“…the habits that support a healthy brain (are)…nutrition and supplements, exercise, and sleep.” -Dr. Perlmutter in his book “Grain Brain“
Take a break, relax, and read about the latest findings in diet, nutrition and your health.
Prepared Meals in Durham NC
Easy Prepared Meals!
Harvest Oasis is a prepared meal service where every recipe is organic, fresh, full of nutrition and delicious! All of our ingredients are free of man-made chemicals and are non-GMO. We are on a mission to improve the health of friends, families, and our local communities. We believe a healthy diet is paramount to keeping our bodies, minds and immune systems in top shape.
At Harvest Oasis we believe that it all comes together around delicious, nutritious, natural food. This is food created Mother Nature’s way, from the ground up in healthy soil. Healthy soil is free of man-made chemicals, and it is teaming with microscopic life. Beneficial microbes also live in human digestive systems. Science is showing that together these microbes are the source of our health. By eating whole, natural food you are supporting the life in soil, and the life inside of you. Enjoy Harvest Oasis food, because this is food that respects Mother Nature and loves you back!
Plant Based Prepared Dinners
All of Harvest Oasis’ ready made meals are organic and plant-based. Did you know incorporating more plant based meals into your diet can have a positive effect on your health?
Changing to a plant based diet can help you lose unwanted weight. Studies have shown that a vegan diet is a very effective diet for weight loss. Studies have also shown that vegans are thinner and have lower BMIs (Body Mass Indexes) than non-vegans. Plant based diets have been linked to lower blood sugar levels. Since plant based diets correlate with lower blood sugar levels and higher insulin sensitivity, a plant based diet can be especially beneficial for diabetics.
A plant based diet may help lower cancer rates. People with plant based diets have lower rates of cancer compared to omnivorous diets. Smoked or processed meats have been linked to increased cancer rates which could contribute to the cancer rate difference. The increased consumption of nutritious produce like fruits, vegetables, and legumes in a plant based diet may also play a factor in the lower cancer rate.
While there is more research that needs to be done, early studies have shown that incorporating more plant-based meals into your diet can benefit your health.
Fiber Filled Meals Delivered to Your Door
Do you live in Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, or surrounding areas? Whether you need Durham food delivery, Chapel Hill food delivery, or Raleigh food delivery, we got you! Take a step in eating healthier with our plant-based cooked meals, each one carefully vetted for nutrition and most of all delicious taste! One of the many benefits of a plant based diet is the increased amount of dietary fiber. Fiber is an important aspect of digestion, digestion in general, maintaining a healthy weight, and even preventing some diseases.
Fiber is an important part of any healthy diet, yet the average American diet is lacking in fiber intake. This is a major problem. The recommended intake of fiber is 25g for women, and 38g for men. A lack of fiber in the diet can lead to many health problems, including heart problems, diabetes, and even cancer.
Fiber is important for digestion. Hitting your daily fiber target can actually prevent certain digestive diseases, like colon cancer. In addition, fiber can help you lose weight. Fiber slows digestion, keeping you fuller for longer. This can help you eat less and lose weight.
Fiber can also help people control their diabetes. Fiber, especially the soluble fiber found in grains and vegetables, can be especially beneficial for diabetics. Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing spikes in blood sugar.
In addition, fiber can help prevent heart disease. High fiber diets can lower LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol. Fiber can also lower triglycerides, another type of fat found in the blood.
Fiber can help prevent cancer as well. In a recent study, researchers found that people who ate more fiber had a lower risk of developing colon cancer. One hypothesis is that fiber prevents colon cancer because it can lower blood sugar. High blood sugar can increase IGF (Insulin-like Growth Factor) which may benefit cancer cell growth.
More studies are being done, but fiber appears to have many health benefits. Harvest Oasis strives to have high fiber in our plant based meals. You can find high levels of fiber in our Sara’s Salad, White Bean Hummus, and African Sweet Potato Stew!
Eat the Rainbow with Colorful Delivered Meals from Harvest Oasis!
Support your health by eating a rainbow of colorful vegetables and fruits every day.
Plants contain different pigments, or phytonutrients, which give them their color. Different-colored plants are linked to higher levels of specific nutrients and health benefits. These phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants are important compounds that protect your body from “free radicals,” molecules that can cause chronic inflammation and disease in the body.
