Avocado is as a “nutrient enhancer” by allowing the human body to absorb lipophilic alpha and beta-carotene and lutein in foods that are prepared with the fruit. Adding avocado to salsa increases body’s ability to absorb health promoting lycopene and beta-carotene a few times higher than the amount of these nutrients absorbed from avocado-free salsa.

Avocado is rich in both monosaturated and polyunsaturated fat and contains potassium. Avocado is better than banana because contains more potassium and much less sugar. The fruit also is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, copper, and dietary fiber. One avocado contains 30 grams of fat (300 calories), but 2/3 of them are health-promoting monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol. A diet high in avocados may help decrease the unhealthy levels in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and increase the level of health promoting HDL cholesterol. Avocado meets the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association, established to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat.

By eating organic fresh avocados chopped in a salad, spreaded on sandwiches and toast or a few slices on a plate you lower your cholesterol level and increase your immune system!

Daily Apple Is Healthy

A new University of Illinois study shows the benefits of soluble fiber – found in food such as apples and nuts.
The soluble fiber of apple reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and fortifies your immune system.

Soluble fiber causes increased production of the anti-inflammatory protein called interleukin-4.

In the experiment, laboratory mice consumed diets that were identical except that they contained either soluble or insoluble fiber. After six weeks on the diet, the animals had distinctly different responses when the scientists induced illness by introducing a substance (lipopolysaccharide) that causes the body to mimic a bacterial infection.

Two hours after lipopolysaccharide injection, the mice fed soluble fiber were only half as sick as the other group, and they recovered 50 percent sooner.

Apples, together with pears and grapes, are the fruits most affected by pesticides, so choose to buy organic apples instead.

Also see: Saturated Fat Does Not Cause Heart Disease

Fruit and Veggie Smoothie

An easy to make healthy organic smoothie recipe … use all or mostly organic fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients:
- 1 apple
- 1 kiwi
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup broccoli sprouts
- 1 cup cucumber
- 2 cups water

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients in a mixer and let it stay for a few hours in the fridge (the flavors will blend better).
Kids will love it and it so healthy for them.

By Gabor Timis

The four stomach compartments of a cow are designed to digest grass, not grains, or corn.
Have you ever seen a cow running around in a cornfield peeling the ear and eating corn?

Grass-fed beef contains more of the essential fatty acid omega-3, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an essential fatty acid that helps regulate the way our bodies deal with other fats, boosts the immune system, fights cancer, and has other health benefits.

Grass fed organic beef also contains higher levels of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid not synthesized by the body, which is part of the key omega 3 fatty acids beneficial for healthy cardiovascular function.

Grass fed organic beef has higher levels of vitamin B12 and antioxidants. Meat, eggs, and dairy from organic pasture raised animals contain higher amounts of vitamin C, beta carotene, and antioxidants.
Grass fed beef is loaded with over 400% more of vitamins A and E than grain fed beef.

Organic beef has its regular benefits of no pesticide and fertilizer contamination. It does not contain artificial substances such as hormones, GMOs and antibiotics.

Sources: Lopez-Bote, et al(1998). “Effect of free-range feeding on omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-tocopherol content and oxidative stability of eggs.” Animal Feed Science and Technology 72: 33-40.
Dhiman, T. R., et al. (1999). “Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk from cows fed different diets.” J Dairy Sci 82(10): 2146-56
The Teagasc Research Programme on high quality beef

By Anna Lynn Sibal

A lot of us have made the leap to pursue healthier options when it comes to the food we eat. We take into account the nutrients that the food we consume contains, the method by which it is prepared, the size of the portions that we actually eat, and other things. Not only does eating healthily keep our bodies fit and resistant to disease, but it also keeps our energy levels high. It also makes us feel good about ourselves.

The ultimate, however, when it comes to healthy eating options is eating organic food. What is organic food? Simply defined, organic food is food that was grown or bred naturally. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are those cultivated without the aid of commercial fertilizers and pesticides. The soil on which they were planted is also free from commercial fertilizers and pesticides, and their plant DNA was not manipulated to enhance their growth.

Organically bred poultry and livestock, on the other hand, are animals that were reared humanely and in a more natural setting. They are allowed to move freely in enclosed pens, exposed to sunlight. They have access to clean water and organic feed. They are not given hormones to speed up their growth.

Why should you eat organic food? There are many reasons why you should eat organic food, but for starters, organic food items taste better and are healthier. They are also safer and friendlier to the environment. Lastly, you get what you pay for when you buy organic food.

Organic Food Taste Better

Many people who have become fans of organic food are quick to claim that organic food tastes better than conventionally grown food. This belief is strongly reinforced by the fact that many celebrity chefs regularly use organic ingredients in the dishes they create.

It is indeed true that organic food tastes better than regular food. The reason for this is that the taste of organic food is not affected by additives, preservatives or any chemicals it is exposed to while it was grown. What you get with organic food is its real taste, fresh and unadulterated.

Organic Food Is Safer

Did you know that the pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals used in growing regular food can cause cancer and other ailments? There is a growing body of research that shows that these chemicals are carcinogenic or weaken the body’s immune system.

These chemicals are also detrimental to unborn babies and children less than 12 years old. Thus, children falling under this age bracket and pregnant mothers are advised to eat organic food. These chemicals negatively affect a child’s physical development, damaging organs and impairing bodily functions long before they are fully developed.

It Is More Responsible to Buy Organic Food

When you buy organic food, you naturally think of the benefits you can gain from it in terms of health. However, when you look at the bigger picture, you will learn to appreciate the value of organic food even more.

Genuine organic food items are always grown locally by small farmers. These small farmers are more stringent when it comes to following quality standards. They are also more innovative when it comes to research on growing better organic produce, poultry and livestock. Thus, when you buy organic food, not only are you getting pure and fresh food, but you are also supporting local farmers.

You are also helping to save the environment when you buy organic food. In organic farming, the soil is protected and enriched with natural fertilizers to make sure that it can continually provide nutrients to growing plants. You also do not have to worry about chemicals and waste products finding their way to the ground’s water table and into bodies of water, where they can harm wild animals and the environment in general.

Lastly, when you buy organic food from local farmers, you are sure that what you are buying is genuinely organic and not just labeled as such. Of course, many big corporations are now getting into the organic food business because of its potential for big profits, but these corporations are more willing to bend standards and cut corners to minimize expenses and maximize earnings. Thus, you are not really sure if you are buying genuine organic food items or just a big-name label.

If you truly want to eat healthily, you should go for organic food. They are safer to eat and are tastier. Moreover, when you buy organic food, you support local farmers and help in protecting the environment.