May 29, 2020
Welcome to Ben Greenfield's Weekly Roundup and Cool New Discoveries!
Ben Greenfield's discoveries, from the latest news on the fronts of fitness, nutrition, health, wellness, biohacking and anti-aging research. I also recap my upcoming events and special announcements so you can keep up with giveaways, discounts, and more!
New Discoveries Of The Week: Cool New Things I'm Trying, Books I'm Reading, And More!
Zero-Carb Japanese “Jelly Cubes”
The last time I was in Tokyo, I was absolutely overwhelmed by the variety of novel foods I’d never had a chance to try before, including a fascinating little side dish served to me at a sushi bar called “tokoroten.” Served as bite-size cubes with the texture of jello, these tiny treats were light, refreshing, incredibly satiating, and oh-so-delicious when dipped in a bit of soy sauce and vinegar that I just had to attempt to re-create them upon my return home.
Tokoroten is technically a traditional Japanese dish made with “jelly noodles.” These jelly noodles are comprised of agarophyte, which is a seaweed that has been a staple in Japanese cuisine for over a thousand years. It is traditionally made by boiling red algae until it becomes jelly. It can then be eaten in the form of noodles or cubes as a savory dish or as a dessert, depending on what kind of additional spices and ingredients are added. Tokoroten only contains about 2 calories per 100g so it not only zero-carb, but also extremely low-calorie. Because it contains about 99% water, it will satiate you in a surprisingly effective way. It’s also dense in minerals that are wonderful for your thyroid and adrenals, including iodine, molybdenum, and magnesium.
Tokoroten is incredibly easy to make, so long as you have one key ingredient: “kanten.” In Japan, kanten is sold at every supermarket. In other countries, it is often confused with agar-agar, which is another type of seaweed-derived jelly. Problem is, agar-agar isn’t firm enough to make a properly textured jelly cube. But it turns out that one of my favorite food companies, Miracle Noodles, makes kanten noodles shipped in tiny convenient single-serving packages. So here’s exactly how I made my jelly cubes using kanten noodles.
Ingredients:
- 3 packets kanten noodles (use code BEN for a 15% discount)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Great Lakes gelatin (optional, but adds extra amino acids and firmness)
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan or pot, soak the kanten in the water for about 4 hours (this is optional, and doesn’t have to be done if you’re in a hurry, but will improve texture).
- Turn stovetop to low-medium and heat water as you stir kanten noodles with a fork. After about 10 minutes of heating and frequent stirring, the noodles will “melt” into a goopy texture. At some point during the heating and stirring process, you can add your gelatin if you decide to use it.
- Pour the final goopy mass into a shallow glass container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until cubes “set” and become solid.
- Cut into small, bite-sized squares and enjoy!
For a sweet treat and a low-carb dessert, drizzle your jelly cubes with a touch of organic honey or molasses and eat by themselves, or alongside a bit of coconut ice cream. For a savory side to sushi, salads, or any other lunch or dinner dish, top your jelly cubes with a bit of sea salt or Thomas Cowan’s Sea-Vegetables Powder, rice vinegar, soy sauce or miso paste.
A Simple Recipe That Makes Your Mouth, Teeth & Gums Clean As A Whistle Every Morning
In Chapter 18 of Boundless, which is devoted entirely to beauty and symmetry, one of the tips I give for mouth hygiene, gum health, and jaw structure, and that I talk about in my recent podcast with holistic dentist Dr. Dominik Nischwitz here, is to wake up in the morning and do 10-20 minutes of “oil pulling” which involves vigorously swishing an oil around in your mouth and through your teeth and gums. Since discovering this practice in an Ayurvedic medicine book three years ago, I’ve been doing it every morning, and on a recent visit to the dentist, they were blown away at how “squeaky clean” my gums were. Problem is, most fancy oil pulling oils you can buy online are overpriced vs. the dirt cheap stuff you can make at home that works just as well, if not better.
