5 sneaky not-so Vegan ingredients.
Looking for a Vegan haven, where you don’t have to worry about these ingredients showing up on the list? Come check out Glowing Plant-Based Eatery and Market!
2024 is just around the corner…
Check us out at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery for more reasons to go Vegan!
Vegan Holiday Inspirations!
Here are some of our favorite holiday inspirations for this year! Be sure to check us out at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery in Echo Park, for your one stop shop for all of your Vegan Cooking!
Why your vitamin C isn’t working.
Those tart Vitamin C chewables are no doubt addictive, but we have a newsflash for you-THEY DON’T WORK! Well, that’s at least what scientists are telling us. So, why don’t they work? First, let’s look at what happens to Vitamin C, when we ingest it.
Our digestive system unfortunately breaks it down and destroys it, before it can be properly absorbed by our gut and intestine. This is a problem, because for it to properly do its job, it must reach our body’s cells intact. So now what? Well, let’s take a look at Liposomal Vitamin C.
What is that? It’s Vitamin C that has been engineered to have protective liposomal bubbles surrounding it, that way it can travel safely intact to where it needs to go. Essentially these liposomes are fat bubbles that can pass through our cell membranes, while protecting the encapsulated Vitamin C. So cool!
So, if you are taking Vitamin C supplements, look into a more bioavailable form of it like Liposomal Vitamin C! And, if you aren’t into fueling with supplements, come on by and grab a freshly squeezed Organic Orange Juice to get your daily dose of Vitamin C!
Until Next Time,
Glowing
Helpful foods for Cold Season!
Cold and Flu season is officially upon us, and although our bodies are equipped-they always need some help to fight off these nasty bugs. Here are some foods/ingredients to add to your daily routine and grocery list, to thrive during this Cold & Flu Season.
1. PUMPKIN SEEDS, CASHEWS, DARK CHOCOLATE, CHICKPEAS and SPINACH!
These are all great sources of ZINC! It is best to take zinc in the first 24 hours of the onset of a cold, but if you are already adding these foods to your diet, a supplement won’t be needed. Zinc was said to shorten colds by 42%, and produces no side effects if taken in recommended doses.
2. STRAWBERRIES, ORANGES, BROCOLLI, TOMATOES and CABBAGE!
These fruits and veggies are not only packed with fiber, they are also great sources of Vitamin C. Most of you know about the pirates and their scurvy? Yikes! Well, besides Vitamin C being an essential Vitamin in the building of collagen, it also has been proven to help neutralize free radicals which essentially, helps against the developments of certain diseases, colds and aging.
3. BRRRAZIL NUTS!
Selenium is mostly found in meats and seafood, but nature has provided us with an alternative option-The Brazil Nuts! Selenium helps white blood cells fight against these nasty foreign inhabitants. Eating 5 a day is enough, and they are also great for your Thyroid.
4. VEGAN YOGURT with Active Probiotic cultures!
Any active probiotic, whether it is in yogurt or kombucha; is not only good for your gut, but it directly supports our immune system. If your gut is healthy, your attempt to fight off a cold will be more successful. With 70-80% of our immune cells found in our gut, it is obvious that our immune system response is directly correlated to the health of these cells. Check out our market for some healthy probiotic Vegan yogurts!
5. OYSTER & SHITAKE MUSHROOMS AND NUTRITIONAL YEAST!
All of these contain high amounts of B12, which is important in balancing immune responses when that nasty cold hits. As Vegans we tend to be low on Vitamin B12, but we don’t have to fall into that statistic if we continue to eat mindfully and use food as medicine.
We know there is a lot of information out there, and it can be overwhelming. But we believe that taking the time to educate ourselves and our customers on the importance of eating a healthy & balanced diet, is the best that we can do for ourselves. Please also remember to get outside and get your Vitamin D too! We hope you have a safe and healthy winter.
Until next time,
Glowing
Check out our market for and our website for our healthy menu items!
The Benefits of Drinking Celery Juice.
