Striving4Zen

Acerola

The next time you've got a cold find yourself some acerolas. Packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants, acerolas, aka Amazon or Barbados cherries, have 40 times more vitamin C than an orange and in a test comparing the antioxidant properties of 11 different fruits, the acerola came out the highest.

Baobab Fruit

The white, powdery pulp of the African baobab tree fruit seems to have it all — vitamin C, iron, calcium (twice as much as milk!), a host of electrolytes, and fiber. And if you're looking for some protein, roast up its seeds.

The baobab fruit was recently approved for export, and though initial use has only been seen in beverages and yogurt, it also works as an excellent thickener for soups and stews.

Maqui Berry

The maqui berry is an antioxidant wunderkind. Grown in Patagonia, it's one of the highest ranking foods on the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) scale, a test that measures the antioxidant potency of foods.

To put that into perspective, maqui juice has an ORAC score of 40,000 and blueberry juice has an ORAC score of 3000. Antioxidants are important for ridding the body in toxins and may even help with weight control.

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is the secret star of the vegan community and it's about to make it big with the masses. The flaky yellow powder is prized by vegans for its cheesy, nutty flavor and variety of uses; but we're giving it superfood status for being full of B12 and folic acid. F

Muscadine Grapes

Muscadine grapes are a little bit larger and thicker than your average grape but they're also a little bit better for you. Full of antioxidants they have anti-inflammatory benefits, are high in fiber and contain resveratrol, which helps in lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease.

Thanks Fit!

Labels: antioxidants, berries, fruit, nutritional yeast, resveratrol, superfoods, vegan, Vitamins

Did you know that grapes contain a nutrient called resveratrol that acts as a powerful antioxidant and has been found to help protect against heart disease and cancer?

Recent studies show that the flavonoids, such as resveratrol, found in grapes, particularly purple and red grapes, have powerful health-promoting properties. Much of this research was motivated by what has come to be known as the French Paradox: the interesting phenomenon of the low incidence of heart disease among the French despite their eating a diet high in fats. Increasing evidence suggests that the flavonoids found in grapes, grape juice and red wine, particularly resveratrol, may be a key to understanding this paradox since these foods are an important part of the French diet. Like calorie restriction, resveratrol activates a number of sirtuins, genes in the SIR (silent information regulator) family, which trigger cell signaling that:

• mobilizes the release of stored fat and its conversion into glucose
• promotes insulin secretion, so glucose is promptly delivered to cells
• boosts the aerobic capacity of the mitochondria (the energy production factories in our cells), so the glucose is efficiently converted into energy
• inactivates p53, a gene that plays a pivotal role in cellular senescence

The net result is a much more youthful metabolism in which fats and carbohydrates are efficiently converted into energy, increasing endurance and resistance to stress, instead of stockpiling and fueling inflammation, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

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Labels: antioxidant, flavonoids, French Paradox, fruit, grapes, healthy diet, healthy food, resveratrol

No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.

But watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.

Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C, rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production and a very good source of vitamin A, notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. Watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals.

In contrast to many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopene has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers now include prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers.

Yummy Watermelon!

Labels: anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, b-vitamins, cancer, carotenoids, fruit, healthy food, lycopene, phytonutrients, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, watermelon

When you dry fruits, you lose more than just water. You also lose nutrients. For example, when it comes to berries, much of their uniqueness is derived from their phytonutrients. Flavonoids like peonidin, petunidin, malvidin, and many others found in berries are susceptible to damage from heat, light, oxygen, and time-since-harvest. While some drying processes are harsher than others, no drying process can leave the phytonutrient content of these berries unchanged.

Since fruits lose water (and therefore volume) during the drying process, their nutrient, calorie, and sugar content become concentrated once they are dried. When you eat a handful of dried fruit, you are consuming more calories than you would if you ate that same amount of fresh fruit.

