The Advantage of Eating Carrots

By Louisa J Darien|

  

Carrots are called "the eye-foods" for one obvious reason. A carrot is an orange, fleshy root that's known for its high source of vitamin A, the eye vitamin. This root has so much to offer in terms of nutrients. The carrot is a very versatile food. This is because it can be consumed when both raw and cooked.

This is the best vegetable for the maintenance of good eyesight and the improvement of a failing one. The vitamin A in the carrot helps fight night blindness, myopia and other eye-related conditions. People suffering from dark circles around the eyes are also advised to eat carrots. The dark circles make someone look older and fatigued. Carrots contain carotene which helps remove these dark circles.

The carrot is good for the improvement of the function of the stomach and the spleen which means that carrots can lead to a good digestive system. Eating carrots can also eliminate wind in the digestive tract which mostly causes discomfort in the body.

For people who smoke, an inclusion of carrots in the diet helps a lot. Even though much harm has already been caused by the nicotine in cigarettes, carrots act as antioxidants. The antioxidants minimize the poisonous effects of nicotine in the body. The vegetable also plays a role in the repair of worn out tissues.

Carrots are among the nutritional remedies that are believed to help the prevention of cancers including skin cancer. This cancer has chances of recurrence hence among the precautions to take to prevent them, is the consuming of carrots among other nutritious foods recommended.

Apart from ensuring good eyesight, the vitamin A in carrots also helps in the formation of strong bones and teeth. For growing children, this is very essential as it determines the strength of their bones when they are grown. For old people, this vitamin is vital as it helps take care of condition like arthritis. It also ensures that the bones are strong and that they don't break easily.

Vitamin A is also a remedy for people with respiratory issues. This vitamin ensures the good functioning of the respiratory system. Vitamin A is also excellent for the skin as it helps maintains a healthy, smooth and stronger skin and hair tissues. It also helps a person deal better with skin conditions like acne. Sufficient intake of vitamin A is capable of bringing out clearer skin.

Since the work of vitamins in the body is to provide protection from diseases, the vitamin A found in carrots serves that purpose well. It boosts the immune system making it resist and fight against diseases. It is also an antioxidant. This means that it gets rid of toxins in the body that would otherwise cause harm to the body tissues and cells.

So when you want to get rid of toxins from your body, go the natural way. Eat carrots and other fresh vegetables and fruits and you can be sure they will work. After all, you can never have too much when it comes to eating healthy vegetables like carrots.

Louisa has been an online writer for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in travel, parenting, health, and product reviews, you can also check out her latest website on Norelco HQ9 Replacement Heads [http://hq9replacement.com] which reviews and lists the best HQ9 Norelco Replacement Heads [http://hq9replacement.com].

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he Many Health Benefits of Eating Nuts

By Brent Hale  |

Nuts are one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. When eaten regularly, nuts have proven to dramatically improve a person's health. They are high in protein, high in fiber and high in the good fats you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The best part about nuts, is that there is no preparation involved. They are ready to be eaten at any moment!

There are many health benefits related to eating nuts. Nuts have been linked to numerous studies that suggest that eating them on a regular basis can drastically reduce the chances of developing cancer or diseases. In 1992, the Adventist Health Study conducted at Loma Linda University concluded that people who ate nuts regularly were much less likely to have a heart attack in their lifetime. Part of this reason is because of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts. The consumption of healthy fats is shown to help lower LDL cholesterol and lower cholesterol is, of course, related to better heart health.

Nuts are also a great food to add to anyone's diet who is looking for weight loss help. This is also because nuts are high in healthy fats and also because of their high fiber content. Both fiber and the healthy fats found in nuts help you feel fuller longer. This allows you to cut calories and, therefore, drop weight. Studies have proven that people who eat nuts regularly are, in fact, thinner than those who don't. So, if you are looking to improve your personal health and lose some weight, it would be a good idea to add nuts to your diet.

Nuts have plenty of other good nutrition factors to consider as well. They are high in phytonutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium. These antioxidants help eliminate the free radicals that take place in the aging process and, therefore, help you age at a slower pace.

It is recommended that eating 1-2 oz. of nuts a day will give you the maximum amount of health benefits. Nuts are great when eaten as a snack and can be assorted into bags to take on the go. Try to avoid nuts that are highly salted and do not go overboard on eating nuts, because eating too much can have reverse effects on your health goals.

There are many reasons why you should start eating nuts on a regular basis. They are tasty, nutritious and require no preparation. It is crazy that more people these days don't eat nuts regularly. For those who don't, they are surely missing out on an excellent opportunity to become healthier individuals.

