Before you reach for the second cup of coffee, choose green instead. For those of us who need that extra boost in the morning or afternoon, green tea can be a healthy alternative to drinking coffee. We’ve highlighted the top four health benefits from green tea.

Improved Brain Function

Due to green tea’s synergistic combination of caffeine and L-theanine, it may improve your brain function. So not only will you be energized for that 8:00am meeting, you’ll be on top of your game.

Weight Loss

Have you ever wondered why some people lose weight faster than others? One major contributor to weight loss is an individual’s metabolic rate, which is the speed at which one’s body digests food and nutrients. Drinking green tea can help boost your metabolism, thus supporting weight loss.

Heart Health

High cholesterol, specifically LDL cholesterol, has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. Green tea can actually lower your LDL cholesterol and ultimately support your heart health.

Antioxidants

Another health benefit of drinking green tea is that it is an excellent source of antioxidants, which are believed to help ward off certain diseases, like cancer.  

Using the right oils can take your marinades and vinaigrettes from good to gourmet, and your sautéed veggies from decent to divine. The trick is to know the capabilities, cooking characteristics and flavor nuances of your oil of choice. Here’s an overview of some of the popular oils on the market today.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is getting plenty of attention for its deep-fry friendliness and buttery flavor. It’s a sturdy oil with a high smoke point (the temperature at which the oil breaks down and is damaged) and can tolerate temperatures up to 520°F. The subtle flavor is light enough to be appreciated in salad dressings, dips and in a variety of Southwestern dishes. Despite its source, it will not leave your food tasting like guacamole, but rather adds a soft, rich, buttery taste on the palate. One manufacturer recommends using avocado oil within 10 months, though it can last much longer. No refrigeration is required for storage. Because avocados are difficult to process, the oil can be expensive, but the flavor and capabilities are worth the splurge.

Canola Oil

This refined, neutral-flavored oil can tolerate heat up to 435°F, making it good for sautéing and baking, but not necessarily frying. The light flavor also adapts well to salad dressing. Canola oil keeps well in the cabinet (for up to a year). It is lower in saturated fat than just about any other oil, and, like olive oil, contains monounsaturated fats that can help promote the good cholesterol in your body. You might have heard about some of the controversy surrounding canola oil, in part because there really is no such thing as a canola. The name comes from Canadian Oil, Low Acid and was once a trademark but is now a generic term. Canola oil is derived from a plant that is a genetic variant of rapeseed. It was first introduced into the U.S. only 25 years ago, although rapeseed oil has been used in cooking for centuries in India, China and Europe. For a good discussion about the history of canola oil and the controversy about rapeseed oil, check out this article from the myth-busters at snopes.com (be sure to read the analysis at the bottom of the page, not just the consumer comments at the top).

Grapeseed Oil

Made from the pressed seeds of some varieties of Vitis vinifera grapes, grapeseed oil is a by-product of winemaking. It offers a light, nutty flavor and has a moderately high smoke point, tolerating temperatures up to 420°F. Due to its mild taste, grapeseed oil is good for any cooked or raw preparation where strong oil flavor is unwanted. It is best stored in the refrigerator and keeps for up to six months.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO, in the media hype of Rachael Ray) is unrefined, meaning it was not altered chemically or mechanically after being pressed—usually cold-pressed to protect it from heat damage. Consequently, extra-virgin oil is more flavorful than refined olive oil. Since EVOO is unrefined, it is susceptible to heat and light damage and has a low smoke point. Heat and heavy cooking will destroy the taste. The flavor is somewhat peppery, making it endlessly versatile and perfect for dipping or drizzling onto a finished soup or pasta dish. Extra-virgin olive oil is within a year of pressing.

Olive Oil

Standard olive oil is the less expensive, less flavorful cousin of extra-virgin olive oil. Since it is refined, it has a longer shelf life and can last about a year unopened and half a year in an opened container. Unlike EVOO, it can tolerate high heat (up to about 450°F) so it’s ideal for sautéing and even can be found in baked goods. While all oils should be stored in cool, dark places, refined oils such as this are less sensitive to heat and light. You can also put olive oil in the refrigerator, though it will take on a cloudy appearance. To restore the look to normal, just set it out at room temperature for a while.

Peanut Oil

This oil can withstand a lot of heat, making it popular for deep-frying. It is often praised in the culinary world for the clean flavor it lends to foods. In tests by Cook’s Illustrated magazine, it was found to be the best oil for fried chicken. It is high in saturated fat (18 percent), so you’ll want to keep its use to a minimum. Peanut oil can be pricey, so it’s best kept in the cupboard for special deep-fried indulgences.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil, which comes in both raw and flavored toasted varieties, is used most often in the sauces and marinades of Asian cuisines. The intense flavor of toasted sesame oil makes it a bit too strong for most salad dressings (unless cut with a neutral oil) and can turn bitter when heated. When used sparingly, it makes a nice finishing oil. Sesame oil has a low smoke point, so it shouldn’t be used for frying. It stores best in a cool, dark cabinet.

