Same Heart-Healthy Benefits As Red Wine

Here is yet another common fruit, used in picnics or as snacks, but usually found more often in the spring and summer. They are small round, sometimes oval berries that have semi-translucent flesh covered by a smooth skin. Some of them contain seeds while others are seedless. The juice from this fruit is highly potent and used in many red wines, helping with heart disease and promoting lung health. This berry also helps with anti-aging and protects the body against food-borne illnesses, as well as being ranked among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity.


The Purple Grape  is commonly used in red wines such as Cabernet, Pinot noir and Merlot, or also commonly used in just purple grape juice. Many people prefer this juice over wine, due to keeping away from alcohol or not liking the taste of wine. It is just as effective to drink grape juice as it is to drink a glass of red wine, but either way each drink is potent with antioxidants.

"Purple Grapes contain beneficial compounds called flavonoids, which are phytonutrients that give the vibrant purple color to grapes, grape juice and red wine; the stronger the color, the higher the concentration of flavonoids."

These flavonoids can protect the body from cardiovascular disease. So then the one glass of red wine a day rumor is true? Exactly! Take a look.

"Grapes and products made from grapes, such as wine and grape juice, may protect the French from their high-fat diets. Diets high in saturated fats like butter and lard, and lifestyle habits like smoking are risk factors for heart disease. Yet, French people with these habits have a lower risk of heart attack than Americans do. One clue that may help explain this "French paradox" is their frequent consumption of grapes and red wines."


Very interesting that the French and Italians have lower risks of heart attack then the Americans, right? This purple berry is packed with fighting antioxidants for our body. It is also said that the purple grapes help with eye problems.

GRAPES AND FREE RADICAL DAMAGE
"A recent study from Greek researchers proves once again that grapes provide an array of protective powers, mainly through their antioxidant abilities. They study, published in Mutagenic Research, showed that extracts from grapes can inhibit the formation of cancer cells by limiting the activity of certain types of free radicals."

Now did you know that this everyday grape could potentially save you from heart disease? If you want to learn more about the benefits of the grape go to http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=40 . Just another hidden example of what nature has to offer.

They Look Like Raisins

Hey there, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Did anyone have canned cranberry's? I tried them out for the first time, and to my surprise, I really liked it. So with the holidays past, it's time to start up again. I know I left off with the ORAC chart, but I will get to that in a later date. So on with the next fruit.

The next beneficial fruit actually comes from another fruit when it is dried...and pretty much look like over sized raisins... Have you guessed it yet?



The Pruneis another one of nature's benefits. Prunes are the core of Plums, and when dried they can contain powerful antioxidants. Really a plum contains very impressive amounts of antioxidants, but when dried into prunes their antioxidants increase up to 600 percent of what it was before.

Did you also know that France is one of the leading countries to produce prunes? California is leading in the U.S for producing dried plums, which is what we call them in the U.S. Just some fun information.

OK, OK. So the Prune contains many vitamins, many of which aren't listed on the nutrition facts panel. When eaten frequently, prunes can contribute to the overall intake of the dietary fiber and many important vitamins, and minerals, which function as antioxidants. A serving of about four or five prunes are packed with 3 full grams of fiber. Half of that is insoluble, which then helps speed food through the digestive tract. The other half is slow moving soluble fiber. This is good for enhancing the feeling of being full, lowering cholesterol and regulating blood-sugar levels. Prunes also help with heart disease and with aging-related conditions.



PRUNES AND OSTEOPOROSIS
"Researchers from Oklahoma State University recently found that prunes may prevent and/or revers bone loss due to menopause. The findings, published in the journal Menopause, suggest that dried plums can actually reverse a particular process of osteoporosis previously thought to be irreversible"

Now I'll be honest I haven't tried a prune yet, but I sure will give it a try now. So go out and get some dried plums, and give them a chance. They provide vitamins and minerals that are valuable to your body and your overall nutrition. Until next time.

Far More than a Thanksgiving Side Dish

Just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays, this tart berry is being more commonly recommended by doctors. Due to the high levels of vitamin C and proanthocyainins, both of which are powerful antioxidants, this berry has been known to help decrease bacterial adherence to the bladder cells. The main benefit from this action, is that bacteria have less likelihood of grouping together to cause bladder infections, urinary track infections and other related conditions.

For Fact, a recent study showed its effectiveness in reducing E. coli bacteria in urine at twice the levels of the placebo, which is a substance containing no medication and prescribed or given to reinforce a patient's expectation to get well.




•The Cranberry is well known for its protective effects on the urinary tract. A 2006 study supports this, by showing that the berry can inhibit the formation and activity of the bacteria that causes urinary infections.

Suggested Health Benefits Cranberries

•Urinary Tract Infections - People often take cranberry supplements to prevent urinary tract infections caused by bacteria. Specifically, the proanthocyanidins found in the cranberry appear to block the adhesive strands on the E. coli bacteria from sticking to a surface, therefore inhibiting their ability to stick to the cell walls of the uterus and bladder.

•Reduction of Dental Plaque - It is also believed that cranberry juice can inhibit the bacteria that cause dental plaque.

•Anti-Cancer Activity - Based on medical evaluation of several vitro screening tests, it has been suggested that the proanthocyanidin compounds found in the cranberry may exhibit some anti-carcinogenic activity.

