Understanding Mindful Eating:

Mindful eating involves being fully present in the moment during meals, engaging all our senses, and cultivating a non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and emotions related to food. It encourages us to slow down, pay attention, and make conscious choices that honor our bodies’ needs.

The Benefits of Mindful Eating:

1. Improved Digestion: By savoring each bite and thoroughly chewing our food, we aid the digestion process, allowing our bodies to extract maximum nutrients.
2. Weight Management: Mindful eating helps us recognize true hunger and satiety cues, preventing overeating and promoting a healthy body weight.
3. Enhanced Enjoyment: When we take the time to truly appreciate the flavors, textures, and aromas of our food, we derive greater pleasure from our meals.
4. Emotional Well-being: Mindful eating encourages a deeper connection between our minds and bodies, helping us manage stress, emotional eating, and promote a positive relationship with food.

Tips for Mindful Eating:

1. Slow Down: Set aside dedicated time for meals, free from distractions like screens or work. Eat at a leisurely pace, savoring each bite and fully experiencing the flavors and textures of the food.
2. Engage Your Senses: Take a moment to appreciate the visual appeal of your meal. Notice the colors, shapes, and presentation. Inhale the aromas, allowing them to awaken your appetite.
3. Chew Mindfully: Chew your food thoroughly, savoring the taste and texture. Not only does this aid digestion, but it also allows you to fully experience and enjoy the meal.
4. Listen to Your Body: Tune in to your body’s hunger and satiety signals. Eat when you are truly hungry and stop when you feel comfortably satisfied. Avoid mindless snacking or emotional eating.
5. Practice Gratitude: Before you begin eating, take a moment to express gratitude for the nourishment and the effort that went into preparing the meal. Cultivating gratitude fosters a positive mindset towards food.
6. Mindful Snacking: Apply the principles of mindful eating to your snacks as well. Choose nutritious options that align with your body’s needs, and savor each bite mindfully.

Cultivating Mindful Eating Habits:

1. Mindful Meal Planning: Plan your meals mindfully, incorporating a variety of flavors, textures, and nutrient-rich ingredients. Consider the balance between indulgence and nourishment.
2. Mindful Cooking: Engage in the cooking process with mindfulness, paying attention to the ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques. Infuse love and intention into the meals you prepare.
3. Mindful Eating Community: Join or create a community of like-minded individuals who are also practicing mindful eating. Share experiences, recipes, and support each other’s journeys.

In a world of constant distractions, embracing mindful eating allows us to reconnect with the joy of nourishing our bodies and souls. By practicing mindful eating, we can develop a healthier relationship with food, improve digestion, manage our weight, and promote overall well-being. Remember, it’s not just about what we eat but how we eat. So, let us embark on this transformative journey towards savoring each meal, listening to our bodies, and nurturing ourselves through the art of mindful eating.

The post Nourishing Body and Soul: The Art of Mindful Eating appeared first on garten.

It’s been said many times: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly transformed the way we work, with remote work becoming the new norm for many employees. As companies are beginning to consider the return to the office, the transition can be challenging for both employers and employees, as they navigate the need for a safe and productive work environment. One strategy that companies can employ to ease this transition is offering healthy snacks as perks to employees. This article explores the benefits of providing healthy snacks in the workplace and how it can boost productivity and overall employee satisfaction.

The Shift to Remote Work and the Need for a Smooth Transition

The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies around the world to quickly adapt to remote work. Employees had to adjust to working from home, often facing challenges such as blurred boundaries between work and personal life, increased distractions, and the loss of social interactions with colleagues. However, as the world gradually recovers from the pandemic, companies are now considering the return to the office. This transition requires careful planning and consideration to ensure a smooth and successful reintroduction to the workplace.

