This coconut flour Pumpkin Bread (or muffins) is another delicious variation of my Apple Cinnamon Coconut Flour Muffins  and my Grain Free Banana Bread. This bread is delicious by itself or with a little melted butter or coconut oil. If you eat dairy, you can pour half of the batter into an 8×8 pan, add slices of cream cheese, and then add the rest of the batter.

If you are looking for a grain free, low-carb and sugar free bread for breakfasts or dessert…. try this recipe!

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread or Muffins

Ingredients:

• 5 Eggs
• 1 cup of pumpkin puree (pumpkin only… check the ingredients)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil or butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

How to Make Pumpkin Bread or Muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Put all ingredients in medium sized bowl
3. Using strong whisk or immersion blender (recommend!), mix until smooth and well incorporated. If batter is too thick, add a little coconut milk or water to thin, but don’t let it get runny at all.
4. Put into greased muffin tins or an 8×8 baking dish (a regular loaf pan doesn’t work well)- For muffins, I use a 1/4 cup measure to make pretty even sized. Batter will be somewhat thick.
5. Bake for 13-18 minutes (muffins) or 20-25 minutes (bread)  until lightly browned and set in middle.
6. Optional topping: finely grind almonds or pecans and mix with butter or coconut oil to make a crumble topping.

What’s your favorite grain free recipe? Will you try these?

William Davis, MD, is a preventive cardiologist whose unique approach to diet allows him to advocate reversal, not just prevention, of heart disease. He is the founder of theTrack Your Plaque program.

He started recommending a wheat free diet with his patients because wheat products raise the blood sugar more than a snickers bar. Besides blood sugar improvements, he was surprised to see his patients also experience: "weight loss of 25 to 30 lbs over several months, marked improvement or total relief from arthritis, improvement in asthma sufficient to chuck 2 or 3 inhalers, complete relief from acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, disappearance of leg swelling and numbness. Most reported increased mental clarity, deeper sleep, and more stable moods and emotions."

Check out Dr. Davis' Blog Here]

Enter Dr. Davis:

1. How did you come to the conclusion that wheat is harmful in its current form?

I learned just how bad wheat was when I asked patients in my cardiac practice to remove it from their diet. I did this because 80% of people I’d meet for the first time were diabetic or pre-diabetic, situations that double or triple heart disease risk. In an effort to minimize this situation, I applied a very simple fact: Two slices of whole wheat bread raise blood sugar higher than 6 teaspoons of sugar, higher than a Snickers bar. (Most people are unaware that the glycemic index of whole wheat bread is among the highest of all foods.)

So I asked everyone to remove wheat to observe the blood sugar effects. People would come back after a 3-6 months and, indeed, their blood sugars and HbA1c (a measure of prior 60 days blood sugar) would be much lower, even to the point at which some diabetics were no longer diabetic. But people told me plenty more: They lost 30 pounds, lost 4 inches from their waist, felt better than they had in 20 years with more energy, less moodiness and deeper sleep. They told me how they experienced complete relief from acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches, hand and finger arthritis and joint pain, sinus congestion and chronic sinus infections. They told me about how their asthma improved so much that they threw away three inhalers, their rheumatoid arthritis was so much better they were in the process of reducing medication, their ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s had improved so much that no medication was required any longer, their leg edema had disappeared and rashes were gone.

At first, I dismissed it as pure coincidence. But the effects became so frequent and consistent that the conclusion became unavoidable: Wheat was the underlying cause for an incredible array of health problems and weight gain, and that eliminating was key to astounding health.

And note that this was not gluten avoidance for the gluten-sensitive; this was wheat avoidance for everybody, as it was a rare person who didn’t experience at least some measurable improvement in health, if not outright transformation. I now recommend complete wheat avoidance for all my patients, as well as anyone else interested in regaining control over health and weight.

2. How is wheat consumption linked to heart health?

Wheat consumption causes heart disease. It’s not cholesterol, it’s not saturated fat that’s behind the number one killer of Americans; it’s wheat.

