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A missing ingredient in many processed foods linked to huge health benefits March 19, 2018 Steve Trapasso, Program Coordinator for Seeds of Hope’s Garden-Based Nutrition Education Program  Fiber is the missing ingredient in most processed foods that are a big part of the western diet. This is unfortunate, because a diet rich in fiber has long been known to reduce the risk of many morbidities.
Diabetes, heart disease and even arthritis are just some of the ailments whose risks are reduced when a diet rich in fiber is consumed. It even lowers mortality rates! Now that we all know that eating fiber is good for us, notably the kind found in fruits and vegetables, we are curious about the underlying reason. Well, recent research suggests that the fiber we are consuming is the main source of food for our beneficial gut microbiota (good bacteria).
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Eat the apple a day... and a salad too! March 12, 2018 Steve Trapasso, Program Coordinator for Seeds of Hope’s Garden-Based Nutrition Education Program  That’s right, according to a new study published in the journal Neurology, eating just one serving of leafy greens a day can slow cognitive decline in aging adults. More specifically, over five years, in a linear mixed scientific model adjusted for age, sex, education, participation in cognitive activities, physical activities, smoking, and seafood and alcohol consumption; consumption of green leafy vegetables was associated with slower cognitive decline.
The green leafy vegetables most associated with these results include all types of lettuce, green spinach, kale and collard greens. These greens contain phylloquinone (One of the K Vitamins, essential for blood clotting), lutein (carotenoid, keeps eyes hydrated and protects against atherosclerosis) , nitrate (in small doses it widens arteries, allowing blood to flow more freely), folate (decreases odds of birth defects in newborns, can prevent stroke), α-tocopherol (one of the E Vitamins, helps prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels), and kaempferol (flavonol, reduce the risk of various cancers). These nutrients are likely to work together only in foods to have the effect the study suggests. When these nutrients are synthesized and singled out, taken in supplement form, they do not have the same effect. |
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