According to a 2002 article published in the Journal of Nutrition, "Functional foods represent one of the most intensively investigated and widely promoted areas in the food and nutrition sciences today." That's because a diet that includes plenty of functional foods is one of the best protectors against common chronic diseases, such as heart disease,…
While mung beans may be new to most people in the U.S., they’ve been a part of traditional Ayurvedic diets in India for thousands of years. In fact, they are considered “one of the most cherished foods” in this ancient Indian practice that’s been a traditional form of medicine since roughly 1,500 B.C. Among plant-based…
With its unique appearance, one-of-a-kind flavor and incredible nutrient profile, lychee stands out alongside other tropical fruits like dragon fruit, mangosteen and tamarind fruit as a true superstar ingredient. Not only is it packed with antioxidants and micronutrients, but it's also rich in several powerful key compounds that can work wonders when it comes to…
You know the expression, "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away"? Well, it turns out that this may be true, in part, because of rutin. Rutin, of the the most important constituents of apple nutrition and some other foods, has a wide array of beneficial effects on our health. Current research suggests that this…
Inflammation is now being linked to just about every health condition. What are some examples of inflammatory diseases? According to a Harvard Medical School report, "Chronic inflammation plays a central role in some of the most challenging diseases of our time, including rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even Alzheimer’s." It’s “an emerging field,”…
Whether you have a bruised face, bruised arm or bruised knee, most people just find bruises to be unsightly and unpleasant. Most of the time, they're nothing serious, yet knowing how get rid of bruises faster is a popular topic. Bruises are caused by an injury or blow to a specific body part that breaks…
It happens naturally by our bodies every day — protease in our digestive system, like trypsin, work to break down proteins. Perhaps this sounds like a simple task, but it's actually a multifaceted process called proteolysis. This important process requires trypsin, a proteolytic enzyme that's released by the pancreas and works to break long protein chains…
What if I told you there was a fruit that's great for your eyes, can treat infections and even shows promise as a potential cancer-fighting food? Would you be interested? If you answered yes — and why wouldn't you? — let me introduce you to soursop. Soursop is usually found in South America and often…
According to surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 27 percent of Americans get more than three servings of vegetables per day. (1) Most of us know by now that we need to be eating fresh fruits and veggies every day in abundance for optimal health and detoxification. However, for many…
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the herb commonly called horny goat weed in the West is known as Yin-Yang-Huo. (1) TCM practitioners have used the leaves of the horny goat weed plant as an aphrodisiac to help enhance sexual health and also to treat various problems such as kidney or bone disease for centuries. According to…
