Tomato’s Genome Sequence Finally Cracked!

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Though science has still not replied to the eternal question of whether tomato is a fruit or a vegetable, it has stepped closer to answering it. The full genome sequence of tomato has been discovered by an international team of scientists, working across nationalities. Not only has the team cracked the genetic code of cultivated tomato but also that of the wild variety. It is being hoped that this development would help farmers grow tastier and more nutritious varieties of tomatoes in the future.

1) The Genetic Code

The full genome sequence of tomato, Solanum lycopersicum, has been named “Heinz 1706” and it has been published in the science journal “Nature.” Describing the details of the genetic code, the scientists said that all the 35,000 genes of tomato are well displayed in this sequence along with their functional parts, orientation, types, and relative positions. The researchers found that the tomatoes were made up of about 35,000 genes, arranged on 12 chromosomes and each of those genes is responsible for any characteristic that tomato shows. The “Nature” article describes the genetic results, “The tomato genome sequence provides insights into fleshy fruit evolution.” Apart from the domesticated or cultivated tomato, the researchers have also been able to crack the genetic sequence of its wild relative Solanum pimpinellifolium. James Giovannoni, who works at the “Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University," shows his excitement through words, “For any characteristic of the tomato, whether it’s taste, natural pest resistance or nutritional content, we’ve captured virtually all those genes.” Giovannoni further adds, “Tomato genetics underlies the potential for improved taste every home gardener knows and every supermarket shopper desires and the genome sequence will help solve this and many other issues in tomato production and quality.”

2) The Significance

In the US alone, tomatoes are worth $2 billion pie of the market share and Britain dabbles in $980 million worth of tomato business a year. In the rest of the world too, tomatoes are an inherent part of daily diet in all forms. Therefore, their consumption depends, to a large extent, on their quality. It is no wonder then that the scientists are excited about the possibilities arising out of knowing tomato’s genetic code. One of the main benefits would be for the researchers to identify links between tomato genes and the characteristics like taste, shape, color and nutrition level shown by various tomatoes. The scientists will also be able to pinpoint the specific environmental factors that enhance or affect the overall health of tomato crops. Graham Seymour, a member of the scientific team working on this project, and a professor of biotechnology at the “Nottingham University”, explains, “Tomatoes are one of the most important fruit crops in the world, both in terms of the volume that we eat and the vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals that both fresh and processed tomato products provide to our diets.”

3) The Team

It was an international collaboration between more than a dozen countries that was named the “Tomato Genomics Consortium” and was entrusted with the responsibility to identify the genetic sequence of this popular fruit/vegetable of the world. The researchers, who were members of this Consortium, belonged to various nationalities, such as Argentina, Germany, China, France, India, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Japan, United Kingdom, and the US.

4) The Future

It took the international Consortium many years and millions of dollars to find out the first genome sequence in case of tomato. However, the scientists are hopeful that further studies in this direction would yield results at a much less cost because they will have initial findings to work with. Besides, buoyed by the tomato findings, scientists are also ready to work on fruits like strawberries, apples, bananas, etc to identify their genome sequence and work for their improvement too. As Giovannoni explains, “Now we can start asking a lot more interesting questions about fruit biology, disease resistance, root development and nutritional qualities.”

Tomato has many health benefits, especially when eaten raw. Now armed with the genetic information, it is going to be much easier for the scientists to provide significant inputs to the farmers to grow better varieties of tomatoes as well as other fruits and vegetables. As for that cup of salsa, it is gonna get better now!

Image Courtesy: malcolmallison.lamula.pe, ifood.tv

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/tomato-s-genome-sequence-finally-cracked#0p0AgEfPPI8EqMFi.99

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Tomato Genome Decoded: Researchers To Publish Fruit's DNA Sequence In Full

By: Jennifer Welsh, LiveScience Staff Writer
Published: 05/30/2012 01:07 PM EDT on LiveScience
For years scientists have slaved away, trying to piece together the genes that make up the ripe, red goodness that is the tomato. They have finally published the fleshy fruit's genome in full.
The genome of any species is the DNA code that is stored as a blueprint inside every cell of every individual of that species. The DNA letters, called base pairs, are organized into genes, which are translated into proteins, the building blocks and machinery of every cell.
Decoding these genes can help researchers understand the different types of proteins found in organisms, and how these proteins make that species different from every other species. These kinds of insights from the genome could help crop researchers improve the yield, nutritional content, disease resistance, taste and color of tomatoes, they say.
"For any characteristic of the tomato, whether it's taste, natural pest resistance or nutritional content, we've captured virtually all those genes," study researcher James Giovannoni, of Cornell University, said in a statement. "Tomato genetics underlies the potential for improved taste every home gardener knows and every supermarket shopper desires and the genome sequence will help solve this and many other issues in tomato production and quality."
Generic and wild genomes
The researchers sequenced the genome of the tomato species Solanum lycopersicum, of the variety "Heinz 1706," as their type tomato. These tomatoes possess some 35,000 genes arranged on 12 chromosomes (large arrangements of hundreds of genes packed into one strand), the researchers said.

