Our Blog: What we're loving, learning and sharing

With its ability to enhance focus, boost energy, and even reduce our risk of certain diseases, it's no wonder that caffeine has become a staple in so many of our lives. 

Aside from getting screened, what else can we do in terms of prevention? We’re so glad you asked! ;-)

Today, we’re cooking up our Veggie-Loaded just better.® Sloppy Joe Sliders!

National Nutrition Month: Fuel For The Future! Make informed decisions about what you eat, where it comes from, and how it is produced!

Do you know the signs of a happy healthy gut? Let's find out!

Let's make fiber-rich, heart-healthy pancakes with our just better.® Sugar-free Raspberry Smash Sauce! 

So can wine really be good for our gut health? Yes, it can be! Be sure to check out our gut-healthy just better.® Prebiotic Fruit-Infused Merlot Spritzer recipe! 

There are hundreds of ways to make a nutritious pizza. Here are a few ideas to make your pizza just better.®! 

Check out our 5 Heart-a-Facts and learn something new about your ticker, and then check out 5 Healthy Heart Habits for optimal living! 

We hope you like gardening puns because this week’s blog has sprouted quite a few! Let's plant a Gut Healthy Garden this year! 

Get five actionable tips for ditching the scale, saying NO to dieting, and embracing intentional, healthy lifestyle choices for good. 

Want a healthy immune system? Take care of your gut! 

Do you see self-care and self-soothing as the same? Lumping them together is not uncommon, but they are quite different. Let’s take a look at both!

The #1 nutrient deficiency in our country is FIBER! Americans have a notoriously low-fiber diet, and we must change that for future generations. A diet high in fiber is our best weapon in the fight against obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease!  Here are Three Unexpected Reasons You’re (Probably) Not Getting Enough Fiber Reason One: You simply don’t know how much fiber you actually need! (And that’s OK! We are glad you are here! Reading THIS blog!) The biggest reason for fiber deficiency is a lack of understanding or knowledge of the importance of a high-fiber diet and how much fiber we need to consume daily.  You need 30 grams of fiber every single day to feel your best, while most Americans get less than 10 grams of fiber per day. Our understanding of nutrition influences our food choices. When we know better, we do better!  A low-fiber diet leads to poor gut health, and our gut health is at the center of our well-being.  There are both harmful gut bacteria and good gut bacteria. If we do not support the good gut bacteria, the harmful bacteria take over like a noxious weed causing widespread sickness.  To get your gut health on track, you need to start tending to the garden in your gut by feeding it prebiotic soluble fiber! When the good bacteria have what they need to thrive, they multiply and flourish, leaving your gut feeling calm and healthy.  Reason Two: You think fiber is only for people “of a certain age.”  This is HUGELY FALSE! Fiber is for everyone - period.  Fiber is ESSENTIAL for young people, middle-aged people, for seniors, and even for pets!  Fiber doesn’t just keep us regular; it helps to balance blood sugars, manage a healthy weight, and support our gut health.  Why is gut health so important? Studies show that our gut influences many (if not most) of our organ systems, including our immune system and brain function.  Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, once said, “All disease begins in the gut.”  At JUST BETTER BRANDS, we believe: All health begins in the gut!   Take care of your gut health by giving it what it needs to thrive: FIBER! Reason Three: Overwhelming schedules lead to poor meal planning.  Busy schedules are often to blame when it comes to eating ultra-processed, prepackaged low-fiber foods. Any fast food, whether in a drive-thru or at home, is prepared with unhealthy fats, sugar, salt, and chemicals.  Since there isn’t much we can do about our hectic lifestyles, a plan of action is essential. Meal planning is vital to reaching healthy eating goals. [Read more about our meal planning tips here!]  With planned effort, you CAN enjoy the benefits of a high-fiber diet, even with a busy schedule.  We believe you should get as much fiber as possible from whole, unprocessed foods, but when that is not possible, and for most, it’s not, we hope you’ll try our all-natural, single-ingredient, Non-GMO prebiotic fiber! One tablespoon of just better.®  provides 5 grams of Non-GMO soluble prebiotic fiber! It’s 100% dissolvable and flavorless, making it easy to add to your food or drink!  just better.® is a clinically proven prebiotic soluble fiber developed by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist on a mission to help busy people get healthy and stay healthy!  Now that we’ve set the record straight, we hope you’ll use this information to ensure you (and your loved ones) are reaching your high-fiber goals!  Live just better.®