The nutrition community has been guilty of following a flawed sequence of logic: If something bad for you (white processed flour) is replaced by something less bad (whole grains) and there is an apparent health benefit, then a whole bunch of the less bad thing is good for you. Let’s apply that to another situation: If something bad for you—unfiltered Camel cigarettes—are replaced by something less bad—filtered Salem Cigarettes—then the conclusion would be to smoke a lot of Salems. The next logical question should have been: What is the health consequence of complete removal? Only then can you observe the effect of whole grains vs. no grains . . . and, from what I witness every day, you see complete transformations in health.

Consumption of wheat, due to its unique carbohydrate, amylopectin A, triggers formation of small, dense LDL particles more than any other common food. Small, dense LDL particles are the number one cause for heart disease in the U.S. The majority of adults now have an abundance of small LDL particles because they’ve been told to cut their fat and “eat plenty of healthy whole grains.” This situation of excessive small LDL particles can appear on a conventional cholesterol panel as higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, along with low HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides that often leads to statin drugs. When more sophisticated lipoprotein testing is obtained, then the explosion of small LDL particles becomes obvious.

Compound this with the increased appetite triggered by the gliadin protein in wheat that acts as an appetite-stimulant, and you gain weight. The weight gained is usually in the abdomen, in the deep visceral fat that triggers inflammation, what I call a “wheat belly.” Wheat belly visceral fat is a hotbed of inflammation, sending out inflammatory signals into the bloodstream and results in higher blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides, all adding up to increased risk for heart disease.

Say goodbye to wheat and small LDL particles plummet, followed by weight loss from the wheat belly visceral fat. Inflammation subsides, blood sugar drops, blood pressure drops. In short, elimination of wheat is among the most powerful means of reducing risk for heart disease.

3. What other conditions have you seen to be associated with wheat consumption?

A shorter list might be what conditions have not been associated with wheat consumption.

Gastrointestinal consequences of wheat consumption include the common conditions of acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms of gas, cramps, and diarrhea. People with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease experience improvement and, sometimes, complete relief from cramps, pain, diarrhea, and bleeding.

Brain and nervous system effects range from mood disruption, such as depression, to behavioral outbursts in children with ADHD and autism, to triggering of hallucinations in people with schizophrenia and mania in people with bipolar illness. Wheat can also inflict direct damage on the brain and nervous system and show up as a condition called cerebellar ataxia, the progressive loss of balance and bladder control, and peripheral neuropathy, the loss of feeling, usually in the feet and legs. A British research group, for instance, has found that 50% of unexplained peripheral neuropathy can be blamed on wheat. There’s also the recent detailed description of gluten encephalopathy, or dementia from wheat by the Mayo Clinic; diagnosis is usually made at autopsy.

Joint pain and swelling are common accompaniments of wheat consumption. The most common form involves the wrist and fingers. Others experience relief from back pain and hip and knee pain with eliminating wheat, especially if weight loss from the abdomen develops, since this belly fat serves as a repository for inflammation; lose the wheat belly, inflammation subsides.

Skin conditions commonly improve or disappear with wheat elimination. Common conditions like acne improve, as well as a long list (enough to fill four pages) of other skin conditions from granuloma annulare, to allergic dermatitis, to gangrene.

From the head down to the toes, there is no body system not affected by consumption of wheat.

4. What are the most important things to understand when it comes to wheat consumption?

I believe one of the most crucial aspects of the wheat conversation for people to understand is that the gliadin protein in wheat acts as an appetite-stimulant. People who consume the gliadin protein in wheat consume, on average, 400 more calories per day. People who eliminate the gliadin protein of wheat consume 400 calories less per day, even if calories, fat grams, or portion sizes are unrestricted.

I think that this fact has been used to advantage by Big Food. Put wheat flour, and thereby gliadin, into every product you can, you increase appetite, increase consumption, increase sales. I believe this explains why wheat flour can be found in the most improbable places like tomato soup and licorice.

