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.

bathroom cleaning service Wilmette ..
In The News:

ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.
Apple's older Mac computers face security risks without regular updates, but 10 essential tips including FileVault encryption and strong passwords can keep aging Macs protected.
Self-driving trucks from PlusAI could reshape freight transportation by 2027, addressing driver shortages and reducing logistics costs for businesses.
Solar farms are turning to sheep instead of mowers to cut grass under solar panels, lowering costs, reducing emissions and creating new income for farmers.
Fraudsters posing as local officials are making fake calls about missed jury duty, demanding payments in a rising scheme that exploits fear of arrest.
Honeywell Aerospace engineers developed a "surface alert system" that gives pilots two aural warnings when they are 15 and 30 seconds away from a collision on the runway.
Anonymous researcher has scraped public Spotify accounts of politicians and celebrities, highlighting major privacy risks in default platform settings.
AI chatbot toys marketed as screen-free playmates could undermine children's empathy and critical thinking skills, according to pediatric specialists.
TransUnion confirms a major data breach affecting 4.4 million U.S. consumers after hackers exploited third-party Salesforce apps to steal personal info.
Scammers use fake DocuSign emails claiming Apple Pay charges to steal personal information using fraudulent phone numbers and fake receipts.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Farmers Insurance confirms data breach affecting over 1.1 million customers nationwide, exposing customer info including addresses.
The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.
Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.
Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.
New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.
Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money
Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches
Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.
Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.
C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.
Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.
Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.

How You Can Support Your Immune System

Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited... Read More

Healthy Eating Habits

I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More

Soytastic ? The Health Benefits of Soy

It is often taken as a given fact that soy... Read More

Exposing the Best Source of Protein Myth

An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack... Read More

Improve Your Eating Habits.

1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More

WLS Patients Feeling Gassy & Bloated? Sugar Alcohol May Be To Blame

Sugar intake is a real concern for people who've had... Read More

The Anti-Aging Wonders of Hyaluronic Acid

ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits... Read More

How Can I Uncover Hidden Sugar And Prevent Carb Creep?

Many low carb dieters fall victim to "carb creep," which... Read More

How The Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

When was the last time you consumed soda? Most likely,... Read More

Put a Zing in your Step with Ginger!

Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More

The coq10 Benefit

Coq10 is also known as Coenzyme Q10.This co q10 is... Read More

Healthy Eating for Executives on the Run

For the executive, maintaining the much-needed balance between career, family,... Read More

Is Chocolate A New Health Food?

Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually... Read More

Getting More Minerals From Your Fruits and Vegetables

Before the thirties, people knew the importance of mineral. Their... Read More

Organic Food ? The Benefits of Natural and Organic Produce

Having spent most of my life living off of junk... Read More

Beverages Boost Calorie Intake, But Many View Fluids As Calorie-free!

Beverages - and not just alcohol - are a significant... Read More

Fattening Foods: Not So Fattening After All?

Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More

Summer Sun Cures

With summer comes more sun and with more sun comes... Read More

Do You Eat Breakfast?

It is not a myth. Eating breakfast is an important... 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

Time Line of the Development of GlycoBiology and GlycoNutritionals

1880s - Characterization of monosaccharides by Emil Fischer.1952 - Fresh,... Read More

Food for Healthy Nails

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

Train Your Self To Eat Healthy

For some people it is really hard to give up... Read More

Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating

Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign... Read More

Calculating Your Calorie Needs

In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you... Read More

whole house cleaning Northbrook ..