Tomato

Tomato is a plant from the solnaceae family which originated in central and south America, most probably in Mexico. The word tomato comes from the Aztec language tomati.

Although tomato is a fruit, it is mostly consumed and cooked as a vegetable.

Tomato is a great source of lycopene which is a carotenoid pigment. Lycopene is an antioxidant which helps prevent cells damage.

Tomato is a great source in antioxidants because it is also a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene in addition to the lycopene it contains.  This makes it a great help in cancer prevention diet especially for prostate cancer as some studies have found that eating tomato on a regular base could help prevent prostate cancer.

The thing to know about the lycopene in tomato is that unlike the vitamins C, which is mostly lost when heated, the tomato cells release more lycopene when heated. This means that if you want to have more lycopene intake from a tomato, it should be cooked before being consumed.

So to have better benefits from tomato, a diet should be diversified with cooked and fresh tomatoes, as the fresh tomatoes are richer in vitamin C.

Lycopene in particular, but also other antioxidants have been proven to be a good help for bone health as studies have found that the lack of this antioxidants could have consequential changes in bone tissues.

Tomato is also good for the heart health as the antioxidants it contains, and again, especially the lycopene, help reduce the risk of lipid peroxidation in the bloodstream of which one of the consequences is atherosclerosis, it also helps blood fats regulation and help lower cholesterol.

Lycopene is a rich phytonutrient which like any natural product should not be consumed immoderately, as it would lose its ability to heal or protect the organism, which means that a good healthy diet is a diversified diet.

Then whether it is tomato juice, a pizza, or a tomato salad, you should enjoy tomato cuisine in all its form.

Tomato is one of my favorite fruit as I grew up learning how to organically grow tomatoes and other vegetables in our raised bed garden. I loved to eat tomatoes directly from the plant when its sweet scent would mix with the scent of the earth and tickle my noose.

One of my favorite tomato dish is the Mediterranean stuffed tomato, and it’s very yummy!

Cucumber

Cucumber is a plant native to southern Asia but now grown in all continents. It is an edible plant from the gourd family (i.e. melon, pumpkins, etc).
Cucumber is 95% water, making it a great re-hydratation vegetable, especially in summer or hot climate places, when the body tends to loose more water.
The skin is the richest part of the vegetable, but due to pesticides, it is also the most dangerous part in terms of health. This for two reasons, the first one is that cucumber has been classified as one of the most dangerous vegetable in terms of pesticides retention, and the second reason, is that all cucumbers are waxed for transportation, even the organic ones, although it is not the same type of wax that is used for organic cucumbers.

It is therefore highly recommended to remove the skin of the cucumber before eating it.
Cucumber is rich in vitamin K, which makes it of a great support for the bone system.
It is rich in flavonoids and other phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anti inflammatory virtues.
It also helps detoxify the body and is of a great help in low calorie diets due to the water it contains and to the fact that it is one of the lowest calorie vegetable.
The cucurbitacins and lignans all phytonutrients in cucumbers might help prevent breast, ovary, uterus and prostate cancer.
Most of all, cucumber is delicious and refreshing edible for hot weavers.
Be it cucumber salad, or gazpacho, you will feel refreshed and rehydrated after a good cucumber meal.

Beets

Beets are edible plants that are consumed for their roots as well as their leaves.
Beets are rich in betalain which is responsible fore its coloration. They are two types of betalains in beets; the betacyanins responsible for the purple red color of red beets, and the betaxanthin responsible for the yellowish color of yellow beets.
There is also another type of beets, the sugar beet, which roots are extremely rich in sucrose and have been used for this reason in the production of sugar since the 19th century with Napoleon, when France's supplies in sugar cane from the caribbean has been restricted by the British empire.
Beets are rich in manganese, folate, copper and magnesium and nitrate.

The betalain it contains, betanin an vulgaxanthin, are phytonutrients that have detoxifying benefits for the body in phase 2 detoxification process, which means that they help break the toxines and make them water soluble so that they can be evacuated from your body through urine.
So beets are great to eat for a detox diet.
The phytonutrients they contain are great antioxidants, and also have good anti inflammatory effects on the body system and therefore are of good help in cancer prevention, especially pancreatic, breast lung, stomach, colon and prostate cancer.
Drinking beet juice will help lower blood pressure due to the nitrate it contains.

