How to Stretch your dollar$ and your Produce!

How To Get The Most Out of Your Produce: Complete Guide

Written by ReAnna Ruiz

Produce is a significant part of our diet and we prepare it in many different ways. Typically we eat our produce raw or we cook it using various methods such as frying, boiling and steaming. Trying to determine the best way to prepare your produce in order to get the highest amount of nutrients can be challenging. Below is a comprehensive guide highlighting 10 of the most popular fruits and vegetables, and explains the best way to prepare them for maximum nutritional value.

Produce: CELERY

Type: Vegetable

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW or STEAMED) Nutrients in celery such as Vitamin A, Vitamin, C, Vitamin K and Potassium, are most profound when they are raw and mostnutritious when consumed in this state. Additionally, the water retention helps to preserve these nutrients as well, so steaming the celery is encouraged. Any methods of preparation that will evaporate the water such as cooking it stove-top or in the microwave, will devalue the nutritional content.

Storage & Preservation: Cut leaves accordingly and immediately soak in a bowl of filtered water. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Produce: AVOCADO

Type: Fruit

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW) Based the unique fats in avocados, it is best to enjoy this fruit in its raw form. Although heat is not recommended in regard to nutritional value, heating it minimally in the microwave or adding it to a warm meal will not significantly effect its health benefits.

Storage & Preservation: Once pealed and cut, store remaining avocado in a plastic sandwich bag and freeze.

Produce: BROCCOLI

Type: Vegetable

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW or COOKED) The unique power nutrient in broccoli issulforaphane and absorbed into the human body only when it is raw.

Although the benefits of sulforphane are blocked once heat is added, there are other nutrients in broccoli that will actually increase in nutritional value when it is cooked like Vitamin E, Vitamin A and Vitamin K.

Storage & Preservation: For short term storage, place remaining broccoli in a plastic bag, poke a few holes in it and refrigerate. For long term storage place it in a plastic bag without poking holes and put it in the freezer immediately after purchase.

Produce: APPLES

Type: Fruit

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW) Although apples are favored among most when they are cooked or baked, the heat completely strips this delicious fruit from its most prominent nutrient, Vitamin C. It is best to enjoy apples fresh, and for optimized nutrition leave the skin on, which contains more than half the fiber.

Storage & Preservation: Bundle each apple in paper wrap and place in plastic bag. Tie off the bag and refrigerate.

Produce: CARROTS

Type: Vegetable

Highest Nutritional Value: (COOKED) Studies from UA experiments have revealed that cooking carrots increases its nutritional value based on carotene levels. Carotene is a powerful antioxidant in carrots that provides high nutritional value.

Storage & Preservation: For short term storage cut accordingly and store in sealed plastic bag with a couple pieces of paper towel and refrigerate. For long term storage follow the same steps and freeze.

Produce: TOMATOES

Type: Fruit

Highest Nutritional Value: (COOKED) Lycopene, the strong antioxidant rich in tomatoes, is increased significantly when tomatoes are cooked. Cornell University explained that although cooking the tomatoes will reduce the Vitamin C, it will still remain an active nutrient even after cooking.

Storage & Preservation: For best taste and overall appearance it is best to eat them right after purchase, if you must store them, make it as temporary as possible and leave them room temperature. If you need to store them for more than 48 hours, it is best that you refrigerate them, however, doing so will have an effect on taste and appearance.

Produce: ONIONS

Type: Vegetable

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW or COOKED) Sulfur compounds are slightly higher in raw onions but statistics show that they are highly nutritious raw or cooked due to the powerful antioxidant it contains called Quercetin and also the B Vitamin compounds, fiber and folic acid.

Storage & Preservation: Place in paper bag and poke a few holes. Close the bag and store room temperature.

Produce: BANANAS/PLANTAINS

Type: Fruit

Highest Nutritional Value: (COOKED) Most enjoy bananas raw as it is a quick and delicious way to eat them. However, nutritional statistics show that bananas have a greater percentage of vitamins and nutrients when they are cooked versus eating them raw.

Storage & Preservation: Store at room temperature and eat them shortly after purchase.Wrap tips of bananas in plastic wrap to help reduce rotting. If you need to store them for more than 48 hours, purchase them unripened.

Produce: PEPPERS

Type: Vegetable

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW) The most nutritious component to peppers is Vitamin C which dissolves in water and other liquids when cooked. It is best to eat them raw when Vitamin C is fully intact.

Storage & Preservation: For short term storage place in a plastic bag ad poke a few holes and refrigerate. For long term storage follow the same steps without poking any holes and place in the freezer.

Produce: BERRIES

Type: Fruit

Highest Nutritional Value: (RAW or COOKED) Berries are a delicious snack packed full of vitamins and antioxidants. Their nutritional value relatively stays the same whether they are cooked or eaten raw, with the exception of Vitamin C which is reduced significantly after being cooked.

