High flavonoid content in berries, apples and oranges help ward off Parkinson’s disease, says Harvard University’s nutrition scientist.

Info source: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/parkinsons-disease-berries-gao/

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Eating berries may protect against Parkinson’s disease.

Men and women who regularly eat berries (note: and oranges and apples) may reduce their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The researchers, led by Xiang Gao, research scientist in HSPH’s Department of Nutrition, believe the high flavonoid content in berries, apples and oranges help ward off the disease.

Study participants who consumed the most flavonoids were 40% less likely to develop Parkinson’s.

“This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” Gao said in a press release issued by the American Academy of Neurology. “Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.”

Mood and orange

Good morning, sunshine! Peel an orange any time of day for an instant energy and mood boost. This super-nutritious citrus fruit brims with Vitamin C, which helps pump oxygen through your body and brain to recharge your system. "Oranges are the perfect bring-along snack," says Somer. Toss sections into your salad or rice dishes, and dunk them in fat-free chocolate syrup for dessert.

http://www.ivillage.com/orange-you-glad/4-b-122917

Prostate cancer and folate and folic acid

http://m.cancer.gov/topics/prevention/bycancer/prostate/patient

Folate is a kind of vitamin B that occurs naturally in some foods, such as green vegetables, beans and orange juice. Folic acid is a man-made form of folate that is found in vitamin supplements and fortified foods, such as whole-grain breads and cereals. A 10-year study showed that the risk of prostate cancer was lower in men who had enough folate in their diets. However, the risk of prostate cancer was increased in men who took 1 milligram (mg) supplements of folic acid.

My green smoothie on 2013-08-13 at 6.30 pm. Ingredients: carrot, apple, orange, banana and organic red spinach.

My green smoothie on 2013-08-13 at 6.30 pm. Ingredients: carrot, apple, orange, banana and organic red spinach ( 100g) . Total weight 630g. Plain water 200ml. Total smoothie: 1000ml. All consumed by me. Taste: Very good.  Very nutritious and healthy. 

My green smoothie on 2013-07-16. Ingredients: apple,orange, banana, carrot, tomato, organic kailan (Chinese kale).

My green smoothie on 2013-07-16. Ingredients: apple,orange, banana, carrot, tomato, organic kailan (Chinese kale). Total weight 750g. Plain water 200ml. Smoothie made: 950ml. Taste: Good.

My green smoothie on 2013-06-22. Ingredients: carrot, orange, apple, tomato, frozen mango, organic Kai Lan, kiwi fruit

My green smoothie on 2013-06-22, Saturday. Ingredients: kiwi fruit, carrot, orange, apple, tomato, frozen mango (150g), organic Kai Lan (150g), plain water 200 ml. Smoothie made: 1125 ml. Taste: Good. 

Health benefits of Lutein (from WebMd)

Health benefits of Lutein

Original title: Lutein overview information

Info source

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-754-LUTEIN.aspx?activeIngredientId=754&activeIngredientName=LUTEIN

Lutein is called a carotenoid vitamin. It is related to beta-carotene and vitamin A. 

Foods rich in lutein include broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, orange pepper, kiwi fruit, grapes, orange juice, zucchini, and squash. 

Lutein is absorbed best when it is taken with a high-fat meal.

Many people think of lutein as “the eye vitamin.” They use it to prevent eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Some people also use it for preventing colon cancer, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Many multivitamins contain lutein. They usually provide a relatively small amount of 0.25 mg per tablet.

How does it work?

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Lutein is one of two major carotenoids found as a color pigment in the human eye (macula and retina). It is thought to function as a light filter, protecting the eye tissues from sunlight damage.

One orange a day. You have enough Vitamin C for the day!

One orange a day. You have enough Vitamin C for the day!

Top food sources of vitamin C (by www.whfoods.com)

Top food sources of vitamin C (by www.whfoods.com)

Picture source:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=109

Almond was used for the first time in my orange plus apple smoothie on 2 January 2013 using Philips blender HR2094.