Beet leaves also called beet greens, are also edible and in fact very tasty. Beet leaves are rich in Lutein and zeaxanthin which are carotenoid and also phytonutrients that are very healthy for your body. They are very rich in vitamin K, and rich in vitamin C, A and B2, manganese, potassium, copper and magnesium.
Like green leaves edibles and more than most of them, because they are so rich in so many phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, beet greens are excellent in certain type of chronic illness prevention: type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
In a certain way, beet is a miracle food :) ... from roots to top, everything in beet is good for you.
I highly recommend the sauted of beet greens, it's delicious, or what about a beet root salad, so yummy!

Orange

Orange is the fruit from the orange tree. It is a hybrid of pomelo and citrus.
The oldest trace of orange in litterature is in chinese literature, around 314 BC. Orange tree is the most cultivated fruit tree in the world.
Orange is very rich in vitamin C and fiber, it is therefore healthy for the digestive system.
Studies by the British journal of nutrition have shown that orange can help in kidney stones prevention and help regulate the urinary system.
The journal of American school of nutrition has found that consuming orange daily may help prevent ulcer and stomach cancer, it is thus of a good help in keeping the stomach in good condition.
Like all orange colored fruits, orange is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, and zeanxantin which, the first helps the respiratory system, and the second against rheumatoid arthritis.

The commonwealth scientific and industrial research, an Australian research group has found that citrus consumption may help prevent against esophageal, oropharyngeal, laryngeal and stomach cancer. It may also be of some help against cataracts, alzheimers disease, muscular degeneration, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease and so on.
The Orange contains more than 170 phytonutrients and 60 flavonoids, this might help explain its extensive health benefits.
Among the health benefits is the cholesterol lowering property because it is rich in fibers, the heart booster benefits due to the potassium it contains and the skin protection benefits due to the beta-carotene which it is full of.
In one word, an orange or an orange juice a day is all good for your mental and body health.

Parsley

Parlsey is a plant native to the mediterranean region and its surroundings.
It is now cultivated and consumed all over the world. The most common type of parsley is  the one that is used for its leaves as a herb, but there is another type of parsley, the root parsley that is used for its roots, mainly in central, eastern and southern europe cuisine, for soups and stews.
Parsley roots are good for fighting flatulence, spasm and menstrual disorders.
They are also of a good help for fighting chronic liver and gallblader diseases and at counteracting kidney stones. They are rich in iron, magnesium, copper, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and like the leaves, contain a very high quantity of vitamin K.

Parsley leaves are commonly used as a garnish, but also as a herb to spice up your dishes.
Parsley is rich in essential volatile oils such as myristicin, limonene and eugenol and alpha-thujene.
The eugenol is the essential oil also found in cloves. It is known for its antiseptic properties and its anesthetic properties. It is also known to help fighting skin, ears and vagina fungi in non western holistic medicine.
Myristicin, is used for its sedative and possibly hallucinogenic effects. It is found in quantity in nutmegs, and can lead to food poisoning when consumed in large quantity.
Limonene is known to help in case of gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn discomfort.
The essentials oils in parsley have shown to prevent the formation of cancerous cells, especially in lung cancer studies.
These essential oils like all essential oils are medicine since they are used in drug making process. The active principle they contain are strong enough to heal, but also strong enough to hurt, therefore, they should not be used in an abusive manner, like any medicine.

In addition to essential oils, parsley is also rich in flavonoids, including luteolin, which works as antioxidant and prevents cells damages and, combined with the vitamin C in parsley works as an anti inflammatory

The presence of vitamin C, folate, chlorophyl and beta-carotene in parsley, makes it an excellent detox herb for the body, especially for the liver.

The main active vitamin in parsley is vitamin K, which it is full of. Vitamin K helps the bone system, and is thus of a good help for osteoporosis disease. Vitamin K also help support the nervous system, and can help fight the alzheimer disease by preventing neuronal damages in the brain.
And most of all, parsley is a very tasty herb that will add a great scent to your dishes.

Cashew

Cashew tree is a plant from the anacardeae family and is native to the amazon rainforest and the caribbean. The largest cashew tree in the world can be found in Brazil and covers an area of 7500 square meters. Not bad right?
The part of the cashew tree that is well known and consumed in large quantity over the world is the so called cashew nut which is in fact the seed of the cashew tree.
The other part of the cashew tree that is only eaten were it grows, because it is unsuitable for transport is the cashew apple, a beautiful red or yellow fruit, very sweet, tasty and juicy.
Cashew is widely cultivated in South america, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa.

