So now it’s the equivalent of the “sexiest food” alive, with books like “50 shades of kale” creating recipes for everything, from chocolate chip kale cookies, to kale doughnuts and yep, kale noodles (not cooked noodles with a side of Kale, green looking noodles made FROM kale).
Is the public taking this whole kale obsession a tad bit too far though? And are there damages inflicted from the different cooking methods, on the nutritional benefits of Kale?

In this article, you’ll be seeing why kale is considered a superfood, and why everyone’s open to experimenting with new recipes that they would have considered otherwise damaging to other vegetables.

It’s a Powerhouse

While most experts frown at the term “superfood” because they believe it’s simply a marketing terminology used in making ordinary foods seem way cooler than they actually are, they do acknowledge that some foods provide more nutrients (which help reduce your risk of chronic diseases) per bite (nutrient density) than many other foods – hence powerhouse.

Kale falls into this group of foods with superhero-like powers. So that just one cup of Kale can ensure you reach, or even exceed, the daily recommended dietary allowance (of some nutrients at least).

It’s this ability to fulfill your dietary obligations without stuffing yourself full of calories that have made kale quite popular amongst the “I’m on a diet” plus the “I eat junk, but with a side of kale” communities.

Great Source Of Iron

While this is primarily good news if you’re vegan (as every other person gets iron from meat), even non-vegans, especially women, can benefit from regularly eating kale. If the public health concern for anemia reveals anything, it’s that most people tend to fall short of the RDA for iron. In women, that’s about 18 mg (8mg for men). So as we get older, our risks of becoming anemic keep increasing. In fact, cooked kale is thought to contain more iron per ounce than cooked beef. This means by combining both beef and kale in your diet, you will significantly increase your RDA fulfillment.

Cancer Fighting Properties

Ok, anytime a food claims to help fight cancer, everyone does a double take. But here’s what kale purports to actually do. When certain animal products, like meat, are cooked at very high temperatures, they release a carcinogenic chemical known as heterocyclic amines. Kale, and some other greenies contain chlorophyll, a plant pigment which prevents the body from absorbing this heterocyclic amines. So it isn’t saying it will cure any type of cancer, but that it will take preventive measures against a certain carcinogenic chemical, which is quite good if you think about the amount of meat you consume.

It’s also high in antioxidants like carotenoids and vitamin C, which have been linked with fighting free radicals (molecules that encourage heart attacks and cancer).

Helps In Digestion

While this is true of most vegetables (they contain lots of water), kale stands out because a single cup, unlike others, can provide up to 20% of your fibre RDA (5 grams of fibre out of the 25 RDA). It’s this fibre that’s responsible for the health of your digestive tract or keeps you from being constipated.

Can Be Cooked Using Different Methods

This has always been true for most vegetables. Although light steaming and low heat boiling has always been encouraged to preserve the nutrients in vegetables, there have always been various means of preparing vegetables. You can’t deny that the “kale kraze” has made people delve deeper into more cooking techniques that will enable kale to infiltrate every aspect of their diets. Kale chips made their debut simply because they seemed like a healthier alternative to potato chips, so helped assuage some “junk eating” guilt (of course the salt and added fat content might negate the positive benefits of Kale here).

The cooking principle unearthed is this, cooking vegetables in water can cause valuable nutrients to leach into the water, if you toss the water away, you’ve tossed the good nutrients away. But other cooking methods like baking or microwaving only cause water loss with very minimal degradation on the nutrient quality (depending on the temperature and cooking duration). Hence people with junk addictions can now claim chocolate chip kale cookies are healthy, cause kale.

Final Thoughts

Kale isn’t exactly a new trend, whose nutritional benefits you can expect to phase out with the trend. It’s actually been trending for more than a decade now. Its undeniable benefit is in its ability to condense so many nutrients in so few calories. And considering the worldwide obesity crisis, kale is probably here to stay

The post Why Kale Is So Beneficial appeared first on Veggie Power.