The Role of Healthy Snacks as Perks in the Return to the Office

As companies plan for the return to the office, it is important to prioritize employee satisfaction and well-being. Offering healthy snacks as perks can play a significant role in creating a positive work environment and boosting employee morale. Healthy snacks provide employees with nourishment and energy throughout the day, leading to improved focus, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

The Link Between Healthy Snacks and Productivity

Numerous studies have shown a strong connection between nutrition and cognitive performance. When employees have access to healthy snacks in the workplace, they are more likely to make nutritious choices that can enhance their brain function and productivity. Nutrient-rich snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support brain health and optimal cognitive function.

A study conducted by the University of Otago found that eating fruits and vegetables was associated with increased happiness, well-being, and productivity. Another study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology revealed that employees who consumed more fruits and vegetables reported higher levels of creativity, engagement, and satisfaction with their work.

By offering healthy snacks as perks, employers can encourage their employees to make healthier choices, leading to improved cognitive function, focus, and overall job performance.

The Impact of Healthy Snacks on Employee Satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is crucial for maintaining a positive work environment and retaining top talent. Providing healthy snacks as perks shows that employers care about the well-being of their employees, which can contribute to higher job satisfaction and loyalty.

A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 80% of employees considered workplace wellness programs, including the provision of healthy snacks, as an important factor in choosing an employer. Moreover, the same survey revealed that employees who had access to healthy snacks and wellness programs reported higher levels of job satisfaction and were more likely to recommend their company as a great place to work.

By offering healthy snacks as perks, employers can create a positive workplace culture that promotes employee satisfaction and well-being.

Strategies for Implementing Healthy Snacks as Perks

Implementing a healthy snacks program in the workplace requires careful planning and consideration. Here are some strategies to effectively introduce healthy snacks as perks to employees:

1. Conduct Employee Surveys and Assess Preferences

Before implementing a healthy snacks program, it is important to understand the preferences and dietary needs of employees. Conducting surveys or focus groups can provide valuable insights into the types of snacks employees prefer, whether they have any dietary restrictions, and any specific health goals they may have. This information will help in selecting a variety of snacks that cater to different tastes and dietary requirements.

2. Choose Nutritious and Diverse Snack Options

When selecting snacks to offer, opt for nutritious options that provide a balance of macronutrients and essential vitamins and minerals. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grain snacks, and protein-rich options. This diversity ensures that employees have access to a wide range of nutrients and can choose snacks that align with their personal preferences and dietary needs.

3. Consider Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

It is essential to consider any allergies or dietary restrictions among employees when selecting snacks. Ensure that there are options available for individuals with common allergies such as gluten, dairy, or nuts. Labeling the snacks clearly with ingredient information can help employees make informed choices and prevent any allergic reactions.

4. Promote Mindful Snacking and Education

Encourage employees to practice mindful snacking by providing educational resources on the benefits of healthy eating and tips for making nutritious choices. Consider organizing workshops or lunch-and-learn sessions on topics such as healthy snacking, meal planning, and the importance of balanced nutrition. This promotes a culture of wellness and empowers employees to make informed choices about their nutrition.

5. Create a Dedicated Snack Area

Designate a specific area in the office where employees can access the healthy snacks. This area should be easily accessible and well-stocked to ensure employees can enjoy their snacks throughout the day. Consider providing refrigeration for perishable snacks and a variety of storage options for non-perishable items.

6. Regularly Evaluate and Update Snack Offerings

Periodically assess the success of the healthy snacks program by gathering feedback from employees and tracking snack consumption. Use this information to make adjustments and introduce new snack options based on employee preferences and changing dietary trends. Regularly refreshing the snack offerings keeps employees engaged and excited about the program.

As companies navigate the return to the office, it is crucial to prioritize employee satisfaction and well-being. Offering healthy snacks as perks can play a significant role in creating a positive work environment and boosting productivity. Nutrient-rich snacks provide employees with the necessary fuel to enhance cognitive function and focus, leading to improved job performance. Moreover, providing healthy snacks demonstrates a commitment to employee wellness, fostering a positive workplace culture that promotes job satisfaction and loyalty. By implementing strategies for offering healthy snacks, companies can create a successful transition back to the office and support the overall well-being of their employees.

