ingredient spotlight Archives - Onnit Academy

Aid Performance With Electrolytes

Sean Hyson — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 17:40:42 +0000

Energy for exercise used to mean one thing: sugar.

When you played pee-wee football, it meant Shark Bites fruit snacks at halftime. When you ran your first 5K, it was energy gels in your fanny pack. No matter how long or how hard your workout, the only way to get through it—we were told—was to inject carbs directly into our veins. And if you didn’t? You’d “bonk,” “crash,” or otherwise poop out before the game, match, or workout was over.

It seemed to make sense. When you exercise, you burn carbs. Your body needs carbs to replenish its energy stores (unless you’re following a keto diet), so everything from pasta and bread to candy and beer has been suggested at one time or another to help you restock. But there’s more to performance fuel than carbs—or even calories—and, as you might have suspected, there are healthier ways to obtain it.

The true secret to promoting long-duration performance? Maintaining your water and electrolyte balance.

Aid Performance With Electrolytes

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that are transported through your body fluids and carry an electric charge. They play important roles in generating energy for cells, transporting signals to and from the brain, muscle contractions, and more. The main electrolytes are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.

What Is an Electrolyte Imbalance?

When you sweat heavily, due to heat exposure, physical activity, or a combination of the two, your body loses water and the electrolytes it carries. For athletes in the middle of a training session or competition, especially in summer time, this loss can be disastrous. In its position stand on exercise and fluid replacement, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states that losing as little as two percent of your body weight in water can compromise performance and health.

But drinking water by itself isn’t enough to undo the damage. Not only does it not contain electrolytes, but drinking too much without taking in an appropriate amount of electrolytes at the same time will lead to an imbalance—read: you can drink water well past the point of quenching your thirst, but it won’t recharge you.

You see, when you chug plain water, you dilute the electrolytes you have left in your system. This makes it even harder for them to serve the body processes they play such a critical role in. What’s more, it actually results in some of the same problems as those caused by not getting enough water, and other challenges as well. Research shows that an inadequate electrolyte imbalance can cause blood pressure changes, confusion, fatigue, lightheadedness, muscle weakness, and decreased muscle control. In other words, drinking too much water is just as bad as not drinking enough!

The New England Journal of Medicine analyzed runners in the Boston marathon. Thirteen percent of the competitors tested were found to have an inadequate electrolyte balance during the race. In fact, the runners who drank the most water—at least three liters of fluid over the course of the marathon—had the worst finish times (greater than four hours). All that water actually resulted in them gaining weight—over the course of a four-hour race!

The amount of water and electrolytes you need is highly dependent on your size, the activity you’re doing, the time you spend exercising, and the weather conditions, so it’s impossible to give a blanket recommendation on how much to consume. But experts say the smartest strategy is to drink a water and electrolyte mix periodically throughout your workout—even before the first sign of thirst. The Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine suggests downing about one and a half to three cups of water per hour of activity, and the Institute of Medicine recommends that your beverage include sodium and potassium, in particular, to sustain performance during prolonged exercise in hot weather.

Benefits of Electrolytes

Supplementing with electrolytes has been found to have a positive and significant impact on two main measures of performance. It can…

1. Support Endurance

Sodium, in particular, has been shown to support lasting energy for long-duration endurance exercise. A 2016 study found that triathletes who supplemented with sodium during a half-ironman finished faster than a control group, and lost less body mass from water depletion along the way. The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reported that cyclists taking sodium improved their finish times by 7.4% over a control group, which researchers credited to greater cardiovascular function.

Another study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine discovered that sodium bicarbonate helped to stave off fatigue in swimmers, improving their finish times in the 200-meter freestyle race—most likely by assisting with the athletes’ acid-buffering capacity.

If your athletic endeavors are limited to your backyard or garage, sodium works for anaerobic exercise too. A trial from 2014 found that basketball players maintained sprinting performance into the final quarter of their games better on sodium bicarbonate than a placebo. Meanwhile, Amino Acids published a study showing that sodium promoted increases in the total work performed by experienced judo and jiu-jitsu competitors, as well as anaerobic power. That means the potential for more throws and submissions in the same amount of time.

2. Stimulate Strength Gains

Magnesium has long been linked to force production. A 2015 study found that it promoted max bench-press strength by 17.7%. (Good news for the impatient: it only took one week.)

Furthermore, a Magnesium Research study concluded that the mineral was directly associated with maximal core, leg, and grip strength—and jumping performance—in basketball, handball, and volleyball players. The researchers wrote: “The observed associations between magnesium intake and muscle strength performance may result from the important role of magnesium in energetic metabolism, transmembrane transport, and muscle contraction and relaxation.” They also noted that, in general, athletes’ magnesium intakes are “often below recommended levels.”

Do I Really Need Carbs For Energy?

Don’t get us wrong. Electrolytes are an underrated and essential nutritional element for high performance, but carbs are also important for keeping your energy up during exercise. You just don’t need them by the barrel full.

The ACSM recommends consuming no more than 60 grams of carbs per hour of activity. More than that can delay the rate at which your stomach empties of food, causing you discomfort in the gut that can affect your performance.

Furthermore, solutions made with a 2:1 ratio of glucose to fructose seem to offer more benefit than just slamming carbs in any form you can get them. The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reported that this glucose-to-fructose combination aided performance in an array of activities, including sprinting, lifting, jumping, and shuttle runs. Meanwhile, a study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that it helped cyclists improve on timed trials by eight percent. The pairing of glucose and fructose appears to help the body absorb carbs faster than consuming either type alone, making them more readily available during exercise.

A Summer Hydration Solution

If you’re going to be playing sports or exercising outdoors on a hot day, and sweating heavily as a result, a sports drink that contains electrolytes and carbohydrates may help to maintain hydration as well as performance. Onnit’s HYDRATechInstant comes in two delicious flavors—Lime and Tangerine—and mixes easily into 8–12 ounces of water. Add it to your water bottle or shaker cup before activity, and sip throughout, or down a full serving after a session.

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Chaga Mushroom Powder’s Benefits & Uses

Onnit Academy — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:33:06 +0000

Summary

– Chaga is a fungus that has been used in traditional medicine for generations.

– Chaga promotes a strong immune system by supporting cellular integrity and provoking an immune response to beta-glucans.

– Chaga can be consumed as a tea, or in capsules, powders, and tinctures.

– Claims that chaga can help fight disease in humans are not substantiated.

What Are Chaga Mushrooms?

Chaga is a type of fungus (Inonotus obliquus) that forms on tree bark in cold climates. It grows mainly in Alaska, Canada, northern Europe, and parts of Russia, and looks something like a burned sweet potato—charred black on the outside and orange on the inside when you split it open. Chaga has been used in traditional medicine for generations as a supplement for immunity and overall vitality, and is usually consumed as a tea. These days, it can also be taken in capsules, as a powder, or as a tincture, and is often paired with cordyceps, another mushroom.

In case you were wondering, no—unlike some other mushrooms, chaga does not have psychedelic properties.

Chaga Mushroom Powder Benefits

Chaga is high in fiber and packed with B vitamins, vitamin D, and various essential minerals. It contains compounds that help fight cell damage. While there is practically no research on chaga’s effects in humans, scientists have found that it has powerful health implications in animal studies, and shows great promise in in vitro trials.

A Japanese study investigated several mushrooms known for their medicinal properties and determined that the compounds in chaga were the most helpful for maintaining cellular integrity. The stronger your cells are, the better their ability to keep foreign invaders out, so cellular integrity helps to ward off illness.

The Journal of Ethnopharmacology adds further support to these findings, reporting that “Inonotus obliquus has the capacity to scavenge free radicals at concentrations higher than 5 microg/ml and that the polyphenolic extract can protect cells against oxidative stress.”

Chaga has also been tied to immune health more directly by a 2015 trial, which concluded that its antimicrobial compounds may help support a strong immune system.