Storage & Preservation: Berries are best consumed right after purchase. If you need to storethem short term, place them in a plastic storage container and refrigerate. For long term storage follow the same steps and freeze.

Using produce for creative meals can also be fun and tasty. Have a look at the video tutorial  below by Dr. Eric Berg, illustrating how to make Cauliflower Pizza Crust. Many recipes for this type of pizza crust include using a technique that calls for squeezing as much liquid out of the cauliflower as possible. The water stored in the cauliflower holds almost all of the nutrients. Presumably, this is why Dr. Berg does not squeeze the water out of the cauliflower as he wants to ensure that he gets all the healthy nutrients he can out of the it. The effects of moisture reduction can be detrimental to the nutrients in cauliflower. Many would argue that in order to execute a successful Cauliflower Pizza Crust, you should squeeze out the water in the cauliflower, otherwise the crust is likely to fall apart. If you choose to use this method, remember to never let good nutrients go to waste – you can still use the liquid from your cauliflower after you’ve squeezed it out by adding it to other recipes such as smoothies or homemade juice drinks.

Time for you to prepare your produce in the healthiest ways possible. Now that you’ve reviewed this guide, it should help you to make the best nutritional decisions for you and your family so you can make terrific healthy organic recipes of your own!


To your health!!!

YaY!

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What's in your Chewing Gum?

5 Dangerous Ingredients in Chewing Gum

Written by Organics

An average person does not pay attention what’s in their gum. After all, you chew it and spit it out, right? No harm in that. But there is. The ingredients, some of which are quite dangerous, do enter your body, through the walls of your mouth while bypassing your digestive system that would typically get rid of some of these toxins. So if you or your kids chew gum, it’s important to check for these very harmful ingredients:

1. Calcium Casein Peptone (Calcium Phosphate)

Trident gum is the primary user of this ingredient. It’s a highly processed milk derivative used for texturizer/whitening agent. Casein was previously linked to baby formula poisonings in China.

2. Gum Base

Gum base just sounds right when it’s part of the ingredients for gum, doesn’t it? But in fact, this ingredient is often shrouded in mystery, as nobody really knows what its made of. Investigations showed that its typically a mixture of plasticizers, elastomers, fillers and resins. And that’s all that is usually revealed to the gum-chewing customers. However, it’s entirely possible that the gum base can contain talk (linked to cancer), polyvinyl acetate (which is carpenter’s glue) and paraffin wax (petroleum derived).

3. Titanium Oxide

Titanium oxide has been found as a potential carcinogen that will seep right into your bloodstream. It has been also linked to asthma, autoimmune disorder and Crohn’s disease. Gum is has also the highest content of Titanium Oxide among our everyday products, which make it easy for children to ingest large doses of it.

4. BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

Butylated Hydroxytoluene, or BHT for those who have a hard time pronouncing it, is a ingredient that has been banned in many countries due to its link to liver and kidney damage, hyperactivity in children and organic system toxicity. It may also contain carcinogenic properties. However, in the US, it is still used as a preservative in processed foods and gum.

5. Aspartame

Last but certainly not the least dangerous ingredient in gum is Aspartame. It’s an artificial sweetener that is found in sugar-free gums. Your body metabolizes aspartame both into formaldehyde (a carcinogen, often used as embalming fluid, not eliminated by your kidneys and liver) and wood alcohol (a known poison). Aspartame has been recently linked to cancers, birth defects, weight gain and brain tumors.

Gum Effects Worse than a Visit to the Dentist

Sorry to burst your bubble about the perceived innocence of gum. However, there are bigger effects of chewing gum than just visits to the dentist’s office. Besides the dangerous side effects mentioned above, chewing gum can also cause digestion problems and sugar-free gum may still lead to dental erosion. Always know what you are putting in your mouth, no matter what it is. Gum is certainly not an exception to this.  If you can’t refrain yourself from chewing gum, luckily, there are natural alternatives available. Just do your due diligence and research with the ingredients as some natural gums may still be harmful.

Sources:

http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/383-why-a-stick-of-gum-is-more-harmful-to-your-health-than-anything-that-you-eat.html

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es204168d

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471015313000123

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21979369

http://cspinet.org/new/201308141.html

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312004138

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Nature's Antiobiotics

A look at Nature's Antiobiotics

Hippocrates said, “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.” Never is this more true than providing what your body needs to fight infection.

Over the last several decades, over-use of antibiotics has reached an all-time high. The result has been drug-resistant bacteria and “superbugs” that evolve faster than scientists can figure out how to fight them. A future where bacteria are at the top of the food chain is not unheard of.

