Carbohydrates

Mixed vegetable rice with yogurt

Most of our body’s energy needs are met by carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in many kinds of foods - bread, rice, milk etc. They are the most common type of foods. The most common forms of carbohydrates are sugars, fibres, and starches.

Carbohydrate is a sugar molecule and starches and fibres are essentially chains of sugar molecules. They fall into two major types: simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates were thought to be healthier than simple carbohydrates to eat. It turns out that the true picture is much more complicated than that.

All carbohydrates are processed in the digestive system in much the same way. It breaks down into a single sugar molecule small enough to pass into the blood stream. It also converts some of the carbohydrates into blood sugar (glucose), because cells use this sugar as an energy source. Therefore dividing carbohydrates into simple and complex does not explain what happens to the two types inside the body. Fructose or fruit sugar is a simple carbohydrate which affects the blood sugar level minimally.

Bread

Glycemic index and glycemic load

A system called the glycemic index, categorizes carbohydrates based on how soon and how high they increase blood sugar level compared to pure glucose.
There is one thing the glycemic index does not tell us, that is how much digestible carbohydrates it delivers. The sweet tasting watermelon has a very high glycemic index but since it consists mostly of water (as its name suggests), it delivers only a small quantity of carbohydrates to the body. That is why the scientists have developed a measure called glycemic load. The glycemic load of a food item is determined by multiplying the glycemic index by the amount of carbohydrate it contains.

Blood Sugar Level

But then why is blood sugar important?  As the sugar level in the body rises, special cells in the pancreas produce more and more insulin and release it into the blood stream. Insulin is a hormone that signals cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells absorb the blood sugar, the sugar level in the body falls. When the blood sugar level is low, the other cells in the pancreas produce a hormone called glucagon which tells the liver to start releasing stored sugar. Thus the pancreas keeps the blood sugar level balanced all the time.

This is fine for a normal healthy person. In some people the balancing system does not work properly. Those with Type 1 diabetes do not make enough insulin and therefore their cells cannot absorb the sugar. People with Type 2 diabetes (also known as adult-onset diabetes) have a problem in that their cells cannot respond well to the ‘absorb’ signal of the insulin. This condition is known as insulin resistance. Even long after eating, blood sugar and insulin levels remain high. In the long run , the heavy demands made on the insulin-making cells wears them out. As a result production of insulin slows down, and then comes to a stop. Type 2 diabetes, some cancers and heart. Ailment may result from insulin resistance.

A sedentary life style, obesity and consuming food that contain more of processed carbohydrates can each lead to insulin resistance. A combination will be much worse.

Potato

Using whole grain products adds good carbohydrates to the diet and is better than no carbohydrates.

Fibre is an exception and cannot be broken down into sugar molecules, and so it goes through the intestines in undigested form. Fibre comes in two varieties: soluble fibre that dissolves in water and insoluble fibre does not. Both types of fibre do not give any nourishment to the body but they perform a beneficial function in the digestive system. Soluble fibre binds with the fatty substances in the intestines and carries them out as waste, while lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol). It also helps in lowering the blood sugar and lowers hunger. The latter is important for weight watchers.

Insoluble fibre assists in the movement of food through the intestinal tract, and helps in preventing constipation.

One gram of carbohydrates produces 4 calories, fats 9 calories and protein 4 calories.

For an over view of Nutrition visit this page in this blog.



Ivy Fernandeshttps://plus.google.com/1093706883459317135690

Nutrition information for my recipes

I always wanted to give nutrition values of my recipes. I did not know how to go about it, when I started this blog. 

 

 Nutrition information will come handy to those of you who want to limit the amount of some ingredients such as salt, fat and carbohydrates. If you know their content you will be able to decrease the quantities of those ingredients given in the recipe. Apart from the salt you add, other ingredients such as vegetables will contain some salt. This nutrition information adds the salt content from all sources. This is also true for fat and other nutrients.  You can also use the nutritional values to compare recipes.

 Some nutrient content is altered by the cooking process. For example, Vitamin C is dissipated when subjected to heat. I cannot compute this. I have simply added the nutrients as given in the national database. It is good to bear this in mind when reading the nutrition information.

 Finally I managed to download the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) Access nutrition database. I wrote a Visual Basic program to transfer nutrition data of my recipe to an Excel spread sheet according to the proportion of ingredients in the recipe. I made one column for each ingredient in Excel so that I can manually check the numbers, if in doubt. Total is worked out by Excel.
 I am giving information for only 40 most common nutrients. USDA list of nutrients is daunting. 
 
 Even after short listing the nutrients, my data table is very long. I know it will be boring for you to scroll down all the way. So I decided to hide the nutrition data. Clicking the Show/Hide button will reveal it, so that those who are not interested may skip it. Clicking on the button again will close this section on nutrition information.

 As time permits, I will update all my past recipes also with nutrition information, in future. Even after some software, preparing nutrition information is still time consuming. There may be some commercial software out there that may do the job easily. I am not aware of any such software.

 If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please comment below or let me know by email – ivyf028@gmail.com. I will keep improving.
Ivy

Alkaline diet

Vegetables  (Alkalizing food)

We are what we eat. Our food choices affect our health. If we eat more meat, poultry, fish and eggs,  our body will have more acidity. If we eat more fruits and vegetable, our body will be more alkaline. We do not need to avoid anything altogether. We need only to balance or diet to be healthy.

Acidic foods deplete oxygen that your body cells need. Acidic foods damage the mitochondria—the cells’ energy centers; and render them unable to perform vital functions. Unless excessive acids are eliminated or neutralized they will accumulate in the body and cause damage to brain cells and other cells. Excessive levels of acidity, produce a good breeding ground for bad bacteria.

 Excess acidity depletes the alkaline minerals in the body especially calcium from bones and magnesium from muscles. Excessive acidity overburdens the eliminating organs like kidneys and the liver.Acids in the urine and blood will cause conditions like gout. Oh! one more thing ... cancer loves acidic environment.

To overcome an acidic condition, consume more alkaline-forming foods and then it is not necessary to eliminate acid forming foods; because the alkaline foods will neutralize the acidity in the body. It should be noted that some acid forming foods are very nutritious. If we totally eliminate acid forming foods we will miss out on the valuable nutrition they provide.

Besides you may also encounter  constipation and bloating, lack of energy, weight problems, poor complexion and dry, dull skin, gum disease, frequent colds and flu, and muscle and joint pains.
As a general rule your plate should contain 80% alkaline food and 20% acidic food. This proportion will keep your body healthy.

In a scale of 0 to 14, a pH of 0 is highly acidic, 7 is considered neutral, and a 14 is considered highly alkaline. Under normal conditions, the body will be at a pH of 7.365. If the pH of your body is altered by a small amount, from 7.365 to 7, you could end up with blood poisoning.

Even a mild acidity (acidosis) can lead to may problems. A blood pH of 6.9, which is only marginally high, may result in coma or death. It can cause cardiovascular damage, obesity, diabetes, kidney dysfunction and kidney stones. It may also result in immune deficiency, increase in free radicals, cancers, hormone deficiency and so on. Osteoporosis, weakening of bones, joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid build-up can result from acidity of the body. Higher acidity also leads to fatigue, low energy, slow digestion and elimination and growth of yeast and fungus. High acidity may decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it's ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it's ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. 

The stomach will always be acidic because of the hydrochloric acid produced by our body. The hydrochloric acid helps to break down the food cells so that the food can be digested by the body. The stomach will normally be at a lower pH of 1.35 to 3.50. 

Acidosis is said to occur when arterial pH falls below 7.35. Alkalosis occurs at a pH over 7.45. Arterial blood gas analysis and other tests are required to separate the main causes.

Ketones are acidic. Build-up of ketones in the body can lead to a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). If ketoacidosis is not treated as soon as it is detected, it may become a life-threatening situation for the patient.

There are two types of acidosis: respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis.

Respiratory acidosis is due to excessive carbon dioxide (an acid) being in the body. This type of acidosis is usually caused when the body is unable to remove enough carbon dioxide through breathing. Respiratory acidosis may be due to: chest deformities, such as kyphosis, chest injuries,  chest muscle weakness, chronic lung disease  and overuse of sedative drugs

Metabolic acidosis may be due to the body producing too much acid. It can also occur when the kidneys cannot remove enough acid from the body. Metabolic acidosis includes diabetic acidosis, hyperchloremic acidosis and lactic acidosis.

   1. Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) develops when substances  called ketene bodies (which are acidic) build up during uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) develops when ketone bodies (which are acidic) build up during uncontrolled diabetes.

   2. Hyperchloremic acidosis is caused by the loss of too much sodium bicarbonate from the body, which can happen with severe diarrhea. Hyperchloremic acidosis is caused by the loss of too much sodium bicarbonate from the body, which can happen with severe diarrhea.

    3.  Lactic acidosis is a build-up of lactic acid. This can be caused by:  cancer, excessive alcohol, vigorous exercising for a very long time, liver failure, low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), medications, such as salicylates.

Other causes of metabolic acidosis include: kidney disease,  poisoning by aspirin, ethylene glycol (found in antifreeze), or methanol and   severe dehydration

The small intestine however can be kept at higher alkaline level by consuming alkaline food. The pH level of the body is ascertained by acidity or alkalinity of blood and urine. pH test paper which can be bought at any pharmacy can measure the acid  / alkaline level of the saliva and urine. It is good to check this periodically so that you can adjust your diet to suit the readings.

When you wet the pH paper with saliva or urine, it changes the color. Then you compare the colour of the test paper with a test chart provided by the manufacturer of the test paper. Often shades and indistinguishable and the readings are not very accurate. A digital meter made for this purpose will give very accurate results. In the long run a digital meter can be more economical if you take several readings. Dr Young recommends this meter.

Dr Robert Young, the author of the book – "PH Miracle" argues that by consuming alkaline food and keeping the body alkaline one can reduce weight and improve overall health.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Fruits (Alkalizing  food)

Fruits(Alkalizing food)

Some of the vegetables for juicing ( Juice helps to alkaize your body)

I have written about  juicing

Cucumber, Spinach and Pumpkin 

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

Fish (Acidifying food)

Salmon ( Acidifying  food)

Eggs (Acidifying food)

Chicken  (Acidifying food)

Here are some tables showing alkalizing and acidifying foods. If your body is acidic you can try alkalizing food and avoid acidifying food. This way you will be able to adjust your body pH. If your body is alkaline you do not need to do anything.

Here are some tables showing acidifying and alkalizing foods. http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

Another strong proponent of raw food and juicing is John Kohler of "discountjuicers.com". He has put several Youtube videos on his websites on raw food and juicers.

Lime or lemon are sour but when you consume it becomes alkaline and alkalizes your body.

Lemon

Bean sprouts

Mung Beans and sprouts from the bean

Bean sprouts are a common ingredient  in Asian cuisine. They are made from green beans seeds (mung beans) by sprouting. The sprouted beans are more nutritious than the ordinary beans. The typical bean sprout is made from the greenish mung beans. There are many types of seeds that can be made into sprouts, including kidney, navy, pinto, mung, lentils, quinoa, chick peas, soy beans, alfalfa and many other seeds.. All kinds of sprouts are highly nutritious.

In Japanese, the word moyashi refers to, in a strict sense, the mung sprout, and the usually yellow, larger-sized soy sprouts are called mame-moyashi. In Chinese cuisine, bean sprouts are often used with fried rice, spring rolls, egg drop soup, and hot and sour soup. In Korea, it is one of the staple ingredients for Namul – a side dish consisting of seasoned vegetables to accompany the main dish. They are also found in Thai and Vietnamese cooking.

Soy sprouts

Green bean seed sprouts (mung) are most popular because they are tender and therefore can be used with many different ingredients. They are easy to grow and are also cheap. Next common sprout is soy sprouts.
.The soy sprouts are stronger and larger and tougher than mung sprouts. Soy sprouts have a distinctive taste, more particularly the head - the seed. So you cannot use it with many ingredients like green bean sprouts.You have to find s suitable companion ingredient to cook it with. many Chinese chefs usually nip off the head and the tail. In other words they take only the stem, discarding most nutritious root and the head..I don't think that this is a wise thing to do in home cooking..

Sprouts can be easily produced at home. You do not need any expensive equipment. All you need to do is to soak them for one day and thereafter wet them twice or three times a day. In about a week you will get adequately grown sprouts.Detailed instructions can be found in the web.Malt is also produced by this way. As soon as the  the seed germinates they stop further germination by blowing hot air and drying the seeds. The dried germinated seeds are powdered and marketed in the form of 'malted milk' such as Horlicks and Nestamalt.

Personally I add soy bean sprouts to my daily juice.There is also talk about salmonella and similar poisoning. Lesson here is that we should try to avoid raw alfalfa sprouts from a source not well reputed. Probably these germs are introduced in the growing process where cleanliness is not adopted properly. Even then if you cook them well enough to destroy these germs, I think you can overcome the problem of salmonella.. But if you suddenly show up any unusual symptoms please  seek medical help immediately.
Bean sprouts are said to help in preventing cancer because of their fibre content which keeps the colon clean and prevent build-up of toxins in the colon. Sprouts also reduce bad cholesterol. The natural estrogen found in sprouts can improve bone health and thereby prevent osteoporosis. The sprouts give support to the immune system because of the presence of antioxidants. They are said to be good for the skin because of Vitamin E present in them. The sprouts check the acidity in the stomach because they are alkaline, and maintain a healthy pH balance. Sprouts are good for those seeking to reduce weight because they provide the bulk and contain very little fat.

Caution

Those who have any auto-immune disorder should not consume alfalfa sprouts,Some legumes and sprouts have some anti-nutritional factors that inhibit the digestion of certain proteins.   One should avoid consuming large quantities of sprouts regularly – no more than 550 grams daily.

Nutrition facts

 Bean sprouts recipes
Rainbow Bean Sprout Stir-fry
Bean sprouts with noodles

Avocado

Avocado

The oldest evidence indicates that avocado was in use around 10,000 BC  in a cave  in Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico.

Avocado provides nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fibre, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. It also acts as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Avocado ripe

Avocado is considered as a super food and it provides mono-saturated and polyunsaturated fat, and is low in cholesterol, trans-fats and sodium while being rich in potassium.

Avocados will lower bad cholesterol and improve the lipid profile. They are also reputed to reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease and prevent cancer. Avocado or avocado oil is found in many commercial skin care products. While improving the skin tone and minimizing wrinkles, it also maintains a healthy moisture level in the epidermal layer of the skin. This is the cause for the glow and softness of the skin when using avocado based skin care products. The anti-inflammatory property of avocado helps in relieving the pain of those suffering from acute arthritis.

Some people avoid avocados due to the relatively high fat and calorie content of these fruits. Some people call it butter fruit because it takes the consistency of butter when mashed. It can be used as bread spread with or without seasoning.  It can also be substituted for butter in some recipes. Guacamole is the most famous recipe for this delicious fruit.

A medium sized avocado contains 26 grams of fat and gives out 276 calories. It is good to get at least 30% of the daily requirement of calories from fats and the balance from carbohydrates.

A medium sized avocado contains about 6.8 grams of soluble and insoluble fibre both of which are required to keep the digestive system running smoothly. Oleic acid in the avocado makes you feel full and this helps if a person is dieting and it also reduces LDL while increasing HDL.

If you are pregnant the folate, a vitamin found in avocado, will protect your baby cutting the risk of birth defects.

It can be eaten as it is or cut into small pieces and add to salads or sandwich with meat or fish.

Buying and storing avocados

Avocados can be stored at room temperature. If you refrigerate the ripening process will be delayed. 

Unripe avocado will take 4 to 5 days to fully ripen. Unripe avocado will be greenish in colour and as it ripens it will become more and more purplish dark brown in colour. A fully ripe avocado may look even purplish black. 

Good avocado

Applying light pressure in your palm will tell whether the fruit is ripe or not. Ripe ones will be softer. It is all right to buy ripe or unripe fruit. If you need to consume urgently you need to buy fully ripe fruits otherwise unripe fruits.

Avoid avocados that are overly soft and mushy. The fruit most probably is over ripe and will be spoilt soon if you don't consume it immediately. Avoid avocados with dents, bruises, brown spots and dark blemishes. Here is the picture of a spoilt avocado. When I bought it in the supermarket it was firm and nice but when I brought it home and cut it, I found that it was spoilt.

Spoilt avocado

When you peel or slice avocado it will soon discolour. This is due to oxidation of the 

exposed inner flesh. If you apply and acidic agent such as lime, lemon, orange or tomato juice or vinegar as soon as you expose the inner surface, the discolouration will not occur. Some time putting in the salt water or plain cool water will also help.

Cutting and Peeling of Avocado

Cut the avocado around the seed horizontally and pull out one part it will come out easily.

Avocado split into four quarters

To remove the skin use a knife to lift the flesh out of the skin or just pull the skin with your fingers. It will come out easily.

Peeling the skin

You need to sprinkle some lemon juice to prevent the cut avocado from discolouring.

Squeeze the lemon on the avocado pieces to avoid discolouration

Avocado Bread Spread

To make a simple bread spread,  peel the skin, squeeze lime juice, mash the avocado and add some pepper and salt. easy and nutritious bread spread is ready.

Mash the avocado and add pepper and salt

Mashed avocado

Spread on a slice of bread

Moringa Leaves

Moringa leaves in a bundle

Its botanical name is Moringa oleifera. It is called drumstick tree because of the shape of its fruits. It is called horseradish tree because its root tastes like horse radish. It is also called ben oil or benzoil tree because of the oil extracted from the seeds of the tree. This tree is relatively unheard of in the western world. It grows copiously in sunny areas in the tropics and subtropics.

Moringa drumstick pods

Because of the high nutrition content in the moringa plant food, the tree is called ‘tree of life’, ‘wonder tree’, ‘the magic tree’, and so on. Moringa is a hardy plant requiring very little attention.

Over the past 10 years more than 100 NGOs have helped in planting more than 100 million plants in the African region alone. This was done to alleviate severe malnutrition in that region.

Moringa leaf

Only now the moringa leaves powder has reached the developed world and has proved to be a big hit. Hopefully this will bring some economic relief also to the poverty stricken lands.

Moringa leaves can be dried in a dehydrator or an oven at 50 to 55 degrees centigrade until the leaves become very brittle. Moisture content should be less than 10%, otherwise it may become mouldy. The dried leaves can be powdered in a coffee mill or a similar grinder. Sieve the powder with a fine mesh of 0.5 mm diameter. The powder can be stored in the refrigerator for future use. The powder can be made into a drink by mixing with water, tea by adding hot water or added to soups and gravy.

Moringa seed powder is used as a flocculent in water purification process. When the seed powder is added to the water it binds with the impurities in the water and sedimentation of solid particles (seed powder and insoluble impurities will sediment to the bottom of the tank. The water from the top of the tank is then passed through a slow sand filter tank. Removal of solid impurities reduces the frequency of cleaning of filter surface.

Moringa leaves have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties. In the countries where moringa grows well people have used the leaves as folk medicine to relieve skin infection, treat wounds and cuts and even to stop headache.

The fruit and the leaves are cooked and eaten. Moringa leaves are a rich source of ascorbic acid, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E low levels of oxalates. They provide nutrients that protect the eyes, bones, heart, blood and skin.

Moringa flowers are very fragrant and are used in the manufacture of cosmetics and moisturizers. Moringa flowers are also used as cold remedy, to ease urination and increase mother’s milk.

Moringa leaves can be used as fertilizer because if their rich nitrogen content. They also prevent pests and fungal growth in plants.



Nutrition value for 100 grams of moringa leaves
Moisture % 79.2
Oxalic Acid 431.6 mg
Fibres 0.90 g
Carbohydrates 12.5 g
Protein 6.7 g

Calories 92

Minerals

Iron 0.26 mg
Phosphorous 70 mg
Calcium   440 mg  
Potassium   259 mg  
Copper 0.07 mg
Iron 0.85 mg
Magnesium 42 mg
Zinc 0.16 mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A   6.78 mg  
Vitamin C   220 mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) 0.06 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.05 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.8 mg
Vitamin E 448 mg

Amino Acids

Arginine 406.6 mg
Histidine 149.8 mg
Isoleucine 299.6 mg
Leucine 492.2 mg
Lysine 342.4 mg
Methionine 117.7 mg
Phenylalinine 310.3 mg
Threonine 117.7 mg
Tryptophan 107 mg
Valine 374.5 mg

Vitamin C - 7 times that of orange
Vitamin A - 4 times of carrot
Calcium - 4 times that of milk
Potassium - 3 times that of banana
Protein - 2 times that of yoghurt
Antioxidants:  46 types of antioxidants are found in leaves
Amino acids – 18 types of which 10 are essential amino acids. This makes it a complete protein.
Source: USDA

Here is a documentary on Youtube on miracle tree by Discovery Channel

Other moringa recipe:
Moringa Leaves Sothi  - Moringa Leaves Coconut milk Soup
Mild Moringa Drumstics and Raw Plantain Curry
Moringa leaves stir-fry
Moringa Fried Rice

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are organic part of plants, said to enhance human health. Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and teas are rich sources of phytonutrients. Unlike the traditional nutrients (protein, fat, vitamins, minerals), phytonutrients are not "essential" for life, so some people prefer to call them as "phytochemical". Phytonutrients contain disease-preventing compounds. They protect tissues and cells from the harmful effects of free radicals.

Phytonutrients may exist in the thousands; many are yet to be discovered.

Their role in plants is to protect plants from disease, injuries, insects, drought, excessive heat, ultraviolet rays, and poisons or pollutants in the air or soil. They form part of the plants immune system.

If you eat a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, you should obtain all your requirement of phytonutrients.

Major classes of phytonutrients are:
Carotenoids
Flavonoids (Polyphenols) including Isoflavones (Phytoestrogens)
Inositol Phosphates (Phytates)
Lignans (Phytoestrogens)
Isothiocyanates and Indoles
Phenols and Cyclic Compounds
Saponins
Sulfides and Thiols
Terpenes
Phytosterols or phytohormones

Carotenoids

We probably know more about carotenoids than other phytonutrients. are the red, orange and yellow pigments found in fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are dominant antioxidants that can help prevent some forms of cancer and heart disease, and can augment your immune response to infections.arotenoids

In humans, four carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, gamma-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin) promote vitamin A activity (meaning they can be converted to retinal), and these and other carotenoids can also act as antioxidants.

Retinal is also called retinaldehyde or vitamin A aldehyde, is one of the many forms of vitaminA. Some carotenoids, such as lycopene, do not convert to vitamin A at all, unlike other carotenoids. Lycopene, the orange-red pigment that is found in tomatoes and watermelon, is still of value, because it's an antioxidant that is even more potent than beta-carotene.

Retinaldehyde works on wrinkles and sun damaged skin by exfoliating the cells and encouraging new ones to form. Therefore retinaldehyde is often found in the skin care products.

Carotenoids are divided into:
Alpha-carotene
beta-carotene
beta-cryptoxanthin
lutein
lycopene
zeaxanthin

Alpha-carotene

Alpha-csrotene

The following vegetables are rich in alpha-carotene:
(1) Yellow-orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash and
(2) Dark-green vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, green peas, spinach, turnips greens, collards and lettuce.
High blood levels of the antioxidant alpha-carotene appear to be associated with a longer life.

Foods rich in alpha-carotene will:
• Protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals
• Provide a source of vitamin A
• Enhance the functioning of your immune system
• Help your reproductive system function properly.
It is a "provitamin A" compound which means that it can to be converted in the body into retinol, an active form of vitamin A. Alpha-carotene has approximately one-half of the vitamin A activity of beta-carotene.

In addition to their antioxidant and immune-enhancing activity, carotenoids including alpha-carotene have shown the ability to stimulate cell to cell communication. Poor communication between cells may result in the overgrowth of cells leading to cancer. Carotenoids may play a role in the prevention of cancer by establishing proper communication between cells.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is a strongly-coloured red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. It is a natural chemical known as carotenes or carotenoids. Beta carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. It is an antioxidant, like vitamins E and C.

Beta-carotene is found mainly in dark green and orange-yellow vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, apricots, and green peppers.

Beta-carotene is not considered as an essential nutrient, but vitamin A is.

Some claims of benefits of beta-carotene are:
Prevention of cancer and heart ailment
Slowing of the development of cataracts
Prevention of macular degeneration
Boosting immunity
Protection to the skin from sunburn
Prevention of Asthma
Prevention of Depression
Treatment of Infertility
Prevention of Parkinson’s disease
Prevention of Psoriasis

Beta-cryptoxanthin

Cryptoxanthin is a natural carotenoid pigment. Beta-cryptoxanthin is classified as a pro-vitamin A carotenoid. In the body it can be converted to an active form of vitamin A. Vitamin A is acknowledged as being important for skin and bone health as well as immune function.

Cryptoxanthin is closely related to β-carotene In terms of structure. It is a member of the class of carotenoids known as xanthophylls.

In a pure form, cryptoxanthin is a red crystalline solid with a metallic shine. It  freely dissolves in chloroform, benzene, pyridine, and carbon disulfide.

Food rich in Beta-cryptoxanthin can:
Protect the body cells from the damages caused by free radicals
Provide a source of vitamin A
Reduce the risk of lung cancer and arthritis.

Foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin are paprika, pepper, red or cayenne chili powder, winter squash, butternut,pumpkin,persimmons, papayas, cloves and tangerines (mandarin oranges)

Beta-cryptoxanthin may also play a role in the prevention of the following health conditions:

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Age-related degeneration of muscles
Angina pectoris
Asthma
Cervical dysplasia
Chlamydial infection
Heart disease
Male and female infertility
Photosensitivity
Pneumonia
Vaginal candidiasis

Lutein

Lutein is a carotenoid, meaning a natural colorant or pigment, found in dark green leafy vegetables. It is related to beta-carotene and vitamin A.

Lutein is an antioxidant that reduces the effect of harmful free radicals in various parts of the body. Lutein also filters the high-energy, blue wavelengths of light from the visible-light spectrum by as much as 90%. Blue light, in both indoor lighting and sunlight, is believed to induce oxidative stress and possible free-radical damage in human organs exposed to light, such as the eyes and skin.

Lutein is concentrated in the retinas of your eyes, so it's a necessary component of normal vision. Hence it is often thought as “the eye vitamin.” Some people also use it to prevent colon cancer, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is also believed to reduce the risk of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Foods rich in lutein include broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, orange pepper, kiwi fruit, grapes, orange juice, zucchini, and squash. Lutein is absorbed best when it is taken with a high-fat meal.

Lycopene

Lycopene is bright red in colour. It is a carotene and carotenoid pigment. It is also a phytochemical. Although lycopene is chemically a carotene, it has no vitamin A activity. Lycopene is present in human serum and skin as well as the liver, adrenal glands, lungs, prostate and colon.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect against degenerative diseases. It does this by neutralizing free radicals in the body. It helps in reducing heart disease, cancer and sun burn.

Lycopene found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, red bell peppers, pink watermelons, guava, and papayas (but not strawberries or cherries). Lycopene can also be obtained in supplement form. It’s usually sold as tablets or capsules.

The cooking process breaks down the cell walls of the tomato which makes the lycopene more available.

There is no reported evidence of toxicity from taking too much lycopene.

Zeaxanthin

Zeaxanthin plays an essential role in protecting the retina of the eye from the damaging effects of light. Zeaxanthin is very similar to lutein.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are compounds called xanthophylls (ZAN-thuh-fills), which are yellow pigments that occur naturally in many plants and vegetables. Xanthophylls belong to a class of organic compounds called carotenoids, which also includes orange and red plant pigments. Though lutein is considered a yellow pigment, in high concentrations it appears orange-red.

In nature, lutein and zeaxanthin appear to absorb excess light energy to prevent damage to plants from too much sunlight, especially from high-energy light rays called blue light.

The human retina selectively accumulates only two carotenoids: zeaxanthin and lutein.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in high concentrations in the macula of the human eye, giving the macula its yellowish colour. Because these carotenoids absorb blue light, and are powerful antioxidants, scientists have hypothesized that they protect the retina.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of visual impairment in adults. It affects both eyes. Zeaxanthin reduces the risk factor in AMD. A recent published study found that a nutritional supplement containing meso-zeaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin effectively increased the optical density of the macular pigment in eyes of the majority of human subjects. The macular pigment is thought to help in preventing of macular degeneration.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in these foods: kale, spinach, collards, turnip greens, green peas, corn, broccoli, romaine lettuce, carrots, green beans and eggs.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols antioxidants and they play an important role in the elimination of free radicals in the body. In addition they prevent heart diseases and cancer. They are anti-inflammatory. Food sources rich in polyphenols include onion, apple, tea, red wine, red grapes, grape juice, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and walnut.

Phytosterols or phytohormones

These are plant based sterols that act as precursors to human sterols. Precursors are substances the body uses to produce other substances.

These sterols modulate the human endocrine system. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is one of the most important human sterols. This hormone is produced in our adrenal glands and serves many functions. It is often called the 'mother' hormone as it has the ability to convert itself into other hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and corticosterone, on demand. It is a precursor to all other hormones and active metabolites.

Adequate DHEA in the body can slow the aging process. It can prevent or improve, and even reverse conditions such as memory loss, obesity, cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. The blood level DHEA peak between ages 20 to 25 years and then decline with age in both men and women.

Our body makes stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline from DHEA. When our body makes these hormones, DHEA levels decline. The decline in DHEA level causes the development of degenerative diseases mentioned above.

Free radicals

Free radicals are unstable molecules produced in the process of breaking down of food in the body, or when the body is exposed to radiation or contaminants such as tobacco smoke. Excessive production of free radicals can result in oxidative stress known to harm cell membranes and DNA.

Only antioxidants are capable of fighting free radicals. Antioxidant-rich foods may lower the risk of certain chronic diseases, due to the antioxidants' effects on free radicals.

Asparagus

From ancient times asparagus has been used as a vegetable and medicine. Only young asparagus shoots are used in cooking. Once the buds start to open the shoots becom woody and not suitable for consumption. Ninety three percent of asparagus is water. It is low in calories and sodium. In many cuisines it features as an appetizer or side dish. It is also a common ingredient in soups and stews. In Asian cooking it is stir-fried with chicken srimp or beef. In recent times it is gaining popularity as a raw vegetable in salads. It can also be pickled and stored for several years.

Four spears of asparagus, cooked, boiled, drained of about 60 grams gives only about 13 calories. It does not contain any fat or cholesterol. It is very low in sodium.

It is a good source of potassium, dietary fibre (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving), folacin, thiamin, vitamin B6, rutin and glutathione (GSH). Rutin strengthens capillary walls.

Asparagus

A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, prevention of liver disease and prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in babies.

For those with diabetes, Chromium in asparagus, helps in better utilisation of glucose and the fibre helps slowing the release of carbohydrates in the blood stream and prevents sharp insulin spikes.

It is a great vegetable for those who want to loose weight as it is very low in calories and rich in fibre which keeps a person full. The potassium in asparagus helps to lose belly fat. 

Folic acid and vitamin B12 in asparagus prevents age-related cognitive degeneration like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s etc. 

Asparagine in asparagus is a natural diuretic that helps the body get rid of excess fluids and salts that get accumulated.

It helps in eliminating toxins, improving immunity and contains inulin which provides nutrition for the good bacteria in the gut, thus improving digestion. It is considered as an aphrodisiac as folic acid present in asparagus helps to boost histamine production. Potassium present abundantly in asparagus is a vaso-dilator that helps the mind to remain calm and stress free. It has anti-cancer properties and has the ability to fight free radicals.

Asparagus

The glutathione, fibre, folate and vitamin A contribute to the anti-cancer effect of asparagus by scavenging free radicals that cause oxidative damage. 

It helps to control blood pressure and brings down circulating levels of homocysteine. Fibre prevents the arteries from getting clogged and thus reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Folate, glutathione and vitamin present in asparagus gives it the anti-ageing properties. These nutrients also prevent the damage caused by free-radicals and preserve skin integrity even in old age.

Nutrition Profile

100g of Raw Asparagus

Nutrient                              Value

Water                                  93g

Energy                                20kcal

Protein                                2.2g

Fat                                      0.12g

Carbohydrate                      4g

Dietary Fibre                      2.1g

Calcium                              24mg

Iron                                    2.1mg

Magnesium                        14mg

Phosphorus                        52mg

Potassium                          202mg

Sodium                              2mg

Zinc                                   0.5mcg

Folate                                52mcg

Vitamin C                          5.6mg

Vitamin A                          38IU

Vitamin E                          1.1mg

Vitamin K                          41.6mcg

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 (2011) 

Ivy Fernandeshttps://plus.google.com/1093706883459317135690