Health Benefits of Kohlrabi

Ms H

Kohlrabi or turnip cabbage Brassica oleracea, Gongylodes group a biennial plant that  takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle.

Nutrition values of kohlrabi:

Low in calories 27kcal /100g and high in fibre, excellent vegetable for weight loss.

Vitamins; vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin K

Minerals: potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium, calcium and phosphorous

Health benefits of kohlrabi:

Its high potassium content enables it to increase blood circulation throughout the body, oxygenating key areas, and lowering blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular events like strokes or heart attack. The high potassium content also helps in our nerve and muscle functions. The significant levels of iron found in kohlrabi with the potassium content, prevent iron deficiency. Vegetables like kohlrabi, with high manganese, iron, and calcium contents prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin A can help to prevent macular degeneration and slow down or eliminate the appearance of cataracts.

Cabbage Family Provides Antioxidant Protection

By Muhd Asif Raza  

You have heard a lot about antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, which help ward off disease by mopping up harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals that naturally accumulate in the body. Free radicals damage healthy tissues throughout the body, causing changes that can lead to heart disease, cancer, and other serious conditions.

• Members of the cabbage family are packed with these nutritious compounds. Particularly good are cabbages like bok choy and Savoy, which are super sources of beta-carotene, a nutrient that other cabbages don't have in abundance. High blood levels of beta-carotene are related to lower incidences of heart attacks, certain types of cancers, and cataracts.

• Not only are these cabbages high in beta-carotene; they are also a good source of vitamin C, which has been shown to boost immunity as well as reduce blood pressure and fight heart disease.

• A half-cup serving of raw bok choy provides 16 milligrams of vitamin C, 27 percent of the Daily Value (DV), while the

Same amount of raw Savoy cabbage supplies 11 milligrams, 18 percent of the DV.

• Both bok choy and Savoy cabbage are also decent sources of folate, with a half-cup of either providing about 35 micrograms, or 9 percent of the DV. Your body uses folate for normal tissue growth. Studies show that folate also may pro-tea against cancer, heart disease, and birth defects.

• Research shows that women are at high risk for folate deficiency, especially if they take birth control pills.

• Keep a cool head. Boiling cabbage removes about half the valuable Indoles. To preserve these compounds at maximum levels, experts advise eating cabbage raw-mixed in with a green salad, for example, or concentrated in coleslaw.

• Enjoy the variety. To get the healing benefits of cabbage several times a week without getting bored, explore the different varieties. Green, red, and Savoy cabbages, along with bok choy, all are high in protective compounds. They can be eaten raw in coleslaw, slow-cooked in soup, or wrapped around your favorite filling.

• Stock up. We often avoid stocking up on fresh produce because it can go bad so quickly. Never fear with cabbage. A head of cabbage will keep for up to 10 days in the crisper drawer, making it easy to eat a little bit each day without worrying about it spoiling.

• As produce goes, cabbage is a cook's best friend. It is versatile, inexpensive, readily available, and easy to prepare. Long cooking times release more of the strong-smelling sulfur compounds.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Muhd_Asif_Raza/355418

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Pistachios Are Good For Your Health

By Babak Vaziri  |   

Pistachios are one of the oldest of all flowering nut trees. We humans have been consuming pistachios for thousands of years. The pistachio tree grows best in hot and dry climates and can be found growing in abundance in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Pistachios are a very healthy snack food choice as they supply essential nutrients to the body, help to stabilize blood sugar levels and are satisfying. They alleviate hunger while providing energy to the body.

The pistachio nut is naturally free from cholesterol and trans-fats and is low in calories. The nutrients in a pistachio nut are magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese and fiber. They are high in essential polyphenol antioxidants, making them an ideal snack to nibble on between meals. The pistachio contains 'good' fat, which is fat that helps you feel full longer. Pistachios are dry roasted also, meaning that they are naturally free of trans-fats. Pistachios are a great choice for diabetics because they are naturally low in carbohydrates and are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. They help keep blood sugar and insulin levels in check, which in turn reduce the risks of heart disease.

Pistachios contain as much vitamin B6 as beef liver which we all know is considered an especially rich source of vitamin B6. So, per serving, pistachios provide twenty percent of the daily recommended dosage. Many of us do not take in sufficient amounts of B6. Probably one of the greatest benefits of consuming pistachios is that eating them could keep heart disease at bay. It seems that they do indeed lower cholesterol which in turn keeps the arteries healthy. The nuts are nutrient rich, which reduce the hardening of the arteries. We are all aware that hardening in the arteries is one of the main causes of strokes and heart attacks.

During a study in the United States, a group of people supplemented their low-fat diets withpistachios. A few of them ate 1.5 ounces daily while others consumed twice that much, either as a snack or as a part of a meal. The third group did not consume any pistachios.

In just a month's time, the cholesterol levels dropped significantly amongst the pistachio eaters. This study proved that by consuming only three ounces of the nut a day can cut cholesterol levels by over eight percent and LDL or 'bad' cholesterol by over eleven percent.

