Plant Powered Pups Embracing Organic Ingredients
Plant-based Protein: The Best, the Worst, and Everything In Between
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All aboard the plant train! As we chug along into a new year, interest in plant-based protein shows no signs of slowing down.
According to the International Food Information Councils 2022 Food and Health Survey, 12 percent of Americans now follow a plant-based diet and 31 percent say theyve been eating more food from whole-plant sources.
Meanwhile, theres no shortage of novel plant-forward protein sources to choose from, with new powders, milks, and meat substitutes emerging every month. And, of course, old standbys like beans, quinoa, and tofu are always available to add animal-free protein to your diet too.
Considering leaning more on plants to fill you up, build your muscles, and even help you lose weight?
Heres an overview of the latest science behind plant-based proteins, when to use them, and why they make a difference to the environment and your health.
When comparing plant-based protein to animal protein, there are plenty of factors to consider, from taste to cost. But if youre turning to plants for a health purpose, its helpful to look at the science behind their benefits.
Is it as good as animal protein for health?
Vegetarians (and their well-meaning mothers) have long been concerned about obtaining so-called complete protein from plant sources.
Complete proteins are those that provide all nine essential amino acids the body cant produce on its own and must get from food.
Many vegan proteins dont contain all the essential amino acids, leading some people to believe that they must mix and match their menu to create the right balance. A common example is combining rice and beans.
However, many experts now say that pairing specific vegetarian foods for their amino acids probably isnt necessary. A well-balanced diet is likely to supply sufficient amounts of all 20 amino acids, both essential and non-essential.
In fact, a
Vitamin B12
Still, there is one nutrient where plant-based proteins cant compete with their animal counterparts: vitamin B12, responsible for proper brain function and red blood cell formation. If you choose to go totally vegan, youll likely need to add this nutrient to your diet with a supplement.
Are there adverse health effects?
Opting for plant proteins over animal ones is likely to produce positive health effects. Studies have associated plant-based diets with healthy
Still, there are a few caveats.
Processed foods
Some plant-based protein foods (like plant-based meats and cheeses) are highly processed, which could come with some unpleasant surprises for health.
Depending on the type, the sodium and saturated fat content (components many of us may want to reduce) could be comparable or even higher than meat, says Christine Milmine, RDN, founder of Plant Powered You. However, the opposite may be true as well, so check the nutrition facts panel.
Plant-based dietitian Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Plant-Based with Amy, agrees that its best to limit ultra-processed plant-based convenience foods.
Options such as plant-based meat are delicious and keep things interesting, but these are a food I recommend eating in moderation and not with every meal, she says.
Food sensitivities
People with allergies to soy or nuts (two of the eight most common food allergens) may also find a diet high in plant-based protein tricky to follow. And folks with digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome may need to be careful with the higher fiber content of many plant-based foods.
Soy side effects?
Another concern that requires clarifying: the health effects of soy. For years, soy foods have been plagued by rumors that they alter hormone balance or even cause cancer.
Fortunately, current research shows that theres little reason for concern around including a tofu-packed stir-fry or steamed edamame at dinner.
A
Eating more plant-based proteins not only nourishes your body, it can help restore the planet!
Carbon emissions
A
Water conservation
Water usage is another key area where plant proteins outshine animal ones.
According to data from the Water Footprint Network, an advocacy group devoted to solving the worlds water crisis, meats like beef, poultry, and pork use significantly more water than plant-based proteins like pulses, nuts, and cereal grains.
The water footprint of beef, for example, is six times higher than that of pulses.
U.N. supported
The environmental effects of scaling back meat consumption are so noteworthy that the U.N.s 2019 climate change report called for a
Even if you dont elect to go fully plant-based with your protein consumption, you might consider making some smaller tweaks to promote planetary health.
Have more questions about plant-based protein? Get the facts below.
What are the best plant-based protein sources?
The best plant-based foods are those that provide not only ample protein, but other benefits too.
