November 13, 2016

Rambutan Exotically Delicious

An exotic fruit that I love to eat is rambutan (available at Melissas.com). These Malaysian fruits, which mean “hair” (rambut), look like small, red, hairy monsters. The somewhat rubbery brownish-red outer shell is peeled away to reveal a white, moist oval that is very similar to a lychee. It’s sweet, juicy, and subtle in flavor, not unlike the mangosteen. Rambutans are botanically related to lychees. They contain the vitamin C, iron, and phosphorous. Vitamin C helps the body resist infection, helps prevent cataracts, and aids in tissue regeneration to keep your skin young and fresh looking. Vitamin C also reduces […]
November 6, 2016

Raspberries Reveal Benefits In Two Studies

Articles that appeared recently in the Journal of Berry Research report that raspberries and compounds present in the fruit could help support healthy body mass and motor function, including balance, coordination and strength. In one study, Neil Shay and colleagues at Oregon State University fed mice a high fat, high sugar diet plus one of the following: raspberry juice concentrate, raspberry puree concentrate, raspberry fruit powder, raspberry seed extract, ellagic acid (a polyphenol that occurs in a relatively high amount in raspberries), raspberry ketone, or a combination of raspberry ketone and ellagic acid. Additional groups of animals received a high fat, […]
November 6, 2016

Cookware Contest Has A Winner!

The time has come! We are now ready to announce who the lucky winner is of our Green Cookware Contest!
November 5, 2016

Age Beautifully Cookbook Featured on Home & Family Show

  News flash! The Age Beautifully Cookbook recently appeared on the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family show and was a hit! The Golden Door Spa’s Chef Greg Frey discussed some of his favorite pumpkins and the recipe he loves from  Age Beautifully. The segment featured Grace O’s  Stuffed Baby Pumpkins recipe.  The Golden Door’s General Manager, Kathy Van Ness, wrote the forward to the Age Beautifully Cookbook. Grace O and the FoodTrients team hosted a panel along with Chef Greg for guests at the Golden Door last fall. “Both FoodTrients® and the Golden Door have complementary passions and purposes regarding […]
October 31, 2016

Ancient Grains May Lower Risk of Heart Problems

Eating bread made from trendy ancient grains such as spelt, barley or quinoa protects against heart disease, according to new research. The study shows eating bread made with ancient grains could help lower cholesterol and blood glucose — leading risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. The researchers said that compared to modern grain varieties, which are often heavily refined, ancient grains offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory profiles. They also contain beneficial vitamins (B and E), as well as minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium which protect against chronic diseases. The Italian research team said the findings, published in the […]
October 28, 2016

Can Green Tea Help Ease Tendinitis?

Study Data from State University of Campinas Provide New Insights into Tendinitis (Green Tea and Glycine Modulate the Activity of Metalloproteinases and Collagen in the Tendinitis of the Myotendinous Junction of the Achilles Tendon) By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week — Investigators publish new report on Tendinitis. According to news reporting from Sao Paulo, Brazil, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the weakest element in the muscle-tendon unit of the heel, and thus the most susceptible to injuries. The scarcity of adequate treatments means that tendinitis is a major concern to […]
October 24, 2016

Paleo Diet: What It Is and How it Can Benefit You

Did you know that you’re, basically, still a “cave” man or woman? And that if you ate the kind of diet your ancient ancestors did you’d be healthier, look younger, have more muscle mass, more energy and live longer? You may be knitting your eyebrows wondering if all that’s too good to be true, but let me explain why it is. The Paleo-Diet Helps You Lose Weight, Stay Younger and Healthier Even in our technologically advanced age in 2013, the human body is, however, not as advanced.  Your body is, basically, still the same old model humans had during the Paleolithic […]
October 17, 2016

Super Foods: Blueberries, Salmon and Broccoli

Food is powerful. It’s your body’s source for fuel and directly affects brain and body function as well as preventing and fighting disease. Incorporating specific and high quality food into your diet can substantially improve your health. Super foods are nutrient-rich foods considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Some are powerful enough to help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk for heart disease and cancers as well as improve mood. Below are some superfoods to incorporate into your daily diet: Blueberries. The blueberry’s fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and phytonutrient content, coupled with its lack of […]
October 11, 2016

Lives of the Reishi and Famous (Mushrooms)

Mushrooms are a major FoodTrient food! Both edible and medicinal mushrooms contain properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant , immune boosting , and disease prevention effects. Two mushrooms backed by significant research that contain potent health benefits include Reishi (immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and good for cardiovascular health) and Turkey Tail (immune-boosting, anti-viral, anti-fungal) mushrooms. Our FoodTrients nutritionist Ginger Hultin did some digging into the benefits of both. You can learn more about the amazing health benefits of Reishi mushrooms here. Find out more about the incredible benefits of Turkey Tail mushrooms here. Reishi mushrooms aren’t something you will find fresh in your local […]
October 10, 2016

How The Sugar Industry Shifted Blame To Fat

An article appearing on September 12, 2016 in JAMA Internal Medicine brings to light new information on an old topic—the role of diet in coronary heart disease (CHD). By investigating archival documents at the University of Illinois, researchers at the University of California San Francisco discovered that a review published in 1967 in the New England Journal of Medicine that pointed a finger at fat and cholesterol was funded by the Sugar Research Foundation, although this fact was not disclosed. (Full disclosure of all conflicts of interest concerning an article has been required by the New England Journal of Medicine […]
October 3, 2016

Reduce Heart Attacks By Eating Dinner Earlier

Q: Our family tends to eat dinner later in the evening, but a friend who knows our habits told me she heard this increases the chances for a heart attack. Is she right or did she misunderstand something? Theresa Schulte, of O’Fallon A: Eating a major meal within two hours of bedtime could indeed have far worse consequences than a midnight run for the Rolaids, according to a new study recently released at the world’s largest heart conference. Blood pressure usually drops by at least 10 percent when a person goes to sleep, allowing the body to rest. But this […]
September 27, 2016

It’s Not a Felon To Love Bitter Melon

Even though I can stop into Asian or Latino markets on any corner in Los Angeles and find fresh bitter melon or soursop, I know that most people across the country aren’t so lucky. For them, I recommend visiting melissas.com, an exotic produce company which will ship fresh and sometimes dried produce anywhere in the U.S. Melissa’s is also the largest distributor of specialty produce in the country. Bitter melon, which resembles a wrinkly, light-green cucumber, is something of an acquired taste. Soaking it in salted water to remove the bitterness is the first step in getting people to fall […]
September 22, 2016

Don’t Stress! Ashwagandha Is Here

Ashwagandha, a traditional Ayurvedic herb that is used for conditions ranging from arthritis and anxiety to liver disease and sleep issues, is trending strongly in the natural products market these days. I saw several foods and drinks with ashwagandha along with lots of new supplements at the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim. Rebbl has a delicious Ashwagandha Chai drink that I love! The drinks are available at Whole Foods here in Southern California, but Rebbl has a Where To Buy map on their website. FoodTrients contributing writer and nutritionist Ginger Hultin interviewed one of the leading scientist who researched the […]