For example, one-quarter cup of dried apricots contains about 75 calories; for that same amount of calories you could actually enjoy a whole cup of fresh apricots. In contrast to fresh fruits, which I would place in the moderate sugar category, I would classify dried fruits as high-sugar foods (using the apricot example, the one-quarter cup of dried apricots actually contains more sugar-17.4 grams-than the entire one cup of fresh apricots, which contains 14.3 grams.)

The following chart illustrates some examples:

Nutrient	Fresh Apricot Halves	Dried Apricot Halves
Calories	74 (1 cup)	313 (1 cup)
Fiber (g/calorie)	0.04	0.03
Vitamin A (IU/calorie)	40.0	15.0
Beta-carotene (mcg/calorie)	22.9	9.0
Vitamin C (mg/calorie)	0.209	0.004
Potassium	5.4	4.8

The other thing to be aware of with commercially dried fruit is the addition of other ingredients, notably sweeteners. These are added to dried cranberries (and oftentimes other berries) since cranberries are very tart. In this example, I'd suggest looking for dried cranberries sweetened with a natural sweetener such as apple juice concentrate rather than refined sugar or corn syrup.

With the home dehydrating of fruit, however, it's a different story. A home dehydrator does nothing more than blow warm air up through the fresh fruit, and it's not nearly as harsh on the nutrients. The fruit is still "dried" and lasts longer than fresh fruit, but using a home dehydrator is gentler on the fruit than commercial processing. Even though home dehydration is not a bad way to go from an overall nutrient standpoint, it still causes some concern from a sugar and calories standpoint. Sometimes we might end up eating a lot more dehydrated apple slices, for example, than the amount of apple we would have eaten if we had a fresh, organic, whole apple in our hand.

Source

Labels: dehydrating fruit, dried fruit, eating healthy, flavonoids, fruit, nutrition, sugar

Some of us seem to think that we can be healthy by simply eating healthy foods. The truth is, your health is determined by how well you digest the foods that you put into your body. In other words, you might be eating an unprocessed, whole food diet, but if your digestive passageway isn’t effectively breaking these foods down and absorbing nutrients, you are not giving yourself a chance to come close to your best health.

What does this have to do with farting? The amount you fart is one of the best indicators of how well you are digesting your food. Farting is in part due to rotting of incompletely digested foods in your digestive passageway. Farting in itself is actually helpful, as it represents unwanted gas leaving your body. In fact, if you have an urge to fart, be sure to do so. The point is, if you are farting a lot, then you probably have a lot of toxin formation occurring inside your gut from rotting of incompletely digested food, and some of these toxins are entering your blood stream and contributing to the development of long term disease. Farts that do not produce objectionable odor are usually pockets of air that you have swallowed.

So, what can you do to improve your digestion and prevent toxin formation from rotting of undigested food in your gut?

1. Chew your food until liquid. You don’t have teeth anywhere else in your digestive passageway. By chewing your food until liquid, you allow your digestive organs to do their jobs efficiently without the burden of having to break down larger chunks of food. If you don’t remember anything else from this newsletter, please remember this one point. It can make a huge difference in your level of health.

2. Consistently eat whole, unprocessed foods. An apple is better than apple juice. A bowl of oatmeal is better than a power bar. An organic egg is better than any egg substitute. And organic butter is much better than margarine. The closer your foods look like they can be found in a garden, in the wild, or on an organic farm, the greater chance your body has of efficiently digesting them.

3. Avoid foods that experience tells you no matter how well you chew, your body just says no. Based on your genetics and health status, there are foods that your body will digest beautifully, and there are foods that your body simply cannot break down. It’s your job to observe how you feel after each meal to identify these foods. It is important to note that as your health changes over time, your tolerance for different foods may also change, so you don’t need to write off a particular food forever if it isn’t working for you right now.

