According to folk medicine, garlic has the potential to fix everything from the common cold to the plague. While many of the old sayings are doubtful, prevailing scientific theories and research support numerous others. The main compounds that lend garlic its medicinal value are allicin and diallyl sulphides. The sulfur […]
Traditionally peach trees were considered to be the trees of life. This is not surprising, considering they produce fruit that has truckloads of healthy nutrients to deliver.
Figs are a small, sweet and somewhat pear shaped fruit that grows on most of the over 1,000 Ficus tree species. Figs come in a range of varieties, sizes and colours. The raw fruit is consumed fresh from the tree and is considered to be very healthy however it may […]
Cultivated all over the globe now, Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) is originally a native of the Mediterranean. It belongs to the Umbellifereae family and is a close relative of dill, carrots, coriander and parsley. Fennel is a perennial herb that has a whitish, pale green bulb, with overlaying stalks extending out […]
Despite being a bit fatty, consumed in moderation avocados are good for health. They deliver roughly twenty vitamins and minerals in a single serving.
What most people think of as a nuisance and a hideous weed is such a well respected plant that it sits on the U.S National Formulatory, as well as the Pharmcopeias of Poland, Hungary, Soviet Union and Switzerland. It is also one of the top six herbs in the Chinese […]
Centrifugal juicers are great for quickly making large amounts of fresh juice. They use a spinning fine mesh basket and the power of centrifugal forces to separate the pulp from the juice. Some are better than others, obviously, so we’ll show you our top 3 picks.
Single gear juicers use a single auger (gear) which has a spiral shape to push the fruit and vegetables against a metal screen to extract the juice. The pulp continues its journey out through the end of the juicer and is collected in a separate bin. The quality and quantity of juice extracted using a single gear juicer is far superior to centrifugal juicers, so this really is the minimum recommended style of juicer. If you can afford it, go to dual gear.
Dual gear juicers have two gears to triturate (grind, pulverize) the fruit and vegetables you put down the chute. These juicers, like the single auger juicers are very efficient, produce no heat, and work at a slow RPM to ensure the best possible yield and quality of the juice. If you can afford a dual gear juicer you should get one. They are the best juicers you can buy.
Wheatgrass juicers are often put into their own category, when in fact, they are simply single or twin gear juicers capable of chewing, pounding and extracting the juice from all manner of produce including wheatgrass, leafy greens like romaine lettuce, herbs, etc. If your primary reason for getting a juicer is for wheatgrass, look for juicers marketed as wheatgrass juicers. Otherwise you can just as happily look at single or twin gear juicers which will still do a good job.
Cucumis sativus, more commonly known as cucumber, is a member of the gourd (cucurbitaceae) family, which also includes gourds, melons and squashes. Another name for cucumbers is gherkins, which actually alludes to cucumbers in their pickled form. Currently, it is the world’s fourth most commonly cultivated crop, after onions, tomatoes […]
If you are just starting out juicing, I am sure you are pretty confused right now. What with centrifugal juicers, single gear juicers or twin gear juicers, wheatgrass juicers, citrus juicers etc., there are a lot of things you probably think you need to know before you could possibly make […]
Cranberry is a ruby-red coloured, tart berry that typically grows in the acid bogs. The plant is a low creeping evergreen shrub or vine that can measure up to two metres (7 ft.) in length and approximately five to twenty centimeters (2 – 8 inches) high. The slim, wire like […]
This sweet and sour fruit is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that help fight disease and aid in improving overall health.
Coriandrum sativum or cilantro belongs to the Apiaceae family and is a fast-developing, sweet-smelling herb that grows in cooler temperatures. Coriander actually describes the entire herbal plant inclusive of the stems, leaves, seeds and roots. In reality it is actually two treats in one, the leaves are known as cilantro […]
The French word “celeri,” is derived from its Greek version and in turn it gives rise to the English language word “celery”. Celery is a biennial plant belonging to the same family as parsley, caraway, carrots and fennel. It typically grows in bundles of stalks that range from twelve to […]
Called the “fruit of the angles” by Christopher Columbus, this once exotic fruit is loved all over the world for its nutritional, digestive and medicinal properties.
“A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” –Mark Twain Introduction to Cauliflower Regardless of the name, it is a vegetable and not a flower, belonging to the Brassica Oleraces species in the family of Brassicaceae. It is closely related to broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale, […]
Now, more than ever, your health is important. It is a scientific fact that what we eat dramatically influences the level of our health. That means we must choose what we eat carefully. This includes choosing foods with the maximum amount of nutrition (vitamins, minerals, etc) while avoiding those foods […]
The cultivated orange carrots we eat today look very different to the coloured wild carrots which were red, white, black or purple. These were bred by the Dutch in the Middle Ages by crossing red and yellow varieties.
Carrots are known for their eye health benefits. Beta-carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A, and pigments needed for night vision.
Carrots also contain compounds that help fight cancer, and phytochemicals that help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Carrots also have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties to help out your immune system and can be applied shredded to external wounds to help prevent infection.
Munching on raw carrots can help maintain healthy teeth and gums, by increasing alkaline saliva production, stimulate gums and help reduce plaque.
