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Showing posts with label fruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruit. Show all posts

Make your own organic dairy free coconut yogurt

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Dairy Free Coconut Yogurt:

Homemade raw vegan coconut yogurt is a great addition (and replacement) for regular dairy yogurt. It will not create mucus or inflammation in your body (like dairy yogurt does) and it tastes about 500 times better than regular yogurt (who doesn't like the taste of coconut?!)! There are many additions you can make to the yogurt after it has finished culturing - you may add your favourite raw granola, some berries, pineapple, peaches, or perhaps some raw walnuts or almonds - pretty much anything that comes to mind!

Image: www.yogurtculturecompany.com
















Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut meat (from young thai coconut, or mature coconut - if it is from mature coconut then you should for sure have a vitamix blender to properly blend)
- 1/2 tbsp. coconut kefir
- 1/2 tsp. dairy free probiotics
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 cup young thai coconut water

Directions:
1. Blend all of the above ingredients in a Vitamix blender (or other high speed blender like Blendtec), until smooth and creamy with no chunks.
2. Take this mixture and pour into a bowl (or jar) and cover with a cheesecloth or lid NOT tightly sealed, but simply lightly placed on top.
3. Let your coconut yogurt to culture on the tabletop at room temperature for 8-16 hours. The longer it sits, the more sour, and more like yogurt it will taste (this is SAFE).
4. The yogurt should last one week after this point, in the fridge! Enjoy!



Additions (add to your yogurt after it has cultured):
- For SWEET yogurt, add:
-3-4 pitted medjool dates

- For Herbed yogurt, add:
- your favourite herbs! Dill, basil, mint, etc.

- For Fruity yogurt, add:
- Berries, peaches, nectarines, etc.


Recipe source: Raw Edibles

Use These 5 Alternatives to Popular Foods for Better Health

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Smart substitutions will not only improve the way you look, but they will also make you feel better, and can help encourage healthier habits on your journey to a new and better you. Making these 5 easy food swaps will help you lose weight, improve the appearance of your skin, reduce cravings, and increase your energy levels. It is time for “out with the old and in with the new!” Why wait? Start today!

Image: Live Love Fruit
Instead of candy eat fruit!
Fruit is literally nature’s candy! Candy is essentially refined sugar, some kind of corn product, and weird thickeners. It isn’t really food, at all, just something that we have substituted for what our brain truly craves – fruit sugar, or in other words, fructose (and some glucose). Fruit also contains beneficial vitamins and minerals which help shut off hunger signals in our brain and prevents us from eating the entire fridge after a hard days work. Fruit provides our body with proper carbohydrates, healthy starches, and cellulose which provide fiber. Instead of reaching for some candy, reach for a banana, peach, mango or if you really want something sweet, try some fresh medjool dates, or dried apricots or goji berries!

Instead of salt swap in fresh or dried herbs & spices!
Sodium dehydrates, and raises blood pressure putting us at risk for developing heart disease or suffering from a stroke. Most people think not using salt will lead to bland tasting foods – this is usually because they leave out salt and don’t add in anything else to help maximize flavour. This is where herbs and spices come in! They help add incredible flavour to your foods and contain plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which help fight off disease. I particularly like to use dill because it is very salty and makes everything taste amazing. The variety of herbs and spices you can use are endless! From mint to basil, to chile flakes and garlic – you won’t even remember that you forgot to add salt.

Instead of butter or margarine eat avocado!
Using avocado in place of butter is a great food swap! Butter is laden with artery-clogging saturated fat and margarine is loaded with ingredients that are found in plastic products – so what better to use than omega rich avocado? Avocados have a naturally smooth, creamy texture, and can be used as a healthy substitute in baking for butter and eggs! You can also use it as a spread on toast in the morning, or just scrap the toast and eat the avocado itself! Avocado is also loaded with vitamins and can help reduce cholesterol and fight heart disease. You can even make a raw chocolate pudding using avocado – click HERE for the recipe!

Instead of mucus-forming milk drink body-slimming almond milk!
Almond milk is a popular milk substitute, and is about 500x healthier than cow’s milk due to it’s incredible vitamin and mineral content and heart-protecting properties. People who are lactose intolerant can also safely consume almond milk without any adverse side effects! Almond milk is packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, iron, fiber, zinc, and calcium! It is also incredibly low in calories (only 40 calories per 8 oz. serving) and is very low in fat. It is free of casein, gluten, lactose, and is completely cholesterol free – it is also void of saturated animal fats which regular cows milk is full of. Cows milk also contains pus (white blood cells), which we probably shouldn’t be consuming. It is also a leading cause of runny and stuffy noses (congestion) and creates a lot of mucus in the body – clogging up our cells and giving us brain fog. Switch to almond milk today! It can be used in place of milk in any situation!