The researchers also sequenced the garden tomato's wild ancestor, Solanum Pimpinellifolium.
Knowing the sequence of one tomato can help seed companies and plant breeders get a grasp on what makes different varieties, like heirloom tomatoes, different from the generic grocery tomato.
Because the variability between two varieties is pretty small, it's easier to use the Heinz 1706 genome as a guide, and pinpoint the differences that lead to changes in color, taste, texture, size and shapethat distinguish one variety from another.
Tomato vs. potato
The genome is also important in learning why the tomato is so different from its genetic relatives in the nightshade family of flowering plants, which includes the potato, pepper and even coffee. Scientists want to know what genes have changed that gives each of these species their distinct flavor and look.
"Now we can start asking a lot more interesting questions about fruit biology, disease resistance, root development and nutritional qualities," Giovannoni said.
Tomatoes represent a $2 billion market in the United States alone. The USDA estimates that Americans consume, on average, more than 72 pounds (33 kilograms) of tomato products annually. Researchers have even developed a robot tomato harvester to go into space (or just use here on Earth).

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The tomato decoded: holds more genes than humans

The tomato has always been a complex fruit. Or is it a vegetable? Either way. Tomato, tomahto, right?
The tomato, which is considered a fruit by botanists and a vegetable to the US government, has been demystified by a consortium of plant geneticists from 14 countries who spent nine years decoding the tomato genome with the hopes of breeding better, tastier fruits.
Specifically, the scientists sequenced the genomes of both Heinz 1706, a variety used to make ketchup, and the tomato’s closest wild relative, Solanum pimpinellifolium, which is grown in Peru, according to The New York Times.
The researchers reported that tomatoes possess some 35,000 genes arranged on 12 chromosomes. "For any characteristic of the tomato, whether it's taste, natural pest resistance or nutritional content, we've captured virtually all those genes," James Giovannoni, a scientist at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, told Phys.org

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Effects of Hoeing on Standing Crops that Reduce the yield

Hoeing is big issue near farmer to remove the weeds, soil aeration, nitrogen fixing and fertility restoration in standing crops. But on the other hand some factors are studied by the approval of experiments which reduced the plant yield i.e

It cut the adventitious roots- they are the fibrous side root system which take up phosphorus, fix the nitrogen and other macro and micro nutrients from soil which support the plant for growth and development.

When fibrous roots system damaged then plant only depend on main root (tap root). Applicable nutrients are only available on upper soil surface, so plant cannot uptake it.

Hoeing damage the eggs of beneficial insects which are responsible for nitrogen fixing and fertility restoration.

Applicable nutrient move from one place to another.

Hoeing damage the whole plant or some parts.

It disturb the level of soil.

The main objective of hoeing near farmers is only weeds removal and soil aeration. This problem can be solved by using the below suggestion.

• By using recommend weedicide, at the pre emergence stage or post emergence stage for wheat, cotton, sugarcane, maiz, potato etc. weedicide dose can recommended by agrarian decision after field vist.

ü Pre emergence weedicides i.e.
Pandimethelen@1000ml/acre, Acetacholor@500ml/acre, S-metolacholor etc.
ü Post emergence weedicides viz.
Bromoxinal+MCPA@500ml/acre, Cholodenafop@150gm/acre,
Fenoxaprop@500ml/acre, Fluroxypyr + MCPA@300gm/acre,
Isoproturon@800gm/acre, Atlantis@180gm/acre, glyphosate@150ml/16L water,
Paraquat (Gramaxone)@1000ml/acre.

• By using recommended soil supplements at both stages i.e. pre sowing and post sowing.

These supplements improve the soil structure and make a fertile soil for better crop yield.
ü Humic acid, application of this recommended dose chemical in soil at pre and post sowing break the soil hard pan, active the bonded nutrients in soil, soil aeration by softening of soil.
ü By the application of balance macro and micro nutrient at sowing and post sowing time.
This method is very efficient to improve the soil structure and increase the crop yield for the earning of farmers, time saving and for country development.
By: Shehzad Ahmad Kang: Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan,38040.
Corresponding author’s email; shehzadpbg@gmail.com

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Mushrooms gain popularity in Germany

The German mushroom market saw some progress in 2011, after a clear rise in 2010. The consumption of industrial mushrooms has been going down for years, a fact that hasn’t changed in 2011. But in general, the market is a positive one, seeing as the sales of fresh mushrooms went up with 2% last year, and 8% before that. Brown mushrooms in particular are gaining popularity.
Over half of the German mushrooms are imported. Domestic cultivation was about 62,000 tons in 2011, some 2000 tons more than in 2010. Both Holland and Poland are the most important suppliers of mushrooms, with 30,000 tons each. Hungary, with just 500 tons, is in third place.