4. Don’t eat fruit for dessert. Fruits are extremely low in protein compared to all other foods, including vegetables. And all foods that have significant protein must spend about an hour to an hour and a half in your stomach, where the protein is broken down by acid produced by your stomach. If fruit gets caught up in your stomach because there are other foods churning there already, it is possible that some of the fruit will rot, resulting in gas and toxin formation. Try to eat fruit on an empty stomach, or about two hours after a big meal.

5. Take it easy for at least 30 minutes after a big meal. In order for your digestive organs to effectively break down food, they need to receive a large portion of your total blood volume after a big meal. If most of your blood is flowing to your muscles because you are running around, you’re not going to have enough available for your digestive organs to do good work.

Use the amount that you fart as a marker for your digestive strength and the health of your gut. By following the steps outlined above, you should see a dramatic reduction in gas production.

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Labels: digestion, farting, farts, fruit, healthy diet, processed foods, Whole Foods

One big myth is that fruit juice is a healthy part of our diet. Wrong. Drinking a glass of fruit juice a day — which is the equivalent of one soft drink of 110 to 180 calories — has been linked in the U.S., Australia and Spain to increased calorie intake and higher risks of diabetes and heart disease.

Eating a piece of fruit provides vitamins, fiber and, best of all, tends to reduce intake of other food. Most fruit juices are just sugary beverages, providing extra calories — all from refined carbohydrates — without sating appetite. And this is true whether you drink apple or orange juice or one of the fancy new juices like acai berry or pomegranate juice. The added calories can contribute to weight gain and increased risk of both diabetes and heart disease.

A second myth surrounds foods and waters, which are heavily marketed for their antioxidant properties. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is linked with decreased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke and some benefits for various cancers. Some foods, like dark chocolate, which has antioxidants, are also linked in careful scientific research to reduced risk of heart disease.

But none of the antioxidant waters, which are very popular, have shown any health benefits, despite their indirect marketing pitches. Essentially, what one is buying is expensive water with sweeteners and some flavorings and supplements added. However, just as almost all studies of antioxidants provided as supplements have found no benefits, we would not expect to find them added to water to produce any benefits, either.

Source

Barry M. Popkin, an economist and nutrition epidemiologist, directs the Interdisciplinary Center for Obesity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is author of the “The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race.”

Labels: apple juice, beverages, fruit, fruit juice, healthy diet, orange juice, Vitamin Water

Is one type of sweetener better than the other for my body and the way my body processes them?

Your question can be answered in a variety of different ways. First, in terms of overall nutritional quality, it's always better to get your "sweeteners" as part of whole, natural foods rather than separately purchased products that you add to your food.

I realize that many people simply have a "sweet tooth" and are accustomed to sweetening a good number of foods and beverages. However, the routine use of added sweeteners can sometimes detract from the naturally sweet flavors of foods.

Carrots, for example, are a naturally sweet vegetable. They're about 15% sugar in terms of total calories; they contain an array of sugars including sucrose, glucose, and fructose. However, to many people carrots do not taste sweet, and the reason sometimes involves the total amount of sugar to which a person has become accustomed. A large carrot will contain about three-quarters of a teaspoon of sugar at most. If you're accustomed to one to two teaspoons of any added sugar in your coffee or tea, or as an added glaze on an entrée, your carrot may no longer be as enjoyable to you because it may seem non-sweet by comparison.

Second, in the same way that I prefer natural foods as a source of all dietary sugars, I also prefer natural sources of extracted sugar products. For example, agave nectar is a sweetener extracted from the agave plant, and it contains a variety of nutrients that are naturally found in the agave plant. While these nutrients are found in relatively small amounts in agave nectar, this sweetener is still a better nutritional choice because of this natural diversity. Agave nectar is about 70% fructose in terms of its sugar composition. However, this abundance of fructose is not the reason I favor its use as a sweetener for individuals who have decided to use added sweeteners. Agave nectar is more natural and less processed than many other available sweeteners. Table sugar, for example, provides no nutritional variety whatsoever, even though it originates in a natural plant (sugar cane).