Long before there were pharmaceutical antibiotics – developed in the 1940s, there were foods and herbs that helped guard against infection and disease on a daily basis. Many of these natural defenders are still in use today with holistic healers around the globe.

These natural antibiotics are available to you right now!

Instead of waiting until you get sick or discover that drugs don’t work on whatever strain of virus or disease you have, you can start building up your immune system in advance.

These foods and herbs haven’t lost their ability to fight bacteria. Bugs do not become immune or resistant to them. From hundreds of years ago to our modern time, what worked then still works today.

They are known as “astringent” foods – they naturally cleanse your blood without harmful side effects or upsetting the delicate balance of good bacteria in your body.

Top Ten Natural Antibiotics

1. Garlic

Raw garlic when crushed or chewed contains a compound called allicin – which has similar properties to penicillin. This superfood member of the onion family is antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, and antioxidant (mopping up free radicals that have been proven to cause cancer).

Garlic is not only potent, it contains a host of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that are beneficial to total body wellness. Not to mention the cost is pennies in comparison to doctor visits and prescriptions!

2. Honey

An enzyme found in honey releases hydrogen peroxide. This process helps your body fight infection and prevents the growth of bacteria. Soothing to the digestive system, honey removes toxins from the blood and helps your liver operate more efficiently.

A great boost to the immune system, consider combining honey with cinnamon to strengthen your white blood cells! Raw, organic honey is the best option since most pasteurization methods kills the antioxidant effects.

3. Cabbage

There are sulfur compounds found in cabbage – a member of the cruciferous family that includes broccoli and kale – that have been shown effective as cancer fighters.

What many people don’t realize is how much vitamin C is found in cabbage. One cup provides 75% of what you need every day.

Naturally antibacterial, eating shredded raw cabbage in your salad, as a side dish in the form of slaw, or drinking fresh cabbage juice (with honey added to sweeten) is an excellent way to improve digestion, prevent disease, and even manage your weight!

4. Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a study that found grapefruit seed extract (GSE) effective against more than 800 forms of viruses and bacteria, more than a hundred strains of fungus, and many parasites.

High in many antioxidants, GSE boosts immunity, alkalizes the body naturally, and aids in digestion by improving your beneficial gut flora.

5. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

The far-reaching benefits of daily doses of apple cider vinegar (ACV) include antibiotic and antiseptic properties, naturally alkalizing your system, and can aid you in everything from managing your weight to lowering cholesterol and your risk of cancer.

A chemical-free astringent, ACV can be used topically to disinfect and sterilize.

6. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

There is not enough that can be said for the benefits of coconut oil. It has naturally occurring anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties and is packed with antioxidants you can’t find anywhere else in nature.

Use it to boost your immune system, balance thyroid, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, and even improve brain function. Safe to use internally and externally, coconut oil is one of the most versatile and unique gifts from Mother Nature.

Stir a spoonful into your morning coffee for added energy and a clearer head all day.

7. Echinacea

With similar effects to garlic, Echinacea is well tolerated and able to stimulate the immune system by naturally boosting infection fighters in your blood stream. Native to North America, Echinacea has been used for centuries in tribal medicine to treat pain and sickness.

Unlike garlic, this antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral solution is generally used at the first signs of illness and should not be taken for more than ten days. It is available in liquid and capsule form.

8. Fermented Foods

Probiotics are one of the most incredible discoveries in the last decade. They work to boost and preserve the natural gut flora (good bacteria) found in your digestive system.

Research has proven that a balanced gut is one of the keys to overall wellness and cancer prevention. These good bacteria are so critical to your health that doctors now recommend a probiotic while their patients are on prescription antibiotics.

Fermented foods are packed with antioxidants and microorganisms that your body processes far better than supplements.

Unpasteurized sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, raw pickles, probiotic yogurt, and kim chi (a Korean cabbage dish) are excellent ways to improve the balance in your intestines.

9. Colloidal Silver

A natural antibiotic, colloidal silver is a mixture of silver particles suspended in fluid that have been used for centuries.

This treatment is temporary since too much silver – a heavy metal – can be toxic. However, it disables the enzyme that single-cell bacteria require to multiply. Deprived of their oxygen supply, the bacteria and viruses are destroyed without damage to you.

10. Oil of Oregano and Other Herbs

Continued medical research has shown that many tried and true herbal remedies work as well today as they did hundreds of years ago. Essential oils created from herbs long determined to be beneficial to human health are rapidly becoming holistic medicine’s go-to item. Mediterranean countries are the home of many of the most powerful, including oregano.

Oil of oregano is considered anti-microbial, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral, and anti-fungal.

It can be used internally and externally in the treatment of wounds, respiratory problems, digestive upset, and even the common cold.