Source: Fresh plaza
Published on: 09/14/2012

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New method to design better greenhouses

Doctorate student Bram Vanthoor of Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw has developed a method of calculation to design greenhouses better suited to local circumstances. The method has been tested for the Netherlands and Spain. During the tests two different greenhouse designs were built fully in line with the local situation. The method offers the possibility to optimise greenhouse building worldwide. Vanthoor will defend his thesis on Friday 17th of June.
Arch greenhouses, parral greenhouses, Venlo greenhouses and wide roof greenhouses, the variation worldwide is enormous. When designing a greenhouse one must also choose between a large number of different construction elements, such as e.g. roofing materials, heating and cooling systems. Which kind of greenhouse the grower chooses and how the greenhouse is being fitted is amongst other things, dependent upon the outside climate, economic factors, legal issues, social circumstances and the presence of sources, such as water, energy and CO2. The choice in favour of one possibility very often has a direct influence on the other elements and also depends on the plants to be cultivated in the greenhouse. This makes it very difficult to optimize the design process.

Optimization design
Bram Vanthoor developed a design method, which dependent on the local climate and economic conditions, designs a greenhouse which supplies the maximum financial result. The method always includes local circumstances and takes eight design elements into consideration, namely greenhouse construction, roofing material, outside awnings, chalk materials, energy screen, heating system, cooling system and CO2 quantity dosing system.

The design method is based on three models, namely one greenhouse climate model, one plant model and an economic model. These models calculate, dependent on the variables supplied, the financial result. After that an optimalisation-algorithm adjusts the design step by step. In this way the financial result is maximised finally and the best greenhouse found.

The design method has been tested in Spain and in the Netherlands. The model was designed quite differently for both locations, but with realistic proposals for the most successful greenhouse in both instances. The Spanish greenhouse had a larger ventilation area and was specially built to prevent high temperatures, whilst in the colder Netherlands a higher working capacity and an energy screen were fitted. It became clear at both locations, that the economic performance of the greenhouse improves by a high percentage of light passing through and that an outside screen, geothermic heating and mechanical cooling make the result worse.

Perspective of the method
The method has in first instance been developed for tomatoes. Adjustment for other
plants is possible. The design method of the greenhouse can assist in optimizing the cultivation of plants in greenhouse further. It is also possible to establish the best location to build new greenhouse with the new approach and the results of the economic changes on the cultivation can be predicted. Bram Vanthoor in the meantime lives and works as a business developer for a horticultural supplier in Mexico. The acquired knowledge is used there to adapt greenhouse to the local conditons.

Source: Fresh plaza
Published on: 6/20/2011

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Six Air Purifying House Plants

1. Bamboo Palm: According to NASA, it removes formaldahyde and is also said to act as a natural humidifier.

2. Snake Plant: Found by NASA to absorb nitrogen oxides and formaldahyde.

3. Areca Palm: One of the best air purifying plants for general air cleanliness.

4. Spider Plant: Great indoor plant for removing carbon monoxide and other toxins or impurities. Spider plants are one of three plants NASA deems best at removing formaldahyde from the air.

5. Peace Lily: Peace lilies could be called the “clean-all.” They’re often placed in bathrooms or laundry rooms because they’re known for removing mold spores. Also know to remove formaldahyde and trichloroethylene.

6. Gerbera Daisy: Not only do these gorgeous flowers remove benzene from the air, they’re known to improve sleep by absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off more oxygen over night.

If you can't even put a plant in your living room because you say it is too much trouble, then you need to die and wait for the other life to bring sense in your spirits!!!

Just do it. Random people like our whole team here are trying to put you back on your feet.. we arent doing that because we've got nothing else to do. We have families, too. We have ALL OF YOUR EXCUSES but yet, we're here, with you.

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Beware of artificial food coloring chemicals in pickles - it's what makes them appear more yellow

Beware of artificial food coloring chemicals in pickles - it's what makes them appear more yellowMonday, December 05, 2011 by: Selena Keegan
(NaturalNews)Pickles make great snacks, satisfying food cravings without throwing off your daily intake of calories, fats, sugars or carbohydrates. Like most fermented foods, natural pickles provide probiotic benefits. Unfortunately, most commercially sold pickle brands contain high fructose corn syrup and/or food dye.

Garnish your sandwich with cancer?

Food manufacturers dye pickles as a marketing ploy to enhance the shelf-appeal of their product, hoping consumers will choose the brightest pickles from the supermarket shelves. A few manufacturers using turmeric to create the yellowy tinge which makes green pickles appear brighter. However, as an April 2011 article in the New York Times noted, natural food dyes are "not as bright, cheap or stable as artificial colorings, which can remain vibrant for years."

Approximately 60%-70% of all dyes used in food and textile manufacturing are what are called azo dyes, processed from industrial waste. The ingredient responsible for the yellow color in many commercial pickles is the azo dye tartrazine, made from coal-tar derivatives. Many azo dyes are known to be mutagenic, meaning they cause mutations (changes in cell DNA). The National Cancer Institute has stated that mutagenic substances are carcinogens.

What the government is doing

For most of its 74-year history, the FDA has viewed most food dyes as harmless. In March of 2011, the agency asked a panel of experts to review the evidence on the health safety of food dyes. The panel's findings will determine whether products containing food dyes should carry warnings. Many parents are concerned about dyes because products for children often contain these artificial colors and one of the suspected effects of them is hyperactivity in children.

