Saturday, June 21, 2014

वजन घटाने के उपाय :Weight Loss Tips

Measures to reduce weight
Webdunia
be Ta or be Tondu is a disease of the modern age. This disease is inviting all kinds of sickness. Although weight loss is a difficult task, but people do not control your mind. व्यक्ति एक अति से दूसरी अति पर जाने लगता है जिससे वजन कम होने के बजाया वह अन्य रोग की गिरफ्त में आ जाता है।
वजन घटाने के लिए कुछ लोग कड़े उपवास करते हैं तो कुछ लोग पसीना बहाऊ एक्सरसाइज करते हैं, जबकि यह दोनों ही करने is not required. Just follow the middle path.
essential tips: balance between diet and exercise is important, otherwise it will not be worth any type of exercise. Mind control to keep the mind from attention to food items anywhere on the incline. To much water intake.
Diet Control at: The first volume of food while reducing the use of food, much to the salad. Spicy and heavy eating broccoli instead, Kabij and eat the salad. Always preserve the appetite of two bread and the rest of the time just two meals Do not eat anything. Drink water half hours after a meal. Create a rule not to eat late at night to eat.
Exercise: Swimming is good exercise, it is not the other. Morning Walk If that does not go out on a green place. If it can not come into the shelter of yoga. Swimming and walking is even yoga.
Yoga Tips: Yoga teacher learn from a sun salutation yoga, Trikonasana, Ktickrasn, अर्धमत्स्येंद्रासन, Bhujangasana, Mtsyasn, Hlasn, please Ckrasn and Hanumanasn or Aanjney posture. Continue to reduce the amount of food and yoga regularly will decrease the weight of the course.


 Panacea 15 ways to lose weight without breaking sweat
desk religion.
15 panacea ways to lose weight without breaking sweat
Ujjain. Obesity is troubled youth. At an early age is facing many types of diseases. Most people do not pay attention to rising obesity in the beginning, but when obesity is growing too much sweat, so her loss for the hours to live. Is important to improve diet to lose weight. There are some natural things, whose intake is weight control. So if you're not too hard to lose weight then follow the above steps are small. This will minimize your increasing weight.
 - Vegetables and fruits are low in calories, so please take them more volume. Do not eat banana and sapota. These obesity increases. Making mint tea reduces obesity.
- tomato and onion salad with dinner eat pepper and salt. These body, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, potassium, lycopene and lutein Mileega. Eating them after eating and weight control will soon be filled.
- regularly eat papaya. It is found in every season. Long-term intake of papaya decrease excess fat from the waist.
- yogurt intake decreases the body's excess fat. Please also plenty of buttermilk twice or three times.
- Little People by grinding to a fine powder Drain off her clothes. Buttermilk powder with it taking three grams daily morning pendent belly gets in.
 - Make Amla and turmeric powder by grinding in equal measure. Lenn with the powder residue. Will be very thin waist.
- If you're not obesity or eating chopped green chili pepper can be controlled by adding increasing weight. Research has found that the best way to lose weight is to eat chili. Capsaicin found in peppers element is less hunger. It also increases energy consumption, which remains in weight control.
 Two tbsp honey in radish juice drink with equal amounts of water. Doing so would be less obesity after 1 month.
- Malti eat honey and buttermilk drink by grinding the root. After delivery of the obesity panacea works like it is.
- every morning drink a glass of cold water, two teaspoons of honey. The solution is to drink small amounts of fat from the body.
  Avoid high carbohydrate items. Sugar, potatoes and rice have more carbohydrates. These fat increase.
- only wheat flour instead of bread wheat, soybeans and mixed gram flour bread is more beneficial.
- Rose Drink cabbage juice. Cabbage in the fat loss properties. इससे शरीर का मेटाबॉलिज्म सही रहता है।
- एक चम्मच पुदीना रस को 2 चम्मच शहद में मिलाकर लेते रहने से मोटापा कम होता है।
- सुबह उठते ही 250 ग्राम टमाटर का रस 2-3 महीने तक पीने से वसा में कमी होती है।
 वजन Try these tips to reduce (Try these tips for weight loss)
paced life which man has changed the lifestyle diseases is becoming home. Obesity is a disease and it will invite many diseases. Due to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. is likely to be. Should overcame so as soon as possible.
obesity is a huge challenge. If weight is unchecked then there is no point grueling schedule. Shortcuts to reduce obesity would also have no effect. The loss is to lose weight with the help of medicines. Therefore only natural way, try to get control of obesity.
Many times people starve in the name of the Diet, which is harmful for health. Remember, obesity is gradually reduced. Bring changes in your eating habits and eating foods Anheldi Please include removing nutrients. Do regular exercise, try these tips.
Weight Loss Methods -
Become Vegetarian -
If you want to burn fat from your food to its introduction, vegetarianism and go for it. Although meat is not so easy for those who leave it, but this habit can be controlled. Will be many changes in your lifestyle by adopting vegetarianism, but they will be effective and efficient.
no to junk food and fast food -
fast and junk food are the biggest cause of obesity. Excess weight increases the use of fast food. Fried like potato chips, cookies, use at least. To overcome obesity fast food such as burgers, pizza place salad, healthy things like fruit to choose. Use the salad to eat more. Instead of eating spicy and oily broccoli, Kabij and eat the salad. After half an hour after eating half an hour to eat and drink water. Two hours before bedtime meal, the food will be digested well. Exercise and Yoga - Do regular exercise. Aerobics, jogging, walking, running, etc. can be controlled via the Fat. Do this workout everyday. Yoga can also help to reduce obesity. Many types of yoga such as Trikonasana, Konasn, Utpadasn, Pavanamuktasana, sun salutation, asanas Grudhasn etc. and go to lose weight. Drink water - water intake do much to reduce obesity. Drink at least 18-20 glasses of water a day is weight control. Stepping out of the body by drinking water toxins and keeps the body healthy. To lose weight with all these methods is very important to have positive thinking. Please follow the rules with positive thinking, obesity must be controlled.







