to the hexose class of sugars, which include any sugar that contains six carbon atoms. (Source)
Fructose is a sugar that is found naturally in most fruits and certain vegetables, and is one of the least carcinogenic nutritive sugars.
Fructose is found in significantly higher quantities in fruits than in vegetables. Reducing sugars, which are a combination of glucose and fructose, are the primary source of soluble carbohydrates found within most fruits as well as seedless raisins.
Although certain vegetables do contain fructose, it is in much ...
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Paleo Protein Powders
“Is protein powder Paleo?”
This is one question we get repeatedly, and it’s almost always followed by, “can you recommend some brands?”
This post aims to clear up the confusion for you.
First things first, let’s assume that we all understand that, even though cavemen did not have access to protein powder, that doesn’t mean we CAN’T eat it in our modern world.
The whole “eat everything a caveman would” is so mid-2000s, right?
That being said, not all protein powders are created equal. And, we don’t advocate for all of the protein in your diet coming from protein powder. It’s always a good rule of thumb to get the majority of ...
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Your Paleo Guide to Iodine-Rich Foods
Your Paleo Guide to Iodine-Rich Foods
How much do you know about iodine? As a general rule, I think it’s important to know about the different micronutrients that our body needs to function optimally and what foods from which we can get them. Iodine is one of these micronutrients! I like to approach food as medicine, so knowing which foods are rich in iodine ensures I give my body exactly the amount it needs.
Iodine is Vital for Your Body
One such micronutrient is iodine. This mineral is vital for numerous processes in your body including cellular metabolism, regulating thyroid function, and ensuring our body develops properly. ...
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Ultimate Meal Prep Guide
Meal prepping - you’ve heard this is the key to any successful diet change. But what if you’ve never done it? What if you don’t even know what it is exactly?
If this is you, we’ve got you covered.
This guide is for anyone who is completely new to the meal prep game. We cover it all + answer our most frequently asked questions.
What is meal prepping?
Let’s start with the basics.
Meal prepping is the act of preparing food in advance so that it makes eating easier through the week. This can include shopping for ingredients, preparing the food, and portioning it out for the week ahead. Depending on the person doing it, it can ...
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Beyond the Scale
When I was in college, I would go the rec center every day. I had a specific routine: 30 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of “abs”, then I’d step on the scale.
I’d do this almost every single day.
If the number was lower than the day before, my whole day was instantly better. If the number was the same or higher, I’d be bummed for the rest of the day.
I literally remember thinking to myself, “If only I could get under 120 pounds, I’ll be happy.”
Looking back, I wish I could shake some sense into my twenty-something self.
What a waste.
For so long, our society has been bombarded with the message that skinnier is better. Our ...
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Paleo-Friendly Sugar – Is There Such A Thing?
We’re going to dive into the deep, dark world of Paleo-friendly sugar. We get a lot of questions about this topic. And for a good reason - it can be confusing.
What is Paleo-friendly sugar?
I don’t know about you, but when I first started the Paleo diet, I spent hours and hours learning all I could about it. This included recipe hunting. And, of course, as I sought out recipes, I found all kinds for Paleo cookies, cakes, brownies...the whole gamut.
For a beginner, this was confusing. Many resources claimed that the Paleo diet is a sugar-free diet. But these dessert recipes included ingredients like coconut sugar, honey, maple ...
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What is Head Cheese? Everything You Need to Know
Everything You Need to Know about Head Cheese
What is head cheese? Head cheese might just be the most misleading name for a food ever. Let me go ahead and tell you that there is no cheese involved. The “head” part of the name rings true, though - the use of that term comes from the fact that a whole pig’s head is used to make this stuff.
What Is Head Cheese?
Traditionally, head cheese is a cold cut that comes from the meat of a pig’s (or sometimes a calf’s) head. Nowadays, when pig’s heads aren’t so easy to come by, pig’s feet are commonly used. This part of the pig houses collagen from the skin, joints, and tendons which lends to ...
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Phytic Acid: Everything You Need To Know
Everything You Need to Know About Phytic Acid
If you’ve followed the Paleo diet for long, you’ve probably heard the term “anti-nutrients” used before. Phytic acid, along with lectin and gluten, is considered one of these anti-nutrients.
What Is Phytic Acid?
Phytic acid can be found in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It is basically how these different
plants store the mineral phosphorus. The phosphorus is stored in the seed of the plant. Sometimes, the phytic acid can bind to a mineral inside the seed. When this happens, the phytic acid becomes a phytate. You may hear these words used interchangeably.
Plants use phytic acid as a form ...
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