Instead of bagels for breakfast eat bananas!
Grains are not necessarily a human food – in fact, before the Agricultural Revolution, a couple hundred thousand of years passed without consumption of grains. In fact, studies have found that the human brain’s physical ability and functioning was highest just prior to this wheat-based revolution. Not just that, but archeological evidence has shown that since humans became more involved in their agricultural practices, human strength has slowly, but surely declined. Grains contain a compound called Phytic Acid which blocks the ability of our bodies to absorb calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc – when grains begin to sprout, vitamin and mineral content increases and phytic acid content decreases. However, most of the grains individuals consume today are not sprouted, leading to a variety of mineral deficient diseases like osteoporosis. Instead, eat some fruit carbs like bananas! Fully ripe bananas are packed with vitamins and minerals and will nourish your body instead of depleting it! If you please, make a banana smoothie with bananas, dates, and coconut water – you will feel 100x better, compared to the tiredness most individuals feel after consuming breads and pastas.

Source: Live Love Fruit

5 Important Health Benefits of Cherries




Cherries are one of the most popular summer fruit, with around two million tonnes being produced worldwide every year! Thankfully, cherries are also wonderful for our health! That deep, dark red hue is a good sign that they pack an array of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The benefits of cherries range from helping to relieve pain, prevent diseases like cancer and slow down the aging process. Read on to find out how cherries can help improve our health.

Help Fight Cancer & Disease
Cherries are very rich in antioxidants – you can tell simply by observing their deep red hue. Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals which induce damage to our DNA and cells in our body. When we consume a large quantity of antioxidants, they replace the free radicals in our body before they can cause any harm to our health.

Cherries are rich in queritrin (a flavonoid), which has been found by researchers to be one of the most potent anti-cancer antioxidants. They also contain ellagic acid (potent anti-carcinogen and anti-mutagenic which eradicate cancer cells in the body) and perillyl alcohol (POH) which is extremely powerful in destroying proteins that the cancer cells need to grow.

Powerful Anti-Inflammatory (Arthritis, Gout, Migraines)
Cherries, similar to berries, help fight off inflammation in the body thanks to their high concentration of free-radical scavenging antioxidants. The anthocyanins and bioflavonoids in cherries slow down COX-1 and COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzymes, which means that individuals suffering from arthritis and gout will experience major pain relief from a reduction in inflammation.

By helping reduce inflammation in the body, cherries also help eliminate migraine headaches. In fact, cherries work so well at reducing headaches and migraines, that they have been found to be just as effective as aspirin and ibuprofen!

“Brain Food” – Improve Memory
Anthocyanins in cherries produce powerful effects in the brain, such that they improve circulation of blood and thus increase the ability of neurons to communicate more effectively. This means better memory and reduced risk of developing diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Help You Lose Weight
Cherries, like all fruit, can actually help you lose weight! Foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients help signal to the brain that the body has received ample nutrients and will shut off the hunger signal. When we consume empty-calorie foods (anything highly processed and packaged), we feel as though we can eat 500 times the amount of those foods and STILL not be satiated. This is because these foods are stripped of nutrients, and thus our body gets confused and wants to keep eating until it has fulfilled it’s nutrient needs.

Cherries have been extensively studied and have proven to lower total body weight, reduce belly fat and cholesterol. Specifically, tart cherries have the potential to limit the uptake of fat into the body and help control blood cholesterol levels.

Reset Circadian Rhythms
Cherries contain the antioxidant melatonin which is released when we sleep, and helps regulate our circadian rhythms. Our body rapidly absorbs melatonin, so if you want to sleep easy, eat a cup or two of cherries before you go to bed. Not much melatonin is present in the body, so consuming foods that contain this antioxidant is a wonderful way to naturally treat insomnia and help you sleep better.

Sources:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/01/17/cherries-health.aspx

McCune, L., Kubota, C., Stendell-Hollis, N., & Thomson, C. (2010) Cherries and health: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 51, 1-12.

Kelley, D., Rasooly, R., Jacob, R., Kader, A., & Mackey, B. (2006) Consumption of bing sweet cherries lower circulating concentrations of inflammation markers in healthy men and women. American Society for Nutrition, 136, 981-986.

Seymour, E., Lewis, S., Urcuyo-Llanes, D., Tanone, I., Kirakosyan, A., Kaufman, P. (2009) Regular tart cherry intake alters abdominal adiposity, adipose gene transcription, and inflammation in obesity-prone rats fed a high fat diet. Journal of Medicinal Food, 12, 935-942.


