Tag — Antioxidants

Different grades of olive oil help illustrate how processing can affect not only taste and antioxidant content but have important health implications as well. Extra-virgin comes from the first pressing and contains the largest amounts of polyphenols, which are an important source of antioxidants found in olive oil. Virgin oil, a lesser grade, comes from the second pressing. Pure olive oil is not pure at all. This is a still lower grade of olive oil that has been extracted using solvents and or heat which results in lower levels of polyphenols. [Read more →]

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Nothing says “summer” more than eating meaty, lip-dripping, watermelon slices on a hot humid day. You may be surprise to know that something so delicious is actually good for you too. [Read more →]

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Whenever I am cutting onions I am always reminded of the onion chopping scene in a hilarious French indie film Diva, where Jules, the main character, is wearing a scuba mask and snorkel to prevent crying. Crying is good. It means that the onions you are chopping have a lot of organosulfur compounds. These are the same compounds that give garlic its wonderful pungent aroma and are found in the Allium family of vegetables which also include leeks, chives and shallots. The organosulfur compounds found in onions and other Allium vegetables have been linked with anti-cancer benefits. [Read more →]

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Tomatoes contain a carotenoid called lycopene which gives tomatoes their red color and has antioxidant properties. Lycopene may be one of the reasons tomato consumption has been linked with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Interestingly, tomato sauce consumption has been associated with an even greater reduction in prostate cancer risk compared with raw tomatoes and the availability of lycopene may be responsible. [Read more →]

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My mom was always dishing out the nutritional advice during dinner. I was never sure if she really meant it, or it was some ploy to get me, my brother and sister to finish our plates. One popular refrain included, “Eat your broccoli. It’s good for you”. [Read more →]

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Far from being an “empty calorie” sweetener like refined sugars, honey has demonstrated some surprising anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. In healthy and high-cholesterol individuals honey:

• lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
• lowers homocysteine (a risk factor for heart disease and stroke)
• shows anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties by lowering CRP, a blood marker of inflammation. [Read more →]

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With summertime just around the corner, here’s a favorite cantaloupe recipe of mine that’s easy-to-make, incredibly elegant and will help your skin look younger too. Cantaloupe is loaded with sun-protecting betacarotene, the bright-orange pigment found in cantaloupe that is a powerful antioxidant. Better known for its anticancer properties, betacarotene keeps your skin young and healthy by decreasing your skin’s sensitivity to sunburn. Other foods high in betacarotene include carrots, mango, squash, peaches and broccoli. [Read more →]

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Organic produce is more expensive than conventionally grown produce, so why buy organic? Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Traditional farming methods such as crop rotation, mulches and tillage are used to control weeds and natural fertilizers are used to enrich the soil. Besides limiting the pesticide residues you consume, organic farming methods kick up the nutritional value of the food you eat. [Read more →]

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Mom was right. “Eat your Broccoli it’s good for you.”

Now recent evidence has shown that the antioxidant protection from 2 servings of broccoli per day is superior to taking a multivitamin supplement. Oxidative stress was reduced 22% by eating 2 servings of broccoli, while no change was observed with a multivitamin. Like rust damaging your car, oxidative stress causes your body to rust and age prematurely. [Read more →]

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We’re not listening to mom when she pleads to “eat your veggies.” Despite government campaigns and slogans, a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows there has been a small decrease in veggie intake and no improvement in Americans’ fruit consumption. [Read more →]

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