The post The Benefits of Healthy Snacks as Perks to Boost Productivity in the Return to the Office appeared first on garten.

Fighting Climate Change with Farming

Regenerative farming is a holistic approach to farming that seeks to improve the health of the soil, the environment, and the communities that rely on it. One of the key benefits of regenerative farming is its ability to recapture carbon and improve the earth’s balance.

Carbon is a vital element in the earth’s ecosystem, and it plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy climate. Unfortunately, human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have led to an overabundance of carbon in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Regenerative farming provides a solution to this problem by sequestering carbon in the soil. This is done by implementing practices such as cover cropping, no-till farming, and the use of compost and other organic matter. These practices help to increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, which acts as a sponge for carbon.

As carbon is sequestered in the soil, it is not released back into the atmosphere, helping to reduce the levels of carbon in the air. Additionally, regenerative farms typically require less fertilizer and pesticides, which helps to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with chemical farming.

Farming Done Right

Farming in this way also helps to improve the health of the soil, which leads to healthier plants and animals. This is because the soil is rich in microorganisms, and they, in turn,  provide essential nutrients to the plants. This also helps to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil, which helps to conserve water.  Win, Win WIN!

It doesn’t stop there!  Regenerative farming also supports local communities by promoting sustainable agriculture, providing jobs, and helping to ensure a reliable food supply.

At garten, we believe regenerative farming is a powerful tool for improving the earth’s balance and fighting climate change. By sequestering carbon in the soil, regenerative farms are helping to reduce the levels of carbon in the atmosphere and improve the health of the earth’s ecosystem. This is why we aim to support local suppliers to bring in gorgeous, nutritious snacks that come from great resources committed to saving our beautiful blue planet.  

Snacks Done Right

Here is a challenge: what is in your office break room right now?  Is it a vending machine full of highly processed snacks that don’t even really resemble food?  Ok, here’s the challenging part – does that line up with your company’s value and mission statement?  If not, let us know how we can help!

The post Saving the Earth, Literally. appeared first on garten.

There are several reasons why people don’t stick to their New Year’s resolutions. One common reason is that the resolutions are too vague or unrealistic. For example, resolving to “lose weight” or “exercise more” is fine, but it’s important to be specific about how much weight you want to lose and how often you plan to exercise. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or lose motivation.

Another reason people don’t stick to their resolutions is that they try to do too much too soon. If you’re used to being sedentary, it’s unrealistic to expect that you’ll suddenly be able to run a marathon or hit the gym every day. It’s important to start small and gradually build up to your goals.

And finally, you need to have a strong enough reason for making the change. If you’re not fully committed to your resolution, it’s easy to lose motivation when things get tough. It’s important to really think about why you want to make this change and what it will mean for your life.

So, how can you set yourself up for success and make lasting positive changes in your life? Here are a few tips:

1. Set specific, achievable goals. Instead of resolving to “lose weight,” resolve to lose 10 pounds in the next three months. This gives you a clear target to work towards and makes it easier to track your progress.
2. Start small and gradually build up. If you want to start exercising more, start by walking for 20 minutes a day and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts as you become more comfortable.
3. Find a support system. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or a support group, having someone to encourage you and hold you accountable can make a big difference in your success.
4. Make a plan and stick to it. Set aside specific times for your workouts and make a schedule that you can stick to.
5. Be consistent. The key to forming a new habit is to do it consistently over time. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away – it takes time to see progress.
6. Be patient and kind to yourself. Change is hard and it’s normal to have setbacks. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up – just get back on track as soon as you can.

In conclusion, while it’s natural to want to make positive changes in our lives, it’s important to be realistic and set ourselves up for success. By setting specific, achievable goals, starting small, finding a support system, making a plan, and being consistent and patient, we can form new habits and make lasting positive changes in our wellbeing. So, it is important to be consistent, patient, and kind to ourselves while we are trying to form new habits.