Gonzalez-Gomez, D., Lozano, M., Fernandez-Leon, M., Ayuso, M., Bernalte, M., Rodriguez, A. (2009) Detection and quantification of melatonin and serotonin in eight sweet cherry cultivars (prunus avium L.)European Food Research and Technology, 229, 223-229.

Health Benefits of Bananas

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I like to consider the banana as the “king fruit” – it feels very “complete” in terms of nutrients, and provides us with an incredible burst of energy. Bananas have been a staple food for individuals for many centuries and still to this day top at one of the top 5 fruits in the homes of families. Bananas provide an array of benefits for the human body, including (and not limited to) the list below. Read on to find out how bananas will help improve and nourish your life!

1. Reduce depression
Bananas contain catecholamines, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine (1). They also contain tryptophan which metabolizes the neurotransmitter serotonin (the “happy” molecule) as well as tyrosine (1). Dopamine and serotonin are both neurotransmitters, with dopamine being involved in movement, motivational and pleasure seeking behaviours and serotonin being involved in physical, emotional and psychological conditions. These two chemical help to reduce depression and improve your mood (2).

2. Regulate the bowel system
Bananas are high in non-digestible fibbers like cellulose, hemicellulose and alpha-glucans (4) which helps prevent constipation and restores and maintains regular bowel function. A 7-8-inch banana has more than 3g of fibre! This composes nearly 8% of your total daily requirement of fibre, and helps ease waste through the GI tract.

Bananas will help with both constipation and diarrhea. Bananas also contain pectin, and because of this, they have the ability to absorb water in the intestine giving them a bulk producing ability.

3. Reduce blood pressure & risk of heart disease
Bananas are rich in potassium (as we all know), and potassium is required for muscle contraction as well as correct functioning of the heart and nervous system. Eating just one banana will provide you with enough potassium for the day!

Bananas also contain flavonoids which show anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic (ability to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol), hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Because of their hypolipidemic properties, flavonoids in bananas can reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammation and aging (3).

4. Help our bones grow stronger
Bananas help our body retain minerals like calcium, nitrogen and phosphorous, all of which help to build healthy and regenerated tissues. How do bananas help the body absorb these minerals? Bananas contain healthy prebiotics called fructooligosaccharides which nourish the friendly probiotic bacteria in our colon (4). When we eat a banana we are better able to absorb nutrients and compounds that protect us against bad bacteria because of the prebiotic capability of the banana, helping us to produce vitamins and generate digestive enzymes. Our friendly probiotic bacterium in our intestine ferment the fructooligosaccharides and thus increase the amount of probiotic bacteria (4) which allows the body toabsorb more calcium!

5. Help individuals to quit smoking
Did you know that bananas can help you quit smoking? They help to reduce the amount of stresses and help you deal with nicotine withdrawal. Bananas contain Vitamin C, A1, B12, B6, potassium and magnesium which help to relax your body and ease off the terrible side effects of nicotine withdrawal such as stomach cramps, stress, headaches, shakiness, irritability and nausea. They also help with the mental and physical symptoms of quitting cigarettes such as keeping your hands busy with something else, other than the cigarette. Holding a banana in your hand and consuming it will keep your hands busy, and will also deliver your body with potassium and magnesium which help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

6. Help prevent anemia
Individuals with anemia have a hard time producing enough healthy red blood cells. The common treatment is to take iron pills, however, the banana can provide similar benefits. Bananas are incredibly high in iron, and help to stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood – thus, they are helpful in cases of anemia.

Around 8mg of iron is needed daily for men and women, however, during menstrual cycles women should consume up to 15mg of iron. One medium sized banana contains around 0.4mg of iron, which is high for a fruit! Consume a 6-8 RIPE banana smoothie and you will get nearly 3-5mg of iron in one shot!

7. Provide us with energy
We all know bananas are a rich source of sucrose, fructose and glucose, all of which compliment the high fibre in the banana, and thus releases the sugars slowly into the bloodstream to give us stable energy throughout the day. Bananas also contain high levels of potassium which help to keep our muscles contracting properly during exercise and prevents lactic acid build up (less cramping). Just TWO bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout!

8. Reduce menstrual pains
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 which helps to regulate blood glucose levels and thus positively affect your mood. One study found that treating premenstrual women with 100mg of vitamin B6 per day effectively treated their premenstrual symptoms and premenstrual depression (5). Instead of taking pills like ibuprofen or Midol (and reaping the side-effects of those drugs), simply eat a banana!

9. Power our brains
Our brains run on glucose – therefore, bananas are great to help boost our brain power. Bananas also contain potassium, which research has shown can help assistant learning and memory by making pupils more alert. Children who consume a potassium-rich fruit breakfast often do better on tests than children who do not.