The gliadin protein in wheat exerts this effect on the human brain because it is degraded to a group of compounds called exorphins, or exogenous morphine-like compounds; these effects that can be blocked with administration of opiate-blocking drugs. Yes, the appetite-stimulating effect of wheat can be completely disabled by administering the same drugs that heroine addicts take to block their “high.” Studies in volunteers have demonstrated that people administered opiate-blocking drugs have much reduced desire for cake, cupcakes, and cookies. A drug company filed its application in early 2011 for the drug naltrexone for weight loss; in clinical trials, naltrexone was successful, with participants losing 22 pounds per month by reducing calorie intake 400 calories per day.

As long as wheat remains a part of your diet, you will not have full control over impulse and hunger. Calorie consumption is higher, especially for carbohydrate foods. Weight accumulates, particularly around the middle. Eliminate wheat, on the other hand, and you regain normal physiologic control over hunger.

5. If a person decides to eliminate wheat, should he/she turn to “gluten free” alternatives or what type of diet have you found to be optimal?

First, I believe we should return to real, unprocessed foods as often as possible. It means eating vegetables, raw nuts, meats, fish, eggs (including the yolks), cheese, healthy oils like extra-virgin olive and coconut. I do not believe that we should count or limit calories, especially after we’ve eliminated the potent appetite stimulant, wheat. If you miss baked goods, I provide recipes in the Wheat Belly book, as well as on The Wheat Belly Blog (www.wheatbellyblog.com). These recipes for chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake, for example, are wheat-free, nearly sugar-free, low-carbohydrate and are generally healthy enough to eat anytime with none of the adverse health consequences like weight gain or bloating.

I strongly urge people to avoid commercial gluten-free products. This is because, in place of wheat flour, these products, such as gluten-free whole grain bread, are made using cornstarch, rice starch, tapioca starch, and potato starch. These powdered starches are among the few foods that increase blood sugar higher than even whole wheat. It means these foods trigger weight gain in the abdomen (“gluten-free belly”), increased blood sugars, insulin resistance and diabetes, cataracts, and arthritis. They are not healthy replacements for wheat.

6. Ok, a tough one… can you give us a 10-15 second elevator speech that can help us explain the reasons to avoid wheat to doubting friends and relatives?

Sure. The American public needs to be aware that agribusiness and Big Food companies have sucker punched you. They have learned how to use this Trojan horse, wheat, harboring its hidden gliadin protein that increases appetite.

Wheat is a weak opiate. Eat wheat, you want more wheat, you want more carbohydrates. The gliadin of wheat is converted to exorphins, morphine-like compounds that can be blocked with opiate-blocking drugs.

Even worse, we’re advised by our own government agencies like the USDA and Health and Human Services that whole grains are good for us and we should eat more. Eat more “healthy whole grains,” we eat more, we gain weight, we acquire all the health consequences of wheat and weight gain such as hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, acid reflux, and diabetes. Big Food makes out, Big Pharma makes out; we all pay the price.

The epidemic of diabetes and obesity has been blamed on us. We’re told that Americans are overweight and diabetic because we are gluttons and we’re lazy. I don’t buy it. I believe the majority of Americans are fairly health-conscious and try to get at least some exercise. I do not believe we are that different from, say, the people of 1950 or 1960. I think we’ve been duped into blaming ourselves, when all along a big part of the blame should be placed on this corrupt product of genetics research, propagated by agribusiness, and put to profitable use.

…

If you haven’t already, check out Dr. Davis’ book Wheat Belly. I’ve found that is a great resource, especially for friends and relatives who have trouble grasping how “heart-healthy-whole-grains” could possibly be bad.

Have you read Wheat Belly? Noticed any health improvements after removing grains? Share below!

This year, I’m sharing my menu plan, recipes and shopping list in hopes that it will be useful to you. I’d love to hear your thoughts, traditions you have or your game plan below in the comments!

The Menu Plan:

Turkey (of course)- I prepare by quartering an onion and a lemon and placing inside the cavity before tying. Then, I rub butter on the outside and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and basil.  I brown at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes to seal in the juices. Then, I roast according to the instructions for the size bird.