The post Why New Years Resolutions Tend to Fail appeared first on garten.

“[Salmon] hatch in a gravel bed in a stream somewhere deep in the wilderness, wiggle up into water current and eventually enter an overwhelmingly vast ocean. After years of swimming with whales and avoiding sharks, they travel sometimes thousands of miles back to that same little stream in that same wilderness where they reproduce and die.”

No maps, no guides, and no GPS units, but they manage the trip. 

How?

Through interacting with the earth’s magnetic field (and smell, but this isn’t an article about salmon migration). 

They solve the problem of getting back to the place they’ve only been once, by interacting with what is fundamental…in this case, the earth’s magnetic field. 

Dr. Tony Nader and garten CEO Michel Heinrich discussed in a recent garten Infinity Speaker Series interview how consciousness is highly practical to businesses wanting to be effective. 

With medical and scientific degrees from Harvard and MIT, Dr. Nader isn’t the average meditation teacher. He explains how an understanding of consciousness can propel businesses because it is how to cultivate a workforce with the clarity of vision to be truly effective. 

Why Should Business Leaders Care About Consciousness? 

The subject of consciousness is fascinating, but that’s not why it’s relevant to leaders. 

Instead, it’s because understanding consciousness is how you are able to interact with reality on a more fundamental level. The more closely your effort and innovation are applied to reality, the more valuable your company’s solutions will be.

What does it mean to say that consciousness is fundamental? 

Saying that consciousness is fundamental is saying that our physical world is an expression of consciousness as opposed to them being 2 separate things or that consciousness is a product of the physical world. 

It’s something like saying that steam, ice, and liquid water are all H2O. If you think that water is only liquid or only ice, you will not be able to see the bigger picture and you’ll make mistakes because of it. 

If you see H2O as fundamental, you can see that steam, ice, and liquid are all expressions of the same thing. 

The video at minute 10 discusses this:

Being effective comes from clarity of vision;

Clarity of vision comes from clarity of thinking;

Clarity of thinking comes from the source of thought;

The source of thought comes from deep within us which is consciousness.

Stress – the normal workplace reality – reduces the field of view. Stress restricts what can be considered. Practically speaking, stress reduces broad comprehension and long-term vision. 

Watch this famous video about the monkey business illusion to experience what happens with a narrowed focus. 

The Monkey Business Illusion

Just like you missed what are – in hindsight – obvious things, stress reduces focus to just what is thought to be the important details from the stressful standpoint. It’s remarkable what can be missed in that state. 

When a workforce is in a state of stress, physiology dictates that important pieces of the picture will be missed. Imagine what that means for your company… 

Wellbeing is a sustainable competitive advantage  

The most valuable problems to solve are the issues most fundamental to life on earth. When you cultivate a workforce that is more squarely dealing with reality, you will have more people who can discern between what matters and what is a distraction. 

If humans were salmon without valuing the reality of the magnetic field, we would devise all sorts of ways to navigate. The trouble is, the starting point would be away from reality – any of our solutions would be subpar. Move back to reality – sensing the magnetic field – and we can now ignore all of those clever innovations that we had to develop simply because we weren’t starting from reality. 

Dr. Nader explains that with meditation, people are able to experience – not just know about – this greater field of consciousness or awareness. The ability to tap into greater awareness is available, but its value in the business world has only begun to be realized – probably because we are only just awakening from the trance of hustle culture. 

Supporting workplace wellbeing is about more than being nice or having programs that attract good hires. Wellbeing is a sustainable competitive advantage. 

More about garten:

Business leaders committed to wellbeing in their own lives and in their companies bring in garten to support mind-body-environment wellbeing. Our bread and butter is setting up amazing food and kitchen programs that save your internal team time and stress while fueling your people with better-for-you food. We’re also expanding our offering of resources like on-demand yoga that can support your mission. If you see the ROI on investing in wellbeing, get started here. It’s easy and we are friendly. 

