The evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as reducing cardiovascular disease and cancer, and phytochemicals such as phenols, flavonoids and carotenoids from fruits and vegetables a major role in reducing chronic disease risk to play. In the laboratory found apples are very strong antioxidant activity, inhibition of cancer cells, decrease in fat oxidation and lower cholesterol.

Apples contain a variety of phytochemicals, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, all powerful antioxidants.
Apples are strong antioxidants, which in turn inhibiting cancer cells, reduce the burning of fat and cholesterol. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of apples also helps prevent age-related problems such as loss of memory. Thus an apple to eat every day, you make more intelligent and alert. (more…)

If you have ever tasted a watermelon, it is probably no surprise to you why this juicy, refreshing fruit has this name. Watermelon has an extremely high water content, approximately 92%, giving its flesh a crumbly and subtly crunchy texture and making it a favorite thirst-quenching fruit.

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, the watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin, other plants that also grow on vines on the ground. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds.

While we often associate a deep red-pink color with watermelons, in fact there are varieties that feature orange, yellow, or white flesh. While most watermelons have seeds that are black, brown, white, green or yellow, a few varities are actually seedless.
The scientific name for watermelon is Citrullis lanatus. (more…)

Green tea comes from an eastern Asian shrub that has leathery, green leaves with beautiful, fragrant flowers. When the leaves of this shrub are dried and cured, the result is green tea. For more than 4,000 years, people in Asia have enjoyed the flavor and health benefits of green tea, which has now become a number one choice for people in other countries.

Interestingly, both green and black tea comes from the same shrub. The only difference is the way in which the leaves are processed. For instance, for black tea to be cultivated, the leaves are fermented whereas the leaves used for green tea are not.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. (more…)

Lettuce is one of the most delicate salad plants – there is usually nothing but disappointment to be gained from trying to bring a wilting specimen back to life. It has been cultivated since the earliest times, and varieties such as Cos or Romaine had become popular by the middle ages.

Lettuce is a live food with its rich vitamin content, especially the antiscorbutic vitamin C. It is bulky, low in food value but high in health value. It is rich in mineral salts with the alkaline elements greatly predominating. So it helps to keep the blood clean, the mind alert and body in good health.

The loose-leaf lettuce is considered a better food. It has the advantage of being more exposed to sunlight, thus providing it with a richer supply of vitamins than the head-luttuce in which the leaves are closed. Whatever quality of lettuce is selected for use, it should be ensured that it is fresh, crisp and green – leaved. The greener the leaves, the higher the vitamins.

The darker the color of the salad green, the more nutritious it is. Beta-carotene is the chief disease-fighting nutrient found in the darker-colored greens. As an antioxidant, it battles certain cancers, heart disease, and cataracts. A dark-green color also indicates the presence of folic acid, which helps prevent neural-tube birth defects in the beginning stages of pregnancy. (more…)