The Need for Daily Detoxing

I confess, that since the devastating fires here in Sonoma County, and the noxious smoke that blanketed the entire Bay Area, I’ve been utterly obsessed with detox.

Here in the Bay Area (and beyond), noxious, throat-burning smoke darkened skies for days and weeks.

Few people – if any – could escape it completely.

And not just here – across the entire Western landscape from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Arizona, Texas, wildfire smoke was pervasive. And the smoke plumes traveled deeply into the Midwest and as far east as Newfoundland.

These plumes carried a witch’s brew of heavy metals, organic pollutants such as dioxins, and other toxic byproducts of burning materials. While the smoke can never be fully analyzed due to the scope and scale of the wildfires, we do know that it carries potent carcinogens and neurotoxins.

And even if you weren’t affected by wildfire smoke, read on, as this is very important for EVERYBODY, every single day.

We all have what’s called “body burden.”

Body burden is the amount of toxins we carry in our tissues and organs. Research shows that even new-born babies have over 250 environmental toxins in their tissues.

While the immediate effects of the smoke have faded – like the burning eyes, scratchy throat and hoarseness – it’s likely that many millions of us have increased levels of toxins now.

You likely don’t even feel an increasing body burden. Toxins build up silently in your tissues, growing heavier with each season.

Even though your body has exquisitely designed systems to protect you and get rid of toxins, those detox systems can get overwhelmed by the levels of modern day toxic onslaughts.

When levels of environmental toxins get too high for your body to keep up, your body accumulates these bad boys in various tissues and organs – particularly fatty tissue (like breasts!)

We all have it.

And you don’t have to be exposed to wildfire smoke to have increased toxic body burden this year. 

Sitting in traffic fumes.

Exposure to flame retardants in furniture and building materials.

Pesticides in food.

Junk in household products.

And daily exposure to the tons of other 100,000 industrial chemicals dumped into our environment, food, homes and buildings every year.

Yes, I’ve been obsessing. It’s one of the most critical issues affecting us all.

I’ve reviewed dozens of detox programs, looking at how to protect ourselves. And support our bodies to work at optimum detox levels and get rid of this stuff.

With the upcoming holidays, it’s no time to start a full-on detox and cleansing program.

But it’s a great time to start incorporating healthy habits into holiday and year-round traditions.

And I have some great tips you can use to get started on replenishing your body’s reserves of its most powerful detoxifying processes and enzymes.

I want to show you how to protect yourself and get rid of stored toxins. To better eliminate the large toxic loads we face from wildfires, traffic jams, and day-to-day living.

Here are my Top 3 Tips for Daily Detox

OK, before the tips, here’s the preamble.

REAL detox is not about juice or smoothie fasts.

In fact those practices can hurt you, as you may be robbing your body of the essential nourishment it needs to make its own most powerful protective detox substances.

Your body – particularly your liver – is constantly detoxing the onslaughts of modern life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And the most important substance your body makes for this 24/7 effort is the enzyme glutathione. While your liver makes the majority of glutathione, it’s also made in the lungs, intestines, kidneys, and throughout your body. 

Called “the mother of all antioxidants,” “the master detoxifier” and “maestro of the immune system,“ glutathione is essential to:

• Your ability to eliminate toxins;
• Helping your immune system fight infections;
• Repairing DNA and preventing cancer; and
• Recycling other antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E and alpha lipoic acid.

When you are overwhelmed with too much oxidative stress or too many toxins – such as in days and weeks of wildfire exposure – your glutathione becomes depleted. You can no longer protect yourself against free radicals and infections.

When you get a big dump of toxins – like from breathing wildfire smoke for days – your body stores toxins instead of getting rid of them. This leads to sickness and a downward health spiral. Over the long term, high toxicity and low glutathione levels are implicated in cancer, neurological damage and other chronic illnesses.

As you get older, your body makes less and less glutathione. A study showed that glutathione production drops an average of 10% per decade after age twenty in healthy adults.

So the older you are, or if you’re not in peak shape, you likely have a glutathione deficiency. It can easily be depleted. So…

#1 Tip for Daily Detox: Support your body making its own supply of glutathione with food, supplements and exercise.

Here’s how:

While there are glutathione supplements you can take, and foods you can eat that naturally contain glutathione, it’s not very effective to ingest it either way.

Because when you take glutathione orally, it lands in your stomach and is dismembered by your stomach acids.