To appreciate how chaga acts on the immune system, you have to understand what type of plant it is. Chaga is classified as an adaptogen. “Adaptogens support the body’s ability to adapt to stressors,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, RD, CSSD, a Sports Dietitian with EXOS. “They function according to the current specific needs of the body, which may be chemical, physical, or biological. Similar to the way a thermostat controls the temperature in the house to keep it at a constant 72 degrees, adaptogens can work to stimulate or relax the body depending on the need at a given moment.”

In small doses, stress can be a good thing, but chronic amounts that last a long time can be damaging to health. Adaptogens may apply a certain degree of stress to the body, but the ultimate effect they have is to help the body become more resilient. “Adaptogens work to not let stress get too out of control,” says Ehrhardt.

In this way, chaga acts on the immune system by providing a polysaccharide called beta-glucan. This serves as food for the good bacteria in your gut—the guys that eat the bad bacteria that can make you sick—but beta-glucan is effective in another way too.

“Beta-glucans act on immune system receptors,” says Ehrhardt, “stimulating immune cell activity and giving your immune system a boost.”

Here’s how it works: Your body can’t make beta-glucan on its own, so it doesn’t recognize it when you ingest it. Although it’s perfectly safe to consume, your body is cautious. It assumes beta-glucan is dangerous, like any other invader, and to prevent it from making you sick, the body ramps up the release of white blood cells—the soldiers in your body’s war against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. A study in Medicina indicates that beta-glucans can support the immune system.

So, in effect, by introducing a source of stress into your system—a very manageable one—chaga aids your body to become more resistant to the stress of sickness-causing agents.

Chaga Mushroom Capsules

Chaga is available in capsules for those who want a concentrated dosage that they can ingest quickly. If you’re not interested in brewing chaga powder into a tea, or you don’t like the taste, swallowing capsules is a suitable alternative.

Chaga Tea

Chaga has traditionally been consumed in tea. It has an earthy and slightly bitter flavor, and many people think it tastes much like a medium roast coffee. And here’s a fun fact: Finland is a big producer of chaga, and, during World War II, when coffee beans were in short supply, the Finns started drinking chaga in mass as a substitute. Chaga, however, is caffeine-free, and doesn’t contribute to focus or energy.

Chaga Coffee

Chaga can be added to coffee, and some companies sell chaga-infused coffees. You can make your own chaga coffee at home if you choose by boiling chunks of chaga (available online) in water to make chaga tea, and then using the tea instead of water in your coffee maker. The addition of chaga can help to curb coffee’s acidity, if that bothers you.

Scientific Studies on Chaga

Studies on mice and rats have shown chaga to be helpful in battling cancer, diabetes, and dangerous cholesterol levels, but be wary of any source that tries to make medicinal claims about chaga supplementation in people. To date, chaga has not been studied for its effects on health conditions in human beings, and any assertion that it can aid recovery from disease can likely be traced back to chaga sellers who stand to profit from misleading claims. As it stands, chaga may benefit the immune system in a round-about way, but cannot legally be named as a valid treatment for people already suffering from illness.

Meanwhile, people who take blood-thinning medications or are preparing for surgery may need to specifically avoid chaga. According to a study in Peptides, it contains a protein that can prevent blood clotting.

For information on supplements and strategies that support immune health, see our guide.

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Homemade Popsicles Perfect for July 4th

Liv Langdon — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 17:43:00 +0000

Makes: 8 popsicles of each flavor
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freeze time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Summer is here! That means sunshine, pool parties, and lots of sweating. While the first two are exciting, sweat isn’t exactly the most enjoyable thing our bodies produce. We can’t do a whole lot to control your pit stains and mustache bubbles, but we can help you rehydrate afterward. What follows are two recipes—one for kids, and one for their parents only—that help hydration while also providing a tasty, health-conscious dessert or snack.

Coconut Water Is The Key

All-natural coconut water in combination with sodium is one of the best methods of hydration. In 2002, researchers compared plain water, coconut water, and a standard sports drink to determine the best post-exercise rehydration fluid. While all three showed comparable markers of hydration, the athletes were able to drink more coconut water, while the sports drink and water caused upset stomach or a feeling of fullness.

Coconut water is specifically high in potassium, among other trace minerals. The addition of Himalayan salt makes up for the lower content of sodium in coconut water, and provides 84 trace minerals for electrolyte and fluid balance on those hot summer days.

Kid-Friendly Homemade Popsicles

Ingredients

● 28-34 oz. all-natural or fresh young coconut water*
● Fresh berries**
● Himalayan salt

*Look at the ingredient label to make sure it only reads “coconut water” or “pure, virgin coconut water.” You want to avoid anything that says “from concentrate” or any additional sugars or preservatives added. We love Harvest Bay’s All-Natural Coconut Water.

**Feel free to use any fresh, in-season berries of choice. We used fresh, organic raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

Directions

1. If using strawberries, slice into small pieces to fit in the popsicle molds. Add the berries to fill each mold to the top. This is a fun activity for the kids to do! If the blackberries are too big, just slice those up too. I like to alternate berries to display a stacked variety of colors once it freezes up.

2. Then add the coconut water to fill to the top. Add a tiny pinch of Himalayan salt. Insert a popsicle stick, and freeze for 5-6 hours.

3. When ready to eat, run under warm water for about a minute until it easily pops out.

Adult-Friendly Strawberry Rosé Homemade Popsicles

These pops will make you feel like a kid again, but they contain wine, so they’re for adults only.

Adult-Friendly Homemade Popsicles

Ingredients

● Rosé wine
● Fresh, organic strawberries, stems removed
● Seltzer water*

*We used LaCroix naturally-flavored seltzer water, but any unsweetened seltzer will work here.

Directions

1. In a blender, add 2 cups of rosé wine and 6 fresh strawberries. Blend until combined. There will likely be small strawberry particles remaining, but that’s ok. It looks great frozen.

2. Slice up a few strawberries into a size that will fit your popsicle molds. Add strawberry slices to the tops of each mold (you can add blueberries and raspberries too for more color).

3. Fill ¾ of the mold with the rosé-strawberry mixture. Top the rest off with the seltzer water. Leave a little room for these pops to expand slightly when frozen.

3. Cover with tops, and freeze for 5-6 hours.

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Maltodextrin: The Time and Place for High Glycemic Carbohydrates

Laura Williams — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 17:18:59 +0000

Maltodextrin is a type of carbohydrate synthesized from grain starch, corn, potatoes or rice that is commonly added to food to enhance sweetness and texture. As one of the main components of ‘weight gainer’ used by bodybuilders, maltodextrin has a thick, sweet taste that matches its dense caloric content.

Despite its classification as a complex carbohydrate, maltodextrin is quickly absorbed by the gut and can elevate blood sugar faster than glucose. On the glycemic index, a relative scale of how quickly a ingested carbohydrate affects blood sugar, maltodextrin ranges between 85-105, where the standard glucose is set at 100.

Sugars that induce a rapid rise in blood glucose content are typically considered poor sources of energy and nutritionally deficient. Though it is generally true that a diet comprised of mostly high glycemic carbohydrates would be unsatisfactory, they do have an important role in athletic performance and recovery.

Why You Need Carbs

During intense exercise, active muscle tissue relies heavily upon stored sugars in the form of glycogen for energy. Depending on the muscle type, exercise intensity and duration, the ability for glycogen stores to maintain the metabolic demand diminishes over time.

Many endurance athletes utilize energy gels whose main ingredient is maltodextrin. One study supplemented marathon runners with 60 grams of maltodextrin spaced throughout a race and compared it to runners who were free to consume their desired amount.

The runners who took 60 grams of maltodextrin averaged significantly shorter marathon completion times by more than 10 minutes compared to runners assigned to freely consume the carbohydrate supplement [1].

Maltodextrin & High Glycemic Carbs for Post-Workout Recovery

The post-workout period is a crucial time to refuel. Consuming high glycemic carbs will increase the release of insulin, an anabolic and glucose-regulating hormone that facilitates the influx of sugars and amino acids into muscle cells.

In an often cited study by Borsheim, post-workout supplementation with 100 grams of maltodextrin significantly improved the net protein balance by reducing muscle breakdown[2].