Brent Hale is an avid fitness and health guru who specializes in helping those who are new to dieting and exercising. For help starting a new diet plan, please read Brent's 11-page weight loss help series.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Brent_Hale/914854

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Garlic Brussels Sprouts 

Christmas Time And The Vegetables That Come With It   

by Louise Fisher

Brussel sprouts are featured on most every table come Christmas time. They are a traditional winter vegetable, and one that is proven to be very popular. Or at least that is when you learn that last Christmas the United Kingdom got through a whopping 750 million brussel sprouts, chewing on the green things from Christmas to Boxing Day. 9,762 brussel sprouts were bought by the people of the United Kingdom, specifically for the enjoyment on Christmas day.

The biggest reason for the popularity boost with the green little ball of Christmas dinners? New and improved cooking methods. Many children were subject to soggy and boiled-out brussels, left with little taste and even less texture. But now, with the amazing advancements in cooking and techniques that are coming at us before we can even eat a brussel sprout, there is more than one way to cook a brussel. The traditional boil it until the green is gone is a long lost method of cooking brussel sprouts, with better methods making way and giving them a new lease of life, and a much better taste. They are still much a love it or hate it food, but they are now a lot easier to love.

Spices and flavourings added to the brussels, cooking them in different ways and giving them flavours in unique ways is the safest bet to keeping the brussel a firm favourite, alongside the turkey and the stuffing. Brussel sprouts, despite being so widely protested, have managed to remain a firm staple of the Christmas feast diet, and they are looking like they will be there for a lot longer, with all the new and improved methods available.

Not only are there now more ways to cook the sprouts, but more varieties of sprouts have been found. There is the flower sprout, which is a half-brussel sprout, half kale hybrid. This variation of the traditional Christmas veggie is something of a blessing for those who wish to have the winter vegetable at their tables, but don't want the traditional complaints that come along with them.

A new and just as wonderful variation of the brussel is the red brussel sprout. Whilst very similar to their cousins in appearance - beyond the red jacket, as opposed to the traditional green - they are a taste sensation most peculiar. These particular brussel sprouts are sweeter and milder than the green brussel sprouts, which makes them a lot more popular. They are also best steamed, as opposed to boiled. Goodbye, boiled brussels, hello tasty morsels.

The question of why we eat brussel sprouts at Christmas is one that many people wonder. However, there is a fairly simple answer to this mind boggling question. The reason we eat the brussel sprout at Christmas? It is when they are in season, when they are at their best to be eaten. That is essentially it. This super vegetable is also very frost hardy, which meant that people could grow them in their own gardens without having to worry that the winter weather would ruin them. When allotments in gardens were popular, so were brussel sprouts, since they required such little care.

Keeping the traditions of Christmas alive is something that we all try to do, when the festive season comes around. Since there are now both green and red brussels available, and they don't taste as your mother used to make, you can take the colours of the Christmas period to your table with ease. Simply serve up a wonderful helping of both the green and the red, and revel in the traditional Christmas colours painting your plate alongside the wonderfully cooked turkey and the delicious tasting stuffing that you hand prepared so lovingly and painstakingly.

http://goarticles.com/article/Christmas-Time-And-The-Vegetables-That-Come-With-It/6998375/

Health benefits of Mediterranean Diet 

The Mediterranian Diet - How Does It Work?   

by Dean Iggo

The Mediterranian Diet was developed because researchers noticed that people who live in the Mediterranean region live longer and have fewer heart attacks than people in other developed countries, even though they eat more fatty foods. We're talking people who eat French, Italian and Greek food. We're talking delicious food that is way more appealing than grilled chicken breasts and dry salads. And wine. They drink wine with their meals. The researchers all decided they wanted some o' dat, and tried to figure out why the Mediterranian Diet is so good for you.

What's Different About the Mediterranian Diet?

Well, for one thing, flavor. Mediterranian diet recipes are good. Eating is enjoyable, which is part of what's right about the Mediterranian diet. In the Mediterranean area, eating is social and enjoyable. People linger over a good meal with good company for hours, laughing and enjoying the food and wine.

The Mediterranian Diet is high in fiber. It is a carbohydrate-rich diet...we're talking the right carbohydrates. We're not talking about donuts and birthday cake. We're talking about whole grain breads, pastas, rice and other complex carbohydrates. Dishes like hummus and couscous and pasta primavera.

