Health – Juice Health Benefits & Recipes

13 Aug

Chili Peppers – Hot&Healthy Cancer Cell Killers

The history of the chili pepper goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence of homegrown chili peppers from over 6000 years ago. They were first cultivated in Central and South America but Christopher Columbus discovered them and introduced them to Europe. He called them peppers because they had a spicy, hot taste just like the black and white pepper that was a the time known in Europe. The chili pepper later spread throughout Asia where it became very popular as a spice for their ethnic cuisine. Chili peppers quickly became popular because they were thought to have the same pungency as black peppercorns which were expensive.

Peppers are broken down into three groupings, the bell peppers, hot peppers, and sweet peppers. Chili peppers fall under hot peppers and some of their more popular varieties are:

Habanaro – small yellow or red pepper that has a high heat rating
Jalapeno – very popular when it comes to Mexican food, has various heat levels
Thai Pepper – small red peppers that are quite spicy
Serrano – smaller green ones with medium heat
and many many more…

Jalapeno peppers

Chili Peppers = Super Food?

You usually think hot, spicy, Mexican,etc when talking about chili but super food? What makes chili peppers a super food? Well, mostly capsaicin. The intensity of the chili pepper is controlled by natural chemicals called capsaicinoids and they are responsible for the heat and burn of the peppers. Apart from the burning capsaicin peppers also include other nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene and other potent antioxidants and they low in fat, calories, and in cholesterol.

So what are the benefits of eating hot chili peppers?

Health Benefits

Enjoying Chili Peppers

Peppers are an important part of many ethnic cuisines either fresh from picking or dried to preserve them for longer periods of time. They can be used whole, sliced, diced, sautéed, or fried and even ground into a paste. The chili pepper is also a favorite ingredient in curry dishes, chipotle is made from the jalapeno pepper…They are also often used to make hot sauce which is then added to many different dishes including chili soup, pizza and many other dishes that taste better with more spice. So getting enough chilies is not a problem. What about the benefits?

Health Benefits of Chili Peppers

We have blamed capsaicin for the hotness of the peppers but there are other effects that this substance can give us apart from burned mouth. Capsaicin is an effective ingredient in the management of pain. It disables the part of the nervous system that allows us to feel pain. Obviously not all pains but capsaicin containing cream it can help with pain from:

arthritis (joint and muscle pains),
neuropathy (damage to nerves),
headaches,
pain from a mastectomy (breast removal) and amputations,
pain resulting from shingles (painful skin rash),
etc..

But the benefits don’t stop here. Capsaicin is also a natural anti-inflammatory and helps improve circulation. They are investigating if it can stop a heart attack and be used instead of Novocain for dental work.

Chili peppers can also clean and purify your blood and get rid of mucus and toxins. This way your blood can transport more oxygen.

Being hot and all you would think that spicy chili peppers are bad for your stomach. But quite the contrary is true – they can help fight off ulcers!

Then there is cancer – capsaicin destroys mitochondria in cancer cells and causes cell death but as said only in cancer cells, healthy cells are unharmed. Spicy foods kills cancer cells! A Nottingham University study confirmed that.

Capsaicin also reduces high blood pressure and improves your your metabolism.

And finally – it can also serve as an alternative to Botox.

Dried chili peppers

A Simple Recipe Using Chili Peppers

There are loads of hot recipes out there, even whole cuisines are considered spicy. Here is a simple holiday recipe for a tasty, spicy appetizer.

Spicy Version

Split hot peppers in half. Stuff with mixture of tuna, cream cheese and spices to taste.

Mild Version

Section whole green peppers and use the same stuffing you use with hot peppers.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 Package cream cheese (whipped)

1 Small can of Tuna

Season to taste.

Any left over filling is great on crackers!

25 Jul

Chlorella: A Superfood With Endless Potential

What is Chlorella?

chlorella algae

Chlorella is a type of single-celled algae that contains the largest amount of chlorophyll of any plant on Earth. It grows in fresh water and is capable of quickly multiplying itself using a process that requires only sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and minerals. Scientists believe that Chlorella has been around for over 2 billion years, thanks to its simple and easy to sustain life pattern. The name “chlorella” is derived from the Greek words “ella” and “chloros,” which together mean “small green.”

Why is Chlorella Considered a Superfood?

Chlorella contains all of the amino acids required by the body, as well as a good amount of essential fatty acids and other nutrients. The vitamins and minerals that can be found in chlorella are folic acid, calcium, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, phosphorous, and many more. On top of all this, chlorella also contains a special phytonutrient called Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF). CGF is what allows chlorella to reproduce itself at such a rapid rate, and it is also demonstrating the potential to revitalize cells within the human body. Researchers are discovering that CGF may be able to help the body remove impurities and enhance the strength of the cells.

What Else Can Chlorella Do For The Human Body?

