Its tangy leaves ranked highest on a new list of powerhouse fruits and vegetables a new study says.
and rate 47 different fruits and vegetables by calculating a score for each food based on its health benefits.
The score given as a percentage quantifies the amount of beneficial nutrients contained in the fruit
and rank powerhouse fruits and vegetables Di Noia told Live Science. The findings are published online today (June 5) in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.
Powerhouse produce Among the 47 raw fruits and vegetables involved in the study all but six of them blueberries raspberries cranberries tangerines garlic
and onions met the powerhouse criterion. These six had scores below 10 percent the minimum cutoff point to pass the powerhouse test.
It may seem surprising that blueberries and garlic for example were considered not powerhouses. These foods have been hailed widely as nutritional superstars packed with valuable antioxidants and disease-fighting properties.
It is possible that the six fruits and vegetables that didn't make the cut as powerhouses were not good sources of the nutrients used to index the foods
Citrus fruits yellow-and orange-colored vegetables and some berries were grouped in the bottom half the findings showed.
The five lowest-ranked powerhouses were grapefruit (white) sweet potato leek blackberry and turnip. The list of 47 foods that the researchers looked at left out some popular foods.
Previous research had determined that such popular mealtime standbys as apples corn potatoes and bananas were considered nutrient-poor foods with scores falling below 10 the powerhouse criterion.
Still that doesn't mean people shouldn't include these foods in their diets to increase their overall intake of fruits and vegetables.
The list of powerhouse produce may help consumers focus on how to get the most nutrients from their foods Di Noia said.
Researchers Rank the Top Fruits and Vegetables for Health Among fruits and vegetables leafy greens rank as the top powerhouse foods according to a new ranking of produce items based on their nutrient content.
20.37 Lemon: 18.72 Iceberg lettuce: 18.28 Strawberry: 17.59 Radish: 16.91 Winter squash (all varities: 13.89 Orange: 12.91 Lime:
12.23 Grapefruit (pink and red: 11.64 Rutabaga: 11.58 Turnip: 11.43 Blackberry: 11.39 Leek: 10.69 Sweet potato:
10.51 Grapefruit (white: 10.4 4
#California Tule Fog Becoming Increasingly Rare (Photo) At first glance this image might seem to show Central California covered in snow.
But that white stuff isn't the makings of a winter wonderland. It's thick dense fog known as tule fog.
Tule fog season in California is traditionally between November and March when rains bring moisture to the state's Central Valley.
The term tule comes from the plant of the same name (Schoenoplectus acutus) which dominates marshes in the region.
But tule fog may not be the defining feature of Central Valley winters for much longer.
Fog and fruit The decline of tule fog has pros and cons. Dense fog frequently causes traffic accidents in the Central Valley some on a very large scale.
But tule fog is also crucial to the Central Valley's fruit and nut crop
which represent about 95 percent of U s. production of foods such as cherries almonds peaches and apricots according to UC Berkeley.
Fruit and nut trees need a winter chill period to become dormant and tule fog helps contribute to that chill.
or fruits and vegetables can also be labeled gluten-free under the new rule. This standard'gluten-free'definition eliminates uncertainty about how food producers label their products Felicia Billingslea director of FDA's Division of Food Labeling
When they aren't snacking on bigger prey they will eat snakes insects fruit and grass.
To identify gene families specific to C. canephora the researchers used comparative genomics software on proteins from a variety of plants that are genetically related to the species including tomato and grape.
The researchers compared the coffee plant's NMTS to those found in other caffeine-producing plants including tea and cacao (the plant behind your favorite chocolate treats.
There is as much if not more caffeine in a coffee plant's leaves than in its berries he added.
or other lycopene-containing fruits and vegetables may have a lower risk of developing kidney cancer a new study suggests.
Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives tomatoes watermelon grapefruit and papaya their reddish color and some studies have suggested it may reduce the risk of a number of cancers including lung and stomach cancer.
In the new study the researchers looked at nearly 92000 postmenopausal women following them from the mid-1990s to 2013.
but also from tomato sauces and other fruits that contain lycopene Ho said. Kidney cancer also called renal cancer is the ninth most common cancer among Americans and accounts for about 2 percent of all cancers in the United states according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cockroaches come in all colors of the rainbow blue red green orange a whole array of colors Evangelista said.
so if you visit the Big Apple this fall look for these golden trees lining the streets.
