Striving4Zen

Your stomach's doing flips: Sauerkraut. Surprise--fermented cabbage is a probiotic! That's why sauerkraut juice is rich in healthy bacteria and enzymes that regulate digestion.

You're craving more: Celery. Besides being a nourishing hydrator, celery juice is known for its ability to curb cravings. Add a drop of honey to your glass when you're jonesing for sweets.

Your heart needs mending: Beets. When it comes to matters of the heart, studies have shown that a beeting will do you good; the juice from these veggies fights disease with root force.

You want to feel younger: Purple carrot Thanks to its anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants), purple carrot juice has a unique weapon in fighting age-related diseases.

PS--If you're feeling "backed up," look out here for the debut of raw potato juice, thought to give digestive...err, relief.

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Labels: anthocyanins, beverages, cabbage, celery juice, fermented, healthy eating, juicing, vegetables

As more and more people begin to discover how uniquely delicious and nutritious black beans are, their popularity has begun to soar.

Black bean nutrition - focus on protein and fiber

When it comes to three basic categories of nourishment-protein, fiber and antioxidant related substances- black beans have an especially solid nutritional profile. Black beans, like other beans, really pack a punch when it comes to protein and fiber. On average, each cup features about 15 grams of both protein and fiber.

Black bean nutrition - focus on flavonoid anti-oxidants

While all beans are exceptionally healthy foods when it comes to their protein and fiber content, it's the color coat on black beans that makes them particularly interesting. Researchers have found at least 8 different flavonoids in the black bean's color coat. Flavonoids are typically color-producing phytonutrients pigments that have great antioxidant potential. They can also be responsible for some of the unique flavors found in foods. Flavonoids work together with vitamins to help the body avoid oxygen-related damage.

Many other foods have been studied for their flavonoid content, and foods like red grapes or red wines are famous for their rich supplies of one flavonoid family, called anthocyanins. As it turns out black beans are an equally rich source of this flavonoid family, containing about 2.37 grams of anthocyanins per 100 grams of seed coat.

Black bean nutrition - focus on omega 3 fatty acids

Black beans also contain small amounts (about 180 mg per cup) of omega-3 fatty acids. This amount is about three times the amount available from many other beans, including kidney beans. While the amount of omega-3 fats in one cup of black beans is roughly equal to the amount in one ounce of a cold water fish like halibut, it can still be a valuable addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating since omega-3 fats are essential to protecting your health.

Black bean nutrition - focus on vitamins and minerals

In addition to the nutrients already discussed, black beans also feature concentrated amounts of other important vitamins and minerals. Based upon our nutrient rating system, black beans are an excellent source of one nutrient (molybdenum), a very good source of three nutrients (folate, fiber, and tryptophan) and a good source of five nutrients (manganese, protein, magnesium, vitamin B1, and phosphorus).

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Labels: anthocyanins, beans, black beans, flavonoids, health food, healthy diet, legumes, nutrition

Food	May prevent	Nutrients	Notables
Beans (i.e., chickpeas, lentils, black beans, lima beans)	Colorectal cancer	Fiber and phytochemicals (saponins, protease inhibitors, and phytic acid)	Phytochemicals have been shown to slow the growth of tumors, and researchers have identified probable evidence that fiber protects against cancer. Beans are also a great source of vegetable protein, which is helpful if you are limiting red meat intake.
Berries	Skin, bladder, lung, esophageal, colorectal, and breast cancers	Vitamin C, fiber, and phytochemicals like ellagic acid, flavonoids, and antioxidants	Blueberries contain anthocyanosides, possibly the food kingdom's most potent antioxidants, which attack cell-damaging free radicals.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy)	Many cancers, including colorectal, breast, oral, gastrointestinal, endometrial, lung, liver, and cervical cancers	Fiber, folate, glucosinolates, crambene, indole-3-carbinol, and isothiocyanates	Studies suggest these veggies fight cancer by regulating enzymes in the body.
Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, collard greens, Romaine lettuce)	Mouth, pharynx, larynx, stomach, breast, skin, and lung cancers	Fiber, folate, carotenoids, saponins, and flavonoids	Research suggests the carotenoids act as antioxidants, eliminating possible cancer-causing free radicals from the body.
Flaxseed	Colon, breast, skin, and lung cancers	Omega-3 fatty acids, lignans (plant estrogens), alphalinolenic acid	Flaxseed contains more lignans than any other known food. These phytoestrogens seem to mimic the hormone estrogen. Note that flaxseed oil does not naturally contain lignans.
Garlic (also allium vegetables such as onions, scallions, leeks, chives)	Stomach, colon, prostate, bladder, skin, lung, esophageal, and breast cancers	Allicin, allixin, allyl sulfides, quercetin, and organosulfur compounds	Research shows a “dose-response relationship” with garlic. That is, the more you eat, the higher the protective benefits.
Green tea	Colon, liver, breast, prostate, lung, skin, bladder, stomach, pancreas, and esophageal cancers	Catechins, a type of flavonoid, which are potent antioxidants	A 2007 study by Japan's National Cancer Center showed that men who drank five or more cups a day may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer by 48%.
Pomegranates	Prostate, lung, skin, and colon cancers	Antioxidants, polyphenolic flavonoids	Researchers say pomegranates, which have high levels of antioxidants, have more anti-inflammatory properties than green tea or red wine.
Red and purple grapes	Lymph, liver, stomach, skin, breast, and leukemia cancers	Resveratrol, a type of polyphenol	Resveratrol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although wine contains resveratrol, research also shows a link between alcohol and other types of cancer, so it's not the best choice. Jam and raisins don't contain much; eat fresh dark-colored grapes.
Soybeans (also soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu, edamame, soynuts)	Breast and prostate cancers	Phytoestrogens called isoflavones, saponins, phenolic acids, phytic acid, and protein kinase inhibitors	Researchers believe soy isoflavones mimic hormones in the body, which may translate to cancer-fighting capabilities. Researchers also recommend that because of possible hormone mimicking, women taking anti-estrogen medicines should limit or avoid soy until more is known.
Tomatoes	Most notably, prostate cancer; also breast, lung, and endometrial cancers	Lycopene, an antioxidant	It appears the red fruit's cancer-fighting potential is higher when the tomato is in sauce, juice, or paste form.
Whole grains (such as brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn)	Colorectal cancer	Fiber, antioxidants, phenols, lignans, phytoestrogens, and saponins	The phytochemicals from whole grains appear to protect cells from the damage that can lead to cancer. The disease-fighting nutrients and fiber found in the bran and germ of grains are stripped out in the milling of refined grains like white flour, white rice, and pasta.

