Have you ever wonder why the Italians are proud of their pizzas or spaghetti which is synonymous to their identity? Well, without going deep into it, let me say, it is simply due to the fact they, apart from being tasty, are indeed very nutritious. What is that which constitute nutritious? Hey, it is the tomatoes that comes along as the main ingredients in those foods.
Tomatoes, as we all know is a fruit that is of bright red color known to be of great antioxidants source . Lycopene, being the bright red carotenoid pigment, is a phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits. As the most potent carotenoid antioxidants, lycopene is the most common carotenoid in the human body.
Carotenoids which are the red, orange and yellow coloring substances found in plants and animals, make up approximately seven hundred different categories with about fifty to sixty of these are present in a typical diet. The human body is said to contain some of the major carotenoids in the forms of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. Various studies show that lycopene makes up at least 50 percent of the caroteniods in the human body, accentuating its importance. These carotenoids are specifically broken down by the body, often during the process of absorption into the bloodstream from the small intestine. They make their way to specific tissues and organs where they have been shown to protect against the type of oxygen damage that can cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration is notably significant. However, estimates of lycopene consumption have only been based; not on the use of lycopene supplements but on reported tomato intake which is the source of other nutrients including vitamin C, folate, and potassium.
The benefits derivable from tomato-based lycopene can be seen from the many scientific literature published over time. So feel free to grab on to your dear pizzas and spaghetti to be partly on the way to healthy living.
Many of you may have been frequently introduced by your regular pharmacist to consume Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) whenever you make inquiry about this or that supplement for keeping up to healthy living. But how many of you bother to actually find out why do you need to take this or that supplement. Many, in fact, merely rely on the words of the pharmacist and fail to make attempts to know the reason/s you consume one or another supplement.
What intrigues me often has been the marvel behind the science of such supplements that scientists today spend substantial time in discovering the great “ingredients” of the basic processes your body works on. Your body is such a complex marvel that GOD has created and no science at any level could discover all the hidden latent processes the body undergoes.
ALA, is one of these natural occurring fatty acids found inside every cell in your body. Needed by the body to produce the energy for your body’s normal functions, ALA converts glucose (blood sugar) into energy. Itself an antioxidant by nature, ALA is a substance that neutralizes potentially harmful chemicals called free radicals. Being unique by being functional in water and in fatty tissue, unlike the more common antioxidants vitamins C and E, enabling it to enter all parts of the nerve cell and protect it from damage. ALA appears to be able to recycle antioxidants such as vitamin C. Its identity in bodily functionality is seen from its ability to increase the formation of glutathione after its consumption within your body. As glutathione is an important antioxidant that helps your body eliminate potentially harmful substances, ALA indirectly aids in this important glutathione function.
Its importance has been notably used in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy which can be caused by injury, nutritional deficiencies, chemotherapy or by conditions such as diabetes, Lyme disease, alcoholism, shingles, thyroid disease, and kidney failure. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can be exhibited to include pain, burning, numbness, tingling, weakness and itching.
I had previously in November 2008 posted an article pertaining to the marvel of broccoli. It has now been confirmed by a recent John Hopkins School Of Medicine study that supports my earlier revelation on the great health effects broccoli has on human health.
The deadly Helicobacter Pylori (H Pylori) , a widespread type of bacterial infection and a major cause of stomach cancer, can indeed be defeated with, amongst some of the cheapest methods, the continued consumption of three-day old broccoli sprouts. This is primarily due to broccoli having that special cancer preventive phytochemical called sulforaphane.
It is important to realize that H Pylori has taken lives away and many at times its eradication may pose other health problems to humans such as increasing the occurrence of esophageous cancer. It is a choice of one or the other.
Certain compounds, one of which is the yoghurt lacobacilli, are used as natural therapies to suppress but not cure Helicobacter pylori. No vaccines at present is available yet to prevent H Pylori but current antibiotic treatments have many side effects.
Well, if there are other inexpensive and yet without side effects avenues, I would not hesitate to consume them so long as they are from natural forms. It is nature’s intention that anything that is derived from nature shall be of less harm to the human body.
Pomegranate, by and large, now has caught the attention of many medical experts for its medicinal qualities. It is indeed a native fruit of Iran and the Himalayan regions in India and is now widely cultivated in many parts of the world.