Instead of taking glutathione, it’s better to feed your body the building blocks it needs to make its own. These building blocks are called precursors.

These foods, supplements and habits will help you improve your glutathione levels, improve your health, and optimize your performance to live a long, healthy life.

 Eat LOTS of Foods that Support Glutathione Production

 Not just a sprinkling, or once or twice a week. I’m talking about 3x PER DAY! If you really want to support detox, and do it right, eat from this list for every meal.

• Sulfur-rich brassica vegetables (arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, chard, collards, kale, watercress, etc.)
• Sulfur-rich alliums (garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives, etc.)
• Spices: turmeric (isn’t it good for everything?), ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black cumin
• Herbs: parsley (fresh, not dried), sage, rosemary, thyme
• Spinach
• Beets
• Whey protein (MUST be bioactive, cold-processed, made from non-denatured proteins – provides precursor amino acids)
• Bone broth (provides precursor amino acids)
• Eggs

 Take Glutathione Supporting Supplements

You might wish you could just take glutathione as a pill… but your body will digest is as a protein – so you won’t get the benefits.

The production and recycling of glutathione in your body requires many different nutrients and you CAN take these. Here are ESSENTIAL supplements you need to take consistently to boost your levels of glutathione:

• A high-quality multivitamin that includes:
  • Vitamins C and E (in the form of mixed tocopherols)
  • Folate (B9) and vitamins B6 and B12. These are some of the most critical to keep your body producing glutathione.
  • This important mineral helps the body recycle and produce more glutathione.
  • TIP: here are two important ways to identify a truly high quality vitamin: B9 will NOT be in the form of folic acid. The highest quality B9 is the active form of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate. The B6 will be the in active form of P5P, and B12 will be in the in the active form of methylcobalamin, NOT cyanocobalamin.
• N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). This amino acid is a precursor for glutathione
• Alpha lipoic acid. This is a close second to glutathione in importance to your cells. Alpha lipoic acid is involved in energy production, blood sugar control, brain health and detoxification. Your body can make it, but given the stresses we all face, it can’t make enough.
• Milk thistle (silymarin). This has long been used for liver health and helps boost glutathione levels.
• MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). This naturally occurring compound is a donor of organic sulfur. Animal studies show that it promotes the synthesis of glutathione and upregulates glutathione enzymes in the presence of elevated oxidative stress.

Exercise Your Way to More Glutathione

Moderate exercise boosts your glutathione levels, whereas overly strenuous exercise can deplete it. Build up to 30 minutes a day of walking, movement classes or your choice of aerobic machines (bike, treadmill, stair climber, etc.). Strength training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also helpful.

#2 Tip for Daily Detox: Avoid and minimize glutathione-depleting substances and activities.

What depletes your glutathione?

Eh, so much in everyday life. You’re constantly exposed to many toxic and harmful substances on a daily basis. You require considerable amounts of glutathione to detoxify.

These common substances and activities deplete your reserves. Avoid or minimize exposure to these whenever you can:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and other pharmaceuticals;
• Acetone, solvents, paint removers
• Vehicle fuels and fumes;
• Heavy metals (dental amalgams, vaccines, many tattoo inks, large fatty fish such as tuna, etc.);
• Pesticides, herbicides (conventionally grown foods, golf courses);
• Nitrates and other synthetic food preservatives (salami, hot dogs, hams, bologna, smoked foods, etc.);
• Artificial sweetener aspartame;
• Synthetic food dyes;
• Benzopyrenes (tobacco smoke, barbequed foods, fuel exhaust, etc.);
• Alcohol;
• Household chemicals (synthetically scented and colored detergents and fabric softeners, air fresheners, mothballs, mildew removers, cleaners and bleach, lawn and plant fertilizers, etc.);
• Housewares chemicals (Teflon-style non-stick coating of pots and pans, plastic containers and linings of tin cans and other food packaging);
• Formaldehyde and styrene (photocopiers and toner printers);
• Chlorine and chloramine in treated water;
• Medical X-rays;
• UV radiation;
• Electromagnetic fields (EMF);
• Industrial pollutants.

Other factors that deplete your glutathione include:

• Poor diet – in this case glutathione has to work hard to cover for missing or insufficient antioxidants, and the lack of glutathione cofactor vitamins and minerals impairs glutathione synthesis and proper functioning;
• Overly strenuous exercise – produces a lot of free radicals within the body;
• Chronic stress, anxiety and depression;
• Light pollution which lowers glutathione levels by suppressing melatonin production at night (bedside night lights, street lights);
• Age – after the age of 20 natural glutathione production decreases at the rate of 10% per decade on average in healthy adults.
  