Here are several of the beneficial phytonutrients you can find in our prepared meals!
Red – Lycopene
Shown to improve heart health, lower cancer risk, and protects from sun damage.
Orange/Yellow – Beta Carotene
Beta carotene may reduce the symptoms of age related cognitive decline.
Green – Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll can boost energy, help heal wounds, improve weight loss, and promotes red blood cell growth
Blue/Indigo – Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins may have anti-inflammatory, anti viral, and anti-cancer properties.
Violet – Betalains
Primarily found in beets, betalains pigments have been show to lessen tumor growth and improve exercise performance.
The Benefits of Organic Meals
We at Harvest Oasis take every step that you and your family enjoy the most delicious, nutritious, and sustainable meals as possible. One step we take is sourcing ingredients for our recipes. While they can be more expensive, the benefits are completely worth it.
Organic food goes through a stringent process analyzing the farm’s soil, chemical inputs, seeds, and animal well-being. To become organic certified, farms have to prove avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs like pesticides and fertilizer, never use genetically modified seed, have clean soil for three or more years, and allow inspections for compliance.
In a French study of 68,946 French adults, they found the adults who ate the most organic food had a 25% less likely chance to develop cancer. It’s amazing how a small life change can have such positive results! Harvest Oasis uses all organic ingredients which we vet for nutrition and sustainability.
Support Your Health with Good Clean Food
Watch out for impulse eating, such as hunting for a snack when you are not even hungry. It could be from being bored, upset or just having some less than optimal eating patterns. An easy solution is keeping delicious ready to eat Harvest Oasis meals in the refrigerator!
A special feature of Oasis food, and our desserts in particular, is that they do three important things. They satisfy the taste buds (cravings), they satisfy the body’s need for nutrients and fiber, and they taste delicious! We do this without any of the harmful fake stuff, or extra sugar that is found in most processed foods.
Let’s say you get the urge for a late evening snack. Grab a convenient Harvest Oasis meal from the fridge and rest easy knowing you will be snacking on real food – food that is “all good” for your body and food that keeps you feeling good long after you finish eating it.
So, munchies? No problem. Grab some good stuff from Harvest Oasis. Get the win-win of satisfying your taste buds and your body’s need for natural, nutritious “all good” power fuel. We deliver to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill! Learn how we deliver below or at harvestoasis.com/delivery-information.
How Harvest Oasis Delivers
Busy schedule? No time to cook? Hectic family life?
Let Harvest Oasis take care of the cooking this week.
Check out a new menu every Tuesday! With our organic anti-inflammatory meals, you can rest easy knowing you and your family are getting the best quality and most nutritious food available. We deliver as far as we can, covering Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, and even out to Hillsborough and North Raleigh.
Want to pickup instead? We have a convenient pickup location at 1031 Harvest Rd Durham, NC 27704. Just select pickup and reply to our order email with a convenient time for you to come by. We are open for pickup Fridays from 3-6pm and Saturdays 9-noon. Place an order before 2PM on Friday for same-day delivery, otherwise we deliver on Saturday or Sunday, whatever is more convenient for you.
We now have a brand new frozen food section on the Harvest Oasis website! Enjoy the wide selection of Harvest Oasis frozen meals for pickup or delivery. We freeze our meals immediately after cooking for best taste and quality. You can find our frozen meal section on the Harvest Oasis website under “Place an Order” and “Available Now.” Scroll down to see our “From Our Freezer” section for our expanded frozen menu!
Support Your Health with Good Clean Food
This weeks message is about impulse eating, such as hunting for a snack when you are not even hungry. It could be from being bored, upset or just having some less than optimal eating patterns. An easy solution is keeping delicious ready to eat Harvest Oasis meals in the refrigerator!
A special feature of Oasis food, and our desserts in particular, is that they do three important things. They satisfy the taste buds (cravings), they satisfy the body’s need for nutrients and fiber, and they taste delicious! We do this without any of the harmful fake stuff, or extra sugar that is found in most processed foods.
Let’s say you get the urge for a late evening snack. Grab a convenient Harvest Oasis meal from the fridge and rest easy knowing you will be snacking on real food – food that is “all good” for your body and food that keeps you feeling good long after you finish eating it.
