Enhanced concentration and emotional balance

Matcha's L-theanine – a unique amino acid – fosters a sense of calm and sharp focus. It tempers caffeine's effects, providing sustained energy without the restlessness coffee can cause.

Fighting inflammation with antioxidants

Rich in catechins – especially EGCG – matcha shields cells from oxidative stress and curbs inflammation linked to cardiovascular and chronic conditions.

Boosting cardiovascular wellness

Research highlights matcha's ability to improve blood pressure and lower LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart-related issues.

Gentle caffeine lift

Delivering roughly 70mg of caffeine per cup – comparable to coffee – matcha pairs it with L-theanine for a smooth, alert state without tension or crashes.

Guidelines for enjoying matcha

• measured intake: one to three cups a day maximize benefits while keeping caffeine in check.
• time it right: consume between meals to avoid hindering iron absorption.
• dietary synergy: pair with vitamin C to optimize iron uptake from plant sources.

Ultimately, matcha transcends its trendy aesthetic – it's a powerhouse of antioxidants, promoting mental clarity and heart health. Like any superfood, it's best enjoyed in moderation.

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Video: The non-milky way – what is the best milk alternative?

Popular among vegans for quite a while now, alternative milk has taken the world by storm with sales booming worldwide in recent years. Other than its obvious health benefits, it has become a global trend, featured across social media. Before you turn "Got milk?" into "It's like milk," here is everything you need to know.

Plant-based milk options are not constrained merely to soy or oat milk. With a wide variety of almond, hazelnut, rice, coconut, hemp, and pea milk options, you can definitely find one that works for you. But what is to gain from putting in all this effort? Why not just stick to regular milk? 

"It's like milk but for humans"

"It's like milk but made for humans," says Oatly's slogan, emphasizing one of the main advantages of dairy-free milk. Many reports have proven that plant-based milk is easier to digest compared to regular milk or dairy products in general. It is also a great alternative for those who suffer from lactose intolerance or CMPI (Cow Milk's Protein Intolerance.)

According to Moran Gotfrid, a naturopath, alternative milk also has significant nutritional advantages. "For example, almond milk and soy milk contain no cholesterol and no saturated animal fats. This can be a major nutritional benefit, as we now know that dietary cholesterol and saturated fats are among the primary causes of heart and cardiovascular diseases," she said.

"Although often considered inferior in protein content, this isn't necessarily true. A milk substitute like soy milk contains 3.3 grams of protein per 100 grams, while cow's milk contains 3.4 grams per 100 grams, making the difference negligible. Soy, pea, and flax milk alternatives match or even exceed regular milk in protein content."

Gotfrid also tackles the widespread belief that cow's milk is a necessary source of calcium. "The idea that people who don't drink cow's milk risk calcium deficiency is now known to be false. Cow's milk has a high ratio of phosphorus to calcium, and the balance between these minerals is crucial for calcium absorption. Both calcium and phosphorus use the same receptors for absorption, so the more phosphorus that enters the body, the more calcium is drawn out of the bones," she said.

"Furthermore, cow's milk is known to increase acidity in the blood and stomach, which over time can lead to heartburn, digestive issues, allergies, and other health problems. Animal-based foods are generally much more acidic than plant-based foods," she stated. "When the blood's pH becomes more acidic, the body releases calcium from the bones to make the blood more alkaline."

"Also, cow's milk contains a hormone called IGF-1, which, when consumed over many years, can stimulate cell growth and development – including that of cancer cells. These are just three reasons why one might choose to avoid getting calcium from cow's milk." In non-dairy milk alternatives and plant-based products, the phosphorus-to-calcium ratio is usually balanced, making it a great source of calcium.

What should you look for? 

We've already noted that the list of ingredients in milk alternatives is no less beneficial than that of cow's milk. However, Gottfried emphasizes the importance of making informed choices. Due to the wide variety of companies producing milk alternatives, some sell highly processed products that won't provide the health benefits mentioned. "When choosing milk alternatives, it's crucial to check the ingredient list. It should be very short and clear. The best options are those made primarily from their base ingredients, like soy milk containing just soybeans, water, and salt. Avoid alternatives with added vegetable oils, stabilizers, sugars, and other additives. These create highly processed products where potential harm may outweigh the benefits. By selecting simpler alternatives, we can enjoy their health advantages without consuming overly processed foods," she emphasized. 