Aside from the obvious good things that come from ingesting any nutrient-dense food, Chlorella can help the body in a number of other ways. In Asian countries, Chlorella has been used as an energy-booster for many centuries, but it is only now being discovered that it can help to lower cholesterol. In a Japanese study, 16 high-cholesterol patients were given 20 chlorella tablets a day for twelve weeks. At the end of the study, all of the patients experienced a drop in their cholesterol levels. Chlorella may also be capable of promoting healthy blood pressure and more relaxed arteries.

Another way that chlorella can help the human body is by encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria within the digestive system. Unhealthy gut flora can contribute to a number of diseases, including ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, food sensitivities, depression and a poor immune system. Chlorella can help by stimulating the growth of lacto-bacilli, a type of bacteria necessary for properly functioning intestines.

Perhaps most importantly, chlorella has the potential to help cancer patients, especially those who are undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. The nutrients in chlorella can possibly protect white blood cells from chemotherapy-induced problems and sooth the lining of the stomach, which can sometimes become damaged during cancer treatment. It can also aid digestion, guard against DNA damage due to radiation treatment, reduce the unpleasant side-effects of chemotherapy and even help the tissues in the body to repair faster, something that cancer patients desperately need.

What is The Best Way to Take Chlorella Daily?

There are a number of exciting and fun ways that you can introduce chlorella into your diet. The common form of chlorella is powder. You can try adding this powder to salad dressings, sprinkling it on top of a freshly cooked stir fry, mixing it into mashed potatoes or scrambling it with your morning eggs. For an even simpler approach, consider starting your day with a green chlorella smoothie. A banana, a few slices of pineapple, a handful of your favorite berries and a heaping spoonful of chlorella powder will blend into a delicious and nutritious dark green health shake that will be sure to give you energy throughout your work day.

Chlorella powder on a spoon

Even though you use the powder in small amounts it can give a bit of taste to the foods so if you don’t like that consider taking chlorella in tablet form. 2-4 tablets a day in a morning with some water and you are ready to go..no taste, no fuss.

27 Jun

Coconut And The Healthiest Oil on Earth

Coconut is one of the more famous fruits. A palm tree a few coconuts and you are already transported to an exotic sandy beach with clear blue water. But coconut is also a nutritious source of meat, juice and milk for many cultures around the world and on top of that it provides many health benefits. But first a few interesting facts…

Things You Did Not Know About Coconuts

The word coconut comes from the term “cocos nucifera.” Coco means “monkey face,” and refers to the three eyes or depressions on the hairy nut which resemble the head of a monkey. Nucifera means “nut-bearing.”

Monkey face

The coconut grows on coconut palm trees in coastal beach areas near the equator including Brazil, New Guinea, Thailand, Hawaii, the Philippines, and many other countries. They are grown in more than 80 countries around the world.

Even though it is called a “coconut,” the coconut is not a nut, it is a drupe, which is a fleshy fruit enclosing a hard-shelled stone or seed and is composed of an outer, middle, and inner layer, while a nut is a dry fruit consisting of a kernel or seed enclosed in a woody shell.

After a coconut palm tree has been planted, it takes seven years before it will produce coconuts.

Approximately one-third of the world’s population is dependent on the coconut in some degree for their food and economy.

The coconut has been used as part of traditional and folk medicine by people around the globe for thousands of years. It has been used in traditional medicine to treat: asthma, bronchitis, colds, constipation, coughs, flu, gonorrhea, pneumonia, sore throat, tuberculosis, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, wounds, and several other maladies.

In the Pacific Islands, the coconut palm tree is called the “Tree of Life” because it holds so much value as a source of both food and medicine.

In Thailand and Malaysia, schools exist to train pig-tailed macaques (monkeys) to harvest coconuts. There are even annual competitions held to find the fastest harvester.

In Maldives, the coconut is the national tree and considered to be the most important plant in the country. The country’s national emblem and coat of arms features the coconut tree.

Coconut, a super food?

Hard shell & soft white meat.

Coconut oil is called “the healthiest oil on earth” because it contains lauric acid. The lauric acid is converted by the body into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoal properties. Thus, the coconut is very effective in supporting the immune system.

Coconut also contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which are a healthy form of fat. It is believed that coconut is “nature’s richest source of MCTs.” Even though these MCTs are a form of saturated fat, they are easily digestible, which makes them ideal for people with problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis.

It is also believed that these MCTs may boost the levels of thyroid hormones, which are essential to metabolism, converting calories quickly into energy, burning fat more effectively, and increasing energy levels.

Coconut oil is also thought to have the ability to slow down the effects of Alzehimer’s disease. This is due to the fact that it contains saturated fat, which provides the brain with ketones, an alternate energy source. Ketones are high energy fuels that nourish the brain. After consumption of coconut oil, the medium chain fatty acids (MCTs) are converted by the liver into these ketones.

