We’ve carefully selected these blogs because they are actively working to educate, inspire, and empower their readers with frequent updates and high-quality information. If you would like to tell us about a blog, nominate them by emailing us at bestblogs@healthline.com!
You have most likely come across the term “natural food,” and you may be wondering what it is and how you can add more of it to your life. Natural food choices are those that have endured a minimum amount of processing and do not contain an abundance of preservatives. A diet based around natural foods may contain options like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and lean meats. Fruits and vegetables are key in a natural food diet, and with good reason; they’ve been shown to lower blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, and decrease the risk of stroke and heart disease. An easy way to consume more natural foods is to steer clear of processed, refined, and packaged food products, and try to eat foods in their original state.
Even with all of the documentaries and transformative stories of people who have improved their health through natural food in recent years, knowing where to get started isn’t easy. Whether you want to learn about reading labels, preparing nutrient-dense food, or following a specific diet, we’ve rounded up the best natural food blogs to keep you inspired. From bloggers and nutritionists to chefs and home cooks, these men and women have done the work for you. All you need to do now is soak in the information and take the first step on your natural food journey.
Founded in 2003, Heidi Swanson created 101 Cookbooks as an outlet to display recipes from her ever-growing food-related library. With over 100 cookbooks in her midst, she decided to take readers through these books one recipe at a time. Today, she also mixes in a variety of her original recipes that intersect with her everyday life or unique travel adventures.
With a focus on whole foods and healthy ingredients, Heidi’s recipes include tasty bites like Vegan Samosa Shepherd’s Pie and Coconut Baked Oatmeal with Grapefruit. In addition to breathtaking photographs and videos of her culinary creations, fans can also get a glimpse of life and food around the world thanks to her travel posts. For anyone looking for a blog where delectable cuisine and travel intersect, 101 Cookbooks has you covered.
Tweet her @101Cookbooks
Emily, a self-proclaimed “ex-vegan turned conscientious omnivore,” created Recipes to Nourish to share her knowledge of natural remedies, nutrient-dense recipes, and cooking with seasonal, organic produce. The result is a website chock full of simple body care recipes such as her Herbal Mouthwash, and gluten free recipes like this Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake.
In addition to nutritious recipes, the site showcases Emily’s journey of becoming more aware of the foods she was eating and products she was purchasing after the birth of her daughter. Topics openly discussed on the site include organic practices, sustainable food, nontoxic products, and DIY adventures.
Tweet her @Recipes2Nourish
Recipe developer and Delicious Obsessions founder Jessica Espinoza shares how a lifelong love for cooking helped her get a handle on autoimmune health issues. Today she is a Real Food Wellness Educator who teaches others how to live and eat cleanly. The site incorporates a variety of mouthwatering recipe categories as well as an abundance of DIY activities like this Coconut Oil Insect Repellent. And, for fans following an autoimmune protocol or a diet free of grains, nuts, dairy, sugar, or egg, recipes are labeled for easy discovery. Be sure to sign up for her Eat the Rainbow course (think fruits and veggies), coming soon.
Tweet her @DeliciousObsess
What do you get when you combine a grocery store, catering company, café, wholesale organic food distributer, and co-op? The Wedge Co-op, of course. Founded in 1974, the company supports small farms and believes in changing lives via easy access to real food. Based out of the Twin Cities, the Wedge Co-op’s community also shares tasty recipes and fun DIY endeavors on the website. Try their delectable Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe or a DIY natural Easter egg dye project.
Tweet them @the_wedge
Inspired to stand up against processed, artificial food after her husband and son battled chronic health issues, Tracey Black created Don’t Mess With Mama. The site is a fantastic resource for anyone seeking gluten-free recipes that are quick or could be made in one pot. Plus, Don’t Mess With Mama explores popular health themes including food allergies, hormones, and how to sleep better. For those interested in non-food-related recipes, Tracey shows off her cheeky side with DIY After You Poo Spray and a variety of beauty and home do-it-yourself tutorials.
