Is this nut the most underrated sleepy-time snack? Here's what the sleep research says
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM You're doing everything right at bedtime: you stay away from screens after nine, take a soothing dark shower, sip on that herbal tea cooling on the nightstand, and maintain a reasonably consistent sleep schedule. Yet some nights the ceiling still has your Read More...
What sets Japanese sweet potatoes apart, nutritionally speaking
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you've bought a Japanese sweet potato, cut into it expecting orange, and found creamy white instead, you've already spotted the first thing that sets it apart. The skin is reddish-purple, the flesh is ivory, and the flavor is sweeter and earthier than the Read More...
Coffee's memory boosting effect might have nothing to do with caffeine, study suggests
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a small experiment, researchers found that only participants who drank decaffeinated coffee showed significant improvements on memory tests. Those who drank caffeinated coffee did not. The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that caffeine Read More...
Social physiology: the hidden health cost of eating alone, according to science
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A study published in Science Advances found that eating the same meal with a close companion produces measurably better blood sugar control than eating it alone. In experiments with 108 participants, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Read More...
The herbs and spices dietitians say support immune function
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every fall, the same conversation starts about how to stay well through cold and flu season. Most of the advice points to supplements: vitamin C, zinc, elderberry. Useful, but not the whole picture. The spice rack you walk past every morning has something to Read More...
The case for eating blueberries every day, according to a nutritionist
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There's a specific kind of health advice that asks a lot of you: meal prep, supplements with confusing ingredient lists, routines that cost more than they should. Blueberries aren't that. They can be inexpensive, they need almost no preparation, and the Read More...
Are algae oil supplements worth taking? Here's the evidence
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM There's a pattern in the supplement industry that tends to repeat itself. Researchers find that people who eat foods rich in a particular nutrient have better health outcomes. Companies extract that nutrient, put it in a capsule, and start making promises. Read More...
5 French principles for eating that Americans would do well to borrow
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Think about the last time you ate lunch without also doing something else. Not at your desk, not in the car, not scrolling. Just sitting with food and letting it be the thing. For a lot of Americans, it’s hard to remember. For the French, it’s just Read More...
10 best anti-aging foods for skin health and longevity
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM You know the skincare aisle. You’ve stood there long enough to know that the options are overwhelming and the prices are humbling: serums, creams, collagen-boosting masks, each one promising the same thing in a slightly different bottle. A good topical Read More...
How to reset your gut in 30 days, according to a gastroenterologist
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM You’ve probably spent more time than you’d like to admit wondering if something is off with your gut. Not dramatically wrong, just persistently uncomfortable. Bloated after meals for no clear reason. Sluggish in the morning. The kind of thing you chalk up Read More...