Bread Free Stuffing- Made with roasted turnips and sweet potatoes and flavored with apples, celery and onions. This is a much healthier alternative to the processed bagged versions. The hints of sage and thyme give it the taste of the stuffing you are used to without the artificial ingredients.

Green Bean Casserole- Green beans topped with a homemade (real) cream sauce and topped with pan fried onions in a coconut flour batter. This recipe has all the flavor (and more) of the traditional version without the mystery-soup-in-a-can.

 Sweet Potato Casserole - At our house, we much prefer sweet potatoes baked and topped with real butter and sea salt, but if you like the marshmallow topped version, this is a good alternative. It is topped with a homemade egg and honey based “marshmallow” that is very similar in taste and texture… its just missing that high fructose corn syrup aftertaste…

Mashed “Fauxtatoes”- Instead of all the starch of white potatoes (because, really, you are getting plenty of starch on Thanksgiving!), try this cauliflower version that uses pureed cauliflower and all the seasonings of regular mashed potatoes for a delicious (and healthy) substitute.

Cranberry Sauce – A slightly sweet recipe that leaves out the “equal parts sugar” in traditional recipes. Hints of orange and pineapple sweeten it naturally. Great as a garnish on leftover turkey sandwiches.

Bacon and Sea Salt Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Who says kids (or adults) have to dislike Brussels Sprouts. When roasted and topped with bacon and sea salt, Brussels Sprouts can become a side to fight over!

Butternut Squash Soup - If you want to serve a soup course, I recommend this one. We love this slightly sweet soup that tastes like Fall in a bowl.

Parmesan and Sea Salt Asparagus – A delicious side that is equally delicious when the leftovers are used in omelets the next morning. Even the kids like asparagus this way, and we usually serve it with Hollandaise sauce.

Dessert Options:

Pumpkin Pie- The typical Thanksgiving dessert but this version gets a makeover without the added sugar and a almond and pecan based crust. (Also equally good for breakfast the next day)

Pumpkin Cheesecake -  If you aren’t much of a pumpkin fan or need to feed a bigger group, this recipe has a subtle pumpkin taste rolled into a cheesecake.

Carrot Cake- A healthy version make with coconut flour, lots of eggs (protein!) and spices. Optional cream cheese frosting.

Pecan Pie- This one isn’t my recipe but comes highly recommended. Lea at Paleospirit.com posted this and since I haven’t had time to experiment with this one yet, I thought I’d post it for anyone looking for a healthy pecan pie recipe.

Download the Shopping List!

The shopping list is referenced with how much of each item you need and the names of the dishes it is used in. It is designed for a group of 8-10 with minimal leftovers, so increase up or down based on your group size and if you want leftovers. Don’t forget to add anything you need for the rest of the day and any drinks (I suggest Spiced Pumpkin Lattes or Crock Pot Chai Tea)

Wellness Mamas Thanksgiving List. Click Here. 

What does your family do on Thanksgiving? What are your favorite traditions? Will you use my shopping list or any of my recipes? If you find it helpful, please share!

Shared at Fight Back Friday.

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, and this is one of my favorite ways to prepare it. If you’ve only ever had canned asparagus, you have to try freshly prepared asparagus… such a difference.

I prefer asparagus with hollandaise sauce, though it is great by itself.

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch of asparagus
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee
• 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• sprinkle of black pepper (to taste)
• 2-3 TBSP of parmesan cheese

How To:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Break hard ends off of asparagus- it will naturally break at this point if you gently bend it.
3. Lay asparagus flat on baking sheet and drizzle with oil
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan and toss lightly to incorporate.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes or until soft and just starting to brown.
6. Remove and serve immediately.

Stuffing is such a part of Thanksgiving for so many people (me included), yet it almost always is bread based and adds very little nutritional value to the meal. This has been the most difficult recipe to make a healthy version of, but I am pleased with the (much more nutritious) outcome.