Follow her on Instagram @dontmesswithmama
This heartfelt blog chronicles a family’s 100-day journey of eating clean food. The catch? None of the food items could contain any processed or refined ingredients. Readers can follow the adventure from Day 1 and consider taking their free 10 Days of Real Food pledge, which takes you on a similar experience on a smaller scale. Lisa Leake, founder and blogger of the site, also provides fans with an array of research-based content. Expect to find free meal plans, ideas for kids’ lunches, a Real Food on a Budget section, cookbooks, and more recipes than you can possibly count.
Tweet her @100Daysrealfood
The Kitchn is a daily web-based magazine dedicated to cuisine, travel, kitchen design, tutorials, and more. The magazine’s writers, recipe developers, and photographers keep readers coming back for more thanks to crisp photography, culinary lessons, food-filled travel stories, and mouthwatering recipes.
Founded in 2005 by Maxwell Ryan and Sara Kate Gillingham, The Kitchn is the go-to site for any cook who wants to create a beautiful culinary environment and nourishing cuisine that fuels the body. Be sure to check out the baking lessons, or try your hand at their Carrot Soufflé or Falafel Scotch Eggs.
Follow them on Instagram @thekitchn
Boulder Locavore was birthed out of a unique experiment food-adventurer Toni- Dash conducted one winter in Colorado. Her goal was to exist throughout the winter on locally sourced protein and produce found within 100 miles of her location. Not only did she discover an abundance of local resources and new methods of preserving food, but she found that others were curious about her venture. Seven years later, Toni serves up stunning photos and an abundance of gluten-free recipes to her followers. Be sure to try her Italian Turkey Mashed Potato Frittata or Goat Cheese and Dill Biscuits.
Tweet her @boulderlocavore
Vani Hari, also widely known as Food Babe, began investigating how food is grown, which chemicals are used, and what is being hidden from the public back in 2011. Her mission was to share the truth behind America’s food supply and fuel a movement for change. Her hard work has paid off; Vani and her “Food Babe army,” (a.k.a. hundreds of thousands of petition signatures), influenced companies like Subway, Kraft, Chipotle, and dozens more to change ingredients or become transparent about business practices.
In addition to reading her investigations, visitors to the site can search a wide range of recipes and meal plans, take part in her sugar detox plan, and also try her juice cleanse program.
Tweet her @thefoodbabe
Mambo Sprouts has been delivering coupons, free samples, and educational materials direct to wellness-conscious consumers since 1996. As people began to adopt healthier lifestyles, the company saw a need for making organic, gluten-free, and GMO-free foods more accessible and affordable.
Fans of the site can find a treasure trove of printable coupons, plus sign up for inbox savings. For those who love to cook as well as save money, be sure to explore the recipe section filled with delicious possibilities like the Fair Trade Mocha Pecan Pie or Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Portabello.
Tweet them @mambosprouts
Tieghan Gerard shares her love for cooking and bohemian life in the mountains with her fans at Half Baked Harvest. Coming from a family of nine, creating large meals was a must. Once she was old enough to help in the kitchen, she found immense joy in cooking and soon took over meal production full time. Her site is filled with magazine-worthy photography shot in the renovated horse barn she now calls home. You won’t want to miss Tieghan’s Breakfast Tacos al Pastor or Salted Chamomile Honey Cakes.
Tweet her @hbharvest
The vision behind Golubka Kitchen comes from Russian mother-daughter duo, Anya Kassoff and Masha Davydova. Sharing recipe ideas and photography is a way for the pair to keep in touch, as their physical locations are more than 1,000 miles apart. This site showcases hypnotizing food photography and a variety of vegetarian, raw, and vegan recipes. Be sure to try your hand at their Cardamom Amaranth Porridge or Banana Toffee Tart.
Tweet them @GolubkaKitchen
Back in 2013, creative Erin Druga had an unfulfilling job and a lot of time on her hands, so she began a journey into the world of recipe development and food photography. Today, the Almond Eater founder creates mouthwatering recipes full time, in addition to being a food photographer, wife, and mom to her dog, Layla.
Over the years, she has been a recipe developer for Almond Breeze, Eggland’s Best, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more. She has even authored a much-needed book in the food world: Food Photography & Styling for Bloggers on a Budget. If you are a fan of serving healthy and beautiful culinary creations, try her Mini Veggie Breakfast Pizzas or Sweet Potato Curry Farro.
