Posts Tagged ‘phytonutrients’

Kale: Green Power!

Introduction:

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we would give you an extra special dose of green by doing a breakdown of kale, a fabulous vegetable you should know more about. Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, who’s siblings include cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts. Kale leaves provide an earthy flavor with more nutritional value for fewer calories. 1 serving of Kale (1 cup) has only 36 calories, and once you see all the benefits, you’ll know you’re getting a great deal!

Something You Probably Didn’t Know:

Did you know that there are several different varieties of kale? There is curly kale, ornamental kale, and dinosaur kale. The most common version is curly kale, which is what you see in the produce section of your local market. Curly kale has ruffled leaves, its color is deep green, and it has a distinct peppery taste. But there is also ornamental kale, which leaves can vary in color (green, white, or even purple). Ornamental kale has a more mellow flavor and tender texture. Last, but not least, dinosaur kale. Not sure how it got its name, but dinosaur kale is a common title for the kale variety known as Lacinato. It features dark blue green leaves, an embossed texture, and has a sweeter delicate flavor.

Health Benefits:

Are you sure you’re going to be able to keep up with all these amazing benefits? We hope so!

• Kale is rich in a flavonoid called maempferol, which research studies suggest lower the risk of ovarian cancer in women.
• Over the past few years, research has shown that many phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat containing molecules. Well, the phytonutrients in kale (as well as in other green leafy vegetables) work on a much deeper level. They actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification, which is the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds.
• Kale is also well known for its carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin, which prevent damage to the eyes from exposure to ultraviolet light.
• Kale supplies 88.8% of your daily value (DV) of vitamin C in just one serving. Vitamin C is vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, and it’s great for preventing colds. So, your body will thank you!
• Kale is also an excellent resource for vitamin A and vitamin K
• 1 serving of kale supplies you with approximately 10% of your DV for calcium. All that without having to drink a glass of milk!
• 1 cup of kale also provides 27% DV of manganese. This mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates. Manganese also promotes strong bones, maintains healthy nerves, and promotes optimal function of your thyroid gland.

How to Get in on These Goods:

To get the most benefits from kale, choose locally grown and organic varieties when possible. It has been shown that the phythonutrient levels are higher in organic kale verses that which was conventionally grown.

Adding kale to any green juice recipe will automatically make it go from green to super green, in color and also in nutrional value. If you are not yet adjusted to the flavor of kale, we recommend adding a little to start you off and then increasing the quantity as you become more comfortable. You can also easily mask the strong flavor of kale by making it the green component to your smoothies. If you do not have a high speed blender, use a food processor to adequately chop up the leaves before combining them with the fruit in your blender.

We hope this information helps you to embrace the true nature of wearing “green” for St. Patrick’s day. Honestly, you can say that you are wearing your green inside and out!

Resources:

World’s Heahthiest Foods: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

What Are Raw Foods?

The simple answer:
Raw foods are foods that have not been cooked. They contain a high level of enzymes that are essential for digestion and a plethora of nutrients that are good for your body.

The detailed answer:
How frustrating is it to plug “Raw Foods” into Google and get a ton of links? Some websites don’t have the answer on their Frequently Asked Questions page and other sites only give you 2 or 3 sentences on the topic.  If you’re trying to transition into a raw food lifestyle, we want you to have the facts.

The best way to explain raw foods is if we asked you to hold out your hands. In one hand, we give you a cup full of roasted nuts, and in the other, we give you a cup full of raw nuts. Then, we ask you to go plant both the roasted and raw nuts seperately in the ground. Can you guess which one will sprout greens? The raw nuts of course, also considered a living food, and that leads us into unlocking the wonderful nutritional value and healing powers of raw food.

Raw foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and herbs enjoyed in their natural state. Cooking them changes the molecular structure of the food. It is the general consensus of the raw food community that the point at which enzymes are destroyed is 116° F. Enzymes are energized protein molecules that accelerate the rate of chemical reactions, such as those involved in our metabolism and digestion. 116° F is the maximum threshold for enzyme activity in food.  Raw foods are also full of phytonutrients, which are nutrients derived from plant material that have been shown to be necessary for sustaining human life. Phytonutrients can help to prevent disease and maintain optimal health.

Raw foods have been linked to overall improved health, healing from illnesses, increased energy, and weight loss. There is also mental clarity, overall better focus, a natural glow and being more in-tuned with yourself  (just to name a few). The claims of the benefits of raw foods are many, so it is natural to wonder how eating raw foods can change your life and health.

The simplest raw food (such as fruits and veggies) needs no preparation whatsoever. Simply take bite of your favorite fruit or combine your favorite veggies into a salad and you are one step closer to your new raw lifestyle. Then there are the other elaborate raw dishes that may require additional equipment and ingredients that you might not buy on a regular basis. Some recipes may also require additional prep work such as sprouting or dehydrating. Don’t let that scare you. Start small, start here. We will offer the simple recipes to get you started, and then useful tips for taking your journey to the next level.

“When you eat high-quality raw food, you give your body the fuel it needs to heal and prevent disease.” -Angela Elliott, author of Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes.

An Apple A Day? Really?

Introduction:

Apples are such a fun fruit aren’t they? In every sense, they can match your taste and your personality, in that if you’re up for something crisp and sweet you can go for a Golden Delicious or if you want a sour face you should try the Granny Smith. And there are an array of options in between, each with its own unique flavor. But could this delicious snack really help keep the doctor away? Well, our research shows that there’s a lot of nutrients and health benefits packed into this fruit.

The Nutrients & Health Benefits:

• Apples contain vitamin C (about 12% of your daily value), which boost your immune system
• They are rich in flavonoids, which help prevent heart disease
• Apples are low in calories, appoximately 70-100 calories are in a regular sized apple. Not only this, but they are naturally sweet so it’s a good alternative to something processed and unhealthy when you are craving sugar.
• Did you know apples prevent tooth decay? The juice of an apple as properties that kill up to 80% of bacteria in your mouth.
• Apples contain a substance called phytonutrients, which prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsonism
• Apples have FIBER!!!! 15% of your daily value (ahem, by the way, fiber in apples help to relieve constipation and keep you regular).
• Apples contain a substantial amount of pectins, which are a unique group of complex carbohydrates that have been used in supplemental form to help lower excessive levels of toxic metals. Why take a supplement when you can have the real thing?
• They contain phenols that reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol (yes, apples are GREAT at multitasking!).  In fact, adding just one large apple to a daily diet has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol 8 – 11%

Okay, I am diggin’ the apples. But how do I get at least one a day?

Apples are great to add to your hard core vegetable juices to lighten the veggie flavor and provide a hint of sweetness. They are also good in green smoothies and help balance out the fruits to vegetables. And you can always snag one on your way out the door and save it for an afternoon or mid-morning snack. Our recipe section goes live with our site in May and we’ll be sure to include some good ones in there.

And where can I read up if I want to learn more?

We explored the internet and our resource library for the information above. And the GREAT site where we found a lot of this information is WHFOODS. So we recommend starting there!