It's also important to mention our choice of milk alternative depends on whether we're seeking protein, carbohydrates, or fat. "Each substitute has a main ingredient that determines its primary nutritional role in the body. For example, soy milk is protein-based, almond milk is fat-based, and oat milk is carbohydrate-based," Gotfrid explained. 

What is the best milk alternative?

To answer the most burning question of all – what is the best milk alternative – Gotfrid said her personal favorite is Thedridge's soy milk, due to its high protein, minimal ingredient list, and organic soybeans. "But there's likely no such thing as a perfect milk alternative, as nutrition is individual and personalized," she stressed. "We all have different health needs and preferences. A good rule of thumb is to choose alternatives with 2-3 ingredients, preferably organic, and suited to the individual consumer." 

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Researchers found no association between weight change and the practice of restricting food intake at specific times of the day, often referred to as intermittent fasting, following a study at Johns Hopkins University.

During the study, 547 participants logged their food intake and meals on a mobile app every day for six months. Then, scientists used an electronic health record to look at their weight over about six years; more than five years before and about six months after

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"This study shows that changing your timing of eating is not going to prevent slow weight gain over many, many years – and that probably the most effective strategy is by really monitoring how much you eat, and by eating fewer large meals and more small meals," said Dr. Wendy Bennett, author of the study and associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

However, "The effect is so small, I wouldn't tell anyone to change what they're doing," Courtney Peterson, an associate professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was not involved in the study, said.

Several results in previous studies indicated mixed outcomes. Some studies revealed that limiting calorie intake or fasting on a determined day helps lose weight. Nevertheless, other studies showed that regulating your diet for a specific period cause less weight loss than limiting your daily calorie intake.

"Some of the best data in humans suggest that diet quality is probably more important than meal timing," Peterson said.

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Can a salad have too many ingredients? Israeli farmers sought to answer that question on Wednesday, making a salad with 99 ingredients, not including spices, and breaking an Israeli record in the process.

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Within the framework of the 12th annual Israel Agriculture Summit, every ingredient used to make the salad was produced on an Israeli farm – from the Galilee in the north the Negev Desert in the south.

Noi Hadas, CEO of the Noi HaSadeh food chain, which provided the fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and herbs for the salad, said of the grand salute to Israeli farmers and agriculture: "I'm proud to give a home and a stage to more than 100 farmers from across the country, who safeguard our nutritional security, the country's borders and our health. With this salad, we are displaying the strength of Israeli agriculture – sophisticated, diverse, healthy, and fresh."

The salad includes Asparagus, artichoke, purple onion, shallot, dried onion, carrot, colored mini-carrot, zucchini, red cabbage, white cabbage, chinese cabbage, Fioretti cauliflower, cauliflower, cucumber, mini-pepper, red beet, plain tomato, Roma tomato, Maggie tomato, cluster tomato, Cherry tomato, Roma-Cherry tomato, Black Zebra Cherry tomato, Cherry-mix tomato, Yellow Cherry tomato, Cherry cluster tomato, Mini-Cherry tomatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, orange pepper, light pepper, kohlrabi, Japanese radish, radish, fennel, washed green beans, sweet corn cobs, Romaine lettuce, Arab lettuce, Lalique lettuce, lettuce hearts, Salanova lettuce heads, Salanova lettuce leaves, and round lettuce.

They were joined on the place by a micro-leaf mix, micro Amaranthos, micro basil, micro Rashad, micro pea sprouts, micro mustard sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, black lentil sprouts, baby leaves, oregano, basil, Oxalis, beet leaves, purple kale, Israeli garlic, pearl garlic, black garlic, black pearl garlic, vacuum-sealed beet, Turkish spinach, New Zealand spinach, Champignon mushrooms, Shinoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, Shimeji mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, king trumpet mushroom, maitake mushrooms, edible flowers, natural hazelnut, natural walnut, peeled pumpkin seeds, peeled sunflower seeds, peeled chestnut, peeled pistachio, acorn, natural almond, gouda cheese, camembert, rosmarino, mozzarella balls, feta, ripe Hass avocado, Ettinger avocado, lemon, lemon-lime, red raspberry, Hermon apple, Granny Smith apple, golden apple, peeled pomegranate, eggs and tahini.

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Israeli food-tech startup ChickP Protein has begun full commercial production of its 90% chickpea isolate protein, the company announced Tuesday.

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ChickP was founded in 2016 by Ram Reifen, a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of human nutrition, based a patented technology developed after two years of research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In a press release, ChickP said it is now producing its allergen-free protein isolate at a stable rate of 20 metric tons per day.