Almond was used for the first time in my orange plus apple smoothie on at 12.30 pm on 2 January 2013 using Philips blender HR2094 (750 watts).

Apple 159g before peeling, net weight 115g (59.8 kcal)
Orange 208g before peeling, net weight 150g (70.5 kcal)
Raw Almonds 8g (8 pieces, total 48.9 kcal)
Plain water 100ml
Total energy = About 179.2 kcal
Total smoothie: 380ml

Drinker: me.

Comment: The almond was well blended and cut into very very small pieces and smoothie taste was very good!

Note: Based info on the Internet,
100g apple has 52 kcal energy
100g orange has 47 kcal energy
100g almond has 611.6 kcal energy

Green smoothie made on 2012-12-28 with organic red short spinach 150g, Carrot 150g, Orange 140g, Kiwi fruit 80g, Banana 100g, Plain water 200ml Smoothie produced = 950ml. Taste : Good.

Green smoothie made on 2012-12-28 with organic red short spinach 150g, Carrot 150g, Orange 140g, Kiwi fruit 80g, Banana 100g, Plain water 200ml
Smoothie produced = 950ml. Taste : Good.

Sugar contents in per 100 grams of Apple, orange, banana, carrot and spinach

Re: Sugar contents in per 100 grams of Apple, orange, banana, carrot and spinach

Oranges, raw, navels has 8.50 grams of sugar per 100 grams of for edible portion

Apples, raw, without skin has 10.10 grams of sugar per 100 grams of for edible portion

Banana raw, without skin has 12.23 grams of sugar per 100 grams of for edible portion

Carrots raw, without skin has 4.74 grams of sugar per 100 grams of for edible portion

Spinach raw, without skin has 0.42 grams of sugar per 100 grams of for edible portion

I made a tasty green smoothie with Kangkong 蕹菜, 又称空心菜 (kang kong , kang, kung， Water Spinach) for the first time on 25 August 2012

I  made at about 5.45 pm of 2012-08-25, Saturday a green smoothie with the following:

Orange 150g
Carrot 150g
Apple 100g
Organic Kangkong (water spinach) 100g (First time I made smoothie with Kangkong)
Cold boiled water 200ml

Green smoothie produced = 750ml
Enough for 3 persons
But All consumed by me.
Taste = Good
Very healthy food. Very Good for your skin!

Smoothie consisting of orange 120g , tomato 100g and plain water 100ml = about 300 ml smoothie

For the first time I made an orange-tomato smoothie on 2012-05-10 morning.

Smoothie = orange 120g , tomato 100g and plain water 100ml 

                 = About 300 ml smoothie.

Some photos of making of Green smoothie (冰沙) consisting of apple, orange, banana, carrot and organic xiao bai cai (小白菜) on 2012-03-18 (Sunday)

Some photos of making of Green smoothie (冰沙) consisting of apple, orange, banana, carrot and organic xiao bai cai (小白菜）on 2012-03-18 (Sunday). The photos were taken with my new Iphone 4S bought on 2012-03-15 (Thursday).


First put 2 medium-size babanas (about 20g) , one orange (about 120g) , one apple (about 110g) and 170 grams of carrot and 250 ml of cold plain water in the blender. Use Philips Blender HR2094 to blend for 1 minute.


After pouring out about 300 ml of smoothie for Latte ( a family member), about 100 garms of xiao bai cai (小白菜0 and 50 ml of cold plain water were added. Blended for 1 minute.

My green smoothie ready to drink was about 750 ml.

Green Smoothie: Orange + Organic Red Spinach + Cold Water– Ref: 2012-01-07

Green Smoothie: Orange + Organic Red Spinach + Cold Water– Ref: 2012-01-07

At about 4.30 pm on 2012-01-07 (Saturday) I made a green smoothie with the following:

(a) 50 grams of organic red spinach with short roots (from Fire Flies Health Farm) after washing away sands.
(b) 200 grams of peeled orange obtained from two oranges.