What we found

We researched several brands and types of pickle products to provide you with information to help you determine which products are safe. Interestingly, many of the manufacturers below do not provide ingredient lists on their websites; we had to visit retailers' sites to find these specifics. Below is a list of several products with their ingredients.

Vlasic Hamburger Dill Chips Pickles: cucumbers, water, distilled vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural, polysorbate 80, yellow 5.

Vlasic Homestyle Sweet Pickle Relish: cucumbers, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, salt, xanthan gum and guar gum, spice, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate (preservative), dehydrated red pepper, alum, natural flavor, polysorbate 80, yellow 5, blue 1.

Mt. Olive No Sugar Added Sweet Gherkins: cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, 0.1% sodium benzoate (preservative), alum, sucralose (splenda brand), xanthan gum, natural and artificial flavors, polysorbate 80, and fd&c yellow 5.

Nalley Bread and Butter Cucumber Chips: fresh cucumbers, high fructose corn syrup, vinegar, contains 2% or less of water, salt, spices, dehydrated onions, natural flavorings, calcium chloride, turmeric (color), polysorbate 80, yellow 5.

Milwaukee's Midget Kosher Dill Pickles: cucumber(s), water, salt, vinegar distilled, calcium chloride, garlic dehydrated, flavor(s) natural, polysorbate 80, yellow 5, potassium metabisulfite

Del-Dixi Hot Dill Pickles: cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, red pepper, alum, calcium chloride, natural flavoring, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), oleoresin turmeric & yellow #5 (colors), polysorbate 80 (emulsifier).

Heinz Polish Dill Spears: fresh cucumbers, water, distilled white vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, natural flavoring, polysorbate 80, fd&c yellow 5, garlic extract, acacia gum.

What you can do

Your local health food coop may have a policy against selling foods containing dyes. Trader Joe's line of pickles does not contain any artificial dyes, and some brands, such as Clausen's Pickles, seem to stick with natural food coloring. You can also learn to make your own pickles -- pickling is a great skill to increase your level of food self-sufficiency. An excellent source of a wide range of pickling recipes, as well as instructions on other varieties of fermented foods, is Sandor Katz' book Wild Fermentation.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.naturalnews.com/029886_industrial_waste_pickle.html

http://www.wildfermentation.com/about.php?page=sandorkraut

http://www.foodrenegade.com/the-color-of-food-artificial-vs-natural/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/health/policy/30fda.html?_r=2

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/weekinreview/03harris.html?amp

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034330_pickles_food_coloring_ingredients.html#ixzz2GQpVarhq

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Cucumber nutrition facts

BY: A M Awan

Ever wonder how to beat the scorching summer heat? Remember humble crunchy cucumber! This wonderful, low calorie vegetable indeed has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes.
The vegetable is one of the oldest cultivated crops and believed to be originating in the northern plains of Indian subcontinent. The plant is a creeper (vine) like other members of Cucurbita family, for example, gourds,squashes,melons,zucchini, etc.
Botanically; it belongs to the Cucurbitaceaefamily; and is known scientifically as Cucumis sativus.
Cucumber is easy to grow. Varieties, varying in size, shape, and color, are cultivated all around the world. In general, the fruit features dark-green skin, crispy moisture rich flesh, and small edible seeds concentrated at its core.
As in other squash members, cucumbers too are best-harvested young, tender and just short of reaching maturity, at the stage when they taste sweet, have crunchy texture, and unique flavor. If left uninterrupted, the fruit continues to grow in size, its skin becomes tougher and turns yellow, and seeds become hard and inedible. Fresh cucumbers are available throughout the season and can be eaten raw as is or in vegetable salads or juicing.
Armenian cucumbers (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) are long, crispy, and thin-ribbed, curved, and have light green color. Although grouped botanically in the melon family, they appear and taste just like cucumbers.

Miniature varieties such as gherkins, American-dills, and French-cornichonsare very small indeed and usually preferred in pickling.

Health benefits of Cucumber

• It is one of the very low calorie vegetables; provide just 15 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation, and offer some protection against colon cancers by eliminating toxic compounds from the gut.
• 
  It is a very good source of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. 100 g of cucumber provides 147 mg of potassium but only 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte helps bring a reduction in total blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium.
• Cucumbers contains unique anti-oxidants in moderate ratios such as ß-caroteneand α-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A,zea-xanthinand lutein. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes. Their total antioxidant strength, measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value), is 214 µmol TE/100 g.
• Cucumbers have mild diuretic property, which perhaps attributed to their free-water, and potassium and low sodium content. This helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.
• They surprisingly have a high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

1.Quick pick me-up - Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins. Put down your sodas and coffee and eat a cucumber slice.

2. Rehydrates body and replenishes daily vitamins - Cucumbers are 95 percent water, keeping the body hydrated while helping the body eliminate toxins. Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. Don't forget to leave the skin on because the skin contains a good amount of vitamin C, about 10 percent of the daily-recommended allowance.

