By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Acai (pronounced Ah-sa-EEE) fruit showed up in the health food stores a few years ago. I figured it was just another trendy ‘superfood’ that would burn itself out, so I basically ignored it.

Recently I’ve noticed “Acai bowls” showing up at local coffee and smoothie shops. It wasn’t until my son’s girlfriend pointed out how delicious they were, that I finally decided to try them. Now, I’m hooked on my Acai bowl that I get from my local coffee shop. It’s absolutely delicious!

Acai comes from a type of palm tree that grows in the rain forests of South and Central America. They are small, about an inch in diameter and have just one pit, which makes them classified as a drupe, not a berry, as they are often called.

Acai fruit has sustained many primitive Brazilian and Amazonian populations, including the Caboclo tribe, with its massive nutrients and health benefits for hundreds of years.

Their dark purplish-red color may give you a clue as to their health benefits. Yes, they are very high in antioxidants, low in calories and sugar, and high in fiber. The dark purple color of the fruit means it contains lots of anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant similar to blueberries, cranberries, and dark grapes.

Most of the health benefits of benefits of acai are due to its very high antioxidant content. Acai has one of the highest ORAC scores of all fruits. ORAC, or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is a scale that measures the number of antioxidants in foods. It’s no surprise that the acai berry is almost at the top of the ORAC list. Acai even scores far higher than goji berries or blueberries.

Some of the powerful antioxidants acai contains includes anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, protocatechuic acid, procyanidins and epicatechin, polyphenols, as well as vitamins A, C and E. They also contain healthy fatty acids including monounsaturated fatty acids and omega 3 fats, and plant sterols. Anthocyanins contain many benefits including skin health, anti-aging, fighting cancer, heart health, weight loss and more.

All good things!

Let’s take a more in-depth view of these benefits:

Skin health

The concentration of antioxidants in acai about 10 times higher than for red grapes, and acai is estimated to have 10 to 30 times the number of anthocyanins than red wine. So, if you are drinking red wine for its antioxidants, it may be time to switch to something better.

Anthocyanins are known for their skin-protective benefits. Oxidation can come from sun exposure, excessive stress, pollutants in the atmosphere, alcohol, smoking, poor dietary choices, etc. Antioxidants help fight the aging effects of oxidation. Antioxidants in acai also help protect the cells’ DNA, so that damaged cells or mutated cells that can lead to cancer are minimized. Antioxidants in acai also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while improving skin cell turnover.

The antioxidants in the acai berry also help to increase the efficiency of the cells’ absorption of nutrients, while the vitamins A and C in acai help skin cell turnover and production of collagen to fight wrinkles. Acai’s anti-inflammatory benefits help to reduce redness and inflammation in the skin, and fight acne.

Fights Cancer

Antioxidants help fight cancer because they protect the cells from damage and aid in reproducing healthy cells. Since acai is so high in antioxidants, it’s safe to assume they protect against cancer as well. According to Medical News Today, some of the things the acai berry antioxidants do that are beneficial to health include:

• Prevent cancer cell growth
• Induce cancer cell death
• Have anti-inflammatory effects
• Protect healthy cell reproduction to prevent cancer
• Inhibit the beginning of new tumors

There have been a few in-vitro and animal studies the evaluate the anticancer effects of the acai berry, but as of now, no large human studies have been conducted.

One study looked at mice eating acai and rates of bladder cancer. Those mice eating acai showed significantly reduced rates of cancer cells, and cancer tumor growth. Extracts of acai showed promise against breast cancer cells, and colon cancer cells as well. Studies of acai benefits on malignant melanoma demonstrated an 82% decrease in tumor volume compared to the control group.

These promising studies prove that we should be further studying the beneficial effects of acai berries fighting cancer in humans.

Helps Control Hunger, Aids in Weight Loss

Some health experts believe that acai berry may be able to suppress the appetite, by helping to control blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels go up in response to eating sweet foods or starchy foods, insulin is released. Insulin signals for fat storage, and insulin also causes feelings of hunger.

Acai can help balance blood sugar levels, slowing the release of insulin and helping you feel fuller and more satisfied. Like most fruit, acai also contains lots of fiber, which is good for digestion and moving things along—preventing bloating and gas. Beware, however, most acai bowls and smoothies contain other fruits, juices and sweet ingredients that raise blood sugar, defeating acai’s appetite suppressing abilities.