For starters, you cant go wrong with beans. Beans are unique in that they contain fiber, whereas animal protein does not, Milmine points out. Dietary fiber has been associated with
Gorin recommends tofu. I love tofu because its so versatile. It picks up the flavor of whatever its cooked with, she says.
Plus, tofu may not be as allergenic as was once believed.
You might be worried that soybeans are one of the top major food allergens, but soybean allergies are actually less common than you might think, she says. A study in Nutrition Today shows that the prevalence of soybean allergies is lower than the prevalence of the other top seven allergens that include milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and wheat.
Nuts make another excellent plant protein choice for their convenience and versatility (not to mention their crunch!).
Gorin, who is a nutrition partner with Wonderful Pistachios, encourages incorporating the bite-sized green nuts in meals and snacks. Pistachios offer 6 grams of protein per quarter-cup serving. Theyre one of the highest-protein snack nuts out there.
Who shouldnt eat plant-based protein?
Anyone can (and should!) enjoy whole, plant-based foods in a balanced diet. But some people will need to exercise caution around certain plant foods.
Those on a reduced-sodium or reduced-fat diet will need to check labels on highly processed plant-based foods like faux burgers, bacon, and cheeses.
Similarly, if you have an allergy to plant foods like nuts or soy, be sure to read ingredient lists to avoid these elements. And if excess fiber is a concern, choose your plant-based protein sources wisely. Soy milk and tofu, for example, provide plenty of protein with minimal fiber.
How does plant-based protein powder compare to whey powder?
The merits of plant-based protein powder versus whey powder are hotly debated in the nutrition world. Both powders help build muscle and support weight loss, but plant-based options dont always feature complete proteins and may not contain as many grams per scoop.
On the other hand, some people find plant-based powders easier to digest because they dont contain lactose. If youre vegan, youll also want to steer clear of whey powder, since its derived from cows milk.
Whats the best-tasting plant-based protein powder?
Flavor preferences may vary, but judging by online reviews, certain protein powders are the tastiest cream of the plant-based crop.
Orgains Organic Superfood Powder in vanilla bean flavor has over 40,000 Amazon reviews, 77 percent of them five-star.
Numerous other flavors, from chocolate to strawberries and cream, are available from thousands of brands. With some personal taste testing, youre likely to find a powder that suits your taste buds.
Where can I find plant-based protein recipes?
Want to incorporate more plants into your meals and snacks? The internet is teeming with ideas, but well start you off!
Begin your day with a chocolate banana breakfast quinoa or a tofu scramble to keep you satisfied all morning long.
Then, at lunch, barbecue chickpea wraps or simple broccoli-peanut noodles make flavorful high-protein meals.
And for dinner, try this easy black bean and spinach enchilada casserole, a seitan piccata, or a veggie-packed lentil soup.
Whether you prefer tofu, beans, nuts, or a combination of all of the above, plant-based proteins have so much to offer. Theyre usually inexpensive, packed with nutrients, and come in a delicious palette of flavors.
With all the environmental and personal benefits of these vegetarian macros and with myths about their inferior stature debunked theres little to keep you from making friends with plants.
Sarah Garone is a nutritionist, freelance writer, and food blogger. Find her sharing down-to-earth nutrition info at A Love Letter to Food or follow her on Twitter.
Clean Makeup Brands that are NOT All Natural
Were reviewing the best organic makeup brands in the USA that use only non toxic & clean ingredients. My 2024 clean makeup guide includes products I use daily and stand by, so you dont have to figure out which ones are actually good. Are there organic makeup products that actually work? Yes times a million. If its going on your face, your lips, your eyes, etc you want to make sure youre applying healthy ingredients. Read on to learn what exactly organic makeup is, which toxic ingredients to look out for, clean makeup brands you should avoid (if you want truly nontoxic makeup) and a list of the best natural makeup brands. These are my top favorite picks if you want the safest, chemical-free makeup only.