It’s 2018, and your hippie neighbor just told you he is moving to Thailand, and also can’t stop talking about how celery juice has changed his life for the better. Well, my friend, he was probably right! And although it isn’t 2018, and the Celery Juice hype faded like a tie die t-shirt; the benefits of celery juice, are not going anywhere. Here are 3 reasons why you should be drinking celery juice; but unfortunately, we have no facts about Thailand.
Great source of Vitamins and Minerals!
Celery has a great laundry list of vitamins- vitamins K, C and A, and many others. A nice glass of celery juice in the morning will replenish you with so many of the necessary vitamins and minerals to help boost your energy and immune system throughout the day.
It’s great for your skin
If you follow Medical Medium, like us, you will know how much he advocates for celery juice being a great healing tonic for your skin. It’s anti-inflammatory effects, alongside being hydrating; celery juice has proven many times that it has healed acne and reduced the appearance of scars.
It’s Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is the root of all diseases. Celery has properties that have been proven to reduce inflammation. Researchers extracted celery juice, and found many occurring phytochemicals within celery juice, and research suggests; that they have the capacity to disrupt the body’s immune response.
Check out some of our favorite Celery juices here at Glowing!
Until next time!
Foods for thought (and for a good mood).
Foods that are great for your mental health
Here are our top 5 favorite foods that are scientifically beneficial for overall cognitive function, and some of them even release feel good chemicals!
1. Leafy Greens: Yes, these are packed with folate, which is a B Vitamin. Folate is overall a very diverse, and vital vitamin for all kinds of processes in the body. One of its many important functions is facilitating the production of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine-which are all chemicals that help our brains function properly.
2. Walnuts: Not only are these nuts so yummy, there might be a reason why these can be so addictive- they are rich in Omega 6 fatty acids, but also in Omega 3’s! These fatty acids help brain cells communicate with one another, and also are anti-inflammatory.
3. Blueberries: These delicious cuties have the highest concentration of antioxidants than any other fruit. Antioxidants protect our bodies from oxidative stress, and in turn, protect us from inflammation. Our bodies don’t operate well when they are inflamed and under stress- and, especially our cognitive function.
4. Chocolate: A 2019 research study led by University College in London found that individuals who ate dark chocolate had significantly lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms (psychiatry.org). Dark chocolate contains polyphenols, which are associated with reducing inflammation and are powerful antioxidants. It’s important to note that dark chocolate has higher concentrations of polyphenols than milk chocolate. It also releases large amounts of Tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin-the feel good chemical! Check OUR favorite! Get it at Glowing :)
5. Green Tea: We love a nice tea on a cold day, so make sure you opt in for the green one! Green Tea with its high levels of L-theanine – a naturally-occurring amino acid found in tea leaves. L-theanine is an amino acid that helps with regulating emotions. Check out our selection at Glowing!
Our Fruits and Veggies are talking us!
Yes, we know vegetables can’t really talk, but nature is definitely communicating to us in many ways. Uhh ok… how? Did you know that the colors of fruits and vegetables directly correlate to their benefits. Yes! We did some digging, and here are just a few examples!
The Mighty Greens- Broccoli, Cilantro, Celery, Kale… etc-
Rich in fiber, folate and potassium-great for circulation and detoxification! Most green vegetables are alkaline too, so they have properties that are great for strengthening the immune system.
The Yellows & Oranges- Carrots, Peppers, Tomatoes… etc-
These generally contain high amounts of beta carotene, which is great for our eyes.
The Passionate Reds- Raspberries, Cayenne Peppers, Strawberries, Grapefruit.. Etc
These contain high amounts of Lycopenes, which is an antio-oxidant that fights cancers and also supports heart health.
The Purples-Cabbage, Egg plant, Blueberries, Grapes.. Etc
These are a great source of anthocyanin, which is anti-aging and helps fight against Dementia.
Check out Glowing’s Juice and Smoothie Menu!
Our Strawberry Coconut Iced Matcha Recipe.
~Muddle three Strawberries, then add to your glass.
