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Green Food & Drink
Eat Your Asparagus
Asparagus is the food highest in glutathione according to the National Cancer Institute. Glutathione is an important anti-carcinogen. Asparagus is also full of vitamins A and C, which are 2 cancer-blocking vitamins, and the mineral selenium, all of which are strong fighters of cancer. A 5.3-ounce serving of asparagus gives you 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin, which is needed for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin is known to play an important part in the prevention of neural tube defects, like spina bifida, which causes paralysis and death in 2,500 babies every year. Asparagus is also a great source of fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, thiamin and rutin, which is a compound that strengthens capillary walls. Asparagus is harvested between March and June. It's interesting because asparagus is very thin in the early part of the season. As the season progresses, the stalks grow to be thicker. Tenderness in asparagus can be attributed to how fresh the asparagus is rather than how thin or thick it is. In the United States, people eat their asparagus green, while people in Europe eat white asparagus. To get white asparagus, the asparagus is grown under soil to keep ...- Bookmark :
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The Ethics of Meat Consumption
How sustainable can the food movement be if it is still okay with meat consumption, no matter how humanely and carefully farm animals are treated? In 1986, a man named Gene Baur started the Farm Sanctuary, the United States leading farm-animal organization, dedicated to lobbying for tougher animal-protection standards and exposing cruelty in meat production. The Farm Sanctuary was funded in the beginning by selling veggie hot dogs out of the back of a Volkswagen van at Grateful Dead concerts. Since then, Baur has aided in getting major farm-animal protection laws passed in many states, some of which include Michigan and California. The Farm Sanctuary's shelters in Watkins Glen, New York and Orland, California provide protection for abused pigs, cows, sheep and other farm animals. Baur is a vegan who feels that people exploit animals. He makes the point that regardless of how variable the food movement's attitude toward eating meat is, foodies are bonded together in opposition to modern factory farms. Modern factory farms are also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). CAFOs have recently been under attack by environmentalists for their negative effect on the environment in the way of yielding large amounts of waste in the form ...- Bookmark :
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Superfoods – Summer Berries
Berries are some of the most healthful foods, and summer is the season of the berry. From strawberries to blueberries to cherries, summer brings these healthful fruits to our tables. They are more affordable in summer, being in season. Here are some of the more commonly available berries and their health benefits. 1. Strawberries These popular fruits are the base for desserts and snacks that range from simple to decadent. Like most berries, though, their health benefits are best obtained by eating them raw. These tasty fruits have high levels of vitamin C, antioxidants and phenols. They also contain notable amounts of manganese. Their red color indicates their high concentration of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins. These and other nutrients, such as potassium, combine to make strawberries helpful in preventing cancer, decreasing inflammation, and protecting the heart. They are even implicated in promoting joint health. Harvard Medical School recently found new evidence that strawberries are good for cardiovascular health. The berries lowered participants' blood levels of a kind of protein known as C-reactive protein. The presence of this protein indicates blood vessel inflammation, so lower blood levels indicated that the strawberries decreased blood vessel inflammation. 2. Blueberries Blueberries get their dark color from anthocyanins as well (they actually ...- Bookmark :
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How Healthy Is Organic?
Organic foods are generally better for you because they are free from pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. Many organic stores strive to sell products that don't contain high fructose corn syrup. While these qualities are good, the fact of the matter is that these qualities alone don't always mean that organic foods are good for you. Choosing organic is a great start to eating healthy but there are some other things you should be aware of when it comes to organic foods. Sugar Sugar tastes great but its not exactly good for you, no matter if it's organic or not. Sugar causes highs and lows for people, which leads to overeating and mood swings. New studies have shown that the primary cause of obesity isn't fat, it's actually sugar. A chairman for the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health says that fat is not the problem when it comes to obesity. The key to battling obesity in America is for people to cut back on their consumption of sugary beverages, potatoes, pasta, white bread, white rice and sugary snacks. Cutting back or altogether eliminating these products from your diet is a good way to prevent problems with weight, diabetes ...- Bookmark :
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Curb Your Bottled Water Usage
Discarded plastic water bottles continue to fill landfills instead of recycling centers, and thus the $14.4 billion bottled-water market is currently being scrutinized for being environmentally incorrect. Bottled water has been hyped for years as healthier, better tasting, and cleaner than tap water. However, tap water is clean and safe for drinking and will save consumers a lot of money. Over 90% of United States water systems meet all regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency. Thus, you can be confident that the water coming from your tap is safe for drinking. On the flip side, bottled water is primarily unregulated. A non-profit dedicated to providing access to safe and affordable drinking water, Food & Water Watch, says that the Food and Drug Administration regulates a mere 30%-40% of the bottled water sold in the country. While bottled water manufacturers claim that their water comes from groundwater sources or pure mountain springs, experts say that nowadays more bottled water come from a municipal supply, just the same as tap water. Since most of the country's water supply comes from a municipality, the local water utility is required to issue a water-quality report indicating the safety and quality of water in your area. Check ...- Bookmark :
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