So, What Is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fizzy, sweet tea produced through fermentation of sugared green or black teat with yeast and bacteria. The Yeast and bacteria are contained in a SCOBY culture which forms gelatinous, spongy, biofilm in the tea. The yeast converts sugars in the tea into alcohol which then the bacteria feeds on to produce acids. The bacteria and yeast work in unison to produce a light, effervescent drink that resembles something like apple cider.

The fermentation Kombucha process is more like beer making –what really matters in the process is how it’s done, the length of fermentation, the vessels used and the fermentation temperatures. A number of such factors are what make different brands of Kombuchas test different. It’s quite a complex process that even when you’re given the exact levels of tea and sugar used and you will still not be able to make authentic Kombucha. It’s like a form of art –the final taste has something to do with everything the manufacturer does.

The Health Benefits Of Kombucha

The research on Kombucha has recently increased with the increase in its popularity and consumption. The drink is often marketed as a “probiotic” with an existing long list of claimed health benefits. Some of them include reduction of bloating, reduction of inflammation, lowering blood pressure, relieving asthma, blood “detoxification” and even treating and preventing illnesses such as cardiovascular, cancer, and diabetes.

It should, however, be made clear that Kombucha is not medicine but food. The health benefits of Kombucha comes from its preparation process. Some strains of yeast and bacteria provide some health benefits to the consumer which give the drink its “probiotic” properties.

Kombucha formulation also significantly contributes to its health benefits. The drink contains a number of organic acids such as gluconic and glucuronic acid, acetic acid and L-lactic acid depending on the strain of bacteria used. The acids have a great potential of providing protection to the body, but it’s an area that needs more research.

Kombucha has also been widely mentioned as an antibiotic, thanks to the polyphenols contained in the tea used in brewing the drink. Most available studies have been done using cell culture and rodent models, and while there’re limited scientific studies in humans, the results are impressive.

Perhaps the most outstanding attribute that you cannot discount off is the extremely low sugar content. For those wishing to bypass sugary soft drinks such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola without jumping straight to water, Kombucha provides an excellent alternative.

Watch out for added ingredients

While Kombucha is generally low in sugar content, some brands of the drink can be quite high in added sugar. 5 grams or less for each Kombucha serving should be fine. Having said that, check the serving size as one bottle can contain more than one serving. While at it, check out the label for ingredients whose name you can’t pronounce –ideally, all the ingredients used should be those you can find on a grocery shelve.

One of the most common questions asked is can you drink too much Kombucha? Well, yeah –too much of anything eventually becomes poisonous. As earlier mentioned, Kombucha contains some level of lactic acid. There’re reports that drinking too much Kombucha could potentially cause lactic acidosis, which is essentially a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream to life-threatening levels. The risk is however pretty slim as long as you’re not galloping bottle after another.

It contains some alcohol

There some small amount of alcohol in Kombucha due to the fermentation process. Theirs is however very little chance that this will make you tick since brews found in grocery stores have less than 2% alcohol content. So you will have to drink about 6 or more 12-ounce bottles to get the same effect of drinking one light beer. There are, however, some Kombucha brands which are marketed as alcoholic beverages.

Can I brew Kombucha at home?

Yes, you can brew your own Kombucha at home and enjoy the health benefits that come with the drink. However, you need to proceed with caution along this line. Since it involves fermenting live organisms like yeast and bacteria, issues of food safety can arise.

There have been a few cases of allergic reactions, lead poisoning and heart attacks that have been linked to home-brewed Kombucha. So if you decide to go the DIY route, make sure that you use a recipe from trusted sources or simply stick to the brands sold in the groceries and supermarkets.

The post Kombucha – What You Need to Know appeared first on Veggie Power.