To your wellbeing!

The post Is consciousness the missing piece for business growth? appeared first on garten.

We at garten want to equip you with some simple ways to support the development of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that supports mood regulation, memory, and healthy digestion. 90% of serotonin is produced in our intestines. With the seasons changing in an-everything-but-normal year, it’s likely we could use a little boost in things that make us feel good.

Here are 5 tips to boost your serotonin levels:

1. Exercise daily – outside is even better! We all know we should move more as part of our health. If you don’t have a regular exercise routine, start by taking a 30-minute walk daily. One trick that works is building rules like no coffee before your workout is done. Give it a try and see how you feel! 
   
2. Stay hydrated to support gut health. Drinking enough water is challenging when you’re in back to back zoom calls and juggling life, but just like plants need water to survive, we need water to function properly. Ideally, we should be drinking half of our body weight in ounces daily. If that’s too much, start by making sure you’re finishing one bottle a day, then move to two, and keep building up to your goal. 
   
3. Eat serotonin rich foods such as salmon, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and bananas. A diet rich in L-tryptophan is especially beneficial. Foods rich in nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, folic acid, fish oils, vitamins C and B6 help us use serotonin more effectively. 
   
4. Try a meditation practice. At garten, we take 20 minutes daily for a Purposeful Pause. Many of our teammates use this time to meditate and it helps keep us focused and productive. It’s also a great way to reduce stress and keep your serotonin levels up.
   
5. Take time to play. As adults, we often think we don’t have time to play or that it’s simply unproductive and useless. However, more and more research is coming out that proves play is vital to problem-solving, creativity, and relationship building. This week, take time to do something that brings you joy.

Our fall snack rotation includes snacks with ingredients that help support a good mood. Be on the lookout for those snacks and work to incorporate them into your regular diet. 

While you’re building your meal plan, add this recipe to your rotation. Snap a picture of your plated dish, tag us on social media, and use #gutgarten for a chance to win a free snack box!

The post Serotonin Supports Good Mood with Food appeared first on garten.

Last week we announced the exciting news of our rebrand!

How did we get from Oh My Green to garten? 

The idea for garten started with founder Michael Heinrich. He recognized a trend in workplace environments where employees are experiencing burnout rather than wellbeing. This environment, where one strives to achieve without the balance of wellbeing, is in stark contrast to the wisdom that his grandmother sewed into him as a child. She raised Michael to follow wellbeing practices such as eating from her organic garten in Germany, getting plenty of rest, and exercising to promote good health. Thus, the mission and a set of values were born to encapsulate these wellbeing principles. 

As Oh My Green, we were known for our healthy snacks and lunch offerings. Michael believes that living a healthy and blissful life involves more than simply nutrition choices, to function in a healthy and blissful state, we must engage our mind and environment too, this is especially important at the workplace, where many of us spend the majority of our awake hours.

As garten continues to broaden our focus to become a full-service wellbeing provider for employers, supporting their employees’ wellbeing in mind, body and environment, we want our brand to best reflect our mission, what we stand for, and what we’re doing to improve the workplace.

How long did the journey to garten take?

An online search estimates that a rebrand can be completed in as few as 4 to 6 weeks. At garten our rebrand was in development for over a year. We knew that a rebrand signifies a turning point. As we move toward providing broader wellbeing services, combined with the dynamic shift that’s occurring in how the workplace is defined, it was essential to us that the rebrand reflects our founder’s original mission as well as the direction we’re taking to bring wellbeing to the workplace.

To accomplish our rebrand goals, we looked internally – gathering input from our own wellbeing ambassadors, as well as externally – listening to our valuable client partners. Then we engaged a couple of agencies to bring the rebrand to life. Our final partner in the process, Office Jason Schulte Design, was so inspired by our rebrand results, they shared our journey to garten as a case study.