This stuffing is better outside the bird, and can easily be prepared a day or two ahead of time and reheated in a 9×13 baking dish to save time on Thanksgiving Day. The leftovers can actually be breaded in coconut flour and pan-fried to make a “bread” for leftover turkey sandwiches.

If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year, why not serve a meal with as much nutrition as it has taste? Check back tomorrow for a full Thanksgiving Menu with recipes and a shopping list so you can serve a healthy feast and not forget any details!

Grain Free Stuffing Ingredients:

• 2 large turnips (not sure how big they normally are, but mine weighed about 2 lbs each, so 4 lbs total)
• 3 large or 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 3 large onions
• 5 large ribs of celery (or about 1 medium sized head)
• 1 package of fresh button mushrooms
• 1 apple
• 1 pound of sage pork sausage (optional)
• 2-3 teaspoons or more garlic powder (to taste)
• 2-3 teaspoons sage powder  or more (to taste)
• About 1 teaspoon each of Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of sea salt or more (to taste)
• 1/2 cup of oil for cooking: tallow, lard, ghee, coconut oil, etc (just no vegetable oils)- I prefer tallow

How To Make Savory Grain Free Stuffing:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel turnips and sweet potatoes and cut into small (1/2 inch) cubes
3. Grease 2 large baking sheets with oil and evenly spread the turnips and sweet potatoes on them (Depending on the size of your baking sheets, it may take another baking sheet or a couple rounds to fit them all)
4. Sprinkle with some of the garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, turmeric, pepper and salt and toss with your hands.
5. Put into oven and bake for about an hour until they are soft and starting to brown… toss a few times to brown evenly.
6. While those are cooking … in a large skillet (or Wok) brown the sausage if you are using it.
7. Finely dice the onions, and celery and add to the pan once the sausage has cooked. You might need to add more oil.
8. Dice the mushrooms and peel and dice the apple and add once the onions/celery have started to soften.
9. Continue cooking until all are cooked and add more of the above spices to your taste.
10. Once turnips and sweet potatoes are done, mix with the sausage/onion/celery/apple/mushroom combination and continue mixing until well incorporated and starting to clump together.
11. Transfer to a greased 9×19 baking dish and warm in oven if serving immediately or put in fridge, covered.
12. For reheating: 30 minutes, covered @350 degrees.

What dish makes it seem like Thanksgiving for you? Do you make it healthy?

My kids call these mini cabbages, and love the addition of bacon. This is an great vegetable to add to a Thanksgiving or holiday menu, and it is super easy to make.

The Ingredients:

- 1.5-2 lbs of fresh Brussels Sprouts

-4 pieces of thick cut bacon

-1/4 cup tallow, ghee  or olive oil (tallow or ghee preferred because it cooks at a high temp)

- 1 teaspoon of Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black  pepper

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic granules

How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut stems off Brussels Sprouts and remove and wilted leaves then cut in half.
3. Toss them with the tallow, ghee or oil (heat tallow a little first to make liquid) and spread on a baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.
5. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, flip Brussels sprouts.
7. Chop bacon into small pieces and sprinkle over the Brussels Sprouts on the baking sheet.
8. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes until Brussels Sprouts are starting to brown and bacon is crisp.
9. Serve as is, or toss with dried cranberries for a fall taste.
10. Enjoy!

Check out other Thanksgiving recipes here and stay tuned for a full meal plan with shopping list.

What’s your opinion of Brussels Sprouts? Ever tried them? If not… are you brave enough this Thanksgiving? Let me know below!

I was never actually a big pumpkin pie fan in the past. In the past couple of years, I’ve fallen in love with coconut and pumpkin… and this recipe is a good combination of both. It is grain free and can be completely dairy free.

If your family considers pumpkin pie a part of the Thanksgiving feast, consider this healthier option this year!