#3 Tip for Daily Detox: Support your body’s elimination paths. Like, poop and pee and sweat. 

Here’s how:

This may sound really basic, age-old advice from your great-grandmother is really really good: Drinks lots of water. Eat lots of veggies (and a little fruit). Get exercise. Take hot baths.

Boring? Stale? So last century?

No….ESSENTIAL!!! If you’re constipated and dehydrated, your body can’t eliminate toxins.  Unclog those pipes!

Most peeps are chronically dehydrated. I know I used to be. For years. Until I finally realized that I was not drinking nearly enough water. Sometimes I still don’t drink enough water. But I’m getting better at it.

How much water do you need? Here’s a handy calculation: take your weight in pounds, divide it by half, and drink that many ounces of water per day. So if you weigh 140 pounds, that is 70 ounces of water, which is eight and three-quarters cups.

Also, herbal teas are good. Particularly dandelion, marshmallow, licorice, ginger. And don’t forget the classic detoxifying drink – hot lemon water.

If you don’t poop at least once a day, and preferably 2 or 3 times, it’s time to loosen things up a bit as you’re getting more toxic – and staying that way — when you don’t eliminate.

Before you reach for laxatives, try morning shakes with psyllium, flax and chia seeds. Ad lots of water!

Also, eat mostly plants, as Michael Pollan says. He’s SOOOO right. Plants give you the soluble and insoluble fiber you need to make gorgeous poos.

Turmeric is good to get your bile flowing, which helps your elimination.

To sweat, you can also treat yourself to Epsom salt baths and saunas, as well as body brushing and self-massage. Luxuriate yourself with self-care!

More to come on recipes and tips for detoxing. And for now, please leave a comment – would love to hear from you and how you are feeling!

Healthy spices… and healthy aging. What’s the connection?

I recently was down in my old “home town” of Silicon Valley to give a talk at the Silicon Valley Health Institute about this very topic. Chaired by Dave Asprey of “Bulletproof Executive” and bulletproof coffee fame, the SVHI hosts speakers that share cutting-edge, life-saving and optimal health-enhancing information.

I’m so excited that the video is now available.

The talk is a significant update to my “Anti-Aging Secrets of Spices” presentation, featuring lots of new research that has recently been published. It’s called The Longevity Science of Spices: Nature’s Designer Drugs for Anti-aging.

Healthy aging is something I’m passionate about, and it’s something I think everyone should understand.

While most of us want to live to a ripe old age, who fancies a future wearing diapers in a wheelchair and drooling on themselves?

I know that’s a harsh statement, but bad things can happen to good people as they get older. As my dearly departed mother-in-law Beatrice used to say, “Getting old is not for sissies.”

She knew a thing or two as she passed away just a few months shy of her 96th birthday.

Anti-aging is also big business in Silicon Valley.

Venture capitalists are pouring billions into highly engineered “solutions” for longevity and life extension. For some, the quest to hack the code of aging glistens like the Holy Grail, with visions of genetic manipulations, lab-grown replacement organs, nanobots roaming inside the body and a full-scale biotech revolution.

In the meantime, other scientists are exploring natural solutions to the ills of aging. Natural compounds in plants are yielding remarkable benefits for maintaining healthy biological functions and protecting your body from the ravishes of aging.

Spices are super-stars on this stage.

You’ll hear all about healthy spices in the video: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and many more!

Spices and their bioactive compounds have been researched in tens of thousands of scientific studies. While many of these are pre-clinical studies using either animals or isolated cells, there are increasing numbers of human clinical studies using spices.

The studies I find most exciting look at head-to-head comparisons of spice compounds to pharmaceuticals.

Not only do spices have multiple benefits for joint, brain, cardiovascular, digestive, liver and skin health, they are non-toxic, fragrant and tasty too!

Please take a look at the video! Here’s what you’ll learn. And please, leave a comment about your favorite take-away and share the video!

• The Importance of Understanding Aging
• Overview of Healthy Spices
• Evil Twins of Aging; Surprising Benefits of Spices
• Spices to Help Keep Your Gut/Digestion Healthy
• Spices to Help Keep Your Heart Healthy
• Spices to Help Keep Your Brain Healthy
• Spices to Help Relieve Aching Joints
• What You Can Do Right Now

What’s one of the easiest and most delicious ways to get more turmeric in your diet, like your doctor ordered?

