Posts Tagged ‘phytochemicals’
Thursday, October 25th, 2012
Fuyu persimmons are such a pretty color and shape
This Delightful Fruit Will Make You Glad That It’s Fall
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love Fuyu persimmons, and those who have never tried this amazing treat. I was category two for most of my life. But when I adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet, I became more adventurous and had to try this new food that seemed so exotic. The first bite left me wondering at the attraction of this novel fruit, but I quickly advanced to category one, so happy to have discovered an autumn treasure to cushion the end of summer.
Persimmons are an orange fruit that stars in the fall, when you are primed to love orange as the color of the season. The taste of Fuyus is quite mild and somewhat sweet, yet also strangely addictive. Or maybe it is the satisfying crunch, (more…)
Tags: carotenoids, Fuyu persimmon, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, whole foods plant-based diet
Posted in Plant-based nutrition | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
Whole grains are lovely as they grow. You can clearly see in this picture that the grains of wheat are seeds that form in a cluster on a grassy plant.
A Seed by Any Other Name is Still a Seed
Real world studies of what people eat show, over and over again, that if you consume whole grains you will be healthier and thinner. Yet outlandish statements in the popular media, and even “nutrition” books, may keep you from enjoying and benefitting from these most basic of all foods. When you know the facts, you won’t deprive yourself.
Whole grains are seeds. You might hear silly statements such as “Whole grains are not healthy, but quinoa is because it’s a seed.” If you hear anything like this, you know whoever is telling you knows zero about plants or nutrition, and you can boost your health by tuning out.
Another mundane myth is that people did not start to eat whole grains until these plants were domesticated about 10,000 years ago. Why would people have gone to all the trouble of deliberately cultivating a plant that they never ate before? Were our ancestors that misguided? The truth is that people ate wild grain seeds long before they started to plant them. In some parts of the world, wild grains still (more…)
Tags: barley, cardiovascular disease, corn, diabetes, fiber, getting healthy, lose weight, nutrition facts, oats, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, quinoa, reverse chronic disease, rice, weight loss, whole foods, whole foods plant-based diet, whole grains, whole wheat
Posted in Plant-based nutrition | Comments Off on The Truth About Whole Grains
Monday, May 28th, 2012
The beach gets crowded on a sunny day. The most popular activity is simply taking the sun. On an overcast day, people go home quickly.
Can a Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet Do What Sunscreen Can’t?
Life on earth evolved with the sun. Plants, the base of the food chain, harness solar power through photosynthesis in leaves. Animals live off the energy and nutrients in plants. Over billions of years, plants and animals have perfected their relationship with the sun. Living things have evolved safeguards to benefit from the sun without succumbing to its power.
Yet today, sunscreen manufacturers would have you believe that the sun is your enemy, a cancer promoter. Instead, you are supposed to trust the chemicals in sunscreen to safeguard your health. The fact that sunlight is free and sunscreen drained (more…)
Tags: cancer, environmental degradation, Environmental Working Group, fish, getting healthy, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, President's Cancer Panel, summer, sunburn, sunscreen, vitamin D, whole foods plant-based diet
Posted in Health | 1 Comment »
Sunday, February 5th, 2012
Getting older does not have to mean slowing down.
Six Ways Whole Foods Fuel Long and Active Years
An enjoyable retirement is a great American dream. People save up financially for decades, often planning to spend retirement traveling, with family, and fulfilling long-postponed goals.
The sad fact is that many have their retirement kidnapped by poor health. Americans with Medicare see an average of seven different physicians in a year. Even at age 55, more than half of people have more than one chronic health condition. These medical problems vacuum up money needed for more fun and meaningful activities. The pain and disability of illness are potent barriers to desired activities and quality of life. Yet much of this suffering can be avoided and even reversed.
Whole plant foods are healthy life span enhancers that work together as a powerful team. Here are six reasons why.
• Protective phytochemicals
• Perfectly packaged nutrition (more…)
Tags: aging, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, getting healthy, longevity, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, whole foods plant-based diet
Posted in Health | Comments Off on The Healthy Longevity Secret
Sunday, December 18th, 2011
The Perfect Formula Diet awards for plant-based happenings in 2011. The "top 10" list with 11 awards for an important year for the plant-based world.
Actually Eleven of the Top Good, Bad, and So-What Legacies of 2011
As 2011 speeds to its end, it’s time to reflect on the top events, organizations, trends, and people that will have a lasting impact on American food choices. The Perfect Formula Diet (PFD) 2011 awards point the way to making 2012 a better year for you and the planet.
THE BEST FOOD OF THE YEAR:
Kale – Kale was all over the media in 2011. This vegetable is universally recognized as dense with minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals (beneficial nutrients found only in plants), and fiber – all with barely any calories. WebMD calls kale “the queen of greens” and notes it is growing in popularity.
A recent Huffington Post blogger calls kale “the new beef.” This is way too kind to the beef industry. However, the point is that you can get all the nutrients in animal foods by eating kale, in a way that is infinitely healthier for you and the planet. Kale comes in many varieties and colors, with flat or curly leaves. You can enjoy kale raw or include it in just about anything you cook. Find this easy-to-grow powerhouse in farmers markets and supermarkets all over the country.
MOST FUN WAY TO CONSUME THE BEST FOOD OF THE YEAR:
Green smoothies– In recent years, (more…)
Tags: Captain Paul Watson, cardiovascular disease, Climate change, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Dr. Baxter Montgomery, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Pam Popper, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Terry Mason, EarthSave, environmental degradation, fish, Forks Over Knives, getting healthy, green smoothies, Janice Stanger, kale, Lipitor, making a difference now, Meals for Health, phytochemicals, President Bill Clinton, reverse chronic disease, Sanjay Gupta, Sea Shepherd, The Last Heart Attack, vegetables, weight loss, Whole Foods Immersion Program, whole foods plant-based diet
Posted in Plant-based nutrition | 1 Comment »
Sunday, May 15th, 2011
Why Serving Sizes Undercut Health and Weight Loss
Meals limited by portion control can feel so skimpy.
