The Okra (The hibiscus esculentus) has many names, there are places where it is known as okro, gumbo, kiabo and lady’s fingers. This is a plant native to Ethiopia, and its strong healing abilities and properties have been used for many centuries to treat many ailments and health issues.
The okra pod has tiny seeds and it has a greenish color, it can be added into broths, stews and salads.
The okra can provide thousands of health benefits, also it a rich source of carious nutrients, it has the ability to:
Regulate the Cholesterol Levels
The okra is able to decrease the cholesterol levels in the body and prevent from fat accumulation. It has the ability to support the bile acid production in the stool, therefore lowering the risk of heart attacks and atherosclerosis.
Control Diabetes
The enzyme that is breaking down carbs and improving the sensitivity of insulin of the cells is called alpha-glucosidase, and the okra seeds are able to inhibit this enzyme. Therefore it is able to decrease the fasting glucose levels and treat diabetes.
Improves Eyesight and Boosts the Immune System
This veggie is high in vitamin A, it is boosting the immune system, because of its ability to boost the white blood cell production. This vitamin is able to prevent from vision issues and it can improve our eyesight.
Treats Fatigue
Okra is a rich source of antioxidants and polyphenols, which are supporting the storage of the glycogen in our liver, therefore boosting our energy levels.
Control Food Cravings
Since it is a rich source of fiber, it can create a satiety feeling, therefore preventing from gaining weight.
Improves Skin Health
You can prevent from pigmentation and premature aging of the skin with the use of okra, because it has powerful antioxidant properties, therefore making your skin healthy and soft.
Prevent from Gastritis
The okra juice is able to fight against bacteria and inflammation, for example against H.pylori in our gut, therefore decreasing the risk of gastritis.
Prevent from Kidney Diseases
Consuming okra on regular basis will prevent from kidney diseases.
Improve Hair Health
You can fight against dandruff, make your hair soft, shiny and healthy with the use of okra.
Prevent Sunstroke
You can prevent from sunstrokes with okra.
Prevent from Constipation
The absorption of water can be improved with okra, also it can ensure the free motion disposal, and prevent from constipation as well.
Stop the Bleeding, and Prevent from Brittle Bones
Since it is a rich source of vitamin K, it can strengthen our bones and improve the blood circulation in our body, it decreases the risk of fractures and excessive bleeding, as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
The result of decomposition of the purines that is mostly found in beans, sodas, beer and seafood is production of uric acid inside our body.
Our body is able to get rid of the uric acid, but if the uric acid is present in larger amounts it may cause the development of many health diseases and conditions, such as pain in our toes and fingers, and kidney stones.
Actually the increased levels of uric acid in our body may lead to a state of the body that is called hyperuricemia, which is causing the following conditions, metabolic acidosis, skin issues, gout, kidney diseases, leukemia, diabetes, poisoning, toxemia during pregnancy and renal failure.
But there is no need to panic at all, because we have prepared a list of foods and drinks that have the ability to eliminate uric acid from your body or at least decrease its levels:
Broccoli, Cucumbers and Tomatoes: These veggies are able to decrease the production and prevent from the creation of excess uric acid in our blood and uric acid crystals around our joints.
Bananas: The bananas are the perfect fruit to lower the levels of uric acid in the body.
Carrots: You can prevent from this issue by the regular consumption of carrots, as well as enhance your overall health.
Cherries: The cherries are able to reduce the uric acid levels due to the ingredient that they contain, known as anthocyanin. They also prevent from the formation of crystals around our joints.
Water: With the consumption of water you will be able not to only decrease the levels of uric acid, but also eliminate waste material and toxins from your body.
Celery: You can prevent from further complications from the uric acid, as well as decrease its levels.
Apples: You can detox your body with the regular consumption of apples, as well as eliminate excess uric acid from your body.
Onions: If you want to eliminate uric acid from your body and prevent from further complications, simply peel two lemons, boil them and then mix that water with lemon juice. Consume this mixture once a day.
Artichokes: The artichokes are loaded with a lot of proteins, fiber and vitamins, and they have one of the strongest diuretic properties, therefore they are able to decrease the production of uric acid and prevent from its accumulation.
Green Tea: Consuming green tea on regular basis will reduce the risk of gout development as well as control hyperuricemia.
Lime: You can prevent from excess uric acid in your body by consuming lime, because it is rich in citric acid.
Berries: Berries are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods, and are also able to prevent from excess uric acid levels.
Squash: It is a rich source of many nutrients and it is able to eliminate uric acid from our body, very easily.
This homemade vegetable juice, is not only good and beneficial for your overall health, but for your wallet too!
