Golden Harvest Vegetables For Health

Yellow and orange are some of the colors of autumn. They are also seen in the colors of the fall harvest in the form of pumpkin, winter squash, carrots and sweet potato. These delicious additions to your diet not only provide a wide range of nutritional benefits, but are an example of being able to eat seasonally and locally. Another plus is that they can be stored without refrigeration for long periods of time.

When it comes to nutrition, these vegetables have a lot in common. Because of their orange color, they are full of beta carotene. This nutrient has health benefits of its own, but can turn into vitamin A as needed by the body. These nutrients are important for eye and skin health, as well as for many other body tissues. They also play a role in the immune system.

Orange vegetables contain many other antioxidants, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and alpha carotene that help protect the body from free radicals (a cause of tissue damage). These and other nutrients found in the orange vegetables fall under the heading of "phytonutrients" —— nutrients found in plant foods that contribute to optimal health that we are just beginning to learn about.

The antioxidants in these vegetables have the potential to benefit health conditions such as reduced risk of some cancers. They are important for growth, development and health in babies and children/teens. For adults, they contribute to overall health and reduced risk of tissue breakdown.

Vitamin C, K, E and several B vitamins are also found in orange vegetables, as are many minerals — potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese and copper. These nutrients have many jobs in the body.

When it comes to blood pressure, current guidelines recommend reducing our intake of sodium, while consuming more potassium. The orange vegetables are especially high in potassium.

These vegetables are great sources of fiber, as well. Higher fiber intakes can help lower cholesterol numbers and assist with blood pressure and blood sugar regulation. Fiber can also help with weight control because it adds bulk at a meal, meaning we feel fuller and overall may eat less. It also slows digestion so the fuel from a meal or snack lasts longer and we may feel the need to eat less often.

The soluble fiber found in these foods appears to be better tolerated by persons with irritable bowel syndrome as compared to the rougher fibers. It can also be helpful for persons with constipation issues.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends that adults consume four to seven cups of orange vegetables a week (depending on the total amount of calories consumed). With regard to the new "My Plate" that has replaced the Food Pyramid, including more of these vegetables can help you to reach the goal of making half your plate veggies. Think back about your food intake this past week. How did you do with these nutrient-packed colorful vegetables?

If you are a little behind in achieving the recommendations, browse through the produce section this week and choose a few of these golden veggies to take home. Numerous recipes are available online. Because of their sweet (and in some cases nutty) flavor, they blend well with both sweet and savory foods.

All can be baked or steamed — whole, bite-sized, or mashed. Bite-sized pieces can be tossed with a little olive oil (maybe with a sprinkle of minced fresh herbs or other seasoning) and roasted in the oven until tender.

With the colder weather, they are a sweet and hearty addition to soups, stews, and chili. Roasting them before adding them to a soup adds even more flavor. They pair well with fruit like apples in a soup or add a contrast to the hot spices — cumin, chili powder or curry — in savory dishes.

Try simmering cubes of butternut squash and carrots with water, diced tomatoes, onions, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ground ginger, and a dash of cayenne pepper in a covered pot and cook until tender. Then serve over cooked quinoa or brown rice and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.

Add some pureed pumpkin or orange squash to chowder for added nutrients and a nice golden color. Slip some into a muffin batter, pancake or waffle batter, or yeast dough bread. Spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves can be added as well. Another option is to add pureed carrot, squash or pumpkin to tomato sauce and serve over whole grain pasta.

Pureed pumpkin or squash added to low-fat ricotta cheese and a dash of nutmeg makes a great filling for ravioli. Cooked squash can be added to a veggie lasagna, too.

Grated carrot can be added to muffins or other quick breads. It can be added to cooked grains like rice, for a dash of color. It can also add nutrients and moisture when used to make burgers or meatloaf.

For dessert, try a pumpkin or winter squash custard — like pumpkin pie without the crust. This provides the nutrients from the orange vegetables and milk while cutting down on the fat and calories. Try using low fat milk or low fat evaporated milk and reduce the sugar to save even more calories. A pumpkin cheesecake is another seasonal dessert that can be made with fat-free cream cheese and less sugar to lower the calorie count.

So do yourself a favor and take advantage of the delicious, colorful, and nutritious orange autumn vegetables.

Benefits Of Musk Melon

'Cucumis Melo' or Musk Melon is a native to central asia. It is grwon in the tropical regions for a very long time. Musk melon is widely known as 'Cantaloupe'.

Musk melon being an annual plant is cultivated from the seeds. The plants have to be watered lightly. It is a monoecious plant where the male and the female flowers are distinct. The melons are easily grown in sandy soil. Manure is essential for a healthy growth. Dry river beds are the most suitable for melon cultivation. Unripe melons should be stored at room temperature until they ripen. The two principal varieties of muskmelon are those with netted skins and those with smooth skins.

The creamy flesh can be consumed chilled or as fruit juice. With scientific advancements the melon growers have introduced many hybrids which are much tastier. Melons make a good combination for custards and fruit salads.