The cashew apple is rich in Iron, phosphorus and calcium. It is also five time richer in vitamin C than the orange. It is thus healthy for your bone system and your skin by helping your body in collagen production. It is also good for your blood vessel system.
It is used in dysentery, sore throat and influenza treatment in the regions it grows.

The cashew nut contains less fat than other nuts, and it is the type of fat that is good for your heart.
Cashew nut helps maintaining a good heart function, and it helps you keep a good blood pressure due to the magnesium it contains.
Magnesium also helps you keep your bones healthy and protect your nerves system.

Cashew nuts are rich in copper ( 98%), phosphorus (34%), manganese (33%), magnesium (29%) and zinc (21%). They also contain proanthocyanidins a class of flavanols.
The proanthocyanidins and the copper help fighting cancerous cells, and are of good help in color cancer prevention.
The high amount of copper is also good for the hair and its coloration. If you want to keep your hair beautiful, eat cashew nuts... ;)

It is good to know that for some people, cashew nuts, even though they are seeds can lead to the same type of serious allergic reactions as the nuts.

Almond

Almond nut also simply called almond is the seed of the prunus dulcis ( almond tree). The seed of the fruit is consumed as a nut. The almond tree is native to the middle east and south Asia.

Almonds are incredibly full of nutrients:biotin (50%), vitamin E (40%), manganese (28%), copper (26%), but also magnesium, potassium, vitamin B2, phosphorus, riboflavin, L-carnitine and more.

Although almonds are rich in fat, it is monounsaturated fat, the healthy kind of fat that can be also found in olives and that are believed to reduce risks of heart diseases.
The monounsaturated fats in almond, the antioxidant effect of the vitamin E (40%) it contains and the effect of the magnesium and potassium on the cardiovascular system,  are of good help in lowering LDL cholesterol. maintaining your heart in good working condition and preventing heart attacks.
The phosphorus contained in almond is good for maintaining bones and teeth healthy.

The riboflavin, L-carnitine, and other nutrients contained in almond makes it a great support for the brain system by increasing the brain function and decreasing the chances of contracting the alzheimer's disease.
It is therefore a good addition to children's meal whose brain are still developping.

The high amount of biotin and vitamin E contained in almond makes it particularly good for skin protection. You can eat the nut, drink almond milk or use externally the almond oil as a body oil, your body and skin will benefit from it.

There are many recipes that use almond, especially some great pastries. almond cake is a yummy one, or more exotic, baklavas are middle eastern pastries (where almond comes from) that are sooooo sweet and tasty. A delight for the palate but not so good for low calories diets... ;)

Another way to eat almond is to soak the dried but not roasted nuts into water overnight, and eat it in the morning when it has softened. You may, as I do, remove the skin (it's a little bit harsh) before eating, but by doing so, you will loose a part of the nutrients it contains.

Coriander

Coriander also known as cilantro is probably native to the middle east and southern Europe. Some papyrus dated from 1500 BC talked about cilantro, meaning that the medicinal virtues of this herb where known by humanity long ago.
Three parts of the plant are used for human consumption. The leaves, the fruits which look like seeds, and the roots ( mostly in Thai cuisine).

The subtil perfume of the coriander and its digestive virtues makes it very used and useful in middle eastern and indian cuisine where it balances the effect of the other spices like for exemple curry or pepper.
The good effect on the digestive system ( digestion, bloated stomach, etc) is one of the well known medicinal virtue of coriander, but not the only one.
Recent studies from Mexican and U.S. scientists have shown that coriander could help fight salmonella. Coriander contains antibacterial agents such as dodecenal and eight other antibiotics compounds that are believed good in help fighting food born illness.

Coriander can help stimulate insuline secretion and lower blood sugar. It also helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
This herb is also rich in minerals such as calcium and manganese, therefore good at helping regulate blood pressure and heart rate.
Coriander is very rich in vitamin K ( 25% per 100g of serving) which helps bone mass building, thus is of a good help in fighting osteoporosis, and also can be of some help in alzheimer disease treatment since it helps limiting neuronal cell damages.
Most of all, coriander is a very subtly perfumed plant that will make any of your culinary preparation smell like heaven on earth.