Further studies have shown that 30 grams of carbohydrates were comparable to 100 grams. The post exercise period has been studied using multi-ingredient post-workout formulas that contain various ratios of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

A 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein has been shown to benefit muscle recovery through a similar mechanism. Other studies using variations of carbohydrates to protein have proven beneficial, yet It is challenging to discern a single best ratio for recovery given the lack of direct comparison studies.

The bottom line is that large amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates like maltodextrin are appropriate in the post-workout phase to reduce muscle breakdown and aid recovery.

Consuming small quantities, such as 1-10 grams, of high GI carbohydrates that are added to food are unlikely to cause large changes in blood glucose and are essentially equivalent to other added sugars.

Low glycemic carbs, such those present in most fruits and vegetables, are better for long term energy storage and tend not to spike and crash blood sugar levels. Furthermore, despite its origin from grain, maltodextrin is synthesized using enzymes making it gluten free and safe for nearly all to consume.

References:

[1] Improved marathon performance by in-race nutritional strategy intervention Hansen EA1, Emanuelsen A, Gertsen RM, Sørensen S SR. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Dec

[2] Effect of carbohydrate intake on net muscle protein synthesis during recovery from resistance exercise Børsheim E1, Cree MG, Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR. J Appl Physiol. 1985 Carbohydrate supplementation increases intramyocellular lipid stores in elite runners. Sousa M1, Simões HG, Castro CC, Otaduy MC, Negrão CE, Pereira RM, Madsen K, Silva ME. Metabolism. 2012 Aug

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Upgrade Your Turkey Burgers With This Ingredient

Liv Langdon — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:17:25 +0000

Who doesn’t love a good, juicy burger? It’s a menu staple for basically any holiday that involves grilling (and beer). While I’m not a fan of the cheat-day mentality going buck wild at the potluck BBQ, I do believe in a sustainable lifestyle that allows us to enjoy the beautiful moments (and food) life brings.

I set out to create turkey burgers that are not only delicious, but they contain a secret ingredient to upgrade the nutrient content: cauliflower. This cruciferous vegetable is so versatile, from “rice” to smoothie thickeners to ground meat substitutes, there’s nothing cauliflower can’t do. Plus, you’re reaping the benefits of sulforaphane. If you’re trying to cut back on your meat consumption or simply add more fiber and micronutrients in your diet, this recipe is for you. It’s a great way to sneak extra vegetables in your children’s (or husband’s) diet without them knowing.

I also included one of my new favorite snacks that I learned at the Natural Gourmet Institute. If you’re obsessed with bacon like me, then you’ll quickly become addicted to this non-meat alternative to one of my favorite foods. Snack on it by itself, or add it as a substitute to bacon in recipes, or use as a low-carb “chip” with guacamole or hummus. These recipes will not let you down, and when enjoyed together, you have yourself a well-balanced meal that can be enjoyed any day, not only for those special occasions.

Yields: 6-8 burgers
Cook time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients (Turkey Burgers)

● 1 lb. ground turkey meat (look for labels: organic, Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane, GAP)
● 1 small head of cauliflower
● 1 egg, pastured
● ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
● 1 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
● ½ tsp. garlic powder
● Himalayan salt & black pepper, to taste
● 6-8 sprouted grain buns

Ingredients (Toppings)

● 1 sweet onion
● 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
● Salt & pepper to taste
● Handful spinach
● Shiitake “bacon” (see recipe below)
● Chipotle aioli (see recipe below)

Instructions (Turkey Burgers)

1. Chop off the stems of the cauliflower and cut into florets. Add florets to food processor. Pulse in 3-second increments to form “rice” consistency.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey meat, 2 ½ cups of the cauliflower “rice,” egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix together with you (clean) hands.
3. Form 6-8 burger patties. It’s going to be a little sticky, but you can rub your hands with oil prior to help prevent it sticking too much to your hands. When you form your patties, make them about ¼” wider than your buns and place your thumb in the center of each patty to make an indent. The burgers shrink slightly (diameter wise) and puff up in the center when it cooks.
4. Cook burger on a lightly greased (use a high smoke point oil like avocado oil) cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Flip after 5-7 minutes. Don’t be that guy who over flips burgers. Let it do its thing. If you flip too early, it will stick to the pan.
5. Meanwhile, slice your onion. When you caramelize onions, you want to slice against the grain so there’s less moisture in the onion. Add slices to pan with olive oil. Cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Lightly toast the buns. Top the bottom half with a tbsp. of the chipotle aioli, turkey burger, spinach, caramelized onions, shiitake “bacon,” and the top bun. Boom, no guilt!

Shiitake “Bacon”

Yields: ~ 2 cups “bacon” slices
Cook time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (Shiitake “Bacon”)

● 3 large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
● Smoked paprika
● 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
● Himalayan salt & black pepper

Instructions (Shiitake “Bacon”)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Clean mushroom caps with a damp towel. Never run them under water. Mushrooms are porous and will absorb the water. Slice thinly, about ¼“ thick. Lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment spray and lightly greased. Generously sprinkle smoked paprika, season with salt and pepper and drizzle the EVOO on top.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip, then bake for 20 more minutes, until crispy. I would make this ahead of time. It’s one of my favorite snacks and an alternative to bacon!

Chipotle Aioli

Yields: ⅓ cup mayo
Cook time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (Chipotle Aioli)

● ¼ cup avocado oil mayonnaise*
● ¼ cup plain full-fat Greek or Skyr yogurt**
● 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
● Juice from ½ lime
● Salt & pepper, to taste
*We love using Primal Kitchen’s avocado-oil mayonnaise.
**We used Siggi’s 4% plain Skyr yogurt.

Instructions (Chipotle Aioli)

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.

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What To Know About Astaxanthin: Benefits and Uses

Cassie Smith — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:14:39 +0000

Whether it refers to militant political extremists, or the unstable molecules that cause cellular damage in your body, you know the term “free radicals” means trouble whenever you hear it. Speaking of them in a health and nutrition context, there’s a whole corner of the supplement industry dedicated to scavenging free radicals with cellular support nutrients, including lutein, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E.

What To Know About Astaxanthin: Benefits and Uses

Another soldier in the fight against these radicals (ahem, the ones in your body), may be less appreciated, but it’s no less important. Astaxanthin, in fact, may be among the most helpful ingredients for cellular health that you’re not currently supplementing.

What Are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are atoms that lack electrons. As a result, they’re chemically unstable (kind of like your ex), and seek out other atoms to bond with that they can take electrons from to balance themselves out (again, like your ex). Doing so can damage the atoms these radicals attach to.

Free radicals are created naturally in response to virtually any kind of stress, bad or good, from inhaling air pollution and eating fried foods to exposure to sunlight and exercise. They form when oxygen molecules break into atoms. A build-up of these free radical oxygen atoms is known as oxidative stress, and can contribute to an array of health problems, ranging from wrinkles to serious illness.

What Is Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid. Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in plants, including algae, some fungi, and bacteria. These pigments contain phytochemicals that help plants absorb and use sunlight. Most carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables are yellow, orange, or red in color, so carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cantaloupe are a few popular foods that are rich in carotenoids.

Animals that eat carotenoid-containing plants and algae, such as salmon, trout, shrimp, and lobster, become sources of astaxanthin as well, and tend to be reddish in color. Some birds, such as flamingos, are pink because their diet consists of brine shrimp, a carotenoid-containing food source.

In the human body, carotenoids help aid in the maintenance of cellular integrity by providing the electrons that free radical atoms need in order to stabilize. Astaxanthin, therefore, helps to neutralize free radicals. According to a British study, “the activities of astaxanthin are approximately 10 times stronger than those of other carotenoids that were tested.” These findings are further supported by a study suggesting that astaxanthin has been shown to be up to 1,000 times more powerful than other scavengers of free radicals.

What Are The Benefits of Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin’s protective properties have been linked to skin and heart health, according to Krissy Kendall, Ph.D., a lecturer at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia.

Astaxanthin for Skin Health

The oxidative stress caused by too much exposure to sun can, as you probably already know, cause a lot of cellular damage. Your skin is most at risk for sun damage, resulting in dark spots.