Packed with antioxidants known as phenols and flavonoids, it heals but also strengthens your immune system. They represent natural alternatives to boost your immunity and add an excellent variety to your food preparation.

Allspice, thyme, cinnamon, basil, rosemary, turmeric, cayenne, chili peppers, cloves, ginger, anise, mustard seed, and fennel are just a few natural herbs you should consider adding to your daily diet. Some are available in essential oils that increase their healing power.

Prescribed antibiotics kill all bacteria – both the good and the bad – leaving your body stripped of its natural ability to fight infection and ward off illness.

You are designed to heal yourself in most cases. By adding these natural food medicines to your life, you can actively work to keep your body healthy and in balance.

To your Health!

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Living Proof - U R what U Eat!

Proof that "You are what you Eat!"

Fruits and Vegetables no French Fries!!!!   - CLICK HERE!!!!    

Just Saying.......

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What's so natural about your Deodorant

 

Are You Armed with a "natural" defense to sweat!

We ALL LOVE to smell great!!!!   

I get that!

 Close to 85% of Trinidadians apply deodorant to their armpits daily. However, this seemingly safe daily hygiene can have serious consequences for your health, if you choose the wrong products. And it’s very easy to do so as majority of the deodorants today have harmful ingredients, that a very little amount of people understand. 

Here are the 7 harmful ingredients in your deodorant that you should avoid.

1. Parabens

(methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl)

Parabens are a very common ingredient that are found in every day cosmetic products and your deodorant as well. You may have seen “Paraben free” labels, and it’s a good thing. So why is everyone so down on Parabens after it has been used for nearly 70 years? During a study done in 2004, parabens have been linked to breast cancer.  They are said to disturb the body’s hormonal balance and to mimic estrogen, as estrogen is said to play a part in breast cancer formation.

2. Aluminum compounds

(Aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly)

Aluminum compounds within deodorants act as a plug within the sweat ducts and temporarily stop the flow of sweat. However, these compounds can be absorbed by your skin. Just as the parabens, these compounds can mimic estrogen, which promote growth of breast cancer cells.

3. Silica

Silica is a known skin irritant, it may also be contaminated with crystalline quartz which is a carcinogen (capable of causing cancer).

4. Triclosan

Triclosan is another ingredient that can irritate your skin and cause contact dermatitis. Your body contains good as well as bad bacteria, but triclosan kills both. The FDA classifies triclosan as a pesticide, while the IARC has it listed as a possible carcinogen.

5. Talc

IARC, claims that if Talc contains asbestiform fibers, then it is considered a carcinogen. The quantity of asbestiform fibers in deodorants is unclear as it is not regulated in cosmetic products. 

6. Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is another common ingredient with health hazards. It may cause delayed allergic reactions, and is considered a neurotoxin, which may cause kidney and liver damage. 

7. Steareth-n

The “n” stands for a number. So the label may say for example, steareth-1. It is actually derived from vegetables, but it is reacted with a known carcinogen, ethylene oxide. 

Other ingredients:

Fragrance – skin irritation, harmful to the environment, allergies and organ system toxicity. 

Deodorants to Avoid:

Most common deodorants on the shelves like Axe, Secret, Old Spice, Dove, Right Guard typically contain at least one of these ingredients.

To help you, Skin Deep has a database that contains over 69,000 products and examines them based over 50 toxicity databases and gives them a safety rating. You can find if your deodorant is on the safe side or if it’s a serious health concern. Otherwise, just this list to avoid these harmful ingredients.

Beauty requires sacrifices, but none of them should be your health. There are plenty of deodorants out there that don’t contain harmful ingredients and get the job done naturally. You can even make your own deodorant at home. If you need help in finding healthy alternatives, or have any suggestions on which deodorants are safe, share with us below.

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Is beauty worth that price?

  

What's in your nail polish?

Most women in developed countries around the world will use nail polish on a regular basis. But while it looks pretty at the top, do you know what's going on below the surface?

I came across an very interesting site that talks about the hidden dangers of modern nail polish. Ladies, please take a look and be aware of what you put on your body. Men, if you love the ladies in your life, you'll share this bit of information with them too.

what's in your nail polish?

I did some research and came across some water based, eco-friendly nail polishes online. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but have a look!


HoneyBee Gardens has a line of natural nail polishes in a variety of colors. They are water-based and contain no traces of dangerous chemicals or carcinogens!




Acquarella Polishes are also water-based, don't contain any formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, mercury or wheat products.


SpaRitual is completely toxin-free and is totally vegan.



PeaceKeeper  carries a line of polishes with a few bright colors infused with Argan Oil and it is also toxin-free. It looks great and it moisturizes at the same time. 


Do you know what's in your polish? Check it out here: 

what is your nail polish?

Have a pedicure and manicure, be girly, be sexy, be bright and most importantly...Be Healthy!

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