Labels: anthocyanins, cancer, healthy diet, Holistic Health, lycopene, phytonutrients

• Anthocyanins: Responsible for the red, purple and blue pigments of many fruits and vegetables, more than 300 structurally distinct anthocyanins have been identified, according to information from the Linus Pauling Institute. Studies suggest anthocyanins have particular benefits to microcirculation, diabetes prevention and vision improvement. In particular, the anthocyanins found in blueberries, black currant and bilberry have shown efficacy in preventing oxidative damage in the eye and enhancing visual function.
• Catechins: Best known as the polyphenols found in tea, this class includes catechin, gallocatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin 3-gallate and epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG). They have been studied for a wide range of health benefits including cancer prevention, insulin resistance, cardiovascular health, and weight management.
• Ellagic acid: Found in many plant foods including raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranates and some nuts, ellagic acid is a non-flavonoid polyphenol. The American Cancer Society has noted ellagic acid acts as an antioxidant, and has some anti-cancer properties. Researchers suggest its effects may be due to antioxidant activity as well as induction of apoptosis.
• Flavanones/Flavones: Primarily found in citrus fruit, the major dietary flavanones are hesperetin, naringenin and eriodictyol, while the flavones include luteolin and apigenin. These compounds exert antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, the flavanones, and their aglycone derivatives, particularly address blood lipid levels and may help lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
• Flavonols: The major dietary aglycone flavonols include quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin and isorhamnetin, found in fruits and vegetables such as onions, apples, kale and broccoli.
• Isoflavones: Primarily found in soy, isoflavones are considered a phytoestrogen (plant-based compound similar to the body’s hormone), and have been studied for their anti-cancer ability, particularly in relation to breast cancer. They may also beneficially influence cardiovascular health. The major isoflavones include daidzein and genistein.

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Labels: anthocyanins, catechins, ellagic acid, flavonoids, healthy diet, polyphenols, soy isoflavones

1. Protein In May early results were reported for the multipart study called "Diogenes" (a name created by combining the words diet, obesity and genes), which is being funded by the European Community. Researchers split 205 people who'd lost weight on a fixed diet over two months into five groups, each eating a different kind of diet, to see which group did the best at keeping the weight off. The results: participants who ate more protein were least likely to regain the lost pounds.

2. Nuts Although they are high in calories, research suggests that nuts help keep people thin. In one study with more than 8,000 participants, at the University of Navarra in Spain, people who rarely or never ate nuts gained slightly more over two years than those who munched on them at least twice a week (the results were adjusted for risk factors for obesity). Another study, at Loma Linda University in California, found that overweight women lost weight over six months when they were given almonds to eat and otherwise ate as they chose. Nuts contain mostly unsaturated fat, especially monounsaturated fats, which raise "good" cholesterol. They tend to be filling and may push the body to burn more fat, says Dr. Leo Galland, author of "The Fat Resistance Diet" (Broadway, 2005).

3. Fruits and Vegetables Women who consume five or more fruit and vegetable servings daily are more likely to maintain weight loss than those who eat fewer servings, according to the Centers of Disease Control. (How much is a serving? It's about a half cup of cut-up fruit, berries, or nonleafy vegetables, one full cup of leafy veggies or one medium-size whole fruit.)

4. Berries As you enjoy your daily servings of fruit, don't forget berries. Research at Doshisha University in Japan suggests that anthocyanins, the flavonoids that give berries (and other plant foods) a red, blue or purple color, alter the activity of genes found in human fat cells. In a separate study in which mice were fed anthocyanins, researchers found they didn't gain weight, even when they were given an otherwise high-fat diet that would typically plump them up.

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Disclaimer: I believe in eating these foods because they're healthy, not to make you skinny as per Newsweek.

Labels: anthocyanins, berries, eating healthy, flavonoids, nutrition, Nuts, protein, weight loss