Scientist now has done a fair amount research into its potential in the field of health nutrition. Pomegranate aril (seed) juice provides about 16% of the Vitamin C requirement of an adult for every 100 ml serving and is a notable good source of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), potassium and antioxidant polyphenols.
Punicalagins, a hydrolyzable polyphenol tannin found abundantly in pomegranate, are known to have free radical scavenging properties. Readily absorbed into the human body, they are said to have dietary value as antioxidants, but conclusive proof of efficacy in humans need further study confirmation. Apart from having the other polyphenols such as catechins and gallocatechins, its other phytochemicals contents include beta-carotene. Its anthocyanins contents such as prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin make it more appealing to those who are constantly seeking healthy remedies to strengthen their fort. Its juice ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of 2,860 units per 100 grams is considered moderate when compared to other herbs and spices.
Many food and dietary supplment manufacturers prefer pomegranate phenolic extracts over its juice mainly for its ellagic acid which becomes bioavailable when its parent molecule punicalagins are metabolized. However, as ingested ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not accumulate in the blood in significant quantities and is rapidly excreted, it does not appear to be biologically important in vivo. In vivo studies, pomegranate juice was effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation; all of which are steps in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. It has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, may inhibit viral infections and may have antibacterial effects against dental plaque.
While its seeds oil was effective against proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro, it contains polyphenols which inhibit estrogen synthesis. It is vital in fighting free radicals that damage and age the skin. It is also a potent source of punicic acid, an Omega 5 conjugated fatty acid, beneficial phytoestrogen and a rare plant based source of CLA.
Pomegranate extract has quality values in inhibiting chronic inflammation linked with a variety of health problems such as heart disease and inflammatory stimuli-induced cartilage breakdown and production of inflammatory mediators in arthritis. As a great source of antioxidans, potassium and vitamin C, niacin and a substantial amount of fiber, the antioxidant powers of pomegranate juice is nearly three times as much as the antioxidant amount in green tea or red wine which may be why a number of studies show it may prevent skin cancer and kill breast and prostate cancer cells. It also helps to fight Alzheimers’s disease with studies at Loma Linda University confirming that mice which drank pomegranate juice experienced 50% less brain degeneration than animals that consumed only sugar water.
Pomegranate drinkers also did better in mazes and tests as the aged. Another study that he mention was performed by Israeli researchers with a group of diabetics who drank about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice a day for 3 months and results showed that they kept their bodies from absorbing bad cholesterol into their immune system cells. In a different study about a comparison between antioxidant contents in pomegranate fruit and peel extracts, pomegranate juice has been demonstrated to be high in antioxidant activity and is effective in the prevention of atherosclerosis. The results showed that pomegranate peel extract had markedly higher antioxidant capacity than the pulp extract. The contents of total phenolics, flavonoids and proathocyanidins were also higher in peel extract than in pulp extract. It was concluded that pomegranate peel extract appeared to have more potential as a health supplement rich in natural antioxidants than the pulp extract and merits further intensive study. Pomegranate juice seems to stave off hardening of the arteries and may even reverse it. A recent study in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that pomegranate juice reduced the rate of cholesterol plaque buildup in mice by 30% while heart cells treated with the juice showed a 50% increase in the production of nitric oxide, a substance that helps fight plaque.
Another beneficial antioxidant property of pomegranates is the antidiarrheal activity of the aqueous extract of peels which contain some biologically active principles that may be active against diarrhea which is the basis for its traditional use for gastrointestinal disorders. Apart from this, pomegranate fruit extract possesses remarkable antitumor-promoting effects, anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic properties, cancer-chemopreventive as well as cancer-chemotherapeutic effects against prostate & lung cancer in humans.
Natural methods to reduce inflammation are becoming more popular as increasing concern emerges over the health effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. While NSAIDs are some of the most frequently prescribed drugs globally, potential side effects include gastrointestinal toxicity, raised blood pressure and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. There is no known specific human drug interactions for pomegranate juice.
Well, as mother nature has provided a path to the many diseases of today, it is only wise for all of you to be aware of the benefits of this wonderful product. Stay healthy and live healthily with pomegranate consumption.