Weight loss tips ----
dieting weight that you do not necessarily have to get rid of.
Healthy tips for weight loss, you can also do something
that you both can stay fit and healthy.
permanent weight loss for any
such should adopt to fit the way you always, remain fresh
in. Weight loss is the best way that you
make your diet chart prepared or take a diet
help you in weight loss. Here's rapid weight
loss a few simple tips.
It is important that you exercise for weight loss fast
start. Do you exercise less initially
but then increase the time.
Be sure to Vormap before you exercise. There
you can Strac body, can jump
or you can walk. The warmth of your body
will return to run-jump-jump you
will find the exercise comfortably.
Keep water with you for exercise so
you do not fatigue quickly and not prosper your breath.
You get up in the morning empty stomach every day a glass of warm
water Lemon and honey drink.
Jnkfud and things beyond chocolate, cake, candy,
ice cream, candy, etc. Do not eat at all.
Sweet may be your favorite, but rapid weight
loss is important that you are sweet, sugar, Chiniyukt
foods and salt should be forgotten
or to reduce their levels.
Eat you vegetables, potatoes, Arabic, salad etc. Do not
eat out and eat rice universe.
Dine water one hour before or one hour after Sip.
Immediately after dinner while sitting rather walk,
when you eat more calories you have eaten
will be burned from the walk.
Do not finish eating all the over-eating.
breakfast complete. If you are working
then you are very important to breakfast or lunch, you
will feel hungry before you eat some snacks
that will not stop without increasing obesity
is helpful.
If you are hungry, then eat a snack repeatedly of
carrots instead salad, cucumber, roasted gram cucumber, lettuce,
puffed rice, roasted snacks, etc. can eat.
At least a half-two hours of sleep the night before, eat
and be sure to walk after eating.
by following these tips, you faster without additional effects
can lose weight.
FITNESS PLUS KOTA


10 Surefire Upi- to reduce obesity
by eating sour cream or fat-free yogurt is also control your weight because it is rich in calcium and protein.
2. Metabalizm also contains acids in coconut milk, so it is Asrdark first one in four preventable ill keeps your weight in control, other nutrients present in the skin and brain to make hair stronger Gloing and even the best baby is like medicine.
3. Surjmuki seed vitamin B, protein, folate, vitamin E, antioxidants which strengthen the immune system of our body and not weigh as well as consumption increases.
4. Whe protein made ​​from cottage cheese (paneer) is also helpful to reduce weight also keeps the muscles too strong.
5. Grits or oatmeal is also full of energy, why does it protect from the cold and the weight does not grow.
6. Eating nuts with the skin can make you body is slim because soon the protein, healthy fats and fiber is easily reduce your weight.
7.
एन्टीमाइक्रोबैक्टीरियल characteristic of honey to lose weight and winter because it is a source Acha.
9.
Chile powder is Kaspinoid can reduce your weight is 5 times faster. Also green vegetables to lose weight is by eating.

 Week for three to five kilos in weight loss helpful: G. M. Diet
By: Author Onlimaihalth
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What is the GM Diet
Weight loss and have tried many ways to stay fit. But, yet your hand did not have any success. So, why this time you  try altering your diet. Why not try the well- GM diet. General Motors Diet Program (GM Diet) has been specifically designed for weight loss. Seven days a week in the month when and what you eat, it's details. After just seven days to try this diet, you can see the difference.
The first day
breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - one apple, two glasses of water Mid Morning mile (10:30 am - 11 pm) One bowl papaya, 1 -2 glasses of water Lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - A large bowl of melon or watermelon, 1-2 glass of water, tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - 1 orange or lemon or sapota, a half glass of water In the evening (6-6: 30 pm) - 1 glass of coconut Panirat dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) -1 apple, remember, the first day of two glasses of water and eat only fruit, avoid eating bananas.
The second day
breakfast ( 8.30 to 9 pm) -1 boiled potatoes, 1 to 2 glasses of water a mile Mid-Morning (10:30 am - 11 pm) - 1 bowl of raw cabbage across, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - 1 tomato, 1 cucumber or cucumber, half a boiled beet, one-half glass of water, tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - Two tomatoes, 1 to 2 glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - spinach In 1 glass of tomato Jusrat and dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) - Take boiled gourd mixed with salt or seasoning, remember that two glasses of water, eat only vegetables the second day,
third day
breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - 1 apple, two glass of water Mid Morning mile (10:30 am - 11 pm) - Papaya filled bowl, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - 1 tomato, 1 cucumber, half a boiled beet, two glass of water, tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - 1 orange, 2 glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - A glass of tomato juice or 1 sapota spinach for dinner (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - the boiled gourd Take salt or mixed seasoning, remember that two glasses of water on the third day eat only fruits or vegetables
fourth day


Breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - half a glass of milk, two glass of water Mid Morning mile (10:30 am - 11 pm) - 1 banana, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - 1 glass of skimmed Milk of sugar, two glasses of water tea time (4-4: 30 pm) -1 banana, two glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - 1 banana dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) - Remember that half glass of milk sugar skimmed milk without sugar and banana only take fourth day.
fifth day
breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - 1 cup brown rice (rice), one mid-morning glass of water two miles ( 10:30 am - 11 pm) - 2 tomatoes, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - 1 cup brown rice (rice) with tomato gravy, 2 glasses of water tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - met cumin salt 2 tomatoes, 2 glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - 1 glass of lemon water at dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) - Brown Rice Brown Rice and remember, the fifth day only Carry on tomato
sixth day


Breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm) - 1 cup brown rice (rice), 1 glass of water two miles Mid-Morning (10:30 am - 11 pm) - 2 tomatoes, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm ) - 1 cup brown rice (rice) with other vegetables, two glass of water, tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - cumin, salt yielded two cucumbers, two glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - 1 glass of lemon water at dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) - boiled beetroot, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage salad remember, Brown Rice sixth day, only eat vegetables except tomatoes.
Seventh-day
breakfast (from 8.30 to 9 pm ) - 1 Ktoribraun Rice (Rice), 1 mile from the two glasses of water mid-morning (10:30 am - 11 pm) - 2 tomatoes, two glass of water at lunch (1- 1:30 pm) - 1 cup brown rice ( rice) with other vegetables, two glass of water, tea time (4-4: 30 pm) - cumin, salt yielded two cucumbers, two glasses of water during evening (6-6: 30 pm) - 1 glass Shikanji or any juice at dinner (8.30 to 9 pm) - boiled beetroot, cucumber, carrot


GM diet before adopting
better if you consult your doctor before adopting GM diet. You can also talk to those who have followed GM diet. This essential things to know about this diet will take.
Some disadvantages
of GM diet in the early days some people headaches, coarse skin and hair may have problems falling. Every person does not necessarily benefit from it. Every person's body is different, so each person can have different implications.
Drink plenty of water
to reduce the damage should drink plenty of water. This problem does not dehydrate your body. GM to lose weight and fat diet is considered quite useful. So it can be tried.

 Avoid obesity lifestyle in India is changing the way it can be dangerous to health. Balanced diet is essential for healthy life. Obesity is a disease, avoid this. The weight of the handle length according to the proper weight for a healthy body  is. If anyone has a length of 1.70 m, weighs 70 kg, so it must be normal. In women, it is ten per cent. to be tight waist obesity problem if not taken care of the diabetes and heart disease can be. Obesity is a disease whose treatment is necessary in time. Carefully eat ongoing research results in Germany, what you will eat, but how do total calories throughout the day, take note of it, even though you Fast Why not eat food, your weight will remain under control. The mean weight increased cold drink cold drink indiscriminate random people. Just the fact that he does not care too much sugar in a liter of Coca-Cola is 100 grams. Although nothing wrong in drinking sugarless diet coke. potato fries eat! Mac with Donlds began a trend in India with French fries. Fried burger with a cold drink and would not meet these potatoes are not so fun. But that potatoes are a big cause of obesity. Boiled potatoes at home or compress as much damage to health does not eat. The children looked at the fast food ads on TV are mostly target children. Chips and chocolate are available in the market like children not far behind addiction. No light hearted while watching TV or reading the entire packet often children eat chips and biscuits. A ten year old child around 1500 calories a day is needed. In packets of 100 grams of chips are loaded at least 500 calories. sugar-laden chocolate bunny for kids everything is excessive sugar and fat. Get a taste of the same junk food. Compared to 2005 has doubled the number of overweight women. This dash for home and office is the change in the lifestyle of urban women. desi fast food just burgers, pizza and fast foods would be wrong to Patty. Indian food also fall in this category are so many things. Samosas, pies, fritters, mathris also harmful to health are equally fast food as much as the New Age.





 Note- This is a blog I created my own interest, according to which the material is being somewhere he is not my own, was undertaken. If there is any violation of copyright Krenlman every human being to forgive me for spreading the knowledge of astrology maintain this blog'm thinking about.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

ANTI-CANCER

Spicy Vegan Brussels Sprout And Potato Stew With Mexican Chipotle Sausage And Pinto Beans


A Hearty yet Low Calorie Entrée 
If you love Brussels sprouts, you'll love this hearty stew. Rich in cancer-fighting glucosinolates, this petite cabbages pair up well with new potatoes, pinto beans and carrots to provide a fiber rich stew for less than 300 calories per serving. Adding a few links of a spicy sausage like the Mexican Chipotle vegan sausage from Field Roast, gives it an amazing flavor. If you decide to leave out the sausage, the calorie count drops further to under 200 calories per bowl but you should add a chipotle pepper to the stew so you don't lose the spicy flavor.
Field Roast vegan sausage

Spicy Vegan Brussels Sprout and Potato Stew
[makes 6 servings]
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cleaned and cut in half
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
3/4 pounds new potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces, (2 1/2 cups)
2 bay leaves
4 cups veggie broth
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
sea salt to taste
One 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained
2 Field Roast Mexican chipotle vegan sausages, thinly sliced

To trim the Brussels sprouts, cut about a quarter inch off the bottom of each Brussels sprout, remove the outer leaves and rinse well. Cut each one in half. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and sauté onions and carrots until onions soften, about 8 minutes. 
Add garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Add Brussels sprouts, potatoes, bay leaves, broth, black pepper and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until potatoes and Brussels sprouts are tender. Do not overcook.
Stir in the pinto beans and the sausage slices and heat thoroughly.
Serve.

Per serving (with sausage): 275.2 calories, 6.3 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 18.2 g protein, 43.7 g carbohydrates and 11.2 g dietary fiber.

Per serving (without sausage): 196.8 calories, 2.3 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9.5 g protein, 41.3 g carbohydrates and 10.8 g dietary fiber.


Raw Purple Cauliflower Crudité With Tahini Dipping Sauce


Purple cauliflower from my garden.



Purple Cauliflower?
When I planted my winter garden, I picked up a tray of cauliflower starts. After planting them, I put in the little plastic marker so I'd know what I planted and noticed that it said, "purple cauliflower"! I thought I had bought the regular, run of the mill white cauliflower! You know, the kind that makes lovely white soups. I was a little annoyed that I didn't pay more attention to what I had bought but then I got excited at the thought of this unusual vegetable. But I did wonder, "what am I going to do with 14 heads of purple cauliflower?"
Yesterday I picked my first head. I broke off a piece and noticed how tender and lovely it was. What a shame it would be to cook it. I decided to just serve it raw. I cut it up in little pieces and put it on a sushi plate with dipping sauce. I may post more interesting and exotic recipes with the rest of the heads but last night we just enjoyed a really good glass of pinot while we dipped our first head of purple cauliflower in this yummy tahini dipping sauce.