But in the fall its leaves turn red-orange and eventually fall off. This tree is a deciduous conifer
(although the leaves can turn yellow and orange too). Goldenrain tree The goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) is native to China
But if the leaves which turn yellow in fall don't give this tree away its fruit will.
The goldenrain tree fruit is a papery capsule that looks a bit like a small pepper or a Chinese lantern.
The fruit starts off green but in the fall turns a pink or brown color.
Fruit trees A number of trees have edible fruits that ripen in the fall which provide another identifying factor.
Apple trees plum trees and hawthorn trees which produce small red berries all have fruit that is ripe in the fall according to the BBC.
and found that fewer than 1 percent of the coupons found were for fruits or vegetables.
So if you're looking to consume a healthy diet rich in fresh fruits and veggies don't expect to save big from couponing.
But that doesn't mean you can't save. 6 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits
and states can adopt to create an environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice environments where fruits
and fruits that far or to store them for many months. In fact very few foods remain viable over such durations without losing many of the characteristics that make them wholesome and nutritious.
At least in the early years Red planet residents will not have access to fruits containing Vitamin c so they would have to rely on vitamins
#Eating Beans Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol That old childhood ditty about Beans beans the musical fruit#really does tell the truth in the verse about beans being good for the heart new research suggests.
Perhaps some people worry that eating more of the musical fruit as the song suggests might make them toot.
The cost of an avocado is likely to increase from 35 cents to $1. 60
And an unusually early and warm spring spurred rapid plant growth at Michigan fruit farms in 2012
but then a return to normal spring weather resulted in a series of freezes that destroyed the cherry crop and at least 90 percent of the apple peach and juice grape crops.
One granddaddy of this craze Five Guys Burgers and Fries which got its start here in the D c. metro area back in 1986 is joined by Black & Orange Bobby's Burger Palace BGR:
#Watermelon: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts Watermelons are mostly water about 92 percent but this refreshing fruit is soaked with nutrients.
Each juicy bite has significant levels of vitamins A B6 and C lots of lycopene antioxidants and amino acids.
There's even a modest amount of potassium. Plus this quintessential summer snack is fat-free very low in sodium
Scientists have taken notice of watermelon's high lycopene levels about 15 to 20 milligrams per 2-cup serving according to the National Watermelon Promotion Board#some of the highest levels of any type of fresh produce.
which is a naturally occurring compound in fruits and vegetables that reacts with the human body to trigger healthy reactions.
It is also the red pigment that gives watermelons tomatoes red grapefruits and guavas their color.
To really maximize your lycopene intake let your watermelon fully ripen. The redder your watermelon gets the higher the concentration of lycopene becomes.
Beta-carotene and phenolic antioxidant content also increase as the watermelon ripens. Nevertheless All parts of the watermelon are good.
There are a lot of nutrients throughout said Jarzabkowski. This includes the white flesh nearest the rind. Another phytonutrient found in the watermelon is the amino acid citrulline
which converts to the amino acid arginine. These amino acids promote blood flow leading to cardiovascular health improved circulation
and according to research at Texas A&m University erectile dysfunction improvement (you'd probably have to eat a lot of the fruit to get a Viagra-like effect though).
Here are the nutrition facts for the watermelon according to the U s. Food and Drug Administration
which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act: Nutrition Facts Serving size:
Heart health Watermelon's high levels of lycopene are very effective at protecting cells from damage
Also the fruit's concentrations of citrulline and arginine are good for your heart. Arginine can help improve blood flow
A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon extracts helped reduce hypertension and lower blood pressure in obese adults.
Anti-inflammatory properties The lycopene in watermelon makes it an anti-inflammatory fruit Jarzabkowski said. Lycopene is an inhibitor for various inflammatory processes
Additionally the watermelon contains choline which helps keep chronic inflammation down according to a 2006 article published in Shock medical journal.
Hydration Watermelons are the perfect example of a food that can help you stay hydrated said Jarzabkowski.
Digestion The watermelon contains fiber which encourages a healthy digestive tract and helps keep you regular.
and just a cup of watermelon contains nearly one-quarter of your daily recommended intake of it.
