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Mango is one of the most widely consumed fruits on Earth. The mango tree is native to Asia and has been cultivated there for over 6000 years. From there it has spread to other tropical areas such as Africa, Australia, the Caribbean and North, Central and South America. Even though India provides half of the cultivated mangoes on the planet, Mexico actually accounts for the majority of worldwide exported mangoes.

Mango Nutritional Energy Profile
Mangoes are a good source of energy; the flesh of an average sized mango delivers approximately 130 calories. The vast majority of these calories are made of fruit sugars; protein and fat contribute a very small percentage of the overall mango nutrition. The mango is also a great source of fiber, with one mango providing 3.7 grams.

Vitamin Nutritional Value of Mango
Mangoes provide high doses of antioxidant vitamins A and C. These are two key ingredients for a healthy immune system. Vitamin C in particular is needed to generate over half of our disease-fighting white blood cells. Other benefits of vitamin C include collagen production. Collagen is essentially the connective tissue that holds together skin, muscles, bones and tendons. Scurvy is a disease that affected sailors and was the result of vitamin C deficiency. During long voyages, the sailors had no access to fresh fruit and vegetables and they would literally start to “fall apart”. Scurvy would progress from first stage symptoms of skin spots and mild gum bleeding to open wounds that wouldn’t heal and teeth falling out. Collagen in the skin is also our first line of defense against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. Mango nutrition also contains good amounts of vitamin B3, B6, and K.

Mineral Nutritional Value of Mango
Mango nutrition is a good source of potassium – an essential mineral for the proper functioning of all muscles and needed to maintain a regular heart beat. Mango is also a fair source of other minerals such as selenium and zinc.

World's biggest mango!!!

In Health
Darren and Veronica

Grapes have been cultivated for thousands of years by ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, Egyptians and the Romans. It has been domesticated into many products including, wine, vinegar, jelly, juice and dried into raisins. Approximately 2/3 of all grape cultivation is for making wine, with the other 1/3 providing fresh grapes. Originally all grapes were red. What we now call green/white grapes is actually a genetic mutation which turns off the production of anthocyanins – the plant pigment and antioxidant that gives red/purple/black grapes their color.

Grape Nutrition Energy Values
Even though grapes come in many varieties, their energy values are fairly standard. 1 cup of grapes (151 grams) will provide you with 104 calories. Half of these calories come from the sugars fructose and glucose. Protein and fat are also present, but in very small amounts.

Vitamin Grape Nutrition
While grapes are a fair source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, they are also a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C intake is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer and an essential nutrient for the optimum functioning of the immune system.

Mineral Grape Nutrition
Grape is a good non-animal source of iron. Iron is found in every cell of the body and performs several essential functions. Most notably it carries the oxygen that we breathe from our lungs to all our bodies tissues, via the blood stream. Iron deficiency leads to a drop in red blood cell levels, a condition called anemia. If this condition is not addressed, anemia will eventually lead to death. Other minerals found in fair levels include, potassium, phosphorous and copper.

Phytochemical Grape Nutrition
Phytochemicals are antioxidants that are not classified as vitamins or minerals because they don’t have an essential function. However, a considerable amount of evidence has shown these phytochemicals are potent antioxidants that protect us from premature aging and disease. When it comes to phytochemical content, red grapes are vastly superior to green grapes. Grapes’ nutrition supplies us with a variety of these phytochemicals. While green grapes contain quercetin and catechins, red grapes also contain resveratrol and anthocyanins. It is both resveratrol and anthocyanins that provide the famous heart health benefits of red grapes and red wines. Research has shown that resveratrol has anti-cancer properties and can help inhibit the development of cancer. Resveratrol also protects cholesterol from oxidation, which can lead to artherosclerosis and heart disease. Futhermore, it also helps the blood from becoming sticky, which is another risk factor for heart disease. Anthocyanins have also been researched and found to have many of the health benefits of resveratrol. It is safe to say – that red grapes’ nutritional value is very high!

Raw coconut nutrition facts can vary considerably depending upon these factors:

1) The age of the coconut – young or mature

2) What part of the coconut you are consuming – the flesh or the natural water found inside. The coconut water is also commonly known as coconut juice.

Young Coconut Nutrition vs Mature Coconut Nutrition:
The energy values of young coconut flesh is notably less than the mature flesh. In 100 grams of the flesh, the young coconut contains 77 Kcal of energy, while the mature flesh leaps up to 389 Kcal. The young coconut flesh is higher in sugar but much lower in fat/oil content and somewhat lower in its protein content. The surprising increase in oil content as the coconut matures is the main reason the coconut’s energy profile increases. The coconut water undergoes a similar but much less dramatic change as it ripens. The vitamin and mineral levels also change with age.

It is good to note that although the mature coconut nutrition is more dense, people usually eat less of it because of its richness. You are more likely to eat more of the young coconut flesh in one sitting, which in practical terms may make it more nutritious, depending on how much you eat!