Sunflower and Safflower Oils

These refined, neutral-flavored oils are very adaptable. They are great for sautéing and pan frying and make delicious vinaigrettes, salad dressings, and even homemade mayonnaise. Safflower oil will remain stable at high temperatures, sunflower a bit lower temps. Both can go rancid easily so should be refrigerated once opened. Look for high-oleic varieties if you are going to cook with these oils on the stove.

Vegetable Oil

This classic oil generally is made from refined soybean oil. It has a neutral flavor, will stand up to strong heat (450°F) and stores well at room temperature. It is an ideal oil for baking. Vegetable oil is a reliable and inexpensive kitchen workhorse, much like corn oil. It can keep for six months to a year after opening.

Walnut, Hazelnut and Almond Oils

These unrefined oils offer rich, assertive flavors. As with toasted sesame oil, a little bit of these gourmet goodies goes a long way. All three are best used raw: perfect to dress steamed or roasted vegetables, or to drizzle over grilled fish or a cooked pasta dish just before serving. Their nutty flavors marry well in some baked goods, like almond cookies and zucchini walnut bread. Nut oils are particularly susceptible to rancidity, so are best bought in small amounts and stored refrigerated.    

You want to feel good and look great, but finding and maintaining a well-balanced diet and lifestyle may seem like a never-ending challenge. With the quick and easy availability of fast foods, processed foods and snacks, your healthy eating plan can easily get derailed. Healthy eating is getting good nutrition from high-quality, nutrient-dense fresh foods. Consuming a variety of healthy foods adds nutrients to your body, helps you maintain good health and can protect against chronic illness like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Fruits and Vegetables

Surprisingly, eating healthy fruits and vegetables may not be enough to get your daily recommended vitamins and minerals. Several decades ago, fruits and vegetables grown had higher levels of nutrients than the varieties available today. Today’s crops are crossbred to grow faster and produce higher yields. This accelerated growth decreases the plant’s ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients. According to USDA nutritional data, from 1950–1999, 43 different vegetables and fruits have declined up to 43 percent in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B-2) and vitamin C. Additionally, only 11 percent of Americans eat the recommended allowance of two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every day. With the lower nutrient value and the lack of proper consumption of fruits and vegetables, taking a multivitamin and superfood supplements can help you fill the nutritional gap in your diet. At Sprouts, we want to help you achieve good health, so you feel better and have more energy from morning to night. With the right combination of healthy foods and natural supplements, you can balance the fast-paced lifestyle with the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

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¹ Scientific American, April 2011, Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious? scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/ accessed: 11/16/2015 ² according to the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC). 2009”was released by the CDC.  

Stave off that winter bug with some good old-fashioned natural remedies from Sprouts.

Less Sugar, More Spice, Keeps Everything Nice

Refined white sugars can tax the immune system, so keep sweets to a minimum when nursing a cold or flu and give your body a fighting chance. That goes for refined white flour as well, so avoid cakes, cookies, pies and bread. If you need to cave in to that carb craving or satiate that sweet tooth, try items made with sprouted grains and sugar alternatives, which may be easier on the immune system. Coconut sugar, honey, stevia and agave nectar are all good sweeteners that could fill the bill. Also, sip on warm ginger or cinnamon teas. The warmth of both spices comforts the body and the hot liquid can help loosen up congestion. Ginger has been shown to support digestion, allowing the body to better absorb some key nutrients. Cinnamon is known to help with blood sugar. Sprouts carries many excellent brands and flavors, like Yogi Ginger Tea, Tazo Herbal Green Ginger Tea, and Cinnamon Apple Chamomile by Stash. You can also try a pinch of cayenne pepper in some warm water with a splash of lemon juice. Cayenne is another warming spice and is rich in beta-carotene, a known immunity booster, and is also said to be supportive for relieving congestion.

Victorious Vitamins and Super Supplements

Among the herbal remedies that can supposedly help ameliorate cold and flu symptoms are: Echinacea, ginseng, zinc and elderberry (also known as sambucus—it’s available as a syrup and is sweet, so you won’t have a hard time getting the kiddos to take a dose). Spend some time browsing our Vitamin Department for a wide variety of herbs, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and supplements that will help build and maintain a healthy immune system to keep you in fighting form! Finally, if you are like us you can never remember whether you are supposed to “feed a fever, starve a cold”—or the other way around. There is a lot of internet intel on this topic, most of which points to the very un-alliterative answer of “feed a cold, starve a fever.” However, according to WebMD, starving is never the answer. To those of us in the food business, that sounds right. No matter how you are feeling, the smart thing to do is always eat foods that are high in antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamin C, and drink plenty of liquids.  