Health Benefits
Purple cauliflower makes a delicious and unusual crudité. When eaten raw, it's packed with vitamin C. It's a cruciferous vegetable so it has cancer prevention properties. It does this in three ways: by detoxifying the body, as an antioxidant and as an anti-inflammatory. It gets its purple color from anthocyanins, the same antioxidant flavonoids found in red cabbage and red wine. So you get the added benefit from these beneficial phenolic phytochemicals.

Omega 6 to omega 3 ratio
I've written many times about how important it is for people not to eat too many omega 6 fatty acids without balancing them with omega 3. Otherwise, the omega 6 fatty acids will block the conversion of the ALA omega 3's to the more healthful DHA and EPA. The ratio for vegans should be anywhere from 4:1 to 1:1. The tahini in this dipping sauce has almost all omega 6's so in order to drive the ratio to 1:1, I add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil. That same dipping sauce with olive oil instead of flaxseed oil would have a ratio of almost 18:1 omega 6 to omega 3 and that is not as good for you, especially if you are vegan. This is not as critical for people who get their EPA and DHA omega 3's directly from fish.

***

Raw Purple Cauliflower Crudité with Raw Tahini Dipping Sauce
[Makes 4 appetizer servings]
For the crudité
1 head raw purple cabbage (cut up)
For the dipping sauce
2 tablespoons raw tahini
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon nama shoyu soy sauce
2 tablespoon raw agave nectar
1 garlic clove, mashed and finely minced
1 tablespoon of cold pressed, unrefined flaxseed oil

Thoroughly combine all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce. Divide up the cauliflower pieces onto 4 sushi plates and serve with small soy sauce bowls filled with 2 tablespoons of tahini dipping sauce.

Per serving: 143.6 calories, 7.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 1.9 g ALA omega 3 and 2.0 g omega 6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g protein, 18.6 g carbohydrates and 4.0 g fiber.



Hearty Vegan Barley Mushroom Stew, Low In Fat And Calories But Rich In Health Benefits


Medley of local mushrooms.


The Weather is Changing
Woke up to some chilly fall weather this morning. Time for barley mushroom stew. I'm reposting this from a recipe I wrote 2 years ago with some improvements.

We Don't Need to be SIck!
The number 1 cause of death in the United States is heart disease. The number 2 cause of death is cancer. This doesn’t have to be the case. Although people are quick to point out their “bad genes” and tell you that their health conditions were “passed down”, I don’t completely buy it. Yes, certain genes pass on terrible diseases, or at least your propensity to get these diseases. And, in some cases, very little can be done about it. But in most cases (some estimate over 80%), your parents’ degenerative disorders, like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer, do not have to be a fait du compli. I believe that it’s not “genes” that we pass down, but “recipes” and “lifestyle habits”. You can help break the chain by not smoking, increasing your level of activity and of course, eating a healthy diet. The American Dietetic Association claims that vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and other diseases.

How Barley can help Prevent Heart Disease
In 2005, the FDA approved the health claim that the soluble dietary fiber, beta-glucan, found in barley can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. This is the same fiber that gives oats their heart healthy qualities. Studies have also shown that barley can lower total and LDL cholesterol in both men and women. High fiber foods, such as barley, have also shown to improve blood sugar levels and protect against colon cancer. This ancient grain is also a good source of manganese and selenium (a very powerful antioxidant).

Mushrooms - A True Longevity Food
Mushrooms have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries to promote longevity. There are thousands of mushroom species. (DO NOT, however, pick wild mushrooms, as many of them are fatally toxic.) This low calorie, low fat, delicious food has been shown to boost your immune system, suppress tumors, resist both bacterial and viral infections and support cardiovascular health. Mushrooms are also high in B vitamins, copper, selenium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Many people have just eaten the little white, button mushrooms, but for the most health benefits, branch out and try shitake, crimini, portobello, oyster and many others. Some of these can be rather pricey, but they don’t weigh much and they are worth every penny. Look for local mushroom growers in your area. 

Hearty, Low Calorie Main Course
This barley mushroom stew is a low calorie, low fat, nutritious main course which combines the magical powers of barley and mushrooms. To add color and many healthy plant chemicals, this recipe includes red and green bell peppers. Red peppers contain lycopene, a carotenoid that has gotten a lot of recent attention in its ability to protect against cancer and heart disease. 
To add some "meat-like" flavor, you can toss in your favorite vegan link. My favorite is Field Roast Smoked Apple Sausage.*** 

Barley, Mushroom Stew
[makes 4 large servings
2 t olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced celery
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound of assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 

2/3 cup of pearl barley, rinsed
4 cups veggie broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 shakes of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 bell peppers, 1 red, 1 green, diced
1 Field Roast smoked apple sage vegan sausage link (optional)
3 T of fresh parsley, chopped
 

On medium heat, sauté the onion, carrots and celery in 2 teaspoons of olive oil for 4 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir for a minute and then the mushrooms. Cook until they soften, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the barley, veggie broth, bay leaf, salt, black pepper and cayenne (NOT the peppers) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 35 minutes.
Add the peppers and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the barley is tender and much of the broth is absorbed.
If you want to add a vegan link, take the link and dice it into small pieces. Sauté in a small, lightly greased non-stick pan until it is warm and crisp. Stir into the soup right before serving.
Remove the bay leaf and garnish each bowl with ½ T of parsley. 