Pear

Pear is the fruit of the pear tree native to northern Africa and western Europe.
Pear is rich in fiber (around 22%), and also contains a good amount of vitamin C (17%), copper (10%) .
It has been scientifically proven that most of the beneficial vitamins and nutrients of the pear are contained in the skin. Since the skin is also the part which takes on the most pesticides, it is advised to wash it thoroughly before eating, or, if you can, to buy your fruits from organic farming.
Most of the health benefits of the pear comes from its fibers.
Fibers are necessary in the regulation of the digestive system, and helps you maintain a healthy stomach, intestine and colon.
The fibers helps maintaining the good fonction of your colon, and therefore prevents colon inflammation which can lead to colon cancer.
Dietary fiber intake also helps prevent from type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.
The vitamin C and copper are antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects and helps protect your immune system. They are also known to be of great help in cancer prevention.

In holistic medicine, pear juice is known to be a good fever reducer and helps fighting a sore throat. The juice must be drank natural and pure just when the symptoms begin.
Boiled pear juice mixed with raw honey might also be of a good help in case of vocal cords issues.

Pear can be eaten raw or cooked. A pear pie is a good way to eat it baked but you might as well just want to bite the fruit and enjoy its freshness and subtil taste.

Bell Pepper

Bell pepper is the fruit of a plant of the capsicum annuum family that is consumed as a vegetable.
Bell pepper is native to Mexico and the central american region.
This beautiful and colorful fruit that can be found in different colors, red, orange, green and yellow but also purple or white is a good addition to any type of diet.
It is very rich in vitamin C, up to six time richer than the orange.

Vitamin C helps the immune system, and is very good at helping your body in collagen formation. Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the body. It is found in cartilage, tendons, skin, muscles, connective tissues and its role is to strengthen them  and provide them structural support.
The collagen production declines with age, and collagen production starts decreasing at around age 40, with all the consequences, wrinkles, cartilage issues, and so on.
While it is good and sane to acknowledge that you will never go back to your young age collagen formation, you can boost your collagen formation naturally by your diet. Bell pepper is one of the food that might help you in this diet.
Bell pepper contains vitamin B6. This vitamin is known for its role in maintaining the nervous system and its benefits in cell renewal system.

The red bell pepper is rich in vitamin A making it a great support for the vision and vitamin E which helps the tissues health and is known to help you protect your skin and hair. It also contains beta-carotene and phytochemicals, providing you with antioxidants and anti inflammatory benefits.
So not only bell peppers are beautiful, they are, like all edibles, healthy, and also very tasty.
They can be eaten fresh or cooked. The red, yellow and orange bell pepper are sweeter in taste than the green one.
My favorite recipe is a mix of bell peppers ( red, green, yellow, orange), sauted in olive oil with onion and fish, seasoned with garlic, parsley and herbes de provence. a pleasure for the eyes, and.... so yummy!!!

Tamarind

Tamarind is a fruit which grows in Asia and Africa.
This sour fruit that you will probably find dried at your local store is a great source of antioxidant.
As so, it helps in cancer prevention.
Tamarind contains vitamin C, carotene and B vitamins. It is also a very good source of  Iron, magnesium, phosphorus, protein and potassium. It helps reduce fever, and is also known for its laxative virtues. It is indeed very effective in helping the digestive system, and fighting constipation.
The B vitamins helps the nervous system, while the magnesium keeps the bones strong. The potassium ( higher than in bananas) helps controlling the blood pressure.
Tamarind has a high sugar and calories level, therefore, it is not recommended in diabetics diet.
You can buy tamarind sweets ( tamarind rolled in balls with sugar) in some store, or you can make your own tamarind juice by letting the dried fruit sleep in water for a night, and adding sugar if you wish.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a very delicate vegetable in taste as well as in appearance.
It is very low in calories and sodium, and a very good source of dietary fibers( 2.1 gr of fibers for 100 gr of asparagus) which makes it a good support for the digestive system.
Native to Europe, northern africa and Asia, asparagus often originates in maritime habitat.
There are many variety of asparagus. White green or purple. The most common variety in the United States is the green one.
Asparagus is also a vitamines and mineral source. It is and excellent source of magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6 and zinc, and a good source of C, E and K vitamins as well as folic acid, niacin, iron, copper and phosphorus.

