According to the latest health statistics, most of us need to increase our fruit and vegetable intake, and dark leafy greens in particular. Far from just a cliché, dark leafy greens are true superfoods that pack a powerful nutrient punch. 3 Reasons to Add Dark Greens to Your Diet While celebrating all things… Continue Reading
manganese
The Health Benefits of Coconut Water
It’s a clean, potable beverage for many people around the world, one recommended by the World Health Organization for treatment of dehydration, and since it’s sterile, it’s even been delivered intravenously. What is this miracle elixir? It’s a drink you’ve been seeing pop up everywhere lately – coconut water. But when it comes to… Continue Reading
Nutritional Supplements and Diabetes
This month, we feature a three-part series on diabetes to observe American Diabetes Month. This article reviews the role nutritional supplements play if you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes. Because diabetes is a disease inherently tied to nutrition, nutrition is an important factor in managing diabetes. While it may not be replacement… Continue Reading
Black Beans
(Phaselous vulgaris) Black beans are about the size of a pea with a black skin, a creamy white flesh and a sweet, rich flavor often compared to that of mushrooms. They have a velvety-texture that holds its shape during cooking. Black beans are also known as turtle beans (in reference to their shiny-like… Continue Reading
Quinoa
(Chenopodium quinoa) Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an ancient grain. Although recently rediscovered in the U.S., quinoa has been cultivated in the Andean mountains of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years. The grain was prized by the Incas who believed it to be sacred and referred to quinoa as the “mother seed.” … Continue Reading
Almonds
(Prunus dulcis) In botanical terms, an almond is actually a drupe not a nut. A drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part or skin surrounds a shell with a seed inside. The almond “nut” is technically the seed of the fruit of the almond tree. Unlike other soft fruits, the… Continue Reading
Kidney Beans
(Phaseolis vulgaris) Kidney beans are legumes which are plants with seed pods that split into two halves. Some of the more common legumes are beans, lentils, peanuts, peas and soybeans. The legume family also includes alfalfa, clover and even the beautiful flowering plant wisteria. Like all legumes, kidney beans benefit from bacteria (rhizobia)… Continue Reading
Oats
(Avena sativa) Oats are one of the hardiest cereal grains. Unlike most other crops, this plant is able to withstand poor soil conditions and thrive. The oats we eat today originate from the wild red oat in Asia. Before being consumed as food, oats were used for medicinal purposes and are still used… Continue Reading
Green Beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris) Green beans belong to the legume family. Other members include shell beans such as pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans. All of these beans are referred to as “common beans”, a tribute to a shared ancestor that originated thousands of years ago in Peru. Traditionally referred to as string beans… Continue Reading
Spinach
(Spinacia oleracea) Spinach is one of the most popular leaf vegetables in the United States. A member of the same family as Swiss chard and beets, spinach shares the same taste profile – mildly sweet flavor when raw and a slightly salty, bitter flavor when cooked. Spinach is native to an area near… Continue Reading