~Add a tsp of your favorite sweetener and stir it in with your strawberries.
~In a separate cup mix 4 oz of water, with 1 tbs of -Man Eating Ceremonial Matcha Powder.
-~Add ice to the glass that has strawberries.
~Add the Matcha mixture on top.
~Top with some coconut milk.
And… Enjoy!
New Products at Glowing!
New Vegan Products
BAM nut Milk-by ‘What IF Foods”
BAM nut Milk is a Plant-based milk that is made from Bambara groundnut grown in West Africa. It’s creamy, nutty, and froths nicely! What we love about What If Foods is that they have
3 different types of ‘milk’ to choose from- Airy, Everyday and Barista.
Where can I get it? (Click here!)
Maka Wheatgrass Superfood Beverage
A delicious and energizing, fruit forward superfood beverage! Contains yerba mate, and wheatgrass- and it is low calorie too. To be honest, it was so good that we couldn’t even taste the wheatgrass!
Where can I get it? (Click here!)
Yumi come in a box, with 5 individually wrapped Bars; packed with 9 superfood veggies and 13 essential nutrients! No sugar added, and they even have a toddler purity label-certified by the clean label project as an award-winning brand.
Where can I get it? (Click here!)
Yes, they’re back! This time you can take it anywhere. It is a powder that contains 100% Arabica Coffee with a coconut powder base, as well as adaptogenic herbs that are known to improve cognitive performance. You can add this to your coffee, smoothie or just drink it on its own!
Quick Read: What is ‘Lab grown’ meat.
Best Vegan Market in LA is Glowing Plant-Based Eatery
How is it… made?
Scientists will use an organism’s stem cells and then these are placed in petri dishes with amino acids and carbohydrates to help the muscle cells grow. Once cultivated enough, this will resemble and taste like meat.
Is cultured meat more “environmentally friendly?”
Too soon to say, but already it is looking to be more eco-friendly. Compared to the way we source other types of meats, it already requires 45% less energy, and 99% less land and produces 96% less greenhouse gas emissions.
Health concerns?
Again, not enough data. But… like most things once they become popular, and in high demand– they tend to become over- produced. Companies then begin to cut corners to save on: cost and to increase production rates. Also, lab grown meat is said to have the same Nutrional value, as regular meat. It can be altered however, and be cultivated to be more nutritious and maybe fill those population vitamin and mineral deficiency gaps.
How sustainable is this?
How quickly and in what quantities can this lab grown meat cultivate? Google says about 2-8 weeks. There are conflicting and unsupported data on whether this will be a sustainable way to eat meat.
Only time will tell…
Check out all of our Plant-Based Meat alternatives, here at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery & Market
3 Vegan Documentaries to watch!
Best Vegan Restaurant in LA is Glowing Plant-Based Eatery
We sat back and watched these 3, fairly new plant-based focused documentaries- and we think these are progressive game changers for us plant-based nerds.
The invisible Vegan (2022)
An independent 90 minute documentary that follows a group of Vegan activists exploring the possibilities of the Plant-Based diet. They reveal their unhealthy eating habits, and how specifically, the African American people have been afffected by it. The film includes interviews with Cedric the Entertainer (actor and comedian), John Salley(former NBA player and wellness advocate), and Clayton Gavin (aka Stic of the hip-hop duo Dead Prez).
Breaking the Chain (2020), follows fieldworkers with PETA's Community Animal Project as they visit impoverished areas of Virginia and North Carolina to give care to abused animals. This film explores and uncovers the difficulties these poor animals face, and also those that are in pursuit of saving them. This documentary opens the conversation to even more than what is described. It is definitely worth the watch, if you love animals just as much as we do.
The End of Medicine (2022)
To put it simply, this documentary uncovers the correlations between the treatment and consumption of animals, and their increasing health threats-as a result of this link. Sound familiar? Hmmm…. this one was filmed during the pandemic.
Come check out our Vegan Market!
We hope that you enjoyed these recommendations!
Until next time,
Glowing
Midsummer Mocktail Highlight!
