We all want (and probably need) to eat healthier, but as much as we might think, “I should become a vegetarian!,” we just can’t seem to say goodbye to meat.  We get it.  We really do.  But you don’t have to give up meat and/or all animal products to change your diet for the better.  Here are a few of favorite lessons learned from our vegetarian and vegan friends (vegans take vegetarianism a step further; they give up all animal by-products) about eating healthy.

1.  Pass the veggies.  This is a given, right? The vegetarian diet is veggie-packed, and yours should be, too.  Veggies are a great way to pack a plate, fill a belly, and give your body the nutrition it needs without the bulk of unnecessary calories.  We suggest sautéing (in water or olive or grapeseed oil rather than butter or other animal-based fats); steaming; baking; broiling; or just eating your veggies raw.  When you take out all of the added fats, the true flavor of the vegetables shines through.  You might just be surprised how good they really do taste, frill-free.

2. Cut some condiments, namely mayo (which is made with eggs and has loads of unhealthy fats).  Vegans get creative with their food, and some of the condiments they use may just open up a whole new world of flavor to your palette.  Have you tried tahini?  It’s a sort of paste (much like the consistency of peanut butter) that’s made from sesame seeds.  It has a nutty flavor and is packed with protein, Vitamin A, thiamine (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (B2) and Niacin (B3).  You can use tahini in salad dressings, hummus, baba ghanoush and halva; or you can use it as a dip, as is.

If you’re thinking that mayo makes a sandwich and there’s no way you’re eating it dry, we suggest you think outside of the mayo jar and consider balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil, smushed up avacados spread across your bread, mustard (think of all the varieties!), or even pesto!  How about an olive tapenade?  Really, the possibilities are endless, and mayo is only the tip of the condiment iceberg–so get creative, jump in, and introduce your taste buds to a whole new sea of worthy sandwich spreads!

3.  Open up your spice rack and say, “Ahhhhhh!”  Folks, there’s a world out there beyond salt and pepper!  Americans, in general, ingest far too much sodium and fat, so if you’re forced to cut fat via animal products, your spice rack will become your new best friend.  Put down the salt shaker, too, and consider cilantro, basil, cumin, curry, fennel seeds, garlic and ginger (just to name a few).  By skipping the butter and cheese that you might normally use to top your broccoli, you not only cut the fat and calorie content, but you add flavor and nutrients.  We bet you could eat broccoli five nights in one week, and just by  switching up the spices, you’ll feel like you’re eating something completely different–such is the magic of herbs and spices.

4.  Start at the beginning–in short, cook it from scratch.  When you start a meal with the basics and build it yourself, not only do you know exactly what’s in it, but you can put whatever you want it in it.  So, forget all about those preservatives and artificial flavors, added sodium and sugar, trans fat, etc.  They can stay in the box/can/bag on the grocery-store shelf.  Being vegan means engaging with your food in a new way.  Generally, the days of grabbing a box off the shelf are gone.  You have to really pay attention to labels to make sure that no animal by-products are used in the processed foods you purchase; whereas, if you start at the bottom and add each ingredient yourself, the questions disappear.  Eating vegan means eating more consciously, and this is a good lesson for all.  If you cook your own food from scratch, we bet you’ll find yourself using more fresh ingredients and boosting the nutrition level of each meal.

5.  Learn to love beans–and other vegetable-based proteins.  If you’re not getting your protein from lean meats and dairy products, where can you get it (because you still need it to be healthy and keep your body functioning at its best)?  Beans are a great way to load the proteins, but they’re not the only way.  Try broccoli, avocados, spinach, kale, peas, sweet potatoes, nuts and seeds, non-dairy milks (like soy or almond), quinoa, oatmeal and brown rice.  There are LOTS of ways to get the proteins your body needs with resorting to meat, and they’re usually lower in fat and calories than their animal-based counterparts.

There’s a lot to be gained by looking at the meat-free diets of vegetarians and vegans, and there are easy ways to add these benefits into every meal without actually giving up meat.  Add lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, peppers, etc. to your sandwich or salad.  Throw some spinach into your morning omelet or smoothie.  These are things we’ve already thought of at Brown Bag, so don’t worry when you come to have breakfast or lunch with us.  We pack as much nutrition and flavor as we can into every item on our menu–and our menu is varied!  We love experimenting with different herbs, spices, and fresh ingredients; we love creating healthy, gourmet foods for people on the go.  So, put these lessons to work in your own kitchen, and when you can’t be there, come visit ours.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans are taking their veggies with a hefty side of sodium and fat–and that’s not good.  Vegetables are supposed to be good for you, right?  So, taking the planet’s healthiest foods and heaping so much salt and fat on them that you negate their nutritional value is a little like taking a group of naturally beautiful people and piling so much make-up and hair dye on them that they look like cartoon vampires.  What’s the point?  Maybe things are at their best just they way start out?