Clean Makeup Brands that are NOT All Natural
Its easy to get confused with so much misleading clean marketing being done. Most natural makeup lists on the web include brands that arent truly clean, like Beautycounter, ILIA and Kosas. When I see that, I go really? Theres so much inaccurate information floating around the web, so I wanted to create a non toxic makeup guide that will equip you to make the best choices FOR YOU.
These are popular clean makeup brands that are not 100% natural: Beautycounter, Kosas, ILIA, Tower 28, Well People, Saie Beauty, Jones Road, Westman Atelier and Exa Beauty.
Brands like Beautycounter are known for using questionable ingredients and synthetics in their makeup. Plus, most popular Sephora clean makeup brands are not 100% natural.
In fact, I would say almost all clean makeup brands today use synthetics, plastics, petroleum byproducts, fragrance and artificial dyes in their products. Theyre able to cut down on costs, increase profits and improve product performance by cutting corners wherever possible. You want to look for the brands that dont compromise your health for profits and are committed to creating the best possible products (something thats increasingly rare to find these days).
Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Makeup
Below are the most common toxic ingredients in makeup you should avoid:
- Parabens: They are preservatives used in many cosmetics and personal care products. Some studies have linked parabens to hormone disruption and potential health risks.
- Phthalates: These chemicals are often used to enhance fragrance in cosmetics and can also be found in certain plastics. Phthalates have been associated with potential reproductive and developmental issues.
- Formaldehyde: This preservative is used to prevent bacteria growth in makeup. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to skin irritation and potential carcinogenic effects.Avoid DMDM hydantoin, polyoxymethylene urea, diazolidinyl urea, bromopol, imidazolidinyl urea, glyoxal, methenamine, quaternium-15, and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate.
- Talc: A mineral ingredient widely used as a filler in various cosmetic products. Talc has been associated with potential respiratory issues and possible contamination with asbestos.
- Synthetic Fragrance: Synthetic fragrances are a mix of chemicals that can potentially cause allergies, skin irritation, and even hormonal disruption.Companies dont have todisclose fragrance ingredients by law because theyre deemed trade secrets.
- Mineral Oil: Derived from petroleum, mineral oil is often used in cosmetics as a moisturizing agent. However, it can clog pores and potentially cause acne or other skin issues.
- BHA & BHT: These are preservatives that can causeliver, thyroid and kidney problems andact as a tumor promoter.
- Petrolatum or petroleum jelly:Petrolatum can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
- Polyethylene (PEGs): These have been linked to various types of cancer.
- Diethanolamine (DEA): DEA can causeskin and eye irritation and is classified as harmful by the European Union
- Triclosan: This is an ingredient that fights bacterial contamination, but is not considered safe for humans.
- Siloxanes or silicones: Some are considered toxic and can harm hormone function.
What is Organic Makeup?
Organic makeup brands must have at least 70% organic ingredients in their products. Makeup with theUSDA Organic Seal must have least 95% organic ingredients. Be sure to check the back of the product packaging or the label to see the percentage of ingredients that are organic. Certifications are really the only way to know for certain if a product is truly organic. But, these organic certifications can be extremely costly for brands to obtain, so not all of them will have certifications even if they are organic.
Best Organic Makeup Brands
This is the ULTIMATE list of 18 of the healthiest makeup brands dedicated to being truly 100% natural and safe.
My favorite organic makeup recommendation is INIKA, because they make very high performance makeup with truly organic formulas! Inika Organic is an amazing organic makeup brand for mature skin and one of the most committed clean makeup brands with 70% organic formulas and multiple certifications to back up their claims. They have a chic and minimalist sleek look with a more luxury price point. 100% of the ingredients used by Inika Organic are ethically sourced, natural and derived from botanicals or minerals.
I recommend INIKAs BB Cream, Foundation and bronzer.
