Health Food Finds (AKA Impulse Buys)

AKA my-husbands-going-to-kill-me-if-I-keep-shopping-like-this. I wasn’t terrible during this excursion. I went to our nearby (30 minutes away) health food store to pick up some probiotics for my stomach (more on that later) and ended up with a small cart full of goodies.

I wanted to share some of the goodies I got and why I bought them (other than boredom).

First up: Ghee…AKA clarified butter

 

Okay, so how is ghee different than butter? Ghee is basically butter that has been boiled and removed of its residues (whatever those are). Ghee is widely used in India although they typically make it from buffalo milk, not cow’s.

Are there health benefits to using ghee? I honestly didn’t find much information out there about the health benefits…solid information. Paleo lovers use ghee because it lacks milk proteins lactose and casein so ghee is a good option for people avoiding dairy. People following an Ayurveda diet swear by it too (the “mode of goodness”), but the bottom line is, it’s mostly fat. Fat is not a terrible thing, even some saturated fat. That being said I would not down ghee by the spoonfuls…or butter..or any other fat. Everything in moderation right?

So, ghee tastes good. Adds a nice buttery taste to my meals but I’m not sure I’d buy it again (it’s pricey). Here’s some more information on it.

Next up: nutritional yeast

 

My stomach has been irritating me a bit lately so I’ve been trying to cut down on dairy. Of course, I have no clue if dairy is even bothering me so this is somewhat of an experiment. I bought the nutritional yeast because I have heard other people use it as a cheese replacement.

What is it? Um…fish food? Looks like it. FatFree Vegan Kitchen’s website has a great article where she explains what the heck nutritional yeast is:

“Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it.”

Like the name says, nutritional yeast is very nutritional! It is a complete protein and packed with B complex vitamins. It’s perfect for vegans or Paleo dieters…or people like me who just like to eat everything. I sprinkled some on my eggs and I have to admit, I really like it!

Looks like fish food right? Tasty.

#3: Psyllium Husk

 

Okay, first of all, psyllium husk can come with some side effects so you probably want to talk to your doctor before taking it-especially if you have gastrointestinal problems.That being said, psyllium husk is a great source of soluble dietary fiber. Let’s call it “colon blow.”  Like I said before I’ve been having some, ahem, tummy problems so wanted to slowly add a little more fiber to my diet. Some people also use psyllium husk in gluten free baking (which I just learned). The ground up husk helps bind moisture together so you produce less crumbly breads. I’ll let you know how I feel about psyllium husk after a few more weeks…

Next: Fermented Foods

 

So, this is another thing I’m adding to my list for belly help. I’ve been reading a lot about fermented foods and probiotics for gut health. Basically, fermented foods add healthy bacteria (like yogurt or Kombucha drinks) to your gut which in turn, balances everything out. What I mean by “balances everything out” is it helps your gut absorb foods and keep you regular.

This particular jar of pickled goodies was good…..but not my favorite. I do like sauerkraut so I think I’ll give that try. Maybe attempt some homemade kombucha too? We’ll see!

Finally: Raw Black Beans

 

Okay, these aren’t really a weird health food but I’ve never cooked raw beans before. I’m curious to see if they taste any better or are worth the time. I’ll let you know!

 

What are some weird health foods you like? Ever cooked raw beans?