10. Help prevent ulcers
Bananas have also been shown to neutralize the acidity of gastric juices and thus reduces ulcer irritation (4). They also protect against the formation of ulcers and ulcer damage by increasing the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of the stomach thanks to the flavonoid in the banana called leucocyanidin!

Sources:

(1) Ohla, S., Schulze, P., Fritzsche, S., & Belder, D. (2011). Chip electrophoresis of active banana ingredients with label-free detection utilizing deep UV native fluorescence and mass spectrometry.Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 399, 1853-1857.

(2) Smith, K., Fairburn, C., & Cowen, P. (1997). Relapse of depression after rapid depletion of tryptophan.The Lancet, 349, 915-919.

(3) Vijayakumar, S., Presannakumar, G., & Vijayalakshmi, N. (2008). Antioxidant activity of banana flavonoids. Fitoterapia, 79, 279-282.

(4) Kumar, K., Bhowmik, D., Duraivel, S., & Umadevi, M. (2012). Traditional and medicinal uses of banana. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 1, 57-70.

(5) Wyatt, K., Dimmock, P., Jones, P., & O’Brien, P. (1999). Efficacy of vitamin B-6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: systematic review. BMJ, 318, 1375.


Thank you to Live Love Fruit

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8 Amazing Health Benefits of Peaches

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When it comes to improving brain power, choosing the right foods is essential. The nutrients you ingest, day in, day out, will help you use your brain more efficiently. The more you are using your brain, the more it will grow new connections, new cells, and improve your ability to problem-solve and store memories.

Making sure you eat fresh, local organic produce is also crucial. This will get your brain functioning at its peak, because these foods are much closer to their natural state and have a much higher availability of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming highly processed foods that are filled with numerous chemicals are not nutritious, and can actually slow the connections and neuronal firing in your brain.

I should also mention that drinking plenty of water (at least 2 litres or more a day) is very important to help the brain function properly and to hel Tis the season for peaches! Now is the time to get in as many organic peaches as you can, to help nourish your body and invite it with as many vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients as possible! It is important to purchase organic peaches because conventional peaches are sprayed with nasty pesticides and herbicides which will eradicate any beneficial components in the peach. Read on to learn about the 8 incredible benefits of the amazing peach!

Eye Health
Peaches are a great source of beta carotene (a compound that is converted to vitamin A in the body, and which is crucial to the health of our retinas). Individuals with sight problems are often deficient in beta carotene, so consuming peaches will help up your beta carotene levels and nourish the health of your eyes. This compound also helps prevent night blindness and age-related macular degeneration.

Protection Against Toxins
Peaches are a great way to cleanse out toxins from your colon, kidneys, stomach and liver. The high fibre content pushes out any toxic excess waste matter from your colon, and helps protect against colon cancer. Peaches are also rich in potassium which reduces kidney related diseases and reduces your chance of developing ulcers.

Aids in Weight Loss
Including lots of fresh ripe juicy fruit in your diet is a great way to help control your hunger and lose weight. Peaches contain natural fruit sugars, so they do not raise your blood sugar or insulin levels (only processed sugary foods do this – refined & artificial sugars which deposit as fat in your body). The sweetness of this fruit also controls any food cravings you may have, so it is a win-win situation!

Fights Cancer
Peaches are incredibly high in antioxidants. Particularly, they contain an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid (concentrated in the skin and flesh of the peach) which is known to protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases. This antioxidant is also responsible for reducing inflammation in the body (helping those suffering from arthritis) and helps slow the aging process.

Cardiovascular Health
Peaches are high in iron and vitamin K which are two important substances for keeping the heart healthy. Vitamin K prevents the blood from clotting and protects against a myriad of heart diseases. Iron keeps the blood healthy and strong and prevents against iron-deficiency anemia. The lycopene and lutein in peaches also significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Do your cardiovascular system a favour and go eat some peaches!

Kidney Cleansing
The potassium in peaches are great for reducing kidney related diseases and helps to cleanse your bladder. The concentration of potassium and other vitamins in this amazing little fruit allows your body to maintain normal kidney and liver function. Eating peaches will help prevent nephritis and a variety of other kidney diseases as well as help eliminate kidney stones.

Skin Health
The levels of vitamin C in peaches are very high! Vitamin C is an essential ingredient that benefits the youthfulness of our skin (and also helps keep our immune system high!). Peaches help slow the aging process so they reduce the formation of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin (thanks to the antioxidants like vitamin C and chlorogenic acid). Rubbing some peach on your skin as a temporary mask is another great way to slough away dead skin and to allow the peach enzymes to nourish and refreshen your skin.