Our new logo visually tells our story. The three pillars, mind, body, and (workplace) environment are reflected in the architecture of our wellbeing g.

Where do we plan to go as garten?

“At garten, our vision is to bring a modern approach to overall wellbeing in the workplace and the rebrand marks an important step in the evolution of our company,” said Michael Heinrich, founder and CEO of garten. “The focus on health is top-of-mind and more important than ever. We’ve heard from numerous leaders that wellness and especially immunity will play an integral role in how they support their employees as they come back to the workforce, whether onsite or remote.”

garten is here, to welcome your employees to work, and to meet them on their wellbeing journey, whether that’s our onsite or remote solutions. Self-care has been hard to come by these past few months, we know processed foods have been on the rise, and immunity is at risk, so whatever garten can do to help people feel a little better about themselves; make a few better choices throughout the day; and just feel cared for – that’s our mission, to empower people to live healthy and blissful lives. That’s why we do what we do – – workplace wellbeing for every employee.

Blog Post Written by Kathleen Donnelly

The post Our Journey to garten appeared first on garten.

Ingredients

This recipe serves 12 portions

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 sticks of vegan butter at room temperature
2 egg replacers (We used Bob’s Red Mill)
8 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 tablespoons fresh, grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line an 8-by-8 inch baking dish with parchment paper
3. In a medium bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to blend.
4. Mix the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg replacer and molasses.
6. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
7. Spread batter evenly. Let sit for 10 minutes.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Let it cool, add powdered sugar as desired. Enjoy! 
   

Tips from Oh My Green’s Chef on Whole Wheat Flour

When using whole wheat flour, the finished product of your baked goods will be of a darker color. It may also turn out more crumbly and less fluffy. Letting the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking will allow the bran and germ to soften, making the baked goods less coarse. Letting the baked products rest overnight before serving allows the bran a chance to soften, negating any possibility someone will notice the typical branny and coarse texture. 

Reaping the Benefits of Whole Grains

All whole-grain kernels contain three parts: bran, germ, and endosperm. Whole wheat flour contains all three parts. Fiber, which helps lower cholesterol as well as move waste through the digestive tract, is found in the bran. Fiber also helps to slow down the breakdown of starch into glucose, keeping you fuller longer. Healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, and calcium are all found in the germ. Unfortunately, these nutrients are removed in the process of making refined all-purpose flour. The endosperm, mostly made of starch, is the only part in the grain that is found in all-purpose white flour. “With grains, I always say that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” says Dr. Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

This holiday season, try adding whole wheat flour to your traditional recipes for baked goods to add more nutrition.

We’re on a mission to transform the office into a destination for healthier living. Oh My Green’s corporate culinary services and catering are currently offered across the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and Boston. If you’re not yet customer, get on board now and make the upgrade!

Be sure to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find us as @OhMyGreenHQ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Teresa Liu is a Certified Nutritionist and member of Oh My Green’s amazing culinary team. She works alongside Oh My Green chefs to promote healthy eating and wellness throughout our customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The post Holiday Special: Vegan Gingerbread Bars appeared first on garten.

Our Curation Standards – Working with Brands with Integrity & Know-How

One of the key aspects of getting great coffee and tea is by working with experts. You might ask how we verify that the brands we work with have this expertise. We actually tour their facilities, for coffee – talk with their roasters, for tea – talk to the tea house buyers, and actually do cuppings with them. A cupping session allows you to observe the taste and aromas of brewed coffee or tea, it’s similar to a wine tasting where you might scrutinize the body, flavor, and aftertaste of the beverage.

With coffee brands, we like to gauge how much knowledge they have of the roasting process and what types of equipment they use. There are extra steps and care that bring the best out of the beans. We certainly try to avoid brands that over-roast. Did you know that there are roasting phases called first crack and second crack? These are points in the roasting where the beans crack and split. Once a bean gets past the second crack, it is over-roasted and will taste burnt and kind of like charcoal.