That’s definitely true with fruits and vegetables, but somewhere along the way, we zig when we should’ve zagged on the veggie trail, and we end up with foods that miss the nutritional mark.  Example: The most popular way to eat potatoes in the U.S.?  French fries.  So, we take a great source of fiber and potassium, fry it in oil, and then douse it with salt.  Ouch.  We’re starting to think that French fries are just humiliated potatoes because as a whole and on their own, potatoes are a healthy food.  Besides French fries, baked potatoes and potato chips are right up there at the top of the list of potato faves.   The problem here (besides the frying and salt–again–and the mounds of butter, cheese and sour cream we pile on) is that usually with both of these sides, we don’t eat the skin, which is a great source of fiber.  Nutritional fail.

Another American veggie fave?  Tomatoes!  Great, right? Tomatoes are rich in beta carotene and lycopene, both powerful antioxidants, as well as vitamins A and C.  Tomatoes are heart-healthy and have been shown to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.  A cup of raw tomatoes, all by themselves, have about 9 milligrams of sodium, but crack open a can of tomato sauce and you’re looking at 1,000 milligrams of salt per cup, according to the USDA (and we haven’t even mentioned the sugar).  Unfortunately, most Americans are getting their tomatoes out of a can and under a layer of cheese and pepperoni (insert monkey-with-hands-over-his-eyes emoji here) on pizza.  More than half of Americans’ vegetable intake comes from potato and tomato consumption–and this is the way we’re eating them.  Only ten percent of our veggie consumption comes from dark green and orange veggies like spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes.

Researchers with the USDA decided to take a closer look at veggie consumption a few years ago when they found that higher fruit consumption correlated with lower body mass index, but eating vegetables didn’t.  Strange, right?  The tomato/potato phenomenon we’ve discussed here is the result of looking further into this problem.  But why are veggies being left in the dust or fried into oblivion?  Generally, people consume a whole fruit.  It’s more portable and convenient to eat just the way it is, but sometimes veggies take a bit more work.  You have to peel, cut and cook them.  And let’s face it–people are busy.  They grab some fruit, but veggies fall by the wayside, unless they’re convenient and fast.  At Brown Bag, we think they’re worth the work.  What else can compare to a fresh spinach salad with seasonal fruits, maybe some almonds or walnuts, and a light vinaigrette?  The crunch of fresh lettuce on a sandwich, the tang of a summer tomato, a bowl of pasta with tomatoes, peppers, basil and fresh pesto–French fries can’t even compare!  If you’re looking to expand your vegetable palette and give your body all the best they have to offer sans loads of fat and sodium, come see us!  We’ll take the time to peel, cut and cook for you! Healthy tastes better–trust us–and we’ve got a whole menu full of healthy to make your mouth happy.

The ills and evils of refined sugar are all over the news these days, but still the country, as a whole, keeps on keeping on with the sugar craze.  When we understand the negative consequences of our actions, why do we persist in perpetuating them?  That’s a question for the ages, and we can’t begin to answer it in one blog post–unless we stick to the topic of refined sugar.  Here’s why scientists are saying we can’t get off the sugar train:

1.  The desire for fructose is hardwired in humans because, in nature, anything containing fructose is safe to eat.

2.  Your brain releases dopamine when you eat something sweet, and you feel good.  In this way, scientists believe that sugar has the potential to be addictive.

And here’s why simple fructose isn’t so good for you:

1.  The sugar “crash.”  Fructose is processed by the body pretty quickly, and it causes an insulin rush so that the body can bring blood glucose levels back to normal.  Guess what happens when that sugar burns up?  You’re hungry again; maybe even more hungry than you’d be if you’d eaten something healthy (that took longer to process internally).  So, what do you do?  You eat more, and maybe because you’re feeling so sluggish, tired and hungry, you reach for something sugary again and start the cycle all over.

2.  Foods sweetened with the simple sugar fructose don’t trigger the same “fullness” response that other sugars do.  So, your body is less able to tell when you’ve had enough.