Turmeric smoothies!

Turmeric smoothies are a great go-to on-the-go healthy choice for a quick snack or meal replacement.

If you’re in a rut making the same old smoothie combinations, try some of these ideas to refresh your repertoire!

A healthy smoothie blends a nutritious and satisfying mix of fiber, protein, minerals and antioxidants. Adding turmeric ups the health quotient with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, DNA-protecting power.

Spices, fruits, greens, veggies, proteins, healthy fats — plus speed and convenience — make smoothies a hard-to-beat healthy treat!

Turmeric actually blends well with lots of flavors. We scoured the web for interesting combinations from the best bloggers, and are delighted to bring you 21 turmeric smoothie ideas to put you on the path to health and spicy vitality. 

To keep you satisfied and energized even longer, you can add flax meal, chia, nuts, avocados, hemp seeds or protein powder to just about any recipe.

Our goal is to provide you with the best products and recipes that make eating healthy, fun and easy. Stay cool through the summer heat with these awesome turmeric smoothie recipes!

Nectarine, Banana and Turmeric  Smoothie

Kick start your day with an easy, five-minute smoothie, loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Not only do you get your daily intake of fruits, this recipe is also vegan and carries both calcium and protein from almond milk. For more benefits, add in some of our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir.

To see this recipe, visit Tasty Mediterraneo.

Cantaloupe Turmeric Smoothie

Cantaloupe, grapes and Greek yogurt, are a few of the components of this wonderful drink. Add in the cantaloupe seeds to pack a punch of as much protein as regular soy milk.

Plus the additional vegetables can pump you up with their vitamins and minerals.  Try it with our Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix or Turmeric Chai Elixir. Fruits and protein powered up with turmeric will give you long lasting energy.

To see this recipe, visit A New Life Wandering.

Cranberry Orange Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

You get the best of both worlds with this fruitful drink: Sweet and nutritious. The sweetness of grapes and oranges is married with the antioxidant power of turmeric and cranberries.  To bring out the earthy and delectable taste of the turmeric, a hint of fresh ground pepper is used to garnish the smoothie.  To add a little more sweetness and the power of raw cocoa, substitute the turmeric for a scoop of our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chocolate Elixir.

To see this recipe, visit Chef Teton: Essential Cuisine.

Summertime Starburst Turmeric Smoothie

While this enticing multilayered smoothie is super-healthy, it delivers a tangy sweetness that is reminiscent of Starburst candies.  With crisp fruits and all natural colors, this tri-colored smoothie is sure to be a hit.  For the first step of the smoothie, using organic turmeric powder will give a bright base for you to start with.

To see this recipe, visit Gringalicious.

Peach, Turmeric, and Ginger Smoothie

This smoothie uses a frozen banana instead of dairy to give you a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. And no ice cubes to dilute the flavor and keep your smoothie thick and undiluted.  

Freeze the fruits to beat the summer heat while also keeping fiber intact so that your body will love you even more! The tasty blend of fruits with the spice of ginger, perfectly accents the earthiness of turmeric.  If the smoothie isn’t sweet enough, substitute the turmeric for a scoop of Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir.  Already sweet enough? Use a super-premium organic turmeric powder or even a quarter teaspoon of more powerful Turmeric Matrix Tea.

To see this recipe, visit Green & Gin.

Anti-inflammatory Turmeric Smoothie

Pineapple is a key ingredient to this smoothie.  For years, pineapple has been known to have a compound called bromelain that decreases inflammation.  Add a sweet mango and earthy anti-inflammatory turmeric, and the result is a tasty, balanced smoothie ready to help you get through your day! For extra power, give it a go with our Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea or Turmeric Chai Elixir.

To see this recipe, visit Happy Healthy Mama.

Totally Awesome Turmeric Smoothie with Cinnamon and Spinach

The combination of spinach and cinnamon may sound a little odd.  But, adding in the smack-your-lips tang of pineapple as well as the creaminess of a banana and you’ll never doubt the combination again.  This smoothie is high in nutrients such as calcium, iron and of course, curcumin. If you want to mellow out the flavor as well as accent the pineapple and banana, use our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir or Turmeric Matrix Tea.

