Nutrition & Wellness
From learning about the health benefits of turmeric to staying up-to-date with the latest superfood trends, discover the best diet tips to improve your health.
China's meatless movement is gaining momentum
In traditional Chinese culture, eating meat is a symbol of wealth and financial comfort. This cultural connection between prosperity and meat consumption as well as China’s expanding middle class (which has been growing since the 1970s) contributes to the high percentage of meat-eaters in the Read More...
Transparent solar cell greenhouses could grow food and produce energy
Solar power is one of the fastest-growing forms of renewable energy, so there are many initiatives that are trying to see how solar can be combined with other industries, like agriculture, to become even more effective. We at The Optimist Daily have already written about agrivoltaic farming, Read More...
Move for Hunger makes it easy to donate unwanted food when you move
Adam Lowy grew up working for his family’s moving company and noticed that a large amount of food, including nonperishables, gets left behind and thrown away during the process. Lowy saw this as an opportunity to boost moving efficiency while reducing food waste and in 2009, he launched Move for Read More...
Plants could soon communicate with farmers to improve food security
We recently wrote about how researchers at MIT were teaching spinach plants to send emails. Now, scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are developing technology that allows for further communication between plants and humans. When plants interact with their environment, Read More...
Cooking terms can be confusing. Here are some helpful definitions
If you’re one of the many people who has taken on more ambitious culinary endeavors during the pandemic, you are probably familiar with the feeling of panic when you read a recipe and don’t recognize a term or ingredient. These recipes, often created by chefs, are not always written in terms Read More...
Use the “dirty dozen” and “clean 15” to make more conscious produce choices
Organic produce is healthier for local ecosystems and also eliminates the potential human health hazards of pesticide ingestion, many of which we don’t know the full extent of. However, buying organic is more expensive and not always available in remote areas. Learning about which fruits and Read More...
Maximize the health benefits of legumes and seeds by letting them sprout
Cooked, dried seeds like lentils can be tasty, but consuming them leaves us with only a fraction of their potential nutrients. This is because before seeds reach the sprouting phase, a growth inhibitor called phytic acid keeps vitamins, fiber, and other healthy nutrients locked within their shells, Read More...
These two nutrient groups are key for memory and cognition
Through neuroplasticity, our brains are continuously changing and learning as we age. It’s not surprising that what we eat has a big impact on the health of our brains, and certain food groups deserve extra attention when it comes to supporting our gray matter. Here are two food groups that Read More...
Indulge guilt-free with these 5 ethical and eco-friendly chocolate brands
We are big fans of chocolate here at The Optimist Daily and have written extensively in the past about its many health benefits, from keeping you mentally sharp to lowering your risk of heart failure. But if we are going to indulge in this delicious treat, it’s important to be aware of how Read More...
The Backyard Bistro: A safe and sexy replacement for date night
Masks, hand sanitizer, sweatpants, and social distancing practices don’t really inspire romance, making the last year one of the least sexy in modern history. The pandemic has made pursuing new connections almost impossible, and for those who were in relationships, safety measures and shutdowns Read More...