Berries Battle Citris Fruits for the Vitamin C Spotlight

I started eating a lot of berries in the last year I was doing research on antioxidants and found that stawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are great for fighting the free radicals that cause rapid aging, cancer, and other annoying health issues.

What is interesting is that oranges get all the credit for their vitamin C cold fighting benefits. I found that citris fruits, as high in vitamin C as they are hyped up, have less vitamin C than berries and even red peppers. Interesting.

I don’t like highly acidic foods and am not an orange fan. I take 500 milligrams of vitamin C, but found that strawberries have even more than oranges. Although strawberries are also acidic, no berries are more acidic than oranges. So, if you like the idea of fighting colds with vitamin C, but do not want all of the acid from citric fruits, the berry family may be the one you’ll be visiting. Commercial orange juice is also pumped with tons of sugar, something most orange juice fans overlook. So, diabetes patients get all the vitamin C with all the sugar.

At a recent birthday party that I threw, most of the invitees showed up with cake, cookies, etc. I created my berry medley, garnished with thin lime slices and bathing in apple juice. Not only was this a hit at the party, but I even had a request for the recipe, which by the way took me all of 10 minutes to make. The berry medley was gone within 30 minutes and I unfortunately had to tell people I did not make enough.

Is dark chocolate really better for you?

Hmm, the hype about dark chocolate having antioxidants is true, but don’t forget that dark chocolate is still chocolate. It still has tons of sugar and fat and can STILL raise your cholesterol and blood sugar if you consume too much.

Yes, I understand that it is better than milk chocolate since milk chocolate does not have antioxidants.

I suggest having dark chocolate with some kind of fruit like strawberries. At least you’ll get the antioxidants from the berries too.

I recently read that Squash can help fight lung cancer

I found butternut squash at Boston Market for years and was not very fond of the taste, but now that I like it, Boston Market does not seem to sell it anymore.

Stupid Murphy’s Law.

I love it now and make it at home. I chop it up in my food processor and then sautee it in a little olive oil (just a little).

The substance know as “beta-cryptoxanthin” may significantly lower one’s risk of developing lung cancer.

I read that a carcinogen in cigarette smoke, called benzoapyrene, increases vitamin A deficiency, which is a good deterent of cancers of all kind. For smokers, it also decreases your chance of developing emphysema. Not bad.I read this on the web “…vitamin A’s protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. “There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers,” he said. “Why? Probably because of their diet…The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget it.” If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making sure that at least one of the World’s Healthiest Foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as winter squash, is a daily part of your healthy way of eating.”That makes butternut squash alone, ok, in my book.

We hear that bananas are high in potassium, but what exactly does potassium do?

I lot of us like bananas, although the unique taste of bananas had to grow on some people, like me. When I was a kid growing up, I hated bananas and never really cared for the taste, but they eventually grew on me.

Bananas are famous for potassium and almost everybody knows it and most people only know that potassium is good for you, but most people have no idea what it does for you.

Potassium’s best defense is against high blood pressure. It actually is known to keep it level. I know a lot of people who are on high blood pressure medicine, but I believe eating foods rich in potassium help as well.

Potassium is also good just after working out.

Potassium is also good for more than just preventing high blood pressure. It is great for achy muscles and fatique as well. It makes sense that consuming foods rich in potassium are perfect just after a phsical workout.

Are you an irritable person?

Most people are irritable. It just seems to be the human nature for normal stress response and being irritable usually comes from fatique and stress. Potassium is excellent for mitigating irritability at the end of the day and it DOES help you relax better.

What else can potassium protect you from?

Sufficient amounts in the diet helps protect you against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease.

I enjoy a banana shake every night which actually has two bananas in it with some chocolate whey protein and 6 ounces of milk.

Just in case you do not like bananas, there are other foods that are high in potassium like:

Pears, melons, avocados, beets, potatos, raisins, kiwi, spinach. There are other foods high in potassium, but this is a good list.

Enjoy and have fun eating right!

Tasty Sugar Free Chocolate Banana Protein Shake Recipe

This recipe offers a complete array of nutrition for you and is so simple and quick to make. Before you go thinking that chocolate is full of sugar and fat, I am talking about whey protein like that at http://www.proteinplace.com.

This recipe will take you literally 2 minutes to create if you have a blender, food processor, or one of those cool As Seen On TV products like the Magic Bullet.

Nutrition and What The Ingredients May Fight Against:

• Calcium – For preventing Osteoporosis, stengthening bones and teeth, making clearer skin, weight maintenance
• Vitamin B6 For Energy and against of weakness, irritability, insomnia,
• Potassium against blood pressure and blood sugar maintenance and stroke
• Electrolites for the replacement of fluids lost during a workout
• serotonin and norepinephrine against depression
• fiber against heart diseases
• whey protein against cancer, heart attack, stroke

Ingredients:

• Fat free or low fat milk
• 2 Bananas
• 2 ice cubes
• 2 to 4 teaspoons of chocolate whey protein

Mix all ingredients except for the ice cubes in a blender or similar household appliance for approximately 20 seconds.

Add in the ice cubes and blend for another 30 to 45 seconds.

Serve and Enjoy.

That was simple. Right?

Recipe: Just Peachy Chicken

This recipe is much healthier than Saucy Susan (the famous peach sauce), which contains a lot of sugar and preservatives. This recipe has only natural sugar from peaches and nothing is added. As a result, it is ot as sweet as Saucy Susan, but much healthier!

Ingredients:
3 medium chicken breasts
4 peaches

Directions:

1. In a food processor, puree all the peaches.
2. Cook the chicken breasts until lightly brown.
3. Add the peach puree to the chicken…SERVE!

