Posts Tagged ‘phytonutrients’

Phytonutrients your personal pharmacy means that it doesn’t take a hike to the Pharmacy; just a few steps to your garden will help heal what ails you.

phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are compounds that naturally occur in plants and provide a range of potential health benefits. It’s believed that the health benefits come from the pigments in fruits and vegetables that give them their vibrant colors. By boosting phytonutrient intake, it can help decrease the risk for certain chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, cancer, and diabetes.

A study, supported by the Nutrilite Health Institute and presented at the Experimental Biology Meeting, April 25, in Anaheim, California, found that despite the availability of a wide range of foods that contain phytonutrients, many Americans are getting phytonutrients from a relatively small number of specific foods that are not necessarily the most concentrated sources.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise; processed food is the food group of choice. With that being the main stay of the American diet, eating has become risky. There is no understanding of what are the primary foods for the human body to function at peak performance.

The next generation will have no compelling evidence, because this is seldom stated as the cause of ill health. The drop in plant consumption has resulted in many of the chronic health conditions plaguing us.

Produce Intake Among Americans

A previous study conducted by the Nutrilite Health Institute concluded that 8 in 10 Americans have a Phytonutrient gap, which translates to a lack of fruit and vegetable intake. If such great things come in small packages that could result in better health you would think that we would partake of it.

If fruits and vegetables were pharmaceuticals we would have the medical community touting the remarkable results that it produced.

Common drugs accelerates mental and physical decline in the elderly. Yet, changing to a good diet curtails both of these events. Pulling all the research together shows that produce promotes health and longevity.

Phytonutrients offer powerful protection optimizing digestive, circulatory, hormone function, bladder, liver, pancreas and vision function.

With all the health giving benefits produce intake which is the foundation of health is quite low. This is more than an apple a day will keep the doctor away. It literally is the fountain of youth that everyone is so intent on seeking. It is right in front of your nose, the plant food that lines the produce department of super-markets, and the farmers markets that spot the landscape.

A Short List of Potential Live Extending Produce

Beta-carotene – carrots

Beta-cryptoxanthin – oranges/orange juice

Lutein/zeaxanthin – spinach

Ellagic acid – strawberries

Isothiocyanates- mustard

For each of these phytonutrients, however, there is a more highly concentrated food that could be chosen instead:

• Beta-carotene – sweet potatoes
  Sweet potatoes have nearly double the beta-carotene compared to carrots in a single serving.
• Beta-cryptoxanthin – papaya
  A serving of fresh papaya has roughly 15 times the beta-cryptoxanthin of an orange.
• Lutein/zeaxanthin – kale
  By substituting cooked kale for raw spinach, it is possible to triple lutein/zeaxanthin intake.
• Ellagic acid – raspberries
  Serving per serving, raspberries have roughly three times the ellagic acid compared to strawberries.
• Isothiocyanates – watercress
  Just one cup of watercress as the basis for a salad has about the same level of isothiocyanates as four teaspoons of mustard.

Kale has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable. Kale is nutrient dense, and light on calories. Kale is a dark green leafy vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family of vegetables. These include cabbage, collards, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, and Kohlrabi.

Phytonutrients

These vegetables have sulfur-containing phytonutrients. Kale’s sulfur-containing phytonutrients are known to help prevent cancer. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables are chopped or chewed. This triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals. Sulforaphane is a compound that also exhibits anti-diabetic and antimicrobial properties.

Sulforaphane is also found in Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, collards, turnip, radish, arugula, and watercress.

Protection

Sulforaphane may also offer special protection to those with colon cancer-susceptible genes, suggests a study conducted at Rutgers University and published online in the journal Carcinogenesis.

Sulforaphane, which is formed when cruciferous vegetables such as kale are chopped or chewed, triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals, it inhibits chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies, and it induces colon cancer cells to commit suicide.

Vitamins and Mineral Content

Kale is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin E vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and manganese; it also contains dietary fiber, calcium, copper, and potassium, Magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium.  Kale is a source of beta-carotene. It is a powerhouse of nutrients, that helps the body get rid of free radicals.

All this comes with 2.47 grams of protein, and 2.6 grams of fiber in a one cup serving. For calories it is a modest 36 in a one cup serving. It has half the iron of beef liver. One cup of kale contains just 36.4 calories, but provides 192.4% of the daily value for vitamin A.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll has anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Sources of chlorophyll are green leafy plants. Its molecular structure is just about identical to hemoglobin. When vegetarians need to build up their iron supply they turn to green leafy vegetables, kale is on top to the list. Chlorophyll helps to rebuild and replenish our red blood cells. This is what we depend on for energy.

Chlorophyll is known to eliminate bad breath. It does this in two ways it deodorizes odors in the mouth and throat. More importantly it promotes a healthy digestive track which is usually the cause of bad breath.

Fiber

Kale is known as an intestinal broom for very good reasons. It provides 10.4% the daily value for fiber. Fiber is known to reduce high cholesterol levels. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable and this group of vegetables is associated with a lower incidence of cancer. Kale’s fiber binds to cancer-causing chemicals keeping them away from the lining of the colon.

Calcium

Kale is also a very good source of calcium. The debate going on is that the calcium from dairy products is not being utilized. When the absorption of calcium was compared kale was absorbed 40.9% and milk was 31.2%. Kale has the nutrients that make calcium available for use in the body. The most healthful calcium sources are green leafy vegetables. Dark greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium and a host of other healthful nutrients. They are a source of magnesium which is needed to work with the calcium.

We are a country that has a huge appetite for dairy products. We also have a large portion of the populations on pharmaceuticals for osteoporosis. The United States has a diet based on dairy products; it has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis.

Many societies that did not use much in the way of pasteurized dairy products had strong healthy adults without signs of osteoporosis. A cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium. With two cups of kale you would get a nice daily dose of calcium. Image, the hunter-gatherers were robust without dairy products.

The most healthful calcium sources are green leafy vegetables. Dark greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium and a host of other healthful nutrients. They are a source of magnesium needed to work with calcium. Kale does not contain oxalic acid which prevents the absorption of calcium. Spinach and chard contain oxalic acid.

Conclusion

Kale cooked or raw on your plate or in a glass, delivers superb health. It is known to make wonderful green smoothies. You can blend it with some of your favorite fruit. All it takes is a good blender, water and fruit. You thought vitamins and minerals come out of a bottle, they come out of a pan or a drinking glass. This is a must if the health of your family is a priority. Kale is a super food that delivers health.