One of the surprising potential benefits of astaxanthin is supporting skin resistance to Ultraviolet light. “While these studies [one in the Journal of Dermatological Science] have only been conducted in animals,” says Kendall, “early results are promising.”

Another potentially interesting benefit of astaxanthin could have beauty queens all over the world eating more shrimp. “A 2012 study showed that applying astaxanthin to the skin while also consuming it orally helped to smooth wrinkles, lighten the appearance of age spots, and maintain skin moisture in both men and women,” explains Kendall. Although there aren’t enough studies to fully support the cosmetic benefits of astaxanthin, the results are encouraging.

Astaxanthin for Heart Health

One study showed that supplemental astaxanthin over a three-month period helped maintain healthy cholesterol concentrations by boosting healthy HDL cholesterol levels and supporting normal triglyceride concentrations.

What is Astaxanthin Found In?

Astaxanthin is commonly found in seafood such as lobster, shrimp, salmon and salmon roe, red trout, and crabs. Wild-caught seafood contains more astaxanthin than farm-raised options. Astaxanthin can also be taken in supplement form; it’s usually extracted from a type of algae or is obtained from the seafoods listed above.

Because carotenoids are fat-soluble, ingesting astaxanthin with a fat source could help its absorption. In other words, eat your lobster with butter (as if we had to tell you), or take it in a supplement that also contains oil (such as krill oil). Again, because it’s fat soluble, astaxanthin is slow to absorb and can remain in fat for days. Most supplements that include it, though, can be used daily.

Are There Side Effects To Taking Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin may influence hormone balances and can interact negatively with some medications. Make sure you talk to your doctor about supplementing before you add it to your regimen.

How Much Astaxanthin is in Krill Oil?

It depends on the krill oil! Some brands will include the serving information on their formula labels. Onnit Krill Oil, for instance, contains 200mcgs of astaxanthin. So, before you buy, read the label. Dubious labeling that doesn’t clearly show the astaxanthin content of the product may be an effort to hide the fact that there isn’t much astaxanthin in it.

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Get More Reps: How Beta-Alanine Helps Build Work Capacity

Onnit Academy — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 21:17:24 +0000

For the past quarter-century, creatine has been the most popular supplement for helping to promote performance during strength training. By recharging your muscles’ ATP stores, it allows you to maintain high-intensity activity—lifting, sprinting, etc.—past the point where you’d normally need to slow down or rest. However, if your goal is to maximize your strength and power training, there’s another amino acid you should consider supplementing with as well: beta-alanine.

Get More Reps: How Beta-Alanine Helps Build Work Capacity

While it works via a different mechanism than creatine, beta-alanine offers similar benefits, including supporting your ability to train more intensely and produce explosive power. Simply put, beta-alanine can help you go harder for longer, whether that means getting more reps on your weight-training sets, more takedowns on your opponents during MMA practice, finding a second wind when you’re finishing a sprint race, or standing on the pedals another 10 seconds at spin class.

Here’s everything you need to know about this underrated muscle supplement.

What Is Beta-Alanine?

Anyone who’s ever worked out hard knows about the “burn.” When you lift weights, run, swim, or do any other strenuous activity that lasts more than a few seconds, lactic acid builds up in your muscles. Lactic acid is a byproduct of the muscles burning carbs for fuel, and consists of a molecule called lactate and hydrogen ions. The lactate goes back to your liver and is recycled as an energy source to keep you working hard, but the hydrogen ions stay in your muscles, making them sting and ache. Not only is it an uncomfortable feeling that may make you want to quit what you’re doing, but research from the University of Utah shows that hydrogen ion buildup actually works to shut your muscles down so you have to stop and rest. This hinders performance, and, ultimately, your ability to make gains.

Beta-alanine is a precursor to the amino acid carnosine, which is found naturally in animal foods. Carnosine acts as a lactic acid buffer, helping the muscles defend against the buildup of hydrogen ions in your muscles, and therefore the burn you feel during a workout. Consuming supplemental beta-alanine has been shown to help boost levels of carnosine in the body, blocking lactic acid and supporting anaerobic performance.

What Are The Benefits of Beta-Alanine?

As with creatine, an abundance of research has demonstrated that taking beta-alanine can aid high-intensity, short duration exercise performance. Specifically, beta-alanine’s effect on carnosine levels translates to better workouts in the following ways.

Boosts Work Capacity

A study in Nutrition Research looked at college football players taking beta-alanine for 30 days. Their training volume across all strength workouts ended up being higher than that of the control (placebo) group, and the total amount of weight they lifted on the bench press in particular was significantly greater. Researchers also observed a trend toward lower rates of fatigue in the athletes during anaerobic power tests, and the players themselves reported feeling less fatigued.

Interestingly, when taking beta-alanine, improvements in work capacity may be possible independent of exercise. A study in Amino Acids had subjects use the supplement without following a training program. Muscle carnosine levels increased by a whopping 58.8% after four weeks, and 80% after 10 weeks, and the subjects saw significant improvements on work capacity tests administered at both times.

Promotes Power Output

A 2013 study followed jiu-jitsu and judo competitors who used beta-alanine. Before and after four weeks of supplementation, they were tested on four different anaerobic power tests lasting 30 seconds each. The martial artists’ performance scores significantly improved in the second and third tests, and tended to improve in the fourth, showing that not only did the players see gains in power, but their ability to produce it in a fatigued state (after previous power tests) also improved.

Aids Body Composition

A trial published in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that subjects who took beta-alanine got better results from high-intensity interval training (HIIT), gaining more lean body mass and endurance compared to placebo.

Can I Get Beta-Alanine From Food?

Beta-alanine is a component of carnosine, which, like all amino acids, is present in meats. Interestingly, some research suggests that the amount of physical activity an animal gets in its lifetime can determine how much carnosine it stores in its muscles. Therefore, game animals such as elk and bison could offer greater carnosine levels than more popular fare like beef and poultry.

Nevertheless, you need a significant intake of beta-alanine to reap the performance benefits (see “Do I Need To Load Beta-Alanine” below), so your best bet is to consume it in a concentrated supplement form—as a tablet or powder. This is even more important for those who eschew animal foods. The European Journal of Applied Physiology reports that vegetarians often have lower levels of carnosine than those who eat mixed diets.

Do I Need To Load Beta-Alanine?

Like creatine, beta-alanine has to build up in your system to be maximally effective. “Athletes should follow a loading phase of two to five grams daily,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, R.D., a performance dietitian with EXOS, Onnit’s partner in performance nutrition. (The larger the person, the more he/she will need to saturate the muscles, so you may need to experiment with your intake to find the right amount.) At that point, you can cut back to a maintenance protocol of two to three grams daily.

When Should I Take Beta-Alanine?

While it’s a common ingredient in many pre-workout products, beta-alanine doesn’t have to be taken at any specific time. Once levels reach four to six grams in your body, you should be able to see the difference in your workouts.

However, if you want to simplify your supplementing and get beta-alanine, B vitamins, BCAAs and more in one place, Onnit’s Total Strength + Performance offers such a formula that’s designed to help boost performance pre-workout. Research from Florida State University found that athletes who consumed it for four weeks had significant increases in their max squat, bench press, and deadlift poundage. (Their bench presses, in particular, skyrocketed by nearly 14 pounds on average.)

Is Beta-Alanine Safe?

You’ve probably heard of or experienced what many athletes describe as a tingling sensation from products that contain beta-alanine. The reason for this is unknown, but scientists think it may be beta-alanine acting on parts of the nervous system that end in the skin, and the effect is similar to the pins-and-needles feeling of when a hand or foot falls “asleep.” Assuming you’re healthy, this feeling is temporary and harmless.

In the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s official position stand on beta-alanine, it stated the following: “To date, there is no evidence to support that this tingling is harmful in any way. [The tingling side effect] is typically experienced in the face, neck, and back of hands. Although not all individuals will experience [it], it is typically dose-dependent, with higher doses resulting in greater side effects.”

