Top 10 Power foods: Citrus

We all know citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C; one orange has a whole day’s requirement. But that's not all citrus fruits have to offer.

• Citrus juice contains flavonoids, a phytonutrient that lowers the body's production of cholesterol, inhibits blood clot formation and boosts the bang of vitamin C.
  
• They’re also loaded with soluble fiber which lowers cholesterol, maintains healthy blood sugar levels, and helps you to manage your weight.
  
• That explosion of scent that erupts when you grate a citrus peel is produced by limonene, an oil found in the peel that might inhibit a variety of cancers.

Oranges and grapefruits are in peak season during the winter. Their bright flavors are a perfect antidote to a cold, dreary day. Lemons and limes, available year-round, are especially welcome during summer’s heat.

Cheryl Forberg RD is a chef and nutritionist in Napa, California. She is an expert in weight loss and antiaging nutrition.

source: www.foodnetwork.com

Top 10 Power foods: Berries

All fruits are stellar sources of nutrients, but strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries stand out from the pack.

• They're high in vitamin and fiber content.
• They're an excellent source of antioxidants, compounds that protect our bodies from the stress of day to day living. The antioxidant anthocyanin has triple the stress-fighting power of vitamin C and is known to block cancer-causing damage as well as the effects of many age-related diseases.
• They give your memory a boost. The antioxidants in berries are believed to enhance brain function.
• Fresh berries are kind to the waistline; they are naturally high in water and low in calories. Dried berries also provide excellent nutrition, but since most of the water is missing, their calories are more concentrated and you’ll usually wind up eating more of them.

Stock up on fresh berries in the summer, when they’re plentiful and inexpensive. Freeze them in small plastic bags to get an antioxidant blast year round. Stir berries into yogurt, sprinkle them on cereal or blend them in smoothies.

Cheryl Forberg RD is a chef and nutritionist in Napa, California. She is an expert in weight loss and antiaging nutrition.

source: www.foodnetwork.com

Mock Tuna Salad

"This is a chickpea spread that tastes like tuna salad! No kidding! Great served in a sandwich."

Original recipe yield: 4 servings
PREP TIME : 20 Min
READY IN : 20 Min

INGREDIENTS
1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine garbanzo beans, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, chopped green onions, salt and pepper. Mix well.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 220
Total Fat: 7.2g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Sodium: 507mg
Total Carbs: 32.7g
Dietary Fiber: 6.2g
Protein: 7.1g

Author: Carole

source: allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mock-Tuna-Salad/Detail.aspx

Citric Fruits - A Healthy Food

New studies suggested once again that citric fruits including oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits help fight cancer, high cholesterol, and obesity.

Studies both at Texas A&M University and Kanazawa Medical University in Japan showed that compounds in citric fruits can help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Researchers at Texas A&M University found that freeze-dried grapefruit, similar to the whole grapefruit, can reduce the incidence of early colon cancer lesions in animals. The Japanese researchers found anti-colon cancer properties in nobiletin - a compound found in tangerines.

Grapefruit can also reduce the risk of cancer caused by smoking. A study on the cancer prevention was done by the researchers at the University of Hawaii. The researchers found that drinking 6 ounces of grapefruit juice a day reduces the activity of a liver enzyme that is thought to activate toxic chemicals in the smoke.

On another front, scientists from the USDA and a Canadian company isolated a compound - polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) - from orange and tangerine peels that can actually lower cholesterol in animals. They found that use of food containing 1% PMFs can lower cholesterol by 32 to 40%.

Grapefruits also promote weight loss. Researchers at Scripps Clinic in San Diego found that grapefruit may trigger weight loss by lowering insulin levels, an excess of which is linked to weight gain. Effect of grapefruits on weight loss was confirmed in humans. An early study by the same researchers confirmed that eating grapefruit or drinking juice with meal can help the obese lose weight.

Even the interaction of grapefruit juice with drugs, a bad trait for grapefruit, has been explored. Researchers at Texas A&M Citrus Center studied the interaction between grapefruit compounds and drugs in hopes that this interaction can be taken advantage of to increase bioavailability of drugs in humans.

These studies were presented in the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting being held in Pennsylvania during Aug. 22 through 26.

About The Author :
John Roberts is a freelance writer for http://www.foodconsumer.com. This article was originally published at http://foodconsumer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1241