The Mediterranian Diet is surprisingly high in fat. Again, though, we're talking about the right fats. Monosaturated fat like olive oil and foods rich in omega-3 fats like fish. Mediterraneans eat very little saturated or trans fat. No shortening, margarine or lard. Not much red meat, either.

The Mediterranian Diet allows wine, especially red wine. It's been discovered (by those researchers) that red wine contains flavonoids and other phytonutrients that protect your arteries and blood vessels.

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid is a bit different than the USDA food pyramid because it contains more carbohydrates and more fat. Here are the Mediterranean Diet recommendations:

- Eat lots of complex carbohydrates--breads, pasta, whole grain foods.
- Eat several servings of fruits and vegetables every day. A serving or two of legumes or nuts every day is okay, too.
- Use olive oil and other monosaturated oils (peanut or canola oil) every day.
- Low fat dairy products, like cheese and yoghurt can be eaten every day.
- Eat lots of fish. Most of your "meat" meals should have fish. You can eat fish several times a week.
- Eat smaller amounts of poultry and eggs, but you can still have them several times a week.
- You may have small amounts of sweets a few times a week.
- Eat only very small amounts of red meat, only a few times a month.
- Drink at least six glasses of water a day.
- Drink a little red wine. Most people recommend keeping it to a glass or two a day. You can drink grape juice, if you prefer.

http://goarticles.com/article/The-Mediterranian-Diet-How-Does-It-Work/522702/

Good recipe for waterchestnuts

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Oh That Old Chestnut!   

by Gary Stevens

As the winter nights are drawing in and the temperature is falling, this can only mean one thing, it is time for the chestnut season. Chestnuts start becoming in season from October in the UK, but the peak of the season hits us between November and December. In the culinary world, eating foods in season is fashionable. This is because the food will not only be at its best and ripest, but it is also readily available making it cheaper!

History of the Chestnut

The chestnut dates back to prehistoric times, whereby it is said that the nut steered a Greek Army (401-399 BC) away from bother! Yes, the legend states that this army who were retreating from Asia Minor survived because they had a large store of chestnuts available to them.

However, it was first introduced to Europe from Sardis as a 'Sardian nut', since then it has been a staple food in Europe, Turkey and eastern Asia for over a millennia.

Nutritional Value

Chestnuts have a high nutritional value. Firstly, they contain no cholesterol and very little fat. Just like the rest of the nut family, the chestnut is gluten free. Moreover it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals such as:

• Vitamin C: the chestnut is a unique nut, because of the fact that it is the only one in the family that contains Vitamin C. This vitamin is important because it is needed for the growth and repair of tissues. It is used to form a protein which makes skin, ligaments, tendons and blood vessels. This means that it can heal wounds by forming scar tissues, and maintains as well as repairs your cartilage bones. The benefits of Vitamin C doesn't stop here! It is also an antioxidant which offers protection against harmful radicals.


• Iron: is an essential mineral as it helps carry oxygen around the body.


• Calcium: has several functions. It helps strengthen bones and teeth, regulates muscle contractions and ensures blood clots normally.


• Magnesium: helps keep your blood pressure normal, heart rhythm steady and your bones nice and strong.


• Phosphorus: required for cells to function properly. It also regulates calcium for strong bones and teeth.


• Zinc: this mineral stimulates some of the enzymes in your body to help support your immune system. It also helps healthy growth development and so it is especially important during childhood, adolescence and pregnancy


• Potassium: your body requires this mineral in order to build proteins and muscles, and maintaining normal body growth

So as you can see the old chestnut is very good for you. What a great reason to get stuck in!

Ways to preserve your chestnuts

If you are collecting your own chestnuts the best time to get them is when the leaves fall. But don't lose the race between you and the squirrels. You should aim to to collect them as soon as they hit the ground before they start deteriorating on the forest floor.
When assembling your chestnuts together do not confuse them with Horse chestnuts (also known as conkers). You can tell the two apart because the sweet chestnuts pods have longer spikes on them which are more hairy in appearance.

If you are keeping the chestnuts until Christmas, make sure that first of all you vigorously check for holes and cracks in the nut. Those that you find do have cracks or holes in should be discarded. The best way to freeze your nuts is by blanching them beforehand. You are then best peeling them straight away as the skins will come off easier this way.

If you are planning to roast your chestnuts keep them hanging in a onion bag. This will allow the air to circulate around them to prevent them from going damp which will turn them mouldy.