Run-of-the-mill diets focus on controlling the amount you eat by limiting portions. This is an attempt to fit a manmade, arbitrary concept (“serving size”) into a natural biological system (your body). While this strategy may work for some people for a short time, the long-term outcome is often counter to health and weight goals.
The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 is typical. Some of the serving sizes this report lists include:
• Bread: one slice
• Cooked rice: half a cup
• Cut up vegetables: half a cup
• Fruit: one medium piece
• Cooked beans: half a cup
• Milk: one cup
• Cooked meat, poultry, or fish: one ounce
• Soft margarine: one teaspoon
• Sugar: one tablespoon
Here are six reasons that portion control ultimately will not succeed in getting you to a trim weight and (more…)
Tags: 2010 USDA Guidelines for Americans, getting healthy, Janice Stanger, lose weight, nutrition facts, Perfect Formula Diet, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, portion control, serving size, vegetables, weight loss, whole foods, whole foods plant-based diet
Posted in weight loss | Comments Off on Six Reasons Portion Control Will Make You Overweight
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
For high levels of radiation, stay away. Essential workers must be suited up for protection. You can't avoid low levels of radiation. Suit up with whole foods.
Diet Helps Shield You from Radiation and Cancer
The struggle to contain radioactive releases at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has focused the world’s attention on the hazards of radiation. However, even without such incidents, you are subject to harmful radiation every day.
Low-level background radiation bathes the earth. Cosmic rays are penetrating subatomic particles. According to NASA, about 100 of these particles bombard every square meter of the planet at sea level every second – and will pass through you if you are in their path. The number of powerful cosmic rays increases rapidly with altitude.
Additional radiation originates from (more…)
Tags: cancer, Chernobyl, Fukushima Daiichi, getting healthy, Janice Stanger, medical imaging tests, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, President's Cancer Panel, radiation, vegetables, weight loss, whole foods
Posted in Plant-based nutrition | Comments Off on Protection from Radiation: Five Ways Plant Foods Guard Your Health
Saturday, November 20th, 2010
This Colorful Fruit Has Unique Health Benefits
A cranberry bog at harvest is stunning, with deep red fruit contrasting with a watery background.
Cranberries are a holiday season tradition. Their tart taste, dark red hue, and versatility underlie their popularity. Americans are consuming more cranberries, with 40,000 acres devoted to this crop. Farmers grow cranberries in bogs or marshes, taking advantage of a natural habitat for plants and animals. Long-lived cranberry vines can bear fruit for more than 150 years!
Here are 10 benefits of enjoying cranberries fresh in season, and dried or frozen year-round.
1. Of all fruits, cranberries rank near the top in both number and amount of phytochemicals, beneficial plant substances that help protect your cells in many ways. Scientists have identified over 150 phytochemicals in this berry, (more…)
Tags: cranberries, cranberry sauce, getting healthy, inflammation, Janice Stanger, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, reverse chronic disease, urinary tract infections, whole foods
Posted in Plant-based nutrition | Comments Off on 10 Reasons to Eat More Cranberries
Saturday, November 13th, 2010
You Don’t Need Fat From Dead Fish to Be Healthy
Every fish taken out of the sea by people can disrupt ecosystems. Dolphins and other animals and birds that must eat fish may then starve. Modern fishing practices are simply not sustainable.
Fish and fish oil hype is everywhere, inundating news stories, ads, and doctors’ offices. The fatty component of dead fish is touted as the magic bullet for just about any health concern, from cardiovascular disease to poor memory.
There’s only one problem with these claims – they are not true. However, the fish and fish oil ballyhoo does hold a core of important information. If you want to benefit, it’s critical to sort the fact from the fiction.
Here’s the deal. You need two types of essential fatty acids: omega-6s and omega-3s. These substances are called “essential” because they are necessary for health and you can get them only from food.
Omega-6s are generally pro-inflammatory. Inflammation is a normal body function necessary for survival. Acute inflammation fights off (more…)
Tags: essential fatty acids, fish, fish oil, getting healthy, hype, Janice Stanger, marine algae supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, whole foods
Posted in Health | Comments Off on Seven Reasons Omega-3s From Plants Clobber Fish and Fish Oil
Saturday, October 16th, 2010
Vivid Orange Food that Is Fun to Play With
Pumpkins have a strong association with the supernatural. Yes,they are supernaturally healthful.
The traditional instruction from parents to “eat your food, don’t play with it” was not meant for pumpkins. These giant fruits, each with its own distinct form and personality, light up October with fun.
It’s hard to look at a pumpkin without smiling. These special plants give you something to smile about, because pumpkins are healthy in at least three ways.
First, pumpkins fascinate with their vivid color, intriguing forms, and range of possibilities. The idea of carving a jack-o-lantern brings out the kid in people of all ages. So pumpkins stimulate creativity.
Often the carving is a family project, an innocent way for parents, kids, siblings, and friends to work together cooperatively. The whole process ignites active engagement, fine motor skills, artistic talents, and joy. Contrast this with the passive and sedentary ways so many kids now spend much of their time. So pumpkins enhance (more…)
Tags: gardening, getting healthy, Halloween nostalgia, healthy Halloween, jack-o-lantern, Janice Stanger, nutrition facts, phytochemicals, Plant-based nutrition, pumpkins, vegetables, weight loss, whole foods
Posted in Health | Comments Off on Three Ways to Enjoy Healthy Pumpkins