To see this recipe, visit Superlife.

Papaya, Orange and Turmeric Smoothie

Who doesn’t love a simple recipe that only takes you a few minutes to prepare?  This smoothie was in response to a papaya challenge, so, the author took it one step further.  

Instead of just papaya, the author decided to combine the citrus flavor of oranges with the warmth of turmeric.  The fresh mint garnish allows you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the summer.  You can use Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea.

To see this recipe, visit At the Corner of Happy and Harried.

Cocoa Turmeric Peanut Butter Smoothie

Turmeric and cocoa will not only keep your mood up, but also will have your skin looking radiant. For all chocolate lovers out there, give this a try with our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chocolate Elixir. Be sure you don’t skip adding the coconut oil or peanut butter as the creamy fats help you absorb nutrients from this tasty smoothie.

To see this recipe, visit The Lotus Root.

Ginger, Carrot, Turmeric, and Grapefruit Juice

This is health in a cup that’ll pump you up for the day. While the recipe calls for fresh turmeric root, 1/4 teaspoon of Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea packs even more anti-inflammatory power to this colorful juice. Blend with 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, for a great tasting smoothie. For more delight, mix it with our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir or add a dash of an organic turmeric powder.

To see this recipe, visit In Sonnet’s Kitchen.

Turmeric Milkshake

Almond butter and cinnamon with the mighty spice turmeric! Not only is this a beautiful creamy texture, but it’s a beautiful golden yellow color of summer.If you want to avoid dairy while still getting calcium and healthy fats into your body, all while not losing the creaminess, then this is the recipe for you.  You’ve got to try this healthy take on a milkshake with either Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai or Turmeric Chocolate Elixir. Nothings better than adding some luscious chocolate to a creamy milkshake! 

To see this recipe, visit Nutrition Stripped.

Turmeric and Sweet Potato Smoothie

Sweet potato and turmeric are incredible superfoods filled with disease fighting benefits. If you add in some ripe oranges, the flavor is fantastic!

Not only is this smoothie creamy because of the potato, and sweet from the oranges, but the distinct flavor of turmeric is the icing on top.  You should definitely try this recipe with either our Turmeric Matrix Tea or organic turmeric powder.

To see this recipe, visit Very Breakfast.

Watermelon Turmeric Smoothie

Fresh ginger and turmeric make this watermelon smoothie recipe ridiculously healthy! Nutritionally, this fresh drink provides 57% daily value vitamin C and 35% daily value vitamin A.

Look for fresh turmeric in natural food stores, near its similar-looking relative, fresh ginger. Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. You can swap 1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh for 1 tsp. dried and vice versa.

Adding the spice of ginger with the sweet of watermelon will make your mouth, well, water.  You can’t go wrong with adding a sprinkle of turmeric either. Combined with Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea, you will reap the benefits of summer joy and strength.

To see this recipe, visit Healthy Goods. (We recommend leaving out the honey)

Carrot, Apple, and Turmeric Smoothie

Carrots and apples are naturally sweet foods which means you won’t have to add any sweetener to this nutritious smoothie.  Adding in the freshness of coconut water is a must, not to mention the taste and abounding electrolytes.  To avoid sweetening the smoothie further, use Spice Pharm’s Turmeric Matrix Tea.  But if you are looking for a slightly sweeter treat, substitute the turmeric powder for Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir.  Trust me, you’ll love it!

To see this recipe, visit Seasonal Cravings.

Coffee Turmeric Smoothie

Many of us around the world start our day with a cuppa joe.  How about getting all the nutrition you need for your morning with that cup of coffee?  Adding oats, chia seeds and ginger give you fiber, omega-3 and the inflammation fighting power of ginger.  How about kicking it up a notch again?  Add in instant coffee and turmeric and you have a cool summer morning drink that will keep you going all day long!  Try this with any of our turmeric products because the combination with the coffee and creaminess of the cashews is mesmerizing on it’s own… or even better with Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai or Turmeric Chocolate Elixir.  

To see this recipe, visit The Almond Eater.

Goji, Orange, and Turmeric Smoothie

Indulge in energy with this immunity boosting smoothie. It includes nothing but delicious ingredients: Oranges, Goji berries, turmeric and ginger. All of these ingredients are high in vitamin C as well as dietary fiber that is necessary to keep you healthy and strong.  The summer can be rife with colds and allergies so making this smoothie for yourself is a great way to keep your immune system fighting.  If you want a more complex spiced taste to the smoothie, go for substituting the turmeric with our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir.  If not, Turmeric Matrix Tea would be excellent in this healthy smoothie.  