100% Pure is an amazing all natural makeup brand that uses organic ingredients and offers some of the best clean makeup products you can buy. If youre looking for a face product like foundation, primer or tinted moisturizer, I highly recommend 100% Pure. Theyre an OG natural makeup brand thats all natural, and the color in their products are made from berries, plants and seeds NOT artificial dyes. From five different kinds of natural and organic foundations to face palettes and eyebrow gels to luminizers, 100% Pure has a wide range of clean makeup products and beautiful shades without the use of any synthetics.
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If youre on a tight budget but still want makeup thats 100% natural, HAN Cosmetics is one of my top picks and recommendations. Theyre wildly affordable and use the best clean ingredients. Thecolor from all HAN products comes fromplant and mineral-based pigments for a healthy and safe alternative to artificial colorants. HAN was started by a pregnant mother who needed safe and nontoxic makeup without any iffy ingredients. You can trust that HAN is committed to keeping synthetics and questionable ingredients out of their line.
Root Pretty
If youre tight on cash, Root Pretty makes nontoxic makeup using only ethically sourced natural & organic ingredients and theyre SO affordable. Everything is vegan and gluten free, and they have an incredible range of fun shades for your girl to play with.
This chemical-free makeup list wouldnt be complete without RMS Beauty. RMS was recently bought out, but most of their formulas seemed to have stayed 100% natural. I find the RMS Lip2Cheek to be creamy, moisturizing and well pigmented.They use natural formulas with many organic ingredients though some of their newer color products may use colorants. Their cult products like Living Luminizer, UnCoverup and more have retained their original all-natural formulas, but please check as formulations may change over time.
Almost all Juice Beauty makeup products are made using only organic, natural and plant-derived ingredients with just a couple exceptions in the complexion category. You can actually see and test Juice Beauty makeup in real life at your local ULTA store, which I always recommend doing! If youre looking for a natural cream blush, Juice Beauty makes a great all natural one, and they have the best jumbo lip crayons made with the best ingredients.
I personally love carrying the Olio e Osso Tinted Balm in shade Spring everywhere I go. Their moisturizing must-sticks are great for lips, cheeks and eyes. Olio E Osso is relatively affordable and made with just 4 natural ingredients along with minerals for pigment. The brand was founded by a makeup artist who makes their sensitive skin-friendly makeup by hand in small batches in Portland, Oregon.
Certified organic and natural makeup brand ZAO Organics is 100% natural without any synthetics, petrochemical derivatives or questionable ingredients. I love their eco luxepackaging, made from controlled harvested bamboo and pure formulas that get the job done.
Araza Beauty is one of my favorite new organic makeup discoveries! I love that they are dedicated to not only creating 100% natural formulas but also nearly 100% organic. Araza Beauty was created to deliver makeup that heals skin so theres a ton of moisturizing butters and oils. Their Cream Foundation is made of95% organic skin superfood ingredients and theirMango Cream Color Pot is 98% organic. Araza prioritises formulatingproducts with healthy fats, organic plant based ingredients and minerals that all work together to feed and nourish your skin.
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Au Naturale is a natural & non-toxic makeup brand thats just as passionate about bringing healthy cosmetics to people as they are in fighting thepolitical battle to demand stricter regulation of cosmetic products in the United States. Au Naturale was one of the first truly organic makeup brands I tried. The company was recently hit with a setback when their warehouse was run into by a car, but keep an eye out on them. Needless to say, each ingredient they use is scrutinized and the entire line is organic, non-toxic, and free of parabens, nano-particles, carmine, gluten, and sulfates. Au Naturale products are made in the companys own proprietary lab so the entire process is quality controlled.
If you want true sustainability and luxury, I adore Kjaer Weis eco-luxe makeup products. Theres a lot of refillable products in the line and most products are 100% natural. Kjaer Weis is a luxury certified organic makeup brand that has placed performance and sustainability at the forefront of their line.Founded by Danish-born and NYC-based makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis, the brand combines European luxury and American innovation.
