Healthy But Smart
Helping You Make Evidence Based Health Choices, Quickly & Easily.
Fact Checks and Science Based Reviews of Popular…
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Who Are We?
HealthyButSmart is a team of academics and health care professionals who examine popular health claims according to current research, then translate their findings into language that’s easy to understand, and easy to act on.
Whether it’s garlic curing the common cold, or water fasting helping with weight loss, we provide clear answers that help you avoid harm, save money… and settle arguments.
Michele Berman M.D.Dr. Berman served as Staff Pediatrician at DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Missouri, and as Clinical Instructor at Georgetown University and George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Marilia Coutinho Ph.DMarilia Coutinho is a Brazilian researcher, university professor and technical consultant. She has majored in Biology, holds a M.Sc. degree in Chemical Ecology and a Ph.D. in Sociology of Science.
Melissa Waine B.Sc.Melissa Waine holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Hons (I) in Molecular Biology, from UNSW in Sydney, Australia, and a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.).
Nicolas Ferrara PT DPTPhysical therapist specializing in orthopedic, neurological, and prosthetics rehab. Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from Hofstra university and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook university.
Sonja Ristevski B.Sc.Sonja holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours, 1st class) degree from Melbourne University and a Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion from La Trobe University.
Dr. Ceppie MerryDr. Merry is an practising M.D from Ireland. She holds a Ph.D in pharmacology from Trinity College in Dublin, and a fellowship in infectious disease at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Does Chamomile Have Health Benefits? 29 Studies Reviewed
Described as ‘herbal aspirin’, chamomile is one of the leading herbal remedies worldwide. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding on which foods or supplements to take for the purposes of health. Scientific evidence is an important consideration, along...
Does Rhodiola Have Proven Benefits? 25 Studies Reviewed
Rhodiola is a traditional medicine and supplement that is used for a wide range of complaints including amenorrhea, depression, insomnia, fatigue, cancer, headaches, schizophrenia, colds and flu, hypertension, and male sexual dysfunction. There is a specific interest...
Will Adrafinil & Modafinil Help You? Here’s What 25 Studies Say
The human body is truly amazing. It does have some design flaws though. Chief among them is our need to rest. We need to sleep. We need breaks from our computer. We need to rest after extreme exercise. Why can't I be more like my iPhone? Yes, it needs to be recharged...
Is Eating Sauerkraut Good for you? Here’s the Science
Hippocrates described sauerkraut as 'a health food'. I am guessing that if Hippocrates were alive today that he would be tweeting about sauerkraut with the hashtag #superfood. Or would he? I am equally convinced that if Hippocrates were alive today that he would be a...
Is Drinking White Tea Good For You? The Evidence Reviewed
Have you ever noticed that it becomes harder to choose gifts for friends as they get older? That is if you plan on giving a thoughtful gift and not just a generic pair of socks at Christmas or an impersonal bottle of wine. My good friends know that I am a fan of...
Does Eating Holy Basil Have Health Benefits? The Evidence Reviewed
When I first heard the term 'liquid yoga', I was hooked. I had no idea what it actually meant, but I was intrigued. Especially if liquid yoga had anything to do with drinking my way to a double whammy of feeling calm and looking great. It turns out that 'liquid yoga'...
These are the Best Treatments for Osteoporosis According to Evidence
Bones are really quite interesting and underestimated. Most of us walk around each day and take our bones for granted. Bones are not just a chassis for humans. Bones don’t just give us structure. Sure, they allow us to move around. But they are actually essential to...
The Best Treatments for Fibromyalgia According to Research
I spent an unreasonable amount of time dithering over this particular article. Apologies to my dear editor for missing my deadline (more than once). Here is the dilemma. The logical part of my brain told me to follow the advice of Nike and "Just Write It." I am pretty...
The Best Treatments for Kidney Stones According to Evidence
Kidney stones are pretty common. Over 2 million people suffer from kidney stones each year in the USA alone. Put another way, up to 3% of the general population develop kidney stones each year. Kidney stones are not just a feature of modern living - physicians like...
