Archive for September, 2008
Strengthen Your Immune System with Kiwi
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Strengthen Your Immune System with Kiwi
A new study published in the Nutrition Research journal found that gold kiwifruit helps boost your immune system and strengthen your body’s response to infection. The study tested immune responses in mice that were given gold kiwifruit puree, the juice of the fruit, or a sugar solution. After 20 days, the mice who ate the kiwi puree had significantly higher levels of immunoglobulins while the mice that drank juice or the sugar solution had no significant difference in immunity.
Although the researchers were not able to identify a specific ingredient(s) in kiwi that help improve the immune response, they suspect that the high fiber and carotenoid content of the fruit may be responsible.
Previous research has found that the carotenoids lutein and beta-carotene help the body produce antibodies.
With flu season coming up, kiwifruit would be a smart thing to add to your diet. If you don’t like eating it plan, put the whole fruit in a blender and mix with other fruits for a smoothie.
Cook Up Some Easy Greens
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
One of my goals this year was to include more leafy greens into my diet. I love salads and regularly eat lots of romaine lettuce and spinach, but the best greens (kale, swiss chard, turnip greens, etc.) only made it onto my plate if I was dining out and a restaurant offered them. For me, I love greens, but the hard part was figuring out an easy, no fuss way to cook them so they’re tasty but still healthy and nutrient-dense.
After scouring different recipe sites and Food Network shows for ideas, I tried out the following easy technique and I love it!!
Laurel’s Easy Greens
*Add 2-3 tbsp. olive oil to a saute pan on medium heat.
*Chop up 2 large (or 3 small) garlic cloves and add to the pan.
*Allow the garlic to cook/soften for about 1 min. (do not burn).
*Add 3-4 big handfuls of chopped up greens to the pan with 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock.
*Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 min.
*Remove the lid, stir, and cook for 1 min. to allow some liquid to evaporate.
*Season with salt and pepper.
(Serves 2)
As you know, greens are one of the healthiest foods we can put in our bodies. They are oozing with cancer-fighting, age-defying, life-saving goodness. Here’s a few past posts I’ve written on greens and their amazing benefits:
Increase K1, Reduce Inflammation
Did We Forget About Cranberries?
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Did We Forget About Cranberries?
New research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry confirmed that cranberries are packed with antioxidants. The study measured the amount of antioxidants in cranberries and cranberry products, then measured blood samples in people after drinking a cranberry juice drink or another drink without cranberry juice. Not surprisingly, the antioxidant capacity in the blood of people who drank the cranberry cocktail increased over time. Antioxidants dropped in those who had the non-cranberry cocktail.
Study author Professor Joe Vinson from the University of Scranton says that “one serving of cranberries provides more phenolic antioxidants than the average daily consumption of antioxidants from all fruits…Cranberries have the highest antioxidant content among 20 commonly consumed fruits, yet they are underconsumed, ranking 16th in the US.”
I like Vinson’s point that although cranberries are so good for us, they are largely forgotten in American diets. Most people just don’t eat them on a regular basis. But, if you’re looking to change that, here are a few easy ways to add them in:
- * Drink a cup of 100% cranberry juice on your way to work in the morning or add a generous splash to water every time you do a workout.
- * Buy dried or frozen cranberries and add them to bowls of cereal or oatmeal. Dried cranberries are also good in salads.
- * Bake some healthy muffins and add fresh or dried cranberries with other fruits or nuts. I love things you can bake ahead of time and enjoy all week long. Here’s a recipe that looks promising: FitSugar’s Banana Apple Cranberry Muffins.
Fresh Garlic is Where it’s at
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Recent research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that freshly chopped garlic has higher levels of allicin than preserved, chopped garlic that comes in a bottle. Allicin is a key compound in garlic that’s responsible for most of the anti-bacterial benefits. Some other studies have found that allicin in garlic can prevent bacterial infections and food poisoning, blood clots, and cancer.
In this recent study, researchers compared the amount of allicin in fresh garlic with the amounts after storing it for one or two weeks in water, vegetable oil, or alcohol. The garlic stored in water lost about 50% of its allicin content in six days. The garlic in vegetable oil lost 50% of its allicin content in under an hour.
Bottled garlic still has some healthy benefits, but not as much as the fresh kind. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to chop up garlic or has a hard time doing it, try getting a hand-held garlic press or using a food processor. You’ll have fresh garlic in a matter of seconds!
Have Diabetes? Drink Cocoa!
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Natural News reports that diabetics who get a regular dose of cocoa have improved blood vessel function and are less likely to get cardiovascular disease. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the flavanol compounds in cocoa are responsible for these cardiovascular benefits.
