Cabbage vs Celeriac – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing cabbage to celeriac, we picked the cabbage.
Why?
In terms of macros, cabbage has more fiber while celeriac has more carbs, for approximately the same (negligible) protein; a modest win for cabbage in this category.
In the category of vitamins,cabbage has more of vitamins A, B1, B7, B9, C, K, and choline, while celeriac has more of vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, and E; a 7:5 win for cabbage here.
Looking at minerals, cabbage has more calcium and manganese, while celeriac has more copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, scoring a round for celeriac.
In other considerations, cabbage has more polyphenols in total, although celeriac has more notably more apigenin specifically. This round goes to cabbage, but celeriac’s definitely good too.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for cabbage; but all means enjoy either or both though, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
Are You Getting The Right Kinds Of Flavonoids?
Enjoy!
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The Blue Zones Kitchen – by Dan Buettner
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We’ve previously reviewed Buettner’s other book, The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who’ve Lived The Longest, and with this one, it’s now time to focus on the dietary aspect.
As the title and subtitle promises, we get 100 recipes, inspired by Blue Zone cuisines. The recipes themselves have been tweaked a little for maximum healthiness, eliminating some ingredients that do crop up in the Blue Zones but are exceptions to their higher average healthiness rather than the rule.
The recipes are arranged by geographic zone rather than by meal type, so it might take a full read-through before knowing where to find everything, but it makes it a very enjoyable “coffee-table book” to browse, as well as being practical in the kitchen. The ingredients are mostly easy to find globally, and most can be acquired at a large supermarket and/or health food store. In the case of substitutions, most are obvious, e.g. if you don’t have wild fennel where you are, use cultivated, for example.
In the category of criticism, it appears that Buettner is very unfamiliar with spices, and so has skipped them almost entirely. We at 10almonds could never skip them, and heartily recommend adding your own spices, for their health benefits and flavors. It may take a little experimentation to know what will work with what recipes, but if you’re accustomed to cooking with spices normally, it’s unlikely that you’ll err by going with your heart here.
Bottom line: we’d give this book a once-over for spice additions, but aside from that, it’s a fine book of cuisine-by-location cooking.
Click here to check out The Blue Zones Kitchen, and get cooking into your own three digits!
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Why the tetanus vaccine matters
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What you need to know
- Tetanus is a serious bacterial infection that attacks the nerves that control muscles, causing painful spasms that can be fatal if untreated.
- The bacteria typically enter the bloodstream through breaks in the skin, such as cuts, bites, burns, and unsanitary injections. Anyone who’s unvaccinated can contract tetanus, but older and immunocompromised people are at highest risk.
- Vaccination is the only way to prevent tetanus. Tetanus vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective and extremely safe, with a very low risk of serious side effects.
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is a painful and potentially deadly infection caused by bacteria living in dirt and soil. When the infection enters the bloodstream, it releases tetanus toxin, which targets the nerves that control your muscles. The bacteria can remain in your body for days or weeks before symptoms appear.
The earliest tetanus symptom is typically lockjaw, characterized by painful spasms in the jaw muscles that make it difficult to speak, swallow, and breathe. Lockjaw can cause severe pain and swelling and may last for days.
After lockjaw sets in, spasms travel down the body, affecting muscles in the neck, chest, abdomen, back, and lower body. Spasms tend to worsen over two weeks and can last for up to a month. In addition to muscle spasms, tetanus may cause fever, heart palpitations, and abnormally high or low blood pressure.
Most people with tetanus are hospitalized, and many require intensive care. Without appropriate treatment, tetanus can turn deadly, as muscle spasms in the neck and chest can impair breathing.
What causes tetanus?
Unlike many infectious diseases, like measles or the flu, tetanus doesn’t spread from person to person. Instead, the infection occurs when bacteria enter your bloodstream, typically through an open wound or unsanitary injection.
Many people believe that stepping on a rusty nail can cause tetanus. But the rust isn’t what poses a risk: it’s the bacteria that live on the nail and other contaminated surfaces. Even a brand-new nail that appears clean can harbor the bacteria that cause tetanus and lead to an infection.
Some common sources of tetanus exposure:
- Cuts or puncture wounds from unsanitized objects, including knives, piercing and sewing needles, and nails.
- Animal and (rarely) insect bites.
- Open wounds or burns contaminated by dirt, feces, or saliva.
- Contaminated needles, including those used in intravenous drug use, piercing, and tattoos.
How can you protect against tetanus?
A tetanus infection does not protect you from future infections, so vaccination is the only way to gain immunity.
DTaP, which contains full doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines, is for infants and children under 11 years old. All infants and children should receive a total of five doses of DTaP at age 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and 4-6 years.
Tdap is a booster that contains a full dose of the tetanus vaccine and low doses of the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines. Adolescents get the booster at age 11 or 12.