Per serving (no vegan link): 237.3 calories, 2.8 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7.2 g protein, 46.3 g carbohydrates and 9.5 g of dietary fiber.

Per serving with one vegan link: 297.3 calories, 5.3 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 13.7 g protein, 49.1 g carbohydrates and 10.3 g of dietary fiber.



A Simple Arugula Salad with Balsamic Chive Vinaigrette




Arugula
My daughter loves arugula so it was no surprise to find a good portion of her fall garden packed full of it. During our visit she made us a simple and delicious arugula salad dressed with a lovely balsamic vinaigrette with chives, also from her garden. When dressing arugula, she uses a 2 to 1 ratio of extra virgin olive oil to aged balsamic. When dressing a regular salad, she prefers a 1 to 1 ratio.
Arugula is a leafy green, cruciferous vegetable that contains anti-cancer compounds called glucosinolates. These compounds have strong antioxidant properties and also stimulate the body to produce detoxifying enzymes.
Arugula is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K as well as folate, calcium, manganese, potassium and magnesium. It is also a very good source of iron, phosphorus, and riboflavin.
There are only 5 calories in each cup of arugula so you can enjoy as much as you like. If it is too bitter to eat by itself, mix it with lettuce. But the bitterness in arugula also has beneficial properties as bitter foods can stimulate appetite and increase the flow of digestive juices.

* * *

Balsamic Chive Salad Dressing For Arugula
[makes 6 1/2 tablespoons]
1 tablespoon young chives, snipped or finely sliced
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix together well and use as needed to dress an arugula salad.

Per tablespoon of dressing: 78.2 calories, 8.3 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.0 g protein, 4.0 g carbohydrates and 2 g of fiber.



How To Make Matcha Green Tea - The Health Benefits Of Green Tea


Sift the powdered matcha green tea into the cups.

Add 180 degree water and whisk until the Matcha is suspended.

A bamboo"Chansen" is traditionally used to whisk matcha.



Matcha Green Tea
Recently I purchased some matcha tea in order to experiment with making green tea ice cream. It had been a while since I had enjoyed this delicate beverage so I carefully studied the instructions on how to properly make it.
Unlike the typical leaf tea you are familiar with, matcha tea is a powdered green tea. Traditionally it is the tea used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Its sweet taste comes from the tea plants being shaded for about one month before being harvested. I love the deep green color, an indication of its many intense and healthful plant chemicals.

The History of Matcha
According to Den Shirakata, owner of Den's tea , a Buddhist monk introduced matcha to Japan in the 13th century. The monk, named Eizai, studied in China and upon his return to Japan, he brought back a new type of tea. This tea was made from raw leaves which were steamed than then milled into a fine powder.
Eizai also authored the first tea book in Japan named, "Maintaining Health by Drinking Tea". Matcha became part of Zen training for Zen Buddhism, also spread by Eizai. It also became part of the "SADO" tea ceremony.

Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols. The one most important is EGCG which is a powerful antioxidant. Green tea also contains the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E although it is said that EGCG has 25 to 100 times stronger antioxidant properties than vitamins C and E. Since Matcha tea contains the entire leaf it has the added benefit of providing fiber.
Many health benefits have been attributed to the frequent consumption of green tea. Here are a few of them:
* inhibition of cancer cells
* stabilizes blood sugar
* improving cholesterol profile
* helps prevent cardiovascular disease
* fight colds and flu as it has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties
* prevents tooth decay
* acts as a relaxant due to its content of the amino acid, theanine
* like berries, polyphenols in tea may prevent and reverse age-related memory loss

Enjoying Matcha Tea
Matcha is a powdered tea which doesn't dissolve in water. The Matcha is actually suspended in the water.
The four most important things to do to optimize your enjoyment of this delicious tea are:
1. Using 180 F degree water to make the tea
2. Sifting the Matcha
3. Whisking the tea properly to create a suspension
4. Drinking it before the powdered tea settles to the bottom

How to Make Matcha Tea
What you need:
* Boiling water
* An interim container (I use a 2 to 4 cup glass pyrex)
* A small bamboo scoop or 1/2 teaspoon measure
* A small strainer to sift the tea
* One or more tea cups
* A whisk (you can use the proper bamboo whisk called a "chansen" or any small whisk)
Making Matcha
1. Get out one or more tea cups.
2. Sift one gram, or 1/2 teaspoon of Matcha into each cup.
3. Pour boiling water into an interim container (tea pot, cup or pyrex).
4. Pour 3 ounces of water from the interim container into each of the tea cups. This extra step will get the water to the proper temperature if done immediately.
5. Whisk the Matcha and the water using the bamboo "chansen" or a small whisk until the powdered tea is suspended in the water.
6. Enjoy before the Matcha settles to the bottom. If it does, give it a swirl.

You can find a good assortment of Matcha tea at Den's tea . Amazonalso sells the tea as well as the tea whisk (Chansen), the small scoop and glass Matcha bowl.

Vegan Chicken Fajitas With Fresh Peach Salsa - Butler Soy Curls," Tastes Like Chicken!"


Soak the soy curls in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain well.

Sauté the soy curls in a pan with olive oil and seasoning.



Butler Soy Curls - A Vegan Chicken Alternative
When I was a teenager, a friend of the family took us to a fancy French restaurant in Manhattan named Le Veau D'or. I believe it's still there. Soon there appeared a frog's leg on my plate. Though I was assured that it "tasted like chicken", I didn't eat it.
Many years later while on a business trip in Hong Kong, I was presented with rattlesnake soup. The person I was with assured me that it "tasted like chicken". I wondered how the poor chicken became the "gold standard" for something that tastes good.
Well I finally found something that I feel really good about eating that does "taste like chicken". It's a new vegan product from Butler Foods called, "Soy Curls". I saw them on the menu at the Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Portland but I didn't taste them until a few weeks ago at a vegan pot luck. I thought they were amazing and immediately ordered a case from Butler foods. I've been experimenting with them ever since. There is no limit to how you can use this delicious product. I suspect you'll be seeing a lot of recipes in the future from me using soy curls.