Coconut Oil Nutrition Benefits
The oil found in coconut is primarily saturated fats called lauric acid, capric acid, caprylic acid and myristic acid, with lower levels of palmitic acid. Palmitic acid is the saturated fat found in beef and other animals that raise ‘bad’ cholesterol and increase our risk of developing heart disease. Although the saturated fat profile in coconut was originally considered to raise overall cholesterol levels, new evidence is proving otherwise. People native to coconut growing countries, who eat coconut along with a healthy diet of fish and vegetables, are considered very healthy with little incidence of heart problems. In fact, coconuts overall nutrition profile is considered a health benefit and only seen as a positive aspect of their diet. So what makes coconut oil healthy? Mainly its lauric acid content, which makes up 50% of coconut fat. Human breast milk is the only other known source that supplies an abundance of lauric acid. Combined with capric acid and caprylic acid, coconut oil nutrition benefits include the overall improvement of cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, antimicrobial properties, anti-fungal properties, antibacterial properties, improving immunity and improving digestion.

In Health
Darren and Veronica Haynes

As with any health issue requiring diet modifications, gluten free cooking can be challenging for busy people. However, it is possible to create a wide variety of delicious, gluten-free dishes without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

Awareness of Celiac disease has meant an increase in gluten free recipes and general information, making it easier to enjoy foods you may have thought you’d never be able to eat again. And, since the majority of processed foods contain gluten, cooking simplifies the process of avoiding it.

Knowing which staples are forbidden or acceptable is essential to gluten-free cooking. Rye, barley, and of course wheat must be avoided. Fortunately, a wide variety of grains are safe to include in your diet. Amaranth, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, sorghum, rice flours, and teff are a few options. Bean or nut flours are viable options as well.

Health food stores and some grocery stores carry gluten-free mixes give gluten free bakers the ability to create bread that is just as good as its gluten-containing counterparts. Mixes are the best option for airier bread, since gluten free flours on their own can’t achieve the light, fluffy quality you want in a bread. When the right ingredients are combined, the desired effect can be achieved.

Holistic medicine activist Dr. Andrew Weil advises the gluten-intolerant to maintain gluten-free diets for life, since just one meal containing gluten can do intestinal damage. In order to avoid feeling deprived, it’s important to have gluten-free versions of your favorite foods. Gluten-free cookbooks and websites are great recipe sources for pizza crust, bread, and other familiar items.

Focusing on the basics can make gluten-free cooking easier. Sticking mainly with fruits and veggies, eggs, and meat takes the guesswork out of shopping and cooking. This is especially important for the newly-diagnosed gluten-intolerant. Until you have begun exploring all the possibilities of gluten-free cooking, using basic ingredients ensures that you at least have meals on hand.

The moral of the story is that gluten free cooking doesn’t have to be difficult. There are tons of free gluten free recipes available, so make good use of the options out there. Before long, you’ll be enjoying your time in the kitchen just as much as you did before you started eating gluten free.

Pomegranate has gained a lot of attention in the past few years. Until recently it had taken a back seat, probably because it can be messy and awkward to eat. However, due to a widened understanding of antioxidants and their health promoting properties, pomegranate health benefits have found a new gained fame – and rightly so!

Antioxidants:
Punicalagins are powerful antioxidants exclusive to pomegranates and are the major component of the fruits overall antioxidant power. A study published on August 25, 2009 by the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Poland, showed that punicalagins have a positive effect upon gut flora. Studying the effects of a pomegranate supplement (POMx) containing high doses of punicalagins, researchers found it inhibited the growth of pathogenic gut flora clostridia and Staphyloccocus aureus in human subjects. While this alone can improve our immune system and digestive health, punicalagins went one step further – they also significantly enhanced the growth of bifidobacterium breve and bifidobacterium infantis. These are probiotic gut floras that enhance our well being and digestive health. Other studies have found health benefits of pomegranate punicalagins, including protective effects against UV light, anti-cancer properties, lowering the risk of heart disease and having strong antioxidant properties for protecting the colon from disease.

Ellagic Acid is another potent antioxidant found in pomegranate. A study has shown that ellagic acid inhibits DNA from binding with carcinogens. Other studies have show ellagic acid to have beneficial effects in lowering inflammation in the colon and reducing the risk of developing colon cancer. Other evidence supports ellagic acid with the ability to lower blood pressure.

Anthocyanins completes the trio of the main non-vitamin antioxidants that provide pomegranate health benefits. Also found in blueberries, acai berries, cranberries, and red/black grapes, anthocyanins have potent health promoting properties. In fact, it is the high levels of anthocyanins found in acai berries which gives them the status of a super food. Although found in much lower levels in pomegranate, anthocyanins are still present in high enough quantities to impart their health benefits. The pomegranate health benefits of anthocyanins include protecting blood vessels from free radical damage, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of developing artherosclerosis and heart disease, and lowering our risk of developing cancers.

Vitamin Profile
Pomegranate health benefits include its very good levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential part of a healthy immune system – helping to keep the arteries elasticated, helping to keep the skin supple and reducing our risk of developing cancer and heart disease. Other vitamins found in good amounts are B1, B2, B3, folate, pantothenic acid, B6, E and K.

Mineral Profile
Pomegranates are a great source of the mineral potassium – which is needed for the proper functioning of muscles, including the heart. Other minerals in noticeable amounts include phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, selenium and zinc.

Pomegranate Juice
Just a quick note on the health benefits of pomegranate juice. Although freshly juiced pomegranate will contain a lot of the original nutrition found in the edible part of the fruit, not all packaged juice is up to the mark. However, there are some reputable companies out there that supply high quality pomegranate juice. Do a little research beforehand to ensure you find a juice which retains high levels of the health promoting antioxidants.

In health
Darren and Veronica Haynes