Tweet her @TheAlmondEater
When Melissa Hartwig shared a 30-day dietary experiment online back in 2009, she had no idea it would garner the attention of millions of followers. Today, the blog is run by a team of creatives and has grown to include four New York Times bestsellers. Visitors to the site can take part in the Whole30 program, which involves stripping one’s diet of the most inflammatory, gut-damaging, and craving-inducing foods. The goal is to give your body time to heal from any damage that has been caused by unhealthy foods and learn how to make long-term health and dietary changes. In addition to the program, you can find an abundance of nutrition advice and fun recipes like this AIP Friendly Chicken Salad.
Tweet them @Whole30
Food Politics is an informative and research-heavy site built on the nutrition expertise of Marion Nestle, professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU. Upon earning her PhD in molecular biology, Marion began to examine both the scientific and socioeconomic effects of obesity, food choices, food safety, and marketing. Her educational blog explores an assortment of topics such as breastfeeding, dementia, meat production, the SNAP program, and FDA regulations. Fans with a desire to learn more can take their curiosity a step further with one of Marion’s nine books available on the site.
Tweet her @marionnestle
Acclaimed author, speaker, television star, and Columbia University Public Health faculty member Mark Bittman aims to make every aspect of food understandable to all. His award-winning books “Food Matters” and “VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00” explore hot topics such as conscious, responsible eating, and how a vegan diet proved to remedy his health issues. Mark’s site boasts a variety of food-related videos, as well as unique recipes like his Eggplant Un-Parmesan and Vegetable Pancakes.
Tweet him @bittman
Combine the unique and dynamic journalism of NPR with food news and you have The Salt. Here you can learn about a diverse range of topics from what Ancient Romans ate to berries that are saving China’s pandas. You’ll find hard-hitting reporting here as well on important topics such as ending hunger, activism, pesticide debates, and glyphosate fears. Stop by NPR’s The Salt to find a “pinch of skepticism and a dash of fun.”
Tweet them @NPRFood
Neuroscience PhD and author Darya Rose created this vibrant and fun blog with the mission of helping others upgrade their life through food. Summer Tomato is the perfect stop for anyone who wants to lose weight and implement healthy lifestyle changes without dieting. The website is separated into four helpful sections, depending on what you want to focus on: health, habits, food, and weight control. Be sure to check out Darya’s Greek Bison Burgers and Mexican Pork Pozole Soup when you stop by!
Tweet her @summertomato
Founded in 2012, Authority Nutrition is a health website focused on an evidenced-based approach to nutrition. Visitors can find countless articles written by nutritionists and registered dieticians that contain scientific reference links for further research. This user-friendly site allows for easy searching by topic (think weight loss or ingredients), or by food.
Tweet them @Authnutrition
McKel Hill’s breathtaking health blog compliments her food and life philosophy: keep things simple, pure, and delicious. A registered dietician, McKel created Nutrition Stripped after an awakening with food helped her feel better and balance her life. Her mission with the site is to provide visitors with all of the information they need to experience what “amazing” feels like. Stop by the blog today and try the Avocado Margarita recipe or peruse her 5 Ingredients, 4 Meals tutorial.
Tweet her @mckelhill
What began as a U.K. apothecary in 1981 has grown into a top producer of organic beauty products and homeopathic/flower remedies, plus an informative health website. Feature articles typically cover mind-body connections to food, and the recipe section is full of gems like this Chickpea Shakshuka. In addition to being a comprehensive resource for anyone seeking natural health news, Neal’s Yard Remedies also offers fans the chance to be independent consultants of their creations.
Tweet them @NYRNaturalNews
This popular online and print magazine chronicles the art of natural living in a modern world. Readers can expect influential content on a variety of topics such as gardening, global cooking, wellness, travel, design, recipes and more. Comprised of awe-inspiring photography and educational feature articles, Rodale’s Organic Life helps readers connect to the world and foods around them on a deeper level. Explore their quirky recipe posts including Simple Ways to Eat a Rutabaga, Granola of Your Dreams, and 7 Gross Foods that are Healthy.
Tweet them @OrganicLifeMag
Marisa Zeppieri is a health and food journalist, chef, author, and founder of LupusChick.com and LupusChick 501c3. She resides in New York with her husband and rescued rat terrier. Find her on Facebook and follower her on Instagram @LupusChickOfficial.