How We Work
To fund our fact checking and research, HealthyButSmart also provides reviews and comparisons of health promoting devices, kitchenware and home gadgets.
Meet the Chefs
If you’re trying to buy the air fryer, or juicer, or blender that’s perfect for you, the ramblings of random reviews just aren’t going to cut it.
Our professional chefs field test the best kitchen gadgets in each category, giving you clear comparisons for simple and speedy decisions.
Paul Kostandin
Paul Kostandin is a Chef and Hospitality Professional from Richmond, Virginia. With over 20 years of professional cooking experience from fine dining to diners and sandwich shops he has amassed a wealth of knowledge on cuisines and culinary traditions from all around the globe.
Margaret Carmen
Margaret Carmen is a chef instructor and freelance writer. She holds a BA in English and a degree in Culinary Arts. She has many years of experience in restaurants and bakeries as a cook and pastry chef. When she isn’t in the classroom or writing food-related articles, she is likely in her home kitchen baking sourdough bread or preparing delicious, locally sourced meals for her family.
4 Insane Juicer Deals I Found for Prime Day [2020]
If you've been wanting to pick up a new juicer for home, there's no time like the present. Prime day is here and discounts abound! Grabbing a bargain now means less stress as the big sales of the holiday season roll around. And it means you get high-quality juice at...
The Hands Down Best Affordable Juicer Right Now? [Comparing the Top 5] 
Do you want to get into juicing but feel that all of the juicers are way outside your budget? Trust me, I get it. Kitchen appliances can get pretty expensive, and it's daunting to blow money on a product when you're not sure you'll get your use out of it, especially...
My #1 Best Juicer for Celery: More Juice, No Sticking, Less Cleanup
If you've ever fed a stick of celery into a juicer and watched a pathetic dribble of liquid come out the other side... this is the article for you. If you love your celery juice and you want to make it at home, frustration awaits. Most juicers don't handle celery...
The 5 Best Commercial Juicers for Cafe, Bar, Diner or Restaurant
Juice is all the rage these days, and coffee shops aren't just coffee shops anymore. You can't go into a Starbucks or local cafe without seeing fresh juice on the menu, and I've even seen sit down restaurants offer fresh juice as a drink or a dessert. If you're...
The 5 Best Aicok Juicers: “Weird Packaging, Pretty Good Machines”
If you've started looking at new juicers to buy for your kitchen, you might have seen how expensive some of them get. This can be very overwhelming because, even when you see cheap options, you get concerned that they're not worth buying or that they'll break down on...
We’re Doin’ Shots! The 5 Best Wheatgrass Juicers You Can Buy
At HBS we're not into "superfoods" as such, but there are scientific facts about wheatgrass that can't be denied. It has iron, calcium, magnesium, and other essential vitamins and minerals, and taking a shot of the stuff in juice form has a weird energy lifting...
The Undeniable Best Twin Gear Juicers Money Can Buy
If you're here, it's because you give a damn about your juice, and you won't settle for second best. Twin gear juicers (which are technically a type of masticating juicer, more on which below) are the absolute best juicers available in terms of yield, and nutrient...
Hands Down The Best Cold Press Juicer Dollar for Dollar
Even if you can get that delicious cold-pressed juice at a store, it's likely to be filled with added sugars and artificial ingredients, and besides, you can save quite a bit of money in the long run if you're making your juice at home. On top of that, it's also...
Breville BJE200XL Review: “For Speed & Value, I Love it”.
If you like to have fresh juice in the morning and you don't want all the added sugar that comes with store-bought products, it's worth it for you to invest in a juicer for your kitchen. Breville has become one of the leading brands in kitchen appliances like juicers,...
The 7 Best Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combos of 2021 Ranked [11 Photos] 
Finding the perfect air fryer is a lot like looking for an apartment. There are a ton of options out there, and what works for one person or situation, might not work for you. Just like apartment hunting, when choosing any kitchen appliance, by doing a little research...
