Radicchio has a distinct bitter flavor. You can eat it raw, but I prefer it cooked, preferably braised with garlic and chicken broth.
Radicchio is an excellent source of Vitamin K, important for blood clotting, heart health and bone health. It is a good source of folate; contains a fair amount of Vitamins B, C and E; and, contains a variety of minerals, including copper, potassium and zinc.  Anthocyanins, pigmented plant compounds that give radicchio its eye-catching purple color, are powerful antioxidants that can protect against oxidative (cellular) stress and help fight cancer.

Bitter foods support gut health. Eating bitter foods helps stimulate saliva, gastric juice and bile production, all of which contain digestive enzymes that help better break down (and absorb) the foods you eat. If you’ve ever taken digestive bitters, like Swedish bitters, it is a similar process.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, eating bitter foods like radicchio is said to help cool and clear heat from the body, and, as a result, can greatly benefit heart health. In Western medicine speak: the antioxidant compounds in bitter foods can help tame inflammation, which can manifest as symptoms, such as heart palpitations, a red face and anxiety.

My favorite way of preparing and eating radicchio is very simple. See recipe below.
 

 

Braised Radicchio

Serves 2

 
1 head radicchio
4-6 cloves garlic sliced very thin
1/2 to 1 cup homemade chicken broth; if store-bought chicken broth, make sure it is low sodium or no added sodium.
2 teaspoons unrefined or raw coconut oil
Celtic sea salt

Place radicchio on its base. Quarter into 4 even sections. Remove the white core near the base. Slice radicchio finely so that it resembles thin ribbons. Rinse well. Spin dry.

Warm coconut oil in a Dutch oven or skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add garlic slivers. Saute about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Add radicchio. Saute well, coating in coconut oil. When radicchio begins to stick to pan, add chicken broth to deglaze. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn heat to low. Cover. Let simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until radicchio is soft. Season with Celtic sea salt, to taste.

About six years ago, I went through a year-long phase, where I had a green smoothie for breakfast almost every single day. It was chockfull of leafy green fiber; yet, after apx. 45 minutes to an hour later, I found myself feeling hungry again! Even when I added pea protein powder to my smoothie, I still would up feeling hungry a short time later.

These days, I find that eating animal protein—salmon, sardines, chicken, turkey or lamb, along with plenty of leafy greens—at my first meal of the day is the best strategy for fending off hunger—for hours. This also tames cravings and helps with focus and energy.

Recently, I discovered grass-fed bovine collagen powder. It is a concentrated source of quality protein: collagen.

Collagen has become a trendy nutritional supplement, but the health benefits are real.

What collagen is—and is not

Collagen is an abundant protein and major building block of skin, bones, teeth, hair, nails, tendons, ligaments, muscles and blood vessels. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies makes less collagen.

It is also important to keep in mind that collagen is NOT a complete protein.  When a food source is a “complete protein”, this means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required to build and repair protein tissues in the body.Collagen peptides are characterized by their high level of specific non-essentialamino acids, including glycine, hydroxyproline, glycine and alanine. So, even if you are consuming collagen on a regular basis, you still want to be mindful of incorporating high-quality sources (e.g., wild-caught, organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, cage-free, free-range) of complete proteins.

Animal foods, like wild-caught fish, grass-fed or pasture-raised meats and poultry, pasture-raised eggs and dairy, are considered complete proteins.On the other hand, most plant foods are considered “incomplete proteins”, meaning that they are missing certain amino acids that would make it a complete protein.

Eating complete protein is especially beneficial if you have an autoimmune disease, like Hashimoto’s, Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or a chronic health condition or challenge, like diabetes or heart disease. Eating complete protein also helps create lean muscle which can help boost your metabolism.

Health benefits of collagen

Collagen has often been touted as an anti-aging nutritional supplement because when consumed on a regular basis—and within the context of a healthy diet and lifestyle—it can confer the following health benefits.

1.   It can help improve skin elasticity.

If taken consistently over a period of time (Be patient! Start with a minimum of 3 months), collagen may help plump up the skin and ease facial lines and wrinkles caused by too much sun exposure.

2.   It can help with gut health.

Intestinal permeability, a.k.a. leaky gut, is often the result (and a trigger) for those who have an autoimmune condition; high-stress lifestyle; poor diet (high in sugar, refined carbs and processed foods; take multiple medications; drink excess alcohol; or who have food sensitivities. When the tight junctions of your intestinal lining become loose, or, “leaky”, partially digested proteins, bacteria and toxins can pass from the gut directly into your bloodstream, causing an adverse immune response and inflammation. Collagen is an important part of your gut’s connective tissue and lining; consuming collagen can be beneficial in helping repair a leaky gut.

3.  It can help build muscle.

Muscle is what keeps a body young. In a study of healthy older men (average age was 72) who had experienced age-related muscle loss, those participants who supplemented with collagen peptides—in conjunction with a 3-month resistance training program—experienced more fat loss, improved muscle strength and increased their fat-free mass than the placebo group.

4.  It can help strengthen nails and enhance hair growth and thickness.

Supplementing with collagen has been linked to stronger nails. A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatologyfound that women with brittle nails, who took collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks (6 months), experienced a 12% nail growth rate and 42% reduction in the frequency of broken nails.

Since collagen makes up apx. 70% of the dermis, the middle layer of your skin that contains the root of each individua hairl, it contributes to the elasticity and strength of your hair. As we age, we produce less collagen, which can contribute to thinning hair. Within the context of a healthy diet and lifestyle, supplementing with collagen may be helpful in preventing age-related hair thinning. Research is still out on this.

Your hair follicles can be damaged by free radicals, compounds that develop in your body, due to stress, air pollution, poor diet, alcohol, smoking and other environmental toxins. Lab studies suggest that collagen may act as an antioxidant that can have a protective effect against free radicals.

Now that you know about the health benefits of collagen, here is a quick, easy and delicious way to enjoy it, along with 20 grams of protein!

Broccoli-Collagen Smoothie Bowl with Organic Strawberries & Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 servings

2 cups cooked broccoli
*I like to use frozen organic broccoli florets (they are fast, easy and take 6-8 mins to cook).
4 medium frozen (or fresh) organic strawberries (apx. 1/4 cup)
2 scoops grass-fed bovine collagen peptides (unflavored)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 wedge of avocado
1-1/2 cups non-GMO,unsweetened hemp milk

Place all ingredients in a Nutribullet (or blender). Blend until creamy and smooth. Pour into a bowl.

Garnish smoothie bowl with the following:
1 organic strawberry, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raw, organic pumpkin seeds, toasted in oven on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350°F; then, cooled. Sprinkle over smoothie bowl.