So, munchies? No problem. Grab some good stuff from Harvest Oasis. Get the win-win of satisfying your taste buds and your body’s need for natural, nutritious “all good” power fuel.
Busy schedule? No time to cook? Hectic family life?
Let Harvest Oasis take care of the cooking this week.
With our organic anti-inflammatory meals, you can rest easy knowing you and your family are getting the best quality and most nutritious food available. We deliver as far as we can, covering Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, and even out to Hillsborough and North Raleigh.
Want to pickup instead? We have a convenient pickup location at 1031 Harvest Rd Durham, NC 27704. Just select pickup and reply to our order email with a convenient time for you to come by. We are open for pickup Fridays from 3-6pm and Saturdays 9-noon. Place an order before 2PM on Friday for same-day delivery, otherwise we deliver on Saturday or Sunday, whatever is more convenient for you.
We now have a brand new frozen food section on the Harvest Oasis website! Enjoy the wide selection of Harvest Oasis frozen meals for pickup or delivery. We freeze our meals immediately after cooking for best taste and quality. You can find our frozen meal section on the Harvest Oasis website under “Place an Order” or at this link, www.harvestoasis.com/week-menu.
Here are a few highlights of some of our most used superfood ingredients.
The Surprising Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a sweet and woody spice harvested from the cinnamon tree. To harvest cinnamon, farmers must coppice the tree (cut the tree stem) and peel off the inner bark which comes off in rolls. After extracting the inner bark, farmers dry it and either sell it in rolls or in ground form. New shoots grow from the cut stem and the process repeats.
Cinnamon is popular in desserts, baked goods, and teas but did you know that cinnamon has incredible health benefits? Cinnamon has been shown to lower bad cholesterol, which in part lowers your risk of heart disease. The spice can even lower blood sugar since it improves sensitivity to the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance is linked to chronic health conditions like diabetes and cancer.
Cinnamon is also loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants are important compounds that protect your body from “free radicals,” molecules that can cause chronic inflammation and disease in the body.
Cinnamon has promising neurological properties as well. In a study, researchers found that cinnamon can inhibit tau aggregation, a marker for Alzheimer’s disease.
You can find cinnamon in many of our fresh made desserts like our Apple Cinnamon Crisp, our Low Carb Banana Bread, and our Low Carb Pumpkin Cookies.
Why Are Berries So Good For Our Health?
Berries are a type of fruit with seeds and a pulpy texture. Often edible, berries have been an important food staple for humans for thousands of years. Popular types of berries are strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and currants.
Did you know berries are considered one of the healthiest foods you can eat? Thanks to their impressive nutrient and antioxidant profile, berries can help you feel and look your best. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries all have high antioxidant levels compared to other fruits.
Antioxidants are important compounds that protect your body from “free radicals,” molecules that can cause chronic inflammation and disease in the body. Some of the antioxidants berries contain are anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol compounds. Resveratrol is being researched for it’s anti-cancer and anti-aging properties and it’s potential to improve brain health. Berries also improve blood sugar levels, helping reduce blood sugar spikes which can drive inflammation and chronic disease.
We incorporate berries in many of our dishes and desserts. You can find organic berries in our Mixed Berry Crumble, Superfood Smoothie Bowl, Berry Compote, Keto Cheesecake, and our many of our Moo-Less Mousse varieties!
The Benefits and Power of Nuts and Seeds
We incorporate organic seeds in many of our recipes. Whether it is pickup or delivery, you can always count on Harvest Oasis to provide plant-based, nutritious meals made with whole and organic ingredients and zero refined sugars and grains.
The Power and Benefits of Walnuts
Walnuts are actually the seeds of trees in the genus Juglans, and not a true botanical nut. With a complex fruity, earthern, and tart flavor, walnuts go great on baked goods, salads, sweets, or just on their own! But did you know that walnuts are one of the most potent superfoods?
Walnuts have an impressive nutritional profile, boasting high levels of B Vitamins, iron, zinc, protein, and fiber. A cup of shelled walnuts contains an impressive 15 grams of protein, 7 grams of dietary fiber, 16% of your daily iron, and 33% of your daily zinc.
