Fruits and Vegetables and Phytochemicals

I'm willing to bet you probably haven't heard the word 'phytochemicals' before. But you've been eating them your whole life and they are vitally important to your life and well-being. They are one of the keys to real health.

So, what are they? Phytochemicals are biologically active substances in food. They have health enhancing abilities and possibly curative abilities. They number in the hundreds in most plant foods. They are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains.

Phytochemicals work together with nutrients to promote health and prevent disease. When you eat some broccoli or a tomato, you get all of these phytochemicals. So, can't you just take a supplement? You could, but first of all, scientists have isolated only a few of the phytochemicals in foods. But these work best in combination, so taking just one, isolated phytochemical is not anywhere near as effective.

For example, let's look at lycopene. It is found in tomatoes and is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are a large and important subject, but for now, let's just simplify and say that antioxidants help to repair cellular damage.

Scientists did studies and found that tomatoes had a noticeable effect against prostate cancer. They analyzed the tomato and isolated lycopene. Then the scientists did more studies, using lycopene. The effect on prostate cancer was much less. Does this mean that lycopene doesn't work?

No, it means that it works best in combination with all the other phytochemicals in tomatoes, and the nutrients. You don't get that from a chemically identical, but lab-created, lycopene.

Eating a tomato is good for you, of course. But eating all the tomatoes you would need to get what you need from them would be quite a task. So, a whole foods powder that I use, Berry Greens, offers freeze dried tomatoes, in a form that retains the nutrients. And a whole lot of other vegetables and fruits as well. You get all the benefits of eating all those fruits and vegetables, without having to consume all that food.

Most foods have not been analyzed and even those that have been, scientists have only been able to isolate a few of the phytochemicals. Most vegetables have hundreds of phytochemicals, and it's not likely they will all be isolated, analyzed and understood any time soon. We do know now, though, that they do work together to provide real health for us.

Barbara Pfieffer writes about gaining real health on her blog, real health. She has resources on what supplements really work, the differences among carbohydrates and other information to bring you to real health.

housekeepers near Des Plaines ..
In The News:

Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.
iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.
Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.
From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.
UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.
Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.
Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.
A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.
Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.
Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.
Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.
Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.
Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.
New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.
Step-by-step instructions help users migrate to Windows 11 while preserving emails, contacts, documents, and software licenses during the transition.
Chrome faces its sixth zero-day attack in 2025 as Google patches critical V8 engine flaw CVE-2025-10585 discovered by Threat Analysis Group.
The Hypershell X Ultra exoskeleton features 12 terrain modes and carbon fiber construction to enhance hiking, cycling and outdoor adventures.
Personal data from public records and data brokers helps scammers create tailored scam stories, making their calls and emails more believable to potential victims.
Uber Eats partners with drone delivery startup Flytrex to test autonomous food delivery services in U.S. markets, marking the company's first investment in drone technology.
OpenAI announces 120-day plan to strengthen ChatGPT safeguards for teens, including parental controls and expert council on AI wellbeing.
Spam emails can help improve security — if reported correctly. Learn how to report spam across major email services and get key tips to protect your inbox and personal data.
Harvard researcher Avi Loeb says comet 3I/ATLAS weighs 33 billion tons and spans 3.1 miles, making it far larger than previous interstellar visitors.
The Glassboro Public School District in New Jersey has partnered with ZeroEyes and InformaCast to detect visible firearms and alert staff and law enforcement within seconds.
Hackers use fake Google search results to trick users into downloading lookalike apps laced with malware that have been pushed to the top.
Generative A.I. has lowered barriers for sophisticated cyberattacks as hackers exploit ChatGPT and other tools to forge documents and identities.

MonaVie Acai Berry Juice - The Tree of Life from Amazonian Rainforest...

What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More

Food for Healthy Nails

Nails are a protective horn at the end of our... Read More

Sports Nutrition Made Simple

Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose... Read More

Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health

Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily... Read More

Health Update: Have Your Chocolate and Eat It, Too!

According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More

What on Earth is an Enzyme?

Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything... Read More

Learn About Diet Nutrition Physique

Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More

The Face of the Waters

The story of creation begins with water. Water is an... Read More

Enzymes and Raw Food ? Can You Cheat Time and Stay Young for Longer?

I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More

Bathing Suit Season - A Nutritional Guide

Spring is in the air and ? summer is around... Read More

The Best Way to Consume Vitamin C

Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is... Read More

Herbs that Heal Naturally

The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More

Magnesium Deficiency Causes Personality Change and WLS Patients are at Risk

Have you ever felt like you were completely losing your... Read More

Vegetarian Lifestyle

Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More

Understanding Cholesterol Levels and Decrease the Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes

What is Cholesterol?Before we go into how to reduce your... Read More

The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle

Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to... Read More

Essential Fatty Acids -The Good Fats

Fats (triacylglycerols) ...Some basic terminology ...fat or fatty acid ...In... Read More

Just The Tea FAQs: Health Benefits (Part III)

The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More

Rediscovering Protein - Corrective Action in the American Diet

Protein must be a part of a healthy diet for... Read More

Antioxidants - Add a Lean, Muscular Body to the List of Benefits!

I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More

Is It Possible to Improve Your Health by Simply Drinking More Water?

To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to... Read More

What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old... Read More

Protein, Carbs and Fat: Learn How to Diet with Macronutrients

Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you... Read More

How to Have Great Sex - Nutrition and Foods That Create Passion

Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More

custom home cleaning Glenview ..