Antioxidants
As we have seen throughout the previous seven points, peaches are very high in antioxidants, ranging from lycopene to vitamin C to chlorogenic acid. All of these antioxidants serve to keep your body healthy and in tip-top shape. Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals in the body which would normally cause life-threatening diseases and illnesses like cancer, auto-immune diseases and a variety of other illnesses. Providing your body with a diet rich in seasonally-ripe fruit is the best way to ensure you are getting more than enough antioxidants.
p you feel more alert. After all, your water constitutes over 85% of your brain’s weight. 

8 Foods that Boost your Brain Power

Berries (blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, goji berries, mulberries, seabuckthorn, golden berries, boysenberries, saskatoons, etc.)
Berries are a great food for increasing brain power because of their high antioxidant content. They have been shown to prevent nerve-related degeneration and decline in both cognitive and motor function because they reduce inflammation and improve neuronal cell longevity. The polyphenolic compounds in berries also protect against neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as depression.

Asparagus (and other foods rich in folic acid like okra, spinach, collards, sunflower seeds, romaine lettuce and beans)
Why are foods that are high in folic acid great for the brain? This vitamin has been found to improve memory and cognition in healthy adults aged 50-70 years old. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin which improves cognitive functioning, especially with respect to memory and information processing speed. Consuming foods rich in folic acid like asparagus and spinach will help your brain tremendously!

Avocados
Avocados are a great healthy fat to include in your diet and they are high in vitamin E. They contain essential fatty acids which are necessary for maximum brain power as well as supporting proper brain growth and development. Omega fatty acids help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and help boost your memory and ability to learn new things!

Carrots (and other foods rich in beta carotene and vitamin C like mangos, oranges, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe, peppers, and rainbow chard)
Beta carotene rich foods may reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress in the brain which normally damages brain cells leading to rapid brain aging and associated cognitive decline. In studies with groups of individuals taking beta carotene and comparing them to controls (no beta carotene), it was found that the brain was able to function much more efficiently, particularly with respect to verbal memory.

Hemp Seeds (and other healthy nuts & seeds like chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)
Hemp seeds are high in omega fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and help protect the nervous system. How do they do this? To put it simply, they “feed” and repair the myelin sheaths that protect our nerves, which if not protected, can lead to serious health issues like multiple sclerosis (a disease caused by myelin sheath damage). Omega fatty acids in hemp seeds and other nuts and seeds also help lift depression and those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and can reduce the harmful effects of chronic stress.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (think collards, kale, swiss card, beet greens, green & red leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, and dark green herbs like basil, mint, parsley, cilantro, dill, arugula, and watercress)
Dark leafy green vegetables are known for their ability to keep the brain sharp through aging. These greens are rich in folate (a B vitamin, as mentioned earlier) and can protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Folate helps reduce blood levels of homocysteine (a blood marker of cardiovascular disease), which when high, have been linked to lower cognitive test scores. Leafy green vegetables are also very mineral and vitamin dense, which help keep our brain sharp, and our thoughts clearer.

Bananas
Bananas are a great brain food. For one, they help lift depression due to their high tryptophan content (a protein that the body converts into serotonin), which helps you relax and improve mood. Secondly, they are remarkably high in potassium (same with medjool dates!) which is a mineral that helps send oxygen to the brain and thus makes you feel more alert. They are also rich in B vitamins which are very important in calming the nervous system and protecting the myelin sheath around our nerves.

Watermelon (and other water rich foods like melon, zucchini, cucumbers and celery)

Ensuring you stay hydrated is a great way to keep your memory sharp, moods balanced and motivation strong. If you are dehydrated (which more than 95% of the population normally is), you reduce oxygen flow to the brain and could temporarily shrink neurons. Consuming water rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers and celery will prevent this from happening and can help you focus better on the tasks at hand.


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Strawberry Banana Pops

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1 heaping cup of strawberries, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, 2 tbsp of local raw honey (optional), 1/2 banana. All organic!
Action: 1. Blend strawberries and 1tbsp of honey in a blender or food processor.
2. In a small bowl - stir the plain yogurt with 1 tbsp of the strawberry puree and tbs of honey.
3. Fill ice pop molds with strawberry puree and yogurt and alternate to make layers and slices of bananas and strawberries.
4. Insert sticks and freeze for 4 hours or until frozen . (When ready, run under hot water to release). ..... Do you really need the nutritional macro's on this one? Its practically all carbs with a gram or 2 of fat and protein from the yogurt. Therefore not a complete meal. To complete it, add some protein. Otherwise enjoy as a healthy snack!