Helps Detox the Body

Acai berries contain lots of fiber. The fiber not only helps with digestion, but it improves gut health and encourages the growth of healthy probiotics. Acai berry cleanses have become popular because it is thought that the Acai berries do a better job of helping to detox the liver and the kidneys.

The fiber from acai berries cleanses the colon, removing harmful residue left behind from processed foods and undigested matter. These toxic substances can leak out of the gut into the body, creating more inflammation. This type of cleanse also helps to reduce constipation and help keep you regular, preventing foods from remaining in the intestines too long and being the cause of bloating, gas, food sensitivities, and slowed metabolism.

There are many advertisements for products including, “acai berry detox,” “acai burn,” “acai pure” and “acai berry edge,” promising quicker than normal weight loss. Some of the ads claim you can lose up to 20 pounds in one week. These claims are not science backed and other than a laxative effect it may have on your system, losing 20 pounds in one week is not a healthy way to detox or diet.

My opinion about detoxing or cleansing is that your body will naturally clean itself out if you are consuming whole, natural foods, including lots of high fiber fruits and vegetables. However, cleanses, in general, can have some merit, especially if you’ve been through a period of eating unhealthy foods and are having any digestive difficulties, brain fog or other negative reactions. Cleanses also work well to help mentally—as well as physically–and as a way for you to start fresh and get back on track with a healthy diet.

Slows Mental Decline

Age-related brain disease including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s and other types of dementia seem to be increasing. One of the theories on this is an increase in inflammation and inflammatory foods, especially vegetable oils, sugar and processed starchy foods.

Scientists are now looking at the value of anti-inflammatory polyphenolic compounds in the diet and how they can lower the risk of age-related mental decline. Several studies suggest that oxidative stress may be one of the biggest factors in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The antioxidant anthocyanin, which is found in high amounts in acai berries may help lower oxidative damage and lower inflammation, promoting better brain health.

This recent study also shows similar results in elderly people. Increasing polyphenol antioxidants significantly lowered the risk of dementia. The study compared participants with a lower intake of antioxidants to those with a higher reported intake. Those in the those in the higher intake group had a 50% lower risk of dementia.

Anthocyanins also have been shown to enhance and improve memory. They are thought to work in a similar way–by inhibiting neuroinflammation, activating signaling activity in the brain, and improving overall blood flow to the brain.

As with many other high-antioxidant foods, acai berries have also been associated with helping prevent heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases related to inflammation and oxidation.

How to Consume Acai Berries

Acai berries tend to go bad and spoil within hours of being picked, so it’s extremely difficult to find them fresh or whole, unless you live close to the tropical jungles of South America.

Acai is often available in three forms: frozen, freeze-dried or powdered, or in juice. Frozen acai works great in smoothies or bowls. Just be careful if you happen to purchase acai bowls at a restaurant; they may have a lot of added sugars in the form of other fruit, juices, and add-ons. Acai is also available in capsules that can be taken as a supplement. My favorite form of acai is the frozen pulp that can be added to smoothies or bowls. Acai has a delicious, fruity, not—too—sweet flavor that is worth enjoying while getting all those antioxidants!

References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305576#diet
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-acai-berries#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/how-acai-berry-prevents-early-signs-of-aging/articleshow/85386018.cms
https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/tools/fact-sheets/acai-berry-and-cancer/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/acai-weight-loss-wonder-fruit#1
https://draxe.com/health/acai-berry-cleanse/

The post Is That Acai Bowl Good for You? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Cauliflower is super popular these days, and it makes the perfect low carb base for so many dishes. You can swap it out for rice, potatoes, beans, pizza crust—you name it, cauliflower can become the perfect non carb-y carb, thanks to the keto diet and low carb diets.

The great thing about cauliflower is that besides it being such a versatile low carb option for so many foods, it also is full of nutrition, fiber, and phytochemicals, so it’s the perfect choice!

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, along with broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, and more. These slightly bitter tasting veggies contain a lot of super phytochemicals to help fight cancer, protect your bones, balance your hormones, strengthen the immune system and detoxification.