If you want to do all you can to avoid the tingling sensation, you can take smaller amounts of beta-alanine at each serving, or look for a brand that offers a more sustained-release formula (Onnit’s beta-alanine does) so it absorbs more slowly during digestion.

The post Get More Reps: How Beta-Alanine Helps Build Work Capacity appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Make Life Easier With 8 Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes

Liv Langdon — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:34:21 +0000

Why cook when a slow cooker does it for you? When the in-laws start to make you feel like your head is about to spin off, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen hearing about Aunt Cheryl’s latest doctor visits while slaving over an elaborate dinner. Relax. Make a drink. Maybe three. We want everyone to have a stress-free winter, so here are 8 healthy slow cooker recipes to make your life a little more sane this holiday season.

Slow-Cooked 5-Meat Chili

Our primal instincts tells us to eat whatever animal we can get our hands on for means of survival. Our slow cookers tell us to gather everything we can get our hands on for lazy, indecisive eaters. I say, let’s combine both! With five types of meat (grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, wild boar, turkey, and bison), this grain-free, slow-digesting chili is hearty, easy to throw together and has all the right flavors to spice up your life!

Serves: 8-12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours, on high OR 6 hours, on low
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● 2 tbsp. avocado oil
● 1 lb. ground grass-fed beef
● 1 lb. ground bison
● 2 turkey or beef jerky bars
● 2 wild boar sausage*, diced
● 2 chicken breasts
● 1 large yellow onion, chopped
● 2 garlic cloves, diced
● 3 small sweet potatoes**, peeled & diced
● 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
● 2 organic carrots, peeled and diced
● 2 stalks celery, diced
● 15 oz. can black beans**, rinsed and drained
● 15 oz. can kidney beans**, rinsed and drained
● 3 cups grass-fed beef stock, pastured-raised if possible
*Any wild game sausage will work. If you don’t have access to wild game, look for any type of “uncured, nitrate-free sausage” at your local butcher or grocery store.
**Remove for a keto-friendly version of this recipe. I recommend you replace with two portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and diced, to add bulk, more veggies without sacrificing flavor.

Seasoning

● 3 tsp. Onnit Himalayan salt
● 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
● 2 tsp. cumin
● 1 tsp. black pepper
● 2 tbsp. chili powder
● 2 tsp. smoked paprika

Serving Suggestions

● Green onions, thinly sliced, garnish
● Avocado (squeeze lemon or lime on top to prevent oxidizing, or browning, when serving)
● Shredded white cheddar cheese, raw cheese if possible
● Plain full-fat Skyr or Greek yogurt*
*For keto version, opt for sour cream.

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp. avocado oil in a large pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, diced garlic, diced sausage, diced chicken, ground beef, 1 tsp. Himalayan salt and black pepper. Cook and break up the beef as you stir, until the beef is no longer pink. Add 1 tbsp. chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Transfer meat to the bottom of the slow cooker.

2. Slice the jerky bars in half lengthwise, then into small ½-inch pieces transversely. Add to the slow cooker.

3. Finally, add the diced sweet potato, black beans, kidneys beans, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, cayenne pepper, and spices to the slow cooker.

4. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Serve warm with desired toppings. For the keto-friendly version, see the asterisks in the ingredients above.*

Slow-Cooked Pulled Brisket & Bean Chili

There’s nothing like enjoying a warm bowl of chili smothered in cheese a cold winter day. But there is a way to make it even better. Throw some fast-digesting MCT oil in the mix, and bam! We then topped it with organic sour cream, chopped parsley, and maybe a little shredded cheese. Consider life is made!

Yields: 6-8 servings
Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, 5-6 hours on low
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
● 2 tbsp. unrefined avocado oil
● 2 lb. grass-fed brisket
● 3 turkey or beef jerky bars
● 1 large yellow onion, chopped
● 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
● 15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
● 3 cups organic beef stock
● 3 tsp. Himalayan salt
● 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
● 2 tsp. cumin
● 1 tsp. black pepper
● 3 tbsp. chili powder
● 2 tsp. smoked paprika

Serving Suggestions
● Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
● Organic sour cream
● White raw cheddar cheese

Instructions
1) Heat 1 tbsp. avocado oil in a large pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the brisket, and sear quickly on both sides to get a nice golden brown. Transfer to the bottom of the slow cooker.
2) Slice the jerky bars in half lengthwise, then into small ½-inch pieces transversely. Add to the slow cooker. Then top with onion, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and spices.
3) Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours, until you can easily shred the brisket with two forks. You can shred the brisket in the slow cooker, or transfer the meat to a cutting board, then shred, then return the meat to the slow cooker. Your choice. Depending on the cut, size, shape and amount of fat on the brisket, cook time may vary.
4) Serve warm with desired toppings.

Slow-Cooked Shredded Buffalo Chicken: 3 Ways

Don’t ruin your weekday efforts with weekend binging. Behold healthy slow cooker recipes that can be repurposed in three ways and will make your tastebuds and waistline beaming with joy. This slow-cooked buffalo chicken is great for meal prepping for the week. Throw on a salad or lettuce wrap, serve with cauliflower rice, or smother in Primal Kitchen ranch dressing. The options are endless, and the best part is, most of the work is done for you.

Serves: 10-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 3-4 hours, on high OR 5-6 hours, on low
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● 5 chicken breasts, USDA organic
● 13-oz bottle buffalo sauce*
● ⅓ cup chicken broth
● ½ sweet onion, diced

*We used Wing-Time medium buffalo wing sauce

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to CrockPot or slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
2. Using two forks, gently shred the chicken, and mix in with all the delicious sauce.

Chicken & Blue Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● 8 large portobello mushroom caps
● ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
● ¼ cup gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs*
● Shredded buffalo chicken, recipe above

*We used Ian’s Panko breadcrumbs, gluten-free original. If you are following a struct keto diet, we recommend replacing this with Pork Panko instead, which is essentially ground pork rinds.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove stems from mushrooms, and clean the outside of the caps using a damp paper towel Never run mushrooms under water. They are porous and will absorb the moisture. You can save the stems for re-purposing later; for example, finely dice up the stems and integrate them with the shredded chicken to cook all together, or save it to use in scrambled eggs or as a salad topper.
3. Carefully scoop out a little mushroom “meat” in the center to create more room for the chicken.
4. Add about ⅓ cup shredded chicken into each portobello cap. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese and ½ tbsp. gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs or Pork Panko on top of each stuffed portobello.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool. You can serve whole or slice into bite-size pieces for an easy grab-and-go bite.

Keto-Friendly Lettuce Wraps

Serves: 10
Prep time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● Head of red leaf lettuce, or any bibb or romaine lettuce of choice
● ⅓ cup. crumbled blue cheese
● 2 ripe avocados, sliced
● 1 lemon
● Shredded buffalo chicken, recipe above

Directions

1. Wash and pat dry the head of lettuce.
2. Pick the largest, most sturdy pieces. Add about ¼ cup of the shredded chicken, 2-3 slices of avocado, and a sprinkle of blue cheese on top of the lettuce. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the avocado slices to prevent browning. Enjoy!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Dip

Serves: 20+
Prep time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
● 4 stalks celery, sliced
● Assorted bell peppers, pitted, seeds removed, sliced
● Corn or grain-free tortillas chips of choice*, optional
● Buffalo shredded chicken, recipe above
● Primal Kitchen’s Ranch Dressing (Avocado Oil Based)

* Tip: Always for a simple ingredient list. For chips, it should only be 4 to 6 or less ingredients. One of my favorite brands is Siete grain-free cassava tortilla chips! When I’m looking for corn tortilla chips, I’m looking for non-GMO or organic corn on the label. Tried to avoid refined oils and unnecessary preservatives (i.e. ingredients you can’t pronounce) when possible.

Directions

1. This one is fairly straightforward: Add the shredded buffalo chicken to a bowl, and serve with fresh, sliced vegetables like carrots, celery, and bell peppers. Include your favorite tortilla chips and a side of ranch dressing, if you’d like. You can also use this shredded chicken in a healthy seven-layer dip or top with shredded cheese and bake to serve warm.

Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa

This slow-cooked, mouth-watering meat is a Tex-Mex staple. Now you don’t have to wait until the weekend to enjoy this flavor-packed protein. With less than 10 minutes of prep time, this barbacoa recipe cooks for you, so you don’t have to do anything except eat it! Enjoy it on our favorite grain-free tortillas by Siete, on top of a bed of lettuce or rice bowl, or simply munch on it as a snack with some salsa and guacamole. This dish is extremely versatile, and can be altered to fit any diet. If you’re Paleo, forgo the corn. If you’re Keto, leave out the sweet potatoes. If prefer less spicy, don’t add the jalapeno. The most important part: simplify your life, fuel your body, enjoy good-quality food.

Serves: 6-8
Cook Time: 3-4 hours on high, 5-6 hours on low
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

● 2 lbs. grass-fed brisket
● 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
● 1 red onion, sliced
● 2 bay leaves
● 4 cups organic beef broth
● 1 bag frozen organic corn (sweet or fire roasted)
● 1 jalapeno, optional*
*If you dig really, ridiculously spicy things.

For the sauce:

● 6 cloves garlic, minced
● ½ bunch fresh cilantro, with stems
● 7.5 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
● ¼ tsp. cloves
● Juice from 2 limes
● ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
● 2 tsp. Himalayan salt

For serving:

● Brown rice, cooked
● Siete Cassava & Coconut Flour Tortillas
● Avocado, sliced
● Fresh lime wedges
● Queso fresco, crumbled
● Sliced ¼ red onion
● Fresh cilantro, chopped or for garnish
● Full-fat Greek or Skyr plain yogurt
● Favorite fresh salsa

Instructions

1. Add all sauce ingredients to a blender. Pulse until smooth.
2. Add brisket to slow cooker or CrockPot. Then top with the sauce, onions, sweet potatoes, beef broth, and bay leaves.
3. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low. Turn to warm, then add the frozen corn for about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer meat to cutting board. Shred thy beautiful, tender meat. Return meat to slow cooker.
5. Don’t throw out the flavorful juices. You can add to ice cube tray or mason jar and freeze to add flavor in future stews and chilis.

Serving suggestions:

● Make a healthy taco bar! Serve with tortillas, sliced avocado, sliced onions, chopped cilantro, crumble queso fresco, lime wedges, fresh salsa, and plain yogurt. Our favorite tortillas are Austin-based company, Siete, who makes cassava (yucca) and coconut flour tortillas that are so tasty and low in carbohydrates and no white flour!
● Serve as a rice bowl with sliced onions, lime wedges, and cilantro for garnish. Feel free to add more Mexi-flavors sliced avocado, diced jalapeno, or a dollop of yogurt as a probiotic-rich substitute for sour cream. For a Paleo-friendly Burrito Bowl, you should definitely try this recipe!
● Simply serve alongside of fresh salsa and guacamole, enjoy as a snack and dip, or top on health(ier) homemade nachos made with Siete Cassava tortilla chips, shredded blend of cheese and organic refried black beans.

The post Make Life Easier With 8 Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes appeared first on Onnit Academy.

The Ingredients of Total Human Optimization: A Guide To Vitamins

Sean Hyson — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 14:00:21 +0000

We’ve been taught that a multivitamin will fill in the gaps in our diets since mom handed us our first Flintstones™ chewable. The trouble is, like the Flintstones themselves, most vitamin and mineral supplements remain in the proverbial Stone Age. They don’t contain all the nutrients we really need to be optimized, or in the amounts that are necessary to feel a positive difference. That’s why Onnit created Total Human®: an all-in-one pack that combines the most vital components of several of our other products (Alpha BRAIN®, New MOOD®, and more) to offer one mega-supplement for supporting health and performance.

The Ingredients of Total Human Optimization: A Guide To Vitamins

While TPC was an instant success and has been embraced by many professional athletes, we knew we could do even better. We listened to our customers and followed the emerging science on micronutrition. For one thing, we discovered that the spirulina tablets we included in the TPC day pack had a tendency to get crushed in transit, showing up as messy crumbs when users opened the packet. For another, the research showing how widespread vitamin D deficiency is, and how detrimental that can be, was a wake-up call that we needed to pump up the dosage. The CDC reports that 23 million Americans have a “severe” vitamin D deficiency, with African-Americans and Mexican-Americans carrying the highest risk.

In response, we replaced the spirulina tablets with capsules (and changed to a certified organic source). We also upped the vitamin D content by almost four times and, recognizing the importance of getting more B vitamins in the diet, added an entire B complex for its energy- and cognitive-supporting power.†

With all these changes, it was clear that Total Primate Care had evolved into something greater, so we’re now reintroducing it as a new, improved product we call Total Human® (available now). It covers all the micronutrition bases that made TPC a staple in our athletes’ diets, plus the aforementioned additions.

If you haven’t tried our formulas yet, or you’re skeptical about how they can help optimize you, let this guide answer all your questions about vitamins and minerals and other little-known nutrients that can make a huge difference in how you feel, think, and perform.

The Easiest Way To Get Optimized

There’s no shortage of options for vitamins and supplements, but which ones do you need?

Total Human® is a complete re-imagining of the daily multivitamin, combining many of our best-in-class formulas into a simple & effective all-in-one product.

Not simply one pill, Total Human® is a dense, rich dose of a myriad of Earth-grown nutrients and clinically-studied ingredients specifically balanced to support the brain, mood, energy, bones, immune system, joint health, and more.†

These formulas come in convenient day and night packs, each aimed at building you up while you work, and working while you sleep.†

There’s no easier way to get optimized. Click here to Try Total Human® Today.

What’s The Difference Between Vitamins and Minerals?

Vitamins are the micronutrients you get from animal and plant sources. These include A, C, D, E, K, and the various B vitamins. Minerals come from soil and water and include calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and many others. Both vitamins and minerals are essential to good health and athletic performance.

There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, and K, dissolve in fat. That means that they’ll be soaked up by your fat cells and stored when you consume them. Water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) need to dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. They can’t be stored, and, as a result, you need to consume more of them. In a similar way, your body needs more of some types of minerals than it does others. Its demand for calcium is high, while copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc, for example, are known as trace minerals because you only need small amounts daily.

What Do Vitamins and Minerals Do?

Both types of nutrients play multiple roles in supporting growth and development and helping the body’s cells function properly. Here’s a quick (and only partial) rundown of what the most popular vitamins and minerals do.

Vitamin A. An essential component of a protein that absorbs light in the retina, it’s crucial for vision.

B vitamins. There are eight of them in all, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. B vitamins promote energy and help support memory, skin health, and a positive mood. A study in Human Psychopharmacology found that taking B vitamins significantly decreased subjects’ feelings of stress in the workplace after 90 days, causing the researchers to suggest Bs as a cost-effective treatment for job-related strain.

Vitamin C. Necessary for protein metabolism and the creation of collagen, C is a major factor in healing wounds. An antioxidant, it fights free radicals and helps regenerate other antioxidants within the body.

Vitamin D. Helps promote immune and heart health as well as regulate mood. D also increases the body’s ability to utilize other minerals, such as calcium.

Vitamin E. A powerful antioxidant, it helps with immune function and metabolism.

Vitamin K. Helps regulate blood clotting, so wounds stop bleeding and can begin to heal.

Calcium. You already know it helps fortify bones and teeth, but calcium also lets your muscles contract and aids in the secretion of hormones like insulin.

Iron. Helps red blood cells carry oxygen around the body, supporting energy levels.

Magnesium. More than 300 different metabolic reactions depend on magnesium, including the body’s ability to burn carbs and fat for energy. Similar to calcium, it can promote bone mineral density.

Phosphorus. Every cell in the body needs phosphorus to function. It helps filter waste out of the kidneys and manages energy.

Potassium. Helps maintain fluid balance in the blood and muscles; supports muscle, heart, and nervous system functions.

Zinc. Your sense of taste and smell rely on it.