Health benefits of the coconut

It improves heart health.
It supports the immune system.
It protects against cancers, HIV and other infections.
It aids with upper and lower GI tract problems.
It strengthens the liver.
It reduces the incidence of epileptic seizures.
It eases neuropathies and itching from diabetes.
It deals with symptoms connected with prostate enlargement.
It promotes bone health.
It prevents osteoporosis and reduces joint and muscle inflammation.
It increases metabolism.
It helps treat diabetes.
It improves cholesterol level.
It may slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s.

Other benefits

Nutritional source of quick energy
Excellent hair conditioner and offers dandruff relief
Superb skin conditioner
Protects the skin from the sun
Anti-aging moisturizer
Coconut water has more potassium than most fruit juices, with enough potassium to aid in the correction of blood pressure-boosting effects of sodium
Coconut water is healthier than fruit juice with half the calories
Helps to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease
Prevents wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin

How Much Coconut Oil A Day?

An adult should consume around 3 1/2 tbsp. of coconut oil daily. If you’re not used to having coconut in your diet, you should start out with a lesser amount to see how your body reacts. There are no known side effects, but if you’re used to a diet that’s low in fat, you might have diarrhea as an adverse reaction. Therefore, it’s best to spread the recommended amount over the course of a day gradually to see how it affects you. If you’re pregnant and used to a low-fat diet, it’s recommended that you not add coconut oil to your diet.

Coconut Fruit Smoothie

Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1 cup coconut milk or regular whole milk
1/2-1 whole banana
1/4 cup frozen fruit: berries, peaches, etc.
2 tablespoons fresh ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons fresh ground nuts: almonds, pecans, etc
1 tablespoon dry coconut (flakes, etc.)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Place all ingredients except coconut oil in blender and blend. Slowly pour coconut oil into blender while blending. Blend until smooth and serve.

21 Jan

Green Tea – Top 5 Health Benefits And Tea Quality Guide For Dummies

Green tea has become quite popular these days. In some countries there is a long tradition of drinking it but in others the tea drinking trend has only surfaced in the recent years. With gaining popularity green tea has made its way into supermarkets and health food stores around the world not only simply as tea but also as an ingredient in other foods and products. Everyone is looking for a way to look younger and to counteract some of their less healthy habits and green tea promises just that. How can it do that? Here you will find top 5 benefits of using it, how to tell the top notch green tea from a low quality one and a few preparation ideas. But first – a little history.

Where Does Green Tea Come From?

Green tea was originally grown and cultivated in ancient China. Neighboring Asian countries picked up this habit and today also use different varieties of green tea on a regular basis. The tea plant itself is known as Camellia Sinensis. The trick to making green tea is the amount of oxidization. Leaves can be dried differently to produce many different types of tea but when the least oxidization is used we get green tea. You could say that green tea is the most natural tea of them all (check this article if you want to learn more about this).

The effects of it have been noticed and studies a long time ago. For instance – Zen priest Eisai wrote The Kissa Yojoki which can be translated as as Book of tea in 1191. This book discusses the positive impact that green tea has the bodies’ organs. Asians used it for easing the after effects of liquor, better brain function, and to prevent urinary problems.

Ancient Asians relied on green tea for easing the after effects of liquor, better brain function, and to prevent urinary problems.

Why Is It A Super Food?

Green tea is considered a super food because it is packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. These give it life extending capabilities. A study done in May 2006 by the Yale University studied people that drink a liter and half of green tea each day. Now we all know that smoking is bad for your health. A funny thing that this study discovered is that people in Asian countries who smoke and consume several cups of green tea a day at the same time have minimal rates of cancer and heart disease. People that smoke back here in the west have much higher rates of these diseases.

So, what are the top 5 benefits of green tea:

Green tea drinkers can benefit from a decreased risk of heart disease,
better artery function,
blockage of bad cholesterol,
and improved good cholesterol levels.
Switching from sodas or highly sweetened drinks to green tea is good way to lose weight. The tea has the ability to increase metabolism and block the absorption of sugar which makes the process even easier.

Green tea drinkers can benefit from a decreased risk from problems caused by heart disease, better artery function, blockage of bad cholesterol, and improved good cholesterol levels.

Other Uses

It’s not only good when you drink it, there are other uses for green tea – you can also use it externally. For instance you can use tea bags to remove puffiness around the eyes and to exfoliate dead skin off the face. Several salons and spas have entire product lines that are made with green tea as the primary ingredient.

A Few Tips For Green Tea Drinkers

Many companies have concentrated formulas of green tea sold in capsule or liquid form for those that are looking to burn fat as part of a weight loss regimen. But I cant really see the point in that. You can just drink tea everyday and you will be fine. Here are a few tips for all the enthusiastic new green tea drinkers:

If you are trying to lose weight and can not drop the sweet taste completely (I drink unsweetened tea all the time and its all good) try using stevia instead of regular sugar. Stevia is an example of a sweetener that is natural and does not have negative side effects that are associated with chemical based sweeteners. Or use honey. And try to use less and less of it, you will get used to the less sweet taste.
Make a gallon of green tea and drink it all the time. If you want to improve the taste of the tea, place cut lemons or other fruit into the tea while it cools down. This way you can add flavor to it.
Since green tea bags are tiny you can have them with you all the time and use them to make a quick hot beverage. There are many places to get a cup of hot water for free. Drop the tea bag in it and you are set.
On the other hand, almost every place you go now serves green tea. Just remember to order it.

