First off ... big ups to Obama, Biden & their whole camp.
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.m...anneryDean/articles/seasonal_foods.htm?isfa=1
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/DietFitness/Nutrition/
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/DietFitness/
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/
’Tis the Season: 5 Foods You Should Eat Now
By Flannery Dean
Get the most flavour and nutrition from fruits and vegetables by eating them in season.
Here are five seasonal delights to add to your grocery list this fall and winter.
Apples
Tart or sweet, apples are in season from late summer to early winter. The versatile and compact, low-fat fruit comes in a variety of colours, shapes and flavours. It also contains vitamin C, is an excellent source of dietary fibre and possesses disease-fighting antioxidants, making it heart-protective and beneficial to long-term health. Some seasonal varieties to sample: Rome Beauty, Red Delicious, Rhode Island Greening (green apple) and the apple pie-makers best friend, Northern Spy. Reduce your exposure to pesticides—apples are subject to high levels of pesticide use, unfortunately—by sticking to organic varieties.
Squash
The exterior shell may be hard to crack, but the effort it takes to carve a squash is well worth it. Rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C, potassium, manganese and folate, squash contains compounds that have been linked to a variety of positive health effects, particularly for men. Some studies suggest that pumpkin seeds —the pumpkin is a member of the squash family— may preserve proper prostate function. The squash’s high antioxidant capacity also makes it a good preventive food, potentially serving cardiovascular health in the long term. Winter varieties include the popular butternut squash, which is often used in rich soups, pumpkin and acorn squash.
Leeks
Softer and milder in flavour than its stinky relatives onions and garlic, leeks are members of the allium family. As a result, leeks don’t just offer distinct flavour to meals, but they also bring a number of beneficial health effects to the table too. The presence of sulfur compounds in leeks keeps blood sugar levels low, and a diet rich in allium vegetables has been linked to a reduction in bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol, which keeps hearts strong and functioning effectively. Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial foods, leeks also possess flavonoids that may reduce the risk of some cancers.
Cabbage
Cheap and easy to fry up, the leafy cabbage is a crucifer, a nutritionally rich food group that also includes kale and broccoli. Cabbage itself is an excellent source of vitamins K and C, and is also a good source of dietary fibre. The phytonutrient content of cruciferous vegetables like cabbages make them potent cancer fighters, and many studies have linked consumption (about one serving a day) with a significantly reduced risk for many cancers. There’s even some evidence to suggest that crucifers boost the body’s ability to purge harmful compounds that contribute to illness. Cabbages come in red, green and yellow varieties.
Pomegranate
We’ve been inundated with its juices and extracts, now’s the time to sample the actual fruit, which is in season until January. The pink-skinned, baseball sized fruit possesses an interior treasure: delicious, red juicy seeds. These seeds don’t just taste good; they also contain powerful polyphenols called anthocyanins, antioxidants that protect healthy cells from damage and stress. Anthocyanins also appear to possess potent anti-cancer properties and benefit cardiovascular health.
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.m...anneryDean/articles/seasonal_foods.htm?isfa=1
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/DietFitness/Nutrition/
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/DietFitness/
http://healthandfitness.sympatico.msn.ca/
’Tis the Season: 5 Foods You Should Eat Now
By Flannery Dean
Get the most flavour and nutrition from fruits and vegetables by eating them in season.
Here are five seasonal delights to add to your grocery list this fall and winter.
Apples
Tart or sweet, apples are in season from late summer to early winter. The versatile and compact, low-fat fruit comes in a variety of colours, shapes and flavours. It also contains vitamin C, is an excellent source of dietary fibre and possesses disease-fighting antioxidants, making it heart-protective and beneficial to long-term health. Some seasonal varieties to sample: Rome Beauty, Red Delicious, Rhode Island Greening (green apple) and the apple pie-makers best friend, Northern Spy. Reduce your exposure to pesticides—apples are subject to high levels of pesticide use, unfortunately—by sticking to organic varieties.
Squash
The exterior shell may be hard to crack, but the effort it takes to carve a squash is well worth it. Rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C, potassium, manganese and folate, squash contains compounds that have been linked to a variety of positive health effects, particularly for men. Some studies suggest that pumpkin seeds —the pumpkin is a member of the squash family— may preserve proper prostate function. The squash’s high antioxidant capacity also makes it a good preventive food, potentially serving cardiovascular health in the long term. Winter varieties include the popular butternut squash, which is often used in rich soups, pumpkin and acorn squash.
Leeks
Softer and milder in flavour than its stinky relatives onions and garlic, leeks are members of the allium family. As a result, leeks don’t just offer distinct flavour to meals, but they also bring a number of beneficial health effects to the table too. The presence of sulfur compounds in leeks keeps blood sugar levels low, and a diet rich in allium vegetables has been linked to a reduction in bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol, which keeps hearts strong and functioning effectively. Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial foods, leeks also possess flavonoids that may reduce the risk of some cancers.
Cabbage
Cheap and easy to fry up, the leafy cabbage is a crucifer, a nutritionally rich food group that also includes kale and broccoli. Cabbage itself is an excellent source of vitamins K and C, and is also a good source of dietary fibre. The phytonutrient content of cruciferous vegetables like cabbages make them potent cancer fighters, and many studies have linked consumption (about one serving a day) with a significantly reduced risk for many cancers. There’s even some evidence to suggest that crucifers boost the body’s ability to purge harmful compounds that contribute to illness. Cabbages come in red, green and yellow varieties.
Pomegranate
We’ve been inundated with its juices and extracts, now’s the time to sample the actual fruit, which is in season until January. The pink-skinned, baseball sized fruit possesses an interior treasure: delicious, red juicy seeds. These seeds don’t just taste good; they also contain powerful polyphenols called anthocyanins, antioxidants that protect healthy cells from damage and stress. Anthocyanins also appear to possess potent anti-cancer properties and benefit cardiovascular health.