Chefman Air Fryer Oven Review (6.3qt): 3 Meals Cooked [9 Photos]
My journey into the world of air fryers has been an eye-opening experience. Before getting my hands on one of these appliances I admit that I initially thought they were mostly for cooking chicken wings and frozen french fries. While it is certainly true that the air...
Nuwave Bravo XL Air Fryer Review: 3 Meals Cooked [10 Photos]
Over the past months, I have had the privilege to take a look at a number of different air fryers. From products branded by Celebrity Chefs to appliances made by some of the most well-known brands in the kitchen appliance industry, I've been incredibly impressed with...
Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360 Review: 4 Meals [11 Photos]
Over the past few years, I have seen the air fryer appliance segment grow from "gimmick" gadgets, primarily found on daytime infomercials, to high-end, must-have kitchen appliances. Now even the Celebrity Chefs are branding their own products and entering the...
Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven Review: Burgers, Roast Chicken, Pizza
In my recent experiences with the world of air fryers, I have learned a couple of things: First of all, an air fryer is not really a replacement for deep frying your food, though it can help you in achieving healthy, crisp, golden, brown food. And second, no two air...
Real Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Review [Fries, Steak, Fried Chicken]
As a Professional Chef and also a home cooking enthusiast, I have been enamored with the Breville line of cooking appliances for a very long time. Breville is well known both in professional circles and also among consumers as a consistent producer of incredibly...
Oster Pro 1200 Blender Review: “So much versatility for the price”.
A good blender is worth its weight in gold, or so the old saying goes. Ok, no one has ever said that, but it is absolutely the truth that a quality blender is one of the most important appliances you can have in your home kitchen. Whether you're making soup,...
The Best Commercial Food Processors: 5 “Never Fail” Workhorses
You are on a quest for the perfect commercial food processor. Your goal is to find the tool that will best suit your needs in order to make lighter work of your professional kitchen tasks. My goal is to demystify some of the confusion that you may be facing with this...
Yes! The 5 Best Food Processor Deals You’ll Get This Prime Day
Good food processors aren't cheap, so waiting until sale season to buy one makes sense. Only problem is the other people who do the same. Good deals often disappear quickly at this time of year and on our comprehensive search, we only came upon a handful of worthwhile...
The Best Mini Food Processor That Can Still do Everything
Choosing a mini food processor can be a daunting task. With so many options, from size and materials to cordless options and a whole galaxy of attachment choices, finding the perfect machine can be quite an undertaking. But luckily for you, we've done the heavy...
Let Me Tell You The True Best Baby Food Maker Out There
If you or your partner is expecting, there's a lot on your plate and a long list of things you're going to need to buy to make sure your transition into parenthood is as seamless as possible. A baby food maker should definitely be somewhere on that list. A baby food...
7 Best Blender Food Processor Combo Machines (That Actually Do Both)
I've yet to see someone pour a great margarita out of their food processor, and I've never seen a blender delicately grate a carrot. Professional chefs use different machines for these purposes (when they're using any machine at all, that is) but for a home cook, you...
Here’s The Best Refrigerator Water Filter For Every Fridge Model
If having clean water is important to you then making sure you buy one of the best refrigerator water filters on the market is a crucial first step. Having a water filtration system in your refrigerator is one of the most convenient and simple methods of making sure...
The 5 Best Countertop Water Filters for 2021 [By Durability, Filtration, Flow]
Have you ever wondered why pet fish always die? Growing up I always assumed that it was the fault of little kids with their grabby hands, terrifying the fish into early-onset heart attacks. Now, while I'm still pretty sure they're not entirely blameless, when delving...
5 Best Under Sink Water Filters This Year [Spend Less, Filter More]
The phrase "we are what we eat" is in this case turned on its head, as human beings are 70% percent water. In this instance, we drink what we are. All jokes aside, anyone who's spent anytime in a kitchen knows how central the sink is to any activity taking place...
Farewell Dry Skin with these 5 Best Shower Water Filters of 2021
I know that when I hear about whole-house water filtration systems, it always seems a bit of a waste for carefully treated water to be used all over the house like in my dishwasher and toilet. In showering, however, it makes complete sense that filtering my water is...
