5 Reasons To Eat Turmeric!

Turmeric, also known as Indian Saffron, is a spice from the ginger family, typically used in its dried powdered form, and is frequently used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking, especially in India where over 90% of the turmeric in the world is produced. It is responsible for making curry and mustard yellow-orange in color. Turmeric has many health benefits and here are just five reasons to think about adding more of this super spice to your diet!

1) Turmeric May Help To Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer's

Turmeric contains a phytochemical called curcumin which has powerful antioxidant and disease fighting properites. According to 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life by David Grotto, "One mouse study confirmed that curcumin significantly lowers oxidized proteins and inflammatory cytokines associated with Alzheimer's. Elderly people who ate curry at least once a month scored better on tests to measure cognitive function than those who reported they ate curry less frequently."

2) Turmeric Can Help To Alleviate Arthritis and Joint Inflammation

Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. For this reason, it is frequently used for the treatment of arthritis, and can also be useful for muscle pains, joint inflammation, and carpel tunnel syndrome. According to studies, turmeric may be as effective as anti-inflammatory medications, without any toxic side effects.

3) Turmeric May Help Prevent the Growth of Cancerous Tumors

According to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden, "There are at least thirty published studies indicating that curcumin has an antitumor effect (either reducing the number or size of tumors or the percentage of animals who developed them)." In particular, turmeric has been linked to the prevention and/or treatment of skin cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.

4) Turmeric Is Great For Your Liver

Turmeric can help to protect and detoxify the liver. Turmeric has been used to help treat liver conditions such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and jaundice. Promising studies also suggest that curcumin may even kill liver cancer according to http://www.greenmedinfo.com. The liver protective qualities of turmeric are similar to those found in milk thistle and artichokes. 

5) Turmeric Is Great For Your Skin

Because of it powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is great for your skin. It may help with the treatment of skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. It has also been associated with the treatment of acne, dark spots, and hyper-pigmentation. As a powerful antioxidant, turmeric can help to slow the aging process, prevent wrinkles, and improve the skin's elasticity.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about this delicious spice! If you love spices, you may also be interested in checking out 3 Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper!, 5 Spices That May Boost Your Metabolism!, and/or Why Is Ginger So Good For You?

Eat Groovy Q&A: Can Spicy Mustard Boost Your Metabolism?

Question: Can spicy mustard boost your metabolism?

Answer: Yes! You may have heard that hot peppers can boost your metabolism and spicy mustard works the same way. It increases your body temperature causing your body to burn more calories as it uses energy to cool down. According to a recent article in examiner.com, Scientists at England's Oxford Polytechnic Institute recently found that eating just one teaspoon of hot mustard may boost metabolism 20 to 25% for several hours after eating! Mustard is also likely to be beneficial to your health in other ways, because mustard seeds are a good source of health promoting nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and glucosinolates. Plus, mustard is very low in calories (only about 5 calories per teaspoon) compared to other condiments such as mayo, which makes it a great choice for those looking to add flavor while watching their weight.

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5 Delicious Ways To Eat Pumpkin Seeds!

Pumpkin seeds are both delicious and packed full of nutrients! They contain magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, zinc, fiber, selenium, and manganese. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Also, pumpkin seeds have a high phytosterol content which may help to lower cholesterol. Although you can certainly eat pumpkin seeds plain and raw, here are five more great ways to eat this delicious food!

1) Spice 'Em Up!
If you enjoy snacks with a bit of a kick, try roasting pumpkin seeds seasoned with turmeric, garlic, cayenne pepper, or chipotle flakes.

2) Add Pumpkin Seeds To Oatmeal!
Start your day off right, by eating this nutrient packed breakfast combination!

3) Add Pumpkin Seeds To Trail Mix!
Pumpkin seeds would probably be a welcome addition to most trail mixes, but here is a recipe for a Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry Trail Mix that sounds especially delicious! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/pumpkin-seed-dried-cherry-trail-mix-recipe/index.html

4) Sweeten 'Em Up!
Try roasting pumpkin seeds seasoned with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or brown sugar for a snack that's sweet and crispy. Plus, your kitchen will smell amazing!

5) Add Pumpkin Seeds To Salad!
Try tossing spinach or kale with cranberries and pumpkin seeds mixed with a vinaigrette dressing for a delicious autumn salad!

Fun Fact: According to the book 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life, Pumpkin seeds found in Mexico were estimated to at least 7500 years old!

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10 Great Health Benefits Of Onions!

1. Onions can help to regulate blood sugar. They contain the mineral chromium which helps cells respond to insulin.

2. Onions can help strengthen your immune system. Not only do onions contain vitamin C, which is critical for a healthy immune system, they also contain flavonoids that help vitamin C function more efficiently.

3. Onions are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are important in helping to protect the body from free radical damage.

4. Onions can help keep your heart healthy by increasing the production of good cholesterol. 

5. Onions can help to soothe pain from bee stings. Try applying a little onion juice to the affected area for immediate relief.

6. Green onions are high in Vitamin A. Among other health benefits, vitamin A is especially important for good vision.

7. Onions may help to relieve asthma and hay fever. Onions are anti-inflammatory and may block some of the inflammatory responses in the airways.

8. Onions can help to prevent cancer. Onions contain a compound called quercetin which studies suggest may play a significant role in cancer prevention. Onions rank in the top 10 of commonly eaten vegetables in their quercetin content. 

9. Onions can help to increase bone density. As a result, frequent eating of onions may be especially beneficial to older women who are at increased risk of bone loss and resulting fractures.

10. Onions are detoxifying. They are rich in sulfur and are especially good for the liver. 

If you are interested in learning a few fun facts about onions check out: 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Onions!

Why You Should Avoid Mixing Grapefruit Juice With Meds

According to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about What You Should Eat and Why it may not be wise to drink grapefruit juice while on medication. According to the book,

"It causes the medicine to stay in the bloodstream longer, which in some cases can boost the amount in your system to a dangerous high. Drugs that are affected include allergy medication (like Allegra), congestive heart failure medication (like Digoxin), blood pressure medicines and/or calcium channel blockers (like Cozaar, Plendil, Procardia, and Sular), epilepsy drugs (like Carbatrol and Tegretol), and cholesterol-lowering drugs (like Mevacor, Zocar, and Lipitor), but there are probably tons more, so if your med isn't on that list, don't take a chance. If you're curious as to why this happens, three compounds in grapefruit belonging to a class called furocoumarins inhibit a key enzyme, CYP3A4, that metabolizes and regulates certain drugs."

Hope you found this information helpful!