Tag: polyphenols

Passion fruit & a great recipe

Todays post is about Passion fruit. We have a very healthy passion fruit vine on a shared fence at the moment, so we have a good supply of fruit.

I really like passion fruit, though not always with the seeds. It is also a good source of nutrients, especially fibre, and vitamins C and A. So I decided to make some nectar.

After harvesting a dozen fruit off the vine, which were all ready to eat. I put the pulp from all of the fruit into the blender and pulsed it for a couple of seconds. To seperate the seeds, I then put the mixture in a sieve over a bowl and rubbed the nectar through the sieve to remove the seeds. This made approximately 250 ml of passion fruit nectar. The nectar is really versatile; you can mix it with soda water for a refreshing drink of pour it over ice cream.

I decided to make a really easy Chia Mousse. Something healthy enough to have for breakfast and yummy enough to eat for dessert.

 Passion fruit Coconut Chia Mousse

serves 1

  • 70 ml Coconut Cream
  • 60 ml milk or water (or non dairy milk)
  • 3 tablespoons Passion fruit nectar
  • ¼ cup Chia seeds

Just mix all of the ingredients together, pour into a glass and refrigerate till set. (approx. 1hr)

Top with the pulp of 1 passion fruit.

 The passion fruit health profile.

Passion fruit is a beneficial fruit. It contains high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Magnesium, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Niacin, and approximately 2 grams of fibre.

It’s also rich in beneficial plant compounds, including antioxidants such as carotenoids and polyphenols. In fact, one analysis found that passion fruit was richer in polyphenols than many other tropical fruits.

Polyphenols are plant compounds that have a range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This means they may protect against chronic inflammation and diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants play a vital role in keeping the body systems healthy. Scientists know that antioxidants improve blood flow, specifically to the brain and nervous system.

Beta-carotene is also an important antioxidant. In your body, it is converted to vitamin A, which is essential for preserving good eyesight.

Our body doesn’t usually absorb iron from plants very well. However, the iron in passion fruit comes with a lot of vitamin C, which is known to enhance iron’s absorption.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that you need to get from your diet. It helps support a healthy immune system and healthy ageing.

For such a small fruit, passion fruit is packed with nutrients that our body needs.

 The Chia seeds

I have written before that Chia can be considered a legitimate super food because of its nutrient content. The seeds are full of healthful omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; they have high levels of protein, fibre, and no cholesterol. They also contain several minerals in significant amounts, including calcium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

 So for a super easy, very nutritious snack, give this recipe a try.

 Till the next post,

 Live clean n prosper.

Red Wine and Gut Health

Todays post is about how red wine can assist our gut health.

I have written previously about the health benefits of red wine. The good news is, now there is more evidence available.

Drinking a daily glass of red wine not only tastes good to many people, but it’s also good for the bacteria lining your large intestine.

A new Spanish study suggests that sipping about 266ml of Merlot or a low-alcohol red wine changed the mix of good and bad bacteria typically found in the colon in ways that can benefit your health.

 Bacteria and the gut

Bacteria may sound like a bad thing to have in your intestinal tract, but having a balanced mix of them actually helps to digest food, regulate immune function, and produce vitamin K (which plays a key role in helping the blood clot).

Previous research has looked at whether polyphenols in the diet can influence the balance of intestinal bacteria. The latest study sought to explore whether drinking red wine can have a similar effect.

 What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are helpful plant-based compounds found in a variety of foods and beverages. Besides red grapes, many other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of polyphenols, as are coffee, tea, chocolate, and some nuts.

 The good news

This study found that moderate consumption of red wine resulted in increased production of beneficial gut bacteria. It also had beneficial effects on blood pressure and total cholesterol levels. The study also found that that consuming 100ml of spirits daily can damage gut bacteria, this was due to the ethanol content.

This study revealed that the accompanying substances (polyphenols and tannins) actually provide health benefits, and in fact neutralise the damage caused by the ethanol in the wine.

One important thing to remember: it is best to drink wine with or after food.

The food slows down the absorption allowing the polyphenols and tannins time to exert their health benefits. When drunk on an empty stomach, around 80% of the alcoholic beverage passes into the upper small intestine for absorption. The health benefits will be missed and the ethanol will actually cause damage.

 What about beer?

Although it has not been studied extensively, scientists consider that moderate consumption of beer may have similar health benefits. The antioxidant content of beer is equivalent to that of red wine. However the specific antioxidants are different due to barley and hops containing different flavonoids to grapes.

(Sources – www.australiannaturaltherapistsassociation.com.au, www.sciencedirect.com, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://academic.oup.com)

So, enjoy a nice glass of red with your meal for better gut health.

Till the next post, 

Live clean n prosper.

The benefits of Olive Leaf Extract

Today’s post is all about Olive Leaf Extract.

Around this time of year many chemists and health food stores have big displays of this product along side other cold & flu preventatives.

I have always considered olive leaf extract a great supplement for the immune system. However, it helps the body with so much more than colds & flu.

The use of the products derived from the olive tree on human health dates back centuries. In several civilisations, the olive tree had and still has a very strong cultural and religious symbolism.

Recently, accumulating experimental and clinical studies have given support to the traditional beliefs of the health benefits provided by olives and olive derivatives.

 What is Olive Leaf Extract?

Olive leaf extract comes from the leaves of an olive plant. Just like olive oil, the extract from the plants leaves is chock full of potent antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids.

In particular, a polyphenol called oleuropein. This nutrient is thought to contribute to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive leaf extract.

How does it improve our health?

Besides protecting the body from harmful free radicals, oleuropein is also a well-documented antiviral. The oleuropein works on the protein coat of the virus. It is thought to inactivate micro-organisms by dissolving the outer lining of the microbe and penetrating the infected cells.

For its antimicrobial properties, oleuropein can be used for the treatment of respiratory tract and intestinal infections.

In addition, studies have shown that olive leaf extract also supports fat loss by improving how efficiently insulin works in your body, thereby reducing the amount of fat your body stores.

Olive leaf extract also helps stimulate the immune system to destroy infectious organisms. This can prevent the onset of colds, flu, and a range of viruses, yeast, fungal and mould problems, bacterial infections and parasites.

Several different studies have shown that the therapeutic properties of olive leaf extract may help in –

  • Lowering inflammation.
  • Protecting the digestive system and the central nervous system.
  • Inhibiting microorganism growth and preventing oxidation or cell damage.
  • Stabilising blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.
  • Protecting the brain against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
  • Improving heart health and lowering blood pressure

Another beneficial compound found in olive leaf extract is oleanolic acid. A 2006 study found that this acid interacts with the body in a way that increases the metabolism. It also boosts the thyroid, and ultimately leads to increased energy.

 How much should we take?

There are no official guidelines on how much olive leaf extract a person should take. In the human studies discussed above, participants usually took 500–1,000 mg per day of a standard olive leaf extract. Some of these were in divided doses.                 (Sources – www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, www.hindawi.com, www.webmd.com,)

 There are so many research articles and other information available on the benefits of olive leaf extract, I could have written so much more.

Basically, I think that all of this information shows that this extract, taken from the leaves of olive trees, is so good for us. We should take it every day to stay well and healthy.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.