Your best choice of sweeteners always involves those sweeteners that are most natural and least processed. This is the reason I like whole, natural foods as the source for sweetness in a Healthiest Way of Eating. However, for individuals wanting added sweeteners, my top choices would be honey and natural nectars, including agave nectar. I strongly recommend the purchase of organic honey, since bees can inadvertently pick up pesticide residues and other potential contaminants while gathering pollens in any pesticide-containing environment. Organic agave nectar would also be my recommended choice for this sweetener. Other sweeteners that I also like are organic maple syrup and organic blackstrap molasses. If you need to use a product that acts like regular sugar, then I would suggest organic evaporated cane juice, since it is less processed than refined sugar and contains more nutrients.

When it comes to dietary sugars, the key to supporting your body's metabolism is moderation. Any dietary sugar can disrupt your body's metabolism if eaten excessively. I don't believe that the research supports intake of any added sugar in large amounts, regardless of its "naturalness" or degree of processing. I also don't believe it makes sense to focus on the exact composition of sugars within a natural food or within a natural, minimally processed sweetener. Different foods have different sugar composition, and I believe that these differences are healthy provided that the foods are organically grown and are consumed as close to their whole, natural condition as possible.

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Labels: agave, artificial sweeteners, eating healthy, fruit, organic, Stevia, vegetables

No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.

Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis.

Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A, notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. Pink watermelon is also a source of the potent carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals. It is also a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium.

Source

Labels: Anti-oxidant, eating healthy, fruit, lycopene, Vitamin A, watermelon

This delectable brilliant orange fruit is juicy, sweet, and tart. Mangoes are high in fiber and a rich source of potassium and vitamins A and C, with only 135 calories for the entire fruit. The center pit makes it a bit tricky to slice up but the extra effort is worth it.

1. Increase your intake of potassium the easy way. Simply slice up a mango and eat.
2. Chop mangoes then toss into salsas or chutneys for a tropical treat on grilled fish.
3. Stock your pantry with mango juice for a quick and nutritious smoothie or refreshing mango-lime spritzer.
4. Put spoon-sliced mangoes on top of pancakes, waffles, French toast, whole-grain cereal, salads, cakes, yogurt, and puddings.

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Labels: eating healthy, fruit, mango, potassium

This tiny, dark, round fruit is about the size of a blueberry (with a large, inedible seed) and tastes like chocolate and wildberries. Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is enjoyed mostly as juice in health drinks and smoothies or dried and mixed with granola. Called a "superfood," acai is rich in anthocyanins (responsible for its royal purple color) and essential fatty acids, both believed to provide many health benefits.


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Labels: acai, berries, fruit, healthy food, superfoods

Labels: fruit, healthy diet, nutrition, pineapple, Vitamins

Fruit juice, though tasty and refreshing, is not as healthy as whole fruit.

When a whole fruit is pressed or squeezed to make juice, some of the nutrients, most notably fiber and the water-soluble vitamins, are lost in the process. While 100% fruit juice is not completely devoid of nutrients, it is undoubtedly less nutrient dense than the whole fruit that it came from.

Orange juice makes a good example of the health difference when you focus on the issue of its pulp. The white pulpy part of the orange is the primary source of its flavonoids. Flavonoids are colorful pigments that support numerous metabolic processes in the body. The juicy orange-colored sections of the orange contain most of its vitamin C. In the body, flavonoids and vitamin C often work together, and support health through their interaction. When the pulpy white part of the orange is removed in the processing of orange juice, the flavonoids in the orange are lost in the process. This loss of flavonoids is one of the many reasons for eating the orange in its whole food form.

Additionally, many fruit juices that are sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit juice, and contain added sweeteners. As a result, it is easy to consume a large amount of calories without getting any actual nutrition when you consume these beverages. Turn over on the back of the jar or bottle, and look over the ingredient list - you may be surprised to see exactly where the fruit itself fits in!