Reduces Risk of Suffering a Heart Disease

Vegetables help to lower cholesterol levels in the body which in turn reduces the risk of suffering heart disease and improves the overall health of the hearth. It helps to increase bile acid binding effect which is essential in lowering cholesterol for a healthy heart. It is estimated that taking vegetables daily increase HDL which is the good cholesterol and lower LDL which is the bad cholesterol in the body. This significantly reduces the risk of suffering heart disease over time.

Helps to Fight Cancer

Cancer is a disease that is characterized by a massive and uncontrolled growth of cells that fights the body cells and makes them weak. Vegetables contain specific cancer-fighting compounds that enhance protective effects against cancer and suppress the cancer cells from spreading and multiplying. For example, Kales contains sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol which are substances that helps to fight the formation of cancer at the molecular level and help prevent them.

Improves Eye Health

Vegetables are rich in Lutein and Zeaxanthin which are nutrients that aids in reducing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. These are two common eye disorders that affect many people. It even gets worse as people advance in age. Daily intake of vegetables will supply the body with Lutein and Zeaxanthin which improves the eye health and gets rid of cataracts and macular degeneration for improved eye health.

Enhances Strong Bones and Teeth

Vegetables, especially spinach, cabbages, cucumber and others are rich in vitamin C and Calcium which are vital in enhancing the active growth of bones and teeth. As people advance in age bones grow weary, and teeth lose strength. The body, therefore, needs a constant supply of calcium and Vitamin C in order to maintain bone density and enhance bone health. Vitamin C activates production of collagen, which is a process that is important in keeping the bones strong and make them resistant to any damage. Daily intake of vegetables boosts Vitamin C in the body which translates into healthy bones and teeth.

It Boosts Immunity

For the body system to function well, it has to be free from any harmful compounds and toxins that cause harm and damage to the body. Toxins and other harmful compounds slow down the immune system. Vegetables help to get rid of these toxic elements which in turn makes the body functions well and in the process boost immunity. Vitamin C found in vegetables give the body the much-needed strength to fight diseases and other invaders that harm the body system. These make vegetables the most effective and efficient immune booster.

Aids in Weight Loss

It is important to understand well the foods that are friendly to weight loss if you want to start losing weight. Green vegetables speed up the weight loss process and enhance a lean body within the shortest time. Vegetables are low in cholesterol and energy density which makes them a perfect weight loss measure. It also contains complex fibrous carbohydrates and water which makes you feel full ensuring you don’t take more food that will result in weight gain.

It Helps to Improve Brain Health

Vegetables are among the best foods that are known to protect the brain against diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. They are rich in flavonoids that reduce the risk of suffering stroke. They also contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are known to improve brain functioning and performance. Researchers have found out that vegetables boost the cognitive functioning after suffering a traumatic brain injury, which in turn protects the brain memory.
These are practical health benefits of growing vegetables, and it is advisable to include them in your daily diet to reap the benefits. By engaging in growing and cultivating vegetables, it reduces stress and anxiety and every time you sweat while digging it helps to detoxify the body and build your muscles.

The post The Health Benefits of Growing Home Vegetables appeared first on Veggie Power.

The big question is, which products are good sources of protein? Contrary to the popular misconception, fish, poultry, dairy products and meat are not the only sources of protein. Most people include big chunks of meat in their diet to get their daily dose of protein. It’s a good change for your body to replace the meat with another source of protein every now and then. If you are not a big meat eater, you will be happy to know that veggies have varying amounts of protein and can serve as alternative healthy sources of protein. They may not have as much protein as meat, but combining them can be a genius way to boost your protein intake and satisfying your daily protein needs. Besides, you will also benefit from the increased intake of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and minerals.

But how do you know whether you are getting enough protein or not? Let’s have a quick look at signs of protein deficiency before jumping into our list.
Signs of Protein Deficiency:

• Trouble sleeping at night.

• Feeling tired all the time.

• High cholesterol levels despite practicing a proper diet.

• Feeling moody and anxious constantly.

• Getting tired quickly during workouts.

• Healing slowly after injuries.

• Irregular menstrual cycles.