Did you know that walnuts have some of the highest antioxidant activity compared to other nuts? Antioxidants are important compounds that protect your body from “free radicals,” molecules that can cause chronic inflammation and disease in the body. Thanks to it’s high levels of Vitamin E, melatonin, and polyphenols, walnuts may help prevent disease.
At Harvest Oasis, we only use organic walnuts, free of pesticides, herbicides and other harmful additives. This week, you can find walnuts in our filling Carrot Raisin Salad and our delectable Wahl’s Fudge.
The Power and Benefits of Flax Seeds
Flax seeds come from the versatile flax plant, which has been grown since ancient times. Flax seeds provide many health benefits due to their dense nutrition, antioxidants, and high fiber.
Considered a superfood, flax seeds have an impressive nutrient profile. One tablespoon of them ground contains 1.3 grams of protein, 1.9 grams of fiber, and 1,597mg of omega-3 fatty acids! Protein helps our bodies build muscle, grow healthy hair, nails, and fight infection. Fiber provides fuel for our microbiome, which boosts our immunity and supports good digestive health. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential nutrients. In high levels, they are linked to lowered rates of depression, inflammation, heart disease, and healthier eyes. In preliminary studies, omega-3 fatty acids have also suggested they reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases.
You will find organic flax seeds in many Harvest Oasis meals! You will always find them in our salad (Sara’s Salad), along with other great anti-inflammatory ingredients like chickpeas, chard, beets, and fresh sprouts.
The Power and Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Culinary hemp seeds come from the industrial hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Industrial hemp varieties don’t have psychoactive properties and are used for their versatile fiber and nutritious seeds. Hemp seeds provide many health benefits due to their dense nutrition, antioxidants, and high fiber.
Considered a superfood, hemp seeds have an impressive nutrient profile. One tablespoon of hemp seeds contains a whole 2.48 grams of protein, 2.76 grams of fiber, and 710 mg of omega-3 fatty acids! Protein helps our bodies build muscle, grow healthy hair, nails, and fight infection. Fiber provides fuel for our microbiome, which boosts our immunity and supports good digestive health. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential nutrients. In high levels, they are linked to lowered rates of depression, inflammation, heart disease, and healthier eyes. In preliminary studies, omega-3 fatty acids have also suggested they reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases.
You will find organic hemp seeds in many Harvest Oasis meals! You will always find them in our salad (Sara’s Salad), along with other great anti-inflammatory ingredients like chickpeas, chard, beets, and fresh sprouts. You can also find them in our homemade hemp seed cream. To make it, we soak organic hemp seeds with lime, mint, garlic, and fresh olive oil for a complex and delicious condiment. You can find our hemp seed cream along with our Low Carb Vegetarian “Crab” Cakes.
Harvest Oasis Ingredient Showcase
At Harvest Oasis, we provide plant-based, nutritious meals made with whole and organic ingredients. We are always on the search for the most nutrient dense and anti-inflammatory ingredients available. Here are just a few of our star ingredients proven to nourish and support our bodies and minds.
Kernza : A Sustainable Grain
You can find organic kernza in our Kernza Pita Points!
We begin our showcase with Kernza, a very intriguing grain. Kernza are the processed grains of intermediate wheatgrass, a promising perennial crop. Traditional wheat is an annual plant, meaning it dies at the end of the growing season, requiring yearly sowing. Intermediate wheatgrass on the other hand is a perennial crop. A perennial crop lives over 2 years so farmers can harvest multiple times within the plant’s life cycle.
Since intermediate wheatgrass is a perennial, it grows a much more robust root system compared to traditional wheat. Not only do these root systems help against erosion and runoff, they nurture the soil itself.
To harvest traditional wheat, you have to cut down the plant and plough under the dead plant’s stubble to plant new seeds. Since this leaves the nutrient rich topsoil vulnerable to runoff and erosion, farmers often use chemical fertilizers for the next crop. The empty fields are also a perfect habitat for weeds, prompting the use of harmful herbicides and pesticides. Intermediate wheatgrass doesn’t have that problem since the long grasses block sunlight and take up the ground space the weeds need to flourish.