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Labels: flavonoids, fruit, fruit juice, healthy diet, Whole Foods

Labels: fruit, healthy eating, healthy snacks, papain, papaya, Vitamin C

Citrus fruits are consumed not only because of their taste but also because of the beneficial effects they have on the health. There are various health benefits associated with the consumption of citrus fruits, as they are low in fat, free of cholesterol and sodium.

Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C content, acidic content and are good sources of minerals, carbohydrates and fibers. They also contain essential nutrients like calcium, copper, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin and vitamin B6 required for the proper functioning of the body.

Citrus fruits have several medicinal and nutritive properties, which help in treating or fighting against several diseases. Citrus fruits like lemons may help in reducing the pain caused due to bee stings. Some types of citrus fruits may help in reducing the risk of cancers and heart diseases. Orange, which is a rich source of vitamin C can prevent scurvy, caused due to vitamin C deficiency.

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Labels: citrus fruits, fruit, healthy eating, Vitamin C

Labels: Anti-oxidant, fruit, health food, phytonutrients, Pomegranate, superfoods

Avocado: Full of natural fatty acids, protein, Vitamins A and C. Hydrating.
Banana: Vitamins A, B, and C. Soothing and healing.
Blueberry: High in Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) and antioxidants. Revitalizes dull skin.
Egg White: Acts as a tightening agent and is great for oily skin.
Garlic: Purifying and antibacterial properties. Great for acne.
Honey: High in Vitamins C, D, E and B complex. Honey has natural effects on the skin and is known to be an antiseptic salve.
Lemon: Packed with Vitamin C and AHAs. Great for oily skin and acts as a natural skin lightener.
Olive Oil: High in natural fatty acids, hydrates well.
Strawberry: High in AHAs, BHAs, and Vitamin C. A great cleansing astringent for oily skin. Helps to even skin tone.
Sugar: A natural AHA and a great exfoliator.
Tomato: Removes surface impurities, exfoliates, shrinks pores, and regulates skin tone.
Yogurt: It’s enzymes aid in removing dirt and dead skin cells.

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Labels: DIY, fruit, natural products, skincare

Apples are in the peak of their season and are our food of the week. Did you know that, compared to other fruits and vegetables, apples have been found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and type 2 diabetes?
Apples, which contain significant amounts of phenols and other flavonoids that act as powerful antioxidants and help protect against cell-damaging free radicals, were also associated with increased lung function and weight loss. These findings are from a recent review of 85 different studies.
The total antioxidant activity of 100 grams of whole apple (with peel) was found to be equivalent to the antioxidant effect of about 1,500 mg of vitamin C! Most of apples' antioxidant protection, however, does not come not from vitamin C (100 g of apples contains only about 5.7 mg of vitamin C), but from their rich supply of phytonutrients.

Labels: Apple, fruit, health food

Berries, citrus and stone fruit have long hogged the media spotlight. These glamorous fruits are praised for their colour, antioxidant content and flavour. However, we seem to have forgotten, the humble apple is also a nutritional wonder. Along with a bit of vitamin C, apples are packed full of antioxidant phytochemicals - particularly if you eat the skin.
While consumers might be turning off apples, researchers have long been a little apple crazy, as highlighted by two recent studies:
Research published in the journal Thorax has suggested eating apples when pregnant may protect your baby from asthma.
While quercetin, an antioxidant found in apples, may protect against illness after intensive exercise or other activity (source) - although you would need to eat about 100 apples to get the right dose of quercetin.
It's all a good reminder that like clothes and music, "healthy foods" go through fads and fashions. When one food is trumpeted as the latest and greatest, remember there are always many, many others that are good for you as well.
Even apples have had their moment of diet-craze, however a healthy diet is all about balance and variety.
Food fashions and crazes can be interesting to follow, but don't let them turn you away from more modest foods, like the apple.

Labels: Apple, fruit, health food, quercetin