Muscle soreness Watermelon-loving athletes are in luck: drinking watermelon juice before an intense workout helps reduce next-day muscle soreness
and heart rate according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
This can be attributed to watermelon's amino acids citrulline and arginine which help improve circulation. Cancer prevention Like other fruits and vegetables watermelons may be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer through their antioxidant properties.
Lycopene in particular has been linked to reducing prostate cancer cell proliferation according to the National Cancer Institute. If eaten in reasonable amounts watermelons should produce no serious side effects.
If you eat an abundance of the fruit daily however you may experience problems from having too much lycopene or potassium.
The consumption of more than 30 mg of lycopene daily could potentially cause nausea diarrhea indigestion
People with serious hyperkalemia or too much potassium in their blood should probably not consume more than about one cup of watermelon a day which has less than 140 mg of potassium.
Jarzabkowski also warned watermelon lovers to be mindful of their sugar intake. Though watermelon's sugar is naturally occurring watermelon is still relatively high in sugar.
Some fun facts about watermelons from the National Watermelon Promotion Board and Science Kids. The watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is related to cucumbers pumpkins and squash.
The watermelon probably originated in the Kalahari desert in Africa. Egyptians placed watermelons in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
The first recorded watermelon harvest is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics from about 5000 years ago. Merchants spread the use of watermelons along the Mediterranean sea.
By the 10th century watermelons had found their way to China which is now the world's top producer of watermelons.
The Moors in the 13th century brought watermelons to Europe. The watermelon likely made its way to the United states with African slaves.
Early explorers used watermelons as canteens. The first cookbook published in the United states in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
About 200 to 300 varieties are grown in the United States and Mexico but only about 50 varieties are very popular.
By weight watermelon is consumed the most melon in the United states followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
The watermelon is the official state vegetable of Oklahoma. All parts of a watermelon can be eaten even the rind.
Guinness World records says the world's heaviest watermelon was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkadelphia Arkansas in 2005.
It weighed 268.8 lbs. 121.93 kg. The United states ranks fifth in the worldwide production of watermelons.
Forty-four states grow watermelons with Florida Texas California Georgia and Arizona leading the country in production.
A seedless watermelon is a sterile hybrid which is created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon containing 22 chromosomes per cell with a female watermelon flower with 44 chromosomes per cell.
When this seeded fruit matures the small white seed coats inside contain 33 chromosomes rendering it sterile and incapable of producing seeds. i
#How Do You Tackle a Problem Close to Your Heart?(Op-Ed) Hetty Chin is a program assistant with the NRDC.
This post is adapted from one that appeared on the NRDC blog Switchboard. Chin contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices:
Op-Ed & Insights. For the past several years instead of New year's resolutions I've given myself overarching annual mantras.
My mantra for 2014 is Do it Hetty! meaning I should take action in the areas that are important to me.
One of these is helping find a solution to the world's current nutrition issues
and to address them I've adapted a tool that some of you may have seen before:
the problem tree. In high-school I identified poor nutrition as a problem this was my trunk.
While studies have shown that cocoa provides many positive health effects the chocolates you buy from your local stores may not impart those benefits.
The cacao bean grown mainly in Latin america Africa and Asia is loaded with beneficial compounds. In fact its early uses dating back 3000 years were mainly medicinal.
The Dawn of Chocolate Discovered A rich history One doctor in the 1500s found cacao made people extraordinarily fat
Eurpoeans discovered cocoa in the 1500s and over the next few centuries chocolate which we know
In this century chocolate (processed cocoa with added fat often milk and sugar) has been enjoyed for its melt-in-your mouth texture
In 1997 Harvard professor Norman Hollenberg published a landmark epidemiological study focused on cocoa. He found that high blood pressure was a rarity among Panama's Kuna Indians who also didn't experience the otherwise typical age-related blood-pressure increases prevalent in other cultures.
Upon examination Hollenberg found the Kunas outside of cities drank large amounts of indigenous unprocessed cocoa.
Subsequent experiments Hollenberg and others conducted have found that cocoa if high in flavanols the beneficial plant compounds scientists believe impart most of cocoa's benefits relaxes the blood vessels an important protection against hypertension and heart disease.
The growth of chocolate research Since Hollenberg's studies cocoa research has intensified mainly due to the largesse of companies like Mars Inc. most famous for Milky way bars and M&ms.