3. Skin and hair care - If you don't like to eat the skin, it can be used for skin irritations and sunburns as aloe would be used. Place a slice over puffy eyes and its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce puffiness. The silicon and sulfur in cucumbers help to stimulate hair growth.

4. Fight cancers - Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

5. Home care - Eliminates a foggy mirror. Before taking a shower, rub a cucumber slice along a mirror and it will eliminate the mirror fogging up. Instead of WD40, take a cucumber slice and rub it along a squeaky hinge and your door will stop squeaking.

6. Relieves bad breath - Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

7. Hangover cure - To avoid a morning hangover or headache; eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients, reducing the intensity of both hangover and headache.

8. Aids in weight loss and digestion - Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

9. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure - Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

10. Promotes joint health, relieves gout and arthritis pain -Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels


Sorces:
http://www.healthonlinezine.info/15-health-benefits-of-cucumber.html
http://www.eatingwell.com
http://www.naturalnews.com/035719_cucumbers_anti-aging_vegetables.htmlhttp://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cucumber.html

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Cucumber nutrition facts

BY: A M Awan

Ever wonder how to beat the scorching summer heat? Remember humble crunchy cucumber! This wonderful, low calorie vegetable indeed has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes.
The vegetable is one of the oldest cultivated crops and believed to be originating in the northern plains of Indian subcontinent. The plant is a creeper (vine) like other members of Cucurbita family, for example, gourds,squashes,melons,zucchini, etc.
Botanically; it belongs to the Cucurbitaceaefamily; and is known scientifically as Cucumis sativus.
Cucumber is easy to grow. Varieties, varying in size, shape, and color, are cultivated all around the world. In general, the fruit features dark-green skin, crispy moisture rich flesh, and small edible seeds concentrated at its core.
As in other squash members, cucumbers too are best-harvested young, tender and just short of reaching maturity, at the stage when they taste sweet, have crunchy texture, and unique flavor. If left uninterrupted, the fruit continues to grow in size, its skin becomes tougher and turns yellow, and seeds become hard and inedible. Fresh cucumbers are available throughout the season and can be eaten raw as is or in vegetable salads or juicing.
Armenian cucumbers (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) are long, crispy, and thin-ribbed, curved, and have light green color. Although grouped botanically in the melon family, they appear and taste just like cucumbers.

Miniature varieties such as gherkins, American-dills, and French-cornichonsare very small indeed and usually preferred in pickling.

Health benefits of Cucumber

• It is one of the very low calorie vegetables; provide just 15 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation, and offer some protection against colon cancers by eliminating toxic compounds from the gut.
• 
  It is a very good source of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. 100 g of cucumber provides 147 mg of potassium but only 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte helps bring a reduction in total blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium.
• Cucumbers contains unique anti-oxidants in moderate ratios such as ß-caroteneand α-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A,zea-xanthinand lutein. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes. Their total antioxidant strength, measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value), is 214 µmol TE/100 g.
• Cucumbers have mild diuretic property, which perhaps attributed to their free-water, and potassium and low sodium content. This helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.
• They surprisingly have a high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

1.Quick pick me-up - Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins. Put down your sodas and coffee and eat a cucumber slice.

2. Rehydrates body and replenishes daily vitamins - Cucumbers are 95 percent water, keeping the body hydrated while helping the body eliminate toxins. Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. Don't forget to leave the skin on because the skin contains a good amount of vitamin C, about 10 percent of the daily-recommended allowance.

3. Skin and hair care - If you don't like to eat the skin, it can be used for skin irritations and sunburns as aloe would be used. Place a slice over puffy eyes and its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce puffiness. The silicon and sulfur in cucumbers help to stimulate hair growth.

4. Fight cancers - Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

5. Home care - Eliminates a foggy mirror. Before taking a shower, rub a cucumber slice along a mirror and it will eliminate the mirror fogging up. Instead of WD40, take a cucumber slice and rub it along a squeaky hinge and your door will stop squeaking.

6. Relieves bad breath - Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

7. Hangover cure - To avoid a morning hangover or headache; eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients, reducing the intensity of both hangover and headache.

8. Aids in weight loss and digestion - Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

9. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure - Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

10. Promotes joint health, relieves gout and arthritis pain -Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels


Sorces: 
http://www.healthonlinezine.info/15-health-benefits-of-cucumber.html
http://www.eatingwell.com
http://www.naturalnews.com/035719_cucumbers_anti-aging_vegetables.htmlhttp://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cucumber.html

 

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Cabbage nutrition facts

BY: A M Awan
Rich in phyto-nutrients, this cool season leafy vegetable belongs to the "Brassica" family of vegetables, which also include brussels sprouts,cauliflower,bok choy, kale, and broccoli. It is one of the widely cultivated crops around the world.
Scientific name: Brassica oleracea (capitata group).
Cabbage structurally consists of clusters of stiff leaves superimposed one over the other in compact layers, giving it a round or globular shape. Several varieties are cultivated worldwide including green, purple, red, and savoy (loose-wrinkled leaves).
Bok-choyor "Chinese-cabbage" features similar appearance, but derived from different species of the same Brassica genus vegetables. Bok-choy characteristically has a vigorous growth pattern. The whole plant has a long cylindrical shape, comprising of short, compact leaves.

