Try This: Two Product Reviews and One Study To See!

Try This community! Today, I’m sharing two things that I’ve been using daily in my kitchen, along with a mind-blowing study you have to see! 

Today at a glance… 

1. New low-tox cookware I’ve been using (expert recommended)

2. A hack I’ve been using to get more fiber (tastes pretty good, too!)

3. Another reason to invest in an air filter (your heart health relies on it)

Let’s get into it

#1:Product Review: Xtrema Cookware

Xtrema is a cookware brand considered to be the cleanest on the market. Why is it considered the cleanest? Primarily because it's pure ceramic, accredited third-party lab-tested, and non-leaching.

In fact, I’ve had many low-tox living experts come on my podcast, most notably Dr. Yvonne Burkhart, and recommended Xtrema as their top brand.

After those episodes aired, I had a ton of listeners reach out and ask me for my honest thoughts.

Of course, I knew what everyone else said, but I hadn't had a chance to experience the pans myself. So I bought some of their pans for my team and my kitchen, and we’ve been using them on a daily basis. Here are our thoughts, and a quick side note: we have no affiliation with the company.

1. Price vs Durability: First off, these pans are on the expensive side when compared to something like stainless steel, but according to their website, if you take care of them correctly, they should last 20+ years. Just know that a full set is a bit of a splurge, but if they do last that long, it would be worth the price.

2. Heavy & Somewhat Fragile: Pure ceramic is pretty heavy, a lot heavier than other pans, just FYI. However, that's part of the reason these pans last so long and retain heat so well. Once it’s hot, it stays hot. Which also means the handle is always hot when cooking, so be ready to have an oven mitt handy at all times.

On the flip side, the lids are a bit fragile. I already broke two of them. This is something that comes with the territory of having a pure ceramic pan, according to other online reviews. Plan on buying replacement lids if you aren’t the most careful of chefs, like me.

In fairness, my sister Kaya has had hers for over a year (she has two kids and cooks a lot), and she has not had any issues with chipping or breaking.

3. You have to crank up the heat. In order to have more of a non-stick effect, you have to heat the pan up pretty high. If it’s not heated properly, things like eggs will stick! If you're used to using ceramic-coated non-stick brands like Our Place or Caraway, just know that Xtrema takes getting used to and won’t have the same non-stick response. Also, it might take a little bit more elbow grease to clean after cooking, in my experience.

Conclusion: I like Xtrema for its transparency and third-party testing. Having owned them for a few months now, they've definitely been a learning curve. But, I'm glad I added them to my kitchen set to complement other cookware I love, like my Titanium Always Pan.

#2: Farmer’s Juice Gut Fiber Shots: My Fiber Hack

If you read my previous emails, you know that I’m always looking for ways to up my fiber game. This splurge is one of my favorite ways to get a whopping 10 grams of fiber down in one shot, which is almost ⅓ of my total fiber in a day.

My friends at Farmer’s Juice have created these simple organic gut shots with chia, guar fiber, veggies and some fruit to support better digestion and healthy gut bacteria.

A box goes for $149.70 for 30 shots or $4.99 a shot, but we love them so much that my wife and I pack our fridge with them and enjoy a shot first thing every morning.

And they last a long time because the Farmer’s Juice team uses high-pressure processing to extend the shelf life of the product without any additives or crap.

It feels pretty good to knock out 10 grams of fiber without having to do too much work.

#3: Major Study: An Air Filter Could Lower Your Blood Pressure

Air pollution can be a big contributor to cardiovascular disease, but here’s some good news. In a recently published, randomized crossover trial spanning four years, researchers recruited 154 participants (with an average age of approximately 41, mostly healthy and college-educated) residing within 200 meters of high-traffic areas. Participants used HEPA purifiers for one month, followed by a one-month washout, then a sham (filterless) purifier for another month, with blood pressure measured at each stage.

While overall systolic blood pressure (SBP) dropped by just 0.5 mm Hg with HEPA versus sham (not statistically significant), individuals who began with elevated SBP saw a meaningful 2.8 mm Hg reduction when using HEPA filters, even showing a slight increase (0.2 mm Hg) during sham use, yielding a net benefit of about 3 mm Hg.

That might not seem like a lot, but it is actually meaningful when considering the risk of high blood pressure-related challenges like heart attack, stroke, and even neurodegenerative diseases. 

Another powerful reason to filter your indoor air—it could help lower your blood pressure! 

That’s it for this week. See you next week. 

Here’s to your health, 
Dhru Purohit