Nutrition with Soul

07/05/2025

Posting because….yesterday was Cinco de Mayo plus avocados were 69 cents and that’s worth celebrating.

06/05/2025

Estrogen hormone therapy may result in a 30 to 40 percent net reduction in hot flash frequency and severity (along with a host of possible side effects), but what about food we can eat instead of a pill to pop? More than a dozen randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have been performed on soy isoflavones and found that the equivalent of about two servings of soy foods a day reduces hot flash frequency by about 20 percent more than placebo and hot flash severity by about 25 percent more.

Soy isoflavones have also been shown to improve other menopausal concerns, including vaginal dryness, bone loss, memory, and cognitive functions more generally, as well as depression.
And, two randomized controlled trials found that reduced-fat plant-based diets with a daily half-cup serving of cooked whole soybeans can reduce the number of serious hot flashes by 84 to 88 percent within 12 weeks. Overall, most people randomized to the plant-based group ended up free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes, compared to about 95 percent still suffering in the control group.

The bottom line, wrote one consensus panel of experts, is that soy can be considered a first-line treatment for menopausal symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats. Additionally, soy foods can lower LDL cholesterol, which may explain the lower associated cardiovascular disease risk. Soy eaters are also less likely to get breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer.

Healthiest choices of soy foods include edamame, cooked soybeans, tempeh, tofu, and unsweetened soy milk.

How does soy food compare to estrogen hormone therapy? I cover all of that and more in the video “Soy Foods for Menopause Hot Flash Symptoms” at https://see.nf/isoflavones.

How Not to Age is out now https://see.nf/HNTABook.

PMIDs: 22433977, 26440219, 28768649, 25003621, 29717895, 20833488, 26943176, 34260478, 36253903

07/10/2024

06/10/2024

26/12/2023

Mine is grands in the tube. Layers of deliciousness.

If you’re not baking biscuits from scratch this year, we found our favorite store-bought biscuits that are an easy alternative if you’re pressed for time. Learn more about our favorite: https://cooks.io/3v2y4E2

12/12/2023

A massive study of half a million men and women in China found that those regularly eating spicy foods had an associated 14 percent reduction in total mortality, meaning the risk of premature death. That could translate into about an extra year onto your lifespan, if it is cause-and-effect. A lot of healthy green tea is drunk in China, though. Would we see the same results in a country like the United States? We did. A similar benefit of a 13 percent reduction in premature death.

One of the mechanisms by which spicy food may help with longevity is hacking our brains by making foods taste saltier. Anything that reduces sodium intake could improve longevity, as excess salt consumption is a deadly dietary risk factor, killing millions of people every year. Not only could you use spice to replace salt, but the spicy compound actually makes food taste saltier than it actually is. Sprinkling on some red pepper powder can increase your sensitivity to the taste of salt, so you can get that same salty taste with less salt. Researchers were able to pick up differences in people’s secondary taste cortex, the part of our brain associated with pleasure signaling to salty foods, when they were in a PET scanner.

Use hot peppers to hack your brain for your health! But, just because all studies to date on spicy food and mortality suggest hot peppers may help you live longer, that doesn’t mean you should go out and eat a ghost pepper.

Watch the videos “Is Spicy Food Good for You?” at https://bit.ly/46l5iMj and "How Hot Peppers May Extend Your Life" at https://bit.ly/43rSCSC.

How Not to Age is out now https://see.nf/HNTABook.

12/12/2023

Canned beans take the top spot on the list of "7 of the Healthiest Canned Foods to Keep in Your Pantry, According to RDs" by Real Simple. 🌱🥫
Packing a punch with 8 grams of protein per half-cup serving and offering an excellent source of fiber, canned black beans stand out as a versatile pantry staple for a wide array of delicious recipes.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3zNJ1Xr

17/11/2023

This Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries & Pecans recipe is the ultimate fall side dish for the holiday season! It’s hearty, wholesome, and so delicious! Get the recipe here: https://beautifuleatsandthings.com/2018/11/20/honey-roasted-butternut-squash-with-cranberries-pecans-2/

17/11/2023

Think Beans for Your Vegetarian Thanksgiving Guests 🦃

These days, there is no shortage of options for the vegetarian guests at your Thanksgiving feast. Prepared veggie roasts are easy and increasingly popular. For a taste of tradition, consider a dish built around beans. A close cousin to the kidney beans we know today probably appeared at the first Thanksgiving since they were regular fare for Native Americans.

Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans and Sweet Potatoes 🍠

✨1 pound kidney beans, soaked in water to cover for at least four hours and drained
✨1 quart water
✨2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
✨1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
✨4 cloves of garlic, minced
✨¼ cup tomato paste
✨3 tablespoons sugar
✨1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or to taste)
✨2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 –inch chunks

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Combine the drained beans and the quart of water and simmer for an hour until the beans are partially cooked.
Saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Stir the onion and garlic into the beans. Add the tomato paste, sugar and chipotle powder. Add salt to taste. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Transfer to a casserole dish and baked for one hour until sweet potatoes are tender.