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Benefits of Watermelon

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1. Heart Health - To maintain a healthy heart needs to follow a diet lows in fat, cholesterol, and rich in antioxidants such as (lycopene), which works to fight free radical compounds. Thereby protecting the vessels and arteries from hardening. And watermelon red rich in antioxidants, citrulline compound. Which helps to maintain good levels of histidine-arginine. Necessary for the production of nitric oxide. Which plays an important role in maintaining the elasticity of the arteries and blood vessels by helping to curb the interactions of oxidative stress.

2. Cancer - Watermelon is rich in antioxidants such as lycopene which contains twice the amount found in tomatoes. Watermelon also contains vitamin C, A. These compounds play an active role in the fight several cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer by protecting cells from free radicals damage to vehicles. Chinese study showed in 2009 that the compounds found in watermelon, working to increase the programmed death in breast cancer cells.

3. Sexual activity - Natural Viagra by this name describes the researchers watermelon red, because it is a rich source of amino acid citrulline, which works to farther expand the blood vessels, thus allowing the passage of more blood vessels to the penis leading to erection. Dr. Patel from the University of Texas turns acid citrulline to acid arginine. This is a precursor for the production of nitric oxide, which helps to aneurysm.

4. Infections - Melons plays an important role in the treatment of many infections in the body, including inflammation of the joints. This is due to the role of vitamins contained in watermelon.

5. Kidney - Melons plays the role of detergent to the kidneys of salt deposits of limestone as a result of watermelon contain potassium, which complete the task of removing salts, potassium is also working to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood. Thus reducing the chance of forming kidney stones. Watermelon is also working as a diuretic result because it contains a large amount of water.

6. High blood pressure - Potassium and manganese are working on blood pressure regulation, as well as antioxidants work to maintain the health of blood vessels against sclerosis, which helps to ease the movement of the passage of blood vessels, thus reducing the high blood pressure.

Other benefits
• Moderation, eating watermelon helps in reducing weight as 100 g each gives 30 calories .
• Moderation, eating watermelon helps to regulate blood sugar level to lower sugars, potassium and magnesium are working is working to help the body to insulin secretion.
• Watermelon good for eye health because it contains a good amount of vitamin.

In addition, watermelon removes thirst, has a high nutritional value, is a summer fruit, sweet taste, take the form of spherical or cylindrical, with color a green light or dark , containing red pulp dotted with black seeds. It watermelon red. Every 100 grams of watermelon contains 30 calories, one g fiber, food, ten g sugar, one g protein, free fat and cholesterol, contains vitamins such as A, C, E, D, niacin, thiamine, B6, B12, acid Pantothenic. Also contains minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, fluoride, selenium. Free sodium. in addition to its nutritional value has lit the other health benefits.


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Build Your Own Nutritious Smoothies In 5 Steps

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1. Choose A Base  
The base will mostly be the liquid of your smoothie. You can add plain water if you please, or coconut milk or water, nut milk (hemp, almond, sunflower, etc.), or fruit juice of some sort (apple, orange, pineapple, etc.). Add 1 cup to start, and once you have blended your smoothie, you can add more if you would like it more thin.

2. Add Fruit
You may add as much fruit as you please to your smoothie, just be sure you combine your fruit properly (acid with acid, acid with sub-acid, and sweet with sub-acid but never with acid). Some of my favourite fruit additions are banana (frozen or fresh - make sure they are spotty ripe to facilitate optimal digestion), pear, apple, berries, mango and pineapple.

3. Add Greens
Greens are a great way to get in some extra chlorophyll in your diet, and to help alkalize and keep the body calm. You can add a rib or two of celery, a few slices of cucumber, or 1-2 cups of tender greens (spinach, dandelion greens, swiss chard, romaine, green/red leaf lettuce or herbs like parsley, cilantro, arugula) or 1-2 cups of dense greens (like kale and collards)

4. Thicken up (optional)
If you want to thicken up your smoothie a little bit you can add some nut butters (like almond or peanut), or some coconut meat or chia seeds. If you choose to add chia seeds, make sure you soak them beforehand. Soak 1 tbsp. chia seeds in 250ml (1 cup) of water and let stand for 1 hour before using.

5. Power up! (optional)
If you want to power up a little bit, you can also use some of these so-called "superfoods" (although I consider all fruit and vegetables to be super, depending on growing conditions). These foods include goji berries, golden berries, mulberries (add around 1/4 of each berry), hemp protein (1 tbsp), hemp seeds (1 tbsp), flax seeds (1 tbsp), spirulina powder (1 tbsp) or maca powder (1 tsp). 


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As we transition from those early spring time months of warm beverages and apples galore, we enter a world transformed by summer heat and an abundance of sun-doused produce. Our disposition to spend more time in the heated outdoors, be it a trail run, time spent gardening or picnicking with friends, makes staying hydrated of the utmost importance! Now for the long-disputed question: Do we really need 8 glasses of water to maintain hydration?

