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Choosing olive oil is deceptively difficult but here are some tips to keep in mind.

Go for Extra Virgin: these olive oils are the least processed, they weren’t treated with any chemicals or heat. If this is the only thing you look for in olive oil, you’re guaranteed to have at least a baseline level of decent quality olive oil regardless of brand or any other factor. Extra virgin olive oil is always cold-pressed, so no need to look for that on the label.

No “light” olive oil: if a bottle of olive oil is ever described as light, run the other direction. Olive oil is and should always be high in fat!

No clear containers: olive oil can easily be damaged from exposure to light so avoid any olive oil that does not come in a dark glass, tin container, or other opaque.

Look for a specific region: A product labeled merely “Mediterranean” may be of lower quality than you’re anticipating. Mediterranean olive oil is typically made using all the defective leftover olives or olive oil from across the Mediterranean. In addition to defective olives, if defective olive oils from around the world are bottled in Italy they can be sold as Italian olive oil. To avoid these oils check the back of the bottle, it will tell you the country of origin for the oil itself. But a good way to ensure you’re purchasing high-quality oil is to purchase olive oil that is listed by region. For example Sicilian or Kalamata olive oil as opposed to Italian or Greek olive oil. The more specific the better.

In order to not completely break the bank on olive oil alone, I buy two. I buy one more expensive olive oil from a specific region and use that for dressings, marinades, anything else that will really benefit from a distinct olive oil flavor. But, when I am using olive oil to grease a pan, I use a generic extra virgin olive oil.

Coffee has long been considered a culprit in dehydration because caffeine has a mild diuretic effect. But recent studies have shown that while the caffeine in coffee does increase urination, that increased urination does not counteract the main ingredient in brewed coffee —— WATER.

One study found that consumption of 300 mg of caffeine which is the equivalent of 3 cups of coffee (710 ml) resulted in increased urine production of only 109 ml (1).

In order to see a significant diuretic effect from coffee, it would require the consumption of 5 or more cups of brewed coffee at once (2).

Sources:

1. Coffee with High but Not Low Caffeine Content Augments Fluid and Electrolyte Excretion at Rest
2. No evidence of dehydration with moderate daily coffee intake: a counterbalanced cross-over study in a free-living population

Feeling anxious?

Chamomile has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety in those with moderate to severe anxiety. (1, 2)

In 2020, we have had a lot to keep us anxious. Whether it be economic insecurity, health, wildfires, police shootings, protests, massive change and disruption in schedules, and now an election that could take days (or longer) to call. While you try to keep your sanity consider turning off the news and curling up with a cup of tea.

Other uses for Chamomile

In addition to anxiety, chamomile had been shown to:

• help relieve colds
• reduce the severity of menstrual cramps
• boost the immune system
• act as a mild sedative

Long term use of chamomile has been found to have no side effects.

Sources:

1. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder
2. Long-term Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial

What’s on my bookshelf vol. 1: Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson

Eating on the Wild Side explores the nutrient levels in different fruits and vegetables and how they have changed over time. Corn, as it turns out, was once a bush which produced only a few kernels. Plant breeding eventually resulted in the large cob of corn kernels you see today. Along with the increase in kernels corn also saw an increase in sugar and a decrease in vitamins.

Most produce found in the grocery store has a fraction of the nutrients they once had. But there are ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of your food.

When I buy and prepare produce I remember little tidbits from this book like:
– buy the reddest strawberries
– carrots cooked whole have more antioxidants than carrots cooked sliced
– tart apples have more health benefits than sweet varieties
– the most highly pigmented produce has the most antioxidants, unless you’re buying cabbage in which case stick with white

I could go on….

The book also recommends specific varieties of fruits and vegetables you can find at farmers’ markets. If you have any interest in optimizing your health through nutrition you’ve got to read this book. I find it endlessly fascinating and have read it multiple times.