•Kidney stones - Some medical professionals and specialists believe that the cranberry may also help to prevent the development of kidney stones.


The cranberry also ranks 125 on the ORAC Values of Dried Fruit and Vegetables. I will be bringing this chart up in several future posts. I will also go into detail on what this chart is exactly, and how you can understand what it measures. Until then, have fun with prep work for Thanksgiving and don't forget to add some fruits to your dinner. Bring in the Cranberry and tell everyone the health benefits of eating such a beneficial berry.

Food that Contains No Fat, Sodium, or Cholesterol?

So maybe I caught your attention with a food that has No Fat, or maybe it was that it doesn't have Cholesterol? This common fruit found in most kitchens, is an ideal finger food for youngsters, it is easily digested, rarely causes allergies and contains these natural sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) which are released quickly into the bloodstream, giving instant energy.

The fruit is famous for containing potassium, which is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate blood chemistry, and improves carbohydrate metabolism by helping the muscles act efficiently. Without this potassium, and some sodium, your muscles stop acting correctly. Potassium is also known to prevent the blood's Ph from becoming too acidic. Along with potassium, this fruit is rich in vitamin B6, which helps metabolize more than 60 proteins and also assists in red blood cell production, as well as helps concentration and memory.



•The Banana can give you up to 17% of your Daily Value of Vitamin C, an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, also known as harmful waste products in your body, and helps produce collagen, the building block of the connective tissues, such as tendons and cartilage that keep your knees strong. As well as vitamin C, the banana's magnesium plays a role in energy transport which helps you recover from fatigue.

And it's no secret that the Banana is a popular, healthy breakfast or snack food. The high-fiber fruit contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol, and it's a great source of potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and magnesium. The potassium levels may help to regulate blood pressure and reduce stroke risks, as well as offer quick relief for muscle cramps. It is also known that bananas can help with sleep and nervous system health, as well as blood cell health.

Here are some fun facts about banana's:
•There are more than 300 varieties of bananas bred for cultivation

•The annual global banana output is 86 million tons

•Bananas are the fourth most important staple food in the developing world

•The average American eats 25 lbs. of bananas a year

•Bananas originated in Malaysia

•India remains the top producer of bananas in the world, growing approximately 20 percent of the world's bananas.

•Latin American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Mexico are the second largest producers of bananas, and the main exporters to the United States.

Who knew there was so much to fruit?

What has more Vitamin C then an orange?

You may think that the orange is the most esstential fruit for Vitamin C, but think again. Coming from a bush that grows in the black water rivers of the Amazon, this fruit contains powerful phytochemicals with health benefits, and contains 30 to 60 times more Vitamin C than an orange. It has astringent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, emollient and nutritional properties, and also contains important levels of beta carotene, calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin and thiamin.

Right, well what does all that mean?

It means this fruit can help with mood disorders, depression, immune function, viral and bacterial infection, and it is even at the top of Null's list of plants with medical effectivness against the herpes virus. Ranking second on the list of potency, Camu-Camu has high effectiveness when used as powder, juice, or as solid fruit.

•Camu-Camu, or also known as Mycaria dubia, has purplish red skin with a yellow pulp, and is a native fruit of Peru with a diverse nutritional profile. To us as American's, it is essentially unknown as a fruit, many have never heard about Camu-Camu. However in Japan, Camu-Camu is respected as delicacy, where it is believed to improve mood, fight depression and increase energy levels.



Nutritional Highlights of Camu-Camu - High potassium, flavonoids, C Vitamins, and Amino acids.

•Along with high levels of nutrition, Camu-Camu also helps with antioxidant protection.
Brazil researchers have published findings of a 2005 study showing that Camu-Camu contains several anitoxidant compounds. Many of these antioxidants are linked to reduced risks of a variey of diseases linked to the aging process.

You may not be able to obtain this fruit at your local store yet, but with time this fruit will hit the America's by storm. This is only the second fruit of nature's glorious wonder. Enjoy those fruits!

Nature's Fruits, Who Knew?

For the next nineteen days, I'm going to let everyone in on one of nature's biggest secrets. You may already know what I'm about to introduce, then again you may not. However, I hope you learn something new.

•So then, let's start with the PEAR
- Which is a fruit from to the Rose family. (this includes apples, plums, cherries, apricots, and strawberries) There are over 5,000 varieties of pears in the world, of which you find four or five types at your local grocery store. Pears, after being picked, improve in texture and flavor. Finally, many don't know that France is the leading pear-growing country.

Alright, so I'm sure many of you have heard of the Nashi pear, which is one out of the 5,000 types of pears. The Nashi pear is the cousin of the European pear, or to make it easy the "common" pear, which tends to be eaten more often. This pear is packed with a variety of nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and several polyphenols.

•Polyphenols are antioxidants which can generally be found in fruit skins, where they are most concentrated.



Research suggests that these pears can be used, and are able to help normalize blood sugar levels, boost metabolism, and provide a variety of other health benefits. They can also help Gastrointestinal health and diabetic conditions.

We know our fruits are healthy, but did we have the knowledge that they can help pin point some of our symptoms? Many Americans also don't know that the higher average daily intake of fruits, leads to lower chances of developing cardiovascular disease. So eat you're fruits!