With tea brands, a good tea house will know when to purchase their tea and will only purchase inventory for 1 year, and then will purchase again at the next cycle in order to get leaves with the best flavor. The tea brands we work with are also knowledgeable about protected origins. These are aspects of a growing region that cannot be replicated elsewhere if the leaves are grown outside of that region.

On top of know-how in their trade, whether it be coffee or tea, it is important for us to work with brands with integrity. We work with brands that purchase their coffee beans or tea leaves through direct trade or have a relationship with the farmer/gardener. Direct Trade means that they have established a relationship with the farmer and the source and practices of the farmer are known, this transparency helps to ensure a quality end product. This practice also guarantees for the farmer that the crop will be processed, and means fair pricing for the farmer to make a fair living wage. Many times roasters will even create social impact programs in the communities where they direct trade.

A Note on Freshness & Flavor Profiles

The fresher the better, especially with coffee, within a matter of weeks the freshness can degrade. For tea, we work with brands that only purchase inventory for a year – you would be surprised tasting a cup of tea from older leaves versus newer how much flavor variation you can get. While tea leaves don’t necessarily go bad that fast, they can lose a ton of flavor. We make sure our inventory is the freshest possible before we send it out to our customers.

When it comes to coffee flavor profiles, we generally cater to the typical American palette. Most customers prefer medium to dark roasts. Though we do offer light roasts for those who like to taste more of the character of the coffee bean over the roast itself.

With tea, we generally find that a standard portfolio of black teas, green teas, and non-caffeinated herbal teas meet their at-work needs. On top of that, our tea selection has evolved over the years as we listen to our customer preferences and add new varieties.

Coffee Fundamentals & Tools

Whether your office has multiple ways to brew or only a single one we have some more information on how to channel your inner barista. From the beans you use, to how they are ground, to the water you use and how you brew it – there are a few ways to enhance your office coffee without having ever worked as a true barista. Check out this related post to learn more.

True Curation Experts = Truly Good Coffee

By working with a team like the Oh My Green curation team you can be assured that someone has already vetted the coffee and tea that you bring into the office. Your employees will be lining up in the office kitchen instead of the nearby Starbucks.

If you’re not an Oh My Green customer yet, get started now and make the upgrade to truly good coffee now!

The post Has Office Coffee Left a Bad Taste In Your Mouth? appeared first on garten.

It’s already shaping up to be a long, stressful day at the office. To get away from your exploding inbox and the eye strain of your computer screen, you head to the kitchen for a little break and, of course, a snack.

Let’s say your options today are chips, candy, or a nice bowl of grapes. You know you should be eating healthy, but you just can’t shake the craving for some crunchy goodness. This leads us to an incredibly important question: why on earth do humans love—and crave—crunchy snacks?

Maybe It’s All About Crunch

Flavor isn’t everything, even if it’s what we tend to gravitate towards when choosing our next snack. But you may be unknowingly drawn to crispy, crunchy, and crackly foods simply for the sound. In fact, you might even be reaching for a bag of chips or popcorn right now just by thinking about those onomatopoeic words – words that suggest the sound that they describe.

The sound of your own chewing is conducted both via the air and through the bones in your jaw and ear; this gives different levels of crunch a distinctive sound. We then use this information to make interpretations about the freshness of what we are eating. Researchers out of the University of Oxford found the sound of chips entirely change our perception of them, even if they’re a chip from the same bag eaten just seconds apart. You wouldn’t think the crunch is that big of a deal, but the data showed just how important it was to food perception. Artificially increasing the crunch volume while eating chips increased their subject’s perception of freshness and crispiness. Lowering the volume, on the other hand, lowered the participant’s delight in the chips.

There’s also the “Crunch Effect.” Even if you don’t fully stop to appreciate a nice crunch, focusing on the sound of your own eating can help reduce how much you eat. So you don’t need to completely cut out snacking to cut back, just practice mindful crunching.

