Green Tea Health Benefits
If you haven’t been living in a cave, you’ve probably heard a little about the potential health benefits of green tea in regards to fat burning/weight loss, health, cancer, and antioxidant effects. This post is a review of a recent article from the American Family Physician – a Journal of the American Academy of Family Practice.
Green tea is derived from Camellia sinensis by lightly steaming and drying the leaves. Green tea, black tea, and oolong all come from the same plant but are prepared in different ways.
Green tea contains a variety of substances that are believed to provide the health benefits: Read more
Guarana – just another Caffeine?
Paullinia cupana (P. crysan, P. sorbilis). Native to the Amazon basin, especially in Brazil. It has a fruit about the size of a coffee berry & contains approximately twice as much caffeine. The caffeine is a defense mechanism for the plant which repels pathogens. Read more
Ginseng overview
Ginseng has a number of health, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects and benefits.
Ginseng is actually any of 11 different species of the Panax genus. It is found in Asia (China, Korea, Siberia) and usually in cooler regions. It is characterized by ginsenosides. Ginseng translates “man root” due to its forked shape. Panax is from the Greek meaning “all-heal” and became so named due to Linnaeus’ awareness of the root’s use in Chinese medicine as a muscle relaxant. It is used as adaptogens (increases resistance to stress), aphrodisiacs, stimulants, treatment of type II diabetes, & male sexual dysfunction. It is typically available in a dried form. The leaf is also available in a dried form. Read more
Green Tea Extract
Typically, I compile my own information. However, I think they did a fantastic job.
There are three main varieties of tea from Camellia sinensis — green, black, and oolong. The difference between the teas is in their processing. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Read more
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is a unique species of tree with no close living relatives. The ginkgo is classified in its own division, the Ginkgophyta, comprising the single class Ginkgoopsida, order Ginkgoales, family Ginkgoaceae, genus Ginkgo and is the only extant species within this group.
Ginkgos are very large trees, normally reaching a height of 20–35 m (66–115 feet) Read more
Acai is common to many health related fruit juices
Acai has been included in many health beverage fruit juices lately due to its numerous vitamins and phytonutrients. The benefits of Acai as a superfruit/superfood, as well as some of the research behind it, is discussed below.
Euterpe oleracea is a species of palm tree Found in South America. The polyphenols in acai slow the proliferation of human leukemia cells. Read more
Acerola as a vitamin & antioxidant superstar
- Common names: acerola, Barbados cherry, west Indian cherry, wild crepemyrtle
- Where found: ranges from southern Texas south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Peru and Bahia in Brazil. It is also cultivated in India
- Uses: Treat or prevent scurvy. Acerola is also used for Read more
Caja is a carotenoid powerhouse
Caja is one of the 5 fruits in Eiro 5 which is the first product to bring caja to market in the United States
Caja is a small elliptical Brazilian fruit about 2 inches in length and resembles a very small mango. The pulp is juicy and sweetly acidic with a very pleasant aroma and flavor. The orange colored pulp tastes a bit like citrus with hints of mango, passion fruit, peach, and sometimes a touch of strawberry.
It contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and is rich in vitamins B and C, but what is most impressive is the carotenoid content. Caja fruit may be used to produce juice, smoothies, jams, ice cream and yogurt.
Eiro Research is the first company to utilize this fruit as a nutritional supplement in the US.
100 grams of caja puree contains:
- Calories (Kcal) – 36
- Carbohydrates (g) – 6.67
- Protein (g) – 0.58
- Total Fats (g) – 0.60
- Saturated Fats (g) – 0
- Cholesterol (mg) – 0
- Fiber (g) – 1.64
- Calcium – 8.6mg
- Iron – 1.1mg
- Sodium – 1.85mg
- Magnesium – 9.59mg
- Potassium – 54.6mg
- Vitamin C – 13.94mg
- Cinzas – 0.48g
To learn more about the Eiro antioxidant nutriceutical, click here. To order, click here.
The health benefits of pomegranates are huge!
The fruit in cross section revealing the septae, rhind, and fruit.
Punica granatum (Pomegranate) is world renowned for its antioxidant, health, and nutritional benefits. It comes from a shrub or small tree that can grow to 15-25 ft tall. It is native to Southwest Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan) and also cultivated in Southeaset Asia, Malaysia, the East Indies, and Tropical Africa. It was introduced to Latin American & California by Spanish Explorers in the 1700’s. The name “Pomegranate” is from the Latin meaning “seeded apple.”
Nutrition: Vitamin C, B5 (pantothenic acid), Potassium, & Antioxidant polyphenols. Punicalagins comprise the largest portion of the polyphenols. Their antioxidant properties have been demonstrated in lab experiments but there is no conclusive proof of their antioxidant properties in humans. Other polyphenols in pomegranate include catechins, gallocatechins, & anthyocyanins (prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin). The ORAC score of pomegranate juice was measured to be 2860 per 100g of juice by one study.
An example of whole foods being more important for nutrition is evident by the fact that ellagic acid (an extract often taken from pomegranates) may only have bioavailability after punicalagins (their parent compound) are metabolized.
There is some evidence that pomegranate juice is effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors such as decreasing LDL oxidation & Foam cell formation. These are two important steps towards atherogenesis (formation of plaques). Systolic blood pressure has been reduced by ACE inhibition after pomegranate juice ingestion as well. There may also be antiviral & antibacterial activities. Pomegranate extracts inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation in the lab but there is no evidence of effectiveness in humans.
A review of high energy drinks reveals an unhealthy & non-natural problem
Energy drinks are consumed for a variety of reasons, most of all, energy. People need to stay awake. The modern lifestyle is busy and there are too many things keeping people awake at night: mind racing, TV, books, alcohol, social activities, etc. Some people actually drink some of the energy drinks because they like the taste. Whatever the reason, many of these drinks are just flat unhealthy. Read more