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Immunity’s on our minds in these crazy Covid-19 times. Inflammation is critical to the immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but we’re also hearing about exaggerated immune reactions and cytokine storms. We’re learning that an overactive immune reaction can cause severe illness – that can do more damage than the virus itself. Inflammation is both friend and foe. Inflammation isn’t just at the center of our reaction to infectious diseases though. Chronic low-grade inflammation can happen when we’re not under attack by invaders, recruiting chemicals and cells that damage arteries and build plaque; it’s a likely major mechanism of many chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, depression, Alzheimer’s,...

Brown fat tissue offers a glimmer of hope for burning off extra calories, and certain foods, such as coffee, turmeric, thyme and hot pepper, may transform regular white fat into calorie-burning brown fat.

One way to replace meat with plant-based protein is the booming market of plant based meat substitutes – think Beyond Meat. Another option is to simply replace part of the meat with legumes and vegetables in their original state. A new study tested students' reaction to such a shift.

Sugar, fat and salt are things we have too much of in our diet, and this particular combination, while tasty, drives overweight, obesity, food craving and poor health. But what if we could make food healthier while making it taste better?

It’s back to school season, and to get the school year off to a good start kids need the right foods to fuel their studies. New research shows that anti-inflammatory diet clearly correlated with school performance; yet another reason to eat fruits, veggies and season those with anti-inflammatory super-performing spices.

A curated collection of some of the best free apps for fitness, healthy eating and mindfulness, here to remind us that the smartphone can also be a useful tool to advance wellness.

The college year is coming to an end and many first-year students will be dismayed to find that their clothes have gotten a bit tight. A new study tests how strategies from behavioral economics could help students make better food choices – without even trying.

New studies show that kids prefer vegetables when they're seasoned with herbs and spices. Serving veggies raw and plain can work if they’re at the height of ripeness, freshness and flavor, and if people already love that particular veggie.For other vegetables, especially those with a bit of bitterness, seasoning could make a huge difference, and a little effort and attention could elevate their desirability and consumption.

Nutritional yeast is finally getting the attention it deserves. Search interest has risen 100 percent in the last year alone, according to Google Trends, perhaps in tow with rising interest in plant-based and vegan food, and Millennials’ and Gen Z’s eagerness for natural, functional ingredients.

Whenever I despair of the downsides of our fast-paced, distracted, screen addicted times, I think about the applications that make me optimistic about humankind. Airbnb is one of them. Kickstarter is another.

We can affect chronic inflammation not just with powerful drugs but also with our fork! Per weight, spices and herbs top all charts of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Eating less meat and more plants? There’s probably no better one step to take that will benefit your wellbeing as much. A plant-based diet is beneficial to your health, kinder to animals, and good for the environment. But that doesn't mean you can't make mistakes.

Turmeric shows a lot of potentials and has recently become part of a wellness craze. Its active ingredients have indeed been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. A surprising fact is that turmeric is poorly absorbed when eaten alone. Tips to improve turmeric's absorption.

Sweet potatoes are nutritious and tasty, but let's see what happens when we sprinkle them with some magic Roasted sweet potatoesWITHOUT Ayala's Magic Spice Roasted sweet potatoesWITH Ayala's Magic Spice Sweet Potato Magic For the basic recipe: 5 medium sweet potatoes, washed 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt black pepper to taste Now, when we add  Ayala's Magic Spice, we reduce the salt, because it really isn't needed, and simply add a few tablespoons of goodness. Sweet potato with Ayala's Magic Spice: 5 medium sweet potatoes, washed 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt black...

Want to make your potato wedges healthier?All you need is some Magic Spice! Potato wedgesWITHOUT Ayala's Magic Spice Potato wedgesWITH Ayala's Magic Spice Potato Magic Potatoes are so comforting! Let's take a recipe that's quite healthy -- of the non-fried denomination. Here's the ingredient list from Ina Garten's recipe. Warm recommendation: Barefoot Contessa's recipes are almost foolproof, and she really has tried them many times before committing them to print.  4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled 4 tablespoons good olive oil 1  1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary...

Cauliflower is magically transformed with Ayala's Magic Spice.See the nutrition and flavor effect Cauliflower WITHOUT Ayala's Magic Spice Cauliflower WITH Ayala's Magic Spice Cauliflower Magic Here are the ingredients for an easy, popular 5-star recipe from the Food Network's collection; healthy, no doubt. 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves And here's the Ayala's Magic Spice version's ingredient list: 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8...