Unlike Other Vegan Fake Meat
Many vegan fake meat products are made from highly processed vegetable protein and many contain wheat gluten. I've never been a big fan of fake meat. But soy curls are made from whole soy beans and appear to be minimally processed. Every ounce of soy curls provides you with 10 grams of heart healthy, breast cancer fighting soy protein from non-GMO soybeans grown without chemical pesticides. There's a list of places to buy soy curls on the Butler website or you can buy them online from Butler foods.

***

Vegan Chicken Fajitas with Fresh Peach Salsa
[makes 8 servings]
For the Peach Salsa
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Fajitas
One 8 ounce package of soy curls
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce (I prefer Bragg's)
4 tablespoons Red Star nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 of your favorite tortillas

Make the peach salsa by combining all of the above salsa ingredients and gently tossing. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Set aside.
Place the soy curls in a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes.
After they rehydrate, drain them very well. Return them to the bowl and mix well the Bragg's liquid aminos.
In a different small bowl, combine nutritional yeast, chili powder and garlic powder. Set aside.
Heat oil and sauté the soy curls sprinkling them with the nutritional yeast mixture. Cook until golden (about 5 minutes) and remove from heat.

An Update On Breast Cancer And The Consumption Of Soy Foods




The Confusion Regarding Soy Products and Breast Cancer
I've been asked my opinion about this topic many times. And because I have several dear friends who are breast cancer survivors, I am intensely interested in any new information that might shed light on the consumption of soy foods and the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Depending on who you talk to, you may hear that soy products are beneficial in reducing the risk of breast cancer or you may hear that soy products can have the opposite effect. I've always thought that soy should be beneficial. After all, according to the World Health Organization, in the U.S., where soy consumption is relatively low, 21.2 women per 100,000 have breast cancer. But in Japan, where the consumption of soy is much higher, the incidence is only 8.6 per 100,000 females.
Concern about eating soy foods comes from the fact that they are high in phytoestrogens which are chemically similar to the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is associated with breast cancer development so by connecting the dots one would easily come to the conclusion that soy might also increase the risk of this disease.

Results From a Recent Study
More than 5,000 women in China diagnosed with breast cancer participated in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study. It was found that women who ate in excess of 15 grams of soy protein a day had about a 30% lower risk of recurrence that those women who ate less than 5 grams per day. The most significant result of the study is that the benefits of soy foods were evident in both women with estrogen receptor positive and negative breast cancer. Most doctors presently tell women who have have estrogen receptor positive breast cancer to avoid soy products completely. This study may change that directive. The benefits of soy in reducing recurrence and death were also found in both women who used tamoxifen and those who did not.

Other Things to Note
Women in Asia generally consume soy in a very lightly processed form such as miso, soy beans, tofu and soy milk. They do not generally take soy supplements or eat highly processed soy found in fake meat products. They also consume soy foods throughout their life.

How Much Soy Protein is in Food
To find out how much soy protein is in food, check the label. If the food has an FDA-approved health claim on the label, it must contain a minimum of 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving. The FDA has approved the health claim that "25 grams of soy protein may help reduce the risk of heart disease".
For information on soybean nutrition, check out the National Soybean Research Laboratory. According to NSRL, the amounts of soy protein in commonly available foods are as follows:

* 1/2 cup (86 g) of cooked, mature (yellow) soybeans provides 14.3 grams of soy protein
* 1/2 cup (90 g) of edamame (green soybeans) provides 11.1 grams
* 1/2 cup (83 g) tempeh provides 15.8 grams
* 1/4 cup (43 g) soynuts provides 17.0 grams
* 1/2 cup (126 g) firm tofu provides 19.9 grams
* 1/4 cup (25 g) defatted soy flour provides 11.8 grams
* 1 cup (245 g) soymilk provides 7.0 grams
* 2 tablespoons (34.5 g) miso provides 4.1 grams



Strawberry Banana Green Tea Smoothie With Chia Seeds




Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea contains catechins, powerful antioxidants that have a role reducing free radical damage which can lead to cancer and heart disease. Because green tea receives minimal processing, its catechins are very concentrated, especially their unique catechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). In the laboratory, EGCG has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth. Some human studies have shown a link between increased green tea consumption and lower recurrence of breast cancer after surgery and a lower risk of developing stomach, esophageal, prostate, pancreatic, lung and colorectal cancers. Other human studies showed a correlation between green tea consumption and reduced risk of heart disease.

Other Ways to Consume Tea
Besides just making a cup of tea, there are other ways to receive the health benefits of tea. Try adding green tea to soups or using green tea as the liquid in your morning smoothie. There is some caffeine in green tea so be sure not to drink it or cook with it too late in the day or it may disturb your ability to sleep. However the amount of caffeine in an 8 oz. cup of tea is only around 20 mg compared to 60 to 120 mg in brewed coffee or 40 to 50 mg in black tea.

My Favorite Green Tea
By far, the best green tea is from Japan. It's sounds obvious, but green tea should actually be green! So many of the large corporate tea companies make green tea products that don't look or taste anything like real, Japanese green tea. You can buy genuine green tea online from Den's Tea company. You can buy loose tea or these very cute and convenient pyramid tea bags. My favorite is the Pyramid Tea Bag Sencha.
Here's a smoothie recipe that provides all the advantages of green tea, chia seeds and fresh fruit.