 

Health Benefits of Peaches
Peaches and nectarines are good sources of lycopene and lutein.  Lutein gives the red,
orange, and yellow colors to fruits and vegetables.  These phytochemicals are especially
beneficial in the prevention of heart disease, macular degeneration, and cancer. 

Vitamin c present in peaches is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Its anti-inflammatory activity may decrease the incidence of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.

A diet high in fiber prevents coronary heart disease. Eating fruits high in the soluble fiber pectin has also been linked with reduced cholesterol levels, which protects against atherosclerosis.

A diet high in antioxidants may protect against the free-radical-damaging effect of environmental toxins or cigarette smoke. Studies comparing different populations have shown that increasing fruit consumption may reduce the risk of developing chronic bronchitis.

Other health benefits of peaches:

• Prevents bruising
• Lowers cholesterol
• Strengthens your capillaries
• Lowers risk of cataracts
• Lowers risk of diabetes

10 Great Tasting Heart Healthy Foods in Plain English

25 Top Heart-Healthy Foods

Here are some of the best tasting foods for your heart. There is something on the list for every taste.

Salmon
Grill salmon with a great tasting rub or marinade. Save a chunk to chop for a pasta or salad later on.

Flaxseed (ground)
Ground flaxseed hides easily in all sorts of foods — yogurt parfaits, morning cereal, homemade muffins, or cookies.  

Oatmeal
Top hot oatmeal with fresh berries. Oatmeal-and-raisin cookies are a hearty treat.

Black or Kidney Beans
Give soup or salad a nutrient boost — stir in some beans. 

Almonds
Mix a few almonds (and berries) into low-fat yogurt, trail mix, or fruit salads.  

Walnuts
Walnuts add flavorful crunch to salads, pastas, cookies, muffins, even pancakes. 

Red wine
Toast your good health! A glass of red wine could improve “good” HDL cholesterol. 

Tuna
Here’s lunch: Salad greens, fresh fruit, canned tuna. Keep “Salad Spritzer” a light dressing — in your office fridge. 

Tofu
Tasty tofu is easy: Thinly slice “firm” tofu, marinate several hours, grill or stir-fry. 

Brown rice
B-complex vitamins; fiber; niacin; magnesium, fiber. Microwavable brown rice makes a quick lunch. Stir in a few chopped veggies (broccoli, carrots, spinach).

Healthy and delicious lunch: Tuna with Balsamic Vinegar

Tuna is full of Omega 3 fatty acids which actually good for the heart and is full of protein.

Have it with whole wheat toast which is full of fiber, that lowers your cholesterol.

SInce most people eat tuna with mayonnaise which is full of fat and cholesterol, I suggest substituting the mayonnaise with balsamic vinegar. For the oil and vinegar taste effect, splash some olive oil on the sandwich.

For more taste or garnish, add a red onion slice which is not only has antioxidants, but also good for, believe it or not, fighting against stomac cancer.

For more fiber, add a couple slices of romaine lettuce which will also has vitamin E (antioxidants for your heart and improves skin tone) .

If you are really daring, try dressing up this sandwich with some Smart Bacon (made of soy, not animal fats). Smart Bacon tastes pretty decent, but is not as tasty as regular bacon and is very dry.  That is only because Smart Bacon has no grease, which is what makes regular bacon so juicy. So, what I do is brush it with a little olive oil and some lemon juice. I find that the lemon juice really brings out the flavor. I have not tried this yet, but maybe, you can marinate the Smart Bacon in lemon juice for a couple of hours before using it. It may add some vitamin C to it.

Why are antioxidants so important and are they easy to eat?

Well, let me answer the second question. Antioxidants are found in 95% of all fruits and vegetables. So, if you like at least one fruit or vegetable, I suggest eating a lot of it as antioxidants can help fight against heart disease, aging, and other health issues.

Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are unpaired electrons. In your body, free radicals attack health cells in an attempt to grab their electrons, which they usually lose. In attempt to recover their lost electrons, they steal them from healthy cells, making healthy cells become free radicals themselves. So, they multiply, which later on, can cause cancer, heart disease, aging, arthritus, and a whole other suite of problems. This process causes oxidation in your body and blood stream. Antioxidants basically donate their electrons to damaged cells without losing their own. So, it is a win win situation for all cells involved.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the best way to get antioxidants. All kinds of berries are rich in antioxidants including strawberries, blueberries (5 times as much as strawberries), rasperries (twice as much as blueberries). It is the Acai berry from Brazil that reigns in antioxidants and it has about 10 times as much as all the berries combined. This high level of antioxidants makes Acai one of the world’s superfoods. The Acai berry comes from the rainforest in Brazil and can be found in Mona Vie, the juice, rich in antioxidants from over 19 fruits.

Other frutis and veggies that contain a high level of antioxidants are pears, bananas, cherries, grapes, apples, citrus fruits, and more.

Since antioxidants are so important, they are always in the health news and will be in my blogs often.

Quick Health Question: How do we acquire a vitamin C deficiency?

Answer 

• smoking
• physical or emotional stress
• drinking alcohol
• allergies
• fever or viral illness
• antibiotics, cortisone, aspirin or other pain medicines
• exposure to toxic chemicals (e.g., DDT, petroleum products, carbon monoxide), environmental pollution or heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, cadmium)
• If you suffer from recurrent infections
• If you’re a woman who takes the birth-control pill
• If you’re older than age 60

All these things can cause a vitamin C deficiency. So, if you are guilty of doing any of these things, make sure you stock up on berries, citrus fruits, and vegetables such as red peppers and tomatoes