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.
cleaning help near Lake Forest ..Acid Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common disease which... Read More
Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More
With new research, new products and new skin protection advice... Read More
I am going to share with you possibly the most... Read More
THE RISKNo doubt you've heard of the increasingly popular "raw... Read More
If you drop a bomb, you kill not only your... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
Today we're shifting our focus from wealth to health. First... Read More
Do you know the risks to daily intakes of Starbucks... Read More
How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More
For some people it is really hard to give up... Read More
Although you may have heard about soy and all of... Read More
Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you... Read More
Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good... Read More
Many of us, probably even you, want this thing called... Read More
Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits... Read More
While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More
Every day we are bombarded with information about food products... Read More
White-spotted or yellow splotched teeth may reveal more than needed... Read More
Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More
scheduled maid service Winnetka ..Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic... Read More
We come from a society where growing organic and just... Read More
Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More
The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
The most dreaded word in many dieter's vocabulary is 'fat'.... Read More
Being vegetarian is one of the greatest things in the... Read More
For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More
Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on... Read More
The concept isometric has been a part of the health... Read More
Many of us sprinkle oregano on our pizza and stews... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? The... Read More
Are you concerned about taking care of your body before... Read More
With today's time constraints, stressful jobs, and "thin is in"... Read More
When it comes to food, we can't ignore the facts... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More
A beautiful smile and healthy mouth actually can come from... Read More
It slows ageing, promotes healthy vision, has anti-cancer properties, increases... Read More
Nutrition |