Making green is not exactly rocket science, but still here is a nice video that explains how to prepare it. Things to remember:

don’t use boiling hot water, water should be around 180F/80C
use the best tea possible (video mentions 1st, 2nd and 3rd cut, a bit more on that and tea quality later)
wait 3-5minutes.

The Tea Quality – What Makes The Best Green Tea Out There?

First cut tea, second cut tea, third cut tea

Tea grows in places that allow the tea leaves to be picked many times during the season. But the ones that are picked during the first harvest are always the best. And are therefore called 1st cut. One picked next are called 2nd cut and so on. The first cut tea leaves are the tenderest and have the highest levels of theanine, caffeine, antioxidants and aromatics oils.

Number of leaves harvested

How many leaves are plucked from the top? Less leaves make tea more expensive but the leaves at the end are the tenderest. You can pluck just the bud, bud and one leaf, bud + 2 leaves, bud + 3 leaves etc…with each additional leaf the concentration levels of theanine and antioxidants decreases.

Tea leaves state

The less destroyed and crumbled the leaves are the better.

How fresh are the leaves

Fresh, this years tea is of course better than one that is a few years old.

As you see the can be quite a difference between green teas. On one hand you can have freshly picked first cut top leaves and on the other hand you can have 3rd cut leaves, crumbled and mixed with black tea that are 2 years old, sitting on the shelves of supermarkets worldwide. They will all do you good but there is quite a difference between the first and the second option. This explains different prices when it comes to green tea.

Sooo…now what? Start drinking green tea! Try replacing coffee with green tea for starters. By drinking it daily we are constantly providing our bodies with antioxidants so try to make it a habit!

20 Jan

Hemp Seeds, Discover the Hidden Benefits of this Nutritional Powerhouse

Hemp seeds are a plant-based protein source that provides many essential nutrients in a small, nutty-tasting package. Though many people are still confused about plant proteins, food-grade hemp has become more mainstream in recent years. Both individuals and food manufacturers are beginning to recognize the benefits of this nutritional powerhouse.

Hemp Facts

Hemp is a fast-growing, highly renewable plant that is grown around the world for a variety of uses. Though often associated with drugs, most hemp is very low in THC, making it suitable for use as a food. Many countries including Spain, France, the UK and China grow hemp legally for this purpose as well as for fiber production. One of the earliest cultivated plants, hemp was even grown by the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.

Hemp contains all 21 known amino acids, including the 9 that the human body needs to build proteins, making it a “complete” protein source.

Over the last several years, hemp has grown in popularity as a food ingredient. This is likely due to its nutritional profile. Vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists have shown particular interest in hemp seeds and other hemp-based foods as sources of important nutrients that are otherwise obtained from animal sources.

A Nutritional Superfood

Hemp contains all 21 known amino acids, including the 9 that the human body needs to build proteins, making it a “complete” protein source. Hemp is also an excellent source of essential fatty acids (EFAs)—the omega-3 and omega-6 fats that your body needs to function properly. Steriadonic acid (SDA) and gamma linolenic acid (GMA) help the body make use of these, promoting an anti-inflammatory environment and helping to control metabolism, hormonal symptoms and LDL cholesterol levels.

Hemp contains a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which is considered the optimal ratio for human health. In addition, the forms of SDA and GMA found in hemp are delivered as direct metabolites, meaning that the body doesn’t have to convert the fats from one type to another before using them.

Antioxidant vitamin E appears naturally in hemp along with minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc and phosphorus. Hemp is low in saturated fat when compared with the typical American diet and contains no cholesterol. These properties help you maintain a good balance between unsaturated and saturated fats in your diet while delivering nutrients that your body needs.

Though often associated with drugs, most hemp is very low in THC, making it suitable for use as a food.

Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds

Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, hemp seeds can do a lot to benefit your health. They’re also a good source of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals in the body that can cause cell damage. Phytonutrients are known for being protective against disease. Together the nutritional elements of hemp seeds work to improve your skin, strengthen your immune system, help nerve function, support brain and heart health and even boost energy levels. Best of all, hemp has no known allergens. A study made in Spain also confirmed that hemp oil can help curing cancer, if you want to read more about that click here.

How to Eat Hemp

There are many delicious ways to enjoy hemp seeds, the simplest being to incorporate them into foods that you already eat. Hemp seeds are light in flavor, so you can sprinkle them on your morning oatmeal or your after-dinner salad without much of a change in taste. You can also bake hemp seeds into your favorite breads and muffins to add nutritional value.