Did you know that on average, 40 percent of the food that is purchased in the United States is uneaten, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council? That adds up to a lot of wasted food and money through the course of an entire year. How can you get started reducing food waste? We’re glad you asked. Below are the top eight tips for wasting less food:

Step Up to Perfectly Pick

Do you know what the best way is to pick a watermelon? How about an artichoke? Knowing how to identify when produce is ripe for the picking is the first step to reducing food waste. No one likes purchasing fresh ingredients only to find that they have already gone bad within a day or two. Well, you’re in luck! We’ve created a host of educational videos that take the guesswork out of picking the perfect fruits and vegetables. Visit our Perfect Pickin’ YouTube channel.

Store Foods Smarter

Not all foods are created equal. Some items need to be wrapped up tight, while others are best left au naturale. When foods are stored correctly, they are less likely to go bad as quickly. This means you have a longer period of time to enjoy your food and you won’t feel the guilt of having to throw anything away. By using our foods to their fullest, we are able to reduce food waste and maintain the best quality of our favorite food items. Storing foods the right way can keep you from tossing items too early and will get you a big thanks! from our environment. Learn some of the smartest ways to store your favorite, natural spring ingredients.

Save It for Later

Did you make too much soup or casserole? Don’t worry! Pour the leftovers in a resealable plastic bag, squeeze out the air, label and date the food, then place in the freezer. That way, you’ll have an ready-made meal that just needs reheating. Better yet, try to designate one dinner night for leftovers. Using all of your leftovers for the week or foods that are about to expire, you can create a dinner smorgasbord. Not only will you cut down on waste, but you’ll also enjoy a variety of food that will give you a break in the kitchen.

Shopping Bulk Foods

Often times we find ourselves buying too much of our favorite granolas or spices and they end up expiring before we can use them all. When shopping bulk, you can scoop as much or as little as you need without having so many leftovers. By using only what you need, you will save money and reduce food waste. After purchasing your favorite bulk items, do the environment even more of a favor by storing these items in re-usable jars or bags.

Plan Your Meals in Advance

How many times during the week do you find yourself asking “What’s for dinner?” For many of us—with our crazy busy schedules—ordering takeout is the option that we go with far too often. One way to avoid this dilemma is to plan your healthy meals ahead of time. Meal planning makes healthier choices easier and it can also help reduce food waste because it encourages you to only purchase the items you need for the week.

Move It to the Front

You just went grocery shopping, now it’s time to unpack. When restocking your pantry, freezer or refrigerator, move older products to the front and newer ones to the back. This will remind you to use the older products first and may even inspire a new “frontline” recipe that you’ve been wanting to try.

Freeze! Shop in the Frozen Foods

Not only do frozen foods often cost less than buying fresh ingredients, they have a much longer shelf life and they can be easily portioned. Just use what you need now and store the rest in the freezer for later! Doing this can greatly reduce spoilage and food waste. Not only that, frozen foods can actually be even more nutritious than choosing fresh!

Make Your Own Vegetable Stock from Cooking Scraps

Save your scraps throughout the week in an airtight sealed container in the fridge or freezer to make a delicious, homemade vegetable stock. What can you do with vegetable stock? More like, what can’t you do!? Your homemade vegetable stock can be used as a base for soups, stews and stir-fries. You can add it to virtually any vegetarian dish or, when cooking rice, use your vegetable stock instead of water. Is your mouth watering, yet? Reduce food waste by using up these scraps and be sure to compost any leftover solids! *Some vegetable scraps are better off going in the composting bin, due to their overpowering flavors. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and similar leafy green vegetables. Other vegetables to avoid include turnips, asparagus and artichokes.  

For many of our customers, Sprouts is the destination for finding the best values on the freshest ingredients in town. Did you know that we carry a wide assortment of wholesome and natural frozen foods, as well? Whether you’re looking for convenient meals, fruits and vegetables or if you just can’t get enough of our famous Sprouts Pinã Colada Fruit Bars, we’ve got you covered! We even have an impressive selection of specialty items, like gluten-free breads and a host of non-dairy ice creams. Still not sure how you feel about frozen foods? Here are the top four reasons to start warming up to the freezer section:

Frozen Foods are Nutritious and Delicious

Two of the major misconceptions with frozen fruits and vegetables is that they are not as nutritious and have less flavor compared to their fresh counterparts. It might be hard to believe but in some cases, frozen foods can actually be more nutritious than choosing fresh. During the freezing process, fruits and vegetables are chosen at their peak ripeness then are blanched and flash-frozen to lock in their nutrients and flavor.