The female human body is roughly 50-60 percent water and the male body is 60-65 percent! While it’s imperative to drink a healthy dose of fluid each day to maintain hydration, the quintessential recommendation of 8-10 glasses per day can come from a variety of sources, and is variable to one’s activity level and environment. Whereas water is the most pure form of hydration, we often rely on more flavorful sources like sports drinks, sodas, juices and coffee beverages. Although these items contain water, they are often high in calories and sugar.

Therefore, the trick to maintaining good hydration while keeping calories at a minimum, aside from drinking water, is to eat fruits and vegetables of high water content.

Drinking water is a great way to quench thirst, however, when you eat a piece of juicy fruit, the water along with other nutrients and electrolytes present in the fruit, get absorbed together thus hydrating and maintaining water balance in every cell of the body.
Go ahead, give it a try! Use lettuce leaves as taco shells, muddle watermelon into your lemonade, eat berries for a snack, and add red cabbage to your salads for some extra crunch, color, nutrition and hydration!

Fruits and Vegetables Percent Water Calories Serving
Bibb Lettuce 96% 7 kcal 1 cup raw
Cucumber 95% 16 kcal 1 cup raw
Zucchini 95% 17 kcal 1 cup raw
Bell Pepper 94% 18 kcal 1 cup raw
Watermelon 91% 23 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Strawberries 91% 25 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Red Cabbage 90% 28 kcal 1 cup raw
Peach 89% 30 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Raspberries 86% 32 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Apricot 86% 37 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Blueberries 84% 42 kcal 1/2 cup raw
Pichuberries 84% 43 kcal 1/2 cup raw


Source: Dave Sommers, RAWBINA

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Health Benefits of Pineapple

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The bromeliad family of plants very rarely produce edible fruit – with the exception of pineapple, that is. The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today! One pineapple is actually made up of individual flowerets that grow and weave together to form the beautiful golden fruit we call a pineapple.

The pineapples lush, sweet, exotic flavour make it a family favourite – but did you know that pineapple is also one of the most healthful foods available today?

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme in pineapples, is often used as a supplement itself to help boost health and clear up various health issues. Of course, eating pineapple in itself will deliver these same effects such as better heart and circulatory health, improvement in asthma and other breathing conditions as well as improved immunity, reduced inflammation and suppressed growth of cancer cells.



Anti-inflammatory Benefits
Bromelain possesses anticoagulant properties, and thus slows down the ability of blood to clot. This, combined with bromelain’s anti-inflammatory properties, make it a great nutritional supplement (in pure form – aka. eating a pineapple) for bruise prevention and to reduce swelling and redness from burns or sports injuries. Consuming pineapple after surgery is another way to reduce the trauma associated with incisions or injections.

There are a variety of inflammatory-related conditions, ranging from arthritis to inflammatory bowel disease and sinusitis as well as inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, acne, rosacea, dermatitis and psoriasis. The list doesn’t end there. In fact, many diseases nowadays are caused by a major influx of inflammation in the cells and tissues, whether that be from consuming the wrong foods or living in less-than-optimal environmental conditions (i.e., chemical hazards, smog, pollution, etc.).

Bromelain has been useful in treating all of the above inflammatory disorders. The major mechanism of action of bromelain is proteolytic in nature, and may also involve immunomodulatory and hormone like activity acting via intracellular signalling pathways. It has also been shown that bromelain significantly reduces CD4+T lymphocytes, which are the primary effectors involved in inflammation in the body.

Research also indicates that the pain and discomfort associated with arthritis can be reduced by supplementing with 200 – 400 mg of bromelain per day (or you could just eat lots of pineapple every day and get the same effects – remember, the natural, real form of these enzymes are far better than their modified, synthetic form).

Immunity & Cancer
Research published in the journal Planta Medica, found that the chemotherapy drug, 5-fluorauracil, was incredibly inferior to bromelain when treating cancer in an animal study. Those treated with bromelain survived 263% times more than those treated with 5-fluorauracil, relative to the untreated control. Bromelain caused no external harm to the animals, other than improving their health. Chemotherapy drugs do more harm than good, and actually kill off your healthy cells, and make more chemo resistant and malignant cell types within the tumour (meaning the cancer becomes resistant to the chemo drugs).

In addition, the anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant effects of bromelain help to boost our immunity. Studies have shown that it may be able to enhance certain immune receptors in the body, and thus enhance the ability of the body to defend against bacteria and viruses at a more efficient rate. Bromelain helps mechanisms that are already in place to work faster, and more efficiently together, and to allow cells to communicate better with one another.