We rely on our hearing to enjoy and learn from the world around us, so why should it be any different when it comes to eating? Although the science of crunchy cravings is still in its infancy, nutritionists and food scientists alike are starting to realize the importance of sound in culinary experiences.

This includes negative experiences. For example, someone in your office might absolutely loathe the sound of crunching. There’s a word for that: misophonia. It means you hate particular sounds like clicking pens or chewing. While it typically doesn’t bother a person with misophonia to eat crunchy foods themselves, just being around the noise can be a skin-crawling experience.

Could It Be… the Feeling?

Your go-to snack can say a lot about what food scientists call your “preferred mouth behavior.” That’s just a fancy way of saying your munching preferences. There are four distinct categories: Crunchers, Chewers, Suckers, and Smooshers. Your enjoyment of crunchy foods might be because you’re a Cruncher! (Shocking, we know.)

Crunchers prefer foods like crisp apples, raw vegetables, and ice cream with crunchy pieces inside. That’s not to say you don’t occasionally enjoy a Smoosher’s melty chocolate or a Sucker’s hard candy, just that you tend to prefer the crunch when you’re chowing down.

It might also be your brain responding positively to the crispiness of your foods. One theory of why we like crunchy snacks is our early ancestors relied heavily on crunchy insects and plant stalks for nutrition. These habits—deep, deep down in your brain—may be some ancient instinct driving you to seek out crunchy food.

Or Maybe It’s All About Your Feelings?

Nothing takes a bite out of stress like a little snacking. Emotional eating, or using food as a way to manage your emotions, is pretty common. Cravings for salty, crunchy snacks are often associated with boredom. It’s no surprise we turn to food when we’re bored or upset; after all, it takes your mind off your stressors, fills your tummy, and potentially releases jaw tension.

That’s right, extremely crunchy foods may help alleviate anxiety and keep you from clenching your jaw. (Unless you have jaw pain or TMJ. In that case, crunchy foods might worsen the problem, so watch out.)

Crunchy foods also have the benefit of taking longer to chew, which helps slow you down and prolong your eating satisfaction. This means you might even eat less if you’re paying attention. Your stomach takes a while to tell your brain it’s satiated, so eating slowly and mindfully helps give that signal time to make its way up to your brain.

Your upbringing might also be a reason crunchy foods are so appealing. If you associate crunchy foods with childhood rewards, treats, or even happy memories, you’re more likely to reach for those snacks later in life.

Is It Just the Flavor?

Unless you’re biting into a raw veggie, crispy food is usually roasted, seared, or fried. Cooking food is often seen as a key trait of humanity, but it’s also responsible for undeniably delicious flavors from the Maillard reaction. This is when the sugars and proteins of food are transformed through a series of chemical reactions caused by heat.

It’s where we get scrumptious browning on steaks and potatoes under high heat. Depending on what you’re cooking, you get tasty butyric acid—think the smell of melting butter—or even the caramelization of sugars that give you sweet and nutty flavors.

Crunchy snacks, whether they’re roasted or fried, offer these delectable flavor molecules along with a satisfying sound and stomach-filling carbohydrates, salts, and fats. (Remember: fats in moderation aren’t bad for you, especially if they’re a healthier type of fat.)

Embrace the Crunch: It’s Not Going Anywhere

Whatever the underlying reason, there’s an undeniable truth to crunchy snacks: humans love them. Another inescapable truth is snack producers know it too, which is why your grocery store has shelf after shelf of crispy, crunchy treats.

But eating healthy doesn’t mean cutting out that satisfying crunch—and we don’t mean just switching to crisp fruits and veggies. Look for snacks without hydrogenated oils, MSGs, GMOs, corn syrups, high sugar content, and artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners that still satisfy your sonic senses. You’d be surprised how many healthy (and delicious) alternatives are out there!

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