Studies have found that asparagus can help control type 2 diabetes by improving insuline secretion. It is a excellent source of antioxidant that can help in cancer prevention and a good diuretic. It can help prevent and fight kidney stones.
There are many ways of eating asparagus. One of my favorite way is simply to steam it and then dip it in balsamic vinegar dressing. I also like to roast in with garlic, onions and herbs in olive oil. Grilled asparagus on a barbecue are a delight.  There are many asparagus recipes out there. Just google them!!!

Artichoke

Artichoke is One of my favorite vegetables to eat which in fact is not a vegetable but a flower bud. It comes from the mediterranean peninsula and is a winter time edible.

This flower bud is full of good stuff for your health...and mine :).
It contains a large quantity of antioxidant which are good for the immune system, and for preventing cardiovascular disease and for cancer prevention. It is very low in calories and fat ( around 47 calories for 100g) , and that makes it a good addition to any low calorie diet.
It also helps lower the blood cholesterol, helps the digestive system and detoxify the liver. This is due to the cynarin it contains.

Artichoke flower bud

My favorite way to eat artichoke is to steam it and eat it with balsamic dressing. You take of the leaves and dip them in your vinegar dressing or any of your favorite sauce, and scrap off the fleshy base with your teeth until you get near to the heart. There is then a "hairy" part that is not edible and that you need to remove before getting to the heart. The heart is the reward of the warrior ;) ....soooo delightful!!!
But there are so many other ways to eat artichoke, from pizza to paella. Just google it and you will find a lot of great recipes to enjoy.
If you want to have the best of the artichoke health benefits, like lowering the blood cholesterol or detoxifying the liver, you can use the artichoke bud leaves that you can boil in water. Once boiled, you will remove the leaves and drink the water, or add it to any of your culinary preparation.

Artichoke flower in bloom

Pomegrenate

Not only the pomegranate's a beautiful fruit, it has lots of virtues.
Pomegranate contains more antioxidants than cranberry, and is effective at reducing heart disease risks.
It reduces blood pressure, and inhibit viral infections.
Researches have also shown that pomegranate can help in prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer prevention.
So even though seeding pomegranate is not easy, it is a great add to your healthy diet.

One trick that I found to seed pomegranate without a big mess is to cut it in half, and then seed it in a big bowl full of water. The seed would go down while the peel would stay on the surface. Easy peasy!

Onion

Onion is a vegetable from the allium family that has been bred for more than 7 000 years. This might be the reason why today, there is no known wild onion found in nature.
There are many varieties of onion, yellow onion, red onion, white onion, and the green onion also called scallion or spring onion which is an onion that is harvested before having fully developed its bulb and roots.
It is usually the bulb of the plant that is consumed, except for green onions which leaves are used for food consumption.
Onion is used as a culinary base ingredient all over the world. It is also used as the main ingredient in some dishes such as the onion soup.
Peeling and cutting an onion can be eye irritating, but this can be avoided by peeling and cutting it into a basin of water

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Onion is rich in biotin, manganese, cooper and B6 vitamin and one of the richest vegetables (but not the richest) in flavonoids (phytonutrient).
Studies have found that flavonoids may help improve the anti-inflamatory system.
In cancer clinical studies, Flavonoids were proved to reduce the risk of gastric carcinoma in women, and the risk of aerodigestive tract cancer for smokers.
It is in cardiovascular disease prevention that flavonoid has the most health effect.
It inhibits blood coagulation and the formation of platelet aggregation. It reduces risks of atherosclerosis, arterial blood pressure and risks of hypertension. It modifies vascular inflammatory mechanism and blood lipid level.
Flavonoids also improves capillary system, and affects the aging mechanism and has antibacterial virtues.

One of the virtues of onion that is not well known is its healing power in holistic medicine for ear infection. I have personally tried it several time on myself, and it worked 100% of the time. This does not mean it will work 100% of the time for you, but you might want to try it next time you have an ear infection and don't want to go through antibiotic treatment which are not very good at healing ear infections.
To use the onion as a remedy, you have to chop a piece of onion, steam it or heat it for a few minutes. put it in a gauze, and once it has come to a temperature that your body can support ( the ear is a very sensitive area), put the gauze packed with warm chopped onions on your ear and hold it with a headband or an old scarf. Leave it on your ear for the night if it is night time, or as long as you can if it is daytime. repeat as needed. The warmth of the onion will ease the pain, while the vapor from the onion will penetrate inside your ear cavity, healing it. Don't ask me how it works.... it just does :)
You might stink after this treatment, but you will feel much better. Anyone who is subject to ear infection knows the pain....