The booster is also recommended during pregnancy, after potential tetanus exposure, and every 10 years for adults. Pregnant people should get the Tdap vaccine to protect their baby against both tetanus and whooping cough, which is very dangerous for infants. Non-pregnant adults have the option to receive a Td booster, which does not include a pertussis vaccine.
How effective are tetanus vaccines?
Tetanus vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective. The first modern tetanus vaccines were developed in the 1920s and 1930s. After World War II, the combination vaccine, which also protects against whooping cough (pertussis) and diphtheria, went into widespread use.
Vaccines, along with improved wound care and the introduction of antibiotics, resulted in a 95 percent reduction in tetanus cases and a 99 percent reduction in tetanus deaths in the U.S. since 1947.
Source: Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024. There are currently three tetanus vaccines available in the U.S., depending on your age: DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), and Td (tetanus and diphtheria). All three vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective at preventing tetanus.
Tetanus vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, requiring a booster every 10 years. Cases of tetanus in people who are up to date on their vaccinations are extremely rare.
Are tetanus vaccines safe?
Yes, all tetanus vaccines are rigorously tested for safety. There are no safety concerns associated with any tetanus vaccine currently in use. Mild side effects, such as a fever or headache, may occur, but serious side effects are extremely rare.
Like all vaccines, tetanus shots contain ingredients that make them safer and more effective. There are no “toxic” or harmful ingredients in the DTaP, Tdap, or Td vaccines. The full list of ingredients and their purpose has been publicly available for as long as the vaccines have been on the market.
For more information about tetanus vaccination, talk to your health care provider.
This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Beetroot vs Cauliflower – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing beetroot to cauliflower, we picked the beetroot.
Why?
Both are great! But…
In terms of macros, beetroot has more fiber and carbs for about the same protein, winning in this category.
In the category of vitamins, beetroot has more of vitamins A, B7, and B9, while cauliflower has more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, and K, winning this round.
Looking at minerals, beetroot has more copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while cauliflower has more calcium, yielding a 7:1 win to beetroot here.
In other considerations, both are abundant sources of polyphenols, and beetroot has betalains while cauliflower has sulforaphane, both of which are great (see the “learn more” links below for details), so we’re calling this round a tie.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for beetroot, but by all means do enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
- Beetroot For More Than Just Your Blood Pressure
- Broccoli Sprouts & Sulforaphane ← this article talks mostly about broccoli sprouts rather than cauliflower sprouts, but sprouts of any cultivar of Brassica oleracea (e.g. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc) are great for sulforaphane
Enjoy!
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Kale vs Watercress – Which is Healthier?
10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
Our Verdict
When comparing kale to watercress, we picked the kale.
Why?
It wasn’t close:
In terms of macros, kale has 7x the fiber, 6x the carbs, and 2x the protein, winning the first round easily.
In the category of vitamins, kale has more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, C, E, and K, while watercress has more vitamin B5, that is to say, the vitamin that’s in almost all foods and which it’s nearly impossible to be deficient in unless literally starving to death. A very one-sided win for kale in this second round.
Looking at minerals next, kale has more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, while watercress is not higher in any minerals. Another overwhelming win for kale.
In other considerations, kale is also much higher in polyphenols, especially kaempferol and quercetin, so that’s another win for kale.
Adding up the sections is not difficult arithmetic today; it’s a very clear overall win for kale, but still, by all means do enjoy either or both, as diversity is best!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
- What Does Kaempferol Do, Anyway?
- Fight Inflammation & Protect Your Brain, With Quercetin
- 21 Most Beneficial Polyphenols & What Foods Have Them
Enjoy!
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Vitamin D2 vs Vitamin D3: What You Would Benefit From Knowing
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It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!
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 😎
❝Hi, is there any important difference between vitamin d2 and vitamin d3? Is one better than the other?❞
There is indeed! And one is better than the other!
Where they come from
You’ll find a lot of sources that will tell you “Vitamin D2 is from plants, D3 is from animals”, and in fact only the second half of that is true.
In nature, there are no plants that are known to produce vitamin D.
Vitamin D2, however, is produced by many fungi, as well as algae, neither of which are part of the Kingdom Plantae.
Vitamin D3, meanwhile, is produced by many animals (including humans).
When “the sun” is sometimes considered a source of vitamin D, that’s true only insofar as the sun is also a source of tomatoes, for example, which required the sun to grow. While we humans (and other animals) cannot photosynthesize in general, producing vitamin D is something we can do if exposed to UV light (such as from the sun).
However, of course exposure to UV light (such as from the sun) comes with other problems, so… Should we get sun exposure or not?
We weighed up the balance of evidence, here: The Sun Exposure Dilemma
If, like this writer, you are a mostly crepuscular being who avoids the sun, we have good news: mushrooms can do the sunbathing for us!
