Tag: health benefits

A bit about Turmeric

Todays post is about Turmeric.

This is a plant that grows very successfully in our garden. Scott needs to harvest it quite regularly to stop it from taking over the vegetable bed.

Turmeric is something that has received much interest from both the medical/scientific worlds as well as from the culinary world.

I thought I would share some information about it and it’s uses.

Is it herb or spice?

Turmeric is actually a spice. The plant is part of the Ginger family and its botanical name is Curcuma longa.  Curcuma is native to Southern Asia and it’s used for both medicinal and religious applications. Like ginger, the root or rhizome of the plant is mainly used.

For centuries it has been used  in various ways. As early as 600BC, Turmeric was listed as a colouring an Assyrian herbal text. Documents record that it had reached China by the seventh century AD. By the 13th century it was being used as a dye in West Africa.

What about health applications?

Worldwide, the health applications of Turmeric or Curcumin, vary greatly. It is used as an antiseptic in Malaysia, as an anti-inflammatory agent in Pakistan and in Thailand it is used in cosmetics.

Recently, science has started to back up what the Eastern cultures have known for a long time. Turmeric really does contain compounds with medicinal properties. These compounds are called curcuminoids, one of which is curcumin.

What is Curcumin?

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

Studies have revealed that curcumin aids in the management of various health conditions. These include inflammation, metabolic syndrome, arthritis and anxiety. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness. Scientists have concluded that may enhance recovery and performance in active people. In addition, relatively low doses can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions.

Actually, the body has difficulty with absorbing curcumin into the bloodstream. However there are ways to improve this situation. It is fat soluble, so consuming it with some healthy fats will increase the absorption. Add to this some piperine, a substance in black pepper, to increase absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%.

Interestingly, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high. On average it contains only around 3%.

Most of the studies on this spice are using just the curcumin compound  itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

With this in mind, it is easy to supplement your diet. Health stores sell capsules,  drink mixes and chewable vitamins. It is readily available in different concentrations that already blended with the ingredients that assist with absorption.

There are even pet supplements now with turmeric!

Turmeric as a food spice

It is remarkable how versatile its flavour becomes in a wide variety of dishes. United States manufacturers use it as a preservative and a colouring agent in mustard sauce, cheese, butter, and chips.

Turmeric makes significant contribution to the flavours of Indian style curries. However, many Asian dishes use fresh grated turmeric. Fresh rhizomes are also used in making commercial and homemade pastes. Recently, it has been making an appearance in salad dressings, smoothies and teas.

Conveniently, turmeric powder will always be a stronger flavour. This is because the active ingredients becoming concentrated with the removal of the water content. Should you wish to use turmeric powder as a substitute for fresh, use about one quarter of the amount in the recipe for fresh.

Try adding some Turmeric to your diet. It doesn’t matter what form it is in, any will be beneficial.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper.

Sources – Wikipedia, National Library of Medicine –

 

A Choc-Orange Slice recipe

Today I’m sharing another recipe, this time featuring Oranges.

At this time of the year our orange trees are full of fruit and I like to find different ways of using it.

What I like about this recipe is that it uses the whole fruit and nothing is wasted. You get every bit of nutrition out of the fruit.

I have previously written about the health benefits of Oranges, of which there are many.

As is usually the way with many fruits, eating an orange is healthier than just drinking the juice. With this recipe, you eat the peel as well, which actually contains higher amounts of some nutrients than the flesh.

This slice is wheat free and almost dairy free (the eggs) and tastes amazing when served a little warm with cream or yoghurt.

 Choc-Orange Slice

Makes 16 pieces

 Ingredients

2 whole organic oranges (about 400gm weight)

4 large eggs

100 gms desiccated coconut

75 gms almond meal

100 gms rapadura sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup (or rice malt syrup)

3 tbsp cacao

2 tsp bi carb soda (or baking powder)

 Method

  • Wash oranges and put them in a large saucepan, covering them with water. (Put a small plate on top of the oranges to stop them floating.)
  • Bring to boil, and then simmer for approximately 40 minutes till the skins have softened.
  • Take the oranges from the water, cut them into quarters and allow to cool.
  • Remove any pips and place the pieces into a food processor.
  • Process till you have a smooth pulp.
  • Add the eggs and maple syrup processing till just mixed.
  • Add the dry ingredients and process till combined.
  • Pour the mixture into a prepared 20 x 20 cm tin and bake at 180* for approx. 1 hr until firm to the touch.
  • Allow the slice to cool a while before removing it from the tin and cutting into squares.

