Artichoke vs Green Beans – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing artichoke to green beans, we picked the artichoke.
Why?
In terms of macros, artichoke has nearly 2x the fiber, nearly 2x the protein, and slightly more carbs, making it to “more food per food” option in this category easily.
In the category of vitamins, artichokes have more of vitamins B3, B5, B6, B7, and B9, while green beans have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, E, and K, for a 5:5 tie in this round.
Looking at minerals, artichokes have more copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, while green beans have more manganese and selenium, yielding to artichoke a 6:2 win here.
In other considerations, artichokes are also higher in polyphenols, so that’s another round in their favor.
Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for artichokes, but by all means enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
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Eye Drops: Safety & Alternatives
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It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!
In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!
As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!
So, no question/request too big or small
❝Before important business meetings my father used to use eye drops to add a “sparkle” to his eyes. I think that is a step too far, but what, short of eye drops, can we do to keep our eyes bright throughout the day?❞
Firstly, we’d indeed not recommend eye drops unless advised to do so by your doctor to treat a specific health condition:
- Infections from over-the-counter artificial tears
- Are my eye drops safe to use?
- More eye drops recalled due to infection danger
Those eye drops that “add sparkle” are often based on astringents such as witch hazel. This means that the capillaries in the eye undergo vasoconstriction, becoming much less visible and the eye thus appears much whiter and thus brighter.
There isn’t a way to do the same thing from the inside, as taking a vasoconstrictor will simply increase your general blood pressure, making the capillaries of your eyes more, rather than less, visible.
However, what you can do is…
- look after your general vasculature (cardiovascular health)
- in particular, reduce hypertension
- that includes limiting salt
- stay away from vasoconstrictors (including caffeine)
- reduce your resting cortisol levels
- that certainly also means reducing alcohol consumption
- maintain good hydration
Take care!
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Chard vs Kale – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing chard to kale, we picked the kale.
Why?
It wasn’t close!
In terms of macros, kale has more than 2x the fiber, carbs, and protein, winning this round easily.
In the category of vitamins, chard has more of vitamins B5, K, and choline, while kale has more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, and C, making a convincing win for kale.
When it comes to minerals, chard has more magnesium, while kale has more calcium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc; another easy win for kale.
Another thing to bear in mind is that kale has more polyphenols, including kaempferol and quercetin. So that’s another point in kale’s favor.
Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for kale, but by all means enjoy either or both; diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Enjoy!
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How To Make Drinking Less Harmful
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Making Drinking Less Harmful
We often talk of the many ways alcohol harms our health, and we advocate for reducing (or eliminating) its consumption. However, it’s not necessarily as easy as all that, and it might not even be a goal that everyone has. So, if you’re going to imbibe, what can you do to mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol?
There is no magical solution
Sadly. If you drink alcohol, there will be some harmful effects, and nothing will completely undo that. But there are some things that can at least help—read on to learn more!
Coffee
It’s not the magical sober-upperer that some would like it to be, but it is good against the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, and slightly reduces the harm to your body, because it is:
- Hydrating (whereas alcohol is dehydrating)
- A source of antioxidants (whereas alcohol causes oxidative stress, which has nothing to do with psychological stress, and is a kind of cellular damage)
- A stimulant, assuming it is not decaffeinated (it’s worth noting that its stimulant effects work partly by triggering vasoconstriction, which is the opposite of the vasodilation caused by alcohol)
To this end, the best coffee for anti-alcohol effects should be:
- Caffeinated, and strong
- Long (we love espresso, but we need hydration here and that comes from volume!)
- Without sugar (you don’t want to create an adverse osmotic gradient to draw water back out from your body)
As for milk/cream/whatever, have it or don’t, per your usual preference. It won’t make any difference to the alcohol in your system.
Antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, and things with similar mechanisms
We mentioned that coffee contains antioxidants, but if you want to really bring out the heavy guns, taking more powerful antioxidants can help a lot. If you don’t have the luxury of enjoying berries and cacao nibs by the handful, supplements that have some similar benefits are a perfectly respectable choice.
For example, you might want to consider green tea extract:
L-theanine 200mg (available on Amazon)
Specialist anti-alcohol drugs
These are somewhat new and the research is still ongoing, but for example:
Dihydromyricetin (DHM) as a novel anti-alcohol intoxication medication
In short, DHM is a flavonoid (protects against the oxidative stress caused by alcohol, and has been found to reduce liver damage—see the above link) and also works on GABA-receptors (reduces alcohol withdrawal symptoms after cessation of drinking, and thus also reduces hangovers).
Once again: the marketing claims of such drugs may be bold, but there’s a lot that’s not known and they’re not a magic pill. They do NOT mean you can take them alongside drinking and drink what you like with impunity. However, they may help mitigate some of the harmful effects of alcohol. If you wish to try them, these can be purchased at pharmacies or online, for example:
Alcohol Defense Capsules (available on Amazon)
Bottom line
Alcohol is bad for your health and none of the above will eliminate the health risks. But, if you’re going to have alcohol, then having the above things as well may at least somewhat reduce the harm done.
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10 “Harsh” Truths You Probably Need to Hear
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What do you think? Are they actually harsh? We’re not convinced, but either way they are helpful, which is the important part:
10 Helpful Truths
Here they are:
- Simple isn’t easy: simplicity doesn’t guarantee ease; focus on small, manageable habits that meet you where you are.
- Hard habits: the changes we resist most are often the ones we need most to grow.
- We stand in our own way: doubt and lack of commitment hinder progress; believe in possibilities and take consistent action.
