For many people, sunflower seeds spark thoughts of snacking at baseball games and picnics—and they are equally as fun and delicious to eat at home. Beyond snacking, the tiny teardrop-shaped seeds are a versatile ingredient that can be used to add texture and flavour to dishes, whether you're making a dessert or an entrée. But now a lot of people know that Sunflower seeds are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and essential nutrients, which support heart health, reduce inflammation, and promote overall well-being.

A study published in Food Chemistry stated that eliminating sunflower seeds before pressing them into oil boosts antioxidants, including vitamin E, chlorophyll, and carotenoids, making it more nutritious. The process increases polyphenol content 11.6 times, enhancing heart health and reducing inflammation.

Interestingly, sunflower seeds are sold in two ways shelled and unshelled. Furthermore, the shelled sunflowers are available roasted or raw. The roasting flavour enhances the nutty flavour of the seeds. The roasted ones are available in salted or unsalted flavours.

How To Eat Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds can be enjoyed like many other seeds and nuts. Here are a few delicious ways to eat them:

Baked in granola: The flavour and texture of sunflower seeds will be right at home in homemade granola.

As a topping for oatmeal and other breakfast cereals: Toasted salted sunflower seeds are delicious on oatmeal, muesli, or cereal, especially when paired with fresh or dried fruits. "The nutty, salty note is a fun contrast to the sweetness of the fruit and adds wonderful crunchy texture," says Lyon.

On top of avocado toast and sandwiches: The nutty crunch goes a long way with creamy avocado.

As a sweet treat: Add nut and seed brittle for a sweet and salty snack.

Tossed in salads: Sunflower seeds will add textural interest to salads, whether cold or warm.

With soup: Try garnishing butternut squash soup with roasted sunflower seeds for a delicious surprise.

Blended into smoothies: Thanks to the nutty flavours of sunflower seeds, they work beautifully in smoothies. Try blending them with ingredients that pair well with nuts, such as chocolate, bananas, oats, and coconut milk.

As a peanut butter alternative: Sunflower seeds make a delicious swap for peanuts.

Used in pesto: When making homemade pesto, sunflower seeds can be an affordable alternative to pine nuts.

As a coating for protein: Crushed sunflower seeds, whether on their own or mixed with breadcrumbs, make for a tasty coating for protein. Try it with salmon, chicken, or tofu.

Mixed into baked goods: Sunflower seeds are a great choice for use in breads and other baked goods.

Sprinkled-on ice cream: If you enjoy the sweet and salty flavours, top your next bowl of ice cream with toasted and salted sunflower seeds. They're especially tasty with chocolate ice cream, as recommended by Brown.

For many, beer is more than just a drink—it’s part of social culture, celebrations, and downtime rituals. But new research suggests there may be something more unsettling hiding in your pint glass, toxic “forever chemicals.” A recent study published in ACS Environmental Science & Technology has revealed that over 95 percent of beers tested across the United States and abroad contain traces of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS are a large family of manmade chemicals developed in the mid-20th century for their resistance to water, oil, heat, and stains. They’re found in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and even cosmetics. Their industrial versatility, however, comes at a steep cost: PFAS do not naturally break down, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”

Mounting evidence links PFAS exposure to health problems, including hormonal disruption, weakened immunity, high cholesterol, liver damage, fertility challenges, and increased risks of certain cancers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently set strict new limits on PFAS in drinking water, underscoring the urgency of the problem.

How Did PFAS End Up in Beer?

Beer is made primarily of water, and researchers suspected that if municipal water supplies were contaminated with PFAS, those chemicals might carry over into the brewing process. That’s exactly what this new study confirmed.

The research team, led by Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, adapted an EPA-approved method normally used for testing drinking water and applied it to beer. They examined 23 beers from across the U.S. including those brewed in North Carolina, Michigan, Colorado, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Missouri as well as beers imported from Mexico and the Netherlands.

The findings were striking: PFAS were present in 95 percent of samples, with contamination levels strongly correlating to the quality of local water supplies. Beers brewed near the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina, a region notorious for PFAS pollution, contained the highest concentrations and the widest mix of chemicals.

Why This Study Say About Forever Chemicals In Beer?

This is the first study to directly link municipal water contamination to PFAS levels in U.S. retail beer. While breweries often use filtration systems, these methods are not designed to capture PFAS. As a result, the contamination that begins in local rivers and reservoirs can persist all the way into the finished product.

The results highlight an uncomfortable reality: PFAS contamination doesn’t just stay in the water—it spreads into food and beverages consumed daily. Beer is only the latest product to show evidence of contamination, joining an already long list that includes bottled water, fish, dairy, and vegetables.

“As an occasional beer drinker myself, I wondered whether PFAS in water supplies was making its way into our pints,” said Redmon in a statement. “I hope these findings inspire water treatment strategies and policies that help reduce the likelihood of PFAS in future pours.”

