Posts Tagged ‘antioxidants’

After a crazy week and an extremely delayed flight last night, I finally made it back to Omaha, NE to visit my family for the holiday weekend. We started off the morning with a trip to the Benson Farmers Market, where I had my first shot of fresh wheatgrass juice and a taste of sunflower sprouts! The wheatgrass had a sweet honey after-taste, which was a pleasant surprise! Click here for more information about wheatgrass.

One vendor at the market was selling sunflower sprouts, which I’ll admit, I had never seen/heard of people selling before. Apparently they clip the sprouts of the sunflower after about 6 weeks of growth and sell them to mix in with salads or toss in a juicer. I had the opportunity to sample one – the little green leaves and stem had a slightly nutty flavor to them similar to sunflower seeds, it was delicious!

Sunflower greens or sprouts are considered to be a super food because they contain protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc. I will have to be on the lookout for these little guys at the farmers markets in Chicago! I eventually came home from the market with garlic, green onions, and Chinese spinach (more on this later) in hand; all to use tomorrow at the July 4th barbeque!

After the farmers market it was time to harvest some mulberries. Every summer wild mulberries grow in my neighborhood, and this year the crop was quite abundant! I ended up picking about a quart of them! In addition to using them on top of my breakfast cereal and in smoothies I think the plan is to either bake some into muffins or a pie this year!

Mulberries grow wild throughout the United States and are often overlooked when it comes to summertime berries. Like blackberries and raspberries, mulberries are packed with nutrients and provide numerous health benefits. Mulberries are a great source of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B, iron, fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.

Mulberries contain antioxidants that help lower cholesterol, aid in treating digestive problems, and help to prevent cancer, blood clots, and diabetes. If you have a wild mulberry tree in your neighborhood, harvest the berries between May and July and reap the great benefits mother nature has to offer us!

sources: image 1, image 2

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As mentioned before, last week was my birthday and I received some of the best gifts from my dearest friends including a Cuisinart Juicer and a Bob’s Red Mill Baking Book! However I do have another gift to share with you all. A wonderful friend gave me a box of my all-time favorite tea – Tazo Vanilla Rooibos! I always order it when I go to Starbucks, but have not been able to find it at stores anywhere (apparently Starbucks sells boxes of it if you are looking!).

Vanilla Rooibos is a caffeine-free herbal infusion red tea blend of rooibos, vanilla, apples, and peaches.Rooibos is actually leaves that come from a bush in the South Africa and has a naturally sweet, slightly nutty flavor. Rooibos is high in antioxidants and polyphenols. Among many health benefits, rooibos contributes to boosting the immune system and slowing the aging process. It also has a relaxing effect that can help with insomnia and streets relief.

I recommend you get a Vanilla Rooibos tea next time you stop at Starbucks, it’s delicious! Thanks Jessica!

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Recently krill oil has been gaining popularity as a superior source of omega-3 fatty acids. But what exactly is krill oil and is it better than fish oil?

Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that live near Antarctica and are a staple food source for baleen whales and penguins. Oil extracted from these small sea creatures are being extracted and manufactured into capsules as a source of omega-3 fatty acids for human consumption. Omega-3 fatty acids are famous for their numerous health benefits: everything from boosting the immune system and increasing brain function to preventing cancer and heart disease. Krill oil also contains vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, and astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from UV-damage.

The components of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, are have a different structural arrangement in krill oil versus fish oil. This structural difference allows the krill oil to be more easily absorbed by the human body thus preventing “fish burps” commonly associated with fish oil capsules. Krill oil has been found to decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower blood sugar. It has also been shown to be an effective treatment for reducing aches, pain, inflammation, and PMS.

Krill oil capsules are slightly smaller than fish oil capsules in size but tend to be more expensive. The red pigment of the capsules comes from the red algae that krill consume as part of their diet. Most products recommend that you take 1 krill oil capsule/day and people with shellfish allergies should not take krill oil. While the research is still new on krill oil capsules, it appears that there are no adverse side effects to taking them. Overall, krill oil seems to have similar effects as fish oil with a few added perks. You can find krill oil capsules at your local health food store and give them a try!

picture 1 source, picture 2 source

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February is the month for vitamin C!

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is our very first vitamin of the month that is a water-soluble vitamin! Up until now, we have only discussed fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins are found in the watery compartments of foods and fat-soluble vitamins are found in the fats and oils of foods. Upon absorption, water-soluble vitamins move directly into the blood whereas fats must first enter the lymph (a clear yellowish fluid that circulates the body similar to blood that functions in fat transport) before reaching the blood. The body stores fat-soluble vitamins for your body to use over time as needed. Water-soluble vitamins on the other hand are not stored like fat-soluble vitamins and therefore we must consume foods containing them more regularly.

What are the health benefits of Vitamin C?

Vitamin C works as an antioxidant in the body to defend against free radicals. Still unsure about what antioxidants are? Click here to learn more. As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects the body from oxidative stress and thus may play a role in preventing disease. Vitamin C also helps to form collagen in the body. Collagen is what makes up your tendons, ligaments, scar tissue, and the foundation for your bones and teeth.

While many people believe that vitamin C is the cure for the common cold, research reveals only a modest benefit. It has been found that a daily dose of vitamin C can reduce the duration of a cold by only about a day. However, vitamin C does act as an antihistamine to relieve nasal congestion. So whether or not one day without a cold warrants routine daily supplementation is a matter of personal opinion.

How much Vitamin C is recommended?

It is recommended that women consume 75 mg/day and men consume 90 mg/day of vitamin C. To put this into perspective, 1 cup of orange juice provides greater than 100 mg of vitamin C. It is easier than you might think to get an adequate daily dose of vitamin C! As mentioned above (and contrary to popular belief), research shows that hyper-dosing on vitamin C will not prevent you from getting sick; the body will excrete excess vitamin C in the urine. Large doses of vitamin C (more than 2000 mg/day) can cause nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.

What foods are good sources of Vitamin C?

Any type of citrus fruit is high in vitamin C (oranges, lemons, limes, etc.) Broccoli, strawberries, red bell pepper, kiwi, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes are also excellent sources of vitamin C. Drink a glass of orange juice for breakfast, have a salad for lunch, or some broccoli for dinner and you will easily meet the daily recommendations for vitamin C!

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While I am aware that honey is not vegan, I feel that the health benefits of honey are too numerous to eliminate it from my diet. Dating back to over 5,000 years ago, honey is the world’s oldest sweetener. This natural sweetener is famous for more than just its great taste. Honey is recognized for its antioxidant qualities that make it an immunity-boosting food.

Honey even has antiviral and antibacterial capabilities to help your body fight disease. It can be applied to burns and cuts; its antiseptic qualities will inhibit bacteria from growing and keep the wound clean from infection. Honey promotes healing and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. It soothes sore throats and reduces coughing. Next time you feel a cold coming on, take a spoonful of honey to reduce the inflammation that causes a sore throat.

Honey is also a natural energy booster and helps to reduce muscle fatigue during exercise. Have some honey in your tea or spread some on toast to get an energy boost with you breakfast in the morning. You can even try taking a spoonful of honey before your next workout to increase your endurance!

I even read that honey can help cure hangovers! The natural sugar, fructose, in honey speeds up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver thus having a sobering effect on the body. So the next time you wake up feeling sub-par due to the night before, try mixing some honey into your breakfast tea or yogurt to get you feeling fabulous again!

How do you incorporate honey into your diet? My favorite way to enjoy honey is in a piping hot cup of tea! However, tonight I am making Honey-Glazed Tofu for a chance in pace, stay tuned!

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