***

Strawberry Banana Green Tea Smoothie with Chia Seeds
[makes 2 servings]
2 cups strong green tea (cooled)
1 cup vanilla hemp milk or soy milk
2 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 large banana
1 cup fresh strawberries
3/4 cup ice
few drops of liquid stevia or sweetener of your choice, optional


The night before, put one or two green tea bags in 2 cups of boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bag and put the tea in the refrigerator to cool overnight. Put the chia seeds in the vanilla hemp milk and stir vigorously. Wait 15 minutes and stir again. Wait another 15 minutes and stir one more time and put the chia mixture in the refrigerator overnight. It will become the consistency of pudding - (in fact, it will become "chia pudding". I usually make this smoothie when I have left over Vegan Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding .)
In the morning, place the chilled green tea, chia pudding, banana, strawberries, ice and optional sweetener in a VitaMix, blend and serve immediately.




Creamy Raw Vegan Zucchini Soup With Crushed Pistachios - Can Turmeric Fight Cancer And Prevent Alzheimer's?




Turmeric and its Many Health Benefits
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its gold color and contains the phytochemical compound, curcumin. It has been used as a powerful medicine in China and India for centuries. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties with no side effects. Although it has been used for numerous ailments from toothaches to rheumatoid arthritis, there has been some exciting research linking turmeric to the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and the ability to inhibit the development of many cancers including pancreatic, colon, prostate, liver, esophageal, and others. I'm very excited by these findings and started using more and more of this lovely and healthful spice. Here's an easy and delicious raw soup recipe that includes turmeric.

***

Creamy Raw Zucchini Soup with Crushed Pistachios
[serves 4]
4 cups diced zucchini
1 1/3 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup diced celery
1 avocado
1 cup filtered water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 cloves chopped garlic (to taste)
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon turmeric (or more to taste)
Several shakes black pepper (or cayenne if you prefer)
1/4 cup crushed raw pistachios

In a VitaMix or other high speed blender, process zucchini, peas, celery, avocado, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, thyme, turmeric and pepper until smooth. Pour into 4 bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of crushed pistachios, fresh thyme and additional fresh ground pepper, if desired.

Per serving: 163.6 calories, 9.0 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7.0 g protein, 17.7 g carbohydrates and 6.6 g of fiber.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2010


Raw Veggie Wrap With Ginger Tahini Dipping Sauce - Includes Daikon, Avocado, Mango, Red Bell Pepper, Sprouts and More!


Try using cabbage (pictured), lettuce or collards as a wrapper.

Daikon root makes a tasty and healthful wrap ingredient.

Fill a platter with ingredients for your guests to choose.

Fill wrapper with an assortment of fruits and vegetables.

Add ginger tahini dipping sauce, roll up and eat!



Raw Veggie Wraps
Raw Veggie wraps are a staple in a raw food diet. They make a beautiful meal for guests or a convenient meal for the family. Fill them with your favorite veggies and fruits and top them with this delicious, raw tahini-ginger sauce.

Raw Wrappers
Instead of tortillas or lavash wrappers, raw recipes typically use big leaves of lettuce, collards, cabbage or other greens as a wrapper. I happen to find this very interesting looking cabbage (a cross between Chinese and Napa cabbage) so I thought I'd try it. It was a bit hard to fold so it was more like a soft taco than a wrap but it held its shape very well and was very tender. If you use collards, select the largest leaves and cut out the center stem.

Daikon
Raw daikon is commonly used in Japan to aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It's often found grated and served with sushi. Daikon is a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli, kale and cabbage, and is associated with protecting against cancer. Cut into little circles, daikon makes a great "chip" for guacamole or raw hummus with sprouted garbanzo beans.

***

Raw Veggie Wraps with Ginger-Tahini Dipping Sauce
[makes 8 wraps or 4 servings]
For the wrap
8 large leaves of cabbage, collards or butter lettuce
2 small daikons, peeled and cut into strips
1 avocado, peeled and cut into slices
1 large mango (or 2 small), peeled and cut into slices
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into strips
3 ounces sunflower sprouts
handful of cilantro
1 green onion, thinly sliced
For the sauce
1/4 cup raw tahini
2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu soy sauce
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw agave
4 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)

Arrange all veggies on a platter. To make the sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Serve with the veggies. To make a wrap, take a large leaf, arrange all veggies in the center, top with sauce, fold and enjoy!





Raw Vegan Asian Coleslaw with a Ginger Tahini Vinaigrette Salad Dressing



Cruciferous Vegetables Lower Cancer Risk
Cabbage is a powerful vegetable when it comes to health benefits. Like its relatives broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, collards (and others), it is a cruciferous vegetable. Studies have shown that this class of vegetable reduces cancer risk more than any other vegetable. Studies have shown cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are associated with lower risk of prostate, bladder, stomach, colorectal and lung cancer. The good news is that you can get benefits from eating only 3 to 5 servings per week. Raw cabbage is also loaded with vitamin C and K and is a very good source of folate and fiber.

Thyroid Function Could be a Problem - Raw Foodists Beware!
Eating too many raw cruciferous vegetables can be a problem if you have hypothyroidism or a low production of thyroid hormone. Cabbage and other raw cruciferous vegetables contain "goitrogens" which contain thyroid inhibitors. So if you have an under-active thyroid, you may want to limit your consumption of "raw" cabbage or you can also steam these cruciferous vegetables to avoid the issue and get the benefits. If you have this problem and want to limit your raw cabbage consumption, substitute lettuce in this recipe. The ginger tahini vinaigrette makes a wonderful salad dressing.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, muscle aches, unexplained weight gain, pale, dry skin, intolerance to cold, constipation, depression, and brittle fingernails and hair. Some common causes of hypothyroidism include autoimmune disease (Hashimoto), over-treatment of hyperthyroidism, radiation therapy, thyroid surgery and some medications like lithium. From a nutrition point of view, I have seen underactive thyroids from iodine deficiency. Iodine is a trace mineral found in seafood, seaweed and iodized salt. Many people don't eat seafood and have stopped eating iodized salt. At the same time, chlorine and fluoride are commonly added to our drinking water. These chemicals have similar chemical structures as iodine and some theories say they may displace iodine in the thyroid which could lead to hypothyroidism. I have resumed my consumption of iodized salt "just in case".