Best Juices in LA at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery
Int. Hot Home Office-Day
Is this you?… We have the perfect Mocktail to make your work day or night, a little more exciting! Here is our Mid Summer Mocktail Highlight…
3oz of Pineapple Juice
4oz of De la Calle Tepache Clasico Che moy
Squeeze ½ lime
Muddle 3 pieces of cilantro
Muddle 4 pieces of Mint
Garnish with some cucumber
Rim your favorite glass with some lime zest and salt.
…don’t forget to enjoy!
Our favorite Vegan Sunscreens!
Best Summer Vegan Sunscreens!
It’s that time of the year again, and here are some of our favorites we are using this summer!
5. Kinship Self Reflect Sport
For all of you that like to keep active, it is moisture resistant and is a whopping SPF 60.
4. Vacation Classic Whip Sunscreen
For those that are alittle playful, this mouse-screen is soft and delightful. It has full coverage and has an SPF of 30.
3. Make it Matte.
Even sunscreen should be inclusive. This one has been designed to not leave a residue, is gel-like, water resistant and with a SPF of 45.
2. Pipette Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
Pipette is our mineral sunscreen go-to. Without the sticky; it absorbs quickly, has an SPF of 50, and is incredibly moisturizing.
1.Supergoop!
We love supergoop because their sunscreen’s, especially the Unseen Suncreen is literally invisible. Silk like quality when applied and goes great under foundation, working almost like a primer. Even though it’s barely there, this one helps protect against UVA, UVB, Blue Light and has an SPF of 40.
Need to cool off this summer? Come join us and indulge in the perfect summer treat at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery!
Got Protein?
Best Protein Smoothies
Here are our top 5 favorite Vegan Protein Sources! Most people think that as a Vegan you are severely limiting the amount of protein you are consuming. Well, here is a list to bust that myth and put it to rest once and for all!
5. Soybeans: 18g/cup -A legume from Eastern Asia, these versatile beans contain many antioxidants, phytonutrients and of course protein!
4. Lentils: 18g/cup- Not only are these colorful legumes packed with protein but they are also a great source of fiber, iron and folate.
3. Black Beans: 16g/cup-The protein in Black Beans is highly digestible and is also packed with resistant starch.
2. Peanuts: 14g/cup- Not only delicious, peanuts are also a great source of resveratrol , phenolic acids, flavonoids and phytosterols.
1. Wild Rice: 13g/cup-Wild rice is high in phosphorus which is great for our bones and has high amounts of Vitamin C.
Check out Glowing Plant-Based Eatery for protein packed smoothies and meals!
Is Organic just a fad?
Best Organic Restaurant in Los Angeles
Here is a quick little blurb on how we really feel about Organic Food..
Ok so first of all, what does the term ‘Organic’ really mean?
The USDA’s definition of Organic is as follows: “USDA certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.” (usda.gov)
Studies have shown that organically grown food contains higher amounts of vitamin C, and other vital vitamins, minerals & antioxidants. Which in turn benefits our immune system, helps fight inflammation and other diseases.
But, are all foods labeled Organic the same?
No. So, here is some advice on reading labels:
- ‘100% Organic’: 100% of ingredients are organic, with 100% organic processing.
- ‘Organic’: 95% or more of ingredients are organic, some chemical additives approved by USDA may be used in processing. *
-’‘Made with Organic Ingredients’: Raw or processed products containing 70% to 90% certified organic ingredients. The standard labeling statement and cannot be used outside the ingredients panel on the label.
- ‘Multi-ingredient products with below 70% organic ingredients’: Raw or processed products containing below 70% certified organic ingredients. May only contain indications that an ingredient is organic on the ingredient list, but cannot be labeled as Organic. (usda.gov)
Just by reading these labels, we can see that even grouping the degrees of the processing and additives; just goes to show how much our food can be concentrated with these potentially harmful substances.
But Organic is so expensive. Yes, and it isn’t getting any cheaper. In the long run, the negative effects of disease and aging will most likely cost us more, than if we don’t start putting our bodies into preventative mode. We think… it is worth budgeting on other things- rather than your health, isn’t it?