- Success is failure: failure is often part of the route to success; it provides valuable lessons if we embrace and reflect on it.
- Nothing works forever: adapt and evolve as circumstances change; clinging to outdated habits can hinder progress.
- Effort doesn’t equal outcome: feeling like you’re working hard doesn’t always mean you’re making effective progress.
- Someone always has it easier: comparisons are inevitable but unhelpful; focus on your own unique path and progress.
- There’s no one best thing: results depend on creating systems that fit your lifestyle, not chasing a single magic solution.
- Mindset matters most: success requires examining your mindset, lifestyle, and priorities, not just physical actions.
- Do it anyway: push through resistance, especially on tough days; discipline and consistency create success.
For more on all of each of these, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like to read:
How To Really Pick Up (And Keep!) Those Habits
Take care!
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Gut-Healthy Sunset Soup
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So-called for its gut-healthy ingredients, and its flavor profile being from the Maghreb (“Sunset”) region, the western half of the N. African coast.
You will need
- 1 can chickpeas (do not drain)
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sauerkraut, drained and chopped (yes, it is already chopped, but we want it chopped smaller so it can disperse evenly in the soup)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust per your heat preference)
- 1 tbsp ras el-hanout
- ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ tsp MSG or ½ tsp low-sodium salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: herb garnish; we recommend cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
1) Heat a little oil in a sauté pan or similar (something suitable for combination cooking, as we’ll be frying first and then adding liquids), and fry the onion and carrot until the onion is soft and translucent; about 5 minutes.
2) Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa paste, and ras el-hanout, and fry for a further 1 minute.
3) Add the remaining ingredients* except the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
*So yes, this includes adding the “chickpea water” also called “aquafaba”; it adds flavor and also gut-healthy fiber in the form of oligosaccharides and resistant starches, which your gut microbiota can use to make short-chain fatty acids, which improve immune function and benefit the health in more ways than we can reasonably mention as a by-the-way in a recipe.
4) Stir in the lemon juice, and serve, adding a herb garnish if you wish.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← today’s recipe scored 5/5 of these, plus quite a few more! Remember that ras el-hanout is a spice blend, so if you’re thinking “wait, where’s the…?” then it’s in the ras el-hanout 😉
- Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
- Lycopene’s Benefits For The Gut, Heart, Brain, & More ← not to be underestimated!
Take care!
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Top 11 Supplements For Women’s Healthy Aging
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Dr. Shereene Idris explains her top picks:
Idris’ Eleven
How many of these do you take?
- Vitamin D3 and K2 support bone, mood, and DNA protection by improving calcium absorption, strengthening bones, boosting immunity and serotonin balance, and helping keep telomeres longer for better cellular longevity; vitamin K2 directs calcium into bones and teeth instead of arteries (aim for 1,000–2,000 IU of D3 with 180 µg of K2 daily)
- Omega-3s reduce inflammation and support brain, heart, and skin health by keeping cell membranes hydrated, lowering triglycerides, stabilizing mood, and reducing brain fog; they also keep skin healthy and slow down inflammatory aging (take about 1,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA with meals)
- Magnesium promotes sleep and calm by supporting over 300 reactions related to muscle relaxation, melatonin, and GABA production; it helps lower cortisol, relieves cramps, and aids recovery (use 200–400 mg daily, choosing glycinate for maintenance or citrate against constipation)
- Probiotics and prebiotics improve gut, hormone, and immune balance by restoring good bacteria, enhancing digestion and nutrient absorption, regulating estrogen, and reducing bloating and inflammation (take 10–20 billion CFUs of mixed strains daily)
- A general multivitamin-and-minerals supplement fills dietary gaps and supports energy by providing essential micronutrients like zinc, iodine, selenium, and folate; it helps counter nutrient depletion from stress and protects cells from oxidative aging (take one daily with food)
- Iron restores vitality and oxygen delivery by supporting hemoglobin and energy for muscles, brain, and hair growth; it’s especially important for women with heavy periods or fatigue (take about 18 mg daily, or 50–100 mg under medical guidance, with vitamin C and without coffee, dairy, or calcium)
- Coenzyme Q10 fuels mitochondria and heart health by boosting ATP production and acting as a protective antioxidant; it’s key for people on statins and supports longevity through mitochondrial resilience (take 100–200 mg daily with food)
- Adaptogens (e.g. ashwagandha and rhodiola) balance stress hormones and energy by regulating cortisol, supporting thyroid and adrenal health, and reducing anxiety, mood swings, and hot flashes; they also protect telomeres and lower inflammation (use 600 mg ashwagandha or 200–400 mg rhodiola daily)
- Evening primrose oil (GLA) supports hormones and skin hydration by supplying gamma-linolenic acid, which eases PMS, improves elasticity, and maintains moisture during perimenopause (take 500–1,000 mg daily)
- Curcumin and resveratrol fight inflammation and promote longevity by activating antioxidant and longevity pathways that reduce joint stiffness, protect neurons, and slow inflammatory aging (take 500–1,000 mg curcumin (with black pepper) and 100–250 mg resveratrol daily)
- Creatine maintains muscle, strength, and brain function by recycling ATP in muscles and neurons, preserving lean mass, mental clarity, and recovery—especially during perimenopause (take 3–5 g daily mixed into a glass of water)
Yes, some of those are bundled so it could be called more than 11, but that’s how she counted them, so we’ll keep her count here 🙂
For more on all of this, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like:
12 Most Powerful Supplements and Foods to Increase Energy & Slow Down Aging
Take care!
Don’t Forget…
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