Kernza, the grain from intermediate wheatgrass, has a higher protein level and contains more amino acids than traditional wheat grain. It has a great sweet nutty flavor and goes well in baked goods! We use kernza in our Kernza Pita Points! Try it with our Falafel or Classic Hummus!
Cauliflower : A Versatile Nutrition Powerhouse
You can find organic cauliflower in our Cauliflower Gnocchi, Margherita Pizza, Keto Mashed Cauliflower, and more!
Next up in the showcase is cauliflower, a versatile ingredient in the mustard family of vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, and kale. The name is actually derived from the Italian word cavolfiore, meaning “cabbage flower,” talk about an apt description!
Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, cauliflower is packed with all kinds of beneficial nutrients. A single cup of raw cauliflower contains 77% of your daily Vitamin C with only 25 calories! One cup also contains 3 grams of fiber, an important carbohydrate in supporting gastrointestinal health.
Cauliflower is a great source of antioxidants as well. Antioxidants are important compounds that protect your body from “free radicals,” molecules that can cause chronic inflammation and disease in the body. Some of the antioxidants cauliflower contain are gucosinolates, isothiocyanates, carotenoid, and flavonoid compounds, all known for their anti-cancer effects.
Cauliflower makes a great low-carb alternative to traditional grains. Instead of using processed flour in dough, try substituting nutritionally dense cauliflower. Cauliflower also makes a delicious substitute for potatoes in mashed potatoes.
You can find cauliflower in many of our dishes including our Chunky Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce. Comforting and delicious, we bake organic cauliflower to perfection and then toss it in our house made cheddar cheese sauce.
Ginger: The Miracle Root
You can find organic ginger in our Kimchi Fried Rice, Ginger Spice Smoothie, Superfood Smoothie Bowl, Chickpea Spinach Curry and more!
Another star of our showcase, ginger is a Southeast Asian cooking staple, known for it’s peppery sweet taste. It also adds delicious complex notes to stir fries, smoothies, and even sweets but did you know it is one of the healthiest foods you can eat?
Ginger is full of anti-inflammatory compounds. The main compound, gingerol, reduces oxidative stress on the body which keeps our free radicals in check. Too many free radicals, a reactive compound in our bodies, can cause excessive inflammation leading to poor health and disease.
Thanks to ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties, ginger consumption has been linked to lower joint pain. In a literature review by Copenhagen University Hospital, ginger was shown to be effective at reducing osteoarthritis pain.
Ginger has also been shown to be effective at treating nausea. Experiencing an upset stomach? A cup of ginger tea or our Ginger Spice Smoothie may help reduce symptoms.
In early studies, ginger has been shown to lower blood sugars, helping patients with type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar levels. Ginger can even help fight infection. Gingerol has been shown to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to inflammatory diseases.
The Dirty Dozen
Non-Organic Fruits and Vegetables to Avoid
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released this year’s guidelines on what foods are safe and what foods aren’t from pesticide and herbicide residue. The dozen foods with the highest levels of residual herbicides and pesticides are,
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes
The Clean Fifteen
Uncontaminated Non-Organic Fruits and Vegetables
The EWG has also released a list of non-organic fruits and vegetables with a neglible amount of residual herbicides and pesticides. The fifteen foods are,
1. Avocados
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Eggplants
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupes
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew melon
15. Kiwifruit
Harvest Oasis sources all of it’s ingredients from organic and sustainable producers.
Updated on August 18th, 2020
Glyphosate
Not so harmless after all
Glyphosate is a herbicide that has been widely used internationally until recent years. Used for controlling weeds, glyphosate can be found in industrial herbicides and commercial products like Monsanto’s RoundUp. Historically, scientific studies have been mixed on whether or not glyphosate is toxic for humans.
New research
Recent studies have found that exposure to glyphosate does increase your chances of developing non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, a deadly cancer. Some countries have even begun banning glyphosate outright, including Luxemburg, Thailand, and Vietnam. Mexico is in the process of banning the controversial herbicide as well. Even the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has stated that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
What you can do
There are steps you can take to minimize your exposure to glyphosate. One of the most obvious steps is to avoid using RoundUp or other chemical herbicides. Another is making sure your meat and produce is organic, something we always practice at Harvest Oasis! Organic farms do not use any herbicides or pesticides and are regularly inspected.
Updated on August 18th, 2020