Ingredients:

For Crust-

• 1 cup of almonds or pecans, finely ground in blender until flour like (or almond flour)
• 3 TBSP of coconut oil plus some to grease pie pan
• 1 egg
• Cinnamon powder (1/4-1/2 tsp or to taste)

For Filling-

• 1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin (nothing added) or approx 2 cups of homemade pureed pumpkin with excess liquid drained
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup of honey (or to taste) – can substitute stevia, but the honey actually helps it hold better
• 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spices or about 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/4 tsp each of cloves, ginger and nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla
• coconut milk to thin (no more than about 1/3 cup)

How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Pie

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Grease pie pan with coconut oil and mix crust ingredients by hand in a medium sized bowl.
3. Press crust into bottom and sides of pie pan and put in the oven while making the filling.
4. In the same bowl (no need for extra dishes!) combine the filling ingredients (except coconut milk) and mix using an immersion blender. If you don’t have  one of these, use a regular blender or food processor. A hand-mixer will not get it as smooth! It should be smooth and spreadable, but not really pourable. Add coconut milk if needed to thin slightly.
5. After 10-15 minutes, remove the crust as it barely starts to brown.
6. Pour/smooth the filling over the crust and return to oven for about  an hour or until center is no longer jiggly. Will set more as it cooks.
7. Top with coconut cream or whipped heavy cream and some chopped pecans.
8. Enjoy!

Next on the list of healthy Thanksgiving recipes… Cranberry Sauce. Check out the healthy versions of Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole and Butternut Squash Soup if you missed those and stay tuned for recipes for stuffing, turkey, and other sides this week. I’ll also be posting a full menu plan with recipes and shopping list later in the week.

Cranberry sauce was a staple at the Thanksgiving table when I was a kid, though it usually came out of a can. Then, at some point, we started making it, but the recipe called for a lot of sugar! For those who haven’t tried them, plain cranberries are very tart, so I wasn’t sure this recipe would be able to be made healthy, but some other delicious fruits filled in the gaps. It does have more natural sugars than we normally eat, but is a healthier option to the ones that actually contain sugar.

Slightly Sweet Cranberry Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 bags of fresh cranberries (they are usually 12 ounce bags)
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice or orange juice (I recommend pineapple!)
• 1/2 cup of applesauce (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup of water
• juice and zest of one orange

How To Make It:

1. Put cranberries, pineapple juice, applesauce and water in a sauce pan and and bring to a boil.
2. Keep on medium heat, stirring constantly until the cranberries start to explode (about 10-15 minutes).
3. Reduce to a simmer and pour the juice and zest over the cranberry mixture.
4. Simmer 10-15 minutes and remove from heat.
5. Cool completely and store in fridge at least 4 hours but preferably overnight before serving.
6. NOTE: This is not as sweet as store versions! Taste at the end of cooking. It is naturally sweet from the fruit juice and applesauce but you can add honey or stevia to taste if needed.

Do you eat cranberry sauce? What foods do you always have at Thanksgiving? Share below!

According to Nourishing Traditions and much of the information I’ve read from the Weston A. Price foundation, there are various health benefits to Gelatin, including:

- Supports skin, hair and nail growth

- Good for joints and can help joint recovery

- Can help tighten loose skin (like the kind you get after having four babies in five years…)

- Can improve digestion since it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily though the digestive track

-Rumored to help improve cellulite

- Great source of dietary collagen (side note: collagen is too large to be absorbed by the skin, so those skin creams are pretty useless… get it internally and use coconut oil for lotion!)

- Source of protein (though not a spectacular one) but its specific amino acids can help build muscle.

Gelatin is a good source of protein (6 grams per Tablespoon), collagen and amino acids (it has 18, 9 of which are essential). Of these amino acids, Glycine is reported to help liver function and Lysine is utilized in muscle building and calcium absorption. Because of this, gelatin is often included in recipes for homemade baby formula, as it also helps digest milk proteins.

Gelatin is readily present in traditional foods like homemade bone broths but most of us are still likely not getting enough. As this article explains:

You know how, over the past century or so, we’ve skewed our fatty acid intake by eating less animal fat and more vegetable oils, so that we’re getting way too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s, too many unsaturates and not enough saturates? In exactly the same way, we have been skewing our balance of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Gelatin-rich foods, from bone broths to head cheese to foods like pig’s feet and ox tails, were a large part of a traditional diet. Our ancestors relished every part of the animal, and just as they ate organ meats that most modern Americans now spurn, they also ate all the gelatin-rich bony and cartilaginous bits of the animal. In this modern era of muscle meat and little but muscle meat — think boneless skinless chicken breast — much of this gelatin has vanished from the diet, but our bodies’ need for it has not.