Many people look at the beginning of a new year as a fresh start toward a healthier diet and lifestyle. To make lasting changes, we strongly recommend establishing new routines around your food choices. Our top tips are to create a weekly meal plan and shopping list and to designate a prep day, so you don’t get derailed when you hit a bump in your weekly schedule. Those are the times when we reach for overly processed, prepackaged foods that are filled with sugar, salt, and chemicals.  Meal planning and prepping can be FUN! Thinking ahead when it comes to your food choices is critically important for reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. This also ensures your body has what it needs to thrive! Not sure where to start? Here’s our simple 5-step planning process.  JBB 5-Step Meal Prep  Step 1: [Realistically] Plan Your Meals:  A meal plan takes the guesswork out of “What can I eat?” once and for all! (Talk about a stress-buster!!) Meal planning also helps to ensure you are getting enough essential vitamins and nutrients like fiber!  Think about what you typically expect from weekdays versus weekends or days off. Are Tuesdays always hectic? Do you need something simple for that day?  Plan according to your work/life balance; be realistic and mindful.  JBF TIP: Adding just better.® fiber to your routine will help you reach your fiber intake goal of 30 grams per day. Keep your just better.® fiber container visible in your kitchen. Use it for cooking, baking, and adding to your beverages.  Step 2: Create Your Shopping List  Using your Meal Plan, create a shopping list with the full intention of sticking to that list whenever possible. This is great for your budget too!  Buy what you need and use what you buy!   Step 3: Pick Your Prep Day  Prepping meals for the entire week will take some time. Schedule it. It might be on the same day you do your grocery shopping or on a Thursday afternoon.  Pick a day that fits your schedule and stick to it!  Chop, dice, slice, cook, and sauté your way to a smooth week ahead! Less stress and little mess during the week is like a gift you give to your future self!  Step 4: Get Your Loved Ones Involved  If it’s just you, tell family and friends what you’re up to so they know you’re keeping a schedule to meet your new healthy living goals! (This will help with accountability too!) If you are prepping for your family, enlist them in the process. Get them involved in every aspect of your family’s new healthy living routine!  Learn ways to incorporate flavors and textures your family enjoys.  For families with children, hands-on experience in planning and prepping nutritious meals is a lifelong practice they will carry with them for their entire lives. What a gift!  Step 5: Have a Plan B Even our best-laid plans can get derailed. When life gets hectic, and obligations or responsibilities get in the way of your healthy living plan - Be ready to employ your Plan B.  One option is to always have a healthy quick meal option you can turn to in the freezer. Or if Tuesdays are typically tough - set up a healthy prepared meal delivery for Tuesdays once or twice a month.    Lastly, if you fall off track, give yourself some grace. Perfection does not exist! Do not give up! Simply pick up where you left off and begin again. New lifestyle changes will challenge you.  This is your chance to rise to the occasion!  Live just better.®    

Which fiber is better, soluble or insoluble?

Chilly winter days call for creamy hot cocoa to warm up and put a smile on your face! But can hot cocoa be healthy? YES!

Most people do not consume enough dietary fiber; in fact, 97% of Americans are considered fiber-deficient. It’s a staggering statistic!

Cooking with just better.®️ prebiotic fiber is a great way to reach your high-fiber goals while reducing the sugar in your favorite holiday recipes. Cranberry sauce is a favorite, but most recipes require a lot of sugar. This year, try it with a fiber boost and half the sugar! 

What's the difference between prebiotics and probiotics and why do we need both?