To see this recipe, visit Coconut and Berries.

Spiced Oatmeal Smoothie

If you are having trouble finding fresh fruits that you like in your area, there are other ways to still get the nutrition and fibers you need for your day.  Oatmeal is a great way to get the fiber you need and instead of using sugar to sweeten your smoothie, a date is used instead.  Turmeric adds another flavor element when combined with nutmeg and cinnamon.  You’ll never want to put the drink down!  Try any of Spice Pharm’s Elixirs with this recipe.  However, our suggestion is to use either Golden Goddess Turmeric Chocolate or Turmeric Chai Elixir for a little flavor boost.

To see this recipe, visit The Chalkboard.

Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

This recipe offers a blend of almond milk, turmeric and a drizzle of Manuka honey for a healthy shake. Even if you aren’t a lover of chia seeds, you will want to add them to this mix.  The little crunch that they add mixes perfectly with the creaminess of the smoothie.  If you’re itching for more fun and flavor, add in our Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea or our Turmeric Chocolate Elixir into the mix.

To see this recipe, visit PaleoHacks.

Berry and Turmeric Smoothie

There’s nothing like a smoothie with whole berries as an invigorating drink for a tired body.  You can use mixed frozen berries that will wake you right up and rejuvenate your body right after a tough workout.  Adding in protein heavy foods such as Greek yogurt and almond milk, give back to your body.  What else happens after a workout? Inflammation of course!  Instead of diving into an ice bath, the turmeric in this drink helps your body reduce aches and pains so that you can go about your day.  Add in our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai Elixir and voila — perfection.

To see this recipe, visit Food Recipes HQ.

Turmeric Pina Colada Smoothie

Who says eating healthy can’t be rewarding and delicious? With the fusion of turmeric, pineapple, and coconut milk, this smoothie is complete satisfaction in the form of a classic drink. You will be singing Escape and loving pina coladas more than you ever have before.  This vitamin C rich smoothie adds in turmeric to boost the anti-inflammatory properties.  We suggest that you try it with our Turmeric Matrix Tea for more rejuvenation.

To see this recipe, visit Quite Good Food.

Cinnamon Turmeric Iced Tea

While this one isn’t a smoothie, we couldn’t resist the combination of turmeric and cinnamon.  Create the tea following the directions first.  Then, once the tea has cooled off, blend it with about 1/2 cup ice as well as 1/2 cup of any of your favorite frozen fruits (to match with turmeric, berries or mango would be best). If you’re craving something cold and refreshing for the heat, then try this golden iced tea. Use Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea for a much more powerful anti-inflammatory experience.

To see this recipe, visit fooduzzi.

Here at Spice Pharm, we want you to experience all the benefits turmeric has to offer. Turmeric is the magical spice with the long list of healing abilities for the human body. It’s a tumor crusher, mood regenerator and more. Our Golden Goddess Turmeric Matrix Tea has loads of curcumin. On top of that, our Golden Goddess Turmeric Chai and Turmeric Chocolate Elixirs are flowing with zest and nutrition. When you stop by each of the recipes, don’t be a stranger and make sure to say hello to the authors that have dedicated themselves to giving you wonderful, powerful, and healthy turmeric packed smoothies.

Thinking back to when you were a kid, did you dye Easter eggs? I remember it as one of my favorite Springtime pastimes.

Dyeing eggs in Spring is a tradition going back thousands of years. Eggs are a symbol of new life, rebirth, fertility and wholeness. And it’s fun for kids and kids at heart.

I’m filing this post in “Food as Medicine,” as sometimes the best “medicine” is simply having fun. I had fun dying eggs using one of my favorite spices as a natural dye, as you’ll see in the video.

My assistant Rebecca took our Easter egg coloring experiment even further. After the video you can see the lovely colors she created using various foods as all-natural non-toxic dyes.

Plus, as your naturally dyed eggs are safe for eating, I’ve included a recipe for Sunshine Stuffed Eggs at the end — a delicious and healthy lemony/turmeric variation on deviled eggs!

Easter Egg Coloring: Synthetic Dyes vs. The Natural Way

How do most people dye eggs? If you’re anything like me, growing up you probably bought the kits. They came packed with bright colored tablets, and every tool you’d need, often even including designs to help you customize your eggs.