The recommended intake of hemp seeds is 2-4 tablespoons daily. However, the health benefits aren’t limited to just the seeds. Many hemp foods including non-dairy hemp milk, hemp seed butter, hemp oil and hemp protein powders are available at health food stores and online. Hemp is even beginning to appear in cereals, trail mixes and sprouted breads.

Here Ani will show you how to make a Hemp Protein Shake that’s great for post workout using hemp protein powder and hemp seeds:

With hemp seeds, it’s easy to add superfoods to your daily diet. Whether you sprinkle them on cereal, blend them into a smoothie or mix them into your favorite muffin batter, these super little seeds will bring you a boost of the nutrients you need from a 100 percent plant-based source.

19 Jan

Superfood: Low fat or Fat-free Yogurt? Really?

With the many health and fitness trends circulating these days, it’s easy for most of us to become overwhelmed. If you’ve been struggling to sort through the minefield of diet and exercise fads, one of the easiest and steadfast rules to apply to your daily life is this—eat less, eat clean and move more. “Cleaning” your diet refers to eliminating over processed, over salted, high fat foods and focusing more on including whole, natural foods that are not devoid of their nutrients due to the processing phase. One of the simplest and most enjoyable selections is probably already in your fridge—low fat or fat-free yogurt.

Even an Ordinary Yogurt has History

Discovery of yogurt was a very happy accident, the result of storing milk products in warmer climates and using rather primitive methods dating as far back as the Neolithic societies of Central Asia.

It’s widely known that the discovery of yogurt was a very happy accident, the result of storing milk products in warmer climates and using rather primitive methods dating as far back as the Neolithic societies of Central Asia. This particular group of people was known as herdsmen who used animal stomachs to carry the milk product from their livestock. Such methods of transportation encouraged a curdling of the milk, thus resulting in a very early form of yogurt. The process of fermenting dairy products of course evolved throughout the centuries with each society progressing the practice of creating various types of this beloved treat. In the twentieth century, Isaac Carasso of Barcelona was the first known individual to industrialize the manufacturing and production of commercial yogurt. You might be familiar with the modern day company Danone. Back in 1919, Carasso’s yogurt brand was called “Danone”, named for his son Daniel and today is recognized across the globe as one of the most familiar yogurt brands available.

Superfood

Long considered a power-packed food, the good bacteria cultures of low fat and non-fat yogurt serve as a boost to your immune system. These amazing little cultures work to stimulate your own white cells that serve to help ward off many common viruses and infections. For those of us watching our weight, yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt, contains an excellent source of protein. Adding a few extra grams of protein to your diet helps aids in the creation and preservation of lean muscle mass as well as keeping those pesky mid-afternoon snacking urges at bay.

Health Benefits

Yogurt carries high amounts of probiotics, the live bacteria cultures known for improving intestinal health and reducing the chances of developing many forms of colon disease.

Many people shy away from yogurt due to an inability to digest lactose, however this amazing superfood can actually aid such aliments due to it’s high levels of lactase, the enzyme needed to breakdown lactose in the body. Yogurt carries high amounts of probiotics, the live bacteria cultures known for improving intestinal health and reducing the chances of developing many forms of colon disease. Women can specifically benefit from adding a cup or two of yogurt to their food intake. The live-active cultures found in yogurt are known to effectively decrease the risk of developing yeast infections as well as adding some much needed calcium to the diet.

Best Way to Enjoy

Yogurt is an incredibly diverse food and can be folded into a wide array of recipes including curries, traditional Greek dishes, grilling sauces and marinades. However, sometimes simple is best. The quickest way to enjoy this lively little food is to scoop out a cup of non-fat or low-fat yogurt, preferably non-sweetened, and add a teaspoon of delicious low-glycemic Agave nectar. Throw on a few blueberries for antioxidents and you have a protein-packed snack. For a complete breakfast, pair a half of a cup of yogurt and your teaspoon of Agave nectar as a side to a cup of steel-cut organic oats.

A quick note, those little containers you may have plucked from the grocers can be sneaky. Most commercially available yogurts contain high amounts of processed sugars, meaning that they have refined sugars added to the natural amount of sugar found in dairy products. While the notion of fruit swirled into your yogurt is appealing, it can also mean adding many additional calories to your daily limit. Be smart and always opt for yogurt without artificial flavorings. This is your chance to be creative, add your own fresh fruit or natural, plant-based sweeter to liven up this amazing superfood.

Here is a video how to make a quick snack from Greek Yogurt. If you want to make it healthier skip sugar and use oats for cereal. Enjoy!

18 Jan

Maca, Energy Boost From Peruvian Andes That You Can Not Miss

General Information

If you follow the latest health and nutrition news, you’ve no doubt heard of the many nutrient-rich superfoods and their benefits. A starchy Peruvian tuber, maca commonly ranks near the top of most superfood lists. Read on to learn more about this amazing supplement.