(c) 150 ml of cold boiled plain water

Key Nutrition Information of the smoothie:

Total Energy

= 15.5 Kcal from red spinach and 94 Kcal from orange

= 109.5 Kcal

Total Dietary Fibre

= 0.9 gram from red spinach and 4.8 grams from orange

= 5.7 grams

Method:

(1) Add all the cut ingredients and water into Philips Blender HR 2094.

(2) Press Smoothie Function and let the blender work for 1 minute.

Smoothie produced with Philips Blender HR 2094 = About 500 ml

No. of Serves = 2
Tasters: Myself

Verdict: Good taste. The ratio of orange to red spinach is 4 to 1. The leafy taste of the spinach had been very much reduced by the orange.

Smoothie: Orange + Mango + Cai Xin (Choi Sum, Choy Sum)) + Cold Warer

For the second time since I stopped taking smoothie on 2011-06-04 because of the numbness on the left side of my left foot, at about 1710 Hr on 2011-06-29 (Wednesday) I made a smoothie with the following:

(a) Orange without skin 130 grams
(b) Mango without skin 90 grams
(c) Organic Cai Xin (Choi Sum or Choy Sum) 100 grams
(d) Cold water 150 ml

Method: Use Smoothie Function of Philips Blender HR 2094 for one minute.

Smoothie produced with Philips Blender HR 2094 = About 450 ml

No. of Serves = 1
Tasters: Myself

Verdict: Taste was OK.

Note: Orange = cooling, mango = heaty, Cai Xin = cooling (?)

Smoothie with apple, ginger, orange and cold water

For the fisrt time since I stopped taking smoothie on 2011-06-04 because of the numbness on the left side of my left foot, at about 1620 Hr on 2011-06-28 (Tuesday) I made a smoothie with the following:

(a) Orange without skin 120 grams
(b) Apple without skin 90 grams
(c) Ginger without 10 grams
(d) Cold water 150 ml

Method: Use Smoothie Function of Philips Blender HR 2094 for one minute.

Smoothie produced with Philips Blender HR 2094 = About 400 ml

No. of Serves = 1
Tasters: Myself

Verdict: Taste was OK.

Note: Apple and orange are considered cooling and ginger is heaty.

Green Smoothie: Orange + Carrot + Banana + Ice cubes + Organic Cai Xin, Chai Sim, Choy Sum, Choi Sum ( Botanical name: Brassica parachinensis)

Green Smoothie: Orange + Carrot + Banana + Ice cubes + Organic Cai Xin, Chai Sim, Choy Sum, Choi Sum ( Botanical name: Brassica parachinensis)

At about 5.30 pm on 2011-01-27 (Thursday) I made a green smoothie with the following:

(a) 110 grams of Orange without
(b) 80 grams of organic cai xin, Chai Sim, Choy Sum, Choi Sum ( Botanical name: Brassica parachinensis)
(c) 130 grams of Carrot without skin
(d) 120 grams of Banana without skin
(e) 200 grams of Ice cubes 100 grams

Key Nutrition Information of the smoothie:

Total Energy = About 229.6 Kcal

Total Dietary Fibre = About 11.56 grams

Method: Use Ice Function of Philips Blender HR 2094 to crush the ice first and use the Smoothie Function 4 times for about 30 seconds each time with a 5-second break in between.

Smoothie produced with Philips Blender HR 2094 = About 700 ml

No. of Serves = 2

Tasters: Myself

Verdict: Not bad because I am now used to green vegetable taste in the smoothie. I should have used about 150 grams of ice cube so that the smoothie is more concentrated.

Note:

(1) Cai Xin adds a ‘green’ element to the smoothie. Any smoothie with a green leaf vegetable as an ingredient will taste “green veg”!
(2) Botanical name of cai xin is Brassica parachinensis).
(3) The price of the organic cai xin was S$2.00 (about 300 grams) bought in a market nearby. The organic cai xin is a produce from Fire Flies Health Farm
(4) An adult needs about 20 to 30 grams of dietary fibre for a smooth and good passing of motion (stools)