Cancer fighting

Cruciferous vegetables have a strong cancer-fighting link, and are helpful to prevent breast cancer, colon, liver, lung and stomach cancers as well. It not only helps to slow the growth of cancer cells but it also helps to prevent the growth of tumors as well.

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in a compound called glucosinolates which are sulphur containing compounds. The sulphur is part of the reason cruciferous vegetables have such a strong odor.

Inflammation fighting

We know that inflammation is the beginning of many chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and more. Lowering our toxic intake of foods that cause inflammation, while eating more ant-inflammatory foods will go a long way towards protecting our health and longevity. Cauliflower lowers oxidative stress and fights free radicals in our body. It also contains a host of powerful antioxidants including vitamin C, to fight inflammation and protect health.

Aids in Digestion

Compounds in cauliflower including sulforaphanes, glucobrassicin, glucoraphanin and gluconasturiian, aid the liver and support detoxification. These sulfur containing compounds help with nutrient absorption, and toxin and waste removal. In addition, glucosinolates help protect the stomach, and reduce leaking gut syndrome and other digestive disorders. They also feed our good bacteria in our guts, keeping a healthy gut environment which in turn aids our immune system, and reduces unhealthy bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

Cauliflower has a high fiber content, and one cup of it cooked has about 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. Diets rich in fiber help with digestions and help keep us regular. These beneficial effects not only make life more comfortable but also help maintain colorectal health.

Helps Keep our Hormones in Balance

Eating a diet heavy in cruciferous vegetables helps to maintain the proper levels of healthy estrogen, for both men and women. An inflammatory diet and unhealthy lifestyle make hormonal imbalances very common. In addition, processed foods like soy, meat, dairy, yeast and refined sugar can all lead to high levels of a bad version of estrogen in the body. Too much estrogen can cause health issues like weight gain, hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, breast and ovarian cancer.

High Antioxidant Levels

Cauliflower contains ample amounts of vitamins C and K along with the mineral, manganese which neutralize free radicals before they can cause damage to healthy cells and contribute to disease. Vitamins C and K are considered powerful antioxidants that may help prevent conditions such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis.
One cup of cooked cauliflower provides 70% percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, 19 percent of the daily vitamin K amount and 8 percent of the daily manganese amount, according to World’s Healthiest Foods.

Can you Eat Too Much Cauliflower?

Given the prevalence of cauliflower everywhere, can you eat too much of it?

Large quantities of cruciferous vegetables can inhibit thyroid function, but only for those who are deficient in iodine.

Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables are known to cause some gas and bloating, especially if you eat them raw. Cooking helps to relieve the gas issue, and also helps with absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Cruciferous veggies including cauliflower do include compounds called purines which can aggravate kidney stones and gout, but generally there is little risk unless you are eating large quantities.

Roasted Cauliflower, garlic and Tahini Dip

One of my favorite ways of enjoying cauliflower is roasting it. The roasting brings out a rich, nutty flavor in cauliflower and it blends well with garlic. Check out this delicious low carb dip with sliced fresh veggies.

Ingredients

• 1medium sized head cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 1 head garlic
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini paste
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp each ground black pepper and ground cumin

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Toss chopped cauliflower in a bowl with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. On a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet, spread cauliflower. Slice off about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic head so that cloves are exposed and wrap garlic in foil and place on baking sheet with cauliflower. Roast for 45 minutes, turning cauliflower halfway. Remove from oven, unwrap garlic (being careful of steam) and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, tahini to food processor. Squeeze out garlic from peel, add lemon juice and 1-2 tbsp water. Process until smooth. Serve with sliced cucumber, sliced carrots, and sliced radishes.

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References
https://www.livescience.com/54552-cauliflower-nutrition.html
https://draxe.com/nutrition/cauliflower/

The post Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Tahini Dip appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Catherine Ebeling 
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Nothing says “Summer” better than a cool, refreshing, sweet, juicy, delicious slice of ripe watermelon—no matter what time of year it is. But I often hear cautions on eating watermelon—that it is high glycemic, full of sugar, mostly water, not very nutritious, etc.

Right? Or wrong?