Juicing is a very time-saving and easy way to consume a lot more veggies and fruits, as well as include them in your diet, also you can consume the fruits or veggies before they go bad, after all who doesn’t love juicing?
If you are moderating the intake of calories and natural sugars that are involved in juicing, than you are surely familiar with the fact how the veggie juices are providing powerful anti-inflammatory benefits.
But besides that this method is very beneficial, some people find it very hard to start. Because sometimes the vegetable juices can include many green vegetables that are highly needed and nutritious but have a very bitter taste.
However this is not a reason to not try out juicing, or to be worried how the juices will taste, because there are many recipes and options that offer sweeter tastes without the bitter veggies and are just as healthy as every natural juice. Below we will give you the recipe of the “jugo tres en uno” (3 in 1 juice) which comes from Venezuela and is very popular. This juice is simply a mix of carrot, beet and orange juice, with pretty impressive anti-inflammatory properties, and it also tastes very delicious!
Jugo Tres en Uno Recipe (Orange, Carrot and Beet Juice)
The juice you are about to prepare will take only 5 minutes of your time, and with a single preparation there will be from 2 to 4 servings.
Ingredients:
2 organic carrots
1 organic beet
4 organic oranges
A tablespoon of liquid stevia, honey or any other natural sweetener if you want to sweeten the juice
Instructions:
Wash the ingredients well, and peel the carrots beet and the oranges as well.
Then put the carrots, beet and oranges into the juicer and juice them. Or you can put them in a blender and blend them if you want to make a smoothie.
Add the natural sweetener if you want some.
Consume right away, and enjoy!
Note: The number of the ingredients can be changed as you desire. For example if you want to make the mixture a lot sweeter then add more carrots, or if you want to make it more bitter, then add a few more oranges. Also you may add some other veggies that are rich in vitamin C but contain low amounts of sugar, such as celery or kale. Also the juice should be consumed before your meals, in order to decrease the impact on your blood sugar, this will also reduce the glucose release into your blood stream.
The Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Carrots, Beets and Oranges
Since the juice contains the 3 of the most consumed fruits and veggies, you already know how delicious it might be. And there are researchers who have reported something about the health benefits and the nutritional content of the veggies and fruits of this juice.
Oranges are famous for their health benefits, as well as their richness in flavonoids, potassium, vitamin B and of course huge amounts of vitamin C!
Oranges
The flavonoids that are contained in the oranges, have the ability to prevent from chronic diseases and inflammation, for example from dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer as well. Since they are a rich source of vitamin C, they are able to keep the lining of our blood vessels limber, improve the health of our skin by preventing from the damage done by oxidation and manage the levels of fat in our body. Also they are able to prevent from type 2 diabetes and improve our digestion as well, because they are rich in folate and thiamine (B vitamins).
Beets
The beets are rich in vitamin B1, also known as thiamine which is gut-healthy, and can come along with other nitrates, antioxidants, and many minerals, for example with manganese.
The antioxidants that are contained in the beets, were proven scientifically that are able to relieve from oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The juice from beets is also able to relieve or prevent from chronic conditions and diseases, such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. The nitrates that are contained in the beets are able to boost the blood flow inside our brain and prevent from the cognitive impairment. And the manganese is scientifically proven to prevent or help in case of diabetes, and improve the function of our kidneys.
This root veggie is also known for its ability to positively affect our liver function and our digestion as well. With beets you can protect your liver and heal it, relieve from constipation and detoxify it very easily.
Carrots
The carrots are nothing less than these two, they are also very rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, such as magnesium, iron and potassium. Also they are a rich source of carotenes and vitamin A.
Besides that the vitamin A is aiding anti-inflammatory processes, it is also able to improve our eyesight, especially during the night, prevent or treat eye disorders, for example age-related macular degeneration or cataracts. Carotenes, vitamin A and the retionic acid which is a substance that is a product of the body when vitamin A is present, are also able to prevent from skin cancer, boost our immunity system and repair any skin damage. The potassium is able to slow down or prevent from kidney diseases, reduce the risk of death by a cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
So, anytime there are some oranges, carrots and beets left at home, don’t let them get bad, just get the juicer or the blender, prepare the juice or in a form of smoothie, sweeten it up with a natural sweetener and you have the “jugo tres en uno” the three in one juice that is the most beneficial you can consume, and the best anti-inflammatory snack at the same time!
The most versatile product that you have in your kitchen almost at every moment is the baking soda. Despite that it is widely used for many purposes, according to the latest researches, baking soda has the ability to kill 90% of the pesticides that live on the veggies and fruits.