Musk Melon juice is beneficial to be consumed during conditions like Lack of appetite, Weight loss, Urinary tract infections, Constipation, Acidity, Ulcer. Musk melon reduces heat in the body to a great extent, relieves tiredness, enhances appetite and is an effective laxative. It is a good source of Vitamins A, B, and C. Musk Melons are rich in potassium, a nutrient that may help control blood pressure, regulate heart beat, and possibly prevent strokes.

If you are a dieter, then muskmelon is an excellent fruit for you. It has significant amount of fiber and provides you the feeling of fullness quickly. It can taste good and can make good combination for fruit salads and custards. Hence, a quick weight loss program ought to include muskmelon.

In addition to health benefits, muskmelon takes care of your skin too. It contains Vitamin A, which is useful in maintaining healthy skin. The fruit provides pretty fair amount of folic acid, which is especially important for pregnant women. It helps to create healthy fetuses and can even prevent cervical cancer and osteoporosis. Though it offers special benefits to women, men can also get great many benefits. Folic acid in the fruit acts as a mild antidepressant

Surprising Health Benefits Of Cinnamon

Who doesn’t love a sprinkling of cinnamon on fresh apple pie or atop a chai latte? It’s just one of those spices that tastes fantastic. But taste is not the only reason to love cinnamon.

Here are 10 health reasons (plus an extra reason) to love this super spice:

1. Numerous studies show that cinnamon regulates blood sugar, making it a great choice for diabetics and hypoglycemics alike. That’s also great news for anyone who wants stable energy levels and moods.

2. It reduces LDL cholesterol levels. LDL is also known as the harmful cholesterol. Reducing it may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. It has natural anti-infectious compounds. In studies, cinnamon has been effective against ulcer-causing H. pylori bacteria and other pathogens.

4. It reduces pain linked to arthritis. Cinnamon has been shown in studies at the Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam Korean Hospital, to reduce cytokines linked to arthritic pain.

Keep reading to learn how cinnamon may help with cancer, menstrual pain, infertility, and more

5. Research at the University of Texas, published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, shows that cinnamon may reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, holding promise for cancer prevention and sufferers of the disease.

6. It is a natural food preservative.

7. It contains fiber, calcium, iron, and manganese—albeit small amounts to the typical dose of ground cinnamon.

8. It’s been proven effective for menstrual pain and 

9. infertility. Cinnamon contains a natural chemical called cinnamaldehyde, which studies show increases the hormone progesterone and decreases testosterone production in women, helping to balance hormones.

Keep reading to learn how cinnamon holds promise for Azheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, and more

10. Cinnamon holds promise for various neurodegenerative diseases, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, and meningitis, according to research at the Cytokine Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas. Their research shows that cinnamon reduces chronic inflammation linked with these neurological disorders.

11. Not a health benefit, but a great reason to love cinnamon, it’s versatile. It works with sweet and savory dishes alike. Consider that many curries and savory Moroccan dishes include cinnamon. It’s not just for apples anymore

Fruit And Vegetables 'Give A Healthy Glow'

Even a few weeks of eating fruit and vegetables could improve your skin color, it is claimed.

University of St Andrews researchers monitored diet in 35 people, finding more coloration in those eating more greens.

Other research suggests these changes may make you more attractive.

Other scientists said the study, in the PLoS One journal, might not fully reflect the link between consumption and appearance.

It has been known for some time that certain yellow and red pigments called carotenoids found in many types of fruit and vegetables, can have an effect on skin tone.

However it is not clear exactly how much influence a normal healthy diet can have on this effect.

The St Andrews scientists recruited 35 students, mostly white, who were quizzed on their fruit and vegetable intake over a six week period.

The volunteers were told not to use sun beds, fake tan or make-up.

An instrument was used to analyze their skin tone before, during and after the test period.

The results suggested that changes in fruit and vegetable consumption might be related to changes in skin tone, with more fruit and vegetables contributing to a deepening of natural red and yellow skin coloration.

Earlier research by the team had found links between the perceived attractiveness of faces and even subtle changes in these skin tones.

"It is possible that even smaller dietary changes are able to produce perceptible benefits to skin coloration," they wrote.

However, they did concede that the effects on older people might be different, and that more research into non-white volunteers would be needed.

Food preparation

Dr Glenys Jones, from the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research laboratory at Cambridge University, said that another issue was that food preparation techniques made a big difference to how much of the carotenoids were available from food, and the study did not take this into account.

She added: "With the vast majority of the population not consuming the recommended five-a-day of fruits and vegetables, this could be another way of encouraging people through our own innate vanity to increase fruit and vegetable intake.

"After all fruits and vegetables contain a wide range of nutrients that are good for not just for our complexion, but for our overall health."

Dr Catherine Collins, a dietician at St George's Hospital in London, said that although people heavily exposed to sunlight were excluded from the study, all the areas of skin studied were those exposed to daylight, and the effects of this could not be ruled out.

However, she echoed the point that anything which encouraged people to eat more fruit and vegetables was a good thing.

"For the rest of us post-university people, it's another potential reason to carry on eating your greens - and red/orange/yellow veggies as well.

"The grown-up way of serving them cooked, or as part of an overall meal along with other foods, boosts bio-availability of these useful phytochemicals, which may contribute to overall health - as well as beauty!"