Check out Glowing Plant-Based Eatery, where we use 100% Organic Produce.
The Benefits of Drinking Aloe Vera.
The benefits of drinking Aloe Vera.
This succulent plant juice is not only great for your skin, but we have discovered it has other promising scientifically backed health benefits that we just can’t ignore.
Immune Health
Aloe Vera is great for the immune system, mainly because of it’s abundance in antioxidants. When we talk about immune health, we are not only talking about viruses and bacteria, but we are also talking about the strength of our immune systems to fight off —cancer, inflammation and other diseases. Aloe is packed with polyphenols, which are a group of antioxidant rich plant compounds. This is obvious when you get sunburned and you reach for that Aloe. The proof is in the pudding!
Constipation
Having a hard time pooping? Take a shot of Aloe. Depending on your size, and other factors I would do some research on how much to take. We don’t want you to poop too much.
Our Our Organic Glowing Juice has a splash of Aloe in it so that your insides and skin stay glowy! Order it now!
Our favorite Summer Menu Items!
Our delicious Organic California Salad.
Summer is coming in HOT and we are here for it! Check out some of our most popular summer menu items.
An ode to our beautiful Golden State. This salad is light, but also is protein packed. It will keep you full longer. Flavorful and of course, we top it off with our favorite Vegan Feta Cheese!
Looking for the perfect fresh summer sandwich? We gotchu. The proof—we can’t keep our famous Chickpea Tuna Salad in stock in our grab n’ go fridge! This sandwich is filled with our homemade chickpea tuna and is toasted to perfection to make it the perfect fresh tuna melt. We also fill it with colorful and juicy Organic Tomatoes, Greens, Cucumbers and Pickles.
Our Medi-date Smoothie has always been one of our most popular smoothies. It is totally a summer smoothie—with hints of coconut, banana, blueberries and dates blended into a perfect almost milkshake- like texture. Who said sweet is always bad? It doesn’t have to be, with our Medi-date!
This is one of our most popular juices every summer! Our customers love it so much that we end up running out of grapefruit. Bittersweet and Tropical flavors and we shake it over ice. Ingredients: Grapefruit, Pineapple, Lemon, Ginger and Mint. YUMM!
This is the perfect summer time treat. We blend Organic Acai, Blueberries, Apples, Strawberries, Bananas and Dates. No sugar added and no ice— just naturally sweetened by nature, and 100% fruit. We top it with a gluten-free granola and Strawberries, Banana, Coconut and Blueberries. Packed with fiber, antioxidants and protein, this is the perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner treat!
What is Sea Moss?
Sea moss, get it at Glowing Plant-Based Eatery.
The new Mermaid movie got us thinking, so we dove deep inside the world of Sea Moss.
Chondrus crispus, is its scientific name. Sounds like a cool potato chip, doesn’t it? Sea moss is an edible and colorful sea plant similar to algae and seaweed. It grows in the Atlantic, primarily between North America and Europe. However, the most common of the sea mosses is called Irish Sea Moss, and it favors the warmers waters, like me.
The main component of sea moss is carrageenan. It is widely used to thicken a variety of foods, medications and cosmetics—because of its gelatinous consistency. However, Sea Moss has a long history of nutritional and medicinal benefits. Not only is carrageenan has a physical useful component, it is also responsible for being anti-viral, great for the immune system, it is a natural anticoagulant and much more. Slow down there, over achiever….
How is this possible?
Sea moss is packed with antioxidants and minerals. It is labeled as a Super food in the natural health realm, but I believe this is an understatement.
Our body is composed of 102 minerals and nutrients. Sea moss contains 92 of those. Without these minerals, our body has to work harder to digest, fight off illness and detoxify. Uhh…. what?!
So, where can I get some?
Stop by our market and grab a jar of some of our favorite— small batch sea moss.
Vibe Higher Sea Moss is small local business and is Black and Woman Owned! Check them out here!