This Recipe Balances the Omega 3 and 6 Essential Fatty Acids
Many Asian vinaigrettes have tahini (sesame paste) and sesame oil which both contain high amounts of omega 6. As healthy as omega 6 is (it's needed for cholesterol metabolism, growth and reproduction), it is essential to balance it out with omega 3 (needed for cardiovascular health and brain development, a healthy immune system, reduction of inflammation and proper functioning of ALL body tissues. It's extremely important in fetal development). For this purpose I use extra virgin olive oil instead of sesame oil and a teaspoon of cold pressed flaxseed oil in this recipe. This combination provides an optimal 4:1 omega 6 to omega 3 ratio.

***

Raw Vegan Asian Coleslaw [serves 4]
For the salad
8 cups organic Napa or other green cabbage
2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
For the dressing
1 teaspoon of grated garlic, about 1 clove
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons raw tahini
2 tablespoons raw agave (or raw honey)
2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar or raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cold pressed flaxseed oil
pinch cayenne

Combine the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. In a smaller bowl, blend the garlic, ginger, tahini and honey to form a thick paste. Slowly add the soy sauce, vinegar, oils and cayenne and mix thoroughly. Add to salad, toss well and serve.




Raw Garden Salsa with Cherry Tomatoes - Rich with Lycopene


Shopping in my garden for salsa ingredients.

Raw garden salsa with optional fresh corn.


Summer's Bounty
One of the best things about summer is the abundance of vine ripened tomatoes. You know, the ones that actually taste like tomatoes unlike the ones we buy in the winter at the local grocery store. And then there are the cherry tomatoes. You can't pick them fast enough. I love "shopping" in my garden and this morning I picked a basket of cherry tomatoes, some basil and a few small jalapenos. To this I'll add the garlic I've already harvested and I've got most of the ingredients for today's raw garden salsa. This recipe is low in calories and saturated fat and has no cholesterol.

Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C. One cup provides about half of your daily requirement. Since this vitamin is very heat sensitive, this raw salsa will preserve its vitamin C content. Tomatoes also contain lots of vitamin A, K, potassium and manganese. They are a very good source of fiber and are most noted for their high content of lycopene. This well publicized carotenoid is known to have high antioxidant and cancer fighting properties.

As a strong antioxidant, Lycopene has been shown to help prevent heart disease. This phytochemical has also been associated with the reduction of numerous types of cancers such as prostate, lung, pancreatic and intestinal cancers. Because carotenoids are fat soluble, they are more effective when eaten with high fat foods. I've added a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to this salsa recipe for that purpose. To get a similar effect, and an added taste treat, you can substitute half a chopped avocado for the olive oil. Some studies show that cooked tomatoes have more of an affect in reducing prostate cancer although raw tomatoes also showed some benefit.

How to Serve
For a completely "raw" appetizer, serve with zucchini slices or raw chips (see my April 14, 2009 post for raw jalapeno corn chips), or buy your favorite healthy chip. I like to serve Trader Joe's "hemp tortilla chips with black sesame seeds".This salsa also makes a great topping for grilled salmon or you can try adding it to your favorite taco or burrito recipe. Or, if you're in the mood for pasta, mix an extra tablespoon of olive oil into the garden salsa and throw it on top of hot whole wheat fusilli.

***

Raw Garden Salsa with Cherry Tomatoes
[serves 4 without corn or 6 with the optional fresh corn]
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons scallion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon
2 packed tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
2 shakes of black pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or 1/2 chopped avocado)
1 cup fresh corn kernels, about 1 large ear - optional

Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Per serving (without corn, 4 servings): 50 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 0.5 g protein, 4.4 g carbohydrates and 1.0 g of fiber.

Per serving (with corn, 6 servings): 55 calories, 2.7 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 1.2 g protein, 7.8 g carbohydrates and 1.3 g of fiber.


Creamy Vegan Avocado Dill Dressing



There’s nothing richer than a ripe avocado and they are plentiful and reasonably priced this time of year. Although some may avoid them because of their high fat content, most of the fats are healthy, monounsaturated fatty acids that include oleic acid. Oleic acid, the same fatty acid found in olive oil, has been shown to be a key contributor to the healthy Mediterranean diet and the prevention of breast cancer.

Adding avocado to a salad increases the body’s ability to absorb healthy carotenoids (like lycopene and beta-carotene) from spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. Lycopene is a very powerful antioxidant and has been associated with the reduction of cancer and heart disease. Avocados themselves are a good source of the phytochemical lutein, necessary for good vision. Lutein may lower your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Several studies that received a lot of attention showed that cooking food can significantly increase the bioavailability of some carotenoids in vegetables. Lycopene cooked in olive oil was shown to increase blood levels of this phytochemical. Since adding avocado may accomplish the same thing, perhaps it is the oleic acid in the olive oil, not the cooking, that increases the bioavailability. This is important for raw foodists who may be able to achieve this benefit without cooking the food and destroying other heat sensitive vitamins and phytochemicals.

Avocados are high in fiber and a good source of important vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, potassium, folate, B6, vitamin C and copper.

This creamy salad dressing is very versatile and can be used in many types of cuisine. It makes a wonderful vegan salad dressing and can also be used as the “hollandaise” sauce in my “Healthy Veggie Eggs Benedict” which I will post in a few days. It also makes a delicious sauce that can be served with baked or grilled salmon. For a “raw vegan” creamy avocado dill sauce, substitute the soymilk with raw nut milk.