ChickP said its ingredient is designed to provide protein-infused functionality and a nutritional boost to an array of food and supplements, including dairy alternatives, baked products, and gluten-free foods. The company also is actively seeking new opportunities in the plant-based alternatives industry.

CEO of ChickP Ron Klein said, "We have established a modern, BRC certified food facility, where we have applied proprietary technology for the production of high-value, clean-label chickpea protein."

"We've already attracted considerable interest from major food brands, and this month alone welcomed a number of production commitments from several new customers," Klein added.

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ChickP, based in Rehovot, is also expanding its global activities, having signed a joint market development agreement with Socius Ingredients, Inc.

Klein noted that ChickP was partnering with several food companies on specialized projects to develop the North American market for plant-based innovations.

"Socius has exemplary protein application expertise and, with a state-of-the-art technical center in Chicago, boasts strong connections to manufacturers of plant-based products," he explained.  "We're strategizing with Socius to explore the many creative possibilities for producing chickpea protein-based prototypes," he said.

Conor Buckley, vice president of Socius, called ChickP's product "a new standard for pure protein solutions through multiple beneficial attributes, including a dense nutritional profile, neutral flavor, and distinguished functional properties."

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Israeli startup Else Nutrition, which manufactures and sells plant-based nutrition solutions for babies and toddlers, has completed a trial run of a new plant-based nutrition product for kids, the company announced last week.

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"Following the successful launch of Else Plant-Based Nutrition for Toddlers and thousands of families adopting the product, we're excited to bring clean label, plant-based complete nutrition to kids across North America," said Else Nutrition co-founder and CEO Hamutal Yitzhak.

According to Yitzhak, the company recently completed an independent consumer study of over 800 US mothers which showed a desire for "clean label, organic, plant-based nutrition drinks." Yitzhak noted that over 80% of respondents had indicated an intent to purchase such a product.

"We're aiming to shake up a market that literally has been dominated by high sugar options for far too long," she added.

Else Nutrition reports that its kids' shakes contain 50% less sugar than leading brands. Its chocolate and vanilla-flavored shakes will be sold in 11.6-oz cans, and are expected to be available online by the second quarter of 2021.

In 2017, Else Nutrition won "Best Health and Diet Solutions" at the Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan. In Fall 2020, the company's Toddler Nutrition became a No. 1 bestseller in Amazon's Baby/Toddler Formula category  Toddler Nutrition was a #1 Best Seller on Amazon in the New Releases for the Baby/Toddler Formula category.

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Now an Israeli food tech startup is stepping in with a solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help personalize nutrition.

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The team at myAir, founded in 2019, has developed a patent-pending algorithm based on physiological and psychological data. Users fill out an online questionnaire that helps the algorithm profile their cognitive response to stress, while physiological responses to stress, including alterations in heart rate, respiration, sleep quality, and physical activity, are tracked through smart watches.

The company's algorithm processes this data, then customizes a combination of myAir snack bars to your needs from a wide range of formulas. The personalized combinations are available through a subscription service and delivered monthly to the consumer's doorstep.

The bars, which are vegan, kosher, and gluten-free, are composed of a blend of nuts and fruits, and infused with a research-based proprietary formula of bioactive botanical extracts. These include extracts from sage, hops, oats, valerian, rosemary, among other plants. myAir says the botanical extracts work together to counter stress.

"Our algorithm can analyze the data from each person's specific mood and stress profile, then decide what formulation will provide them the best positive impact on their stress routine," explains myAir co-founder and co-CEO Rachel Yarcony.

"But our expertise is in the ability to cross the cognitive data with individual physiological aspects, Yarcony says.

"As an executive manager and a mother, stress had become a massive burden in my life. I tried to manage my stress through meditation and mindfulness, but I failed to maintain stress management in my routine," Yarcony explains.

"Good nutrition is a key to managing stress naturally. This spurred me to seek a natural solution and develop a 'food for mood' solution that consumers can easily merge into their daily routine to help take control of their health and manage their personal stress levels," she adds.

According to co-CEO Dovev Goldstein, the company's preliminary study found that different consumers generally have different stress symptoms that are more dominant than the others. For example, stress affects me mainly in the mornings, so my energy levels and focus are decreased. My partner feels the stress at night and occasionally has problems getting fulfilling sleep. Each of us needs a personalized solution. This is where myAir has redefined the paradigm."

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