The hardy maca plant (Lepidium meyenii) thrives high in the Peruvian Andes Mountains in poor soil and extreme weather. The Incas domesticated maca approximately 2,000 years ago and began cultivating this plant for its many nutritional and medicinal benefits. A root vegetable like the potato, maca resembles a turnip or beet root. Ancient mountain dwellers commonly ate boiled maca to maintain overall health, and Inca warriors ingested it to boost their energy for sports and battle. In addition, due to its fertility-enhancing properties, ancient shamans employed maca in fertility ceremonies. Spanish settlers in Peru first documented the Incas’ use of maca in the 16th century. In recent decades, cultivation of this superfood in Peru has greatly increased to meet a growing demand worldwide. Nowadays, you can buy maca in most health-food stores.

Due to its fertility-enhancing properties, ancient shamans employed maca in fertility ceremonies.

What Makes Maca a Superfood?

Maca abounds with antioxidants, minerals, B-vitamins, amino acids, beneficial fats, fiber and enzymes and boasts 60 micronutrients. In addition, maca is an adaptogen, a substance that works best when taken regularly in small amounts over time as a tonic; an adaptogen balances, supports and enhances the functioning of multiple body systems, treating all systems that need balancing. Maca especially benefits the endocrine system, including the pituitary and adrenal glands and the hypothalamus. Balancing these primary endocrine glands in turn balances the testes, ovaries and pancreas. Maca also supports the immune, circulatory, digestive and nervous systems. A multivitamin in itself, maca has earned a reputation as a superfood.

9 Health Benefits

Not surprisingly, maca offers numerous health benefits:

For athletes, maca boosts stamina, endurance and energy.
In addition, maca’s natural plant sterols increase muscle strength and mass; bodybuilders can employ this superfood in place of anabolic steroids.
Furthermore, maca improves fertility and sexual functioning and increases libido, earning this superfood the nickname “Peruvian ginseng.”
Since it balances male and female sex hormones, maca also treats PMS and menopause symptoms as well as erectile dysfunction.
This superfood also counteracts fatigue and stress,
enhances memory,
and boosts mental and emotional health.
Finally, maca relieves stiff joints in arthritis sufferers and
fights respiratory disorders and cancer.

You can find a few more benefits here, here, here and here.

Incorporating Maca Into Your Diet

Today, the most common way to use maca is by using maca powder.

Traditionally, Peruvians eat boiled maca as a food, but, in many parts of the world, you can only find maca in powdered, extract, or pill form. Some maca powders contain added spices for additional flavor. Some health-food stores also carry teas, nut butters and other products containing maca. You can incorporate maca into your diet by adding it to shakes, juices, smoothies or recipes for raw cookies, ice creams and other desserts.

For standardized maca extract, the commonly recommended dosage is 300 mg three times daily. Since maca pills, extracts and powders are far more concentrated than the boiled roots, many nutritionists recommend using them sparingly. One teaspoon per day of maca powder taken regularly over time provides an excellent tonic for the body’s systems without the risk of overconsuming this powerful supplement. Oh – and when using maca you will notice a difference in the smell of your pee. It’s normal.

Maca Smoothie Recipe

The following smoothie recipe incorporates maca root and makes a healthy, energy-boosting snack. To prepare this drink, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend them together for one minute or longer, depending on your blender’s power. Serve this delicious smoothie in a tall glass.

Energizing Chocolate Smoothie

1 cup hazelnut or almond milk
¼ cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons chopped dinosaur kale
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
2 teaspoons raw cacao nibs
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
½ teaspoon bee pollen
½ teaspoon powered maca root
4 ice cubes

And another one, this time as usual with video instructions. For this one you will need:

1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp maca powder
1 banana
1 cup dates
Hemp milk to taste

Apart from maca this smoothie has load of other “good for you” ingredients. Enjoy!

14 Jan

Parsley – Herb,Spice,Vegetable and Medicinal Plant, 10 Reasons Not To Miss It

What Is Parsley?

You’re probably most familiar with parsley as that swig of green on top of your favorite casserole. If you’re only using parsley as a garnish, though, you’re selling this versatile herb short. Parsley can be used as an herb, a spice, a vegetable and a medicinal plant.

Parsley belongs to the family Apiaceae, and is related to such other culinary herbs as dill, fennel, cumin, caraway and anise. There are three varieties of parsley:

• Curly parsley, sometimes called French parsley, which has a slightly bitter taste, and is mostly grown as an ornamental.

• Flat leaf parsley, or Italian parsley, which is the herb most often used in cooking.

• Hamburg parsley, which is grown for its root and is a common ingredient in Eastern European cuisines.

Parsley is chock full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin K, several B vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and iodine. Parsley has more vitamin C per gram than most citrus fruits, with 166mg per 100g (4oz), which is three times as much as an orange. Parsley also contains more beta-carotene than a large carrot.

Parsley has been used to help relieve menstrual cramps as far back as the Middle Ages.