The anti-oxidant that is in pistachios is called letein and this anti-oxidant is found in brightly colored fruits and leafy, green vegetables. Letein prevents cholesterol from blocking arteries. It is recommended that people, who eat pistachios on a regular basis, choose the un-salted variety over the salted, because eating too much salt raises blood pressure.

Most of us love to snack between meals and in the evenings. By choosing pistachios over potato or nacho chips for example, we are making a healthy choice, improving our overall health and should feel healthier for making a better snack choice. The pistachio nut is good for you and your heart.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Babak_Vaziri/138411

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Omega 3 Fish Oil Reviews   by Kevin Mackay

Omega 3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids that are important for a number of functions in the body. They are found in foods such as fatty fish and certain vegetable oils and are also available in dietary supplements. This fact sheet provides basic information about omega 3 fatty acids with a focus on dietary supplements, summarizes scientific research on effectiveness and safety, and suggests sources for additional information.

Americans are buying more fish oil supplements than ever, but in industry-standard tests of 15 top-selling brands conducted by an outside lab for Consumer Reports, five fell a bit short.

The lab tested three lots of each brand, bought in New York-area stores. All had their labeled amount of EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. And none exceeded limits for lead, mercury, dioxins, or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), a nongovernmental standard-setting group, or by the European Union.

But the test results revealed total PCBs in amounts that could require warning labels under California's Proposition 65, a consumer right-to-know law, in one sample of the CVS, GNC, and Sundown products, and in two samples of Nature's Bounty.

Most tested pills are claimed to be "purified" or "free" of PCBs, mercury, or other contaminants, claims that have no specific regulatory definition, the Food and Drug Administration says. The agency has taken no enforcement action against any omega-3 maker over PCBs or other contaminants, an FDA spokeswoman said, because it has seen no public-health risk.

And two samples of Kirkland Signature failed the USP's disintegration test for pills with enteric coatings (designed to prevent fishy aftertaste): Their coating could break up in the stomach, not in the small intestine as intended. Oddly, that was one of few tested products labeled "USP Verified," which indicates that the USP has tested and verified the claimed ingredients, potency, and manufacturing process.

Bottom line. Most people can get enough omega 3 by eating fatty fish--such as salmon and sardines, which are also low in mercury--at least twice a week. But people who have coronary heart disease require about a gram a day of those fatty acids, an amount that often requires taking a supplement. Check with a doctor before taking omega 3 pills because they can interact with some medications. Choose one listed under "met quality standards." Those cost anywhere from 17 to 64 cents a day for 1 gram of EPA and DHA combined, the amount the American Heart Association recommends for people with coronary heart disease.

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http://goarticles.com/article/Omega-3-Fish-Oil-Reviews/7229839/

Why People Like To Eat Spiced Food?    

by Lalit Sharma

iEverybody should try to eat good foods which are full of essential nutrients required in the body. Many vitamins and minerals are required in the body for proper functioning. A deficient in single nutrient can lead to disease in the body. Hence, dieticians around the world are advising the people to add all the essential nutrients in the diet. This keeps our body well nourished and healthy for proper development of the body. But these days, people are living with the fast food available in the market. These diets can provide only certain amount of essential nutrients required in the body. It create illness in the body after prolong consumption especially if it is not hygienic. Hence, a good lifestyle with healthy diet can keep you strong and alive.

There are hundreds of foods available in the world which is consumed at a large scale. One of such food menu is found in the Indian subcontinent. Indian foods are known for their taste and health benefit gets by the eater. There are numerous varieties found in the Indian food which is easily available in other countries. This special varieties and taste are delivered by the use of spice in the food while cooking. Spices are obtained from plants which are found in different regions of the country. It is plantsEUR(TM) barks, roots, seeds, leaves, whole plant, and other herbs. It is used in raw, dried and in powdered form during cooking. Spices enhance the taste, colour, aroma, and nutrients content of the cooked food. The various spices used in the food are ginger, onion, garlic, cardamom, coriander, chilli, turmeric, and many more in the list. These are used in negligible quantity but change everything. Actually, it is impossible to make Indian food to prepare without using spices. People prefer Indian food to eat than other items found in the market. So, the people are importing these products from spice exporter from Indiato add in their diet. One can avail the health benefit from the spices contain in the food after using. Hence, this company is providing special quality products to the customers at affordable prices of the market. Products are packed in international standard to maintain the quality and freshness when it reaches the customers.
Sesame seeds are considered one of the healthiest foods in the world. It has been eaten since the ancient time in India for their nutrients and health benefits. Seeds are crushed to make paste which is used in making traditional biscuits for local consumption. Oil is extracted from seeds which are used in many culinary delights across the world. Nutrients found in the seeds are calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium, fibre, vitamins, and phytosterol. It is helpful in preventing cancer, inflammation, arthritis, sclerosis, diabetes, heart attack, etc. Thus, people are adding the food in their diet due to nutrients found in the seed after eating.Indian natural sesame seeds are popular all over the world for their taste and aroma. It is dried and packed according to international hygiene to prevent rancidity of the products when it reaches the customers. Buy Indian foods and sweets from this company at affordable prices of the market.

http://goarticles.com/article/Why-People-Like-To-Eat-Spiced-Food/8739568/