While watermelons are mostly water—90% or so, they are also full of vitamins A, B6, C, lycopene, antioxidants and minerals. Remember hearing about the lycopene in tomatoes? Watermelon, another red-colored fruit, is FULL of this powerful phytonutrient! In fact, watermelon has some of the highest levels of lycopene of all fruits and veggies. Just one cup of watermelon has 1 and a half times the lycopene of a large fresh tomato. And who eats just one cup of watermelon? I know I don’t!

Because watermelon is one of the best sources of lycopene with more than 6,500 micrograms in less than half a cup, you are getting an army’s worth of inflammation-fighting antioxidant activity! Lycopene from the red flesh of watermelon is very stable, even after the watermelon has been cut and stored in the refrigerator. Lycopene is thought to be even more powerful than its other orange/red colored ally, beta carotene—found in red and orange fruits and veggies.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Lycopene is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, valued for its role in protecting the cardiovascular system, bone health, and preventing cancer. Along with lycopene, watermelons contain another powerful phytochemical, citrulline, an amino acid. Citrulline gets converted into another important chemical in the body, arginine, or L-arginine. Arginine is used to create nitric oxide, which has powerful benefits on the heart and blood vessels. NO can actually cause blood vessels to relax and open up, lowering blood pressure and helping the body carry more oxygen to parts of the body where it is needed–like muscles, your heart and your brain. A study from Florida State University found that watermelon could make a significant difference in lowering blood pressure–especially in overweight people, by relaxing the blood vessel walls.

Citrulline, when it converts into arginine, can also help prevent excess accumulation of fat in fat cells, because it blocks an enzyme that stores this fat. And because citrulline is a precursor to nitric oxide, it can also help improve erectile dysfunction in men, in a similar way that Viagra works—although you would have to quite a bit of watermelon to get the same effect as Viagra.

As you can see in this article, watermelons are on the list of foods that beat statins for heart health!

It’s All About the Lycopene

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, capable of destroying free radicals which attack our bodies and can contribute to chronic disease and aging. In one study of 13,000 adult Americans, low levels of carotenoids were a key predictor of early death. Especially low blood levels of lycopene! Lycopene protects our cardiovascular system, the male reproductive system, and in the skin, it protects and prevents UV damage from the sun.

Several studies have been conducted showing the strong link between levels of lycopene and heart disease. Analyses from the Physicians Health Study showed a 39% decrease in stroke risk in men with the highest blood levels of lycopene. Another study in Finland following 1,000 men for 12 years has had similar results as well.

Lycopene is also responsible for limiting the enzyme responsible for making cholesterol, so eating foods with more lycopene also helps to reduce cholesterol—specifically, LDL cholesterol.  (Side note:  speaking of heart health, did you know that grass fed dairy fat actually contains nutrients that help unclog your arteries)

Anti-Cancer Power

Lycopene is a life-saver in more ways than one! Besides its cardiovascular benefits, lycopene’s antioxidant power extends to anti-cancer effects as well. A 2014 meta-analysis of 10 studies shows dietary lycopene to be protective against ovarian cancers, as well as brain tumors and breast tumors.

And of course, we know about lycopene’s value in fighting prostate cancer. In several studies, higher intakes of foods containing lycopene and a higher serum or plasma concentration of lycopene was associated with a very significant decreased risk of prostate cancer—especially the more lethal kind of prostate cancer. When researchers studied only the men who had had at least one high risk PSA test, the subjects had a 50% decreased risk of lethal prostate cancer.

“Based on these results, we hypothesize that the consumption of a diet rich in lycopene-containing foods reduces the aggressive potential of prostate cancer by inhibiting the neoangiogenesis that occurs in tumor development,” Dr. Giovannucci’s team reported online ahead of print in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.”

Other studies have shown lycopene’s powerful cancer fighting ability effective against lung cancer, esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colorectal, and cervical cancers as well.

Extremely Good for Rehydration

Watermelons get their name because they are over 90% water, and that water is full of electrolytes and potassium which helps you stay hydrated or to rehydrate. The perfect fruit to eat on hot summer days, or after a hard, sweaty workout! And that delicious juice can also help prevent muscle soreness—especially if you have watermelon before your intense workout.