Ideas to cook your chestnut

There are lots of things that you could do with your chestnuts. You could roast them, fry them, mill them into flour, boil them, steam them and even grill them. One particular English favourite is roasted chestnuts. These have the texture of a baked potato but with a sweet and nutty flavour.

http://goarticles.com/article/Oh-That-Old-Chestnut/8005659/

Why not try a chestnut and truffle chocolate cake or using it as a stuffing in meat?

In a nutshell !

It is finally that time of year again when there is a chance for you to start grabbing your chestnuts. And if you have never tried a chestnut before, maybe 2013 could be the year?

Vegetarian and gluteen-free

The Mysterious Little Round Pseudo-Grain Superfood: Quinoa   by Venkatesh N

Although we have been telling you repeatedly that most grains such as wheat and corn are the worst things in the modern western diet, Quinoa is a great alternative that is not actually a grain. It's a superfood seed that's high in complete protein (unlike other grains which are usually incomplete protein), it's gluten-free, and also has loads of other important nutrients.

Quinoa is making an appearance in grocery stores and restaurants these days, often as a substitute for rice and wheat, or in pilafs, stuffing, or as a breakfast.

What exactly is quinoa?

Quinoa, is actually an ancient favorite of the Incas and the Native South Americans of Chili, Peru and Bolivia. The Incas prized it so much it was considered a sacred seed. But quinoa was all but wiped out when the Spanish conquerors attempted to destroy all traces of quinoa, and forbid the cultivation of this seed, instead forcing the South Americans to grow corn.

Quinoa was revived in the U.S. when a couple of Americans began to grow and cultivate it, and since then it has started to catch on as a healthy alternative to grain. While quinoa is often called a grain, it is actually a seed and a member of the same family as beets, chard, and spinach. These little nutty tasting seeds are actually full of nutrition and rich in amino acids.

Nutrition of quinoa - a superstar

Quinoa is a very good low glycemic carbohydrate source, and rich with manganese, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, vitamin E, and several B vitamins.

The protein in quinoa is superb; in fact it contains an almost perfect balance of all 8 essential amino acids needed by humans. It is also very high in the amino acids, lysine, cystine, and methionine -- amino acids that are typically low in grains. It makes an excellent complement to legumes, which are typically low in methionine and cystine.

I personally recommend quinoa over anything made with wheat and corn, because quinoa doesn't contain the detrimental anti-nutrients that wheat and corn contain. Plus quinoa is nutritionally superior to most grains in terms of protein quality as well as overall nutrient content, in addition to being gluten-free.

Ideas, recipes, and methods for cooking and eating quinoa

Cooked quinoa is excellent in casseroles and soups, stews, stir-fries, pilafs, or cold in salads. The seeds can be cooked in about 15 minutes.

Quinoa can be substituted for rice (for higher protein and fiber content) in many dishes. Try dry roasting quinoa in a pan or in the oven before cooking to give it a toasted, nuttier flavor. I often cook quinoa in free-range chicken broth for added taste.

Try a cold salad with cooked quinoa, and your favorite veggies chopped up. I like to add parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, chopped tomatoes, some sweet onion, and chopped zucchini. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, some sea salt and pepper and viola! a tasty nutritious salad.

Quinoa can also be a great breakfast substitute for oatmeal. It can be cooked and mixed with fruit, nuts, stevia, cinnamon, etc to your tastes. Have a couple whole eggs on the side for additional protein and healthy fats and you now have a perfect nutritionally balanced fat-burning breakfast!

Quinoa seeds can be sprouted and eaten as raw, live food for snacks or in salads and sandwiches. To sprout the seeds, soak about 1/3 cup seeds in a jar for 2 to 4 hours, then drain and rinse the seeds twice a day for 2 to 4 days. When the sprouts are about 1 inch long, place them near a window which will give them a vibrant green color. Another fascinating way of using quinoa is to "pop" the seeds in a dry skillet and eat them as a dry cereal.

Baking with Quinoa - the healthier substitution

Quinoa flour is a much more nutritionally beneficial way to bake compared to typical wheat flour that's used in almost all baked goods.

I personally like to use a blend of quinoa flour, almond flour, and coconut flour to get a lower starch content and higher protein and fiber content in my baked goods (plus to make sure the recipe is gluten-free) -- this combo of 3 flours is AMAZING in banana bread, zucchini bread, or carrot cake bread or muffins, but will work with anything if you use your creativity in baking.

Quinoa and quinoa flour are not quite yet mainstream grocery store items, but usually can be found in the health food section of your grocery store or at a health food store. If you want a healthier grain alternative that's higher in protein, high in fiber, and gluten-free (as well as delicious), give quinoa a shot!