The steps were simple, get some eggs, drop the tablets in cold water and then dip the eggs in the water. Bam, bright neon colored eggs in seconds.

But what about what’s actually in those kits?

While these kits are for the most part safe, they’re filled with synthetic dyes. And just like most people would rather use natural dyes for everything from their food to their hair dye, Easter eggs shouldn’t be an exception.

So how do you dye eggs without these kits, and does it actually work as well as the traditional kits?

I think so …

Making the Natural Dye for Golden Turmeric Eggs

Gently boil together 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder with one tablespoon of vinegar and one cup of water.

For the deep red variation, omit the vinegar and add one tablespoon of baking soda.

What Else Can You Use as Natural Egg Dye?

Dyeing eggs naturally is a lot simpler than one might think. Ingredients such as turmeric, coffee, onions, and cabbage are all examples of foods that will work to dye eggs a great variety of colors.

Here are some foods that will easily dye eggs:

• Coffee: Brown on either color of eggs
• Spinach: White or brown eggs while producing a green color but the color of the egg will determine the shade of green made.
• Raspberries: White eggs create bright pink color and brown eggs create a burgundy.
• Beets: On white eggs, it will be a bright pink on brown eggs it’s a dark maroon.
• Red Cabbage: On white eggs, the color resembles a light blue and on brown eggs, it can be dark blue, sometimes with a tint of brown.
• Red Onion: On white eggs the color is a bright yellow and brown eggs create a dark orange.
• Yellow/White Onion: For those who want a type of design wrapping white eggs in onion skin works. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work as well on brown eggs or with colors besides the yellow from the onion skin.

Now while you may not be able to get a leopard print neon egg, you can still easily obtain rich deep colors that are arguably just as, if not more, beautiful. There are also different methods to get marbled patterns which are not much more complex than the kit version.

Looking at various articles[i] [ii][iii][iv], when it comes to the water to food ratio, the best rule I found is that the more food you put in the deeper the color, the less food used the softer the color would be.

Though some recipes called for large quantities of food ingredients, I found that you could easily eyeball it as the foods were soaking and add more as needed.

Steps/Ingredients for Natural Easter Egg Coloring:

What you will need:

• Water
• Eggs (white or brown)
• Vinegar (distilled white vinegar is best)
• Foods  to use as dye
• Bowls or containers

If following the patterned eggs steps, additionally you’ll need:

• Paper towels
• Rubber bands or twine
• A weight to keep eggs submerged

Step One

For perfect boiled eggs, place eggs in pan. Submerge in cold water. Slowly bring to a boil on medium heat. When they start to boil, cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat off and let them sit for at least 10 minutes.

Step Two

Prepare the the different foods by chopping up the root vegetables, measuring out spices, or separating leaves. I found that bigger is better for things like onion, cabbage, and spinach. Try to keep the leaves and skin as large as possible. For foods such as beets and raspberry, the size did not matter so much as the ratio to water.

Step Three

Place your chosen dye ingredient in the boiling water with the vinegar at a ratio of one tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water.  Let this boil for 10-15 minutes

Step Four

Use a spoon to scoop out some of the liquid to test the color.  After the water takes on the desired color, remove the water from the heat.  Pour your dye in a container deep enough for the eggs to be completely submerged and then gently place the eggs in the water.

Step Five

Place the eggs in the dye. For white eggs, you can leave them in briefly for pastel colors. For brighter colors, let them sit in the dye overnight. For the best results with brown eggs, leave them in the dye for at least 30 minutes or even better overnight.

Step Six

Once the eggs have been dyed, put them back into the egg carton to let them dry. As the eggs fully dry, they will change color — sometimes dramatically! For instance, eggs dyed with red cabbage appear  brownish when wet and blue when dry .

If plain colors aren’t your style and you want a little more flare, fear not. As mentioned before, dyeing eggs naturally doesn’t completely take away the possibility of getting patterned eggs.

Steps for Patterned Eggs

If you want marbled patterns, this is a simple variation on Easter egg coloring!

Step One

Get a pot and fill it with enough water to submerge the eggs completely. Set to high and boil. While you wait for the water to boil, peel as many red, yellow or white onions as you need. You won’t need the actual onion, just the skins.

Step Two

Wet as many uncooked eggs you are going to use with cold water and wrap the eggs in onion skin.  Red or yellow/white is fine. The trick here is that you want to cover the entire egg, making it as busy as possible. The more skins you have on the egg the more noticeable a design!

