If someone were to ask you to describe a cucumber using one adjective ‘refreshing’ may be the first word that comes to mind, because after eating a cucumber, one feels cooler and more energetic. Cucumbers may be a simple vegetable, but their health benefits are noteworthy. They’re full of flavonoids, lignans, and triterpenes—phytonutrients that offer anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits. They are an excellent source of vitamin K (helps maintain healthy blood clotting), a very good source of vitamin B5 (helps make red blood cells), and a good source of biotin, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins B1 and...
Nutrient-Rich Spinach Is Tops
When it comes to nutrient-rich produce, spinach is tops. We all know, thanks to Popeye, that spinach is associated with strength. But spinach also offers more health benefits that make this vegetable a must-have for your grocery list. Spinach is rich in minerals and vitamins and health-promoting phytonutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, as well as flavonoids. Researchers have identified more than a dozen different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. And spinach has been associated with decreased risk of several blood vessel-related problems, including atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Spinach also provides bone...
Olive Oil Is Great, but Don
Whether you love black olives, Greek-style olives, Kalamata-style olives, or Spanish-style olives, one thing is for certain, olives offer a lot of health benefits. Olives have been known for their high fat content, but 80-85% of the calories in olives provide almost three-quarters of their fat as oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. It has been shown that when people increased their diets from low levels of monounsaturated fats to diets higher in monounsaturated fats, there was a decrease in blood levels of LDL cholesterol. It’s also been shown that monounsaturated fats found in olives can help to decrease blood...
Food Sensitivities: What They Are
Food sensitives prove that everyone’s bodies react differently to a wide assortment of foods. Food sensitivities are toxic responses to food and are divided into two categories; food allergies and food intolerances. And the difference between the two involves the immune system. Food allergies involve the immune system, and food intolerances do not.
Food Allergies
Food allergies happened when your immune system thinks a certain food or a substance in food is harmful. When that happens, your immune system releases antibodies in order to conquer the food or food substance. And the next time you consume the same food...
The Power of Potassium
Do you know that potassium (a mineral found in almost all foods) plays a powerful role in maintaining health? Potassium is an electrolyte which helps conduct electrical charges in the body. If potassium levels get too high or too low, the heart and nervous system can shut down. Thankfully foods provide our body with enough potassium to meet our basic needs. The highest source of potassium, in foods, can be found in green leafy vegetables. Diets high in potassium are linked to improved blood pressure control, and therapeutic diets that focus on improving blood pressure control often have increasing potassium...
An Apple a Day Is No Joke
“An apple a day…” is no joke. This small fruit offers big health benefits. All it takes is eating one medium apple to count as 1 cup of fruit! Apples offer a good amount of soluble fiber and vitamin C, apples promote weight loss because they satisfy hunger for few calories, and apples have been associated with a lower risk of death from both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. One study showed that frequent apple eaters had the lowest risk of suffering strokes compared to non-apple eaters. Experts attribute the heart-healthy benefits to antioxidant compounds found in apples, which...
Fix Up Your Meals with Flaxseed
Did you know that just two tablespoons of flaxseed contains more than 100% of your recommended daily allowance for heart-healthy fats? And that’s not the only health benefit of flaxseed. Flaxseed is also high in fiber and lignans—a phytonutrients that may help regulate hormone levels. Additional benefits of lignans include:
Antioxidants that help support the immune system
Lowered DHT, which may improve prostate health
Competition with estrogen, which may help menopausal symptoms
Reduced LDL cholesterol levels
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Reduced rate of hair loss
Headache relief
Fights depression
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds daily to...
Make Healthier
You know the ‘mind over matter’ phrase where willpower is used to overcome obstacles? Well, sometimes, we need to put it to use with what we eat. And there’s no better example of mind over matter and food than with pastas made from a spiralizer. A spiralizer is a simple kitchen tool that spiral cuts, shoestrings, and makes ‘noodles’ out of vegetables. And one look at, say, zucchini noodles is enough to encourage the substitution of carb-heavy pastas with a look-alike dish that is healthier. Not to mention how nice it is to not fall into a food coma after...
Brussels Sprouts Matter
Brussels sprouts used to be underappreciated but not anymore. This tiny cabbage-like vegetable complements a wide variety of foods and dishes, including braised beef short ribs, blackened catfish, grilled scallops, and roasted chicken. And then there’s the Thanksgiving menu. From maple-roasted Brussels sprouts to Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon, Brussels sprouts are a holiday favorite. Today, it’s not surprising to hear someone say, out of the blue, “I am craving roasted Brussels sprouts!”
From a nutritional standpoint, Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamins C and K, and they have a fair share of B vitamins, dietary fiber, and minerals....
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
When grocery shopping for healthier food options, don’t dismiss cauliflower. Cauliflower is a part of the plant family that includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, and savoy. And just like its relatives, cauliflower packs a nutritional punch. It is low in carbohydrates and fat and high in dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C. And it contains carotenoids and phytochemicals. This veggie offers antioxidant, cancer-fighting, and heart-healthy benefits.
If you’re one of the people who have only had bad experiences with cauliflower (think overly boiled, mushy cauliflower), you’re in for a treat if you give cauliflower another chance....
