"phytonutrients" news and stories

It's well known that many fruits and berries contain powerful antioxidants which are beneficial to your health. Antioxidants are part of the class of phytochemicals, also called phytonutrients, which are substances found in plants that provide certain not necessary, but healthful chemicals to aid the body in fighting disease, inflammation; and reducing cardio-vascular disease and cancer risk. What isn't so widely known is that many herbs and spices have even greater amounts of antioxidants by weight than do fruits. Some everyday herbs and spices that you can use are cinnamon, ginger, oregano, and turmeric. Wikipedia has a thorough list of phytochemicals found in many foods that you can use to add more of these nutrients to your diet. I knew there were other reasons why I like spices so much.

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Researchers at Loma Linda University in California have just completed a new study that indicated eating pecans can reduce the risk of heart disease, adding another food to the ever growing list of things that are good-for-you. Published in the Journal of Nutritional Research, scientists say that part of the positive effect was attributed to a high vitamin E content in the nuts. To simply put the results, phytonutrients (nutrients found in plants) in the pecans help to prevent oxidation of fats in the blood ("a process akin to rusting"), which is a good thing for your body.

This is good news for anyone who likes pecans, since the nuts are often overlooked in favor of almonds and other nuts that are slightly lower in fat, although the majority of the fat in pecans is unsaturated.

If you want to get a few more pecans into your diet, try adding them to salads or eating a handful as a snack. For a slightly less healthy - but possibly more delicious - way to eat a few more pecans, try:

• Pecan Balls
• Butter Pecan Cookies
• Maple Pecan Tarts
• Mexican Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
• Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

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