Health benefits of cabbage

• Fresh, dark green-leafy cabbage is incredibly nutritious; however, very low in fat and calories. 100 g of leaves provide just 25 calories.
• The vegetable is the storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDLor "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood.
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  Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C. Provides 36.6 mg or about 61% of RDA, more than that of in the oranges. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
• Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value) is 508 µmol TE/100 g. Red cabbages contain more antioxidant value, 2252 µmol TE/100 g.
• It is also rich in essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.
• It also contains a adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.Iron is required for the red blood cell formation.
• Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin K, provides about 63% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K has the potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. So enough vitamin K in the diet gives you healthy bones. In addition, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

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The science of compost

Gardening experts discuss how to rectify a stinky compost bin.
Composting at home is fairly straightforward, but can go wrong quickly, and your nose knows when the compost container isn’t working properly. A functioning compost pile should smell faintly like warm earth. There are several causes of foul-smelling compost, and several practical solutions.
Mark King is a compost expert with the division of solid waste management at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. He said all stinky compost problems come down to “breakdowns in pile management,” largely due to neglect.

“Many people read how easy it is to compost and tend to think you can just toss stuff into a pile and in six to 12 months you will have compost,” King said. “This popular misconception has led to more than a few unhappy home owners who end up with a stinky offensive mess. However, provided with the proper technical support and educational outreach, they are able to turn things around, and happiness returns.”

The magic of microbes

Though compost may seem like magic, it relies on little critters — either microbes or worms. As King explains, these helpers require food, air and water.

“Microbes rely upon a balance of carbon and nitrogen. Carbon provides the energy source, and nitrogen is used as ‘building blocks’ to produce more microbes,” King said. Specifically, this recipe translates to 30 or 40 parts paper or leaves (carbon) per one part food scraps or grass clippings (nitrogen). The mix must be kept moist and well-aerated.

If the mix is right, the microbes produce compost, carbon dioxide and water vapor. Without enough oxygen or the wrong mix, it could start producing stinky volatile organic acids.

Time and temperature: The keys to compost

King recommends taking the temperature of a compost pile. The goal is temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Richard Stehouwer is an associate professor of environmental soil science at Penn State University. He explains why cooler compost isn’t doing its job.

“Anaerobic decomposition is much slower and generates far less heat than aerobic decomposition,” he said. “So heat dissipates from the pile as quickly as it is being generated and the pile temperature does not increase. In these systems anything that prevents oxygen from reaching zones in the pile where decomposition is ongoing will result in anaerobic conditions and production of malodorous gasses.”

“Optimizing the recipe will create an odor-free, aerobic environment,” King said. “When any of these items are out of balance, odors ensue. The good news is that with proper attention, most problems are easily fixed and odors go away.”

Stehouwer offers the following troubleshooting suggestions for cold, stinky compost bins:

1. Mix the carbon and the food scraps more thoroughly, so the decomposing food can diffuse oxygen faster than it consumes oxygen.

2. Mix more dry leaves or paper into a pile that may be too wet. “The rate of oxygen diffusion through water is 10,000 times slower than through air,” he said.

3. “Add material that will help create porosity,” he said, such as wood chips, straw and dry leaves. Large air gaps in a compost pile improve air flow and help the microbes do their job.

4. Add more carbon. Excess nitrogen, or food scraps, can generate stinky ammonia.

Preventing compost odors in the kitchen

The other major source of compost-related odors is the food scrap pile in the kitchen awaiting the trip to the compost bin. To avoid odors in the kitchen, King recommends storing less than a week’s worth of food in an airtight container, then feeding it to the compost microbes along with the recommended 30 to 40 times as much paper, leaves or other carbon.

The same general rules apply to worm compost, which also can start to smell with the wrong proportions of food, carbon and water. King warns against letting food scraps get too rotten. “Even worms have their standards.”

Stehouwer warns that worm compost bins can get stinky if users add more food or larger particles than worms can handle. He recommends chopping food into smaller pieces, and always adding plenty of paper or cardboard whenever food is added. Some vermicomposters use a small old blender or food processor to grind up the worm food.

Give the worms, or the microbes in a hot compost bin, the right mix of food, air and water, and they will generate valuable, earthy-smelling compost for your garden.

Source: MNN
Published on: 03/21/2011

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Robot learns to pick the sweetest strawberries in UK

Richard Dudley imagines a world where strawberries grow in perfect rows and every day a robot army "tastes" their colors before harvesting the ripe ones. The research scientist at the United Kingdom’s National Physical Laboratory is building a robot that uses multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to identify the sweetest, ripest fruit — then plucks it from the vine.