❝Exposing mushrooms to UV (from sunlight or in a laboratory) increases the amount of vitamin D in mushrooms by nearly eightfold. Putting five store-bought button mushrooms in the sun, or just one portobello mushroom, produces 24 µg of vitamin D, which translates to nearly 1000 international units, providing the amount of vitamin D one needs in an entire day, and the equivalent found in most vitamin D supplements.
If you’re wondering if the vitamin D from mushrooms actually makes it into your bloodstream, it does. A recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that tanned (UV-exposed) mushrooms may be effective in increasing active vitamin D levels in adults with low levels of vitamin D, and studies (randomised controlled trials) have shown that it may be just as effective as supplements at increasing vitamin D levels in the blood (here, and here).
Some research is very positive, saying that putting your mushrooms in direct sunlight for 10–15 minutes may provide you with 100% of your daily vitamin D needs, and the vitamin D content in sunlight-exposed mushrooms may be retained with refrigeration for up to 8 days.
The production of vitamin D may be increased by a further 30% by placing them in the sun with the underside, or gills, facing up, or by 60% if you slice them.❞
Read all about it: Tan your mushrooms, not your skin
Which is better?
In few words: D3 is better.
They both do the exact same job, but with D3, you simply get more bang-for-buck:
❝The WMD in change in total 25(OH)D based on 12 daily dosed vitamin D2-vitamin D3 comparisons, analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, was 10.39 nmol/L (40%) lower for the vitamin D2 group compared with the vitamin D3 group.
Vitamin D3 leads to a greater increase of 25(OH)D than vitamin D2, even if limited to daily dose studies, but vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 had similar positive impacts on their corresponding 25(OH)D hydroxylated forms.❞
Note: “WMD” here means “weighted mean difference”, not “weapons of mass destruction”
About that “and importance of BMI”, by the way: in persons with a BMI >25, there was no longer a difference between the two forms. Literally, no difference at all; the difference was reduced to 0%.
Another study found similarly, but with different numbers (finding a greater difference), and without recording BMI as a factor:
❝D3 is approximately 87% more potent in raising and maintaining serum 25(OH)D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than does equimolar D2.❞
See the paper: Vitamin D3 Is More Potent Than Vitamin D2 in Humans
“Well that sucks, because I’m vegan”
Fear not, you can get vegan D3 too.
Much like “you can’t get vegan B12” (but you can; it’s made by yeast), there are vegan D3 supplements, made by lichen.
The trouble with lichen, when it comes to classifying it, it that it’s actually a hybrid colony of many small, strange things (beyond the scope of this article, but they are fascinating, so this writer is holding herself back by the scruff of the neck from explaining in detail), some of which are technically part of Kingdom Animalia, but it is hard to find even the most ardent vegan who will object to consuming bacteria, for example.
Want to try some?
We don’t sell it, but here for your convenience is an example product on Amazon 😎
But watch out with the doses, if supplementing vitamin D in either form, because…
Vit D + Calcium: Too Much Of A Good Thing? ← this also talks about safe and effective doses, and what goes wrong if you take too much
Take care!
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Your Vitamins are Obsolete: The Vitamer Revolution – by Dr. Sheldon Zablow
10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
First, what this is not:a book to tell you “throw out your vitamins and just eat these foods”.
This book focuses mainly on two vitamins in which deficiencies are common especially as we get older: B9 and B12.
So, what does the title mean? It’s not so much that your vitamins are obsolete—that would imply that they were more useful previously, which is not the case. Rather, the most common forms of vitamins B9 and B12 provided in supplements are folic acid and cyanocobalamin, respectively, which as he demonstrates with extensive research to back up his claims, cannot be easily absorbed or used especially well.
About those vitamers: a vitamer is simply a form of a vitamin—most vitamins we need can arrive in a variety of forms. In the case of vitamins B9 and B12, he advocates for ditching vitamers folic acid and cyanocobalamin, cheap as they are, and springing for bioactive vitamers L-methylfolate, methylcobalamin, and adenosylcobalamin.
He also discusses (again, just as well-evidenced as the above things) why we might struggle to get enough from our diet after a certain age. For example, if trying to get these vitamins from meat, 50% of people over 50 cannot manufacture enough stomach acid to break down that protein to release the vitamins.
And as for methyl-B12 vitamers, you might expect you can get those from meat, and technically you can, but they don’t occur in all animals, just in one kind of animal. Specifically, the kind that has the largest brain-to-body ratio. However, eating the meat of this animal can result in protein folding errors in general and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in particular, so the author does not recommend eating humans, however nutritionally convenient that would be.
All this means that supplementation after a certain age really can be a sensible way to do it—but do it wisely, and pick the right vitamers.
The style of the book is informationally dense, but very readable even for a layperson provided one starts at the beginning and reads forwards, as otherwise one will find oneself in a mire of terms whose explanations one missed when they were first introduced.
Bottom line: if you are over 50 and/or have any known or suspected issues with vitamins B9 and/or B12, this book becomes very important reading.
Click here to check out Your Vitamins Are Obsolete, and get your body what it needs!
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