3.  Reasons 1 and 2 (as well as reasons 1 and 2 from the “Why you can’t off the sugar train” list) lead to over-eating, weight gain, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a host of other health problems.

So, what to do?  Cut the sugar.  Did we just hear you scream?  It sounds kind of extreme and maybe even a little scary, but cutting refined sugar out of your life isn’t the end.  In fact, it’s not terribly hard.  Yes, you will have to be more aware of what you’re eating and read labels (especially on pre-made or processed foods), but if you’re eating healthy already, it’s not so tough.  You won’t be giving up fruits, by the way; getting your sugar there isn’t the problem.  When we get too much sugar from processed foods and unhealthy food choices, that’s when a problem develops.  It’s amazing just how satisfying a bowl of berries or a baked sweet potato with cinnamon can be for dessert when you’ve been off of refined sugar for a bit.

Now, sometimes, you just need a sweetener, right?  Certain recipes, maybe a breakfast smoothie, whatever.  Our suggestion: Look to some natural sweeteners.  Stevia is calorie free and all natural.  Be warned: Stevia is some sweet stuff, so be aware when adding to baked goods or smoothies, etc. that it is much sweeter than refined sugar and you need to adjust the amount you add (a lot!).  Different brands are better than others, so you may need to experiment a little, but we’re quite fond of NuNaturals.  Honey and maple sugar are also natural sugars that are unrefined, and while similar to refined sugar in their calorie load, they break down in the body more slowly and you avoid the “crash” of refined sugars.  Honey and maple syrup make great sweeteners for plain yogurt, granola and loads of other things–and you can bake with them!

The long and short of it, folks, is that the sugar train may be taking you off the tracks, healthwise, and cutting back (or cutting it out) isn’t a bad idea.  You can always find lots of healthy sugar-free options for breakfast and lunch at Brown Bag (including fresh fruit for dessert!), and we’re happy to be your go-to during the transition.  We’ll be here quietly cheering you on.:)

While hanging out at The Salt this morning, we read an amazing story about food crops in the future–the fairly near future, and it got us thinking.

If you spend a lot of time with us at Brown Bag, you know all about our commitment to not only serving healthy, delicious cuisine-on-the-fly, but taking care of our planet in the process.  We’re all about buying locally whenever possible, recycling, clean energy, and using environmentally-friendly products (to name a few things), so we try to stay up to date on the latest news in food, especially as it relates to the environment.  So, when we saw this news, we sat up and took notice.

As most of you know, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are on the rise.  Right now, they stand at about 400 parts per million.  In the next 40 to 60 years, those levels will be at about 500 parts per million.  So, the question is: What does that mean for our crops?  Quantity-wise, more carbon dioxide seems to be a plus.  Crops grow more quickly with more carbon dioxide, and yields are about 10 percent higher.  The downside: The nutritional content of those crops takes a nosedive.

Experiments are ongoing throughout the world right now, and take place in open fields.  To generate conditions like those that will exist 40 to 60 years from now, rings of carbon dioxide jets are set up.  The crops being tested are some of the world’s most important: rice, wheat, corn, peas and others; and what scientists are finding is that nutrients like iron, zinc, and protein are being reduced by 5 to 10 percent.  Some theorize that as yields increase, nutrients are diluted–but this is only a theory.  No definitive answers have been found yet.  Whatever the reason, though, this is a problem for people, and especially for the world’s poor.

There already exists in the world major deficiencies of iron and zinc.  Zinc deficiencies lower the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases and raise rates of child mortality, while iron deficiencies increase mortality rates in mothers and lower the IQs of children–and these are just a few of the complications.  Since rice and corn aren’t significant sources of these nutrients anyway, you may be thinking that people should just diversify their diets a bit more, but millions of the world’s poor don’t have that option.  While an international collaboration called HarvestPlus is trying to raise the levels of these nutrients through plant breeding, apparently, that’s easier said than done.  Now, with the rise of carbon dioxide levels presenting a new challenge, that work is even more difficult.

What do you think?  We’d love to hear your opinions/solutions on our Facebook and/or Twitter pages, so feel free to reach out!  We don’t pretend to have all of the answers here at Brown Bag, but we do encourage our customers to do what they can.  Change starts with one person, after all.  Shop locally, recycle, and look for ways in your everyday life that you can reduce your carbon footprint.  The small things add up.  What are you doing to help the planet?  While you’re working on that, we’ll be here doing our part while trying to get as much flavor and nutrition as we can into every item on our menu.  Come join us!;)