Category: Diet

The Health Benefits of Mache

Mache is an exceptionally nutritious salad green that is soft, buttery, creamy, and nutty. This delicious flavor profile is due to its high omega-3 content making it one of the most enjoyable and healthy green leafy vegetables available today.

Plant based omega-3’s, like those found in mache, are easily assimilated and allow the body to immediately utilize the nutrition and put it to good use by lowering triglycerides, improving HDL, reducing inflammation, maintaining healthy cognitive function, and reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and digestive disorders. Mache has 30% more iron than spinach and is also packed with folic acid which helps to alleviate the effects of depression, fatigue, and stress.

Once a rare speciality green, mache is now found in most major supermarkets in the packaged salad section of the produce department. It is a wonderful base for your salads or can be eaten as a tasty snack straight from the bag.

 

The Health Benefits of Guava

Guava is a sub tropical sweet fruit that has several healing properties. Guava is exceptionally high in vitamins C, A, E, & K and minerals such as potassium, copper, and manganese. In fact, guavas have 5 times the amount of vitamin C than oranges! It is also packed with antioxidants that are known to boost the immune system and help to prevent colon, skin, lung, breast, and prostate cancer.

Guava is a rich source of lycopene and has nearly twice the amount than tomatoes. Lycopene is known to be an essential nutrient in helping to prevent prostate cancer, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, skin damage, and chronic illnesses. Guavas are also known to be particularly beneficial for constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastroenteritis, and weight loss. Guava is a perfect anti-aging food as they help to keep skin smooth, glowing, and wrinkle-free.

They also provide a good source of energy and nourishment to keep the body strong and active. Guavas are ripe when soft and they have a sweet, creamy texture that is excellent when eaten fresh, juiced, or blended into smoothies. Bottled guava juice can be readily found in supermarkets and health food stores and is a good substitute when the fresh fruit is out of season or hard to find.

Guava leaves also provide several medicinal benefits and can be crushed or chewed for gum or tooth infections or pain as well as used for reducing mucus in the lungs and disinfecting the respiratory tract. Guava can be found in fresh, juice, nectar, dried, and frozen form at your local supermarket and speciality food stores.

The Health Benefits of Green beans

Green beans are a nutritious vegetable that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients such as vitamins A & C, calcium, iron, manganese, beta-carotene, and protein. Green beans provide signifiant cardiovascular benefits due to their omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) content.

Green beans also contain ant-inflammatory compounds which make them highly beneficial for individuals who suffer with auto-immune disorders such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, COPD, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowl syndrome, chronic sinusitis, bursitis, Raynaud’s syndrome and lupus. They are also known to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Green beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and can aid the digestive tract by promoting regular peristaltic action and aid in the removal toxic, cancer-causing substances in the digestive tract. Green beans contain a wide variety of carotenoids such as lutein and neoxanthin and flavonoids such asquercetin and procyanidins which make them excellent for eye health and for preventing disease. Green beans can be snacked on raw, added to salads or soups, or steamed.

Consider trying fresh green beans drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with your favorite spices, and roasted in the oven for 30 minutes for a healthy alternative to french fries. This crispy, savory snack is a great way to get kids and adults to love their vegetables.

Fresh green beans are readily available at your local supermarket in the produce section. Also, keep a lookout at your local farmer’s markets for heirloom varieties of green beans that contain the ultimate in nutritional and health benefits.

 

The Health Benefits of Grapes

Grapes have been called the “queen of fruits” due to being one of the most nutritious and medicinal foods available since ancient times. Grapes are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and b-complex, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, boron, manganese, iron, selenium and potassium.

Grapes contain high amounts of powerful antioxidants known as bioflavonoids, resveratrol, and anthocyanins. These phytochemicals are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-aging, and anti-cancerous and provide protection against anemia, degenerative nerve diseases, heart disease, viral and fungal infections, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disorders, and all forms of cancer.

Grapes can also help provide relief from asthma, migraines, constipation, gastritis, chronic acidosis, indigestion, kidney disorders, fatigue, and vision problems. Grapes have the ability to help prevent blood clots due to their ability to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood and therefore provide excellent protection for the heart and cardiovascular system. Grapes also amazingly enough fight tooth decay and can stop viruses in their tracts.

Grapes can benefit blood sugar by providing better insulin regulation and overall blood sugar balance. The black variety of grapes are by far the most nutritious and if you can find them with seeds, even better! Grape seeds provide phenomenal healing benefits and are less expensive than the commonly sold grape seed extract supplements.

You can chew the seeds up or place the seeded grapes in a high speed blender or a juicer. It will make a sweet, delicious, and powerful antioxidant drink that is easily digested and assimilated. In fact, fresh raw grape juice has been called the “nectar of the gods” due to its high concentration of health promoting properties. And since the skins contain most of the antioxidants and nutrition, you will want to choose Organic whenever possible.

 

The Health Benefits of Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a nutrient dense green leafy vegetable that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, & K, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Swiss chard is incredibly important for bone health and to help prevent breakage, fractures, and osteoporosis.

Swiss chard also contains a compound called syringic acid which has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels in the body making it a great food for those who have diabetes or blood sugar issues. It is also particularly beneficial for anemia, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, constipation, and breast, prostate, ovarian, bone, liver, stomach, pancreatic, and colon cancers.

Swiss chard has powerful anti-inflammatory properties making it an ideal food for those who suffer with autoimmune disorders such as cardiomyopathy, fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lyme disease, and type 2 diabetes.

It also contains a large number of phytonutrient antioxidants such as betalains which have been shown to help protect the body from chronic illnesses such as heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and COPD.

The nutritional benefits of swiss chard are most readily available when eaten raw or juiced. Swiss chard is a wonderful leafy green to add color and flavor to your salads, smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, and nori rolls and it makes a tasty addition to your freshly made juices. It is also a relatively easy vegetable to grow in containers and in the garden for the freshest variety. Swiss chard can be readily found in your local supermarket, health food store, and farmer’s market.