Why Is It a Superfood?

Parsley has been elevated to the pantheon of superfoods because it’s packed with nutrients that team up in synergistic ways. Parsley’s B vitamins work together to revitalize your nervous system functions, which makes the herb a great stress reducer. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, essential to over 300 bodily functions.

Since the times of the ancient Greeks, parsley has been used as a digestive aid.

Parsley, the Stress Reducer and Other Health Benefits

Parsley can be used to maintain health and to combat specific illnesses.

Parsley is one of the best breath fresheners around, instantly ridding your mouth of unwelcome memories of that garlic pizza you had for lunch.
The Vitamin C in parsley boosts your immune system, safeguarding against colds and other types of infection.
Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, which means parsley can reduce the pain and joint stiffness associated with arthritis.
Vitamin C also assists with calcium absorption, which means parsley promotes bone and tooth health.
Parsley is a natural diuretic that can help prevent water retention and bloating. It flushes out the kidneys by stimulating urination. It can also help heal bladder and urinary tract infections.
Parsley has been used to help relieve menstrual cramps as far back as the Middle Ages. The secret ingredient? An essential oil called apiol that is still a widely used folk medicine to treat amenorrea. In fact, pregnant women should not eat parsley because it can induce miscarriage.
Since the times of the ancient Greeks, parsley has been used as a digestive aid. Though no scientific evidence has yet confirmed these results, parsley has been used for centuries to eliminate excess gas and stimulate bowel movements.
Parsley contains flavonoids, and flavonoids have anticarcinogenic properties.
Parsley also contains an essential oil called myristicin, which has been found to inhibit tumor growth in animal studies.
Parsley contains large quantities of the B vitamin folic acid, an essential nutrient that slows the arterial wall thickening characteristic of atherosclerosis. Folate also reduces levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that increases the risk of heart attacks, blood clots and strokes.

As most herb, fruit and vegetables, parsley is best used fresh.

How To Take Parsley

When used for medicinal purposes, parsley is most often juiced. Alternative health care practitioners recommend drinking no more than two ounces of parsley juice every day.

Parsley tea can also be brewed from either the fresh or dried herb. The recommended serving is six ounces a day.

Parsley is also available in supplement capsule form. The safest supplements are those made from dried parsley. Refer to the label for dosing information.

The ingestion of parsley oil is controversial. While some sources say it promotes optimal health, other sources point out that the active ingredients in parsley oil, myristicin and apiol, can be toxic to the liver and are a known abortifacient. Individuals taking diuretics, blood thinning medications and lithium are cautioned to avoid taking parsley in large amounts as a health supplement, though small amounts in food carry no risks.

Here is a cool recipe for making parsley juice. Since parsley has a very strong taste it is usually added to other juices. This one teaches you how to make carrot, apple and parsley juice (don’t mind the scary music :) ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOfsTL2PKxc

13 Jan

Bee Propolis, a Multipurpose Natural Medicine

Propolis is the main substance used as the sustainability of a bee hive by its worker bees. It is a sticky resin secreted by the breaking down of resins that the worker bees collect on daily outings. As the worker bees collect the resin from the bark and trees in their local areas, they reserve some of the resin for multi-purposes.

What is Propolis And How Is It Made?

A chain reaction happens when a mixture of bee saliva breaks down the enzymes of the resin and creates a gluey substance. The color of the propolis will vary with each region and the native plants and trees. Diversity of the botanical resources the worker bee visits creates the different colors in which propolis can be found.

Propolis is a sticky resin secreted by the breaking down of resins that the worker bees collect on daily outings.

The favorite area of harvesting propolis for the worker bees is around coniferous trees which bear cones. This resin is known for its anti-bacteria properties and nutritional properties, it can be found in many colors hues of greens, reds, whites and blacks.

Antibiotics Alternative and Other Health Benefits

Known for being a cost-efficient alternative to over-the-counter and prescription antibiotics, propolis has no known side effects, and can be found in personal skin care products, health food supplements and homeopathic products. Orally, propolis is utilized in medicinal conditions for wound healing from bedsores, easing diabetic conditions and helping to heal wound burns.

Propolis is made when a mixture of bee saliva breaks down the enzymes of the resin and creates a gluey substance.

Autoimmune diseases like cold sores and herpes simplex can also be what propolis is used for. There are some homeopathic throat sprays that contain propilis, although it is touted as a bitter tasting ingredient.

Historical usage and Studies of Propolis

Propolis was not always culled from the bee hive and used it was thrown away because it was thought to be waste and not edible. Not until its healing properties were discovered by the Greeks and the Egyptians was it harvested. The medicinal properties and curious effects of applied propolis are still being conducted today.

Honeycomb

The effects of heat to the propolis are being studied by Engineering and Applied Sciences. The goal of the study is to understand the role of propolis and its part in soybean oil consumption in conjunction with dietary changes. The focus being on consumer health risks for the rate of peroxide production from the combination in excess of heat over 100 degrees Celsius.

