December 15, 2008
Scientific Support for Living Healthily with Fruits
Antioxidants are nature's way to fight illness and disease; they are found in a wide variety of plants. When these compounds are found in plants they are called phytonutrients which work in conjunction with nutrients found in the human body to combat disease. More than 900 different phytonutrients have been found in plant foods already; huge advances in preventative health care and nutrition are advancing at an almost daily rate. There has been a whole host of discoveries made into the properties of these phytonutrients; pomegranates for example, contain many different properties whilst blueberries have compounds which affect the aging process.
Containing less sugar than most fruits, the blueberry can also boast a number of other antioxidant properties too. Often the easiest way for people to take fruit is in juice form which are readily available all year round; many benefits have been found including an improvement in our circulatory system and an increase in our own ability to ward of illness. The antioxidants are also efficient at fighting disease and dealing with infection. Even the humble apple is not immune with properties to help ward of heart problems.
Now citrus fruits too are showing that they have a use with a number of beneficial phytochemicals contained in them. Joint pain like arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout are also aided by the phytonutrients found in tart cherries. Most of us have already heard about the benefits that certain minerals and vitamins like B, c and E provide which have now become widely used in products. Blackberries, mulberries, and especially blueberries are rich in powerful antioxidants like resveratrol.
These compounds can help or suppress harmful body aging processes that often end in heart attacks, stroke, faulty blood pressure, and Alzheimer's disease. The benefit of tomatoes has been in the news recently with the hopes that it contains anti-cancer properties as well as those that can help prevent heart disease. Although quite large quantities are needed so using tomato juice, puree or sauce which are all concentrates has been found to be the best way to increase the level of the antioxidants in our food. The sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important in phytonutrients in nature. We are told to eat more fruit and now there is a very good scientific reason to do this.
Filed under Healthy Eating by Upbeat Body
November 17, 2008
Treat Health Conditions with Fruits
The benefits of antioxidants are many, including the prevention of cancers; attributes which are all the more remarkable when you consider they are found in plants. Phytonutrients are an amazing discovery; fund in plants they have the ability to work with our body to improve its defense against disease and illness. More than 900 different phytonutrients have been found in plant foods already; more are being discovered all the time and the whole area of nutrition and preventative health care is opening up. There have been a huge number of health benefits discovered so far from many well known foods; cherries for instance are able to reduce the pain in joints and blueberries have anti-aging properties.
Containing many different antioxidants, blueberries also have one of the lowest sugar contents of the fruits tested. The easiest way to inject concentrated amounts of these fruits is by drinking juice every day; this will help improve our healing ability and blood circulation. Antioxidants contained in these fruits can also help ward off and fight disease and infections we may suffer from. Apples are now coming under the spotlight as potential helpers in the struggle against heart illness.
The likes of many citrus fruits also have health benefits associated with the phytochemicals they contain. Joint pain like arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout are also aided by the phytonutrients found in tart cherries. Of course we already now about the benefits of certain vitamins and minerals, which have been available for some time. The Phytoalexin (another antioxidant), resveratrol has many anti-viral and anti-infection properties used by plants, a number of these are helpful to people, they are found in blueberries, mulberries and blackberries.
Many aging conditions, including Alzheimer's, can be treated with some of these. The benefit of tomatoes has been in the news recently with the hopes that it contains anti-cancer properties as well as those that can help prevent heart disease. The best way to concentrate these antioxidant properties has been found when we use tomato sauce, puree and juice. The sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important in phytonutrients in nature. There is no longer any reason to neglect fruit form your diet as it could literally save your life.
Filed under Healthy Eating by Upbeat Body
July 28, 2008
Health Giving Benefits of Phytonutrients
The term antioxidant refers to a group of compounds found in everyday substances like plants which have health giving benefits to help fight disease. In plants these are called phytonutrients and are able to work together with our body's own nutrients to fight disease. Discoveries are being made all the time with in excess of 900 compounds catalogued already; huge advances in preventative health care and nutrition are advancing at an almost daily rate. To date a large number of health giving benefits of these phytonutrients have been found; blueberries, pomegranates can reduce the signs of aging, whereas cherries can help relieve joint pain.
Containing less sugar than most fruits, the blueberry can also boast a number of other antioxidant properties too. Often the easiest way for people to take fruit is in juice form which are readily available all year round; some of the many benefits have been improvements in the body's capacity to heal itself and benefits to circulation. Infection is also reduced as are the chances of disease from the powerful antioxidants they contain. Apples are now coming under the spotlight as potential helpers in the struggle against heart illness.
Citrus fruits can be helpful because of the phytochemicals they contain. Joint pain like arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout are also aided by the phytonutrients found in tart cherries. Of course these fruits contain large amounts of vitamins B, C and E plus other which are already known to have beneficial effects on our health. A large group of common berries also contain specialized antioxidants called Phytoalexins (resveratrol); these have anti-viral and anti-fungal properties that can be of benefit to people.
Many aging conditions, including Alzheimer's, can be treated with some of these. The benefit of tomatoes has been in the news recently with the hopes that it contains anti-cancer properties as well as those that can help prevent heart disease. Using concentrated tomato in the form of puree, sauce and juice is an even more efficient way of increasing intake of this fruit. Watermelons, recognized as a refreshing summer fruit also contain some of the most powerful phytonutrients yet found. The health benefits of plants are still in the early stages but why wait to appreciate the benefits this whole range of fruits can bring.
Filed under Healthy Eating by Upbeat Body