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Over the last fifteen years, a series of life events slowly reshaped the way I think about health. From my mom’s diagnosis to my own shifts in food, movement, and habits, I found my way to lifestyle medicine—one small, intentional choice at a time.

I honestly think seed oils are getting a bit of a bad wrap. Here’s why: The issue is that seed oils contain a high percentage of linoleic acid. HOWEVER, linoleic acid is actually an essential fatty acid (Omega 6) that supports health when consumed in modest amounts. The real issue is overconsumption. Too much linoleic acid is linked to chronic inflammation, which is thought to contribute to many of the chronic diseases we are plagued with, and the SAD (standard American diet), sadly (pun intended), makes it very easy to consume too much. By SAD, I mean lots of highly processed foods like store bought salad dressings, chips, margarine, baked goods, etc. Some seed oils (especially canola, corn and soybean) tend to be cheaper so I’m sure that’s why they are more widely used. You can see in the graphic below the kinds of oils that are considered seed oils. The reason I wanted to post about this is that I have gotten some questions recently about why I choose to use the oil that I do in Grounded Granola since it’s technically a seed oil. I’m so glad you guys are thinking about this and asking! It means you care about what you are putting into your bodies…and that is something that is also very, very important to me! If you take a look at the ingredients list on your bag of Grounded Granola, you’ll see it lists Virgin, Organic, High Oleic Sunflower Oil. This oil is VERY different than traditional sunflower oil. Let me explain. To be considered high oleic, sunflower oil needs to contain at least 75% oleic acid, an omega 9 fatty acid, which has a number of health benefits and is also an important part of our diet. High oleic sunflowers have been bred (not GMO, that's totally different) to have a high content of oleic acid rather than linoleic. The oil used in Grounded Granola has only 2.72% linoleic acid and is 89% oleic acid.  Also important is how an oil is processed. Virgin means that oil is not heated to the point of nutrient destruction in the extraction process. I choose to use this oil because it is highly shelf stable (due to high Vitamin E content - bonus!) and because it has a clean but nutty taste that nicely complements the high percentage of nuts and seeds that make up Grounded Granola. Last but not least, I choose it because it is an oil that I feel good about using in my own diet. So take a look at one last chart below. It shows the linoleic acid content of various cooking oils. Traditional sunflower oil is on the right at 68% linoleic acid. Wow! I believe that Virgin, Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil, while not on this list, very much deserves to be and there should be more awareness around it. If it were to be added here, I’d argue that it squarely belongs on the left…at least the one we use in Grounded Granola which is only 2.72% linoleic acid. Hope this clears up some questions or confusion about a topic that is quite more complex than simply “seed oils are bad.”

About 15 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the time, I knew nothing about the condition and probably even thought it was hereditary and didn’t want to be on the receiving end so I began researching its causes and how not to get it. I was surprised to learn that it is considered a diet and lifestyle disease and, therefore, avoidable and even, a lot of times, reversible.  I think the most important thing I learned during my time of research was the concept of empty calories, typically characteristic of simple carbohydrate foods; versus nutrient dense, complex carbohydrate foods, and the difference in their glycemic indexes. Glycemic index (GI) is a measurement that assigns a value to carb containing foods based on how quickly they raise blood sugar. Simple carbohydrate foods are digested quickly and have a higher GI while complex carbohydrate foods digest more slowly and have a lower GI. The body just doesn’t have to work very hard to break down simple carbohydrate foods so there’s a rapid release of glucose into the bloodstream, causing a spike in blood sugar. There may be a short energy spike but it’s quickly followed by a crash. Simple carb foods include white and brown sugar, white rice and the myriad of processed foods that Americans consume. Because the body has to work much harder to break down complex carbs, there’s a slower, more gradual release of glucose into the blood stream. There’s no spiking. Not only do complex carb foods have more nutritional value and fiber, they are more satiating. Some examples include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and peas. Carbs in and of themselves are not the enemy; our bodies need them for energy and we’re even equipped to manage occasional spikes but, frequent and prolonged elevations are a problem. When our bodies have to produce more insulin (hormone which regulates blood sugar levels) than they’re designed to, our cells can become insulin resistant and this is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. An ongoing spiking and crashing cycle is also linked to: weight gain, chronic inflammation, increased risk of heart disease, accelerated aging and cognitive decline as well as mental health impacts like anxiety and depression. We don’t need to swear off sweet or processed foods forever but, consuming them as the exception rather than the rule will optimize health and wellness. Choose foods that nourish, stay active, hydrate and get sufficient sleep. Also keep in mind that it’s beneficial to pair foods strategically, IE, combine carbs with protein or healthy fats as this slows digestion and glucose release. It’s New Year’s Resolution season and if you have some goals that involve improvement in your health, my simple and humble advice is to just eat real food.

So I’m kind of obsessed with eating superfoods and today I want to talk about why and how to incorporate some into your diet. Today I’ll focus on dates! They’re the dried, sweet and earthy fruit of the date palm and are considered a superfood because they’re high in a number of vitamins and minerals, fiber and antioxidants. I feel like we hear the term “antioxidant” a lot these days (you definitely will if you come to my granola events :-D) but might not really know what it means. First let’s talk about free radicals, which is why antioxidants are important. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to our cells and create an environment for a number of chronic diseases to thrive, cancer being one of them. Alarming, right? Some common sources of free radicals are: 1) fried and ultra-processed foods, 2) alcohol, 3) smoking, 4) environmental pollutants and 5) stress. Once cells are damaged by free radicals, they are in a state of oxidative stress. Think about what happens when that produce you fully intended to eat starts to go bad…that’s what’s happening at a cellular level in our bodies. Eeek! No good! Antioxidants are molecules that are mostly found in plant foods and neutralize free radicals. Some examples you may be familiar with are vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, along with the minerals selenium and manganese. The image below shows how antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Pretty cool that a date can do that, huh? So how can you incorporate dates into your diet? One simple idea is to use them as a spread for toast, bagels, etc. They’re a great alternative to sugary jams and jellies. Date paste is super easy and inexpensive to make. I buy these organic, pitted dates at Costco and they’re under $6.00 for 2 1/2 pounds. Costco for the win! To make date spread, all you’ll need is dates, boiling water and a blender. That’s it. Place 6 ounces of whole, pitted dates into a large bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water. Let them sit for 10 minutes then pour off the water, reserving about 3/4 of a cup. Add the dates and the 3/4 cup of water to your blender and blend until they’re a nice, smooth consistency. Store in a mason jar in the fridge. It will last for at least 3 months. Another simple use is to chop them up for use in salads. Now go find some dates and google what other superfoods you can try! Eat Mindfully | Live Optimally

Even if you can’t make it yourself, I’d encourage you to shop at local bakeries and look for breads that have sourdough “starter” or “culture” in the ingredients. That way, you know it was slow fermented and contains all the benefits we’ve discussed here!

I am constantly on a quest to try something new and to learn how food can create health and enable longevity. There are always several experiments going on in my kitchen during any given week so I thought I’d share more about what I’m working on and learning.