So here’s how to make your own oil pulling oil:
- Heat extra virgin coconut oil in any stovetop saucepan until it’s melted and liquid
- Turn off the heat and add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils (I used peppermint, cinnamon and Kion oregano in this recent batch—a refreshing and nice little anti-microbial formula)
- Pour into any silicon mold, then put mold in refrigerator until oil is solid
- Transfer solid molds into glass mason jar
Each morning grab ½ – 1 chunk of your mold, pop into your mouth, let it melt, swish vigorously for 10-20 minutes while you are going about your day, then spit into a trash can (it will clog a sink or toilet) and rinse your mouth with water. That’s it! Let me know if any of you do this or plan to try it, and share your own oil pulling recipe below, or any other “oral hygiene” tips you personally do. BONUS TIP: If you have candida or yeast, you can do this same thing, but instead of swishing the oil in your mouth, just eat the mold and swallow it!
Podcasts I Recorded This Week:
The Future Of Corporate Wellness: What A Cutting-Edge, Gold-Standard Executive & Employee Health Program Should Look Like.
This episode was brought to you by Kion (code BEN10), JOOVV (Order using my link and receive my brand new book, Boundless absolutely free!), ButcherBox, and Seed Daily Synbiotic (BEN15).
Q&A 412: Is Cholesterol In Coffee Bad (& How To Make Your Coffee As Healthy As Possible), What To Do About Low Progesterone, Carbs Impact On Your Immune System & Much More!
This episode was brought to you by Kion (code BEN10), JOOVV (Order using my link and receive my brand new book, Boundless absolutely free!), ButcherBox, and Seed Daily Synbiotic (BEN15).
Articles I Published This Week:
Sabbath Ramblings: The Breastplate Of Presence.
My full article feed and all past archives of my articles are here if you want to check out past articles.
Special Announcements:
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Kion is helping to support small health businesses with our Small Health Business Giveback campaign.
As you know, small, local, independent health businesses have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These businesses are essential parts of our communities, and we want to do our part to make sure they're still around when all of this is over.
So if you own a small health, fitness, or wellness business, then you can apply to partner with us. Applicable businesses include gyms, yoga studios, chiropractors, health coaches, physical therapists, and other small, independent practices.
If you qualify for the program, you'll get a unique coupon code and a trackable link for GetKion.com. Then, from June 3rd through the 7th, 2020, Kion will give 100% of the profits generated with your code to your business.
Yep, that's right: 100%!
Act fast because the deadline to apply is Monday, May 31st, 2020. Apply now!
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Upcoming Events:
July 14 – 16, 2020: Paleo f(x) – Austin, TX. Join dozens of health and fitness experts to discover the latest breakthroughs in epigenetics, biohacking, Keto, AIP, nootropics, blood testing, strength conditioning, sleep, stress and much more. Try out delicious new foods, discover new workouts, and even try new gadgets in the biohacking lab. Register here
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This Week's Most Popular Instagram Post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAbd-VdggWq/
This Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Thanks @wiredmagazine but I’m not quite sure this is the answer to the meat problem vs. regenerative, responsible, ethical farming practices: https://t.co/kzveDcczYg
— Ben Greenfield (@bengreenfield) May 28, 2020
My Most Popular Facebook Post This Week:
https://www.facebook.com/BGFitness/photos/a.10150236853724179/10159357894854179/?type=3&theater
Leave your comments and any news or discoveries that you think I missed below!
Cheers,
Ben
Are there types of essential oils that are not safe to use for adding to the coconut oil? I use NOW essential oil for diffusing, but am not sure if they can be used in combination with the coconut oil for oil pulling
For oil pulling? Yes, some essential oils are not safe for oral use. What are you using?
Hi Ben
Do you go to Tokyo often? I live there and it is a great place for all sorts of food. Some incredibly healthy veggies that are under utilized in the US.
Thanks for the post on gum pulling Ben. I just heard about your work through(brain energy) a Jim Kwik podcast. Given the risks associated with drill and fill dental offices these days this sounds like a very useful tool to self-care. I started a 10-day routine with with my family last night.
Thanks for the post on the HOW to eat and inspiration. I think you might like this book… https://www.amazon.com/dp/8190848712/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_STu0EbT6CC4JC
If you use kid approved essential oils would you recommend kids to oil pull as well?
You mention in the recipe for oil pulling, above to start with coconut oil. How much are you starting with and adding the essential oils to? A full 14 oz. jar? and then are you adding 5-10 drops of each essential oil or 5-10 drops total?
Thanks
I use around 2 cups of coconut oil that I melt and 5-10 drops of EACH oil…