Pineapple is also incredibly rich in vitamin C, which is the body’s primary water-soluble antioxidant. It defends against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells. Vitamin C is essential for proper immune function, and has also been extensively studied by Dr. Ronal Hunninghake (15-year research project called RECNAC), who showed that vitamin C was selectively cytotoxic against cancer cells in cell cultures.

Heart & Circulatory Health and Breathing Conditions
Bromelain, being an anti-coagulant, means that it may allow blood to flow more freely through the circulatory system. Blood that flows more freely is thinner, and is associated with a reduced chance of stroke, heart attack and other circulatory and heart related issues.

Not only does it help with cardiovascular health, but pineapple’s bromelain enzyme also works in such a way that it breaks down mucus and thins its consistency. In conditions like asthma where breathing is often blocked by thick mucus in the lungs, bromelain acts as a mucus thinner, and helps un-clog the bronchial tubes of the lungs, helping patients breathe better.

All parts of the pineapple contain bromelain, however, the core of the pineapple has more concentrated amounts – be sure to stick the core through a juicer to get all the benefits out of your next pineapple feast!


Tochi, B., Wang, Z., Xu, S., & Zhang, W. (2008). Therapeutic application of pineapple protease (bromelain): A review. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 7, 513-520.

Gaby, A. (1999). Alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Altern Med Rev, 4, 392-402.

Maurer, H. (2001) Bromelain: biochemistry, pharmacology, and medical use. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS, 58, 1234-1245.


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Ten Best Summer Smoothie Recipes

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Summer is back, it’s probably hot and you’re thirsty, here are the best 10 vegan, dairy-free and packed with good-for-you ingredients smoothies. Smoothies are great for outdoor entertaining, summer barbeques, a nutritional breakfast, or just simply to quench thirst. Try one of our favorite smoothie recipes today!
1. Watermelon Frosty

2 1/4 cups frozen watermelon cubes
1/2+ cup water
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 large lemon, squeezed (lime juice also works very well! use 2 limes)
1 fresh banana

2. Strawberry Lemonade Healthy Slurpee
2 cups lemonade
1 – 1 1/2 cups ice
1/2 cup frozen strawberries


3. Pretty in Pink Grapefruit Smoothie
1 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
1/2 cup white grapefruit juice (or more pink)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup ice
2 bananas (fresh or frozen)

4. Banana Pineapple Guava Margarita
1 banana
1/2 cup ice
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup guava juice + 2 teaspoons agave syrup OR 1 cup lime all-natural margarita mix
1 lime, squeezed
3 shots tequila
salt rimmed glasses + lime garnish

5. Fresh Peach Hemp Milk Protein Smoothie
1 fresh ripe peach
1 1/2 cups hemp milk, vanilla flavor
1 cup frozen papaya
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/4 cup peach soy yogurt
1/2 cup coconut water ice cubes
1 frozen or fresh banana
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoons agave syrup
optional:
2 Tablespoons Hemp Protein Powder
2 Tablespoons shredded (fine) coconut flakes



6. Piña & Avocado
1 1/3 cups orange juice
1 1/4 cups frozen pineapple
1/2 avocado
1 small frozen banana (or fresh)
1/2 cup ice (I like coconut water ice cubes for this recipe)
Optional Add-in’s..
1/2 lime, squeezed over top of smoothie, or blended right into it
1 Tablespoon coconut milk or 2 teaspoons unsweetened coconut flakes
dash of cayenne

7. Kiwi Basil Smoothie
3 frozen kiwis
1 banana
1 pink grapefruit, juiced (about 3/4 cup juice)
1 Tablespoon agave syrup
small handful of fresh basil
handful of ice cubes

8. Triple Threat Acai Smoothie
2 Sambazon Acai Frozen Smoothie packs
1 bottle (10.5 oz.) Sambazon Acai Juice, Trinity Blend Flavor
2 handfuls ice (coconut water ice cubes preferred)
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries
1 ripe banana, raw
2/3 cup soy milk

9. Grab ‘n Go Chocolate Power Shake
2 cups plain almond milk
2 bananas, chopped/frozen
1 1/2 Tablespoons sweetened cocoa mix – dairy free and high quality dark chocolate
*I used Lake Champlain brand
2 heaping Tablespoons almond butter
3/4 cup ice
Optional Add-in’s..
shot of espresso or strongly brewed coffee
shot of chai tea
dash of cayenne + cinnamon

10. Easy Energy Almond Shake
2 cups almond milk or soymilk, vanilla flavor
2 large frozen bananas, ripe
2 Tablespoons almond butter
1/2 cup ice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
garnish: roasted almonds


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Disclaimer:

Before trying anything you find on the internet you should fully investigate your options and get further advice from professionals.

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