Super foods profile: Pomegranate

The beauty of the pomegranate

The pomegranate has been a much loved part of the diet of many cultures for thousands of years, and scientists have recently begun to take a look at its possible health benefits, over and above those derived from the vitamins and minerals it contains. Some studies have suggested that the juice of the pomegranate contains nearly three times the antioxidants found in such foods as green tea and red wine. In addition, the pomegranate contains substantial quantities of such important minerals as potassium, such important vitamins as vitamin C and niacin, and significant amounts of fiber as well.

Traditional uses of the pomegranate

The pomegranate has long been used in traditional folk medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including sort throat, inflammation and rheumatism. These folk uses of the pomegranate are common throughout the Middle East, Iran and India, where the fruit is common.

The pomegranate has a touch rind which is either dark red or brownish in color, and it is similar in size to an apple or an orange. The edible part of the pomegranate is the juicy red pulp.

The history of the pomegranate

The name pomegranate is derived from the Latin term for “fruit of many seeds”, due to the many seeds the interior of the fruit hold. From ancient times onwards, the pomegranate has been associated with fertility, and this fruit often makes appearances in the folklore of ancient Egypt and in Greek mythology as well.

Eating a pomegranate can be a labor intensive experience, as the edible seeds must be eaten one at a time to avoid the bitter membrane that encases them. There are a number of varieties of pomegranate available throughout the world, and one of the best ways to distinguish between these types is by the color of the seeds, which range from light red and dark pink through a deep scarlet color.

What to look for

When buying pomegranates, it is best to choose those with the best color, and those which feel heavy. Pomegranates that are dry looking and wrinkled, or which have a cracked rink, should be avoided. Pomegranates will keep at room temperature for two or three days, and in the refrigerator for up to three months.

In most parts of the United States, the pomegranate is typically available from September through November. Availability of fresh pomegranates varies by region of the country, however.

A typical pomegranate contains only about 100 calories, making an excellent food for dieters. Most nutrition experts recommend eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and pomegranates are an excellent addition to anyone’s daily diet.

In addition to fresh pomegranates, pomegranate juice is another popular way to enjoy this popular fruit. Pomegranate juice can be used to make a wide variety of products, including jellies, sauces, marinades and vinaigrettes. In addition, the seeds of the pomegranate are often sprinkled over salads and desserts, or used to garnish meats, poultry and fish.

With all these things going for it, it is no wonder that the pomegranate enjoys such long lasting popularity. While it is not in season for very long, adding a fresh pomegranate or two to your late fall diet can be very rewarding.

Super foods profile: Oranges

Enjoy oranges for good health

Oranges in all their forms, from fresh Florida oranges to fresh squeezed orange juice, have long been enjoyed for their delicious flavor as well as their health benefits. Indeed, oranges and other citrus fruits are among the most healthy of all foods, and nutritionists often recommend a diet rich in fruits and vegetables for a healthy body and a long life.

The health benefits of oranges

In addition to their most well known ingredient, vitamin C, research has shown that oranges contain many other important cancer fighting compounds. Oranges have been found to contain over 170 phytochemicals, including over 20 compounds from the carotenoid family. Carotenoids have shown real promise in fighting cancer and other common illnesses, and oranges are one of the best dietary sources of these important compounds.

In addition, oranges contain compounds known as limonoids. It is these compounds that give oranges and other citrus fruits their tangy and slightly bitter flavor. These limonoids are thought to be highly effective anticancer agents also, and oranges are rich sources of these important chemicals.

Oranges and vitamin C

But of course it is the high vitamin C content of oranges that has earned them such a solid reputation as a healthy food. One average sized orange supplies more than 92% of the vitamin C a person needs each day, so it is easy to get plenty of vitamin C from a diet rich in oranges and other citrus fruits.

Vitamin C has long been studied for everything from its ability to prevent and treat the common cold to its value as a cancer fighter. While there is still some controversy over the anti-cold and anticancer properties of vitamin C, there is no doubt that vitamin C is an extremely valuable nutrient and a strong antioxidant. Vitamin C is the main water soluble antioxidant vitamin in the body, and it has the ability to reduce the cell damage done by free radicals.

In addition to its possible role in fighting everything from colds to cancer, the vitamin C found in oranges and other foods is thought to have a major role to play in the proper functioning of a healthy immune system. It is this effect on the immune system which may be responsible for the reputation of oranges and other citrus fruits to prevent colds and other common illnesses.

The importance of a healthy diet

While many people try to make up for a lousy diet by consuming high volumes of vitamin C supplements, the best way to get the vitamin C and other nutrients you need is through a healthy and balanced diet. That is because in addition to vitamin C, oranges contain many other nutrients as well, including the many micronutrients needed for a healthy body and a healthy immune system. It would be impossible to recreate these many nutrients in a vitamin pill, so the best advice is to enjoy several servings of healthy and delicious oranges and other citrus fruits every day. Oranges are so delicious, so inexpensive and so versatile that there is no reason not to enjoy them.