Its Not Just the Red Part

While most of us only eat the juicy red flesh of the watermelon, the whole thing is actually edible and chock full of nutrients! From the red center to the stem end, and also the blossom end–including the white part near the rind–are a plethora of impressive antioxidants, flavonoids, lycopene, and vitamin C. Even the green rind is full of nutrients. The rind is full of chlorophyll, and contains even more citrulline than the red flesh. Try throwing your watermelon rinds into the blender with fresh squeezed lime juice for a healthy slushy treat.

It is still best, however, to pick ripest, reddest watermelon you can find. Lycopene content continues to increase all the way up until the time the watermelon is at its reddest and ripest.

And don’t spit out those seeds, unless you are in a watermelon seed-spitting contest! The black watermelon seeds are not only edible, but actually extremely good for you. They are full of iron, zinc, fiber and protein. Seedless watermelons are ok to eat too—they are not genetically modified, only hybrid forms of watermelon bred especially for their no-seed content.

Watermelons also are rich in anti-inflammatory substances including cucurbitacin E, tripterpenoid which help to block the pain and inflammation of certain enzymes, in a similar fashion as NSAID’s like ibuprofen and aspirin.

While being very low in calories (only about 46 calories in a cup), watermelon also contains an impressive variety of other important essential nutrients including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Potassium
• Magnesium

The Age Old Question—How Do You Pick the Perfect Watermelon?

It can be a huge gamble finding the perfect, red, sweet watermelon. But—if you know what to look for, there is a real method to finding the best one. Look on the underside of the watermelon for a pale, butter-colored yellow spot—not white or green. This is one of the best indicators of the ripeness of the watermelon. Also pick up a few and choose the one that is heaviest for its size. Many people ‘thump’ the watermelon to check its ripeness too—listen for the best hollow bass sound.

Be aware that watermelons do contain a reasonable quantity of fructose, so be mindful of your sugar intake, and eat watermelon in moderation.  With that said, because watermelons are so filling, and have both high water content AND high fiber content, the old myth that watermelons are high glycemic is not entirely true… This is because the “glycemic load” of a watermelon is actually fairly low since it’s nearly impossible to overeat large quantities of a food that is as filling as watermelon.

So enjoy your watermelon, knowing you’re doing your body good!  Also try my friend Danette’s watermelon & lime juice drink here!

References:

Charnow, (Feb 2014). Lycopene May Decrease Prostate Cancer Risk. Retrieved from http://www.renalandurologynews.com/prostate-cancer/lycopene-may-decrease-prostate-cancer-risk/article/335907/

Figueroa, Wong, Kalfon. (2014). Effects of Watermelon Supplementation on Aortic Hemodynamic Responses to the Cold Pressor Test in Obese Hypertensive Adults. American Journal of Hypertension, 2014; DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hpt295

Furhrman, J., MD. How Tomatoes Can Protect You Against Heart Attack and Stroke. Retrieved from http://www.timigustafson.com/2013/how-tomatoes-can-protect-you-against-heart-attack-and-stroke/

Hak AE, Ma J, Powell CB, et al. (2004). Prospective study of plasma carotenoids and tocopherols in relation to risk of ischemic stroke. Stroke 2004; 35:1584-1588.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (Feb 1999). Tomatoes, Tomato-Based Products, Lycopene, and Cancer: Review of the Epidemiologic Literature. Retrieved from http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/91/4/317.full

Karppi J, Laukkanen JA, Sivenius J, et al. (2012). Serum lycopene decreases the risk of stroke in men: A population-based follow-up study. Neurology 2012; 79:1540-1547.

Karppi J, Laukkanen JA, Makikallio TH, et al. (2011). Low serum lycopene and beta-carotene increase risk of acute myocardial infarction in men. Eur J Public Health 2011.

Mateljan, G. World’s Healthiest Foods. Retrieved from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=31

Mercola, J., DO. (2014). 6 things you didn’t know about watermelon. Retrieved from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/21/watermelon-nutrition.aspx#_edn15

Szalay,J. (October, 2014). Watermelon: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/46019-watermelon-nutrition.html

Shardell MD, Alley DE, Hicks GE, et al. Low-serum carotenoid concentrations and carotenoid interactions predict mortality in US adults: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Nutr Res 2011; 31:178-189.

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