Posts
According to EWG (Environmental Working Group) asparagus is at the top of the list for produce low in pesticide residue making this a food you can enjoy with abandon even when organically grown is not available in the produce area or farmers markets.
Some say asparagus is a vegetable and others say it is an herb, it is a member of the lily family and an important part of a healthy diet. Egyptians cultivated asparagus over 2,000 years ago it has been woven through history from Europe, the Middle East and to North America. It was revered in rituals and a legend in medicinal circles, and for good healthy reasons.
Asparagus is a wonderful rich source of folate, 6 spears contain about 50% of your daily recommended dose. A natural anti inflammatory, folate helps to decrease pain and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Folate is very important to pregnant women, a lack of folate increases risk of Spina Bifida. Folate also helps regulate embryonic and fetal nerve cell formation and protects the baby from having neural tube defects. It is also believed folate helps prevent premature births.
Folate is known to be important in protecting against cancer, protecting cells from toxins such as free radicals. The National Cancer Institute states asparagus is one of the top foods on their lists for helping the body to fight cancer. Along with containing glutathione- a phyto-chemical, asparagus is high in rutin which is a recognized aid in strengthening blood vessels.
Folate is found naturally in leafy green vegetables, and citrus fruits. Folic acid is a supplement and does not have the fine balance of vitamins and trace minerals found in a whole food. It is always recommended to eat good whole foods for health benefits before supplements.
Asparagus has been listed as the number one source of vitamin K which is necessary in the synthesis of ostocalcin. This is the protein within bone tissue which allows calcium to crystallize. Studies show vitamin K can help prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis through this process, aiding in bone formation and repair.
Asparagus is also loaded with potassium (288 mg per cup) which helps the body from losing calcium, vitamin A, B6, and thiamin, glutathione, high in fiber, no sodium or cholesterol or fat. One cup has only 40 calories and 3 grams of fiber essential in cleaning and maintaining a healthy digestive system. A healthy food choice to detox your body. Beta carotene is an additional benefit along with Vitamin C which assists the body in producing collagen. Collagen helps hold together the body’s tissues and cells. This is one food packed with vitamins and minerals helping to treat, among other ailments, urinary tract infections and kidney stones.
For optimum health benefits it is suggested that asparagus be eaten raw but there are many wonderful recipes to entice you to include asparagus in your healthy daily diet.
Showing posts with label food information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food information. Show all posts
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Organic VS Conventionally grown Apples
Last week CBC news network reported food costs are now at a record high worldwide. With ever increasing costs it can be difficult deciding the best choice of produce for your dollar. Organics are widely available now and no longer considered a specialty item but with the higher price of organic over conventionally grown produce when is it best to chose organics?
Over the next couple months I will post information on a variety of fruits and vegetables showing where it is better to pick organic or when the alternative is not such a bad choice. It would be wonderful if everyone could always buy organic but that is not always practical. Organics are not only kinder to the environment but so much better for your health not to ingest pesticide residue.
Apples:
It is well worth purchasing organic apples but if they are not available or your budget does not allow organics this week then the conventionally grown is a good option. Giving the apples a good scrub under running water will help to reduce pesticide residue. Pay extra attention to the dimple on the stem end and the blossom end as they can collect and hold the chemical sprays longer.
It is better to scrub apples rather than peal them because the skin is very beneficial. An extract in apple skin has been found to decrease the risk of liver cancer by 57 percent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds in apple peal called triterpenoids that have potent anti-growth activities with cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. So whenever possible keep the skins on.
Apples are packed full of phytochemicals, a type of antioxidant that helps to fight the harmful effects of cholesterol, thereby helping to prevent heart disease. They also combat free radicals which are known to damage cells in our bodies. Red apples have quercetin which is felt to be beneficial in protecting against developing Alzheimer’s disease due to free radical damage.
Apples are packed full of vitamins and minerals along with galacturonic acid which helps to lower the body’s insulin requirement helping to manage diabetes.
Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings. Fibre is also important for weight loss and management, one apple has the same amount of fiber as a bowl of bran cereal. Fibre is also beneficial for hemorrhoids and can neutralize irritable bowel syndrome. Phenolic, a compound in apple skin, prevents cholesterol from solidifying on the artery walls thereby slowing down the build-up of plaque.
“Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.”
With so many health benefits packed into one little apple it is a great choice on anyone’s daily menu. A no mess fruit to pick up as you head out the door, apple juice through the day, apple cider vinegar in recipes. There are as many daily opportunities to include a high fibre fruit like apples as there are benefits.
An apple a day….
Healthy Food – Healthy People
Over the next couple months I will post information on a variety of fruits and vegetables showing where it is better to pick organic or when the alternative is not such a bad choice. It would be wonderful if everyone could always buy organic but that is not always practical. Organics are not only kinder to the environment but so much better for your health not to ingest pesticide residue.
Apples:
It is well worth purchasing organic apples but if they are not available or your budget does not allow organics this week then the conventionally grown is a good option. Giving the apples a good scrub under running water will help to reduce pesticide residue. Pay extra attention to the dimple on the stem end and the blossom end as they can collect and hold the chemical sprays longer.
It is better to scrub apples rather than peal them because the skin is very beneficial. An extract in apple skin has been found to decrease the risk of liver cancer by 57 percent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds in apple peal called triterpenoids that have potent anti-growth activities with cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. So whenever possible keep the skins on.
Apples are packed full of phytochemicals, a type of antioxidant that helps to fight the harmful effects of cholesterol, thereby helping to prevent heart disease. They also combat free radicals which are known to damage cells in our bodies. Red apples have quercetin which is felt to be beneficial in protecting against developing Alzheimer’s disease due to free radical damage.
Apples are packed full of vitamins and minerals along with galacturonic acid which helps to lower the body’s insulin requirement helping to manage diabetes.
Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings. Fibre is also important for weight loss and management, one apple has the same amount of fiber as a bowl of bran cereal. Fibre is also beneficial for hemorrhoids and can neutralize irritable bowel syndrome. Phenolic, a compound in apple skin, prevents cholesterol from solidifying on the artery walls thereby slowing down the build-up of plaque.
“Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.”
With so many health benefits packed into one little apple it is a great choice on anyone’s daily menu. A no mess fruit to pick up as you head out the door, apple juice through the day, apple cider vinegar in recipes. There are as many daily opportunities to include a high fibre fruit like apples as there are benefits.
An apple a day….
Healthy Food – Healthy People
Saturday, March 5, 2011
How To Identify Genetically Modified Produce
In the produce department deciphering if the food is conventionally grown, organic or genetically modified is sometimes a challenge. Here is a quick way to check.
The little produce stickers on the apples, bananas, tomatoes…. is the clue. This tag will have either 4 numbers or 5 numbers on it. If there are 4 digits on the tag it is conventionally grown which means the standard chemical fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, pesticide cocktail has been used.
If there are five numbers and it begins with 9 it is organic. If the five numbers begin with 8, it is genetically modified.
This same method is used not only in Canada but the US, UK, France, New Zealand and Australia. This identification is used for produce grown in these countries and any country exporting into them must tag in the same way.
A quick and easy check to know what you are placing in your shopping cart. A great tool to help with your food planning that has actually been used for a long time, they just didn’t tell us about it.
The little produce stickers on the apples, bananas, tomatoes…. is the clue. This tag will have either 4 numbers or 5 numbers on it. If there are 4 digits on the tag it is conventionally grown which means the standard chemical fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, pesticide cocktail has been used.
If there are five numbers and it begins with 9 it is organic. If the five numbers begin with 8, it is genetically modified.
This same method is used not only in Canada but the US, UK, France, New Zealand and Australia. This identification is used for produce grown in these countries and any country exporting into them must tag in the same way.
A quick and easy check to know what you are placing in your shopping cart. A great tool to help with your food planning that has actually been used for a long time, they just didn’t tell us about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)