Enjoy! please share this article.

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Does your eating plan contain enough tomatoes?

Tomatoes: Cancer Fighter   

by Richard Pill

Today when people are having problems how to solve and have a cure on the big C - Cancer, scientists are trying their best to produce something out of the pocket to cure this illness. Thousands of people are dying each year but it seems that it would just continue on the succeeding years. But the question remains, can we do something about it? Medical practitioners are explaining that it is a great start to eat healthy food that can help the body to build up some nutrients for its fight against Cancer cells - one of which is tomatoes. This is not only Garmin nuvi 265w [http://www.vehiclegpsunits.net/garmin-nuvi-265w/] at stake here, but life of a person.

Solanum lycopersicum is the scientific name of Tomatoes; these belong to deadly nightshade family which means it is considered toxins to the body even in animals like cats, dogs and horses. As a member of nightshade family tomatoes were thought to be poisonous but it was indeed a non-poisonous plant at all. It was originally native from Central, South, and southern North America from Mexico to Argentina. Unlike other plants, tomato can be planted anywhere else for it does not require any kind of climate a nation may have. Many arguments exist about how to categorize tomatoes, if it is a fruit or vegetables. But here's one thing to know how. It must depend on its usage if it is in botanical terms, a tomato is a fruit, but in culinary terms, a tomato is considered a vegetable because of its use.

Tomato can be more helpful in many ways. The following are the benefits you can get from tomatoes.

* Blood purifier - it helps improve the circulation of the blood vessel; thus improving oxygenation of blood to get rid of blood toxic.
* Prevent hemorrhages - although the amount of vitamin K of tomato is uncertain which the basic key element in preventing hemorrhages but still it does help a lot in this matter.
* Skin complexion - large amount of tomato consumption can improve skin texture and color and it also provide 40% of the daily value (DV).
* Prevent heart diseases - Tomato is a natural antiseptic therefore it can help protect against infection. Nicotinic acid in tomatoes can help to reduce blood cholesterol, thus helps prevent heart diseases.
* Fight Cancer cell - One of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its' Lycopene content. Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation.

http://goarticles.com/article/Tomatoes-Cancer-Fighter/3638342/

Drink freshly squeezed lemon juice every day

Lemon Water Benefits   

by Sally Spann

Lemon water is one of the oldest drinks ever. In fact, the majority of us have fond memories of gulping down this simple yet refreshing drink at some point in our childhoods. Even as adults, the majority of us can't get enough of the sweet and sour flavor of the beverage. Nevertheless, lemon water isn't just a thirst quencher and gives various health advantages as well. Here's a look at a few of them.

Your skin is one of the primary beneficiaries of the benefits of lemon water. It consists of flavanoids which enhance your skin health, making it glow. It may also help treat skin conditions like acne. It works by flushing the toxins out of your system, thus, preventing pimple breakouts. Nevertheless, in case you're battling from a particularly severe form of zits; solely relying on this drink will not help. Rather, you should use efficient anti acne solutions like Zenmed Derma Cleanse System to help cure the problem.

Lemon water may also boost your digestion. Drinking this beverage on a regular basis can help stimulate the bile juices of the liver, which in turn helps in the digestion process. The drink also helps in remedying other conditions like constipation. For most satisfactory results, use luke warm water to prepare the drink.

Urinary disorders may be cured with the help of lemon water too. Lime is rich in potassium- a substance which is famous to aid the removal of toxins deposited on the walls of the kidney. It can also help remove any calcium deposits in the urinary tract. Extra calcium deposits in the tract could make urinating hard. So, in case you are struggling from a urinary infection, lemon water is one of the easiest home remedies you may use to treat it.

Weight loss is yet another area where this basic drink could be of substantial help. Just a cup full of lemon water daily can help you get rid of extra pounds. Lemon is widely known to have fat burning qualities and could assist in weight loss. Supplement this with 30 minutes of moderate physical activity and you're bound to achieve extraordinary results.

Yet another benefit of this natural drink is that it helps bring down the high cholesterol levels. One major ingredient of lemon is pectin which is said to offer wondrous results in lowering cholesterol naturally.

In addition to the given advantages, drinking lemon water may deliver other merits too. It may offer respite from problems like piles, scurvy, congestion, peptic ulcers and plenty of more. In case you want to avail given advantages, it is suggested to gulp down this drink with no further delay.

http://goarticles.com/article/Lemon-Water-Benefits/3111966/