Why Do We Need Lycopene Anyway?

August 7, 2008 | 2 Comments

Photo by LWY
If you regularly read about eating healthy foods, then I’m sure you’ve read it too … “Tomato sauce provides us more lycopene than raw tomatoes.”

But rarely do we hear why we need lycopene. So here is the scoop on lycopene and the “why” for which we need to eat our spaghetti.

What is lycopene?

Lycopene is a disease fighting antioxidant. It is found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, apricots, guava, papaya, and, of course, red and orange tomatoes. It is the compound that gives these foods their color. And lycopene comes in different forms too. Some of which are easier for our body to absorb. While it is true that red tomatoes have more lycopene than do orange ones, the orange varieties (while harder to find) provide a form of lycopene that our bodies more readily use. And, for instance, heating up tomatoes as you would when making tomato sauce (vs. raw tomatoes) creates another form of lycopene which is easier to absorb. That is why tomato sauce is a better source for lycopene than raw tomatoes and why we should eat our spaghetti … preferably with sauce made from orange tomatoes.

Lycopene is believed to …

Be good for heart health as it may lower the risk of heart disease.
Have anti-cancer protective effects, especially for protection against prostate, lung, and stomach cancers.
Be an excellent source for managing high blood pressure (recent studies say).

And another good-to-know tidbit …

Eat your lycopene with a healthy fat, such as olive oil. Lycopene needs fat to latch onto in order to be absorbed by the intestinal wall.

So add a little olive oil to that spaghetti.

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Health, Superfoods

Here’s To Your Health!

January 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Photo by slightly winded
How long will your New Year’s resolutions last?

The holidays are almost over. And nearly 70 percent of adults are setting New Year’s resolutions for 2008. And, as usual, four of the top five resolutions are expected to relate to health. According to a national survey, the top two resolutions are expected to be losing weight and exercising more, with the resolution to quit smoking taking third. Getting a new job is expected to take fourth place, and eating healthier will fall into fifth. But what percentage of that 70 percent will have forgotten about their resolution come spring? The survey doesn’t say, but I’m guessing low by saying it will be a good 70 percent of that 70 percent.

My resolution, however, is to help my readers keep their resolutions … by doing my best to arm each of you with health information so you can maintain your health-related goals. And I will start the new year by providing artillery to assist you with your resolutions. So let’s tackle the above resolutions, respectively.

Losing weight. It is doable. But don’t expect to drop 20 pounds in one month. Oh, sure, they can do it on The Biggest Loser, and I even recommend The Biggest Loser diet program on my diet page, but remember they have personal trainers working with them daily who keep them motivated and tell them what they can and cannot eat. And while I use the word “diet” loosely, I don’t personally believe in diets as diets are temporary. When the diet ends, the weight returns. So instead of going on a diet, try changing your lifestyle habits … that is changing your eating habits and physical activities … and track your progress as you go. For those of us who don’t have personal coaches to track our progress, try using websites such as FitDay, which provides a free online journal, or SparkPeople, which provides free diet meal plans. Also, be sure to set reasonable goals. If you set your goals too high, you are more likely to feel failure. In the same breath, if you set your goals too low, you will make little progress and likewise feel failure. Another site to check out is Bob Greene’s The Best Life Diet, who preaches that it’s not just about losing weight, but it’s about living your best life.
Exercising. Exercising is essential for good health, whether you go for low impact or high impact. Yes, the higher the impact, the more calories you will burn. But many people maintain good health and have even lost weight merely by taking a daily brisk walk and eating right. However, choose an exercise plan you enjoy. That may be one particular thing or perhaps a variety of different things, such as swimming, racquetball, tennis, aerobics, pilates, cardio kickboxing, and yoga. If you have kids, get active with them by having your own little soccer or football games.
Quiting smoking. It takes on average five attempts to kick this nasty habit. And according to the American Cancer Society, 70% of U.S. smokers will say they want to quit, but only 5% to 10% will actually be successful. Take these steps to increase your odds of being in the minority: (1) throw away your cigarettes, (2) write down and carry with you a motivational list of reasons for quitting, (3) if you have certain activities you do while smoking, substitute them with other activities, (4) tell your friends, family, and co-workers about your plans to quit and ask them to hold you accountable, (5) instead of reaching for cigarette sticks, reach for carrot sticks or cinnamon sticks, but nothing loaded with calories, (6) avoid situations that urge you to smoke, and (7) try to stay busy.
Getting a new job. In the opening paragraph, I implied that getting a new job is not health related, but truthfully it is. If you are in a bad work situation, it can be quite depressing and lead to over eating and lack of exercise among other things. It’s never too late for a change. Whether you want to change careers or just change locations, go for it! Make it a top goal. Allow a chance for new doors to open in your life.
Eating healthier. This falls fifth on the list, but it should be number one on everyone’s list. It is the first thing that should be done to achieve good heath. Eat superfoods daily. These includes foods such as blueberries, pomegranates, beans, flaxseed, tomato sauce, and yogurt with probiotics. Eating superfoods will help your body build a strong immune system and in return can help you lose weight, exercise better, quit smoking, and even get a new job.