According to a study from the University of Massachusetts, amazing results were found at the end. The study was preformed on gala apples, and the efficiency of this method was proven scientifically!
Researchers for the team have applied the 2 most common pesticides on gala apples, phosmet and thiabendazole. The first pesticide is an insectide, and the second one is a fungicide.
The gala apples were washed 3 times, with 3 different mixtures or liquids. There was the most used commercial bleach solution, which is actually approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), another one was the 1% baking soda/water solution and of course tap water.
The gala apples were put in the baking soda solution for 2 minutes only, and the pesticides were eliminated. But if you want to get rid of those pesticides 100%, then you need to wait for them to be soaked for about 15 minutes.
The baking soda is able to eliminate the pesticides from the fruits and veggies in an eco-friendly way and it is totally harmless, because it is an alkaline salt.
You just need to fill a large bowl with water, and mix a couple of tablespoons of baking soda inside it, and soak them inside for a while, or several times.
You can boost this process if you are willing to scrub the product with a brush while it is soaked inside the mixture. This is a very effective way to cleanse muskmelons, because they have a very weird way of stacking microbes and dirt in their crannies and nooks that they have on their rinds.
While we are at the kitchen, here are some uses of the baking soda in it:
Cucumbers are delicious refreshment, especially in the extremely hot summer days. Being rich in water, nutrients, electrolytes, and calorie-free, they are one of the healthiest veggies a person can eat! They belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, together with melons, squash, and pumpkins. Cucumbers originate from the northern plains of Himalays in India, but nowadays, they can be easily found everywhere around the world.
Cucumbers are abundant in manganese, potassium, copper, vitamin K, B, and C, which makes them a a tasty way to supply the deficiencies of these nutrients.Moreover, they contain high content of unique polyphenols which decrease the risk of various chronic diseases. Take a look at the following reasons why you should include cucumbers in your diet plan:
Delicious taste – Due to their delicious and refreshing flavor, cucumbers can be easily added to numerous salads, juices, and appetizers.
Detoxification – Having high content of water, cucumbers dissolve kidney stones and remove the excess waste from the body.
Fight diabetes, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood pressure – They are rich in potassium, magnesium, and fiber, that lower the high blood pressure and at the same time, stimulate the insulin production by the pancreatic cells.
Improve kidney function -- Cucumbers decrease the uric acid levels, thus promote the kidney function.
Boost the immunity – Their high content of vitamins C, B, and A provide the body with a lot of energy and strengthen the immunity.
Skin health -- Cucumbers are abundant in magnesium, silicon, and potassium that tighten and smooth the skin complexion and appearance.
Moisturize the body – The high content of water in cucumbers hydrates the body and moist the skin.
Improve joint health – The silicon in cucumbers strengthens the bones and the connective tissues. When combined with carrots, cucumbers lower the levels of uric acid and treat arthritis pain.
Digestion and weight loss – Because of the fact that they are abundant in water and fiber, and calorie-low, cucumbers improve digestion and stimulate weight loss.
Hair and nails – Thanks to the high content of silicon and sulfur, cucumbers improve the health of thehair and nails and boost their growth.
Fresh breath and healthy gums -- Cucumbers have juices which refresh and heal the gums. In addition, they are rich in phytochemicals which destroy bacteria and eliminate the bad breath.
Prevent skin damage -- Cucumbers regulate the skin acidity.If applied on the skin sunburns, they will relieve the pain and discomfort.
Eliminate dark circles -- The anti-inflammatory features of cucumbers wipe out the dark circles and reduce the swellings under your eyes.
Treat hangover -- Cucumbers are rich in vitamin B, electrolytes, and sugar – all of which treat hangovers and soothe headache.
The following recipes with cucumbers will help you receive all of their amazing health benefits:
Low-Calorie Cucumber Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups of cucumber (finely chopped)
½ a cup of tomatoes
¼ cup of onion (chopped)
¼ cup of Greek yogurt
1 ½ tsp. of lime juice
1 ½ tsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsp. of parsley (chopped)
1 garlic clove
2 chili
¼ tsp. of ground cumin
¼ tsp. of sea salt
Preparation: Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix them. Then, let them stay like that for a while, and then serve on toast.
The second recipe is called “Sassy Water”, in honor of its creator, Cynthia Sass, the Prevention nutrition director. It soothes the GI tract, promote weight loss, and fights stomach bloating. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
1 peeled cucumber, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
12 spearmint leaves
2 liters of water
1 tsp. of grated ginger
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and let the drink to stay like that until the next morning. Drink it throughout the entire day.
Recent Comments