Can’t I Get The Nutrients I Need Through Food?

Eating a balanced diet with animal foods, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains will supply the lion’s share of vitamins and minerals you need. For this reason, some pundits have argued that multivitamins are a waste of money. Eat well, they say, and your micronutrient requirements are covered.

The trouble is, however, that most people don’t eat well. Especially kids, and their poor eating habits can not only make them perform worse in school but also be more disruptive. A California State University study supplied a group of schoolchildren with a multivitamin supplement and tracked their behavior for four months. Ultimately, the kids’ whose diets were bolstered by the extra vitamins and minerals exhibited less “antisocial behavior”—that is, less fighting, cursing, vandalism, and other offensive conduct.†

And how about multivitamins helping them think better too? The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine revealed that supplementation could dramatically raise “the non-verbal intelligence” of some school kids, “presumably because they were too poorly nourished before supplementation for optimal brain function.”†

While it’s true that major vitamin and mineral deficiencies (to the point where diseases result) are hard to come by in developed nations like the U.S., recent research indicates that the vast majority of us still aren’t getting enough of what we need. A 2016 article in the Journal of Family Practice states that more than 90% of Americans don’t get adequate amounts of at least one vitamin or mineral in their diets. This can be due to lack of access to certain foods or avoidance of such foods for cultural reasons. As a result, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and of Agriculture note that dietary supplements “may be useful in providing one or more nutrients that otherwise may be consumed in less than recommended amounts or that are of particular concern for specific population groups.”

Furthermore, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that, when subjects combined a good diet with a multivitamin, they were more likely to meet their minimum vitamin and mineral requirements.

Nevertheless, there’s a persistent myth that multivitamins don’t get absorbed—you just pee them right out. First of all, this could only be true of water-soluble vitamins, not those that are stored in fat. Secondly, pissing out good nutrition will only happen when your body senses an excess of vitamins and minerals. Unless you have some serious gut health issues that prevent absorption, your body will take in most of what you consume if you need it—food or supplement. “Multi-vitamins work as a great catch-all,” says Carla Nowicki, R.D., an Austin, Texas-based dietitian and owner of Pursuit Nutrition. “It is hard to track all the trace amounts that each individual needs, so a multi-vitamin will make sure you are covered.”

Which vitamins and minerals am I not getting enough of?

Research consistently shows that Americans have trouble meeting their requirements for the following.

B vitamins. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 30 million Americans have a B6 deficiency, and African Americans are at a particularly high risk. Furthermore, data from Tufts University shows that 40% of people aged 26 to 83 have B12 levels that are on the low end of normal—bad enough that they may exhibit lack of focus. Aside from assisting with feelings of alertness, B12 is thought to protect the sheaths that cover nerves.† So failing to maintain B12 levels is like neglecting to maintain electrical wires—they’ll fray, and the signals they carry won’t get relayed efficiently.

If you follow a plant-based diet, you’ll almost certainly need to supplement with B vitamins, as they’re not available outside of animal foods. A review of 40 studies in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that as much as 86.5% of vegetarians—and even more vegans—were at risk for B vitamin deficiency.

Calcium. Studies show that teenagers tend to replace milk in their diets with soda, leading to a lower calcium intake that can hinder their overall development. As for grownups, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicates that the average dietary calcium intake for both men and women is likely several hundred milligrams below the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

Vitamin D. Yes, your body can make its own when you’re exposed to sunlight, but it’s not as easy as a day at the beach. Atmospheric conditions (like cloudy days) and geographical location can filter out much of the sun’s rays—not to mention any clothing or sunblock you wear. This is one vitamin where it seems better to err on the side of more rather than less. A 2014 study from the University of Alberta concluded that the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D, 600IUs daily, was not enough to support bone and immune health. Researchers go on to suggest that more than 10 times that amount may be necessary to provide the benefits that D is touted for.

Iodine. In 2012, the journal Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology reported that iodine requirements increase 50% during pregnancy. Failure to take in more can actually cause a woman’s baby to be born dumber. Say the paper’s authors: “Two meta-analyses have estimated that iodine-deficient populations experience a mean reduction in IQ of 12–13.5 points.” Meanwhile, the CDC says that one-third of pregnant women in the U.S. are borderline iodine deficient. In addition, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, a non-profit research center at Oregon State University, iodine intake has been decreasing in recent years.

Iron. Females are again at the greatest risk. The CDC claims 7.5 million women ages 12 to 49 have low iron (African- and Mexican-Americans are again the most susceptible among them).

Magnesium. In developed nations, deficiency of magnesium is more common than a deficiency of any other vitamin or mineral, with the exception of vitamin D. Though the RDA is 400–420mg/day for men and 310–320mg/day for women, NHANES found that Americans’ average magnesium intake is much lower—350mg for men and 260mg for women. Older people (age 50+) exhibited even worse numbers.

The problem is how Americans eat. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that “The diets of most people in the United States provide less than the recommended amounts of magnesium.” People fill up on grains, and while bran flakes and other cereals come up on lists of foods that are magnesium-rich, the magnesium they offer is poorly absorbed by the body.

According to the NIH, other health factors can drain your magnesium levels as well, such as gastrointestinal problems or being very overweight. Low magnesium can exacerbate these troubles further, as too little magnesium is bad for blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.

One of the main reasons otherwise healthy people can come up short on certain vitamins and minerals is because of activity levels. People who weight train and play sports burn through nutrition more quickly than sedentary people do, so if that sounds like you, it’s likely that your micronutrition needs aren’t being completely met, even by your healthy diet. The government’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that dairy, fruit, and vegetable intake is suboptimal among the populace, and that athletes in particular may be under-consuming vitamins A and C, along with calcium, iron, and zinc.

Is It Dangerous to Take Vitamins and Minerals?

Scientists have established upper limits for micronutrients, and consuming greater amounts has been shown to have adverse effects, but mainly in special populations. According to the National Institutes of Health, smokers should avoid multivitamins that provide a large amount of vitamin A or beta-carotene, as they may increase the risk of lung cancer (remember, this is in people who already smoke cigarettes). Additionally, pregnant adult women who exceed the 10,000 IU/day upper limit for vitamin A may put their babies at increased risk for birth defects.

In 2017, there was a scare over B vitamins and lung cancer when Ohio State University claimed a link between B6 and B12 and an increased risk for the disease. Again, as with the vitamin A report, the subjects were smokers, between the ages of 50 and 76, and taking huge amounts—20mg of B6 and 55 micrograms of B12 (the RDA is only 1.3mg and 2.4 micrograms, respectively). Interestingly, the risk of cancer was not found to increase among the women studied.

The study’s head researcher, Theodore Brasky, summed up the findings by saying, “If they are men and they are smoking and taking B vitamin supplements, they really need to quit smoking. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.” It’s also worth noting that a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that people—including smokers—who had high levels of B6 and the amino acid methionine in their blood for five years were at a 60% less risk of getting lung cancer. Methionine is common in lean meats such as chicken breast.

Finally, excessive iron (greater than 20mg per kilogram of body weight) has proved to be problematic, leading to stomach trouble, especially if taken without food. It can also interfere with zinc absorption.

Taking medication can also change your tolerance for certain vitamins and minerals, so if you’re on drugs, speak with your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

But a greater health concern than getting too much of a micronutrient (or even too little) may be where that micronutrient came from. To save on costs, many multivitamin sellers source their products from China, where pollution is a major public health problem. As The Epoch Times reported in 2014, “Vitamins and nutritional supplements usually use agricultural products as key raw materials. The top vitamin exporting province, Zhejiang, has an alarming level of soil pollution from heavy metal. As matter of fact, one-sixth of China’s farmlands are heavily polluted.” To make matters worse, only two percent of imported vitamin supplements are inspected.

The best way to ensure that you get a safe, quality multivitamin is to choose one that has been third-party tested. “That’s the only guarantee that what the label says is in the bottle is actually what you’re getting,” and that the ingredients are pure, says Shannon Ehrhardt, R.D., a performance dietitian with EXOS (Onnit’s partner in performance nutrition).