• Poor focus and concentration.

We have prepared a list of 16 high protein veggies you can add to your diet to help you reach your protein requirement for the day.

1. Peas

Foods in the legume family are excellent sources of protein, and peas are no exception. Peas give you about 10 percent of what you need every day. Besides, they are very tasty and can be included in many recipes to complement main dishes. You can enjoy them fresh or frozen. They are also a popular addition to vegetable soups and casseroles. Peas are also a Vitamins and Minerals powerhouse, notably phosphorus, folate and zinc, all which are crucial for cell growth and development.

2. Spinach

Universally recognized as a superfood, spinach is a great source of protein. Blend some spinach to make a green smoothie. A half-cup cooked serving of spinach contains about 4 grams of protein, which is pretty decent for a green vegetable. Apart from consuming spinach in form of salad or smoothie, try cooking it with cheese to make it more luscious and increase its protein content.

3. Soybeans

Soybeans have one of the highest amounts of protein content amongst plant sources. A cup of soybeans provides about 22 grams of protein. Soybeans also have fiber to promote digestive health and omega-3 fatty acids that avert cardiovascular disease. A popular method of consuming soybeans is in form of soymilk or soy yogurt, both of which can be easily found in convenience store shelves.

4. Potatoes

Everyone love fries! Potatoes are a popular side dish enjoyed all over the world. I personally don’t know of any fast food restaurant that does not serve chips. Many people wrongly view potatoes as a low-nutrient vegetable. The truth is that potatoes have a decent amount of protein. One medium-sized potato provides about 5 grams of protein.

5. Organic Sweet Corn

Organic Sweet corn is often overlooked just like potatoes. Most people despise corn as a plant with no significant nutritional qualities. If you serve corn with legumes and other vegetables rich in protein, you will have a balanced, nutritional and delicious plant-based meal. The best type of organic corn to go for are the non-genetically modified types.

6. Lentils

They may be low in calories, but lentils have an abundant amount of protein, potassium, folic acid and fiber. A cup of cooked lentils provides about 18 grams of protein. You can mix lentils into soup or sauce dip or better yet turn it into a side dish like a veggie burger. Research shows that this veggie decreases the levels of cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

7. Broccoli

Unpopular among kids, broccoli is often ignored in the vegetable department. Besides fiber, broccoli offers a decent amount of protein. Known as one of the best high protein veggies, broccoli is as lauded an effective cancer-fighting food. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin K that improves calcium absorption to enhance bone health. You can increase your protein intake by preparing a vegetable salad with peanuts and broccoli, including broccoli in your soups or use it as a pizza topping.

8. Avocados

Avocados are a favorite among many people due to their tasty and creamy nature. What these people don’t know is that besides having a high monounsaturated fatty acids content, avocados also have a small amount of protein. You can add avocado to a mojito smoothie or a guacamole.

9. Peanuts

Peanuts are an excellent breakfast snack. They are also a great vegetarian source of protein. Whether consumed naturally or in peanut butter form, they will help you reach your protein requirement amounts. Peanut butter is a classic favorite for kids which can be added to other foods apart from bread. Peanuts also minimize your appetite meaning that you will eat less during the day and lose some weight.

10. Kales

Kales are gaining popularity fast due to its impressive healthy qualities and protein content. Kales provide almost a tenth of your daily protein intake requirement in a single serving, not many veggies can offer you that. Kales can be used in salads, or wherever you would normally use spinach.

11. Carrots

You will soon realize that carrots have more protein than the next vegetable, but we included it in this list because most people prefer munching carrots raw like a snack. Consuming carrots either raw or steamed will provide you’re a healthy dose of protein and vitamin A.

12. Almonds

Almonds are known to be a good source of vitamin E and protein. The former offers amazing benefits to your skin and hair. Almond also satisfies more than half your daily needs for magnesium which takes care of bone health, sugar cravings and spasms. A quarter cup serving of Almonds gives you 7 grams of protein.

