More and more of disappointing facts are found out about our favorite orange juice, which we used to consider one of the healthiest and the most useful fruit juices. Just recently the scientists warned us that drinking orange juice on a regular basis can seriously affect our dental health and damage our tooth enamel. More to that: according to the results of the latest research by the specialists from Harvard Medical School, regular intake of orange juice (even one glass a day) is inked to increased level of sugar in the blood and increased risk of having type 2 diabetes in women. Read the rest of this entry »

Stress reducing properties of milk were recently discovered by a group of scientists in France. The experiments followed by laboratory researches showed that lactium, an important protein which can be received form milk, has very strong calming and relaxing effects. It can lower blood pressure, as well as assist in dropping down cortisol levels in the body and stress reduction. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced in our body when we are stressed out and is linked to stressful conditions in our mind. Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh or dried tart cherries are my most favorite fruit and I try to eat them year-round. I love cherries since my childhood, most of which was spent in my grandma’s summer house in Liguria. Cherry trees were all around the house, and in summer I liked climbing up and picking up those dark red fruit with refreshing sore flesh filled with juice. Tart cherries, fresh or dried, and tart cherry juice are very valuable additions to everyone’s healthy diet as these products have numerous therapeutic effects and health benefits.

It is believed that red fruit and veggies, such as red grapes, plums, pomegranate, red date and others, have efficiency to enrich our blood. In addition to this, tart cherries and tart cherry juice are claimed to assist in lowering cholesterol level in blood and improving blood flow, as well as prevent varicose veins and guarantee a good heart health. In addition, regular consumption of red tart cherry juice has positive effects on the joints: it helps to relieve joint pains and muscle soreness.

Red pigment in tart cherries is called anthocyanins, which is a powerful antioxidant able to provide you with the full variety of health benefits related to antioxidants. Besides, anthocyannis also has excellent anti-inflammatory properties (some studies showed that anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherry extracts are 10 times stronger than the ones of aspirin!), as well as it can assist in slowing down body fat formation, this way becoming an important element of any nutrition plan for effective weight management. These finding were presented at the Experimental Biology 2008 Conference by the specialists at the Cherry Marketing Institute.

Health benefits of cherry juice also include reducing risks of having diabetes, cataracts, Alzheimer’s disease and age related mental problems. Experts say that eating about 20 dried or fresh cherries a day, or drinking 150 ml of fresh cherry juice is enough to harvest the most of health benefits of this natural remedy. “In fact the latest research shows that eating 20 cherries daily could cut your risk of heart attack by 30%,” says M. Nair, Ph D, food science and human nutrition researcher.

When talking about health benefits of cherry juice, it is impossible not to mention tart cherry juice concentrate as an effective natural remedy for a variety of aliment and health problems. Cherry juice concentrate is prepared by warming up and pressing fresh tart cherries. This product is a source of such important elements and minerals as proteins, sugar, Vitamin A and beta-carotene, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, sodium and others. For several decades health care practitioners have been recommending drinking tart cherry juice concentrate in small and moderate doses as a part of treatment for gout or other forms of arthritis inflammation.

In these hot summer days, sometimes we feel like plants. I mean, all we need for feeling good when the weather is hot is to learn how to use natural energy of sun. What can help us to stay refreshed and healthy? Certainly, our friends: natural superfoods, herbs, fruit and vegetables. Many nutritionists recommend drinking natural squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, which can assist us greatly in stress, fatigue and weight management. Today, I would like to share with you some interesting ideas for making herbal teas, fruit and vegetable juice mixes. Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody knows that squeezed juices are much better than bottled juices available in our supermarkets. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are excellent sources of natural vitamins, minerals and nutriments necessary to our body for its normal functioning. Using fresh juices therapy can help you in weight management, normalizing your blood pressure and the function of your digestive system, stimulate detoxification, lower cholesterol and so on. Some nutritionists say that having a glass of fresh squeezed juice for breakfast can be effective in protecting our body against a great number of infections and viruses. Read the rest of this entry »