Products that bear the NSF or USP seal have been manufactured in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) facility. If you’re a college or pro athlete, you should supplement with products that have also been deemed free of any banned substances—the type that can ruin a career if they turn up on a drug test. “NSF Certified for Sport, Banned Substance Control Group (BSCG), and Informed Choice are three companies that have a respected reputation in this part of the supplement world,” says Ehrhardt. “I won’t even give something as simple as B vitamins or vitamin C to my athletes unless it has one of those three stamps of approval.”

Does the Type of Vitamin Matter?

Not all vitamins are created equal. Your body will absorb some forms better than others. A study in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that benfotiamine—a type of B1—assimilated best inside the body, peaking B1 levels five times more than other B derivatives, and its bioavailability was more than 3.5 times greater.† In general, you’ll also want your multi to include B vitamins that are methylated. A 2013 review showed that methylated folate (B9), which is how folate appears in nature, is more readily absorbed. And when it comes to vitamin D, the D3 vitamin is the best choice, as it’s the same kind your skin synthesizes with sunlight.

The delivery mechanism you choose for your multivitamin also affects its potency. These days the options range from capsules and tablets that you swallow to tabs you can chew and liquid shots that you drink. Capsules typically absorb well, have a long shelf life, and contain the greatest amounts of the nutrition they purport to. Tablets are usually a good option too, but they can break during travel, leaving a messy powder that makes consumption more difficult. According to Carla Nowicki, there’s a simple at-home test you can put your tablets through to see if they work well: drop them in water. They should dissolve in eight hours. “If they don’t dissolve and they sink to the bottom of your glass,” says Nowicki, “they probably won’t be absorbed as easily.”

Chewable tablets and liquid vitamin cocktails may taste good, but the extra ingredients manufacturers need to add to make them palatable (sugar, artificial flavorings) dilutes the amount of micronutrition that can go into them. These products typically won’t include chromium, magnesium, selenium, or zinc either, as their flavors are hard to mask.

Gummy vitamins can be alluring because they seem like candy, and they basically are. (Nature Made Gummy Vitamin C contains two grams of sugar per serving.) But according to ConsumerLab.com, a group that conducts independent testing of consumer health products, most gummies simply can’t be trusted. In tests conducted on 50 different multivitamins, 80% of the gummies did not meet dietary supplement standards. Furthermore, 12 of the products contained as little as 24% of the micronutrients that were advertised, and, simultaneously, a frightening 157% more than promised.

When Should I Take a Multivitamin?

Some vitamins and minerals benefit you more at one time than at another. For instance, you should take calcium before bed. The Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand showed that supplementation with calcium before bed helped reduce markers of bone loss compared to supplementation at breakfast.† To help with sleep itself, magnesium can be helpful. A 2012 study showed that, taken before bed, it helped increase sleep time and efficiency.†

B vitamins, on the other hand, will be most beneficial during the day. “They help convert the carbs and fat you eat into energy,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, so take them before or with a meal. In general, because vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, you’ll get better absorption of them if you take them with a fat-rich meal.

There are also less than ideal times to take certain micronutrients. Calcium can compete for absorption with strontium—another bone-friendly mineral—so it’s best to take those separately. The same goes for calcium and iron, says Ehrhardt.

What Else Do I Need To Be Optimized?

A good multivitamin will cover the most essential micronutrients you need to feel and perform at your best, but there are a handful of compounds that most brands don’t include that we like to take along with multis for extra credit. Below are our favorites.

Ashwagandha. A review in the Journal of Biological Sciences concluded that this diverse Indian herb may assist with endurance, immune function, mood, memory, and stress relief.†

Astralagus. This Chinese herb, popular in traditional therapies, supports immune health and regulating inflammatory responses.†

Chaga. A 2015 study indicates that this mushroom may help support a strong immune system.†

Cordyceps. Another mushroom, cordyceps was shown in a 2016 study to increase time to exhaustion in cyclists (by about 28 seconds).† It also seems to promote normal immune function.†

Krill oil. Virtually everyone is aware that fish oil is beneficial, but krill oil may be the better investment. The journal Lipids found that considerably smaller doses of krill oil had the same positive effect on cellular health, while a 2013 trial discovered that it boosted omega-3 fats to a greater degree.†

Strontium. Calcium gets all the glory for bone health but strontium deserves credit too. Though it’s a mineral like calcium, most multis don’t include it. If you’re an older individual, or you participate in high-impact sports, you may want to make a point of including strontium. The New England Journal of Medicine showed that strontium supplementation demonstrated a remarkable decrease in bone damage risk—41% after three years.†

The Better Than a Multivitamin

Most “all-in-one” supplements just don’t cut it. They aren’t targeting specific systems, and the inclusion of vitamins and minerals are often at bare minimum levels. There is not one single “magic pill” you can take that could possibly provide your body with optimum support, and if recommended daily allowances were all you needed, most everyone would be thriving. That is part of why recent reports have come out saying “multivitamins don’t work.”

That’s also why Total Human® was created to be a rich collection of high-quality nutrients, each purpose-driven to provide a tide of benefits to support your body, mind, joint health, immune system, energy, mood, and other aspects of your well-being.†

Restore Electrolyte Imbalance With This Hydration Drink Recipe

Liv Langdon — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 17:18:31 +0000

In honor of Father’s Day, we wanted to share the gift of hydration to all our hard-working dads out there to keep you on your A-game. We know we can pretty much beat you at any athletic competition at this point, but we can’t have you being weak and dehydrated. Let’s try to make this as fair as possible. This homemade hydration drink may not solve all of your mid-life crises issues, but it sure will give you an extra pep in your step. Whether you’re hitting the golf course with the boys, relaxing by the pool with your kids, or throwing back some brewskis watching the World Cup today, this virgin margarita-tasting drink is sure to quench your thirst. I mean, Maurice Allen approves.

And, we think this goes without saying, but dads aren’t the only ones who would benefit from this recipe. Maybe your trainer kicked your ass, your night out got a little too wild, or the sauna sucked every last drop of water out of you. Regardless, this homemade electrolyte drink is sure to revive you! With the launch of the new and improved Onnit Cafe and Smoothie Bar menu, we created this “CocoLime Rehydrate” slush to deliver the minerals you need to feel and perform at your best.

CocoLime Rehydrate

Yield:	1 serving
Difficulty:	Easy
Prep Time:	5 minutes

The "CocoLime Rehydrate" slush is designed to deliver the minerals you need to feel and perform at your best.

Ingredients:

10 oz. water or organic pure coconut water
1 scoop Onnit Mineral Electrolytes, Lime
1 tbsp. coconut Emulsified MCT Oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/8 tsp. Himalayan salt
1-2 cups ice

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender.
Pulse until a slushy consistency is formed.
Enjoy as a pre-, intra-, or post-workout refresher.

The post Restore Electrolyte Imbalance With This Hydration Drink Recipe appeared first on Onnit Academy.

ingredient spotlight Archives - Onnit Academy

Aid Performance With Electrolytes

Aid Performance With Electrolytes

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What Is an Electrolyte Imbalance?

Benefits of Electrolytes

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Homemade Popsicles Perfect for July 4th

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Maltodextrin & High Glycemic Carbs for Post-Workout Recovery

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Upgrade Your Turkey Burgers With This Ingredient

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Get More Reps: How Beta-Alanine Helps Build Work Capacity

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What Are The Benefits of Beta-Alanine?

Boosts Work Capacity

Promotes Power Output

Aids Body Composition

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When Should I Take Beta-Alanine?

Is Beta-Alanine Safe?

Make Life Easier With 8 Healthy Slow-Cooker Recipes

Slow-Cooked 5-Meat Chili

Ingredients

Seasoning

Serving Suggestions

Directions

Slow-Cooked Pulled Brisket & Bean Chili

Slow-Cooked Shredded Buffalo Chicken: 3 Ways

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Chicken & Blue Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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Keto-Friendly Lettuce Wraps

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken Dip

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Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa

What To Know About Astaxanthin: Benefits and Uses

What To Know About Astaxanthin: Benefits and Uses