In this study from the Australian International Diabetes Institute, researchers conducted two experiments on volunteers with Type II diabetes. The first experiment measured improvements in blood vessel dilation. Ten volunteers drank a cocoa beverage with either 75, 371, or 963 milligrams (mg) of flavanols. Hours after drinking the cocoa, the volunteers had improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (the measure of how well your brachial arteries can relax and dilate). The more flavanols in the cocoa, the better the blood vessel dilation.
In the second experiment, 41 volunteers drank a cocoa beverage three times a day for a month. The cocoa had either 25 or 321 mg of flavanols. The drinks were otherwise very similar in calorie content, nutrient density, and caffeine content. Volunteers who drank the high-flavanol cocoa had 30% better FMD than those who drank the low-flavanol cocoa.
One of the researchers Paul Zimmet said, “While more research is needed, this study shows tremendous potential for future flavanol-based applications.”
Potassium-Rich Foods Preserve Muscle Mass
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Potassium-Rich Foods Preserve Muscle Mass
A recent study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that plant foods high in potassium help preserve muscle mass as people age. In the three-year study of about 400 volunteers ages 65 and over, researchers concluded that volunteers with potassium-rich diets had 3.6 more pounds of lean muscle mass than volunteers with 50% less potassium in their diets. The authors noted that most healthy men and women (65+) lose about 4.4 pounds of lean tissue every ten years.
So, what are the best plant-based food sources of potassium? Try swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, winter/summer squash, cantaloupe, papaya, eggplant, green beans, and asparagus.
Apples Reduce Colon Cancer Risk
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Apples Reduce Colon Cancer Risk
A group of German researchers recently concluded that apples and apple juice can help you avoid colon cancer. In your body, the fruit causes biological mechanisms to produce compounds that have anti-carcinogenic effects in your colon.
The researchers published their findings a few months ago in the journal Nutrition. They believe that apple pectin (a soluble fiber and natural gelling agent) and apple juice extracts increase the level of a compound called butyrate. This compound is a “chemopreventative metabolite that might prevent the occurrence of colorectal cancer.” Butyrate works to decrease histone deacetlyases (HDAC).
So, what does that mean? The smaller amount of HDAC produced, the less growth of precancerous cells and tumors. The lead author of the study, Dr. Dieter Schrenk, M.D., and his team made the following concluding statement, published in Nutrition:
“Apples are a major source of natural fiber and of low molecular weight polyphenols in the Western diet. Pectin-rich apple products can thus be expected to exert anticarginogenic effects in the colon.”
Want a Healthy Brain?
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Researchers at England’s University of Oxford recently concluded that consuming more vitamin B12 in our diets may prevent brain shrinkage and memory loss later in life. In a study of 107 people ages 61-87 (who did not have any brain disorders), those with the highest B12 levels in their blood were six times less likely to have brain shrinkage than those with lower levels of B12.
Study author Anna Vogiatzoglou, M.Sc. said, “this study suggests that simply adjusting our diets to get more vitamin B12 through eating meat, fish, fortified cereals, or milk may be something we can easily accomplish to prevent brain shrinkage and so perhaps save our memory.”
The Oxford study did not measure whether B12 in supplement form would make any difference in brain shrinkage .
Omega-3s and Bone Density
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
Research from Umea University in Sweden found that omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to stronger/denser bones in men. The study found that 22-year-old men with the highest omega-3 levels (especially DHA) in their blood had the highest bone mineral density and greatest bone growth rate in the time between late teens and early twenties.
The authors noted that omega-3s may help bones form through calcium metabolism or collagen formation. The team also said that the bone mineral we store as teens and young adults is a major factor of whether we develop osteoporosis later in life.
Separate animal studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids may add density to bones and promote bone formation. Dr. Chaim Vanek and Dr. William E. Connor from the Oregon Health and Science University said the Swedish study “adds to a growing body of evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial to bone health.”
Some excellent food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are walnuts, salmon, and flaxseeds.
25% of Americans Lacking B6
This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food
A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that 25% of Americans are not getting enough vitamin B6. That’s a big scary number because B6 is essential to many aspects of human health including forming new cells, processing carbohydrates, and supporting the nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems.
What it means is that a ton of Americans aren’t eating enough B6-rich foods like spinach, bell peppers, garlic, cauliflower, yellowfin tuna, salmon, cod, turnip greens, banana, celery, asparagus, broccoli, and avocado.
To help ensure you’re getting all the basic nutrients, most reputable sources recommend taking a daily multivitamin. Yours should have at least 1.3 milligrams of B6 (the RDA). I used to be anti-vitamins because so many of them upset my stomach. But, I’ve found that if I take them with the biggest meal of my day, I feel fine.
You might have to try out different brands before you find one that suits your needs too. My daily vitamins include a multi, DHA fish oil, and a calcium/magnesium. I also take garlic pills any time my immune system needs a boost.
Do you take vitamins? If so, what?