Her comments echo a growing consensus among environmental health experts that solving PFAS contamination requires systemic change. Since individual breweries can do little to alter the chemical composition of municipal water, solutions must come from upgrading public water systems and enforcing stricter industrial discharge regulations.

What Are The Health Risks Beyond the Glass?

For consumers, the immediate concern is how much PFAS exposure from beer actually contributes to long-term health risks. The EPA’s new standards set the safe threshold for certain PFAS, including perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), at near-zero levels in drinking water. While the amounts found in beer are relatively small per serving, scientists warn that cumulative exposure across multiple sources—water, food, packaging, and now beer—poses a real risk over time.

The issue extends far beyond breweries. PFAS contamination has been detected in rivers, groundwater, and public water systems across the United States and around the globe. A seven-fold increase in Google searches for “PFAS” in the past five years reflects rising public concern as awareness grows.

Everyday products contribute to the exposure cycle: waterproof clothing, stain-resistant upholstery, non-stick pans, and even cosmetics like waterproof mascaras can shed PFAS into the environment. Once in the ecosystem, they seep into soil, water, and eventually our bodies.

For casual drinkers, a pint of beer is unlikely to be the sole driver of PFAS-related health risks. However, the study reinforces a broader message: PFAS are everywhere, and beer is another reminder of how pervasive they’ve become. Health experts emphasize that reducing exposure across all possible sources is key, since the chemicals accumulate in the body over time.

As Dr. Redmon’s team points out, the solution doesn’t lie in avoiding beer altogether—it lies in addressing the root of the problem: contaminated water systems and unchecked chemical pollution.

Heavy drinking is a recognized risk factor for liver injury, but a new report by the University of California San Diego reveals an previously unrecognized mechanism that amplifies this damage. Long-term drinking not only causes direct damage to the liver but also initiates a toxic cycle involving the gut, in which bacteria spill into the blood and attack the liver, leading to cumulative injury.

This new research, published in Nature, combines human liver biopsies and mouse models of alcohol-associated liver disease to reveal a molecular pathway that could redefine our understanding of alcohol-related liver damage.

The research points out a protein known as mAChR4, which is present in the small intestine, and is critical in supporting the immune defenses of the gut. Prolonged alcohol consumption inhibits the synthesis of mAChR4 and hence the creation of GAPs, or goblet cell-associated antigen passages. GAPs are the unique structures that facilitate the education of the immune system in order to effectively respond to microbes.

When GAPs do not form, gut bacteria have a greater likelihood of leaking from the intestines and infecting organs such as the liver. Inside the liver, the bacteria have the ability to increase inflammation and tissue damage, adding to the liver damage that has been inflicted by alcohol. In essence, alcohol compromises the gut-liver barrier while, at the same time, establishing an environment in which bacterial invasion can occur, making it a self-sustaining cycle of harm.

The UC San Diego researchers determined that restoring mAChR4 function had the potential to fix GAPs and strengthen the immune system's attack on rogue gut bacteria. This therapy, which may be accomplished with drugs that directly stimulate mAChR4 or by altering related signaling pathways, decreased liver damage in laboratory models.

Although limiting alcohol intake is the most straightforward method of safeguarding the liver, targeting mAChR4 represents a promising therapeutic strategy for alcohol abusers or individuals already damaged by liver injury. Curiously, mAChR4 is also expressed in the brain, where it modulates habit formation and addiction. Reduced levels of this protein have been noted in individuals with alcohol use disorder, paving the way for future treatments that target both liver function and addictive behavior.

Effects of Alcohol on Gut and Liver Health

Outside the liver, alcohol can significantly interfere with gut health in several ways. Six mechanisms explain how long-term drinking damages the digestive tract:

1. Acid Reflux

Alcohol loosens the lower esophageal sphincter, permitting stomach acid to flow back and produce heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

2. Diarrhea

Excessive drinking upsets the balance of bacteria in the intestines, favoring "bad" bacteria that stimulate inflammation and intestinal permeability. This causes a leaky gut syndrome, where poisons enter the blood.

3. Gastritis

Alcohol interferes with mucus production within the stomach, which makes the lining susceptible to inflammation, pain, nausea, and vomiting.

4. Bloating

Alcohol changes sugar metabolism and microbial equilibrium, in addition to stimulating yeast overgrowth, all of which promote gas production and bloating.

5. Liver Damage

Long-term drinking results in alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic steatohepatitis. Fat deposition, inflammation, and toxin-induced cell damage can evolve into cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure, sometimes requiring transplantation.

6. Pancreatic Damage

Alcohol is metabolized by the pancreas into poisonous byproducts that can inflame the organ in an illness known as pancreatitis. Regular heavy alcohol consumption, particularly along with smoking, increases the risk for acute and chronic pancreatitis and long-term complications such as diabetes and pancreatic carcinoma.