Keep in mind that if onions aren’t your cup of tea, try leaves and/or flowers. Both create a less busy pattern while still adding a pop of something besides just color.

Wrapped Eggs

Step Three

Once the eggs are wrapped in skin or whatever you’d like, wrap them in a paper towel. Try to make this as tight as possible without ripping. The towel acts a sealant to lock in all the designs and color. Secure with rubber bands or twine to keep the towel from unfolding.

Step Four

Place each egg in your pot with the boiling water and add vinegar.  Remember, one tablespoon vinegar per cup of water. This is going to need to sit on medium high heat for about 20-30 minutes. If the eggs are already cooked, reduce the heat to medium.

Step Five

Patterned Eggs

Next, you’re going to need a weight to keep the eggs from floating. This can be a lid that is smaller than the pot being used, a metal strainer, etc.; just anything that will hold the eggs down without cracking them or melting.

Step Six

Once the 30 minute mark has passed, take the eggs out and let them cool on a plate or strainer until the towel is cool enough to handle.  This takes about 10-15 minutes. After this, unwrap the egg, removing all skins and petals, then let it dry the same way as if the eggs had just been colored.

The Finished Product: Enjoy Making Them and Eating Them!

A final note on patterned eggs.  Using the dye water described in the first recipe in exchange for regular water will not color the eggs. My guess is that the colors aren’t strong enough to get through the thickness of the towel. However, using a lighter material for a towel, such as cheesecloth, or letting the eggs sit for a longer period in the water may yield a different result.

Similarly, this pattern method really shows the best results on white eggs; brown eggs do show a slight pattern, but not much compared to their white counterparts.

Lastly, like kit dyed eggs, eggs dyed naturally will loose their color if they are left in the sun for too long. However, unlike kit dyed eggs, naturally dyed eggs are completely safe to eat as long as they’ve been hard boiled first (though they may taste slightly like the food they were dyed with).

Just look at how gorgeous these eggs are!  With natural dyes, you can have fun Easter egg coloring AND feel good about eating them.  

So next up is a recipe for Sunshine Stuffed Eggs using the bright flavors and colors of lemon and turmeric.

Why Eat Eggs (Especially the Yolk?)

The following recipe for Sunshine Stuffed Eggs  includes the yolks, as contrary to some common thinking, the yolk is the healthiest part of an egg.

Throwing out the yolk and just eating mostly egg whites may makes sense if you’re trying to limit fat intake, or reduce calories, but do NOT be afraid of eating egg yolks from organic free-range eggs.

They’re the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg.

Yolks contain B-vitamins, trace minerals, folate, choline, lutein, EVERY one of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K…. as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids (EFAs).

And if you’re concerned about the cholesterol, don’t be.

It has recently been PROVEN that the cholesterol in the diet doesn’t really raise the cholesterol in blood.  In fact, whole eggs have been shown through university research to raise the GOOD cholesterol and therefore, they are NOT associated with increased risk of heart disease.

Adding turmeric and lemon juice add nutritional goodness to your eggs.

So enjoy a time-honored tradition of coloring and eating eggs this Easter!

Sunshine Stuffed Eggs

The bright colors and flavors of lemon and turmeric add a sunny twist to deviled eggs!

Makes 24 egg halves

• 12 hard cooked eggs, peeled
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped green scallion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Kalamata olives

Garnishes:

• slices of Kalamata olives
• Italian flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Zest and juice the lemon.
2. Slice the cooked eggs in half, lay whites on a plate and put yolks in a large mixing bowl.
3. Break the yolks up with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, olive oil, turmeric, lemon zest and juice. Mix well to combine in a smooth consistency. Stir in scallions and olives.
4. Stuff the whites with the filling mixture.
5. Garnish each filled half-egg with olive slices and leaves of parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serving suggestions: Place eggs in a nest of parsley, or nestled on a platter rimmed with sprigs of fresh rosemary or basil.

Footnotes:

[i] http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/how-to-dye-easter-eggs-naturally-without-a-box-onion-skins-beets-cabbage.html

[ii] http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-onionskin-easter-e-81574

[iii] http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/how-to-dye-easter-eggs-naturally-without-a-box-onion-skins-beets-cabbage.html

[iv] http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2014/04/03/how-to-dye-easter-eggs-naturally/