Blueberries owe their deep, blue color to a class of phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Like lycopene, anthocyanins have potent antioxidant power, but they are also true workhorses when it comes to fighting inflammation. Science is now telling us that excessive inflammation plays a major role in the development of a broad range of diseases, including heart […]
Salads are arguably the best dish for “feeding your microbiome”. The microbiome refers to that rich ecosystem of beneficial bacteria that reside in our GI tract. Maintaining a healthy microbiome (which is vital to all-over health!) requires eating a broad array of plant-based foods. Salads are the perfect dish for giving those good bugs the […]
In a new report published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Hypertension, consuming probiotics as part of a healthy lifestyle appears to significantly lower blood pressure levels, especially in those with hypertension. The analysis combined the results of nine previously published clinical trials and found that regular consumption of probiotics for eight weeks or longer lowered […]
The health credentials of plant foods high in flavonoids just got a big boost, this time for promoting healthy aging. Researchers from the esteemed and powerful Harvard Nurse’s Health study carefully monitored the diets of 13,818 women from their late fifties through their mid-sixties. Women with the highest dietary intakes of flavonoids had the greatest […]
Although you may not have recognized them as phytochemicals, many of you are likely familiar with some of the commonly known superstars such as lycopene in tomatoes, anthocyanins in berries, and sulforaphane in broccoli. I am certain that a brief profile of just these three amazing plant chemicals will motivate you to eat your fruits […]
Health and nutrition studies are showing that plant foods, especially fruits and veggies, are better for us than we ever imagined. For over a half century we have known that they are bursting with health promoting fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but in the last thirty years we have discovered that they are also loaded with an […]