Currently being tested and studied in the field of biometrics is the green propolis in mouthwashes, and may soon show up in many of our household products. Propolis was also tested on Wistar rats for its anticarcinogenic (anti-cancer properties) and antimutagenic effects.

Is It a Super food?

Propolis can be found in as many forms as its color hues. There are powdered propolis, liquid, gels and oils. Its production form depends on its use of consumption and products it will be used in after it has been sterilized and passed quality control. Propolis is considered a super food because of its concentrated flavinoids used for anti-bacterial and autoimmune properties, as well as its dietary benefits.

Closeup of propolis grains. The color of the propolis varies with each region and the native plants and trees.

Best Ways to Consume It

As a supplemental health food additive, studies have shown it is conducive to a healthy daily nutritional diet. Many health conscious consumers are using propolis daily by adding it as a powder form into their foods. A daily recommendation of propolis in its many forms is as low as 200 milligrams to as high as 500 milligrams daily.

Some consumers of propolis actually introduce it into their cooking techniques as oil for frying and sautéing their foods; fat makes propolis more soluble for this purpose. A simple recipe for using propolis as a sauce is:

Honey and Caramel Sauce (Propolis Dessert Sauce)

Sprig of thyme
1 tsp. citric zest (Lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit)
½ cup of honey
1 tsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup of heavy cream (Plus one teaspoon)
Dash of sea salt
½ gram of propolis

Heat the honey in a saucepan until it boils into a reduction. Add the butter and cream to the honey reduction and cool the sauce. Finish up the sauce by adding the salt, propolis and the zest and thyme.

11 Jan

Raspberries as a Superfood

Ever since my grandmother would send me into her garden to pick raspberries for a pie or her wonderful raspberry jam I have loved this wonderful berry. Every third berry wound up in my mouth and not in the bowl. That is why it is so great to learn that raspberries are not only delicious, but they are good for you as well. In fact, they are high on the list of superfoods.

Why are Raspberries a Superfood?

A superfood is any food that promotes both weight control overall health. They contain a high number of nutrients that fight diseases and make you full without eating a lot so you don’t take in a lot of calories. Superfoods are also simple to work into meals each day.

Oriental medicine has used raspberries as a cure for anemia.

Raspberries fit all the traits of a superfood. Some of the nutrients they contain include high levels of vitamin C and manganese. In fact, a cup of raspberries a day will give you 50 percent of the daily value of each of these. They also contain the most fiber of any fruit.

One of the biggest qualities of a superfood is that they contain antioxidants. Raspberries are high in anthocyanin flavonoids, meaning that they are dense with antioxidants.

Use in Homeopathic Medicine

Traditionally, there are many uses for raspberries as cures for illnesses and conditions. The Chinese have used them for years to cleanse the toxins from the kidneys and the liver as well as the urinary tract. Oriental medicine has used it as a cure for anemia.

The tannins in the leaves of the raspberry plant can help relieve gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea. These same astringent properties can be used to treat sore throat and sores in the mouth. These properties also make the leaves suitable for helping to cure acne, dermatitis, and itching skin.

The Health Benefits of Eating Raspberries

The wonders of antioxidants are a hot topic when it comes to improving health these days. Raspberries contain hundreds of the anti-aging properties of antioxidants. No one has been able to find any reason why you can’t eat as many raspberries as you want every day to take full advantage of these antioxidants.

There are thousands of enzymes in the body that require vitamin C, so the fact that you can get one-half the recommended amount in one cup of raspberries is exciting. The high manganese levels balance estrogen levels and are also good for the metabolism.

Raspberries are 20 percent fiber. Fiber is good for lowering cholesterol, can keep you regular. And can fight off fatigue. Fiber also triggers the growth of the good kinds of bacteria that are needed in the gastrointestinal system.

There are also nutrients in raspberries that can aid in fighting cancer or preventing it. There is a plenty of iron, folic acid, and copper in the berries that can help prevent certain anemias.

Basic Growing Requirements

Many people in this country believe that the best raspberries come from the Pacific Northwest. But raspberries will do fine anywhere that doesn’t have extremely cold temperatures and in spots where they will get a lot of sun and one to two inches of water a week.

Raspberry cereals, smoothie, powerbar…

Since it seems that eating raspberries takes care of a lot daily requirements for nutrients and are so beneficial as a superfood, finding different and fun ways to get them into your diet seems like a good idea.

You can’t go wrong with popping them in your mouth a few at a time straight from the carton.
Putting them in your morning cereal is always a good idea.
Use them as the main part of a morning smoothie:

½ cup of raspberries

1 banana

1 cup of organic apple juice

½ cup of water

You can even make your own raspberry breakfast bars. Between the raspberries and the oats, wheat flour, wheat germ, and walnuts that are in these, what better way to start of the day in a healthy way?

Another cool smoothie with peaches and raspberries: