Tag Fruit

When learning about healthy eating, the topic of antioxidants inevitably shows up. What exactly are antioxidants, and why are they good for you?

Antioxidants are basically nutrients and enzymes that may protect your body’s cells from diseases. They do this by blocking the effects of free radicals, which are unstable molecules looking to bond with healthy molecules in the body. When the free radicals are allowed to make these connections, the healthy molecules are damaged and health is compromised. Antioxidants can prevent those bonds from happening, keeping your body’s healthy tissues free from harm.

Research has found antioxidants may be helpful in defending against:

• Colds, flues and infections
• Cognitive decline
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Heart disease
• Effects of aging
• Development of cancer
• Effects of radiation

Antioxidants are found in fresh whole foods, especially those high in beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E. Fruits and vegetables are especially excellent sources of antioxidants. Some examples of these foods include:

• Orange, red and yellow fruits and vegetables such as apricots, pumpkin, tomatoes, sweet potato and carrots
• Purple foods such as prunes, raisins, red grapes, eggplant and plums
• All berries
• Greens such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, chard, broccoli and Brussels sprouts

In addition, superfruits such as acai, goji, and mangosteen have exceptional antioxidant qualities. Think of them as little bundles of extremely concentrated antioxidants. These superfruits are native to South and Central America, China, and the Pacifics, and because of their delicacy it is difficult to transport them safely across long distances. Luckily, products made from these superfruits, such as monavie, are available. The juice supplement monavie is a blend of 19 healthy fruits and AcaVie, the highest concentration of acai available.

Antioxidants are believed to be one of the best defenders against the damage caused by free radicals. There are a variety of sources of antioxidants, including fresh fruits, vegetables and superfruits. A diet rich in these foods can keep you healthy and energetic for many years to come.

It is a great idea to grow your own organic fruit and vegetables. You can be sure of here the food has come from and be assured that it us free from any pesticides or other chemicals which may cause you harm.
The first thing you should do when planning on growing you own organic food is think about where you will be growing it. Will you be growing your organic food in a warmer climate or will the plants be exposed to a colder or even freezing temperature? You should choose the plants that are most suitable for the temperature that you will be able to offer them. If you wish to grow plants that require a higher temperature, then you should invest in a green house if your garden will be too cold.

If you live in a drier area, then you should ensure that you have a good irrigation system in place. You can find low cost irrigation systems to keep your plants well watered, or if you have the time you can water the plants regularly yourself. If you will be using a larger area of land to plant your organic food, then you will probably need an irrigation system to ensure that no plants are left dry when you are watering them manually.

You should be sure to stick to the times of year when your plants should be sown and when they should be harvested. If you don’t harvest your plants in time, then they will over ripen which will result in them tasting horrible when you harvest them, or the fruit or vegetables could fall off the plant and rot, resulting in wastage. If you harvest them too early, then they will be under ripened. Eating fruit or vegetables that are under ripe can give the eater a bad stomach or even make them very ill.