13. Artichokes

Artichokes can be consumed in various ways, roasting, teaming or blending. Whichever way you prepare it, they will end up being delicious and filling. Artichokes have a high protein content that will help to keep your energy up all day.

14. Pumpkin Seeds

Yeah, you read that right. If you are on the lookout for a healthy protein snack with the right amount of protein and other essential minerals like magnesium, pumpkin seeds are an excellent choice. Besides protein, pumpkin seeds have zinc responsible for boosting the immune system and tryptophan responsible for improving sleep quality.

15. Cauliflower

A white member of the Brassica family, Cauliflower is known to meet your daily protein requirement due to its decent amount of protein content. Besides, it is rich in choline, a chemical responsible for enhancing learning and memory, improve fat absorption and improving sleep. To consume cauliflowers, mash them like potatoes and add some cheese and garlic to the dish. You can alternatively add cauliflower to veggies salad.

16. Asparagus

Asparagus is a popular vegetable with a decent protein content. It is also an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, folate and phosphorous. Research shows that Asparagus has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Asparagus can be grilled, cooked in the oven, boiled, pan-fried or steamed. It is an amazing side dish and salad.

Protein is an essential nutrient that gives us the energy we need to go about our daily tasks. No matter the source, protein intake should be sufficient. If you are not in favor of animal products, you can easily switch to veggies and get the required dosage of protein to be fit and healthy.

The post List of Veggies with High Protein appeared first on Veggie Power.

Help with weight loss

Obesity and overweight are almost becoming a global disaster. Unhealthy foods contribute a significant portion to these problems. Thankfully, sprouted veggies can be used to help with weight loss. These vegetables are super rich in nutrients and have minimal calories. Eating them does not in any way compromise your diet. They are also rich in fiber, which makes you feel full and limit the release of a hormone called ghrelin. This is the hormone that sparks hunger and often leads to overeating. With full control over when you eat and feeling full for long, you have a perfect way to stay on top of your weight.

Efficient relief to cold sores

You never know when cold sores will come your way. They just hit you when you least expect. The experience is painful and uncomfortable. It gets worse since there is no medication known to eradicate sores; they tend to overstay their visit and only go away when they feel like it. Sprouts are rich in an enzyme known as lysine. This enzyme is known not only to prevent cold sores but also cure them. Now that is an excellent excuse always to have these veggies in your plate even when they are not your favorite.

Boost digestion

From introductory biology we all know the vital roles of enzymes in metabolism: they help in food breakdown. That is an interesting coincidence as sprouted veggies are super rich in enzymes. With better digestion, nutrients are quickly absorbed into the body system. Also, the digestive fibers in sprouts also help build bulk in stool thus helping with easy passage through the digestion tract. This bulkiness goes a long way to prevent common problems such as constipation and diarrhea.

Help fortify the immune system

Vitamin C helps stimulate the production of white blood cells. These cells act as soldiers of the body against disease attacks. Sprout veggies are rich in vitamin C thus a perfect food for fortifying your immunity. Vitamin D is also abundant in these vegetables. With its robust antioxidant properties, vitamin D gives your body total proof against diseases and infections.

Improve cardiovascular health

Sprouts contain a significant amount of omega-3 acids in their leaves. Although these fatty acids are cholesterol, they fall into the good group referred to as HDL. This kind of cholesterol is believed to help reduce the level of bad cholesterol in blood vessels. Since omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties,
this goes a long way to ease pressure on the blood circulation system. Therefore, blood can flow freely and reach all parts of the body and dramatically reduces the probability for strokes, and heart failures.

Enhances eyesight

Age comes with many problems and failing eyesight is one of the many. But those who have made a habit of eating sprout veggies are less likely to deal with eyesight problems. Well, these vegetables are fortified with vitamin A, a nutrient necessary for sharp eyesight. These leafy greens also contain antioxidants that defend the eyes from radicals. It is understandable if you load more of these veggies into your diet to see a brighter world even in your sunset years.