Today, I had the opportunity to taste my favorite pumpkin dish which is a long forgotten recipe my grandmother taught me years ago. It reminds me of the great taste she put with in serving pumpkin. It also reminded me to write an article post here about its medicinal qualities as what the Chinese believe.
Let me touch on a bit about pumpkins. Pumpkins by the jovial version may mean “stupid” but errh……..hope you just have to bear with me here. It has nothing to mean that!
Pumpkins are a traditional part of many favorite Chinese menus and guess what…it is a tasty way to add important vitamins into your diet. Its orange pulp is an excellent source of vitamin A and a great source of fiber and potassium. Pumpkin can be served cooked (roasted, baked, steamed), or made into soups, pies, or baked goods while its seeds also make a great snack. They are high in iron and fat, but the fat is the unsaturated type. Excellent….right?
Compounds found within the pumpkin could potentially replace or at least drastically reduce the daily insulin injections that many diabetics currently would love to have it replacing insulin. Recent research had brought cheers to this revelation, with renewed confidence that pumpkin extract promotes regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells in diabetic rats, boosting levels of insulin-producing beta cells and insulin in the blood. Led by Tao Xia of the East China Normal University, researchers found that diabetic rats fed the extract had only 5% less plasma insulin and 8% fewer insulin-positive (beta) cells compared to normal healthy rats (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 87(9) 1753-7 2007). According to Xia, pumpkin extract is potentially a very good product for metabolic diabetics as well as those who have already developed diabetes. Although insulin injections will probably always be necessary for these patients, pumpkin extract could drastically reduce the amount of insulin they need to take.
Most of you would have been advised or have long believed that people can transform their health with the foods they eat. Yes, it is true, only if you know what to eat and how much and how often to eat.
For those with a wide array of health conditions, it is important to examine your own diets and living lifestyles. Managing one without the other is as good as coming back to square one. For some of you out there, adopting a healthy diet full of produce, whole grains and lean protein can improve symptoms through weight loss. For other people with certain diseases, choosing foods with unique, wellness-promoting qualities can provide a major boost to their health. Indeed, the choice is YOURS!
In the quest to actively prevent cancer, it is important to note seriously that the foods you eat can bring big health benefits. Unlimited studies have been carried out on the effects of different diets or individual foods on the many types of cancer that strike. Many healthy foods have excellent antioxidant powers which scientist have over the years discovered.
Many would be wondering what are actually good antioxidants and where are the natural sources of these for you to lay your hands on. Your body sometimes creates its own free radicals in order to destroy viruses or bacteria and to balance out these unruly molecules, your body will also create antioxidants, which have the sole purpose of neutralizing free radicals. It is to be noted that your body is only designed to create a certain amount of antioxidants on its own however, and as we are faced with an ever-growing number of environmental toxins, your body is less capable of fighting off the unwanted harmful invaders.
Antioxidants are only one piece of the healthy eating puzzle. Some of those foods that are low in antioxidants may have other positive benefits, such as fiber, minerals, and other nutrients that are important. Basically, in essence, antioxidants helps prevent heart diseases and cancer, reduce blood pressure and slow the effects of aging. These naturally occurring compounds protect the body from harmful, excess free radicals, neutralizing them up before they can cause damage. And the best way to lay an antioxidant-rich foundation that is inhospitable to toxins and free radicals is through a combination of whole foods.
Antioxidants can be derived from a few main groups of foods, namely:-
Vegetables
Tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, watercress are amongst other greens rich in antioxidants,
Beans
Beans, particularly the kidney-shaped red bean has tremendous of such power with the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC, is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of foods),
Berries
Acai berries, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, cherry, dried plum (prune), cranberry, crowberry and black chokeberry are examples of great antioxidant fruits,
Citrus Fruits
Orange, grapefruit, dark grapes (including raisins, purple grape juice and red wine), kiwi, pomegranate, papaya to name a few most prominent ones,
Nuts
Pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts were the winners in the nut category,
Spices
Ground cloves, cinnamon, onions, garlics, ginger and oregano were the top few antioxidant-rich spices,
WholegrainsThese contain a wide variety of flavonoids and other plant phenolics (such as ellagic, ferulic and caffeic acids) that act as powerful antioxidants.
Tea
Tea has long been a drink of the past and will still be for the future for its antioxidant power.