Here’s my toast to you. May you be blessed with great health and happiness in 2008 and for many years to follow. Cheers!

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Health, Superfoods

The Power Of The Pomegranate

November 28, 2007 | 2 Comments

Pomegranates are now in season. And they are delicious. But more importantly, they are healthy!

The pomegranate is a superfood which should be consumed daily (unless your doctor tells you otherwise). It is a pinkish-red round fruit with hundreds of seeds in a juicy pulp. It is rich in antioxidants which protects against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections, and Alzheimer’s. Plus, the antioxidants in the pomegranate help protect the skin and the body from free radical damage (cell aging). The level of antioxidants in a pomegranate is much higher than that found in other fruits, even blueberries.

How to eat a pomegranate.

Eating the seeds of the pomegranate is like taking anti-cancer medicine. Fresh and straight from the rind is a very beneficial way to eat pomegranate. However, it can be quite messy if you don’t know how to eat it. The best way to eat one is to first cut off the crown and then cut into the rind. Separate the seeds in a bowl of warm water so as not to splatter the red juice everywhere (although I hate to wash away the extra juice). Strain and eat!

You can opt to buy already prepared juice instead. Another great way to consume it. Unfortunately, though, just because a product says “100% Pomegranate Juice” on the front label does not mean you are getting a good dose of the juice. Some companies are experts at deceptive advertising so as to convince us to buy what we believe to be a quality product and to save themselves money. So read the label before buying the juice.

What to look for on juice labels.

Common wording to look for include:

“Cocktail” or “Blend” … means the juice has been blended with cheap filler juices, such as apple, pear, or grape juice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with apple, pear, or grape juice if that is what you want. But a company calling their product Pomegranate Juice and then having a cheaper and less healthy juice such as apple juice as their main ingredient is quite misleading. Blueberry, however, is another high-antioxidant superfood and is a good blend with promegranate.
“100% Pure Juice” … this is true in some cases; however, often times the main ingredients are water, sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. With these ingredients, how can it be considered pure juice?
Concentrate … means it is not freshly squeezed and it contains chemical preservatives such as sodium benzoate, juice fillers, water, and malic or citric acid (an added flavor to hide the fact that the product is watered down). as many companies find it too difficult and expensive to make juice freshly squeezed. And while concentrate contains fewer nutrients than freshly squeezed, it can still be a very good product. However, if it is made without the sodium benzoate … that would be a big plus!

Brands I trust and recommend:

Purely Pomegranate - my preference and which I drink daily
POM Wonderful - a very trusted and popular brand
R.W. Knudsen Just Pomegranate Juice - but not their “Blueberry and Pomegranate” where the primary ingredients are water and apple juice

Another little good-to-know tidbit about pomegranate juice … most of the phytonutrients are found in the rind. Pomegranate juice squeezed by machine is healthier than juice squeezed only from the seeds. The taste will be more bitter, but the bitterness means more phytonutrients.

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Posted by Julie Alexander | Filed Under Blog, Superfoods