The recognition of mAChR4 as a central figure in the gut-liver axis reveals a number of avenues for research. Drug therapies that enhance mAChR4 function within the gut would restore GAP function, reinforcing immunity against translocating bacteria. At the same time, drugs that increase mAChR4 function in the brain would decrease alcohol craving and treat the disorder itself, attacking both cause and effect of chronic alcoholism.

This dual potential makes mAChR4 an especially attractive target in the fight against alcohol-related disease. Clinical trials of mAChR4-targeted drugs are already in progress for other neurological disorders like schizophrenia, which provides the hope that those drugs might one day find use against alcohol-related liver disease as well.

What Is The Alcohol and the Gut-Liver Axis?

Appreciation of gut-liver interaction puts the wider public health significance of chronic alcohol use into perspective. Interventions to address gut integrity, immune response, and liver defense may be able to complement traditional measures aimed at decreased alcohol consumption.

In addition, increased awareness of how alcohol impacts not only the liver but also gut bacteria may encourage behavior change. Most individuals downplay the insidious, long-term effects of alcohol on digestive health, thinking damage to the liver only follows decades of misuse. Changes in gut barrier function and bacterial translocation, however, can hasten liver injury even in moderate chronic drinkers.

How Can You Prevent and Treat Alcohol-related Liver Damage?

For individuals, the clearest path to protecting liver health remains reducing alcohol intake. However, for those who struggle with dependency, therapies targeting mAChR4 may provide an adjunctive strategy to prevent liver injury while supporting recovery.

Nutrition and lifestyle also contribute to sustaining liver and gut health. A diet high in fiber, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory food can promote healthy gut bacteria and immune function, possibly preventing some of the adverse effects of alcohol.

The UC San Diego research reveals a key feedback loop of alcohol-induced liver damage: long-term drinking compromises gut barriers, enabling bacteria to travel to the liver, exacerbating injury. Targeting mAChR4 might interrupt this self-destructive process, providing new hope for treating alcohol-related liver disease.

This study supports an important message: alcohol not only harms the liver outright; it upsets the gut-liver axis and compounds damage. With advancing science, learning more about the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects can inform preventive measures and novel treatments and offer hope for millions globally affected by alcohol-associated liver disease.

A common phrase that many people say things like ‘I feel so bloated’ or ‘My stomach looks so bloated’ but what does it exactly mean? When a person feels bloated it is more than just an aesthetic or look issue. It's not just the fact that their abdomen looks swollen, but it means that they are feeling lot of pressure in their stomach due to build up of gas.

It is an uncomfortable sensation that can distract you from your work, make it difficult to focus on important things as well as causing you abdominal pain.

Considering this, and it being a common issue for many people, you will find a barrage of online advice telling you to drink ‘anti-bloating’ drink or try ‘that anti-bloating’ exercise. To deal with this, however, one must know exactly why they are bloated in the first place.

What Are The Top 3 Causes Of Bloating?

Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, addresses a very common concern in his practice: chronic bloating. He explains that if you feel bloated every time you eat, it's likely due to one of three reasons he frequently sees in his patients.

While many people believe they know the cause, Dr. Sethi points out that the most common culprit is often overlooked. He aims to provide clarity on these issues, noting that the final reason he discusses is the one most likely causing problems for the average person. By understanding the root cause, individuals can take the right steps toward finding relief.

Number 3 Reason for Bloating Constipation

Dr. Sethi explains that a common cause of bloating is constipation, and it isn't always what you think. While many people believe they're fine as long as they have a daily bowel movement, the real issue can be a "slow colon." This means food waste moves through your digestive system at a sluggish pace.

When this happens, food sits in your intestines for a much longer time than it should. This creates a perfect environment for the bacteria in your gut to break down the leftover food through a process called fermentation. This process releases a significant amount of gas, leading to that uncomfortable feeling of fullness, pressure, and bloating you experience after eating.

Number 2 Reason for Bloating: IBS or Functional Dyspepsia

In this case, the main problem is an overly sensitive gut. Dr. Sethi points out that for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or functional dyspepsia, the nerves and muscles in the intestines can move in a chaotic or irregular way. Instead of a smooth, coordinated process, the muscles can spasm or move too quickly or too slowly.

This irregular motion can easily trap pockets of gas, causing pressure and a visibly distended abdomen. This gut dysfunction is often linked to an imbalance in the gut's bacterial environment, which can make the intestines more sensitive to normal digestive processes and cause them to overreact, leading to heightened symptoms of gas and bloating.

Number 1 Reason for Bloating: Diet

According to Dr. Sethi, your diet is the most frequent and significant cause of chronic bloating. The primary culprits are specific types of carbohydrates that your small intestine has a hard time fully absorbing. These include lactose found in dairy products, fructose from many fruits and sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, and fructans in common foods like wheat, onions, and garlic.

When these undigested carbs reach your large intestine, the bacteria there have a feast, releasing a huge amount of gas as a byproduct. Dr. Sethi emphasizes that even healthy foods, such as broccoli, beans, and certain fruits, can trigger these symptoms if your digestive system is sensitive to these particular ingredients.