Super foods profile: Tomatoes

The importance of tomatoes to a healthy diet

The health benefits of tomatoes are well known, and tomatoes are known to contain a great many important compounds that play an important role in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, cataracts and many other common health problems. Tomatoes are rich sources of many important nutrients, and more and more people are coming to realize just how important tomatoes are to a healthy diet.

Tomatoes and vitamin C

For instance, tomatoes contain as much vitamin C as many citrus fruits, with a normal sized tomato providing up to 40 percent of the recommended daily intake of this important nutrient. In addition, tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin A, potassium and iron. And tomatoes are one of the most delicious, and most versatile of all foods. From fresh tomatoes in your salad to ketchup on your burger, tomatoes are everywhere, and this makes it quite easy to enjoy their many health benefits.

In a way, it is their rich color that makes tomatoes so valuable to a healthy diet. The substance responsible for the red coloration of tomatoes is known scientifically as lycopene. This important compound is thought to be a strong antioxidant, with the ability to neutralize the free radicals that can cause damage to cells. These free radicals are thought to play a role in cancer, and therefore tomatoes are thought to be important in the prevention of many kinds of cancer.

As a matter of fact, lycopene is thought to be twice as effective as many other kinds of antioxidants, and it has been shown to play a role in the prevention of such common cancers as prostate cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. In addition, lycopene is thought to help to inhibit the aging process, allowing tomato eaters to remain active longer.

How to choose the best tomatoes

To get the greatest amount of benefits from tomatoes it is important to choose them carefully. The ripest and reddest tomatoes not only contain the highest amounts of lycopene, but they also are thought to contain the greatest amount of beta carotene, another vital nutrient.

Tomatoes are healthy when eaten raw, but they are also one of those rare foods whose nutritional value is actually enhanced by the cooking process. The valuable lycopene is contained in the cell wall of the tomato, and therefore cooking it in a bit of healthy oil will help to more fully release this important nutrient. In addition, cooking the tomato in a healthy oil like olive oil will help the body to better absorb the lycopene in the tomato.

While it is important to choose the richest, reddest tomatoes to enjoy their many health benefits, it is not necessary to always buy your tomatoes fresh. While fresh tomatoes are often better tasting, tomatoes are one of those fruits that ship very well, and they do not lose any of their vital nutritional value when they are shipped. Tomatoes also retain their nutritional value through the high heat processing they undergo, meaning that tomato sauce, canned tomatoes and stewed tomatoes are all valuable sources of antioxidants and other valuable nutrients.

Super foods profile: Milk Thistle

The healing power of milk thistle

The prickly milk thistle has been used in the treatment of various liver problems for more than 2000 years, and many of the earliest healers were well acquainted with this valuable plant. The milk thistle is actually a member of the sunflower family, even though it features flowers of purple instead of yellow. The milk thistle plant has the ability to stimulate the flow of bile from the liver. It is this bile stimulation that is thought to account for the effectiveness of milk thistle in treating ailments of the liver and aiding digestion.

Modern research into the properties of milk thistle

Modern studies have backed up the findings of these ancient doctors, and have substantiated the fact that milk thistle does indeed help to protect the liver from damage, and even has the ability to heal damage that has already been done. In Europe today, many doctors consider the milk thistle plant a preferred treatment for liver disorders from cirrhosis to hepatitis.

Milk thistle appears throughout the world, including many parts of North America, both as cultivated plants and as wild varieties. Many scientific sources will refer to milk thistle by its scientific name, silybum marianum, or by its active compounds, known collectively as silymarin. There are concentrated stores of silymarni found in the black fruit of the plant, and those fruits are typically harvested at the end of summer.

Other uses of milk thistle

Even though milk thistle is most closely associated with treating ailments of the liver and digestive system, it has shown promise in treating a number of other ailments as well. Some of these ailments include such things as gallstones, high cholesterol, allergies and even skin cancer. Milk thistle is known to be a powerful antioxidant, and it is those antioxidant properties which may be responsible for the protective and healing effects of the herb.

Modern medicine uses an injectible form of milk thistle as a powerful antidote for those who have consumed poisonous mushrooms, and the extract has even been studied for possible use in minimizing the liver damage which often results from chemotherapy. It is thought that milk thistle has the ability to speed to elimination of toxins from the body, due to its effect on the liver and bile secretion.

Milk thistle is available in a wide variety of preparations, including tablets, soft gels, capsules and tinctures. Those using milk thistle to treat liver ailments are often advised to take a standardized extract of 400 to 600 mg every day, taken in three equal doses.

Milk thistle tea

While there are a number of recipes for teas made with milk thistle, most are far too weak to have significant health effects. Teas contain only trace amounts of silymarin, due to the inability of the substance to dissolve well in water. Products made from the leaf of the milk thistle are also of no medicinal value.

When buying milk thistle extracts, either at the local health food store or over the internet, it is important to look for standardized extracts, and to purchase products only from established and repeatable companies who use industry standard manufacturing processes. Good manufacturing processes are vital to maintaining and enhancing the healing power of milk thistle.