Ancient “Birdseed” Grain FIGHTS Anemia
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted January 12, 2022
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
One of the best parts of my morning is watching the birds as I sip my coffee.
There’s something about the antics of these creatures that brings joy to my heart.
And believe it or not, one of the same foods they enjoy also contains a secret to fighting anemia.
But don’t worry—you don’t have to replace your cereal with bird feed!
There’s an easy way to get the best benefits of this ancient “birdseed” grain… and get your iron levels up too.
Most people in the U.S. know millet as birdseed. But in the rest of the world, it’s known for its health superpowers, and is used a staple food.
Millet is a small round yellow seed you can cook like you cook rice or use as a flour. And bonus—it doesn’t contain gluten!
It’s full of good nutrition, but it also contains iron, which is hard to find in a grain.
And, according to a new study in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, the iron in millet is bioavailable to our bodies when we eat the grain.
To understand this, it’s important to know that iron comes in many different forms. In nature, iron is bound to another molecule (usually another mineral like sulfur or to a protein).
Imagine trying to eat a chunk of metal iron… it would just go right through you, and you wouldn’t absorb much of it at all. But if iron binds to a protein, then your body readily accepts it into your bloodstream.
In the new study, researchers found that regular consumption of millet can dramatically improve hemoglobin, the protein that carries iron in our bodies.
In fact, the researchers found that eating millet increased hemoglobin levels by as much as 13.2 percent!
The results are in… this food isn’t just “for the birds!”
So, your normal dietary routine and try adding millet into your meals. You can cook it alone like you do rice, or you can mix a powdered form into many of the meals you already eat, like pancakes and breads.
SIGNOFF
P.S. A stunning study has found that millet could help with this deadly condition as well. Click here to find out more.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
View More Free Articles
Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends
Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...
A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk
If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....
When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)
I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...
Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car
We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...
Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?
“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....
Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%
Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...
This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger
Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...
Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?
The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...
This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar
Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...
Move Over Yogurt—5 Foods That Pack MORE Probiotics
Let’s talk about your gut. The microbiome is the collection of trillions of bacteria and other tiny organisms that live in and on your body—especially in your gut—and help keep you healthy. I’ve written often about how vital it is to maintain a healthy microbiome. And you might have dutifully added yogurt to your shopping...