** Variations **

  • If you have a nut allergy you can swap out the almond meal for more coconut.
  • If you don’t want the chocolate, just leave it out.

A bit about Orange peel

Although orange peels are edible, they are not nearly as sweet or as juicy as the pulp.

It may surprise you that the skins have about four times more health benefits than the actual orange fruit that we eat.

Orange peel actually has more fibre than the fruit inside. The pith of the orange — the white part between the skin and fruit — can be sour or bitter but actually contains just as much vitamin C as the fruit itself.

The orange peel contains flavonoids and other phyto-chemicals that are highly beneficial for our health. Flavonoids are antioxidant compounds that help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer and heart diseases.

Orange peels contain several B vitamins, vitamins A and C. In addition, the peel contains considerable amounts of copper, calcium and magnesium.

(Sources:  www.livescience.com, www.manipalhospitals.com, www.articles.mercola.com)

Also keep in mind, that unless you’re eating peel from an organic orange, it could be covered in chemicals.

I hope you enjoy this slice as much as we do.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Things you may not know about Celery.

Today’s post topic is Celery.

Recently a small article in the paper about Celery causing sun sensitivity caught my eye. I had never heard about this phenomenon before.

After some Internet searching, I found out some interesting facts.

In regards to sun sensitivity,

There are actually several foods that we eat on a regular basis could cause sun sensitivity. Compounds found in lime and parsley could cause a bad reaction to the sun.

For some people, just touching a lime and then exposing the skin to the sun, causes a rash.

The same phenomenon can occur after handling celery or parsley. Celery contains a compound called ‘furocoumarin’ which is linked to sun sensitivity.

Studies have been conducted to see how much of this compound a person needs to eat for sun sensitivity to occur. It was concluded that a person would have to consume a significant amount of celery. I guess if you love celery juice you may not want to drink litres of it every day.

 Then there are the health benefits,

There are a number of reasons we should eat celery. All parts of celery including the seeds, roots, and leaves can be used. Many of these a lot of people would be familiar with.

Detoxifies the Body

It acts as an antioxidant. Celery contains phthalides, flavonoids, and polyacetylenes. These components detoxify carcinogens, seek out free radicals floating in the body and neutralize them.

Weight Loss

Celery is very low in calories and is also filling due to its high fibre content. The trick is to ensure you are consuming the fibre in the celery than drinking just the juice. Regular drinking of celery juice before meals may help to reduce your weight. The fibre fills the stomach, therefore reducing the amount you eat.

Boosts Immune System

Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, celery greatly boosts the strength of the immune system and makes it more active and efficient.

Less known benefits,

Then there are a bunch of health benefits that I had never heard of before.

Lowers Cholesterol Level

Eating celery every day may reduce artery-clogging cholesterol (called LDL or “bad” cholesterol). The phthalides in celery stimulate the secretion of bile juices, which work to reduce cholesterol levels.

Reduces Blood Pressure

The phthalides, can also lower the level of stress hormones in your blood. This allows your blood vessels to expand, giving your blood more room to move, thereby reducing pressure. It also contains potassium that acts as a vasodilator, reducing blood pressure.

Lowers Arthritis Pain

Celery has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce swelling and pain around the joints. Its also acts as a diuretic, which helps to remove uric acid crystals that build up around the body’s joints that can add to the pain and discomfort. It also increases the regrowth of tissue in inflamed joints

Regulates Fluid Balance

Celery is rich in both sodium and potassium, and both of these minerals help to regulate the fluid balance in the body.

Research has also shown that celery assists with Cancer prevention, reduces Asthma symptoms, improves heart health, relieves migraines and assists in managing diabetic symptoms. Who would have thought it?! (Sources: www.organicfacts.net, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

 

I personally don’t eat much celery. However after this research, I think I will be making more of an effort to eat it regularly.

Till next post,

 Live clean n prosper.