What's striking is that candy companies such as Mars and Nestle's have hired respected nutrition scientists
and have been largely responsible for the advancement of cocoa research. Mars has collaborated with such institutions as Harvard the University of California at Davis and even the United states Department of agriculture's Agricultural research service.
Through their research and others scientists have made many interesting discoveries about cocoa's health benefits.
The flavanols in cocoa help people maintain a healthy vascular system relax blood vessels reduce blood clotting (an aspirin-like affect) reduce oxidative damage
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found cocoa also reduces inflammation. All of which reduces heart disease risk.
Most research about chocolate's health benefits have used unsweetened cocoa or specially formulated high-flavanol chocolate.
Most of the flavanols are in the cocoa beans and the level decreases with each processing step
when the food goes from the bean to the cocoa powder and ultimately a finished chocolate product.
The first choice is cocoa which isn't Dutch processed. When cocoa is processed Dutch with alkali the flavanols are reduced.
Second look for chocolate which has the highest percentage of cocoa possible and to save calories look for chocolate with lower fat and sugar levels.
In general cocoa is your best first choice. Second choice is a semisweet or bittersweet chocolate with a high cocoa percentage.
Some chocolates go as high as 85 percent cocoa but legally can be as low as 35 percent.
I recommend no more than an ounce a day which may be about 110 to 150 calories depending on the chocolate.
Any more than that and you're probably going to take in too many calories for weight control.
*42 mg 198 1 TBSP Unsweetened Cocoa Powder Average*:*75 mg 12*USDA's Nutrient Data Laboratory Recipe Katherine's Hot Cocoa 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa 1 tsp honey 1 cup
Skim milk or 1%Milk or Soy Milk Heat in microwave for 2 to 3 minutes and stir to blend the chocolate.
To understand the issue you need to know that palm oil derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree is a sought-after ingredient for thousands of products from snack foods to shampoo.
Most sedentary populations ate fruit and vegetables. Although previous sources found the ancient Egyptians to be pretty much vegetarians until this new research it wasn't possible to find out the relative amounts of the different foods they ate.
The first group C3 is most common in plants such as garlic eggplants pears lentils and wheat.
Gallery of Spooky Bats Most bats eat flowers small insects fruits nectar pollen and leaves though it depends on the type of bat.
Megabats usually eat fruits and microbats generally eat insects. The Malayan flying fox has a big appetite.
Some bats will squeeze fruits in their mouths and drink the juices. Vampire bats like a juice of a different type though.
but an investigation into the matter is ongoing Amy Bartlett a park spokesperson told Live Science.
It's a hugely popular photographic hot spring in Yellowstone said Bartlett who also noted that
because they have not determined where the vehicles landed in the spring Bartlett said. Measuring more than 300 feet (91 meters) across and reaching depths of 160 feet (49 m) the hot spring is the largest in the United states and the third largest in the world.
We'll probably have to fly a real piloted helicopter over it to get the exact location Bartlett said.
or by taking it out Bartlett said. Park officials have not identified the person responsible for the downed drone
but Bartlett said that other park visitors did witness a tourist on a nearby boardwalk controlling a drone that later fell into Grand Prismatic.
but it wasn't clear to Yellowstone employees at the time that the drone was still in the hot spring Bartlett said.
Bartlett said an investigation into the matter is ongoing. Earlier this summer park officials recovered a drone that had crashed near a marina in Yellowstone Lake Bartlett said.
Other national parks have reported also recent disturbances caused by drones. In April visitors to Grand canyon national park in Arizona complained to park officials that a noisy drone flying overhead ruined their evening sunset.
Unfortunately Bartlett said that drones aren't the only items that find their way into the hot springs at Yellowstone.
#Pineapple: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts Spiny on the outside sweet on the inside pineapples are one fantastic fruit.
These tropical treats are a great way to get important dietary fiber bromelain (an enzyme) manganese copper and Vitamin c.
For all its sweetness one cup of pineapple chunks contains only 82 calories. Pineapples are also fat
-and cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Not surprisingly they do contain sugar with 16 grams per cup.
Pineapples are members of the bromeliad family and one of the few bromeliads to produce edible fruit.
The fruit is made actually of many individual flowers whose fruitlets fuse together around a central core.
Each pineapple scale is an individual fruitlet. Pineapples nutritional benefits are as fascinating as their anatomy The fruit s wide-ranging benefits include immune system support protein digestion and bone strength.
It can even help relieve symptoms of the common cold. In addition to the vitamins and minerals listed above pineapples also contain smaller amounts of B vitamins calcium zinc Vitamin a and beta-carotene.
The nutritional profile for canned pineapple is different from raw pineapple. Canned pineapple is much higher in calories (198 per cup) and sugars due to its syrup.
It also contains fewer vitamins and minerals. If you do opt for canned pineapple try to get it with no added sugar
or look for a variety that is canned in fruit juice instead of syrup. Here are the nutrition facts for pineapple according to the U s. Food and Drug Administration
which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act: Nutrition Facts Serving size:
2 slices 3 diameter 3/4 thick (4 oz/112 g) Calories 50 Calories from Fat 0*Percent Daily Values(%DV
and pineapple contains over 100 percent of the daily recommended value for women and 88 percent of it for men.
Bone strength Pineapple can help you keep standing tall and strong. The fruit contains nearly 75 percent of the daily recommended value of the mineral manganese
which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue. This makes pineapple an especially good option for older adults
whose bones are becoming brittle with age. Digestion Like many other fruits and vegetables pineapple contains dietary fiber
which is essential in keeping you regular. But unlike many other fruits and veggies pineapple contains significant amounts of bromelain an enzyme that breaks down protein helping digestion.
Anti-inflammatory benefits Bromelain has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties which can help with joint pain and swelling.
Excessive inflammation is linked to a variety of ailments including cancer and some nutritionists suggest that bromelain supplements may be helpful in prevention.
Studies have not been done to determine if bromelain in pineapple form results in these same benefits.
Blood clot reduction Bromelain can help prevent blood clots from forming making pineapple a good snack for frequent fliers and others at risk for blood clots.
Common cold In addition to having lots of Vitamin c pineapple s bromelain can help reduce mucus in the throat.
So if your cold has you coughing try some pineapple chunks. Those with allergies may want to consider incorporating pineapple into their diets more regularly to reduce sinus mucus long term.
Excessive consumption of pineapple may cause swelling or tenderness on your lips tongue or inner cheeks.
This is because bromelain also has meat-tenderizing properties. The condition should cease within a few hours
You could have a pineapple allergy. Extremely high amounts of Vitamin c can lead to problems like diarrhea nausea abdominal pain heartburn vomiting headaches and insomnia.
Those taking antibiotics anticoagulants blood thinners anticonvulsants barbiturates benzodiazepines insomnia drugs and tricyclic antidepressants should be careful not to eat too much pineapple.
Eating unripe pineapple or drinking unripe pineapple juice is dangerous. In this state it is toxic to humans
Eating a great deal of pineapple cores can also cause fiber balls to form in the digestive tract. a
and will eat berries on occasion too. Class: Mammalia (Mammals) Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae Genus: Canis Species:
but experts suggest that it is best to stick with eating real fruits and vegetables for now.
#The Natural Way to Keep Fruit Fresh and Stop the Rot (Op-Ed) This article was published originally at The Conversation.
But new technology that prolongs the life of fresh fruit and vegetables can help minimise this huge amount of waste.
It is a sad irony that we waste so much food especially fruit and vegetables but still fail to feed the world s ever increasing population.
Clearly our ability to produce larger quantities of fruit and vegetables is not the only guarantee for global food security.
The use of natural biodegradable products as an alternative to synthetic chemicals has shown remarkable improvements in maintaining fruit quality
It has been shown to significantly maintain papaya fruit when applied to it. In combination with Gum arabic (hardened sap obtained from the acacia tree) it can also delay the ripening of bananas.
Gum arabic can also be used on its own to enhance the shelf life and postharvest quality of tomatoes.
Cinnamon oil is another natural product that has been shown to delay postharvest rotting in bananas and extending their storage life for up to 28 days.
and enhance their phenolic content as well as extending the life of dragon fruit for up to 28 days.
and shelf life of fresh fruit to help stop it going to waste. The way that fresh food is packaged is crucial to how long it can last.
but consumers worry about the chemical residues they leave on fruit their environmental impact and the potential for pathogens to become resistant to them.
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