Every batch of makeup has been inspected by hand and remains free of parabens, silicones, petrochemical emulsifiers and synthetic fragrances. Made in Italy, almost all of Kjaer Weis products have been Certified Natural or Certified Organic by the stringent standards of the countrys certification body, the Controllo e Certificazione Prodotti Biologici.
Ive used Fitglow Beauty for 10 years and have full trust in the company, their ethics and their organic makeup products. They make one of the best clean concealers Ive tried and the most luxurious, anti-aging organic lip gloss. Luxury vegan & organic skincare and makeup brand Fitglow Beauty is an OG natural beauty brand that always innovates to bring their loyal following the most advanced organic makeup.
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Sappho is lesser known, but I enjoyed their lip gloss and foundation. Niche organic makeup brand Sapphois an affordable luxury, vegan and organic makeup line, free of known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. I love that this small Canadian makeup brand is next level transparent:
- No known harmful or hormone disruptive ingredients
- Vegan & Cruelty Free certified by PETA
- Made with low heavy metal ECOCERT minerals
- Mica suppliers are members of the Responsible Mica Initiative
- Produced and formulated in Canada, in a zero carbon footprint facility
- Loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants
- Offer a diverse, global shade range
- Foundations PFAS free
Lily Lolo is another great natural makeup brand for those of you on a tight budget. Originally from the UK, but popular in the US, Lily Lolo makes 100% natural mineral makeup, including eyeshadow palettes, foundation and mascara.
- Award-winning OG natural makeup
- Clean and vegan mineral makeup brand
- Uses only clean, naturally-derived ingredients with mineral-based technology
- No harsh chemicals, bismuth oxychloride, talc, synthetic dyes, fillers, fragrance and preservatives
I highly recommend trying Lovinahs liquid eyeliner if you havent found a clean liquid eyeliner you love yet. Lovinahs natural makeup products are so luxe and high quality! Lovinah uses ancient African wisdom and ingredients to create luxury skincare and makeup thatssafe and effective. Theyre an innovative and advanced line that handcrafts their products using the highest quality natural ingredients.
If youre looking for natural makeup on a strict budget Zuzuluxe (and sister company Gabriel Cosmetics) are worth checking out. Founded by Gabriel Santino,ZUZULUXE has been making affordable nontoxic makeup for the last 25 years. All products are made from 100% natural ingredients with no synthetic chemicals or animal by products. ZUZULUXEs mineral powder makeup, lipsticks and liquid eyeliner are winners in my book.
Hynt offers one of the best 100% natural full coverage concealers and SPF primers. This clean makeup brand was founded by abreast cancer survivor who couldnt find truly natural cosmetics that met her needs. Hynt Beauty is an all-natural and organic makeup brand that never contains artificial colorants or preservatives. All products except the mascara are PETA certified Vegan.
Another great affordable clean beauty brand, Certified B Corp Alima Pure is a line of luxury mineral makeup without dimethicone, petroleum, talc, and bismuth oxychloride.They make natural makeup with a focus on minimalism, both in ingredients and packaging. I recommend trying their powder face products.
Mango People is a new 100% natural makeup brand thats Ayurveda-inspired and already at Sephora. TheirMango Cream Blush & Lip Multistick is full of butters, oils, fruit extracts and Ayurveda ingredients like Ashwagandha, Bibhitaki Fruit Extract, Amalaki Fruit Extract and more. Mango Peoples bronzers and highlighter sticks boast the same all natural ingredients!
Elate Beauty
Elate Cosmetics is a vegan and sustainable cosmetic brand that offers a wide range of beauty products. They are highly committed to creating clean, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly makeup that enhances natural beauty. This Canadian brand uses natural ingredients derived from plants and minerals, ensuring their products are safe for both the user and the environment.
Andrea is a clean beauty expert from Los Angeles, California with 10 years of experience in natural skincare and organic living. She writes for Organic Beauty Lover using her expertise to guide readers in choosing the best clean products. Andrea graduated from the University of Southern California in 2012 and has worked at multiple skincare companies, big and small. Connect with her @organicbeautylover.