Frozen Foods are a Great Value

Not only do frozen foods often cost less than buying fresh, they have a much longer shelf life. Frozen foods can also be more easily portioned and stored for later use, which reduces spoilage and food waste and increases the overall value.

Frozen Foods are a Sensible Choice

Frozen foods can be a great choice for those seeking well-balanced and nutritious meals or snacks. Not only do they make nutritional information readily available, many of our frozen foods also feature single-serving packs and are resealable making it a cinch to count calories and avoid food waste. Better yet, we feature a wide selection of low-calorie, great-tasting frozen novelties as well.

Frozen Foods are Convenient

After a long day at work, the last thing you probably want to do is cook a gourmet meal from scratch. Thankfully, you’ll find an array of frozen foods that can make whipping up a home-cooked meal a breeze.

Try these recipes:

Vegetarian Chili Orange Chicken with Fresh Mandarins and Red Peppers Cheesy Burrito Bake Asian Potsticker Soup

Do you ever find yourself halfway through that movie—you know, what’s-it-called, starring what’s-his-face—before remembering you’ve already seen it? Have you forgotten where you left your sunglasses (next to your keys, wherever they are) again? If so, you may need to eat more brain-boosting foods to protect your cognitive health. Cognitive health refers to skills such as learning, memory, decision making, abstract thinking and reasoning. “Scientific evidence suggests that consuming nutrient-dense foods, physical activity, controlling your blood sugar and blood pressure, and use of your brain may lower your risk towards dementia,” said Sprouts Nutritionist Janet Little. “Be sure your diet contains ample amounts of B vitamins for a healthy brain.” Here are a dozen brain-boosting foods:

Wild Salmon

The essential omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are crucial to the health of our nervous systems. Fish also contains iodine, which is suggested to improve mental clarity.

Avocados

Avocados are high in omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent source of potassium.

Walnuts

Small, but mighty, walnuts contain omega-3, vitamin E and other antioxidants that have a beneficial effect on brain function. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent poor memory.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain various compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory properties that may reverse age-related declines in cognitive function.

Eggs

Eggs contain the choline, which is an essential nutrient that maintains the structure of cell membranes as well as aids in brain function.

Grapes

These winter fruits are rich in resveratrol, which has been shown to protect the brain, especially in cases of stroke or dementia.

Beans

Beans are loaded with B vitamins and glucose that nourish the brain.

Dark Chocolate

Looking for an excuse to eat chocolate? Research shows that dark chocolate enhances focus and concentration. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, the “feel good” hormones.

Green Tea

Green tea helps to maintain positive mood. It may also protect against Parkinson’s disease and other brain disorders.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most popular herbs to improve brain function, especially short-term memory loss. It’s available in liquid capsules in our Vitamin Department.

Sweet Potatoes

Research has shown that the anti-inflammatory properties in sweet potatoes may help slow the brain deterioration in Alzheimer’s patients.

Tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia.  

Sweet Switch

Compared with sugar, agave nectar has a lower glycemic index value (a measure of how food affects your blood sugar), which means it won’t cause energy crashes. Agave is sweeter than sugar, so you generally need only 1/2–3/4 as much of it.

Whip it Good

Leave that can of frosting on the shelf and reach for the confectioners’ sugar instead. A light dusting over cakes and brownies significantly cuts calories and fat compared to heavy frostings. For a lighter spin on cream cheese frosting, however, beat together an 8-ounce block of reduced-fat cream cheese, 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. The fluffy icing contains a mere 59 calories and three grams of fat per tablespoon.

“Healthy-Purpose” Flour

Replacing one cup of white flour with the whole-wheat kind can add 10 grams of heart-healthy fiber to your cookies. Because whole grains are coarser than refined ones, start with a 50–50 mix and gradually increase the amount of whole-wheat flour with each batch until you strike the best balance. Or try replacing 1/4–1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour with whole rolled oats or oats that have been ground into a flour.

Replace the Fat

Try using pureed fruit or even vegetables in place of some of the butter, margarine or shortening. Options include applesauce, pear butter, and puréed pumpkin or nonfat plain yogurt. Using a fruit or yogurt fat-replacer will give you a chewier texture, so it works well in baked goods that are naturally softer. For maximum texture and flavor, replace no more than half the amount of the fat listed in the recipe. If a recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, for example, you can substitute 1/4 cup applesauce.

Better Eggs

Replace 1 whole egg in a recipe with 1/4 cup fat-free, cholesterol-free egg product substitutes or 2 egg whites—you’ll save more than 10 grams of fat and 100 calories.

Go Nuts

It’s okay to keep nuts on your shopping list—simply decrease the amount you usually purchase. Toast the nuts before mixing them into your batter or dough. This will give them a stronger flavor so you can use less of them.