#6: Super shoes

Hi and welcome back!

In today’s issue: 

• The rise of better-for-you cooking oils

• Pro surfer Brianna Cope shares her Health Stack

• Super shoes… worth the hype?

• Plus, new product drops from WHOOP, The North Face, and more

Eat: Algae? 🧑🏻‍🍳

Heat check. Cooking oils are a hot topic, sparking debate over which is the best, and healthiest option. Common vegetable oils like soybean, sunflower, canola, and others, contain bad fats and are linked to increased inflammation, cardiovascular disease, gut issues, and more. 

Olive and avocado oils are considered to be healthier, but can be expensive. 

Sea change. Algae is “a neutral oil that tastes good — it's light, and slightly buttery,” says Kasra Saidi, co-founder of Algae Cooking Club. “It really amplifies the flavors of what you're cooking.”

Algae appears to be healthier, too. It has 25% more Omega-9 monounsaturated fat and 75% less saturated fat compared to olive and avocado oil. Plus, it’s stable at high heat.

Going green. Producing algae cooking oil also uses less water, land, and time than olive and avocado oils, creating lower overall carbon emissions. 

The bottom line: Cooking oils can have a big impact on health. So, it might be time to ditch seed oils altogether — and opt for olive, avocado, or even algae oil instead.

Move: Super shoes… Are they worth it? 👟

Super shoes have taken the running world by storm. But can these controversial, carbon-plated shoes really help runners of all abilities?

Made for speed. Super shoes are designed to make people faster, more efficient, and less injury prone, Dr. Daniel Geller, Chief Medical Officer at KANE Footwear, told Wellworthy. “Most runners who put these on and take a cruise automatically feel a little wind at their back,” says Dr. Geller. 

And the data backs this up. Research found that an elite athlete wearing Nike’s first super shoe had a 4% advantage in energy cost. (Meaning athletes can run more efficiently while expending less energy.)

Performance, but at a cost. Super shoes aren’t cheap. The latest Nike Alphaflys will set you back $285. Saucony’s Endorphin Pro 3s retail at $225. And the HOKA Cielo X1s cost $275.

Adapting takes time. Dr. Geller believes that "all levels of runners will benefit from super shoes," but he warns not to expect results right away. "These shoes are shifting your mechanics, forcing you to use your muscles in different ways. This takes some time for adaptation and too much too soon can create injury."

Are They Worth It? Though super shoes can benefit all types of runners, they’re designed for faster paces. If you’re running six-minute miles and trying to speed up, they might be worth the investment. However, if you’re running at a nine-plus-minute mile pace, the benefits might not justify the expense.

Go deeper: Check out our guide to super shoes here. 

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Health Stack: Brianna Cope 🏄‍♀️

Welcome to our Health Stack series, where founders, operators, and experts share their favorite products, supplements, gear, apps, and routines…

This week we’re joined by Brianna Cope, a professional surfer from Kauai, Hawaii. Cope has been surfing competitively since she was 10-years-old and won her first surf competition shortly after.

Here’s Brianna’s Health Stack:

Slate Milk: “I’m always on the go, so making sure I get enough protein throughout the day is so important for me.”

KANE Revive: “These shoes are incredibly comfortable and vital to my recovery, especially with my active lifestyle. I slip them on immediately after a surf session, run, or workout.”

• KT Tape: “This tape has been essential for my running routine, providing crucial support and stability to my muscles and joints while also promoting better blood flow.”

• LiveOn supplements: “I’ve been using LivOn supplements for six years. Right now my go to is Magnesium before bed, and B Complex and Vitamin C in the morning.”

• Spotify: “From working out in the gym to a drive to go check the waves… Spotify is always on repeat.”

Add to wishlist: WHOOP Body collection 🩳

Wearable maker WHOOP, just dropped a sensor-integrated loungewear collection called WHOOP Body. The apparel line includes boxers, shorties, and bralettes, all in cooling, breathable fabrics with a built-in slot for WHOOP’s health sensor. Trading the wrist-worn device for loungewear, the clothing aims to make sleep tracking more comfortable.

A few more drops:

• The North Face partnered with Hike Clerb on a capsule collection that is “inspired by sisterhood and designed for a deeper connection with the outdoors.” It’s joyful, utilitarian, and features a lot of pockets. 

• Nike Global Trainer Kirsty Godso founded Made Of, a brand with a chocolate and vanilla New Zealand grass fed whey protein isolate

• The Afina A-01 is a filtered shower head that’s engineered to remove impurities, chlorine, harmful chemicals, and heavy metals from your water

• These wireless Fairbuds earbuds from Fairphone are designed with replaceable batteries and, like the brand’s smartphone, are fully repairable

• Patagonia’s updated Houdini Jacket and Stash 1/2-Zip Pullover offer wind and weather resistance, and, as the name suggests, can disappear into next to nothing as the left-chest pocket converts to a stuffsack

Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Ash Read and Melanie Ehrenkranz.

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Send us your favorite gear, personal health stack, or feedback on the newsletter.