Gelatin has been added to formulas to support joint health, and many people do notice almost immediate joint relief from it, though the reason may not be so straightforward. As this great article from a PhD in Biology/Endocrinology (read it!) explains:

For a long time, gelatin’s therapeutic effect in arthritis was assumed to result from its use in repairing the cartilage or other connective tissues around joints, simply because those tissues contain so much collagen. (Marketers suggest that eating cartilage or gelatin will build cartilage or other collagenous tissue.) Some of the consumed gelatin does get incorporated into the joint cartilage, but that is a slow process, and the relief of pain and inflammation is likely to be almost immediate, resembling the antiinflammatory effect of cortisol or aspirin.

Because of its ability to coat and heal the stomach, some experts suggest adding Gelatin to the diet to help alleviate food and other allergies.

If you’ve ever wondered why chicken soup is so good at curing colds, Enig and Fallon point to gelatin for the cause. Gelatin may also alleviate asthma, fatigue, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and colitis

Why I Take It

In addition to the health benefits above about balancing out amino acids and being a good source of protein, I take gelatin for its skin, hair and nail promoting effects. I have noticed a substantial difference in my skin tone and smoothness. I’ve actually upped my Gelatin lately as I am weight training for strength and it is supposed to be protective of joints and it helps build muscle.

As an added benefit, it is giving me extra protein and collagen and helps absorption of other minerals. If you are trying to improve skin or joint health or do strength training, I’d recommend gelatin over whey proteins (which are often inflammatory and have added ingredients). I’ve also added it to food and drinks I make for my kids to help them better absorb nutrients.

Gelatin seems to be especially effective when taken with meats (balances out the amino acids) or on an empty stomach (to promote Human Growth Hormone production).

Optimally, we’d be able to consume high-quality homemade bone broth a few times a day and would be well balanced and have no need for extra gelatin. Since I’m not there yet, I’ve actually been supplementing with high quality powdered gelatin. Not the stuff from the store, though you can make some healthy Jello variations with it (recipes soon!).

How I Take Gelatin

The brand I’ve been using is Great Lakes Kosher Gelatin. According to their website and emails I’ve exchanged with them, it is sourced from grass-fed and humanely raised cows. It is the only fully grass fed Gelatin that I know of, and I’m impressed with the quality.

I dissolve one tablespoon in warm water on an empty stomach when I wake up, and mix some in my daily veggie smoothie (vegetable flavored Jello, anyone?). I’ve also lately started taking a tablespoon at night right before bed, which seems to be improving my sleep and I certainly don’t wake up hungry.

My kids most enjoy taking it in the form of a coconut smoothie…

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces homemade coconut milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter or 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon Gelatin Powder
• natural vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• Ice and additional coconut milk as needed to thin

[Important Note: This type of supplemental gelatin is NOT the same as Jello or similar brand products at the store. While these products do contain Gelatin, they are also packed with sugar, artificial sweeteners and artificial colors! Do not eat these foods as part of a health regimen. There are, however some great recipes for homemade healthy "Jello-like" treats]

Ever taken Gelatin? If not, what is the strangest supplement you’ve ever taken? Tell me below!

This is another Thanksgiving classic that many people love. Our family prefers plain baked sweet potatoes with lots of butter and Himalayan salt, but I understand that some people prefer the marshmallow dredged version…

That being said, I made this healthier version for some friends one time and it was a hit. The “marshmallow” topping also makes a great cake icing on coconut flour cakes for kid’s birthdays. This is still pretty high on the starch, and shouldn’t be eaten every day, but it is definitely a healthier alternative to the high-fructose corn syrup marshmallow version.

Ingredients:

Topping

• 5 egg whites
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of vanilla

Filling