Easily the Best Faucet Water Filter Available [High Capacity, Low Cost]
In the who's who community of water filtration, faucet filters seem to be shunted to the side. After all, what could be better than shelling out several thousands of dollars to buy a filtration and softening system, ensuring that even your toilet water is soft...
The Best Cyber Monday Deals on Under Sink Water Filters in 2020
If you already knew you wanted an under sink water filter and you were only waiting for a great deal to pop up? This article is for you. We've written a whole lot about quality water filters here at HBS, and this is our up to the minute research on the biggest...
I Found 4 Outstanding Prime Day Deals on Air Purifiers! [2020]
Ok, so it's Amazon Prime Day again. Well, not today. October 13th and 14th officially. It's that beautiful time of the year where, before the insanity of Black Friday and everything that follows, some killer deals come available for the most astute shoppers. Having...
The 6 Best Cyber Monday Air Purifier Deals of 2020: Up to 42% off
For weeks now I've been scanning the big online retailers to see which air purifiers are coming on sale this season. Fortunately, it's all good news. Take a look at some of the discounts you can get on highly rated air purifiers right now... #1 Best Cyber Monday Air...
Germguardian AC5250PT Air Purifier Review: “Pet hair destroyer”
GermGuardian has created an air purifier especially for homes with pets, packing it with four filters and anti-microbial treatment for killing nasty microscopic living things. What kind of filters does the GermGuardian AC5250PT use? How does it improve homes with...
Winix Wac9500 Air Purifier Review: Comprehensive Air Purifying
This article is dedicated to the comprehensive air-purifying creation which is the Winix WAC9500. This reasonably high-end air purifier has a lot of features and technology to explore, as well as some pros and cons experienced by users. What kind of filtration does...
Rabbit Air Minusa2 Air Purifier Review 2019: An Effective Air Purifier
Choosing an air purifier can be a confusing business. Once you realize how many makes and models there are out there, all with different features, aesthetics, intended uses and costs it can be a bit of a chore. That's why we've narrowed down on the best air purifiers...
The 5 Best Air Purifiers for Allergies and Asthma (All Budgets)
If you're suffering from an increase in allergy symptoms, or your asthma is going haywire, an air purifier in your home is crucial. It's not going to magically treat your allergies or asthma, but it will help to eliminate any irritating factors in your home...
A Chef’s Perfect Air Fryer Frozen French Fries Recipe
I love frozen french fries. Seriously, they are one of my absolute favorite, go-to snacks or an easy side dish for any weekday dinner, especially now that I have an air fryer handy. As a professional chef, it's a little embarrassing to say, but I really can't do a lot...
A Chef’s 15 Minute Air Fryer Brats Recipe
Cooking fresh brats over a charcoal grill is one of my favorite summer past times. There's something about a delicious, crispy bratwurst on a warm summer evening with the fireflies out and a cool glass of iced tea in my hand that makes everything seem right with the...
Perfect Air Fryer Tater Tots Recipe (With Pizza Toppings)
Tater tots, like frozen french fries, are a comfort food item that most of us can identify with. I am sure at some point almost anyone reading this article will have had the privilege of eating a tater tot or shredded potato product like a pre-made hash brown or...
A Chef’s 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Chicken drumsticks are an incredibly misunderstood protein in my opinion. While many chefs I know will go on for hours about chicken thighs, and the rest of the world would have you believe that "all-white meat chicken breast" is the ideal cut, I personally love a...
A Chef’s Next-Level Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
I love sweet potato fries, and in general, I am a giant fan of shoestring fries. They are super crispy, light, and crunchy with the perfect amount of fluffy center. They are dippable, toppable, and easy to enjoy with friends. Besides classics like waffle fries or...
A Chef’s Next-Level Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe
As a Chef, I have been preparing heritage pork for the past 20 years and I can say without hesitation that I have prepared more cuts of pork than almost any other protein in the professional kitchen. Pork makes for a ton of incredible cuts of meat, from pork...