Strawberries are a fickle, high-value crop, and harvesting them is costly. Lucky for Dudley, though, they can be grown in a variety of robot-picking-friendly ways. He isn’t first to the droid-worker game — organizations in Spain, Japan, and the United States have produced tractors with gripping arms — but all of them have the same disadvantage: They have trouble differentiating between the leaves and the fruit. Dudley’s ‘bot solves this problem by analyzing the plants with a combo of micro-, radio, terahertz, and far-infrared waves.

So far, microwaves work best for strawberries. The waves find the fruit and measure its water content — an indicator of ripeness — effectively taking a taste test. "With microwaves, leaves are actually quite transparent," Dudley says. He describes it as a safe "x-ray eye," since actual x-rays would irradiate the crop. He hopes to work with a company that builds robotic arms to make the tech a commercial reality for farmers within a year.

Source: Fresh plaza

Published on: 8/8/2012

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Jumma Mubark

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Jumma Mubark

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Pomegranate nutrition facts

Pomegranate is among the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavor, taste, and heath promoting characteristics. Along with berries, and some tropical exotics such as mango, it too has novel qualities of functional foods often called as “super fruits.”

Botanically, it is a small size fruit-bearing deciduous tree belonging within the Lythraceaefamily, of genus: Punica. The fruit is thought to originate in the Sub-Himalayan range of North India. Scientific name: Punica granatum.
The tree grows to about five and eight meters tall. It is cultivated at a commercial scale in vast regions across Indian sub-continent, Iran, Caucuses and Mediterranean regions for its fruits. Completely grown-up tree bears numerous spherical, bright red, purple, or orange-yellow colored fruits depending on the cultivar types. Each fruit measures about 6-10 cm in diameter and weighs about 200 gm. Its outer skin or rind is tough and features leathery texture.
Interior of the fruit is separated by white, thin, spongy, membranous, bitter tissue into compartments. Such sections, packed as sacs, filled with tiny edible sweet, juicy, pink pulp encasing around a single, angular, soft or hard (in over-mature fruits) seed.
Pomegranate is one of the most extensively cultivated fruits for food, juice, flavor, and color, making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called “super fruits."

Health benefits of Pomegranate

• The fruit is moderate in calories; 100 g provides 83 calories, slightly more than that in theapples. It contains no cholesterol or saturated fats.
• It is rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibers, providing about 4 g per 100 g (about 12% of RDA), which aid in smooth digestive and bowel movements. The fruit is suggested by nutritionists in the diet for weight reduction and cholesterol controlling programs. Regular inclusion of fruits in the diets boosts immunity, improves circulation, and offers protection from cancers.
• Punicalaginis a polyphenolic anti-oxidant compound found abundantly in the pomegranate juice. Studies suggest that punicalagin and tannins are effective in reducing heart-disease risk factors by scavenging harmful free radicals from the body.
• Total antioxidant strength of pomegranate fruit measured in terms of its oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is 2341 µmol TE/100 g.
• The fruit is an also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C, provides about 17% per 100 g of daily requirement. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents by boosting immunity.
• Regular consumption of pomegranate has also been found to be effective against prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), diabetes, and lymphoma.
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  Further, it is an also good source of many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), folates, pyridoxine and vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese.
 

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Banana fruit nutrition facts

Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy-rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and in fact, one of the cheapest fruits. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae.Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.
Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.

Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. It flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands.
In fact, the whole plant is a false stem (pseudostem), consisting of broad leaves along with their petioles overlapping around each other in a circular fashion standing up to 2 to 6 meters tall from the ground surface depending upon the cultivar types. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up on a long smooth un-branched stem through the centre of the pseudo-stem emerging out at the top in the centre of the leaf cluster. The flower subsequently develops to hanging bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands (tiers), each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) in each hand (tier). Banana plant or plantain bears hanging clusters of fruits as a bunch. Fruits are arranged in tiers, with 6-20 fruits in each tier.

Health benefits of banana fruit

• Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. 100 g of fruit provides 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
• Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.
• The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.
• It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such aslutein, zea-xanthin, ß and α-carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
• It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6(pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the body.
• The fruit is an also moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.
• Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.

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Banana fruit nutrition facts

Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy-rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and in fact, one of the cheapest fruits. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae.Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.
Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.

Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. It flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands.
In fact, the whole plant is a false stem (pseudostem), consisting of broad leaves along with their petioles overlapping around each other in a circular fashion standing up to 2 to 6 meters tall from the ground surface depending upon the cultivar types. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up on a long smooth un-branched stem through the centre of the pseudo-stem emerging out at the top in the centre of the leaf cluster. The flower subsequently develops to hanging bunch consisting of 3 to 20 hands (tiers), each with at least 5-10 fingers (fruits) in each hand (tier). Banana plant or plantain bears hanging clusters of fruits as a bunch. Fruits are arranged in tiers, with 6-20 fruits in each tier.

Health benefits of banana fruit

• Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. 100 g of fruit provides 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amounts of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
• Banana pulp is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.
• The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.
• It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such aslutein, zea-xanthin, ß and α-carotenes in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
• It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6(pyridoxine), provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the body.
• The fruit is an also moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.
• Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.