Help balance PH

Sprouts are known for their alkalizing power. Once taken in plenty and consistently, they help keep the body’s PH level at acceptable margins. This one is a perfect solution to increased acidity. Since conditions like cancer have a bold connection with acidity, you should make these vegetables part of your daily meals to be on the safe side. Anything that would give you better odds against cancer should not be debated, should it?

Wrapping up

For those who do not like veggies, you do not want to miss out on the sprouted veggies benefits. In every serving of any other food, you should make these vegetables part of it. You never know when the benefits of these vegetables will be the difference between health and sickness.

The post The Unbeatable Benefits of Sprout Veggies appeared first on Veggie Power.

Finding the balance is tricky however there are some methods of cooking which are definitely better than others for maintaining the nutritional value in vegetables.

Saute Instead of Fry

Deep-frying food gives it that crunchy and oily flavor however what it gives in taste, it takes away in nutritional value. When you fry your food, the oil penetrates into the vegetables and dissolves the fat-soluble nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E and K. Once they are dissolved, the nutrients are left in the oil when you pull the food out.

Sauteing is a better option than frying because non of the nutrients are lost in that way. Another benefit of sauteing is that if you use a healthy oil then it infuses the food that your cooking with the benefits that the oil has. Olive oil is paricularly good for sauteing due to its nutritional content however it has a low smoking point therefore you shouldn’t use high temperatures when sauteing with it.

Steam Rather Than Boil

Boiling has a similar effect to frying however with boiling you lose water-soluble nutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin B. Steaming is a much better option because it allows you to cook your food at a lower temperature and all of the nutrients stay locked in. Steaming is definitely the better option for cruciferous foods such as broccoli because they are at the highest risk of losing their nutrients when boiled.

The exception to this rule is if you plan on drinking the water along with the meal in the case of soups and stews. If you must boil your foods then you are advised to boil them whole in order to keep more of the nutrients locked in.

Grilling and Baking

These three methods of cooking use ‘dry’ heat to cook food, therefore, there is no chance of the nutrients being left behind in the cooking medium. The issue with methods such as baking though is that the vegetables must be exposed to a high heat for a long period of time which puts the nutrients at a higher risk of denaturing. Artichokes, celery, green beans, and onions tend to maintain their antioxidant capacity when they come out of the oven but green peppers do not.

Ditch The Microwave

Microwaves heat your food by exposing them to a high dose of radiation. This radiation heats the food from the inside out by causing friction between the molecules. Some studies suggest that this radiation causes the nutrients in food to denature at a much higher rate than they would if you used conventional cooking methods and denatured nutrients are much tougher for the body to digest. Choose to use a skillet or the oven instead if you want to reheat your food because you’ll keep more of the nutrients, and it will taste better too.

Nutritional scientists are still at odds about whether microwaves are bad for the nutritional value of your food or not however if even the professionals are not certain, then you’re better off opting not to use it at all until conclusive evidence becomes available.

Vegetables That Should and Shouldn’t Be Cooked for Maximum Nutritional Benefits

Some camps, such as raw vegans, believe that cooking vegetables destroys most of the nutritional value in food. There is some truth to their claims however you are still able to enjoy a long and healthy life by cooking your vegetables anyway. In fact, there are some nutrients in vegetables which are proven to be more readily absorbed by the body when cooked.

Tomatoes, which are high in lycopene, are definitely best served cooked. To increase the absorption rate you should chop them up or even puree them. Foods that are rich in beta-carotene such as carrots and green-leafy vegetables are also better for the body when cooked at low heats. For potatoes, baking and frying them does wonders to release vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid.

Fruits, red peppers, garlic and onions are high in Vitamin C and cancer-fighting sulfuric compounds which are highly unstable when heated therefore they are best eaten raw, so try to mix them in uncooked with cooked vegetables to get the best nutritional value out of your meals.

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