 

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Apple fruit nutrition facts

By: A. M. Awan

Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the most popular fruits, favorite of health conscious, fitness lovers who believe in the concept “health is wealth.” This wonderful fruit is packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true senses indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have much health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus truly justifying the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
Scientific name: Malus domestica.

Apples are obtained from the medium-sized tree belonging to the Rosaceaefamily. The apple tree is originated in the mineral-rich mountain ranges of Kazakhstan, and now being cultivated in many parts of the world.
Apple fruit features oval or pear shape; and the outer skin has different colors depending upon the cultivar type. Internally, the juicy pulp has been off-white to cream in color and has to mix of mild sweet and tart taste. Its seeds are inedible because of their bitter taste.
Hundreds of varieties of apples are either eaten as table fruits or as dessert fruit grown in the US and worldwide. Some of the apples are sought-after in cooking and baking too.

Health benefits of apple

• Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is notable for its impressive list of phtyto-nutrients, and anti-oxidants. Studies suggest that its components are essential for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
• Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. They, however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent absorption of dietary-LDL or bad cholesterol in the gut. The fiber also saves the colon mucous membrane from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer-causing chemicals inside the colon.
• Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrientsflavonoidsand polyphenolics.The total measured anti-oxidant strength(ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. Some of the important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Additionally, they are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. Altogether, these compounds help the body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.
• Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-Cand beta-carotene.Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
• Further, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.
• Apple also contains a small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium.

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Fruit nutrition facts

Why fruits?

Fruits are nature’s wonderful medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients (Plant derived micronutrients). They are an absolute feast to our sight, not just because of their color and flavor but their unique nutrition-profile that help the body stay fit and healthy!

1. Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.
2. Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward of cholesterol and fats from the body and to get relief from constipation as well.
3. Fruits contain many anti-oxidants like poly-phenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, and anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly,help human body protected from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly;help the body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant value, which is something measured by their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or (ORAC).
4. Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue-fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberry, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple color. Eating fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties, remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections, etc. These pigments tend to concentrate just underneath the skin.
5. Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, anti-oxidants, which helps the body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting and rejuvenating cells, tissues and organs. Their overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are infinite! You are protecting yourself from minor ailments like wrinkling of skin, hair-fall, and memory loss to major ailments like age-related macular degeneration (AMRD) of the retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis)…etc., andthe list of fruit nutrition benefits never ends!

Here is an impressive list of fruits with complete illustrations of their
health benefits and nutrition facts:

Acai berry	Apple	Apricot
Avocado	Banana	Blackberries
Black currants	Blueberries	Cantaloupe
Cherimoya	Cherry	Chokeberry
Cranberries	Dates	Durian fruit
Figs	Gooseberries	Grapes
Grapefruit	Guava	Jackfruit
Kiwi fruit	Kumquat	Lemon
Loquat fruit	Lychee	Mango fruit
Mangosteen	Mulberries	Orange
Papaya	Passion fruit	Peaches
Pears	Persimmon fruit	Pineapple
Plums	Pomegranate	Quince fruit
Raspberry	Sapodilla (Sapote)	Star fruit
Strawberry	Tangerine	Watermelon

How much fruit nutrition should be included in our daily diet?

Research studies suggest that one may eat any servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.
The term one fruit serving is about 250 g of cleaned, edible-portion of the fruit, excluding discards like peel, seeds, etc.
Include seasonal fruits in the daily diet. Variety of fruit's type, color, and flavor should be encouraged to get maximum health benefits. Yellow and orange color fruits are rich sources of α and β carotenes, zea-xanthin and crypto-xanthin, while blue, black colored like black or blueberries are a good source of poly-phenolic anthocyanin anti-oxidants.

Selection of fruits

To avail maximum fruit nutrition benefits eat organic produce. Many "wild" varieties of berries and "tropical tree" fruits have still not treated with any kind of fertilizers or chemicals and can be readily purchased from local farm owners. Organic fruits tend to be smaller; however, they feature special flavor and richness in vitamins, minerals and stuffed with numerous anti-oxidants.
In the store, however, choose fruits that feature freshness, bright in color and flavor and feel heavy in your hands. Look carefully for blemishes, spots, molds, and signs of insecticide spray. Buy whole fruits instead of section of them (for example, buy a small size watermelon instead of a section of big size melon).

Dry fruits

Dry fruits are rich source of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Consumption of some dry fruits daily enhances the overall bioavailability of nutrients. Try raisins(dried grapes), apricots, dates, figs, tamarind..., which are indeed very good in iron, calcium, zinc, selenium and manganese. In addition, mixing dry fruits with some fresh fruits would help you get vitamin C which in-turn facilitates complete absorption of iron inside the stomach.

How to use fruits?

Barring few fruits like berries, try to wash them soon after shopping. Rinse them in salt water for few minutes and then wash in cool running water until you are satisfied with complete cleanliness. This way, you make sure that the fruit you eat is rid-off dust, sand and any residual chemical spray. Eat them while they are fresh because, certain fruits have very short shelf life and the health benefiting properties of fruit declines with time. If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.
If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to get their original flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.

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